GHANA PRISONS SERVICE LEADS JOINT YOUTH CRIME PREVENTION DRIVE.

The Church of Pentecost Schools Outreach Ministry, in partnership with the Ghana Prisons Service and the Ghana Education Service (GES), has held a major crime prevention education programme at the James McKeown Temple in Ashaiman. The event brought together more than 1,200 students from 31 schools within the Ashaiman Municipality.

The programme opened with a solidarity recitation, “Arise Ghana Youth for Your Country,” and Romans 13:1-5 cited to underscore the moral and civic responsibilities of young people. The Church of Pentecost Area head for Ashaiman, and Chairman of the Prisons Service Council, Apostle A.N.Y. Kumi-Larbi welcomed guests and stated the purpose of gathering.

Superintendent(Supt) Samuel Kofi Opoku, the main speaker for the event, presented an educative and informative session on the core mandate of the Ghana Prisons Service, the Juvenile Justice System, Reformation and Rehabilitation in the Prisons, Criminal Code and Consequences of Crime.

The delegation from the Prisons Service made time after the presentation and addressed questions and concerns from students, guests and teachers present.

Key takeaways from the programme included practical guidance for young people and adults in avoiding crime and criminal related activities that lead to imprisonment.

The Municipal Director of Education(Ashaiman), Madam Gloria Kwakum emphasised that, education and community supports are critical to reducing youth involvement in crime. By combining the moral outreach of the Church of Pentecost, the rehabilitative perspective of the Ghana Prisons Service, and the educational reach of GES, the programme aimed to equip students with knowledge and a sense of civic duty.

Organisers and teachers expressed hope that the event will be a catalyst for ongoing school-based prevention efforts, mentorship programmes and stronger collaborations between religious, correctional and educational institutions to protect and empower Ghana’s youth.