He said this when a Committee of Priests and Religious called on him in his office as part of the visit of the Priests and Religious of the Apostolic Vicariate of Donkorkrom on May 13, 2025.
They are Rev. Fr. Leopold Ettuh, Chancellor and Bishop’s representative, Rev. Fr. Bernard Adjei Appiah, SVD, Cathedral Administrator of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, Donkorkrom, Rev. Fr. Dionysius Kopong OLA, SVD, Parish Priest of St. Mary Mother of God Parish, Adeemra, Rev. Fr. Michael Awuah-Ansah, Chaplain of St. Fidelis Senior High Technical School, Tease, Rev. Fr. Philip Desmond Gyapong, Parish Priest of St. Cecilia Parish Forifori, and Rev. Fr. Solomon Gbeglo Amerdorme, his Assistant.
Mentioning poor living conditions among the inmates, Mr. Commey lamented that an inmate is fed on a meagre amount of GHc1.80 a day, which is nothing to write home about.
The in-charge said due to that he resorted to an internal backyard farming where they grow maize, pepper, garden eggs and okro, to supplement the diet of the 104 inmates at Camp.
He further shared a plan of beginning a poultry farm, in the coming month, which he hopes will be able to yield some income, through the sale of eggs to the ready market within Afram Plains.
This, he said, would help improve the diet of the inmates, who would also be able to take eggs at least thrice a week, as opposed to the present, where they eat food without any meat or fish, because they just cannot afford.
He called on all stakeholders to support them with the feeding of the birds and the vaccines, so that they could realize this dream of a life-empowerment project for the inmates.
He mentioned that it was also his dream that some of the proceeds from the yet-to-be-started poultry farm would be shared with the Koforidua Local Prison, so that they too can enjoy, and it will empower them also to begin something similar.
The Officer in-charge, who has served in Forifori Camp Prison for the past 14 years, shared the firm belief that the poultry initiative will also serve as an avenue for Skills Training for the inmates, with the hope that when they go home, they could start up something for themselves, with the skills learnt.
He also hoped to see the poultry grow to the extent that when an inmate is going home, he could be given something, out of it, to go and start life with; that way, he will be able to sustain himself and stay out of trouble.
Other activities featured during the prison visitation included interactions with and words of advice to the inmates, among others. The inmates expressed excitement for the visit and the food and other items that were brought to them alongside the fridge.
They however expressed some other pressing needs ranging from food provisions. They particularly craved for rice which they fondly referred to as “laptop” during the visit, owing to its non-affordability and scarcity within the prison circles.
They also expressed a dire need for orbit fans, in their hot prison cells, as well as medicines for body rashes and boots for farming. Soap for bathing and washing, Bibles, water closets, and phones for general use were other needs they mentioned.
Forifori Camp Prison is a place for “low-risk prisoners,” who are serving the final years of their prison terms, having been transferred from either Koforidua or Nsawam Wall Prisons.
The Forifori prison, whose main purpose is to decongest the other two prisons, also serves as a place where the inmates are helped to learn skills that could help them to reintegrate better into the society, once they are out, and this will help reduce chances of them returning to prison, because they must have had something to keep them busy.
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (DEPSOCOM, Donkorkrom Apostolic Vicariate)
