Cabinet has approved the placement of all security agencies under one pension scheme in order to ensure uniformity of benefits.

The Vice President of the Republic, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, who announced this on Friday, 28th August, 2020 said all the security agencies are now to be placed under the CAP 30 Pension Scheme.

Vice President Bawumia made the disclosure when he reviewed, on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Graduation and Commissioning Parade for one hundred and fifty officer cadets who made up Intake 27 of the Ghana Prisons Service in Accra at the Prison Officers Training School (POTS) in Accra.

The ceremony was the climax of the last of four batches of one thousand five hundred (1,500) new entrants for the Service drawn from varied professional backgrounds ranging from Accounting, Agriculture, Education, Engineering, Medicine and Social Sciences.

“I am happy to announce that Cabinet has approved the placement of all the security agencies under a single pension scheme, CAP 30.

“So personnel of the Prisons Service, Fire Service, Police and Immigration are all going to be placed under CAP 30, which the military is already under,” the Vice President announced.

“Government is also working closely with the Service to improve the health system within our prisons, especially in this era of COVID 19. It is well understood that the disease spreads quickly in enclosed places like prisons which are commonly epicentre for infectious diseases. This is of great concern to the government particularly where there is overcrowding.

“In addition to the forty (40) medical personnel seconded from the Ghana Health Service, government has provided prison establishments with PPEs, infrared thermometers, washing soap, tissue papers and Veronica buckets. I will like to commend the Prisons administration on the swift manner the Service joined forces with other agencies in the Criminal Justice System and Ghana Health Service to respond more effectively to the COVID 19 threat,” Dr Bawumia stated.

The creation of Risk Communication Teams in all prisons comprising medical, chaplaincy and communication staff to educate and address the myth and anxiety surrounding COVID 19 as well as to tackle issues of stigmatisation has so far been effective, the Vice President indicated.

Dr Bawumia charged the graduands to carry forth the ideals of the Prisons Service which have been imparted into them in the course of their training, adding, “Let discipline and professionalism guide your conduct at all times. Abide by the rules and regulations that guide your conduct as prison officers and direct your energies towards self improvement.”

Junior Under Officer Amos Benang won the Commandant’s Award, while Senior Under Officer Dr Florence Djoletoe, who was best in Academics, also emerged as the Best All-Round Officer Cadet.