As part of activities to commemorate its 15h anniversary, Ghanaian law firm, Sam Okudzeto & Associates, has made a donation to the inmates and prison officers at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons.

Speaking after the donation exercise, the renowned Ghanaian Lawyer, Sam Okudzeto, who is the Senior Partner of the law firm, said the exercise forms part of his advocacy for prison reforms and restorative justice.

According to the former Ghana Bar Association President, the government of Ghana has a challenge to adequately cater for the welfare of inmates and prison officers hence the need for the private sector to intervene.

“The law firm and l, are delighted that in celebrating our fiftieth anniversary, we thought of visiting the prisons and make a donation. In the process, our clients were generous and offered huge support and since Nsawam Prisons is the nearest, we decided to present these items to the inmates and the prison officers. I have been working with the prison for the past twenty-five years and I have been doing this with my family every Christmas,” he said.



He recalled how he was at some times in the past an inmate of the prisons himself.

He added it has since become his responsibility to look out for other inmates in prisons.

“I have been in prisons before and I’m conversant with the condition and the deprivation. The government does not have enough resources to cater for the inmates and even the prison officers therefore it is the responsibility of the private sector to try as much as possible to make prisoners have a comfortable life and the welfare of the officers and it’s very important, that’s why we are here.”

“This is part of our celebration and appreciation to the prison officers for taking a very good care of the inmates . Prison is not a place of punishment but rehabilitation so that after leaving the prisons, the prisoner will become a better citizen in the society and that’s why their welfare is important,” he concluded.

Adding her voice, the Managing Partner of the Sam Okudzeto & Associates, Victoria Barth, entreated other corporate bodies and philanthropists to emulate what her outfit have done since inmates at various prisons in the country have been succumbed to poor living conditions.

"This is just the beginning and we hope others will come around and make impact in the lives of the inmates," she said.

Also, Esine Okudzeto, the Deputy Managing Partner of the law firm, on her part, called on legal practitioners and human rights activists in the country to come to the rescue of inmates who have been on remand for many years without their case being heard.

“We came to the prison today as part of our fiftieth anniversary willing to give back because our senior partner (Sam Okudzeto) has been in different prisons in his life and it is also a way of showing sympathy to the inmates. We noticed that some of the inmates are on remand, some have a case conviction of two years but have been in prison for six years without their case being heard, so I will encourage lawyers to give back to society by offering a helping hand,” she appealed.



Meanwhile, Dominic Brenya-Otchere, a partner of the firm was grateful to clients of the Sam Okudzeto & Associates for a successful donation.

“We didn’t do the exercise alone, our clients came to support with a special mention to Unilever Ghana, Kojach Pharma, Duraplast Limited, Sunda International and also to Herbert Mensah (President of Ghana Rugby Football Union) who has been a solid rock behind us.”

Items donated were medical supplies, foodstuffs, sanitary products among others.

Sam Okudzeto & Associates is one of the pioneers in corporate and commercial legal practice in Ghana. The firm’s lawyers constitute some of the finest lawyers in the country, and are a team with diverse knowledge of the law and a wide scope of legal practice.