Minister calls for support for security agencies

The Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Yaw Adusei, has appealed for support from the general public and the media for the various security agencies in the execution of their duties.

“We need to see the security agencies and their personnel as partners in development rather than allow  criminal elements in society to have their way”.

Speaking as the special guest at the end-of-year get-together of the Kumasi Prison Service in Kumasi, Mr Samuel Adusei said ensuring peace and security was the responsibility of all.

The event was attended by staff and management of the service, personnel from other security agencies, as well as the media and other stakeholders.

On hand was the Army Band from the Northern Command, which provided music to make the occasion grand as the personnel exhibited their skills in all forms of dancing after which they were feted with variety of drinks.

The Deputy Regional Minister said the government, recognising the important role the Prison Service played in the national discourse, could not be oblivious of the challenges that confronted it and was determined to work towards meeting its logistical needs.

The government has shown commitment in the provision of the needed logistics and motivation such as the supply of vehicles, recruitment of additional staff,  as well as improved remuneration through the implementation of the Single Spine Salary Structure (SSSS), among others, which are all geared towards achieving excellence in security operations for national development.

He used the occasion to  commend the security services in the country for their effort at ensuring that peace continued to prevail in the country 

Mr Adusei said in spite of the good performance by the security agencies, there still existed security issues such as the conflict that plagued the society, illegal small-scale mining with its attendant negative impact on the environment, armed robberies, cybercrimes, among others, which the nation had to contend with.

He mentioned that if proactive measures were not put in place to tackle the nefarious activities, they would erode the gains made so far in the country.

The Ashanti Regional Commander of Prisons, Mr Emmanuel Yao Adjator, in his welcome address, also commended the personnel of the service for their dedication and commitment towards  the achievement of the set goals of the service. 

 The Regional Commander appealed to the government to come to the aid of the service, as it was bedeviled with some challenges such as infrastructure, overcrowding of inmates, and inadequate resources, among others.

In his closing remarks, the Deputy Regional Commander of Police, Mr Simon Afeku,  who chaired the function,  said there was the need for all stakeholders to contribute their quota towards the reformation of inmates of prisons so that they would not return to prison after they had served their sentences.

He challenged the Prison Service to take a second look at the reformation methods to ensure that inmates attained a holistic reformation.