MAHAMA UNVEILS SWEEPING PRISON REFORMS, EMPHASIZING REHABILITATION OVER PUNISHMENT
President Announces Policy Shifts on Alternative Sentencing, Bail, and Parole at Commissioning of Damongo Prison Camp
President John Dramani Mahama has announced a major overhaul of Ghana’s correctional system, pivoting its core focus from punishment to rehabilitation and societal reintegration.
The new policy direction was unveiled on Wednesday during the commissioning of the Damongo Prison Camp in the Savannah Region, a facility constructed through a partnership between the Church of Pentecost and the Ghana Prisons Service.
President Mahama outlined three key policy changes designed to modernize the penal system:
- Expansion of Alternative Sentencing: For minor and non-violent offenses to reduce the reliance on incarceration.
- Review of Bail Conditions: To prevent financially disadvantaged defendants from being detained unnecessarily due to an inability to pay.
- Introduction of a Parole System: To reward inmates who demonstrate genuine rehabilitation with opportunities for earlier release.
The President emphasized that these measures are aimed at tackling chronic prison overcrowding while facilitating a smoother return for former inmates into society.
He affirmed Ghana’s commitment to international standards, specifically the United Nations’ Nelson Mandela Rules, which set the benchmark for the humane treatment of prisoners. “True justice extends beyond punishment to offering paths toward redemption,” Mahama stated.
The Damongo facility is the fourth correctional center built by the Church of Pentecost, following similar projects in Ejura and Nsawam, with another underway in Obuasi. The President hailed this collaboration as a model, demonstrating that nation-building is a shared responsibility between the state, faith-based organizations, and communities.
In a practical gesture, the President also announced the donation of a new 66-seater bus to the Damongo prison to aid in the transportation of both officers and inmates.
This comprehensive reform agenda signals a significant philosophical shift in Ghana’s approach to justice, aiming to build a system where, in the President’s words, “justice operates with mercy, discipline with compassion, and power with purpose.”
Source:NKONKONSA.com
