Prison Officer Salary in Ghana

Photo of author
Written By Lawrencia Owusu

 

 

 

 

 

Lawrencia Owusu is a level 400 student in the university of Ghana; studying Animal Biology and Conservation Science. She enjoy writing articles, poems, fiction etc. Send her an email on [email protected]

In this post, you we’ll look at the duties of the prison Officer, prison officer ranks and their functions and most especially prison Officer salary in Ghana.

The Ghana Prisons Service (GPS) is a Federal agency operating under the ambit of the Ministry of Interior Ghana.

The agency is tasked with the safe custody of convicted persons from the courts as well as the provision of Reformation and Rehabilitation programmes for their successful resettlement into society.

What are the duties of Prison officers? Lets look at some below;

 

Duties of Prison Officers

Prison Officers apply powerful measures when ever there is an escape attempt, outbreak of riots or physical assaults amongst the prisoners.

 

They they keep eyes on the prisoners during their break time, meal time, work activities, visits and or sport activities.

 

They go along with the prisoners; when they need medical treatment, from custodial institutions to enforcement of custody and to court proceedings, etc.

 

They make sure there are no such items like; weapons, narcotics, psychotropic substances, and other unaccepted items with any prisoner or inside the prisons cells.

 

Prison Officers make sure all prison cells, gates, bars and locks are functioning as they aught and are in good shape.

 

 

Prison Officer Ranks and their Functions

The Ghana Prison Service has ranks of officers; form senior officer to junior officer.

The ranks, altogether forms the the Ghana Prisons Service structure and it also point out the various roles or responsibilities of each officer.

There are senior officers, whose has more roles and responsibilities while the assistant officers have less roles or duties as compared to the of the senior officer.

A senior officer had surely been an assistant officer before, and worked hard to gain their commission. There are superior officer ranks and other ranks in the Ghana prisons service. Lets look at the ranks.

Superior Officers Ranks in the Ghana Prison Service

These ranks here are in descending order.

Director-General of Prisons

The Director General of Prisons is the head of the Ghana Prison Service and is responsible for the execution of decisions of the Prison council.

The Director-General is responsible for the operational control and administration of the prisons service.

 

Deputy Director-General of Prisons

The Deputy Director-General is under the supervision of the Director-General of prisons. The duties of the Deputy Director- General is to analyze and recommend action if any station request.

 

Director of Prisons

In the same way, the Director of prisons is under the supervision of the Director -General of Prisons. Their duties includes identifying needs of the prison for consideration of the Director-General.

They also analyze and recommend actions of stations request.

 

Deputy Director of Prisons

The Deputy Director is head of prison department in a particular region where they have been allotted and they may take actions based on the instructions from the Director-General of prisons.

The Deputy Director is responsible for the internal administration of the region he is managing.

 

Assistant Director of Prisons

The Assistant Director of prisons is responsible for executing the policy of the Ghana Prison Service relating to prison administration.

He or she makes sure the care and welfare of prisoners are going as instructed and also train prisoners well for restoration in society.

 

Chief Superintendent of Prisons

The Chief Superintendent of prisons is the second in command to the Assistant Director of prisons.

He or she is responsible for overall coordination and management of the activities inside of the prison.

Making sure the facilities are well utilized and taken care of. Also seeing to it that the rights of

prisoners and their welfare is intact. Also responsible for supervising rehabilitation services.

 

Superintendent of Prisons

He or she works as unit head or second in command at headquarters or central prison and is the one in charge when the Chief Superintendent of prisons is not around.

 

Deputy Superintendent of Prisons

His or her duties are to issue authorization of escort of prisoners within and outside the prison. Also responsible for engaging and releasing of prisoners and maintaining the security of the prison facility.

 

Assistant Superintendent of Prisons

This is the first rank one is commissioned into. The Assistant Superintendent of Prisons carry out staff duties, training of residents in the prison, etc.

 

Officer Cadet

This is an initial rank when one is being trained as n officer at the Prisons Officers Training School.

 

Other ranks in the Ghana Prisons Service include:

  • Senior Chief Office
  • Chief Office
  • Assistant Chief Office
  • Sergeant
  • Corporal
  • Lance Corporal
  • 2nd Class Officer

 

Prison Officers Salary in Ghana

ghana prisons service salary

Prison Officer Salary in Ghana – GHS 700 TO GHS 3,470 per month.

The Ghana Prison Service pay their prison officers according to their ranks as officers. Your rank determines how much you are paid.

Also your level of education can determine your pay. For instance a graduate recruit in the Ghana Prisons Service will receive a higher amount of pay that a recruit with WASSCE or SSCE.

The minimum salary of the least rank in the Ghana Prisons Service receives at least GHS700 per month and the highest ranked receives about GHS 3, 470 per month. A typical prisons officer earns about GHS2,280 per month.

These are the salaries of prison officers in Ghana. However, there are other allowances and benefits like housing, transport, etc. that they enjoy.

 

 

Leave a Comment