PRESIDENT MAHAMA TO VISIT NSAWAM PRISONS ON FRIDAY

President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that he has accepted the invitation of the Prisons Council Board to visit the Nsawam Maximum Prison, come Friday.

He noted that the visit is to get familiar with the conditions of the state of the Ghana prisons and to help support the reforms by the Council to change the face of the Prisons.

Speaking at the launch of project Efiase on Tuesday at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, the President noted “ I will visit the Nsawam Prisons and I will pull my Minister of Finance along, so that he will also go with me, so next year when I am advocating for more budget allocation for the Prisons, he will understand me”

President John Mahama also expressed his government support to the ongoing reforms in the Prisons. He noted that he will keep to his promise of providing new vehicles to the Prisons Service. The President in his address called on all to support the reforms to change the phase of the Prisons as “it could be anybody’s second home”.

Recounting his father’s experience in Prison during the ‘60s, he noted that his father’s decision not to be in Prisons ever in his life time, should be a clarion call for all, especially politicians as their places of abode could be changed anytime.

Launching the “Project Efiase and the Ten year development plan, the President called on all; corporate bodies, religious groups, civil societies to join hands to support the prisons.

The launch of the Project witnessed the President also pledging Gh10,000 from his pocket to support the reform, The Interior Minister, Mark Woyongo also pledge a 152 seater bus from his ministry for the Prisons and the Minister of Transport, Dzifa Attivor pledgeing a 162 seater bus from her ministry to also support the Prisons. Pledges also came in from organizations like Global Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Cal Bank, Unique Floral, Amen Scientific Herbal and Chocho industries.

As part of the launch certain personalities were nominated and given a one year renewable mandate as Prison Ambassadors to play an advocacy role to solicit support from their numerous fans and listeners to support the Ghana Prisons. The personalities include CEO of Unique Floral, CEO of Macro Shipping Limited, Kafui Dey, MUSIGA President Bice Osei Kufuor aka Obour, Kwame Sefa Kayi, Moro Awudu, Jessica Opare Saforo, Mrs. Selassie Ibrahim, Kokui Selormey, Patrice Amegashie, Benard Avle, Abeiku Santana, Ps David Gmercie and Ken Kuranchie.