His Excellency, the Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia inaugurated a 13-member Governing Council of the Ghana Prisons Service (GPS) at the Ministry of the Interior.
The Council, which is the 8th Governing Council of the Ghana Prisons Service is mandated by the 1992 Constitution to advise the President on matters of policy relating to the management and maintenance of the prison system of Ghana.
Addressing the Council, H.E. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia stated that the government is making efforts to reposition the GPS as an excellent centre of reformation and rehabilitation in line with the modern regime and best practices in corrections management.
According to him, the government is concerned about the challenges of the GPS, especially the overcrowding situation in the prisons and therefore charged the newly sworn-in Council to work towards transforming the Prisons into internationally acceptable standards, adding that government will retool the service with essential logistics such as operational and utility vehicles.
“To address the issue of overcrowding properly, government remains focused on spearheading the introduction of non-Custodial sentencing as alternatives, and expansion of existing prison infrastructure”, he said.
The Chairman of the Council, Most Rev. Peter Paul Yelezuome, acknowledged the challenges raised by H.E. the Vice-President and pledged that the Council would work tirelessly to tackle them.
Other members of the Council include; Minister for the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery, the Director-General of Prisons, Mr. Isaac Kofi Egyir, Buipe-Wura Mahama Abdulai Jinapor II, Hon. Ophelia Mensah, Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, Rev. Dr. Mrs. Comfort Asare, Director of Department of Social Welfare, Madam Gloria Essandoh, Dr. Frank Serebour, President of the Ghana Medical Association and Mr. Vincent Kizito Beyuo Esq, Ghana Bar Association.
The rest are Chief Officer, Alhassan Koka, Rev. Dr Cyril G. K. Fayose of the Christian Council of Ghana and Madam Sarah M. Bediatuo Asante.
