Prison chief sends SOS to Government, public for support

A Director of Prisons has decried challenges facing the Prisons, particularly the Kumasi Central Prisons and called for urgent support.

Ing. James B. Nwinyelle, the Ashanti Regional Commander of Prisons and Officer in charge of the Kumasi Central prisons bemoaned the congestion at the facility, which is currently accommodating 1,627 inmates instead of 500 inmates, when it was built in the 1900s.

In an interview with The Chronicle, Commander Nwinyelle stressed the need to, as a matter of urgency decongest the facility in the face of increasing number of inmates, high cost of feeding, malnutrition and attendant ill health of inmates.

He identified the cost of feeding the inmates as the biggest headache the authority is facing, as the State is providing a meagre GH¢1.80p per day per inmate for feeding which invariably is affecting their health with the resultant cost of treatment compounding the situation.

He mentioned that the staple food is Banku with soup and that the inmates enjoy rice once in a year because 16 bags of rice needed at a time is quite expensive, just as gari and beans remain equally expensive.

Currently, he said, the facility has run out of bathing soap (carbolic) which cost the authorities GH¢8,000 every two weeks.

He attributed the congestion at the place to the fact that most of the inmates are still confined because they could not afford the option of heavy fines.

The concerned Director of Prisons said faith-based organisations, members of the general public and individuals are the major support of the facility.

Commander Nwinyelle has, therefore, recommended decongestion of the prison through non-custodial sentences under the law reforms, as well as general amnesty to get some percentage of inmates out to ease pressure on the system.

He wants Public Education to be embarked on in the media space to sensitise the public on crime.

He also reiterated a proposed increase in the daily feeding grant from GH¢1.80 to between GH¢7 and GH¢10 by prison authority for consideration of the government.

According to him, the proposed feeding grant might not be adequate, but it could be a big jump to help salvage the current situation.

Commander Nwinyelle has also suggested that all inmates are registered on the Health Insurance scheme to absorb the health needs and cost, while enough space is created for exercises to kill boredom, as majority do not even have visits from relatives.

He said it is time the Prisons, described as the weakest of the law enforcement units in terms of logistics and resources are brought close to society under its reintegration and reforms to ensure involvement of society in prison issues for assistance.

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