Change name of Prisons Service to Correctional Service

Prince Bagnaba Mba, President of Forum for Equity, a Human right Non-Governmental Organisation has called on the government to change the name of Ghana Prisons Service to Ghana Correctional Service.

“The change of name of the Ghana Prisons Service to Ghana Correctional Service is long overdue. With reformation and safe custody of inmates as the main objective of the state security organisation, the name prison connotes punishment and inhuman attitudes.”

Mr Mba who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Sunday said in line with modern best practices, the centres were now provided with ICT and opportunities to learn trades and vocations to acquire academic and professional education.

He said the implementation of non-custodial sentence would go a long way to decongest the crowded centres.

“We have found out that waste is wealth and a reformed human being is a great national asset. As Correctional centres, inmates will not suffer the psychological tag of non-acceptance into society.”

Mr Mba said speedy dispensation of justice through fair, unbiased and uncorrupted judicial system was a non- negotiable anchor of democracy and the abuse of freedom of human rights had contributed to the congestion of Prisons with inmates who could have been discharged or fined .

“A measure of our social index is how we treat law breakers and the ability to reform them for rehabilitation. As a nation, we must tune up to the best of realities and always hold the banner of leadership and positive innovation higher, after all, we are the first, South of the Sahara to gain political independence.”