Public Relations Department of the Ghana Prisons Service have sensitised pupils of the Rangoon Junior High, Cantonments on effects of crimes as part of its youth and crime campaign.
According to the Public Relations Department, it commenced the campaign in June 2023 and is expected to conclude in March 2024.
In an exclusive interview with Thinknewsonline, DSP Samuel Kofi Opoku said "This is a project being embarked by the Public Relations Department of the Ghana Prisons Service and our strategic campaign activity in 2023. We vean in July and we aim to sensitize or create awareness amongst the youth"
"We arw targeting youth groups in churches, youth organisations, market places, lorry parks, JHS and SHS schools not only in the La Dadekotopon or the Ledzkuku Municipalities but also byt Greater Accra Regions"
He also mentioned that the Public Relations Department of the Ghana Prisons Service will also be targeting other regiona in t country to educate youth on the need to shy away from crimes.
"So far it has been good and what really generated this is considering the rate at which crimes are increasing and when you go to our senior correctional centre, crime among the youth is really increasing"
"We have young boys as young as 14 and 15 year involving in murder, manslaughter, robbery. We thought it wise as a unit that we have to catch them young. We have to hit the grounds with the juveniles so thag we talk to them, create awareness an sensitize them on crime; its causes an consequences so that the juveniles in JHS and SHS will desist from crime."
"We have been doingthis for the past four months and we hope to end it in March 2024. By then we would have covered most of out targets in JHS, SHS, Tertiary, churches and mosques"
"This initiative should not have been taken up by any institution. It shoul not have been now. But as it is said, bette late than never"
He cited money ritual, cyber crimes among others as areas most youth are venturing into which are
He added that the Prisons Service will be looking at engaging persons living in the slums an ghettos in order to curb or reduce the rate of crime in cities and communities.
He advised the youth to stay away from drugs andbe of goo behaviours to avoid being arrested, killed or harme as a result of crimes.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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