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.
Dear Editor,
Over the past few months, the ages of some drivers of commercial vehicles continue to baffle me.
This is common during weekends when one boards any of the commercial vehicles – be it trotros and okada.
I remember, I boarded a taxi from the Accra Central area towards the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area. When I sat in the vehicle, I realised the driver was a young boy. Specifically, he said he was 18.
I know our laws do not permit youth under the age of 21 to be driving; that is clearly against Ghana’s Road Traffic laws for operating commercial vehicles.
Some commuters have even had confrontations with station masters over the issue and have refused to board vehicles driven by underage individuals, despite the risk of arriving late for work.
This situation is deeply disturbing because it puts the lives of passengers and other road users at risk.
No matter how skilled such drivers may be, allowing underage persons to operate commercial vehicles is wrong and unlawful. Laws governing road safety are meant to protect lives, and ignoring them only increases the chances of accidents and loss of lives.
I therefore urge the relevant authorities, especially the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, to strictly enforce the age requirements for commercial driving in the country.
Baba
Labadi
The advantages of focusing on girls have been evident over the years. However, current research indicates that the statistics pertaining to boys are still declining.
Approximately 69 percent of boys and 73 percent of girls finish primary school. While Senior High School (SHS) enrollment trends have lately changed, with females significantly outnumbering males (about 110 girls to every 100 boys), Junior High School (JHS) gender parity remains stable, with the Gender Parity Index (GPI) remaining between 1.00 and 1.03.
The Gender Parity Index (GPI) indicates parity between girls and boys.
Although encouraging education for girls is essential for Ghana’s development, the strong emphasis has unintentionally led to inequalities for boys.
Many stakeholders worry that affirmative action and unequal resource distribution put males at risk, which can occasionally lead to increased dropout rates and behavioural issues in specific neighbourhoods.
There has been a lot of discussion among Ghanaian sociologists and educators about the disproportionate support given to girls and how it affects boys.
They claim that the majority of scholarships and special facilities are frequently disproportionately given to girls, which boy child advocates contend makes young men feel ignored or disadvantaged.
Due to these differences, Apostle Professor Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua, Vice Chancellor of Pentecost University, has voiced serious concerns and is pushing for a deliberate discussion about the education and development of boys in order to build stronger families and societies.
The statement was made by Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua during a seminar hosted by the Church of Pentecost Schools Outreach Ministry in Accra on May 16, which is International Day of the Boy Child.
It was organised in association with the Pentecost Men’s Ministry and the Ghana Education Service (GES) under the theme “Flourish and Thrive: Investing and Unleashing Boys for Strong Families and Communities.”
Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua revealed that many young males are vulnerable due to inadequate mentoring, a decline in schooling, negative social media influences, and emotional neglect.
Additionally, he stated that the boy child faced numerous difficulties, including aggression, substance addiction, academic decline, emotional neglect, and the lack of strong role models, as a result of the focus shifting to the girl child.
He worries that since boys are essential to the development of the country, they should not be overlooked in discussions about leadership, education, family stability, and national reform.
The Spectator agrees with Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua and believes that while it is important to train girls, neglecting boys can impede social advancement by causing differences in behaviour and education between young men and women.
“If we don’t make an effort social media will train our children for us. We’re not saying they shouldn’t use social media, but we should help them get the information they need to succeed in life,” he said.
The Spectator believes that the GES would adopt gender-responsive education in order to guarantee that classroom instruction meets the requirements of both boys and girls equally.
Let’s continue to be dedicated to making sure that no child is left behind.
