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Editorial News of Wednesday, 9 May 2001

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James Fort Prison is a death trap

The inmates of the James Town Prison are soon to be evacuated and the fort turned over to the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, according to the Free Press.

"The fort, as it now stands is a death trap and plans are underway to transfer the inmates to avoid a catastrophe there," Mr Richard Kuurie, the Director General of the Ghana Prison Service disclosed to the Minister of Interior Alhaji Malik Alhassan when the latter paid a working visit to the prison as part of his tour to prison institutions in the Accra metropolis.

Alhaji Alhassan was first taken to the James Town Prison where he addressed the inmates, mostly, remand prisoners.

Cracks in the edifice, according to the Prison Director, was caused by earthquakes as the fort is situated in the earthquake zone. Also adding to the deplorable condition of the prison is the sea breeze, which has caused the iron bars to become rusty.