President John Dramani Mahama on Monday sworn into office Deputy Director General of Prisons (DDGP) Patience Baffoe-Bonnie as Director-General of the Ghana Prison Service, with a charge to transform prisons into true centres of reformation.
At the event, which took place at the Presidency in Accra, President Mahama also announced the appointments of Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) Daniella Mawusi Ntow-Sarpong, as Acting Chief Fire Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service and Deputy Controller of Immigration (DCI) Samuel Basentale Amadu, as Acting Comptroller-General of the Ghana Immigration Service.
The President made the appointment of Mrs Baffoe-Bonnie in consultation with the Council of State, while that of DCFO Ntow-Sarpong and DCI Amadu confirmations await approval of their respective Governing Councils, which are yet to be constituted.
This will then be followed by their swearing in, as substantive heads of their respective institutions.
President Mahama congratulated the three Service Commanders on their new appointments.
He said the appointment of the new Director-General of Prisons comes at a time when the Government was committed to modernizing the nation’s correctional system.
“Prisons should not merely be a place of confinement, but institutions for transforming criminals,” the President said.
“True justice is not only about punishing wrongdoing, but also about offering a path to redemption. That is why the introduction of the Prison Service Parole Regulations, which will soon be laid before Parliament, marks a bold step in ensuring that individuals who have demonstrated genuine rehabilitation are given a second chance to reintegrate into society as responsible citizens.”
President Mahama said to further reduce deviance, rehabilitation programmes must be strengthened with expanded education, skills training and counseling to equip inmates with the tools to rebuild their lives when they come back into society.
He said overcrowding remains a major challenge in the nation’s Prison Service, and that his Administration would intensify efforts to implement alternative sentencing methods to ease the pressure on prison facilities.
Adding that at the same time, the Prison Service must embrace modernization with digital record keeping and enhanced security measures to ensure effective management.
“The responsibility falls on you, Mrs
Baffoe-Bonnie, to lead the charge in transforming our prisons into true centers of reformation. Not just centers of incarceration. You have my full support in this mission,” the President said.
He reiterated that the true strength of any nation was not measured solely by its economy or the efficiency of its institutions, but also by the security and safety of its citizens.
He said a just and orderly society thrives when its security agencies function with excellence, fairness and a commitment to both enforcement and reform.
Adding that indeed, strong economies and functional institutions were themselves dependent on safety and security.
The President, who recognized the vital roles of the Ghana Prison Service, the Ghana Immigration Service and the Ghana National Fire Service, said that three institutions that were distinct in their mandates, yet deeply interconnected in their mission to protect lives, to uphold justice, rehabilitation and maintain public safety and order.
He said the new leadership of the three institutions would not only shape the effectiveness of these institutions, but also reinforce their collective vision of a safer, fairer and more resilient Ghana.
“Our security agencies are not just enforcers of the law, they are protectors of human dignity, they are facilitators of justice and guarantors of our national stability,” he said.
“Their work ensures that Ghana remains a nation where people can live without fear, businesses can thrive, and institutions can function effectively.”
He underscored that leadership within the nation’s security services was therefore a position of immense responsibility, which requires courage, discipline, respect for human dignity and a deep commitment to service.
He said those entrusted with this duty must ensure that the nation’s institutions do not only enforce the laws, but also embody fairness, professionalism and integrity.
The President said last year alone, 6,436 fire incidents were recorded, underscoring the urgent need for a fire service that was well equipped, proactive and responsive, hence the responsibility lies on Mrs Daniella Mawusi Ntow-Sarpong, Acting Chief Fire Officer.
“As Chief Fire Officer, your leadership must focus on prevention through public education, emergency response readiness and strict enforcement of fire safety regulations.”
For the new Comptroller General of the Ghana Immigration Service, Samuel Basentale Amadu, President Mahama said inherits a critical responsibility in securing the nation’s borders and protecting our national interests.
“I charge you to intensify intelligence operations and work closely with other law enforcement agencies to dismantle human smuggling networks,” he stated.
“Surveillance at all entry and exit points must be strengthened and modernized to detect and prevent illegal activity.”
Mrs Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, the Director-General of Prisons, on behalf of her colleagues expressed gratitude to President Mahama for the confidence reposed in them.
She said the Government’s mission, vision for the progressive and humane prison system inspires them and that she was committed to working tirelessly to realise this vision and to lead the next phase of modernisation and transformation of the Ghana Prison Service just like her other colleagues from the Ghana National Fire Service and the Immigration Service.
