Regional News of Wednesday, 29 July 2015

Source: GNA

Chocho Industries supports Koforidua Prisons

Alhaji Mustapha Oti Boateng, the Chief Executive Officer of Chocho Industries Company Limited, has handed over a refurbished inmate’s bath house to the Koforidua Local Prison.

The support is to enhance the living conditions of inmates of the Koforidua Local Prisons and contribute to the “Efiase” project launched by the Ghana Prisons Service.

The project is an initiative aimed at creating awareness of the deplorable prison conditions as well as the many challenges facing the service.

It is also to raise funds and other resources from institutions and individuals to improve on the conditions of prisons and transform them into practicable rehabilitation and reformation centres.

Alhaji Oti Boateng, handling over the facility, said the decision to support the inmates is enshrined in the teaching of the Holy Quran, which requires Moslems to support one another.

He said the inmates are human beings like any other Ghanaian and they need to enjoy their rights, adding that, they were just taken temporarily away from society.

He said the citizens of the country need to be truthful to each other to promote unity and development and urged the inmates to learn whatever skills they were taught in the prisons to enable them to transform their lives.

Mrs Mavis Ama Frimpong, the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, commended Alhaji Oti Boateng for his support to give a face-fit to the Prisons services.

She said as a country, “we need to give inmates and prison officers a dignified place to live.”

She called on corporate Ghana, individuals and institution to support the project, since government alone could not transform and reform the Prison systems.

The Deputy Minister urged the leadership of the Koforidua Local Prisons to introduce reading for the inmates.

Mr Stephen Coffie, the Director of Prisons in Charge of Technical Service, urged officers in charge of the prisons to initiate projects to improve on the living conditions of inmates.

He urged inmates to protect and make good use of the amenities they have.

Assistant Director of Prisons (ADP) Samuel Cobbina Otabil, Officer in Charge of the Prisons, said the facility now has 684 inmates, and that, the Prison was in need of a van to convey remand prisoners to court and to the hospital.

“We also need a skills training workshop to equip the inmates with employable skills whiles in prison.

He commended the CEO of Chocho Industries for investing over GH? 30,000 into various projects at the prisons.

The CEO also provided a team of medical doctors to screen inmates of their various ailments with serious cases being transferred to the Koforidua regional hospital.