The focal point of the Prison ministry is to evangelize, disciple and equip inmates to become devoted and mature Christians who witness about Christ while in prison and when they are discharged. The scope of the ministry has been extended to include prison officers as well. Literate prisoners are also privileged to do free Bible Correspondence Courses.
This ministry that can be described as ‘God’s love behind prison bars’ began with donating leftover copies of the Challenge magazine to the Prisons Headquarters. In 1971, Rev Alfred Addison, a CEG staff began making regular visits to the Ussher Fort and James Fort Prisons. He offered free Bible correspondence courses to those who could read and write. In 1974, Mr. William Ofori Atta (Uncle Willie/Paa Willie) who had previously experienced five prison confinements for his political views and a beneficiary of free distribution of Challenge magazine in prison, encouraged CEG to extend the prison outreach to the Nsawam Medium Security Prison as well.[1]
Today, the prison facilities accorded regular visits are; Nsawam Medium Security Prison, Nsawam Female, Winneba, Akuse Male and Female, James Camp Prisons; Senior Correctional Centre and the three prisons facilities in Ankaful[2] in the Central Region.
CEG occasionally donates some provisions to the inmates of the prisons the chaplains visit. Some of the inmates considered as outcasts, are rejected by their families and loved ones and therefore receive no visits or provisions. CEG’s gesture at such times soothes a lot of pain.
[1] CEG Records.
[2] These facilities are made up of the following; Ankaful Camp, Ankaful Annex, Ankaful Maximum Security and the Contagious Disease Prisons.
