About 300 inmates of the Tamale Central Prison in the Northern region are expected to receive vocational skills training.
The training is to be organized by Center for Social and Development Reform(CSD) Reform with support from MISEREOR , a German charity organization in its HOPE Project.
The Executive Director of Center for Social and Development Reform(CSD), David Issaka, at the launch of the phase 2 of the HOPE Project in Tamale, said the project was to strengthen the Paralegal unit of the Ghana Prison Service to provide legal services to inmates for enhanced timely access to justice, Paralegal training for paralegal of officers, Stigma and discrimination against prisoners and ex-offenders reduced and Mental and psychological health status of beneficiaries improved through counselling and psychosocial therapy, Vocational skills training and Business Advisory opportunities provided for ex-offenders and Prisoners through apprenticeship training in Northern Ghana by 2023.
According to Mr. Issaka, at least 300 inmates of the Tamale Central Prison by 2023 will receive vocational skills trainings which will be done through retooling and reequipping of the facility. “Vocational skills training and Business Advisory opportunities will be provided for ex-offenders and Prisoners through apprenticeship training and at least 150 new businesses established by ex-offenders By 2023.”
Madam Patricia Fafa Formadi, Member of Board of Directors of CSD Reform, said the lack of social and economic opportunities for both prison inmates and ex-offenders motivated the development of the HOPE Project by CSD Reform with the aim of giving true meaning to the let rename spirit of the Sustainable Development Goals.
“ the successful implementation of the HOPE Project changed would be CSD Reforms contribution to Ghana’s efforts at achieving Sustainable Development Goals No poverty , Zero hunger, Decent work and economic growth and Reduced inequalities.”
The Northern Regional Commander of the Tamale Prisons, Deputy Director of Prisons , Mr. Samuel Sapak Zoogah , disclosed that the phase 1 of the HOPE Project had about 125 poor prisoners having access to free legal services resulting in some receiving bail , discharges and sentences.
He indicated that the project also facilitated the training of over 125 ex-convicts in various business models resulting in increased business literacy and the setting up of at least 50 small scale enterprises.
The Deputy Director of Prisons , thanked CSD Reform for their support for the prisoners and ex-offenders and called for internal and external support from individuals , organizations and diners to aid in the reformation activities and help keep the society peaceful and safe.
The Catholic Archbishop of Tamale ,Most Rev. Philip Naameh in a speech applauded CSD Reform’s initiative to promote and protect the dignity of all human persons as enshrined in the Church’s social teachings adding that the Church sees the HOPE Project as a natural role in advocacy in terms of legal processes that will lead to improve human rights practices towards those charged with breaking the law.
The Catholic Archbishop of Tamale, appealed to government for better resource allocation to improve human rights practices.
He assured that the Catholic Church will collaborate with CSD Reform and the Prison Service to address challenges affecting prisoners and called on policy-maker and policy implementers to reorganize and redesign the legal and prison institutions to ensure the dignity of all prison inmates by giving them more decent places to live in where inmates’ reform could be a possibility.
FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale