‘Don’t stigmatise inmates of correctional homes’
The representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr Batunde Ahonsi, has urged the general public to desist from stigmatisation against inmates at the Senior Correctional Centre (SCC).
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According to him, most of the inmates were victims of circumstances and needed proper care and attention in order to be reformed back into society.
He was speaking at a ceremony held to mark World Population Day in Accra yesterday.
Societal neglect
Dr Ahonsi said it was a collective responsibility for all to help in the reformation process of those people so they could be rehabilitated back into society to live normal lives.
“These groups of people are largely invisible to society and marginalized in their current status. It is, therefore, our hope that the visit to the SCC today will help draw attention to the plight of young people in confinement,” he said.
He said the reformation of the inmates would not only benefit them as individuals but also benefit their immediate society and the country at large.
He added that the government and the general public should pay attention to the needs of the inmates because their growth and development would help make them assets to the state.
“We are urging government, religious bodies, traditional authorities, philanthropists and individuals to take keen interest in the reformation of inmates in this and similar facilities by providing adequately for their upkeep and training so they can go through wholesome transition into productive adulthood,” he said.
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Dr Ahonsi also called on the young inmates to make it a habit to obey the laws of the land and make their education and health needs their priority.
Challenges
The Greater Accra Regional Commander and officer in charge of the Senior Correctional Centre (SCC), Mr Chris Larvie, said the SCC’s major challenge over the years had been the lack of financial support which made it almost impossible to run the facility.
“All activities which take place here at the SCC require adequate funding and without the funds, we cannot do anything at all,” he said.
He said the inmates were taken through some skills training but the machines and other equipment meant for the training were broken down, hence, it was difficult for them to learn.
Also, he added that the feeding of the inmates was a burden because each of the boys was fed at one cedi eighty pesewas daily and that would not be able to cater for breakfast, let alone a three square meal.
Mr Larvie explained that their feeding was supplemented usually by donations from churches, NGOs and some individual philanthropists and added that it was the only sure way of getting food support for the inmates.
“The inmates are supposed to have a three square meal on daily basis but the amount allocated for feeding for each person is one cedi eighty pesewas. Luckily for us, we are supported by donations from some churches and NGOs and apart from that, we do not have help from anyone,” he added.
He therefore made an appeal to the government and corporate entities to have compassion for the inmates and help address some of the challenges they were faced with