Editorial
Prisons need support to improve wellbeing of inmates
Some people deserve to be in prison because of the crimes they committed, while others ended up there due to no fault of their own.
Regardless of the cause, prisoners endure the same conditions in jail, whether they are favourable or unfavourable.
Unlike the Netherlands which has seen a significant decrease in crime and prison population, leading to prisons being virtually empty, Ghana’s high crime rate makes the situation very different.
According to a number of reports, the jail environment is unpleasant, overcrowded, and many inmates sleep on the bare floor and sometimes sleep in shifts due to space constraints.
The issue is made worse by things like inadequate medical treatment, poor ventilation, poor feeding, and poor sanitation.
The low daily meal charge of GH¢1.80 per prisoner in Ghana has drawn criticism for a number of reasons, and calls have been made to raise it.
This is disturbing because crime is increasing in Ghana, particularly among the country’s future leaders, the youth population.
Since the number of inmates has increased to 14, 097 compared to the country’s capacity of 9,945, the prison system does in fact need reform and assistance.
The Spectator wholeheartedly concurs with Rev. Mathew Kwasi Gyamfi, President of the Catholic Bishop Conference, who has urged the Ghana Prisons Service (GPS) administration, particularly prison wardens, to be kind and loving to prisoners.
He said inmates should be treated with some human dignity rather than mistreated because “a jail sentence should be viewed as a tool for reform rather than as a kind of punishment.”
Ensuring the secure custody, welfare, reformation, and rehabilitation of prisoners is a constitutional obligation for the GPS.
The Prison Agriculture Project, which aims to alleviate the feeding challenges in Ghana’s prisons, is a commendable endeavour.
In order to improve their welfare and rehabilitation, the majority of inmates have participated in educational programmes and skill-building training under the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP). Some of them have even enrolled in tertiary institutions.
However, the government must step up its efforts to ensure that inmates are well-maintained.
To help former inmates reintegrate into society and lead better lives, more work needs to be done to make sure they are prepared when they are released from jail.
A variety of organisations, including religious bodies, NGOs, and philanthropists, have been providing food, clothing, and toiletries to show their affection for prison inmates.
In an effort to reduce the number of inmates in the nation’s prisons, the Spectator completely agrees with the president of the Catholic Bishop Conference that those who commit minor offenses need to be forced to perform community service rather than go to jail.
In fact, actions must be taken to enhance prison conditions in order to protect prisoners’ dignity and advance their welfare.
Editorial
Kudos to Ho Teaching Hospital staff, but …
Dear Editor,
If there is any group of professionals that get bad-mouthed the most, then you are referring to nurses and medical doctors assigned to public hospitals across the country.
For this particular letter, I want to sing the praises of this same group of professionals that work at the Ho Teaching Hospital, famously known as Trafalgar.
Despite the work load and the mass casualties received at the emergency ward of the hospital, the welcoming nature of the nurses and the professional touch by the doctors can’t be ignored. My personal experience has got me travelling from my base in Accra to seek medical services from these professionals.
Special mention has to be made of the likes of Precious of the Pharmacy Department, Dr Brandon Banor (a maxillofacial resident) of the Dental unit, male nurse Justice assigned to the female surgical ward. Words cannot really do justice to their affable, professional caring nature. A simple thank you is all that I can say.
In the same vein, I can’t but call out the bad attitude of the auxiliary staff and contractors of the hospital.
Chief among them is some of the contracted bank staff that handle the payment section of the hospital and the patient registration section (those that check the status of the patient as to whether they are fee paying patients or NHIS sponsored).
The attitude at times leaves a bad taste in the mouth. One such occurrence was a night staff of the registration section who had her legs on the office table whilst talking to patients.
The CEO of the hospital needs to shine his torch light on this support sections before they erode the awesome performance of the direct medical staff of the hospital.
Thank you for the space.
Kwesi Manu
Accra
Editorial
Develop policies to address disability concerns
Dear Editor,
AT the beginning of the year, when I went to the bank to deposit money into my uncle’s account, I observed a very sad situation where a man in a wheelchair struggled to navigate his way around the facility.
This is because the structure is disability unfriendly.
As I stood and watched how the man struggled to move his wheelchair, I felt sad and wondered if this is how the life of a disabled person should be. It becomes worse if there is no one to offer help.
In Ghana, People With Disabilities (PWDs) are often treated differently and are often subjected to all forms of discrimination.
Most of these people find themselves in such a situation as a result of unfortunate happenings such as accidents and injuries.
It is, therefore, not appropriate for anyone to discriminate against them. Discrimination against such persons take many forms, including how buildings are constructed.
Most of the public structures are not disability friendly and impede their movement.
As a country, we should consider the PWDs in designing our structures. I also think that there should be a national policy that seeks to address this issue.
I have a strong conviction that when such a policy is developed by the government, people with disabilities would feel appreciated and also promote social inclusivity.
Ray,
Kasoa
