Prisons to be sold?

Plans are far advance to sell off some prisons locate in the commercially viable areas of the country to some investors in order to acquire more funds to construct modern ones. The Maamobi Prison Complex that houses James Camp, the Borstal Institute and the Prison Training Schools are among some of the institutions that would face the trade-off venture.

“If all goes well, the benefit to the government in this venture would include the relocation of the James Fort Prisons to Kasoa in the Central Region.” This was announced by Rev Prof Andrews Seth Ayettey, chairman of the Prisons Council, at the inauguration of the Bronag Ahafo Prisons’ Committee at Sunyani.

Delivering a speech on behalf of the chairman, Nana Kwadwo Nyarko, a member of the council and president of the BrongAhafo Regional House Chiefs, said the council was also recommending to the government to trade off the Kumasi Central Prison, the female prison also at Kumasi and the Adum barrack for their possible relocation.

Prof Ayettey, said if all these are realised they can put up more modern prisons in a most cost effective way. On James Fort prison in particular, the chairman lamented about the weak condition of the structure, which, he said, posed as a death trap to both the staff and inmates. He said there is therefore the need to evacuate the prisons as early as possible, adding that the council had linked it up with the relocation of the Maamobi prison complex.

The chairman appealed to the authorities to expedite action on the document for the relocation exercise. On overcrowding of the country’s prisons, Pro Ayettey said the council was seriously considering the plea from several organisations, the Press and individuals for the introduction of non-custodial sentencing.

“Apart from overcrowding, the government,” according to Prof Ayettey is spending ?1bn on feeding inmates. Other costs include healthcare, utilities and maintenance of security systems. “In the view of the council, it is not prudent to continue imprisoning people with minor offences who can offer community service to the country.

“Another option the council is taking to ease overcrowding is Presidential pardon for convicts who have reformed and are considered ready for integration back into society.

The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Nana Kwadwo Seinti, who is the chairman of the committee said there is the need to offer full support and corporation to the prison authorities in the quest to make the country’s prisons fit for human occupation. Nana Seinti called for decongestion of the prisons by liasing with the law enforcement agencies and the judiciary to encourage more non-custodial sentences for minor offences, including fines and community service.