Crime Check Foundation (CCF) has applauded the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for promising to increase the feeding fee of prisoners to Ghc 6.00 but says the amount is insufficient considering the current economic downturn.
The Vice President’s promise, which he made during one of his campaign tours in Oda in the Eastern Region, has been welcomed by stakeholders.
The Executive Director of CCF, Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng has indicated that while the current Ghc 1.80 fee is woefully inadequate, the increase to Ghc 6.00, though it is a good attempt, it will still not improve nutritional crisis in prisons.
“Can you buy ‘waakye’ with Ghc 6.00? How do you feed an adult with Ghc 1.80p three times a day?” he quizzed.
According to Mr. Kwarteng, the Ambassador Extraordinaire of Prisons, it would be best for government to rather invest in the prisons and equip them with machinery to expand their agriculture projects, which has the prospect to feed a whole region. This he proposed will sustain and solve the nutritional gap in prisons.
“The Prisons service has dams and vast arable lands, which if cultivated can feed not only the prison population but the entire regions,” he said.
Mr. Kwarteng also implored the Presidential Candidate for the National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama to commit to improving prison conditions if he wins the elections.
