Eleven male inmates of the Manhyia Local Prison in Kumasi have received training in the batik, tie and dye fabric craftsmanship as part of their rehabilitation process.
The two-day training programme was spearheaded by the Ashanti Regional Center for National Culture (CNC) to equip inmates with a skill they could rely on for income generation after being discharged.
The inmates who joined the training sessions were allowed to practice what they were taught with the needed materials which were made available to them by the CNC.
With great joy and enthusiasm, the inmates made various designs of batik, tie and dye fabrics to showcase their ability to redo what they had been taught with little or no supervision.
The Acting Director of the Ashanti Regional CNC, Peter K Marfo, said the training was part of the CNC’s annual project to equip inmates with skills to create jobs after leaving prison.
He recalled that in 2024, inmates of the Kumasi Central Prison were trained in such skills and were currently doing well in the batik, tie and dye business.
Mr. Marfo encouraged the inmates to take advantage of skills training opportunities, emphasising that the knowledge and experience gained would be valuable for reintegration and self-sufficiency after completing their sentences.
He called on individuals and philanthropists to support the CNC financially or provide materials to train more inmates in the region.
Deputy Director of Prisons (DDP) Hannah Hilda Ewoame, the Officer-In-Charge of the Manhyia Local Prison, said the training would build the capacity of beneficiaries and hopefully serve as incentive to stay away from committing another crime after serving their sentences.
“Some of them broke the law because they were unemployed. So, this training will help them to get something done to fetch them money when they are discharged,” she said.
DDP Ewoame noted that it was one of the mandates of the Ghana Prisons Service to equip inmates with skills development as part of their rehabilitation process.
The Prison, therefore, has various training sections including tailoring, shoe making, beading, electronic repairs, among others, she noted.
DDP Ewoame further disclosed that poultry farming, catfish farming and Kente weaving were added to the training sections of the Manhyia Local Prison this year.
She appealed to the public and Civil Service Organisations (CSO) to help construct a batik, tie and dye workshop for the inmates to continuously practice the knowledge they had gained.
This, she said, would not only keep the inmates busy, but also contribute to revenue generation to support the feeding and other needs of the inmates.
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