From (L) Mr. William Narko, ACILA Executive Director and ASP Judith Abbiw
[dropcap]R[/dropcap]esearch and education think tank, Africa Center for International Law and Accountability (ACILA-USA and ACILA-Ghana) has presented items donated by the Melcom Foundation and individuals to the female inmates at the Sekondi Female Prison.
The items included female underwear, sanitary pads, brassieres, female clothing, detergents, bathing soaps, toothbrushes, and toothpastes.
Making the presentation at the Sekondi Female Prison on Thursday, 1st June by Mr. William Nyarko, Executive Director of ACILA, he explained that ACILA was presenting the items on behalf of organizations and individuals that had responded to ACILA’s solicitation for support for the provision of some basic items for the female inmates.
[ads1]He praised organizations that donated items, including the Melcom Care Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Melcom Group of Companies; DD Clothing & Accessories, and individuals namely, Paul Kini, USA; Mavis Kwainoe, Ghana; Doreen Awuku-Agyeman, USA; Kofi Hene, USA; Nike Ademuyiwa, Nigeria; Carl Mensah, USA; Oforiwa Gyasi-Adonteng, Ghana; Ernestina Apetsi, Ghana; and Afia Abrefi, USA. The others were TajuAbubakar, USA;Elorm R. Agbavor, Ghana;Richie Sekyi-Hughes, USA, and Baroness Ankrah Amissah, USA.
Mr. Nyarko said that helping to provide some of the basic needs of inmates is just one aspect of ACILA’s programming to, among other things, support the work of state and non-state actors to contribute to improving the criminal justice system, noting that planned projects include providing legal aid to the indigent, and deploying skills training to inmates who are about to complete their sentences to rehabilitate and reintegrate them back into society to prevent recidivism.
Receiving the items on behalf of the inmates by the Assistant Superintendent of Prisons (ASP) Judith Abbiw, she thanked ACILA and organizations and individuals that donated in response to ACILA’s solicitation for support for the female prisons, adding that the donation will help to solve most of the basic needs of the inmates.
Ms. Hannah H. Ewoame, Chief Superintendent of Prisons and Officer-in-Charge of the Sekondi Female Prison (right) in a discussion with Mr. William Nyarko (left) after the presentation of the items
After the presentation of the items, Mr. Nyarko interacted with the female inmates and Ms. Hannah H. Ewoame, Chief Superintendent of Prisons and Officer-in-Charge of the Sekondi Female Prison.
Heurged the inmates to consider their time in the prison as a teachable moment which calls for sober reflection of their actions, adding that they should co-operate with the officers while serving their time and pledged the support of ACILA and its donors to not only provide basic items for them, but also to provide skills training to prevent recividism when they complete their sentences.
On her part, Ms. Ewoame, re-echoed the appreciation of the officers and inmates of her station to ACILA and organizations and individuals that donated in response to ACILA’s solicitation for support for the female inmates.
Source: Awake News