The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has presented three new buses to the Ghana Prisons Service to enhance the transportation of inmates to courts, medical facilities, and rehabilitation programmes. The donation, which includes a Toyota Coaster, a Hyundai County, and an Ashok Leyland, was made possible through the support of the National Security Secretariat, which contributed one bus, and Maripoma Company Limited, which provided the other two.
Minister Mohammed-Mubarak described the vehicles as “more than just a means of transport,” calling them “instruments of efficiency, safety, and dignity.” He underscored the government’s commitment to strengthening the correctional system and retooling all security agencies, citing President John Dramani Mahama’s GHS 1 billion pledge toward this effort.
In a related move aimed at improving inmate welfare, Alhaji Muntaka also announced a significant hike in the daily feeding allocation for inmates, raising it from GHS 1.80 to GHS 5.00. This increase is intended to provide more nutritious meals for the more than 14,000 inmates nationwide. While acknowledging he had hoped for an even greater increase, the Minister stated that this marks a “long-overdue departure from a rate that had been stagnant for far too long.” He extended his gratitude to the National Security Secretariat and Maripoma Company Limited for their contributions and issued a call to companies, institutions, and individuals worldwide to support the Ghana Prisons Service through equipment, training, infrastructure, or other acts of generosity.
The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Patience Baffoe-Bonnie (Esq.), expressed her profound thanks, hailing the donation as an investment in human dignity that will boost efforts to rehabilitate inmates and promote their welfare. She lauded Minister Muntaka as a “true advocate and champion” for the service, providing “confidence and stability.”
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
