The President’s nominee for the Interior Ministry, Mubarak Muntaka, has appealed for a shift in how society views inmates, calling on the public to see them as fellow human beings who, through circumstance, found themselves in prison.
He emphasised that this perspective is crucial to fostering community support, which he believes is more effective than relying solely on government funding for prison rehabilitation.
He proposed exploring Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a viable solution to address the infrastructure challenges facing Ghana’s prisons.
He mentioned for example how privately built and government-rented prisons are used in the US and suggested that this model could be adopted in Ghana, whilst being mindful of security concerns.
He also suggested the possibility of utilizing under-utilized agency lands as a form of exchange for constructing new facilities.
He also underscored the need for better categorization of prisons and inmates, to prevent overcrowding and ensure that prisoners are housed in facilities appropriate for their safety.
“If we all see that, yes, these are our own brethren, but for one reason or the other, they found themselves there, and we are willing to assist, I’m sure this will improve,” Muntaka said, arguing that he and his team will be looking for solutions to decongest the prisons if approved as Interior Minister.
He said that these measures will ensure that government will be able to deal with the issues confronting the Ghana Prisons Service.
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By Benjamin Aidoo
