Prisoners Plead For Justice And Amnesty

Prisoners at the Koforidua prisons have pleaded with the government to ensure that institutions responsible for justices do their work well.

They also wish that the President could offer them, especially those who had served for many years, a Presidential Pardon.

The prisoners made the appeal through Ms Helen Adjoa Ntoso, the Eastern Regional Minister and her Deputy, Ms Mavis Amma Frimpong, when they visited the prisons as part of their working tour to familiarize themselves with the security services in the region.

The prisoners said there were over 170 of them, who had been on remand for over 10 years without trial, which they believe the Constitution frowned upon.

The prisoners indicated that if the justice system was allowed to function properly, overcrowding in the prisons would be reduced, adding that about 83 persons were kept in one small room.

Expressing their appreciation to the prisons officers for taking good care of them, the prisoners also appealed to government to increase their daily feeding to improve their meal.

“Mama Ntoso, you are the fourth Minister to visit us and we are happy that as a caring woman you would relay our plea to the President,” said Agyemang, spokesperson for the prisoners.

The prisons officers also appealed through Ms Ntoso to government to provide them with vehicles to facilitate their activities, especially in conveying remand prisoners to the courts.

They also complained of lack of accommodation for officers, which had compelled them to live at separately at different locations making it difficult for them to respond to distress calls in time.

Ms Ntoso assured the prisoners of her support and urged them to pray to God for a change heart and attitude ahead of their freedom.

She pledged to supply computer desks to enable the prisons officers to set up a computer laboratory to train the prisoners.

The Regional Minister also pledged to work hard at helping to establish a vocational centre for the prisoners.

She also assured the officers to work towards resolving their vehicles and accommodation problems.