Pay attention to non-custodial sentencing to reduce overcrowding in prisons — Ambrose Nsarko to government

Government has been urged to pay attention to passing the Community Service Sentencing Bill into law to decongest the country's prisons.

According to a youth leader in Obuasi, Ambrose Edwin Nsarkoh when the bill is finally passed into law, it will allow for alternative sentencing or non-custodial sentences which will help decongest the country's prisons and cut government's expenditure.

Speaking after donating items such as bags of rice, detergents, dewormer, bottles of water, tinned tomatoes, and slippers among others to the Obuasi Local Prisons, Mr. Nsarkoh bemoaned the level of decongestion and inhumane conditions in the Prisons.

He noted that having an alternative sentencing regime to punish petty offenders without not necessarily putting them behind bars will help salvage the situation.

As an annual ritual, Ambrose Edwin Nsarkoh donated hampers, food items, slippers, detergents and bottles of water to the aged, widows, the Obuasi Local Prisons and the Abduallam Children's home, all amounting to GH32,000. This was to show love to them and give them hope in the new year.

He said the purpose of the donations was to bring smiles back into the faces of the vulnerable in society who are always marginalised. "I am motivated by the need for mankind to show love to the needy in society. I encourage Ghanaians to seize opportunities like this to show love to the less privileged, encourage them and make them feel happy."

Superintendent Esther Also Nunoo who received the items on behalf of the Obuasi Local Prisons lauded Mr. Nsarkoh for the donation and appealed to well-meaning Ghanaians to support them.

She added that overcrowding has been a major challenge to them, especially during the Christmas break when the courts were on vacation. This she said has put pressure on their already limited space in the Prisons.

Supt Nunoo again revealed that feeding grants given to the inmates which is GH1.80p per inmate per day is woefully inadequate and stressed that donations from benevolent individuals and organisations have been supporting them to feed the inmates.

Abduallam Children's home expresses gratitude

James Sundia, Executive Director of Abdullam Children's home joined other recipients of the donation to thank Ambrose Nsarkoh for the kind gesture.

He said, "he is one of us here at the Orphanage as he has always been here with us throughout the years to support the children".

He added that such donations will serve as a morale booster to them and build their confidence level.

The widows who were given hampers that contained rice, cooking oil and pieces of cloth among others applauded Mr. Nsarkoh for his support. They said the items will go a long way to cushion them and their children during the new year celebrations.