The number of juveniles in detention is gradually increasing in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions, an official of the Ghana Prisons Service (GPS) has said.
Deputy Superintendent of Prisons (DSP), Johann Nii Narh Nartey, who is the Public Relations Officer, said in 2019 the Sunyani Central Prison had one juvenile and increased to six in 2020 but the number as of June this year had increased to nine.
He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the Command has started sensitisation programmes in the first and second cycle institutions to educate students on the consequences of engaging in criminal activities that could send them to jail.
According to DSP Nartey, the involvement of children in crime in the country is very disturbing.
He said a greater percentage of inmates at the prisons were those within the productive ages of 18 to 25.
He said many children were ignorant of minor crimes which could get them imprisoned, and appealed to stakeholders to assist by instilling in the children and youth sound moral training.
He implored parents, guardians, teachers, schools’ guidance and counselling coordinators, churches’ counselling units and social workers to realise that the challenge “is a shared responsibility of all to save the country’s future leaders.”
DSP Nartey asked the school heads also to cooperate by responding to Ghana Prison Service’s request to enable them to educate the pupils and appealed to individuals and organisations to graciously sponsor the outreach programmes to ensure a successful impact.
GNA