Osagyefo Power Barge Centre to be converted into school for Ghana Prisons Service

The Osagyefo Power Barge Centre, situated at Effasu Mangyea, often referred to simply as Effasu, in the Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region, is set to be converted into a prison school for the Ghana Prisons Service (GPS).

This is a collaborative effort by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Jomoro, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, and the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Benedict Boadi.

The Ministry of Energy on November 16, 2015, directed the Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC) to take over the ownership of the power barge. It was subsequently dismantled, which created confusion in the Jomoro Municipality. The barge was to have provided an electricity supply to most parts of the Western Region.

The then Deputy Minister of Energy, William Owuraku Aidoo, told Parliament that about 90 per cent of the Osagyefo Power Barge was dismantled without authorisation.

This was after the Member of Parliament in Jomoro Constituency, Dorcas Affo-Toffey, called for the prosecution of the company, that was involved in the dismantling of the Osagyefo Power Barge in her constituency.

The MP said the action of the private company constitutes an illegality.

The proposed conversion is aimed at preventing the centre from going to waste and ensuring that it is put to meaningful use to support education and rehabilitation within the Ghana Prisons Service.

The initiative reflects efforts by the two political local leaders to explore alternative uses for the centre and turn it into an institution that can contribute to skills development and educational opportunities for inmates.

The proposed prison school could provide an avenue for inmates to access formal education and acquire knowledge and skills that may improve their prospects of reintegration into society after serving their sentences.

Already, some personnel from the GPS, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana Police Service and the Jomoro Municipal Assembly, led by its Chief Executive, Benedict Boadi, have visited the centre to access the centre.

The collaboration between the Jomoro MP and the MCE also highlights the importance of cooperation between national and local government representatives in finding practical solutions to challenges facing communities and public infrastructure.

The Osagyefo Power Barge project was established as part of Ghana's efforts to address electricity supply challenges.

The proposed conversion of the centre into a prison school would represent a new use for the facility, subject to the necessary approvals, planning and implementation arrangements.

If successfully implemented, the initiative could help preserve the facility while supporting correctional education and rehabilitation.

However, details regarding the timeline for the conversion, the specific educational programmes to be offered, funding arrangements and the institution responsible for managing the proposed school are yet to be established.

The collaborative efforts of Dorcas Affo-Toffey and Benedict Boadi are expected to be central to discussions surrounding the future of the facility and how best it can be utilised to serve the public interest.