Eastern Regional Command

DDP Patrick Thomas Seidu is the Eastern Regional Commander.

The commander doubles as the Officer in Charge of the Nsawam Medium Security Prison.

CURRENT REGIONAL INFORMATION

The Eastern Regional Command is made up of 7 stations namely; The Medium Security Prison-Male, Nsawam Female Prison, Nsawam Camp Prison, Akuse Male & Female, Koforidua Local Prison and Forifori Camp Prison in the Afram Plains.

The Region also has a Remand Prison under construction to house 800 inmates.

The Command is headed by a Deputy Director of Prisons who doubles as the Officer In-Charge of the Medium Security Prison. The Headquarters of the Region is at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison-Male

STATIONS UNDER THE COMMAND

Nsawam Male Prison
Nsawam Camp Prison
Nsawam Female Prison
Akuse Local Prison
Akuse Female Prison
Koforidua Local Prison
Forifori Camp Prison

NAMES OF OFFICERS IN CHARGE (OICs)

NO	SVC.NO	RANK	NAME	STATION
1.	SPO. 419	DDP	Patrick Thomas Seidu	Nsawam Male Prison
2.	SPO. 424	DDP.	Joseph A.Vuu	Nsawam Camp Prison
3.	SPO. 508	DDP	Victoria Adzewodah	Nsawam Female Prison
4.	SPO. 624	ADP	Beatrice A. Asiedu	Akuse Female Prison
5.	SPO. 631	ADP	John Akator	Akuse Male Prison
6.	SPO. 708	CSP	Francis A. Kwakye	Koforidua Local Prison
7.	SPO. 916	CSP	Jonathan Nii Commey	Forifori Camp Prison

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MEDIUM SECURITY PRISON-MALE

The Nsawam Male Prison is the only Medium Security Prison in the country.
The construction of the facility began in 1956 and was officially commissioned on 10^th October, 1960.
The land space of the prison is approximately 823.27 acres in total.
The purpose of the prison was to have a modern prison facility to contain the most complex of crimes and serve as a referral Prison.
Its original capacity was 717 prisoners with an average of 20 prisoners per dormitory.
As at that time, the country’s population was about 6.727 million
As of today Monday, 12^th May, 2025 it is holding a total of 3,548 inmates, an average of 430 inmates per block (including 91 Remands, 54 Trial and 174 condemn prisoners).

REFORMATION AND REHABILITATION

Education: The facility runs both formal and informal education. The formal education starts from basic to the university level. The Basic and Senior High Schools sit for the Basic Education Certificate and the West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Exams respectively. The non-formal education also teaches inmates basic literacy and numeracy skills.
The University programme is being run by the University of Cape, College of Distance Learning. Currently, students pursue Bachelor degrees in Education and Commence.
Workshops: The Medium Security Prison has the following workshops for the reformation and rehabilitation of inmates; Electrical, Carpentry, Plumbing and Blacksmithing, Barbering, Tailoring, Door-mats and Smock weaving.
Agriculture: the station trains inmates in best agricultural practices and the produce from the farm used to supplement inmates ration. The station cultivates maize, palm, vegetables and cassava.

AREAS OF COLLABORATION

The station collaborates with the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training as well as the Ghana Energy Commission for the training and certification of the inmates after the completion of their Technical and Vocational Training.
In the area of Tertiary Education, the station collaborates with the University of Cape Coast and Plan Volta to bring education to the door steps of the inmates.
In the area of Basic Education, the station collaborates with the Ghana Education Service (GES) who provides teachers permanently to the school.
In the area of reintegration, the station collaborates with the social welfare unit and parents for the successful reintegration of inmates upon release.
The station collaborates with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Nsawam in the execution of its agriculture projects.
The station also collaborates with the Municipal Assembly, other Security Services as well as all governmental agencies.
Drug and substance abuse class: Classes are held weekly for inmates who have a history of substance abuse prior to their incarceration. This reduces the effects of the substance on the wellbeing of the inmates.
Health care: In the area of healthcare, the station collaborates with the Nsawam Government Hospital, Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, 37 Military Hospital, Ridge Hospital, Koforidua Regional Hospital, the Bestel Foundation, Dangana Foundation, Ghana Psychological Association, Prison Ministry and National Health Insurance Authority in providing primary healthcare to inmates, officers and their dependents.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NSAWAM FEMALE

The Nsawam Female Prison was established on 10^th December, 1973 with the core mandate of ensuring the safe custody, welfare, reformation and the rehabilitation of adult female prisoners.

It is the biggest female prison in Ghana with an accommodation capacity of Two Hundred/200 inmates made up of Four/4 dormitories and a condemned block. However, as at today, 12^th May, 2025 the total inmates in custody are One Hundred and Ten/110.

The station offers reformation and rehabilitation programs to ensure effective reintegration of inmates into society upon their release.

REFORMATION AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS

The station offers inmates with reformative and rehabilitation programs to ensure their mental/cognitive wellbeing. They include the following:

Bible School: Representatives from Raboni Bible School take inmates through Bible teachings weekly to ensure their spiritual wellbeing and upon completion, they are awarded certificates.
Counselling: Counselling sessions are offered to inmates as and when necessary.
Drug and substance abuse class: Classes are held weekly for inmates who have a history of substance abuse prior to their incarceration. This reduce the effects of the substance on the wellbeing of the inmates.
Education: The station offers both formal and non-formal education for inmates. In the area of formal education, five/5 inmates are currently enrolled in the University of Cape Coast program being run at the Medium Security Prison. Twenty/20inmates are also enrolled in the Technical and Vocational Training in Garment making.
In the area of non-formal education Thirty-One/31 inmates are currently being trained in basic numeracy and literacy skills.
Aside the Garment making, the station offers vocational training to inmates in a variety of skills aimed at enhancing their employability and entrepreneurial potential. These programs include batik/tie & dye, soap and detergent production, event decoration and millinery, fabric hat and bag making, bakery, hairdressing, beadmaking, crocheting, yoghurt and fruit juice production, cereals processing and cosmetology.
Agriculture: In the area of agriculture, some inmates are trained in best agriculture practices and cultivate 2.5-acres of maize and the produce used to supplement inmates ration.

AREAS OF COLLABORATION

The station partners with several organizations to enhance training and rehabilitation efforts.

National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (NEIP) partnered with the Ghana Prisons Service in July 2023 to train inmates in various skills of which the station is a beneficiary.

Realize Your Dream Foundation collaborated with the station to train inmates in cosmetology.
Blue Skies, Fair Justice and Enam Market and Catering Services supported in the construction of a Diagnostic and Daycare for inmates and Prison Ladies Association (PRILAS) respectively.
Fish Farming (NATIONAL PRILAS PROJECT): an initiative by the Director General of Prisons and partially sponsored by the International Women Judges – Ghana Chapter.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NSAWAM CAMP PRISON

The Nsawam Camp Prison is one of the Prison facilities solely constructed and funded by the Church of Pentecost which is in line with the Prison Service efforts to decongest prison facilities in the country. Realizing that the Nsawam Medium Security Prison which was built to hold a total of 717 prisoners is now holding over 3,000 prisoners, representing about 275% above the required capacity, the Church of Pentecost took the initiative to partner the Ghana Prisons Service to help address the congestion challenges faced by the Service and provide better living conditions for inmates.

The Nsawam Camp Prison as a Reformation Centre is the second to be built by the Church, after constructing a similar one at Ejura in the Ashanti Region in May 2021.

Construction began on 21^st July 2019 and completed and handed over to the Service on 22^nd October, 2022. The facility is located at Ahodwo in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality in the Eastern Region of Ghana. It was commissioned and handed over to the Ghana Prisons Service on Saturday, October 22, 2022. The 320 capacity fully-furnished facility has four/4 dormitories, an infirmary, a visitors’ lounge, a fully furnished administration block with auxiliary offices, an ICT lab with computers and accessories, a tailoring shop, a carpentry workshop, a chapel fully furnished with musical instruments, baptistery, kitchen with a dining hall, soccer pitch, and volleyball pitch, CCTV Installations, and other facilities.

REFORMATION AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS

The station trains inmates in textile making (Tie & Dye), tailoring and carpentry services. These rehabilitation programs help the inmates acquire employable skills for a successful reintegration into society.

In the area of agriculture, the station cultivates varieties of crops and rears animals. The station cultivates maize and vegetables.

In the area of livestock, the station is into duck, turkey and fowl production as well as snail and mushroom farming.

To reform the inmates, the station counsels’ inmates and engages them in other religious activities. This provides assistance and guidance to inmates in resolving personal and psychological problems.

AREAS OF COLLABORATION

The station collaborates with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Nsawam in the execution of its agriculture project.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE AKUSE MALE PRISON

The Akuse Local Prison was converted and used as a prison facility in 1911. It was initially used as a warehouse for colonial merchants for storage of goods for distribution to other parts of the country. Since its inception, the station has not seen any significant infrastructural expansion and designs relative to population increase in both inmates and officers. With increase in Ghana’s population, it has a positive correlation with prison population. No wonder the prison is experiencing overpopulation due to its size and the number of courts it services.

The station’s initial capacity was about 100 inmates but currently housing Two Hundred and Eighty- Seven/ 287inmates.

REFORMATION AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS

The station engages in the underlisted programs as part of efforts to reform and rehabilitate inmates:

a) Dress and Fancy fan making

b) Agriculture: In the area of Agriculture, the station cultivates rice, maize and vegetables and the produce is used to supplement inmates ration. Also, the station rears glasscutter. Additionally, inmates are trained in best agricultural practices.

AREAS OF COLLABORATION

The station collaborates with Volta River Authority (VRA) in the cultivation of its rice farm.

CHALLENGES

Deficit office space for officers due to increased staff strength.

Deficit in inmates’ accommodation space with its attendant health issues.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE AKUSE FEMALE PRISON

Akuse Female Prison is a tiny prison attached to the male prison to house female prisoners who are brought into custody. It was established in the 1990s.

Its main purpose was to separate women-inmates who were committed into prison custody at the Akuse male facility. This was mainly because the then Officer-In-Charge of the Male Prison found it difficult either redirecting the Police to Ho Female or Nsawam Female.

The initial capacity is Five/5 but it is now housing fifteen/15 inmates.

REFORMATION AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS

The station is involved in the following rehabilitation programs:

Fancy fan making
Baking
Sewing

With regards to reformation, the inmates receive on daily basis religious messages and counselling ona case by case bases.

AREAS OF COLLABORATION

The station’s current partners are: Maleka Farms, lden Exotics Ltd and Legacy Girls.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE KOFORIDUA LOCAL PRISON

The Koforidua Local Prison is located at Effiduase in the New Juaben North Municipality of Koforidua, the capital of the Eastern Region. It was originally built as a military armory during the Second World War and was later handed over to the Prison Authorities after the war in 1946 to be used as a prison. At the time, it had the capacity to house only 40 inmates.

It has since gone through several infrastructural transformations by way of expansion through additions of cells and other buildings and also extensions of its perimeter walls. The station currently has Five/5 blocks housing Twenty-One (21) cells in total serving as inmates’ accommodation. There is a block which houses unconvicted persons. The station has one/1 administration block which houses various offices, including that of the OIC, a Visit room, Reception office, Stores etc.

There is a Kitchen where inmates ration is prepared and another block housing the pantry, tailoring shop, an office, classroom and a multipurpose workshop. There are provisions for inmate’s ablution.

Located within the recently extended eastern perimeter wall is a Four/4 unit block which houses the Prisons health center and an office.

As at June 2019, the Prison land area is about 3779.16m².

The Prison undertook a project which involved the extension of its eastern perimeter wall in February 2017 and completed in July 2019, adding a total area of 1923.075m²to the existing area of the prison increasing the total area to 5702.235m².

AUTHORIZED CAPACITY

Currently, the Prison has an established capacity of 400 inmates due to the expansion it has seen over the years. However, the inmate lockup has been known to rise to as much as 750 inmates Pre-Covid-19 era.

MAJOR REHABILIATION PROGRAMS/AREAS OF COLLABORATION

CURRENT

Tailoring Apprenticeship programs for inmates.
Formal and Non-formal education for inmates.
Inmates training in paper bag production.
Drug abuse counselling for inmates in collaboration with Narcotics Control Commission.

POTENTIAL

UNODC supported in the construction of a workshop for rehabilitation programs.
Prisons Ministry supported in the construction of the Prison clinic
Local Authorities and Faith Based organization supported with the supply of water.

HISTORY OF FORIFORI CAMP PRISON

The land for this Camp was provided by the Pitiku Hene to the Animal Husbandry Division of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA). It was later handed over to the 48 Field Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces when they had a detachment there. After, their tenure of duty and recall back to barracks, the premises and the adjoining lands of the Camp was reassigned to the Ghana Prisons Service by the Pitiku chief in the person of Nana Danso Abbeam, who later became a member of the Prisons Service Council. The land size from the Prison premises is approximately Six Hundred and Forty/640 acres whilst the one around the Silo factory is also about Five Hundred/500 acres.

The prison was established in 2003 and became operational in April, 2005 when the first batch of prisoners were received from the Koforidua Local Prison and Nsawam Medium Security Prison respectively.

THE PRISON CAPACITY

The Forifori Camp Prison has the capacity of about Two Hundred and Fifty/250 inmates but the lock-up as at today 12^th May, 2025 stands at 104.

REFORMATION AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMS

The rehabilitation programs of the Prison are; agriculture (rearing of livestock and cultivation of maize and pepper), carpentry and tailoring. The aim being to offer them skills to be productive upon release back into the society.

In the area of reformation, the Station organizes Church Service for the inmates on every Sunday for their spiritual and morale upliftment.

Counselling sessions from religious leaders are also held for the inmates.

AREAS OF COLLABORATION

The station has been supported by the Kwahu North Municipality and other Local Authorities.

Prison Establishment