The Executive Secretary of the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons, Madam Afi Azaratu Yakubu, together with some members of the commission paid a courtesy call on the Director-General of the Prisons Service, Mr. Isaac Kofi Egyir at the Prisons Headquarters, yesterday morning in Accra.
According to Madam Yakubu, the visit was to formally introduce herself as the newly appointed Executive Secretary of the Commission to the Prisons Directorate and discuss ways to re-energise and deepen the relationship between the two institutions and alsoto strategize to maintain the country’s peace and security.
The Director-General thanked the Executive Secretary for the visit and noted that the two institutions had a lot in common which underscores the need for the deepening of the relationship, adding that the prisons are a reservoir of intelligence. He assured Madam Afi Azaratu Yakubu of the Prisons Administration’s support and commitment to enable her have a successful tenure of office.
Speaking on the mandate of the Commission, Mr. Johnson Asante-Twum, Deputy Director in charge of programmes stated that the commission is mandated to prevent and combat the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and related materials in the country through advocacy, public sensitisation, and formulation of appropriate policies in close collaboration with stakeholders.
The Deputy Director, Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr. Gyebi Asante, observed that the commission has been organising training programmes for the various security services and intimated the inclusion of personnel of the Ghana Prisons Service in subsequent ones.
The Director of Prisons in charge of Human Resource Development and Welfare, Mr. Francis Omane-Addo, on his part, congratulated Madam Afi Azaratu Yakubu on her appointment adding that the appointment was a well-deserved one, having known and worked closely with Madam Yakubu in the past.
Also present at the brief ceremony was the Director of Prisons responsible for Health, Mr. Samuel Adjei Attah.
