Four hundred and twenty-three (423) recruits comprising of 269 males and 154 females have passed out from the Ghana Prison Service at the Prisons Officers Training School in Accra on Friday, July 26, 2019.
The recruits officers had undergone 9 months training including initial 6 weeks of rigorous paramilitary training, practical attachments at prison facilities across the country in addition to academic courses such as Penal Statistics, Reception Duties, Prison Duties, Interpersonal Skills, Penal Law and First Aid.
They also received field instruction in Drill, Taekwondo, Judo and skills training in handling arms.
In his speech, the Minister for the Interior, Mr. Ambrose Dery, who was the reviewing officer for the passing-out parade, gave assurance of government’s continuous support to resource the Ghana Prisons Service to enable it effectively deliver on its mandate.
He cited the provision of new mechanized boreholes in some of the country’s prisons facilities as a testament of government’s commitment.
“As I speak now, new mechanized boreholes have been fixed in twenty-two of the forty-six prisons in the country. This would mitigate the challenges hitherto experienced by these prisons in the delivery of portable water to inmates” he said.
Mr. Dery also disclosed that, government was addressing the health needs of the prison community and this is manifest in the secondment of three medical doctors, five registered general nurses, two registered midwives and twenty five clinical nurse assistants from the Ghana Health Service through the Ministry of Health to the Ghana Prisons Service.
To the new officers, the Minister tasked them to be devoted in their duties, sacrifice their time absolutely and be energized in everything they do as Officers.
“You should know that you are going to work with the prisons twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week”, he said.
Mr. Dery urged them to maintain the highest standards of respect and professional conduct at all times.
These recruit officers are the second batch out of one thousand (1,000) new entrants expected to be recruited into the Ghana Prisons Service to beef up security in the country. This brings the total number of recruit officers to eight hundred and sixty (860) with the third batch, of one hundred and forty (140) would-be senior officers expected to pass out in two months’ time.
The All-Round best recruit Officer went to Recruit Officer Franklin Tsatsu Atsu.
Others were presented with awards, with the Best in Order of Merit award going to Recruit Officer Luke Kuryang, Commandant’s Award went to Recruit Officer Saraphina Davies and the Best In Drill going to Recruit Officer Richard Baidoo.
