The reconstituted Central Region Prisons Committee was on Thursday inaugurated by the Chairman of the Prisons Service Council, Air Marshal John Asamoah Bruce (rtd) in Cape Coast.
The nine-member Committee has Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, the Regional Minister, as chairman, with Mrs. Hannah Taylor, Principal State Attorney, Barima Kwame Nkyi XII, Omanhene of Assin Apimanim Traditional Area, Mr. Kwesi Cab-Addae, a legal practitioner, and Dr. Ekow Amankrah Otabir, Medical Director of Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital, as members.
The rest are Dr. Samuel Tetteh Kwashie, acting Regional Director of Health Services, Reverend Noah Yaw Adunkwa, Mr. Andrews Owusu Adjei, Director of Social Welfare, and Mr Aliwa Yankey, Regional Commander of Prisons.
The committee has the mandate to advice the Council on all matters relating to the administration of prisons and the Prisons Service in the Region.
Air Marshal (rtd) Bruce said the Prisons Council was committed to ensuring that the country's Prisons were transformed into reformative institutions to make it easier to integrate prisoners into society.
He gave the assurance that the ultra-modern Maximum Security Prisons currently under construction at Ankaful would soon be completed.
"Your work is very important and it requires vision, dedication, commitment and teamwork to ensure that you discharge your duties effectively".
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe observed that the formation of the Regional Prisons Committee indicated government's commitment to improve the fortunes of the Ghana Prisons Service.
She said vocational training for inmates of the Ankaful Prisons has improved significantly and cited sewing, soap making, shoe making and
repairing of electrical gadgets.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe called on members of the Committee work with diligently and assured them of resources to facilitate their work.