Most female convicts in Kumasi prefer to remain in prison even after serving their sentences due to fear of societal stigmatisation, the Ashanti Regional Commander of Prisons, James B. Mwinyelle, has said.

Speaking during a donation of clothing items to female inmates in the Ashanti region, Mr. Mwinyelle noted that many women are reluctant to return home, and some even end up back in prison on new charges as a result of the stigma they face.

“Most of them will also go home and return to the prison again with a different count due to the public stigma encountered,” he said, urging Ghanaians to welcome ex-convicts without discrimination to aid their reformation.

The remarks came as the Ashanti regional prisons chaplain, Rev. DSP Stella Ama Katso Anku, donated pieces of cloth to female prison inmates across the region, while calling on the public to desist from stigmatising women who have served jail terms.

Rev. Katso highlighted the emotional and social toll of imprisonment on women, noting that many lose their families or marriages upon arrest, which can have lasting psychological effects.

“Most women appear in the prison, and their families and husbands will abandon them, but it is opposite at the male prison, so it is now time to desist from such stigmatisation,” she told Adom News during the donation exercise.

Her Amenuveve Outreach Ministry has, for 19 years, carried out similar donations aimed at supporting female inmates, putting smiles on their faces and giving them hope while raising awareness about the need to stop stigmatisation.

Receiving the items on behalf of Kumasi Central Prison, Mr Mwinyelle expressed profound gratitude to Rev. Katso and her ministry, describing the gesture as timely and impactful, particularly for the female inmates.

The donation project underscores ongoing efforts to address the social challenges facing female convicts and promote their successful reintegration into society.