�Set Up Half Way Home For Prisoners�

The Controller-General of Prisons, Madam Matilda Baffour-Awuah, has called for the establishment of a �half way home� for prisoners who have completed their jail term. The half-way home would serve as the centre where released prisoners could stay, adjust to life outside the prisons, get a job or look for support to start a new life after their time in jail. The Controller-General suggested this in interview with the Daily Graphic after she had inaugurated a vegetable and corn mill project at the Kumasi Central Prisons. The project was initiated and funded by the Ashanti Regional branch of the Prison Ladies Association (PRILAS) and is estimated to cost GH�22,000. She, therefore, called on the government, faith-based organisations, philanthropists and corporate bodies to support the service to train inmates so they could easily be integrated into society. Madam Baffour-Awuah commended the Ashanti regional PRILAS for the initiative which helped them, inmates and people in the area as well. Challenges She stated that the service was doing everything possible towards the reformation of inmates, but the major challenge was the provision of enough equipment for training and capacity building for staff to enhance service delivery. The service needs support to construct baby-friendly facilities in some female prisons to complement what the service has built at the Nsawam Female Prison. The construction of library facilities in the prisons to enhance the education of inmates is one of their priorities. PRILAS PRILAS was formally inaugurated on August 28, 2006 in Accra with the main aim of promoting unity of officers in order to enhance healthy relationship among members and generating income to support inmates and their children to make life meaningful for them while in custody. The National President of PRILAS, Deputy Controller of Prisons, Emma Sawyerr-Laryea, pledged the association�s desire to support management towards the development of initiatives that would promote the training and welfare of both staff and inmates. The District Chief Executive for Bosomtwe, Madam Veronica Antwi-Adjei, who chaired the function, also commended PRILAS for their vision.