The newly commissioned Damongo Camp Prison, constructed and donated by the Church of Pentecost, is not just a correctional facility, but a centre for rehabilitation, skill acquisition, and social renewal, according to Mrs Patience Baffoe-Bonnie Esq, Director General of the Ghana Prisons Service.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony in the Savannah Region, Mrs Baffoe-Bonnie highlighted that the 300-capacity all-male facility is the third of five modern camp prisons promised by the Church, following Ejura and Nsawam.
“The Damongo Prison is not just a place of custody, but a centre for rehabilitation, productivity, and renewal where lives once written off are given the tools and dignity to begin anew,” she said.
Equipped with a standard football pitch, workshops for carpentry, tailoring, metal fabrication, a chapel, dining area, and baptistery, the prison is designed to transform lives through education, vocational training, and agricultural engagement. Inmates will take part in large-scale farming within the Damongo enclave, contributing to national food security while acquiring practical skills for life after incarceration.
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Mrs Baffoe-Bonnie described the partnership with the Church of Pentecost as a model for faith-driven national development.
“This noble gesture by the Church of Pentecost brings to life the timeless words of scripture: ‘I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ It is a living demonstration of faith translated into action and a true ministry of compassion, redemption, and social transformation,” she said.
The Director General also called for continued support from government, corporate organisations, and other faith-based institutions to address lingering challenges such as road access to the facility, residential accommodations, and healthcare provision for inmates and officers. She emphasised the importance of recognising and rewarding prison officers for their dedication, highlighting the extreme stress and risks they face daily in managing high-risk inmates.
The Damongo Camp Prison, she said, represents a shift from custodial incarceration to a modern, humane, and development-oriented correctional system, combining rehabilitation, reintegration, and sustainable livelihoods.
“We officially open the Damongo Camp Prison with hearts full of gratitude, eyes fixed on progress, and hands ready to save. May this facility stand as a lasting monument of partnership, progress, and compassion,” Mrs Baffoe-Bonnie concluded.
The facility, strategically located in an agriculturally fertile zone, forms part of a broader initiative by the Ghana Prisons Service to modernise prison infrastructure, expand rehabilitation programmes, and create sustainable correctional facilities that equip inmates for productive lives beyond prison walls.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
