Flooding At Sekondi Central Prison Sparks Safety And Relocation Concerns.

The Sekondi Central Prison in the Western Region, which currently houses 538 inmates despite an authorised capacity of 412, has been severely affected by flooding following heavy rains in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

Due to the flooding at the prison yard, authorities were compelled to evacuate inmates from the ground floor to rooms on the first floor until the floodwaters subsided.

Management of the prison promptly informed the Ghana Prisons Service National Headquarters, after which the Director of Prisons in Charge of Operations and Facility Management, Benedict Bob Dery, was tasked to assess the situation firsthand.

Mr. Dery paid an urgent visit to inspect both the inner and outer sections of the prison facility. Together with the prison management team, he later paid a courtesy call on the Western Regional Minister.

Briefing the Minister, Mr. Benedict Bob Dery described the prison as a critical national security infrastructure that has repeatedly suffered flooding over the years.

According to him, the ageing structure of the prison has worsened the situation, as floodwaters weaken the prison cell walls, thereby increasing the risk of inmate escapes through compromised sections of the facility.

He further disclosed that inmates remained in floodwaters for several hours before being evacuated, creating additional overcrowding and health concerns within the prison.

Meanwhile, Western Regional Minister Hon. Joseph Nelson stated that the recurring flooding at the prison requires urgent reassessment to prevent further complications.

The Minister indicated that the contractor handling the Sekondi-Takoradi dual carriageway project, VIA BUILD, should immediately explore short-term interventions to address the flooding challenge.

He further suggested that a long-term solution may involve relocating the prison facility due to its current location within a populated community, which limits expansion and poses security concerns.

Hon. Joseph Nelson stressed the need for immediate and future measures to ensure such flooding incidents do not recur, while safeguarding the welfare of inmates.

Additionally, the Health and Safety Manager for VIA BUILD, Edward Lee Aflade, explained that the company’s original project design proposed the relocation of the prison because the site is situated on lower ground and has limited space.

According to him, the major challenge lies with the prison’s internal drainage system, whose current capacity is unable to effectively channel the volume of water to the main outfall during heavy rainfall.

Story by Nana Fynn@W/R.