An important element in reforming and rehabilitating prisoners is their mental well-being, which has, not been given attention for the past years.
Crime Check Foundation (CCF), in its bid to help the prison service effectively implement its reformation programmes, has trained prison officers to promote inmates’ mental health.
The training was to climax the implementation of the Improving Access to Psycho-Social Support and Arts Therapy in Prisons in Ghana project, which is funded by the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime and its partners.
The project, which was meant to benefit inmates of seven (7) prisons, was to also improve lives and conditions in other prisons across the country.
The training programme, which was held at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison, saw thirty-five (35) prison officers participating.
The project lead, the Executive Director of CCF, Ibrahim Oppong Kwarteng said the training was expected to enhance the capacity of beneficiary officers to better manage the mental, emotional, and social challenges they encounter while interacting with inmates.
“This training will not only ensure a renewed focus on mental health issues for inmates but will improve and sustain capacity for our officers,” he was optimistic.
The beneficiary prisons, both central and local ones are the Nsawam Medium Security, Awutu Camp prisons; Kumasi, Sunyani, and Ho Central prisons; and the Koforidua, and the Winneba Local Prisons.
