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Danquah Institute Donates To Nsawam Prison's Inmates

General News Danquah Institute Donates To Nsawam Prison's Inmates
MAR 12, 2018 LISTEN

The Danquah Institute's team led by its Executive Director, Dr. Kingsley Nyarko together with some media houses paid a visit to the male inmates of the Nsawam Medium Security Prison located at Nsawam in the Eastern Region of Ghana on Thursday, 8th March, 2018. The visit was used as a means to symbolize the good deeds of Dr. Joseph Boakye Danquah during his pre and post colonial struggles for the democratic and economic liberation of the citizens of Ghana.

The institute also took the opportunity to visit the Condemned Block and Cell where Dr. Danquah was detained, and died. The visit was part of the program outline of the 10th year anniversary of the Danquah Institute. The institute was established in 2008 with its main objective geared toward the Socio-political development of Ghana.

The doyen of Ghanaian politics, Dr. Danquah was born on December 21, 1895 at Bepong, Kwahu in the Eastern region. He was a politician, statesman, freedom fighter, lawyer, journalist, poet, historian and philosopher. On 8th January, 1964, Dr. Danquah was arrested and detained in the condemned cell Number nine (9) at the Nsawam Prisons, and died on February 4, 1965 at 6:30 am, after suffering a heart attack.

The Institute saw the visit as an opportunity to show care and affection to the inmates and donated assorted food items and toiletries worth about twenty thousand Ghana Cedis (GHS 20,000). The items were made up of bags of rice, boxes of soap, gallons of cooking oil, packs of toilet rolls, water and others.

With respect to the several reformational and correctional measures and structures such as the Junior and Senior High School education, library, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centres, carpentry, masonry, shoe making and others that have been put in place by the prison service at the Nsawam prisons, the Executive Director of the institute, Dr. Kingsley Nyarko applauded them for such initiatives, and opined that such initiatives were very important because inmates during their stay are supposed to be reformed and not deformed so that they can be of good use both in and out of the prison so that when they are joined to society after their release, they will be able to exhibit behaviours that merit societal standards. He also pleaded with society not to discriminate against them.

Moreover, for a preserve of the memory of Dr. Danquah at the prison, a proposal was made by the Danquah Institute through Hon. Frank Annoh Dompreh, a product of the Institute and Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsawam-Adoagyiri constituency for a future consideration of a renovation of the Condemned Block and Cell where Dr. Danquah got detained and died.

Assistant Director of Prison (ADP) Mr. Samuel Owusu Amponsah who received the institute thanked them for their visit, kind gesture and benevolence. He again pleaded with the public and other organisations in the country to replicate this kindness by the Danquah Institute to the inmates. Moreover, he posited that the prison was also in need of medical supplies and books for the inmates, and also a distance learning-tertiary education at the prison since lots of the inmates after passing their WASSCE examination find it difficult gaining access to a tertiary education. Dr. Nyarko and his team assured them that he will discuss it with appropriate organizations to solicit support to address some of the identified problems.

Notably among the Danquah Institute's team were Hon. Frank Annoh Dompreh (Member of Parliament (MP) for Nsawam-Adoagyiri constituency), Clara Napaga Tia Sulemana (Presidential Staffer), Hon. Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah (Deputy Minister for Regional Re-organisation and Development) and Mr. Stephen Amoah (CEO of MASLOC).

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