Interior and Education Ministries partner to boost school supplies through Prisons Service
The Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Education have entered into a new agreement aimed at strengthening the supply of essential items for schools across Ghana. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on Wednesday, January 14, covers the production of sanitary pads, school uniforms, and classroom furniture.
As part of the arrangement, at least 30 percent of school furniture will be produced and supplied through the Ghana Prisons Service. In addition, a minimum 25 percent concession has been set aside for the rollout of the government’s 2025 free sanitary pad initiative.
Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak described the partnership as a measure to ensure efficiency and accountability in public procurement while also supporting state-owned production systems. “This initiative ensures value for money and transparency in public procurement by anchoring production within the state-owned industrial system, subject to clear oversight. It also advances inmate rehabilitation and reintegration by expanding vocational and industrial training opportunities within the Ghana Prisons Service, equipping inmates with employable skills that remain beneficial after incarceration,” he explained.
The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, emphasized the broader social impact of the initiative, noting that it would contribute to reducing repeat offenses among former inmates. “The ultimate goal is to ensure that the public is safe. By completing this cycle, we are breaking the cycle of recidivism, enabling individuals who come through the prison system to be released and lead law-abiding lives,” she said.
The collaboration is expected to not only provide critical supplies for schools but also strengthen rehabilitation programs within the prison system, creating opportunities for inmates to acquire skills that support reintegration into society.
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