Ghana Prisons Service Introduces Pre-deployment Training in UN Peace-keeping

Participation of corrections officers in the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations began in 2003. Currently, there are 25 countries that send corrections officers to UN Missions either as permanent or seconded staff. Deployment of personnel of the Ghana Prisons Service started in 2004 with the first batch of three/3 superior officers seconded to the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIS) ON 14TH May, 2004. Records available indicate that sixty-four/64 officers from the Ghana Prisons Service have served in different Missions such as UN Headquarters in New York, Liberia, La Cote D’ Ivoire, Sudan , Darfur and Chad.

As of 18/03/12, a total of 89 officers were deployed, made of 82 superior officers and 7 subordinate officers. 60 of the seconded staff had completed their assignments which lasted between 12 and 18 months. 30 officers have been cleared and placed on the UN roster for deployment. Thirty/30 officers are still serving with the UN.

Initially, personnel deployed were graduates with first and second degrees and later extended to other superior officers who are Certificate/ Diploma holders. Corrections staff are mainly engaged in Training, Mentoring, Planning and other specialized areas as Agriculture and Engineering Advisors. So far, two subordinate female officers have had the opportunity to serve with UNMIS and UNAMID. The subordinate officer seconded to UNMIS had completed her 18 months assignment and returned to Ghana in December last year while one is still serving with UNAMID in Darfur.