The outgoing Deputy Director General (DDG) of Prisons in-charge of Finance and Administration, Mrs. Josephine Fredua-Agyemang has challenged prison officers across the country that the work of a prison officer is not solely about making money but rather build a career.
According to her, the work entails working with different people from diverse backgrounds, learning new skills, building career and above all learned from the misfortune of a large number of prisoners entrusted into your care to be transformed.
“We work assiduously in transforming lives, we also get transformed because the adage goes he is wise who learn from the misfortune of others.” Mrs. Fredua-Agyemang said
After 32 years of service, the DDG said it is a privilege to work with the Ghana Prisons Service and a life changing experience one may not get anywhere in life.
“One of the most important denominator in our choosing careers is the relationships we share together as officers which always propel us to make better life choices,” she stated.
Outlining some of the challenges in the service, Mrs. Fredua-Agyemang revealed that she joined the service at a time where officers’ uniforms were difficult to come by, salaries and conditions of service was equally not enviable to discuss adding that there were numerous instances that could make her regret working with them.
Mrs. Fredua-Agyemang again said in 1990 when she joined the Service, attention was not giving to improving the conditions in the services as all prisons across the country were using pit latrine which presented hazardous situation to the health of officers and inmates.
“But with this mindset and positive attitude, I made conscious efforts to be a game changer whichever station I worked and indeed I never left any station the same as I met it”. She added
In addition, lack of healthcare facilities, as well as lack of logistics such as body scanners and CCTV’s among others.
The Out-going DDG also seized the opportunity to call on individuals and corporate bodies to partner the service in the area of Agriculture, Health, Building and Construction, Education and Sanitation.
“I wish to emphasize that ameliorating the abovementioned operational and logistical challenges is crucial to enhancing the capacity of prisons to fulfil its constitutional mandates”, she acknowledged.
Speaking at her farewell parade and pull-out ceremony, Mrs. Fredua-Agyemang expressed her profound gratitude to the leadership of the Ghana Prisons Service, the Female Prisons Officers, senior prisons officers and the entire rank and file of the Service as well as former Director-Generals of the Service.
“I am much privileged to be alive today and to witness such a cheerful gathering of distinguished personalities, officers, family and friends who have left their busy schedules to be here to celebrate with me on the occasion of my end of service to the Ghana Prisons Service and Mother Ghana”, she noted.
She used the occasion to acknowledge the contributions, commitments and sacrifices of all former Director Generals of Prisons who committed resources to this success and a special appreciation to all Regional Commanders and officers in charge together with their staff who through partnerships and collaborations contributed to this feat.
“Today, we all have to share the exoneration of success that came with this intervention which has culminated in the tremendous improvement we see in our prisons presently adding that, “we have worked together to rebrand the service and this we have achieved through your hard work, discipline, dedication and commitment to work”.
“Though we have come far as a Service, more is still expected of us especially in our drive to become a world class correctional Service”.
Stressing that, she is optimistic that the strategic vision of the current administration is viable enough to bring into fruition the transformations that we are all expecting to see in the Service
