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 DSP Samuel Opoku, the man at the forefront of ‘The Youth and Crime Campaign’ of Ghana Prisons

• DSP Samuel kofi Opoku interacting with the students

DSP Samuel kofi Opoku interacting with the students

“The development of the youth must be very crucial to every country. It is the reason why every government must consider policies to protect them because they represent the future. They are the generation to take over from older ones.”

The above quote represents the view of a vibrant young man, Mr Samuel Kofi Opoku, a Deputy Superin­tendent of Prisons (DSP) of the Ghana Prisons Service (GPS).

DSP Opoku is stationed at the Ser­vice’s Headquarters at Cantonment and has become the face of the ‘The Youth and Crime Campaign,’ an initia­tive of the Ghana Prisons Service.

With his passion for youth develop­ment, DSP Opoku has welcomed this responsibility thrown at him by his superiors and is wholeheartedly com­mitted to it.

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The ‘The Youth and Crime Cam­paign,’ seeks to address the cause of the youth’s involvement in crime and also, contribute in reducing their involvement in crime.

It appeared defunct as it witnessed little or no activity but recent ef­fort by the Service has breathed life into the campaign and seem to be transforming the lives of the youth in schools, churches and the GPS.

DSP Opoku’s association with the project started after joining the Ser­vice in January 2017. He was invited by a Charismatic Church at Kasoa in the Central region to have a talk with the members about the work of the GPS.

What was supposed to last for 30 minutes was stretched for over three hours.

After that, he felt the ignorance of the youth regarding some of the crimes around them and life in and after prison.

The outcome motivated him to accept the challenge of the campaign powered by the Public Relations Unit of the Service in 2022.

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“We visit schools, churches and educate them about crimes, juvenile detention and the Juvenile Justice sys­tem in the country. Among the schools and churches visited were Labone Senior High School, Nugs Career Fairs, Rangoon Basic School, Kinbu Secondary School, Presbyterian Church Osu, and Mampong School for the Deaf.

Challenges

In all of these, language appear to be the biggest challenge faced by the campaign team because some of the groups or individuals encountered who were not conversant with the English language, had to be attended to dif­ferently in other languages.

“That notwithstanding, we are able to educate children about crime and its consequences on individuals wheth­er young or old. That has gone a long way to reduce the child involvement in crime stories.”

It is the wish of DSP Opoku that they would be able to cover a lot of remote areas to benefit from the laudable initiative.

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And in all of these, he hailed the impact of the Director General of the GPS, Mr. Isaac Kofi Egyiri, and Prisons Directorate for their immense support over the years for championing this course. And also Dr. Vladmir Antwi Danso for encouraging and supporting financially to the Prisons Service.

The campaign falls in line with the Ghana Prison Service’s mandate for reformation and integration into the society. This is done by taking inmates through various skills training at the classrooms at the various prison centres.

But one important thing the campaign has lacked is corporate support.

In his view, it was important for the cor­porate sector especially to support the campaign to reduce crime among the youngsters to create a crime-free environment for businesses to thrive.

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Passion

Before joining the GPS, he had stints with Radio Windybay in Winneba in the Central Region as a student news anchor. He also worked as a talk show host and producer, Editor for the Pro­file newspaper, Reporter and Producer at Channel R, Correspondent for the Ghanaian Observer and Daily Guide newspapers.

He taught English language and Literature at the Aggrey Memorial Se­nior High School in Cape Coast, Mercy Islamic Senior High School and St. Dominic Senior High School in Kwahu- Pepease.

He later coached the female bas­ketball team of the Aggrey Memorial Senior High School to win their first ever trophy at the 2013 edition of the Sprite Ball Competition.

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Life

DSP Opoku started his primary school education at the Presec Staff School (Legon) and continued to Tema Senior High School where he studied General Arts.

He holds a Diploma in Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in Communica­tion (Public Relations) from the Uni­versity of Media Arts and Commu­nication (UNIMAC) formerly Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ).

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Education, Winneba, Certifi­cate in Radio Broadcasting, Certificate in Advance Monitoring and Eval­uation from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration.

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Work

He was enlisted into the Prison Service in January, 2017 as a Cadet Officer and commissioned as an Assis­tant Superintendent of Prisons (ASP) on March 23, 2018 after 18months of paramilitary training at the Prison Officers Training School in Accra.

He first worked at the Monitoring, Research and Evaluation office at the Prisons Headquarters but was transferred in February 2019 to the Commercial Unit at the Prisons Head­quarters and in May 2020 to the Public Relations Unit at the Prisons Head­quarters.

After a hard day’s work, DSP Opoku relaxes by listening to music, writing and playing basketball.

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He is the last among three siblings to Mr. William Freeman Opoku and Madam Veronica Naana Essien from Akim- Oda in the Eastern region.

Advice

DSP Opoku advised the youth to stay focused to realize their dreams by taking their studies very serious to become responsible and productive citizens.

The Ghana Prisons Service as a key stakeholder of the Criminal Justice System of Ghana contributes to the maintenance of internal security by maintaining an efficient, humane, and safe reformatory penal system operat­ed within the laws of Ghana.

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The Service is committed to under­taking the safe custody, hu­mane treatment, reformation, rehabilitation, and reintegra­tion of inmates to make them responsible, productive, and law-abid­ing citizens to ensure public safety.

 By Linda Abrefi Wadie

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Prisca Abah: Ghana’s modelling powerhouse

 Ghanaian model, philanthropist and ad­vocate, Prisca Abah, who is known for her contributions to the fashion indus­try, is strutting her stuff on higher levels.

She was recently selected as one of the models for the Big8 Girls Project, an initia­tive by Clinton Samuel to celebrate influen­tial African models.

The project consisted of three episodes: the Bio Shoot which highlighted Abah’s professionalism through a corporate-themed photoshoot; Afrodeity which focused on showcasing her confidence and artistry, celebrating the African divine feminine and royalty which presented Abah as a symbol of African cultural pride, embodying strength and elegance.

The Big8 concept, produced by Clinton Samuel, intentionally highlights and cele­brates the strongest and most influential models on the African continent, congratu­lating their steadfastness and contributions to the African fashion industry, even as they grind and win in other aspects of life.

The Big8 sets hierarchy and high standards in the African fashion and modelling industry, crowning eight of them with the ‘Top Model’ status as the leading female models in Ghana at the moment.

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“Working with these fiery women will sure­ly ignite more creative minds and stir the pot of positive competition,” said Clinton.

Abah’s early life and career

Prisca Abah began her modelling career in 2013, achieving her first notable milestone in 2014 with an editorial shoot for 5-Star International Modelling Agency. In 2015, she made her runway debut at the Ghana Fashion Awards.

From 2016 to 2018, Abah participated in major African fashion events such as Glitz Africa Fashion Week, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Johannesburg, and Rhythms on the Runway.

During this period, she received acco­lades, including the “Best Female Model of the Year” and spoke as a UN Ambassador for Sustainable Development Goal 12 at the Sustainable Rice Platform Conference.

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International recognition and pageantry

In 2022, Abah expanded her reach by entering the pageantry world. She placed as the first runner- up at the Beauty of Africa International Pageant and represented Ghana at the Miss Globe World Finals, where she earned the title of Miss Globe Africa 2022.

Philanthropy

Abah founded the Palins Founda­tion, a non-profit organisation, aimed at empowering women and youth through initiatives in education, skills training, and personal development.

Awards and collaborations

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In 2023, Abah received the Best Model of the Year award at the Time Ghana Arts and Entertain­ment Awards. She has collaborat­ed with leading designers such as Charlotte Prive and Ejiro Amos Tafiri, further solidifying her influence in African fashion.

Legacy

Prisca Abah is recognised not only for her contribu­tions to the fashion industry but also for her philanthropic efforts. Her journey serves as an inspiration to young Africans, encouraging them to pursue their dreams while giving back to society.  

By Edem Mensah Tsortorme

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Juventus Duorinaah, Ghana’s first deaf Lawyer

• Juventus Duorinaah Esq.
• Juventus Duorinaah Esq.

 In a landmark moment for Ghana’s legal landscape, Juventus Duorinaah Esq., has etched his name in histo­ry as the country’s first lawyer with a hearing impairment.

His journey from a humble back­ground to breaking barriers in the legal profession serves as a powerful inspiration for countless individuals in the disability community, proving that determination and resilience can defy societal expectations and create path­ways to success.

For Juventus, the recognition as Gha­na’s first deaf lawyer feels surreal.

“It feels like a dream,” he reflects, acknowledging the stereotypes sur­rounding deafness and the humble background from which he hails.

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Juventus’ passion for law sparked in 2008 while seeking admission to the University of Ghana (UG). Although he initially faced challenges due to the nature of the application process, the help of his older brother and his deter­mined spirit led him to pursue a Bache­lor of Arts degree in 2012, followed by a Master of Laws at Cardiff University in 2014.

His passion for the study of law became highly intense when he had to study alongside qualified lawyers from several jurisdictions, even though he did not have a legal background. Here, he faced the unique challenge of study­ing without sign language interpreters, relying instead on a palantypist to tran­scribe lectures.

Juventus’ role model was his profes­sor and mentor, Professor Luke Clem­ent, who profoundly inspired him in shaping his understanding of law and human rights.

He remembers Prof. Thomas Stephens from the University of Ghana School Of Law, who inspired him with his way of dressing, in-depth knowledge of the law and engagement with students.

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He recounts the enormous challenges he encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when lectures moved online, and Dr Stephen’s tremendous support to ensure things moved quickly and smoothly for him.

“I also had the chance to have a few classes with the Dean himself, Prof. Raymond Atuguba. He taught the course such that some of us never felt scared as other lecturers made the course,’ he recalled.

Juventu’s academic journey was fraught with challenges, particularly in communication.

The year 2007 was the last time he studied with deaf peers. He was of­ten the only deaf person in his classes throughout the following years of his education, which made interaction with peers difficult.

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Despite these hurdles, he remained high-spirited, studying late into the night and seeking help from kind class­mates when necessary.

Reflecting on his academic experience at UG, he connected his affection for the university to his older brother, who is also an alumnus. He felt inspired to be a student of the premier university, saying he would choose the University of Ghana any time, any day, if given the chance to further his studies or work.

The University Of Ghana School Of Law, along with its Dean, Professor Raymond Atuguba, the Director of Legal Education of the Ghana School of Law, Yaw Bramiah Oppong, and his capable team, including the Registrar and Depu­ty Registrar of the Ghana School of Law and the Office for Students with Special Needs (UG), made significant contribu­tions to his journey.

Prof. Atuguba acknowledged Juven­tus’ achievement as evidence of the university’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

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Commenting on how the school accommodated his special needs, Prof. Atugugba explained that ‘In the case of Juventus, we worked closely with him to understand and address his special needs, ensuring he had access to the teaching and learning resources in the appropriate formats that would support his academic journey.

Professor Atuguba noted that Juven­tus’s journey is just beginning, and the future holds promise for him and the many lives he aims to touch along the way.

Juventus’s close friend, Ida Esi McOw­usu Esq., described her first encounter with Juventus as ‘intriguing.’ “My first meeting with Juventus was in class, where he sat right in front of me in first year,” Ida reveals. She was intrigued and wanted to find out more about him, especially how Juventus navigated his way to this level. “I got closer and we became friends from there,” she remarked.

Mr Francis Kweku Essel, Juventus’ interpreter, shed light on the primary challenges he faced in carrying out his job, particularly the complex nature of legal terminology and concepts. This validates Ida’s comment on the inter­preters’ lack of legal background as a challenge Lawyer Duorinaah encoun­tred.

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Juventus dreams of becoming a judge and aims to enhance justice delivery while serving as a role model for young people with disabilities.

He is currently mentoring a group of young deaf students interested in pursuing law, hoping to pave the way for future generations. What’s next for Lawyer Juventus? His next step is to complete his pupilage, after which he can decide further his legal career.

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