The Ministry of the Interior, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to ensure that at least 30 per cent of sanitary pads, school uniforms and school furniture for public schools nationwide are produced and supplied by the Ghana Prisons Service.
The agreement, signed at a ceremony held at the Ministry of the Interior in Accra, forms part of government’s broader transformational agenda aimed at strengthening local production, ensuring value for money and promoting inclusive national development.
Speaking at the event, the Minister for the Interior, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, described the initiative as a deliberate policy decision that places education, productivity and rehabilitation at the heart of national development.
He said the government was committed to boosting local manufacturing capacity, ensuring the timely supply of essential educational materials and anchoring public procurement within state institutions to enhance transparency, accountability and efficiency.
According to him, the MoU goes beyond procurement to address rehabilitation and reintegration.
He noted that the initiative would help restore dignity through work, equip inmates with employable skills, generate income and significantly reduce recidivism.
To ensure effective implementation, a five-member committee will be established to provide oversight and monitor the execution of the agreement.
He also commended the Ghana Prisons Service for embracing its expanded role in national development.
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, said the MoU strategically repositions the Ghana Prisons Service within the education value chain.
He stressed the need to end inmate idleness through structured skills training and productive engagement, adding that the initiative aligns with government’s policy of promoting indigenous production and industrial self-reliance.
The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mrs Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, described the initiative as a “game changer,” saying it signals a new era in which the Service contributes meaningfully to national production while enhancing public safety.
She explained that by breaking the cycle of recidivism, the programme would help transform inmates into law-abiding and productive citizens capable of contributing positively to national development.
The MoU is expected to support the delivery of quality educational materials while simultaneously strengthening rehabilitation efforts within the Ghana Prisons Service.
Source :www.kumasimail.com
