Set free: Brong-Ahafo Presby settles fines of 18 prisoners ­

The Brong-Ahafo Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) has paid a total amount of GH¢28,392 as fines imposed on 18 prisoners, to set them free.

The Brong-Ahafo Presbytery of the PCG covers the Ahafo Region and parts of Bono, Western North, Ashanti and the Bono East regions.

It was an emotionally teary mid-morning last Friday at the Sunyani Central Prisons when 14 out of the 18 prisoners whose fines were settled were freed.

The prisoners, whose ages ranged between 18 and 31, were serving jail terms ranging from three to 20 months.

While the highest fine imposed on the freed prisoners was GH¢2,640, the lowest was GH¢480.

Tears flowed as the Chaplain of the Sunyani Central Prisons, Superintendent Reverend Gideon Ndebugri, handed over the 14 prisoners to the Chairperson of the Brong-Ahafo Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Reverend Benjamin Appiah, after a brief ceremony.

An emotionally touched Rev. Appiah hugged the freed prisoners one after the other, while the clergy and some members of the church who attended the ceremony, as well as the freed prisoners, applauded the gesture.

"We are short of words and nothing can describe our feelings this morning.

We never thought this could happen so soon," Richmond Asamoah said when he thanked the church on behalf of his freed colleagues. 

Prisons ministry

The Prisons Ministry of the Brong-Ahafo Presbytery of the PCG, on April 30, 2023, feted over 900 inmates of the Sunyani Central Prisons, during which the church called on the inmates to put their trust in God.

In a short speech, Rev. Appiah urged the freed prisoners to say goodbye to prison by avoiding mistakes that brought them into prison.

"We will help them to acquire vocational skills that can make them set up their businesses to benefit themselves and others if they give us the chance to do so.

"I can see nobility in these men, and if they will allow Christ to take control of their lives, they will be useful to themselves and the society in the future," Rev. Appiah said.

He, therefore, advised the beneficiaries not to allow their incarceration to cloud the rest of their lives.

"This should not be the end of your lives.

God can change you for the better," he stated and encouraged them to go back to society as changed persons.

He explained that even though the church paid the fines of 18 inmates, one person had already gone home, while three others were undergoing court processes before they would be allowed to gain their freedom.

Rev. Appiah added that the prisons ministry was part of the presbytery's response to Jesus Christ's admonition to Christians to seek the welfare of prisoners. 

Relief

The Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regional Commander of the Ghana Prisons Service, Deputy Director of Prisons (DDP) Williams Kulah, commended the Church for the gesture.

"The gesture is a relief to the Ghana Prisons Service since it will reduce congestion at the Sunyani Central Prisons," he said.

He explained that the Sunyani Central Prisons, which was built for 400 inmates, was currently hosting more than 900 inmates.

DDP Kulah, therefore, urged all faith-based groups to emulate the love shown by the Brong-Ahafo Presbytery of the PCG and assist in efforts to solve problems confronting their various prison establishments across the country.

He stated that feeding prisoners was a challenge since the current allocation of GH¢1.80 for each prisoner per day was woefully inadequate, and appealed for the increase of the amount to GH¢5.00.

After the ceremony, the freed prisoners were taken to the Ebenezer Congregation of the PCG in Sunyani, where they were fed and counselled before leaving for their various destinations.