Prez Mahama unhappy with stalled remand block project at Nsawam prison
CCFFormer President John Dramani Mahama is not happy with the stalled construction of a remand block at the Nsawam Prisons.
Mr. Mahama who expressed concern at the deteriorating state of the prisons asked for the completion of the remand building.
“After that prison visit, I asked for the construction of a remand block. Work started before I left office but I hear it is stalled. It is something we should be able to do,” he said.
The former President said this when a group of civil society organizations including Amnesty International Ghana and Crime Check Foundation paid a courtesy call on him to seek his support on improving justice delivery.
According to Mr. Mahama, his visit to the Nsawam prison informed his decision to grant what he described as the biggest amnesty to some inmates after which he directed for the construction of a remand block to decongest the prison cells.
He said serious attention must be given to the well-being of inmates. “Remand prisoners should be moved to the remand block to decongest the cells. We can even move some of the prisoners there so that we can take our time to renovate those cells properly. They (prisoners) need better ventilation; there should be a way to get air into those cells. They must have an infirmary but what I saw at Nsawam is nothing to write home about. So you are preaching to a converter when it comes to prison reforms and prison conditions,” he pledged his support.
The Executive Director of Crime Check Foundation (CCF), Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng had earlier appealed to him for his backing on measures to decongest the prisons.
“The non-Custodial Sentencing bill has been in Parliament since your tenure and we do not understand why it is still in Parliament. We want to use your good office to appeal to push for its passage. There is also the need for government to appoint a Chief Inspector of Prisons,” he suggested.
The meeting was part of moves by the CSOs to push for justice sector reforms.
