The Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Education have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at promoting the local production of sanitary pads, school uniforms and furniture for public schools across the country.

Under the agreement, at least 30 per cent of school furniture required for public schools will be produced and supplied through the Ghana Prisons Service, while a minimum of 25 per cent of the government’s 2025 Free Sanitary Pad Programme will be sourced from local manufacturers.

Speaking at the signing ceremony on Wednesday, January 14, the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, said the initiative is intended to ensure value for money, transparency and efficiency in public procurement.

He explained that situating production within state-owned institutions would enhance accountability while expanding the contribution of the Ghana Prisons Service to national development.

“This initiative ensures value for money and transparency in public procurement by anchoring production within the state-owned industrial system with clear oversight.

It also supports inmate rehabilitation and reintegration by expanding vocational and industrial training opportunities within the Ghana Prisons Service, equipping inmates with employable skills for life after incarceration,” Mr. Mubarak said.

The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service, Patience Baffoe-Bonnie, welcomed the partnership, describing it as a strategic intervention to reduce reoffending among former inmates.

She noted that providing inmates with practical skills and meaningful work opportunities during incarceration is key to successful reintegration into society.

“The ultimate goal is to ensure public safety. By completing this cycle, we are breaking the cycle of recidivism and enabling individuals who pass through the prison system to reintegrate into society and lead law-abiding lives,” she stated.