A non-profit organization committed to promoting peace in Ghana has taken 26 Ghana Prisons Service selected staff through a six-month intensive training course under the Peaceful Solution Character Education Program (PSCEP) aimed at fostering peace through educational programmes curricula designed to develop positive character in Ghana.
The beneficiaries, under the 5 pillars of the program (PSCEP), were vigorously educated on how to exercise self-control, respect for one another, acceptance of election results no matter the outcome, responsibility for their thoughts, actions and deeds and the use of the STOP, an acronym which guarantees they stop in all situations (in speech and actions), think and weigh the options before proceeding with the right choice.
The colourful graduation ceremony which was held at the Prisons Interdenominational Church in Accra on Wednesday, July 27, 2016 saw certificates awarded to the 26 participants for the successful completion of the course. They now have the mandate to serve as ambassadors under the programme in Ghana.
Chief Organizer of the trainer of trainer’s workshop, Richard Wogodo, who is also President of the Peaceful Character Education Foundation (PCEF), said the training forms part of fulfilment of pledge made by his outfit during the launch of the Efiase Project a year ago seeking to train staff of the Ghana Prisons Service on PSCEP.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony in Accra on Wednesday, Richard Wogodo maintained, “Peace can only be maintained through character training, therefore we at PCEF are highly devoted to promoting peace in the country through character education training as a main tool for positive character development”.
He expressed readiness and commitment at all times to get the entire staff members of the Ghana Prisons Service including all Ghanaians enrolled on the PSCEP as a way of contributing to fostering peace in the country, especially before during and after the upcoming elections.
He also called on the other security agencies in the country to get their staff trained.
For his part, the Director-General of Prisons, Emmanuel Yao Adzator, in a speech read on his behalf by Director of Prisons in charge of Technical and Services, Leopold Amoah Ansah, charged the graduands to put to use the attributes such as honesty, truthfulness, loyalty and sincerity acquired during the training and also impact the knowledge to others in order to help the Prisons Service reform its prisoners.
Two of the beneficiaries, Supt. Eric Asante and Rev. DSP Anthony Brown, who shared their experiences during the workshop said the training received has deepen their understanding in factors that limit people to committing crime and has opened their minds on how to handle issues pertaining to respect for each other in order not to escalate issues that will undermine peace.
They both pledged to impact the knowledge acquired into their colleagues which will eventually trickle down to the prison inmates.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Prisons Service has presented a citation to Mr. Richard Wogodo, President of the Peaceful Character Education Foundation (PCEF) as recognition for his commitment to promoting peace in the country and for his unflinching support towards inculcating the peaceful solution character education into its staffs.
By Joseph Kobla Wemakor|Accra|Ghana
Twitter: @3Newsgh