Improving the welfare and rehabilitation of prison inmates is a high priority for my government and the Ghana Prison Service, President Akufo-Addo has claimed.

The President noted that the government and the Prison Service had put in place several measures to improve the conditions of prisoners, including improving healthcare, food security, education, and vocational training.

“The key stakeholders of the Prison Service are the inmates and in line with the mandate to ensure welfare, rehabilitation, and reformation, this government and prison authority have put in place pragmatic interventions in healthcare, food security, education, and service training to improve progressively their conditions,” he stated.

He made the remarks while speaking at the graduation ceremony of intake 31 of the Prison Service, which consisted of 450 new prison officers, in Accra on Thursday.

“The Ghana Prison Service plays a vital role in the criminal justice system and security architecture of the country. As such, as prison officers, you will be called upon to serve in prison establishments all over the country. You must ensure utmost respect for the laws of the land and the lives of prisoners who are committed to your care,” he added.

He stressed the need for the officers to be practical, and innovative, and to rise to the occasion when duty calls.