The Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Education have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enable the production and supply of at least 30 per cent of sanitary pads, school uniforms and furniture for schools across Ghana through the Ghana Prisons Service.
This initiative forms part of the Government’s broader agenda to strengthen local production, ensure value for money in public procurement, and enhance inmate rehabilitation while supporting the education sector.
Speaking at the signing event last Wednesday, the Minister for the Interior, Mr Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, described the initiative as a deliberate policy decision that places education at the centre of national development.
He stressed the importance of strengthening local production capacity, ensuring the timely supply of essential educational materials, and anchoring public procurement within state-owned institutions to promote transparency and accountability.
According to him, the initiative is expected to deliver multiple benefits, including improved inmate rehabilitation, skills development, income generation and a reduction in re-offense.
Mr Mohammed-Mubarak announced that a five-member implementation committee would be established to oversee the effective execution of the agreement and commended the Ghana Prisons Service for embracing its expanded role in national development.
The Minister for Education, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, said the MoU would reposition the Ghana Prisons Service with new responsibilities within the education value chain.
He described re-offense as a relapse into crime and underscored the need to prevent unproductive inmate life through structured skills acquisition and productive engagement.
Mr Iddrisu noted that the initiative adopts a value-chain approach rooted in indigenous and local production, including the siting of productive entities within prison facilities to support national development objectives.
For her part, the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mrs Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, described the initiative as a game changer, noting that it repositions the Service as a key contributor to national production.
She said the ultimate goal is to enhance public safety by breaking the cycle of re-offense and enabling inmates to reintegrate into society as law-abiding and productive citizens after incarceration.
Judith Twumwaa, ISD
