Nsawam Prison female inmates benefit from skills training

The Fair Justice Initiative, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), with support from the Australian High Commission, has organised a five-week skills training programme for female inmates of the Nsawam Medium Security Prison.

The inmates benefitted from making decorative and headwear for women under the Fair Justice Initiative (FJI) Millinery programme.

The purpose of the programme is to equip the female inmates with employable skills to enable them to start their own businesses after being released from prison.

At the end of the programme, the beneficiaries were given certificates to signify their participation.

Commendation

Speaking at a short graduation ceremony at the Nsawam Prisons last Friday, a Deputy Minister of the Interior, Mr Henry Quartey, commended FJI for its efforts towards enhancing the conditions of female inmates at the prison.

He also expressed delight that the female inmates had made good use of their time in prison to invest in their skills and capabilities.

He said the initiative to support prisons in the country ought to be increased, and therefore called on FJI to do more in that regard .

Australian High Commission

The Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Andrews Barnes, said he was delighted that his outfit could support FJI to bring about reformation in the lives of female inmates in the prison.

He said that with marginalisation of female ex-convicts still on the rise, the programme would equip the inmates with the skills to be economically independent once they left the prisons with, the agenda to reorganise their lives.

He urged them to make good use of the opportunity given them to improve upon their lives.

The Founder of FJI, Ms Sarah Mary Adetola, said the training programme was premised on the mission of the NGO, to help improve the conditions and criminal justice system in the country.

Touching on the relevance of the programme, she said, it would hugely benefit the female inmates, particularly considering the high demand for millinery products in Ghana.

She announced that the second phase of the training programme would commence in July, thereby urging other female inmates to take advantage of the opportunity when the programme started.

Gratitude

For her part, the Deputy Director of Prisons, (DDP) Joana Tackie-Otoo, thanked the FJI, the Ministry of the Interior and the Australian High Commission for their immense support in supporting a reformation process for the inmates.