The Executive Director of Crime Check Foundation (CCF), Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng has entreated Ghana’s Most Beautiful 2021 Winner, Benedicta Sarfowaa Asamoah to focus on the well-being of female prison inmates as she embarks on her prison reform advocacy.
Mr. Kwarteng said Ghana’s prisons are not purely correctional facilities and that it was important to focus on advocating for improved prison conditions and skills training, particularly for female inmates.
He said this when the beauty queen paid a courtesy call on him in his office to seek his expertise.
Mr. Kwarteng who doubles as the Ambassador Extraordinaire of Ghana’s Prisons urged Ms. Asamoah to use her grandeur to add her voice to the passage of the Non-Custodial Sentencing Bill into law and her platform to caution the general public on the consequences of crime. This he said should be done whiles highlighting the struggles of women in prison.
“Our prisons cannot be said to be purely correctional institutions and most of our laws are punitive. For example, the Tamale Prison was used by Colonial masters as horses stable. The prisons are also congested and we have been advocating for the passage of the Non-Custodial Sentencing Bill into law so that people who commit petty offences are made to do communal work,” he said.
He added, ‘because of the absence of the Non-Custodial Law, pregnant women are usually jailed. But I have heard that government keenly wants to pass the bill into law before the tenure of this current parliament ends. I will encourage you to add your voice to the advocacy to push for its passage.’
Mr. Kwarteng assured her of CCF’s support in successfully executing her task.
Ms. Asamoah thanked Mr. Kwarteng for his advice and indicated that she aims at demystifying prisons reformation due to the high stigma associated with convicts. The beauty queen said she also hopes to collaborate with the Prisons Service, Non-Governmental Organizations, and Government agencies to re-integrate ex-convicts into society.
“Many ex-convicts are not accepted by society because of their status. As part of my project I would want to partner some organizations so that when prison inmates come out of prison they get something doing to avert the tendency of the convicts becoming recidivists,” she said.
She was optimistic that CCF’s lead in prison reform advocacy will make her work easier.
By Rudolph Nandi
www.rudnankp4@gmail.com
