The Upper West Regional Minister, Charles Lwanga Puozuing, has backed efforts by the Ghana Prisons Service to use inmates’ talents as part of their rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
The Minister said the initiative, spearheaded by the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Mrs Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, was helping to identify and nurture talents among inmates while giving them opportunities to develop skills that could support their livelihoods after release.
He made the remarks in a speech read on his behalf by the Chief Director of the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council, Damma Shaiku Mumuni, at an Inmates’ Talent Show held at the Wa Central Prison on Sunday, September 13, 2026.
The event brought together inmates and prison officers in a showcase of music, dance and composition, with the performances drawing strong reactions from the audience and attention on social media.
The Minister said the programme went beyond entertainment, describing it as part of the broader mandate of the Prisons Service to reform inmates and prepare them for successful return to their communities.
“We are here not only to watch performances, but to recognise talent, encourage creativity, and reaffirm our collective commitment to the rehabilitation, reformation and reintegration of inmates,” the Minister said.
The Wa Central Prison Commander, DDP Alhaji Ousmane Tasembedo, said he was impressed by the depth of talent displayed by the inmates and urged individuals, organisations and corporate bodies to support those with exceptional abilities.
He said investment in the inmates’ talents could equip them with legitimate livelihood opportunities and help reduce the difficulties they may face after serving their sentences.
The Commander also disclosed that the talent show was jointly organised by inmates and prison officers, stressing the need for continued public support for promising talents within the prison.
The initiative forms part of the Ghana Prisons Service’s broader reformation and reintegration efforts under its Director-General, Mrs Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, with the talent show providing a platform for inmates to demonstrate abilities that might otherwise remain undiscovered.
The Upper West Regional Coordinating Council has consequently joined calls for increased public and corporate support for programmes aimed at equipping inmates with skills and opportunities necessary for their reintegration into society.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
