The Public Relations Officer of the Tamale Central Prisons, DSP David Afatsawo has bemoaned the amount of money allotted for feeding of inmates.
According to him, each inmate is entitled to GHc1.80 per day lamenting that it is inadequate to meet the nutritional needs of prisoners.
DSP Afatsawo said some compassionate officers are sometimes compelled to support the prisoners with their own resources.
He, therefore, called on the public and other organizations to support the inmates with food.
“The feeding rate which is pegged at GHc1.80 per prisoner is woefully inadequate. We all have children in our homes; ask yourself how much you feed your child. So sometimes it’s difficult and we manage and supplement whatever the government gives us”, he stated.
DSP David Afatsawo made this call in Tamale when the Royal House Chapel International donated some assorted food items, deep freezer, drinks as well as drugs to the inmates.
Presenting the items on behalf of the Church, Rev. Rita Korankye Ankrah, the Wife of the Head Pastor of Royal House Chapel International said the gesture forms part the Church’s support to the vulnerable.
She also pledged that the church will continue to partner with the Tamale prisons to ensure a more decent life for inmates.
“From today, we are partnering with Tamale Prison. This is not going to be the first time, we are certainly going to come back again”, she noted.
As part of the donation, the Church also organised a health screening exercise for the 250 inmates in the Tamale prison.
Two of the inmates who suffered hernia conditions underwent hernia surgery at the Tamale Central Hospital which the church catered for.
On his part, Reverend Sam Korankye Ankrah commended the prison officials for their work.
He, however, noted that aside from all the food and other items presented to the inmate, the most important thing needed for the transformation of the inmates is the Gospel, saying:
“We can give them food, clothing etc but if there is no transformation of the heart, your work will not amount to anything. So we have come to preach the gospel of peace, the gospel that brings transformation to challenge their thinking pattern and to ask them to make a paradigm shift in their minds.”
According to him, this will also strengthen them and let them know that there is hope when they get out of prison.