Government is set to establish an industrial hub within Ghana’s prisons as part of efforts to equip inmates with practical, income-generating skills and support their reintegration into society.

The initiative forms part of renewed state support to reform the correctional system, alongside plans to refurbish old prison facilities and expand infrastructure to address longstanding challenges.

The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, disclosed this during a high-level debate at the United Nations General Assembly on the theme “A second chance: addressing the global prison challenge.”

She said the proposed industrial hub will provide inmates with hands-on skills that can translate into sustainable livelihoods after their release, reinforcing the broader goal of rehabilitation within the prison system.

Highlighting ongoing interventions, she noted that the Ghana Prisons Service already offers both formal education and vocational training programmes.

According to her, over 700 inmates have participated in national examinations, while others are pursuing degree and diploma programmes through distance learning.

She added that accredited skills training in areas such as carpentry, tailoring, welding, and aquaculture is providing viable pathways for lawful reintegration.

The Director-General also pointed to efforts to strengthen staff capacity, including continuous training in human rights, conflict resolution, and correctional ethics.

She revealed that, in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Service is developing a customised image classification tool to improve case management and align operations with international standards, including the Mandela Rules.

Despite these efforts, she acknowledged persistent challenges such as budget constraints, overcrowding, and infrastructure deficits, but stressed that these would not derail ongoing reforms.

She reaffirmed Ghana’s position that imprisonment should focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment, emphasising the importance of giving inmates a second chance to rebuild their lives with dignity.

The Ghana Prisons Service, she said, will continue to collaborate with international partners to advance justice, human rights, and the rule of law, while ensuring that correctional systems create meaningful opportunities for transformation.