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Tuesday, 1 October 2013

Assist to reintegrate ex-convicts into society...Prison officials

The 2nd in Command at the Tarkwa Prisons, ASP Stephen Nti, has appealed to the general public to accept and assist to reintegrate ex-convicts into society.

He observed that the current situation, wherein some family members and the public stigmatize and avoid prisoners after serving jail terms, is not the best - as such attitudes affect their reformation and reintegration into society.

ASP Nti made this appeal when members of Mount Zion Methodist Men’s Fellowship, Tamso interacted and donated items to the inmates. ASP Nti emphasized that prison is meant to reform, and not to harden inmates.

He however also expressed concern over the current overcrowding and dilapidated nature of the prison and called on the government to help address the problem.

He explained that the Tarkwa Prison which was built to accommodate 260 inmates now has exceeded its ideal average capacity by 84, stating that the current number of prisoners is 344.

Out of this latest inmates’ population, 113 are said to be remand prisoners.

Presenting the items, Chairman of Mount Zion Methodist Men’s Fellowship Tamso, Mr. Matthew Cudjoe emphasized the importance for society to accept back ex-convicts and end their isolation and stigmatization.

He said ex-convicts deserve sympathy, encouragement and support to prevent a return to their bad ways.

Mr. Cudjoe said the situation wherein even close family members refuse to have anything do with them, erecting barriers to turn them into virtual outcasts is certainly unhelpful to their reformation and reintegration into society.

He urged Christians to do more to bring hope to prisoners and assist them to give up on crime and other evils and also called on the prisoners to keep faith with God. The Fellowship presented soaps, toilet roll n benches worth GH₵ 700 to the inmates.


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