Speed Up Trials of Remand Cases(Front Page) September 11, 2008

Story: Michael Donkor, Nsawam
THE Ghana Prisons Service has called for the speedy hearing of cases involving remand prisoners at Nsawam Prisons to ease the congestion there.
The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mr Alex Ansong-Agyepong, who made the call, said the Nsawam Prisons, which had the capacity to accommodate 717 inmates, now accommodated 2,926.
He was speaking during a visit by the Minister of the Interior, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, to the Nsawam Prisons yesterday.
Mr Ansong-Agyepong said the rising number of remand prisoners whose cases were either under investigation or awaiting trials was of grave concern to the service.
He said for example that in December 2002 the remand lock-up was 324 but as of now the number had risen to 1,903, representing 64 per cent of the total inmate population.
He said currently four of the eight housing blocks held remand prisoners.
Mr Ansong-Agyepong said the prisons administration continued to be in contact with other partners in the criminal justice system, especially the police and the Judiciary, with regard to the disposal of these remand cases but their efforts were yet to yield the desired results.
Touching on the reformation and rehabilitation of the inmates, he said a few inmates had made themselves available for a non-formal educational programme introduced at the prisons.
He said the programme, which was in line with the Ghana Education Service guidelines, prepared the inmates for the junior high school and senior high school examinations.
He said Information Communication Technology (ICT) education had also been extended to the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons.
Mr Ansong-Agyepong said the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons had embarked on a serious agricultural drive aimed at achieving food sufficiency to supplement government efforts.
He said the agricultural activities included crop farming, vegetable farming and animal rearing.
Dr Addo-Kufuor commended the prisons officers for the their efficiency and humane manner in which the affairs of the inmates had been managed.
He also commended them for maintaining a clean environment and establishing a good rapport with the inmates.
Dr Addo-Kufuor explained that the number of inmates at Nsawam had swelled because of the addition of inmates from James Fort Prisons.
On the efforts of the governments to improve the service, he said the government had ordered for 130 vehicles for the Ghana Prisons Service.
Dr Addo-Kufuor said out of this number 75 had been delivered.
He appealed to all the inmates to comport themselves well and take advantage of the workshops, educational facilities and the ICT centre to equip themselves for life outside prison.
The Ministry of the Interior presented items that included plastic cups, plates and mattresses to the inmates.