The Church of Pentecost has described its decision to construct modern prison facilities across Ghana, calling the initiative a tangible demonstration of its Christian mission and a meaningful act of compassion.

The church’s leadership explained that the project seeks to ease overcrowding in Ghana’s prisons and offer inmates the opportunity to acquire trade skills such as carpentry and tailoring, helping them reintegrate successfully into society after completing their sentences.

Some of the correctional centres built by the church are already operational in Ejura and Nsawam, providing improved living conditions for inmates and facilities for vocational training, counselling, and rehabilitation.

Responding to public criticism that the church should have focused on building schools or hospitals instead, the Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Eric Nyamekye, said the initiative is deeply rooted in the church’s understanding of the gospel’s call to care for the marginalised.

“Our greatest motivation in going to prisoners and building such facilities of comfort is from Hebrews 13:3, which says, ‘Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison.’

"And Jesus also said, ‘I was in prison and you did not visit me.’ So we are visiting them and providing a place for them as if we were in there with them,” he said.

Aps Nyamekye also said that the church sees everyone, including prisoners, as deserving of dignity and redemption.

“For us as a church, sinners are our clients, and wherever we find them, we want to go to them. It’s better to make your client feel very comfortable and be at home.

"That’s why we are building such facilities for them. We want to make sure that they are not congested. At the end of the day, we want to give them Christ and transform their lives,” he explained.