In a historic milestone, the Ankaful Maximum Prison Service on Monday held its first-ever graduation ceremony, celebrating the successful completion of the 125th recruit course by 451 officers.

The graduating cohort, including 202 women, were drawn from diverse professions including artisans like masons, carpenters, plumbers, mechanics, electricians holding various tertiary and professional certificates.

The Ankaful Prison Officers Training School officially commenced operations as a fully-fledged training facility of the Ghana Prisons Service on Friday, April 11, 2025, marking the intake of its first standalone recruit course.

Prior to this milestone, the centre served as an auxiliary training site supporting the main Prisons Officers Training School at Roman Ridge in Accra.

During this period, trainees from POTS were periodically deployed to Ankaful for specialised tactical and operational training, after which they returned to continue their course at the main training school.

For over a decade, Ankaful has also played a pivotal role as the primary training centre for the Prison Support Assistants-a government initiative under the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) aimed at providing sustainable job opportunities for young Ghanaians.

Therefore, the graduation marked a significant achievement in the prison service’s history, reflecting their dedication to upholding security and order.

The passing out parade was graced by senior officials, dignitaries, and family members who came together to honour the graduates’ accomplishments.

This inaugural ceremony not only signifies the growth and progress of Ankaful Maximum Prison Service but also highlights the crucial role these officers will play in strengthening the nation’s correctional system.

Mr Muntaka Mubarak, Ghana’s Minister of Interior, highlighted a historic milestone in the decentralisation and modernisation of the Ghana Prisons Service during a recent parade.

This strategic initiative aims to expand prisons nationwide, enhancing their capacity to meet growing demands while improving public safety and social justice.

The Minister emphasised that the transformation goes beyond administrative changes, reflecting a broader vision to evolve prisons into centres of rehabilitation and reformation.

By equipping inmates with education, vocational training, and ICT skills, the government seeks to empower them for successful reintegration, reduce recidivism, and break the cycle of crime.

Other key measures include an increase in inmate feeding grants to enhance living standards behind bars.

Additionally, government is working to ensure new training centres were established on recently acquired lands to provide inmates with valuable skills’ development opportunities.

Mr Muntaka stated that security was being strengthened through the deployment of advanced surveillance technology across prisons.

Efforts to alleviate overcrowding were progressing with commitment to complete stalled infrastructure, including the much-anticipated Nsawam Remand Prison block.

Touching on national agricultural programmes such as “Feed Ghana,” he said the Service had taken advantage of government’s “Nkoko Ketsekete” initiative within prisons to foster self-reliance among inmates while contributing to national food security.

He also announced healthcare access for inmates to improve their health with the introduction of unique Health Insurance ID cards, ensuring timely and adequate medical care.

These comprehensive reforms underscored the government’s commitment to transforming Ghana’s prisons into centres of reformation and social reintegration.

Minister Mubarak called on all stakeholders to support the vision of transforming Ghana’s prisons into world-class institutions focused on discipline, rehabilitation, and social reintegration.

He praised the dedication of prison officers and congratulated graduating officers for becoming agents of positive change.

“The Ghana Prisons Service is shifting from mere confinement to a progressive model centred on reformation, skills development, and successful societal reintegration, with strong appreciation extended to the families of inmates and officers for their ongoing support,” he said.