The outgoing Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Patrick Darko Missah has charged officers to extend the same support, commitment, and loyalty to his successor, Isaac Kofi Egyir, as the new Director-General General.
According to Mr. Darko Missah, maximum support given to Mr. Isaac Kofi Egyir will help him execute his duties peacefully and in the best interest of the service and the nation.
Speaking at a pull-out ceremony organized in his honor at the prison officers’ training school in Accra, Mr. Patrick Darko Missah said “I urge you to maintain a high sense of discipline and professionalism at all times. I pray that you extend the same support, commitment, and loyalty to my successor, Mr. Isaac Kofi Egyir”
The outgoing Director-General further thanked the officers for their maximum support during his tenure as the Director-General of Prisons.
Mr. Missah seized the opportunity to appeal to the government to furnish the service with logistics to help boost their work.
“As I bow out of active service, I wish to appeal to Government and other stakeholders to provide more resources and logistics to enable the Prisons Service to contribute effectively towards public safety, and the reformation and rehabilitation of offenders.” He added.
READ ALSO: https://www.thinknewsonline.com/post/bui-power-ceo-is-wrong-the-energy-minister-has-not-been-misled-by-gridcoREAD ALSO:
The outgoing Director-General thanked President Akufo-Addo for allowing him to serve mother Ghana as the Director-General of Prisons.
“Every journey which begins certainly has an end. I have come to the end of my career in the Ghana Prisons Service which started thirty-three/33 years ago. First and foremost, I am exceedingly grateful to the Almighty God for seeing me through this phase of life” he noted.
He revealed that steering the affairs of the Prisons Service, upon assuming the mantle of leadership, was not without challenges adding that the grace of the Almighty God helped his Administration to make some progress.
The outgoing Director-General also hinted that the service leveraged on the opportunities in Agriculture to supplement inmates’ feeding as well as to generate income and provide farming skills to them.
He said “The Agriculture sector received further boost with the provision of some tractors and farm implements by the central government. A separate Directorate for Agriculture was also created to ensure effective supervision, monitoring, and control of agricultural activities towards higher productivity. In addition to the Agriculture Directorate, a Health Directorate was also established to enhance effective and efficient delivery of healthcare in the Prisons Service”
Mr. Darko Missah disclosed that the human resource base was improved with the recruitment of staff of varying backgrounds and professions.
He hinted that the morale of officers was boosted with massive promotions across all ranks.
“The next appreciation goes to the Interior Minister, Hon. Ambrose Dery, MP for Nandom for his encouragement, advice, and support during my tenure. I also wish to thank the Prisons Service Council, the Prisons Directorate, stakeholders, and the entire prison community for their maximum cooperation and support. At this juncture, I would like to acknowledge the support of some key development partners and stakeholders like the British High Commission, our Traditional Chiefs, and the Church of Pentecost which facilitated significant infrastructural developments in the Service”
The outgoing Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service also thanked the Church of Pentecost for voluntarily offering to fund, construct five modern and fully furnished camp prisons across the country to support prisons decongestion and the training of inmates.
He noted that the first of such facilities has been completed and commissioned at Ejura in the Ashanti Region.
“I am equally grateful to other faith-based organizations, NGOs, philanthropists, and individuals who have been of tremendous support to the Service in diverse ways, especially during this period of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also acknowledge the collaboration and cooperation of our partners in the criminal justice delivery system” he said.
Mr. Patrick Darko Missah extended his appreciation to the Member of Parliament (MP) for Effiduase-Asokore and CEO of the St. John’s Hospital and Fertility Centre, Accra, Dr. Nana Ayew Afriyie, and Rev. Dr. Yaw Owusu Ansah of the Resurrection Power and Living Bread Ministries International for donating an ambulance each to the Service.
“Again, I appreciate the singular effort of Life Medical Supplies and Equipment Ghana Limited for donating a forty/40-footer container full of health equipment to support effective healthcare delivery in the Service. I acknowledge the fervent prayers of Ministers of the Gospel and well-wishers during my tenure” he mentioned.
Casting his mind back to his early years in the service, he noted that there were past Director-Generals and members of the Prisons Directorate. Likewise, some officers trained, mentored, and molded him, which enabled him to rise to the highest office in the Service.
“To my lovely wife (Gertrude), my children, the entire family, friends, and loved ones, I must say that you have always been my backbone, and I am grateful to you all for standing by me through thick and thin.” He concluded.
Below is a video and some pictures:
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
Commentaires