On Friday, August 25, 2023, the Ghana Prison Service held a
cheerful pull-out ceremony for its Deputy Director of Prisons (DDP), Martin
Kwesi Darku, in the Volta region's Ho Central Prison.
DDP. Martin Darku
served for only a year at Kpando Local Prison before the opportunity to
progress into the Senior Officer Corps met him. The celebrant, after
successfully passing the cadet selection exams, reported for training at the
Prison Officers Training School on July 14, 1996. He went through a vigorous
six-month training course and was commissioned as Assistant Superintendent of
Prisons on January 31, 1997.
After being commissioned,
DDP. Martin Darku was posted to Osamkrom Settlement Camp Prison as the head of
technical services, where he immediately brought his skills to bear on several
major construction projects.
In February 2004, the
celebrant was transferred from Osamkrom Settlement Camp Prison in the Central
Region to Ho Central Prison as the Head of Technical Services after spending
about seven (7) years at the station.
During his service in
the Ho Central Prison at that time, the celebrant, under the leadership of the
then Regional Commander, DDP. Emma Sawyer, used his rich experience in
construction to transform all the prisons in the Volta Region and some other
organizations. He served in Ho Central Prison for about 10 years and was
transferred to Ankaful Communicable Disease Prison (CDP) as the Officer in
Charge in February 2015. Under his leadership, DDP Martin Darku, with support
from the Central Regional Health Directorate, enhanced the capacity of the
prison to enable it to safely accommodate inmates who were not TB patients.
DDP. Martin Darku, after spending a little over two years at Ankaful CDP, was
transferred to a larger facility, Ankaful Prison Annex, as the Officer in
Charge in May 2017. He worked at Ankaful Annex Prison from May 2017 to February
2019 and was transferred back to Ho Central Prison as Second-in-Command. At Ho
Central Prison, the celebrant, after serving two years as Second-in-Command,
was successful in beating all odds to be appointed as the Volta Regional
Commander of Prisons in May 2021.
PROMOTIONS
By dint of hard work,
dedication, and commitment, the celebrant progressed through the ranks of the
prison service as follows:
- Junior Officer Corps
- Chief Officer (CO)—15 April, 1993
- Senior Officer Corps
- Assistant Superintendent of Prisons (ASP)—31st January, 1997
- Deputy Superintendent of Prisons (DSP)—1st July, 2002
- Superintendent of Prisons (SUPT)—1st September, 2006.
- Chief Superintendent of Prisons (CSP)—1st January, 2011.
- Assistant Director of Prisons (ADP)—1st February, 2016.
- Deputy Director of Prisons (DDP)—1st January, 2021
AWARDS
DDP. Martin Darku also received the following enviable recognitions for his service:
- June 4th Award
- Ghana @50 Award
- Good Conduct and Long Service Award
ACHIEVEMENTS
Some notable
achievements by the celebrant during his active service to mother Ghana in the
Ghana Prisons Service include the following:
The celebrant led a
building team from Nsawam Medium Security Prison to Koforidua Local Prison for
a year to construct additional cells and also expand the size of the prison
perimeter walls in order to admit more inmates and reduce congestion in the
yard.
The celebrant, upon
enlistment into the Ghana Prisons Service, was part of the construction of the
drill square of the Prison Officers Training School (POTS) in Accra. Supervised
the construction of an entire barracks block, a chapel, and a meeting place for
both officers and prison inmates at Osamkrom Settlement Camp Prison.
Instrumental in the
connection of electricity to the Osamkrom Camp Prison Under the leadership of
some previous Volta Regional Commanders, including DDP. Emma Sawyer, the
celebrant supervised:
Installation and
connection of water closets in both Ho Central and Female Prison cells.
Replacement of wooden cell doors with metal doors for both Ho Central and
Female Prisons as well as the main gates of Kpando Local and Ho Female Prisons.
Construction of the
quarter guard and walling around the Ho Central Prison The re-roofing of the
Ghana National Fire Service Administration Block
At Ankaful Contagious
Disease Prison (CDP), the celebrant, through his leadership and support from
the Central Regional Health Directorate, was able to introduce reforms that
enabled the prison to begin receiving into safe custody inmates who were not
tuberculosis patients.
This aided in the
decongestion of the larger prisons in the Central Region, especially Ankaful
Annex. As Officer-in-Charge of Ankaful Prison Annex, the celebrant, through his
leadership, boosted the agricultural production to enable the facility to win the
award of Best Institutional Maize Farmer in 2018. Construction of the roof
covering the frontage of all the cell blocks in the Ho Central Prisons sentry
post to enhance As the Volta Regional Commander and Officer in Charge of Ho
Central Prison, the celebrant completed the construction of security at the
Central Prison. Secured a long-term license from HeFRA for the Health Center of
the Central Prison through prudent and effective management.
Promoted the
rehabilitation of inmates by expanding the existing tailoring shop and
constructing a barber saloon to enable inmates to gain skills for life after
prison. Improved some of the facilities at the prison canteen. Re-roofed the
inmates kitchen. Installed a security gate at the entrance of the prison
barracks to monitor persons entering and exiting the prison and barracks. It is
worth noting that, before leaving office, the celebrant started serious
negotiations with the DAKE ROYAL CLAN OF ADAKLU AVEDZI to acquire a farm land
that will be used as a camp prison for the service.
PULL-OUT SPEECH BY
MARTIN KWESI DARKU
DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PRISONS
Honorable Regional Minister,
The Director General
of Prisons,
Director of Prison,
Regional Commanders
Members of the Regional Security Council,
Station Commanders,
Clergy, Distinguished guests, Heads of Department
Senior & Junior
Officers, Ladies and Gentlemen, all Protocols observed.
It is with great joy
that I stand before you all to mark the end of my career with the Ghana Prisons
Service as I begin the road to my retirement. And, let me truthfully admit to
you, I am also having a sad feeling at the same time because saying goodbye
does not feel good.
Nevertheless, I will
like to borrow the wisdom from Ecc. 7:8 in the scriptures, which says from the
New Living Translation: "Finishing is better than starting. Patience is
better than pride."
Ladies and gentlemen,
on this note, I will like to mention that I am eternally grateful to the
Almighty Father for bringing me this far, because my end in the Ghana Prisons
Service is good.
I began this journey
as a young man from a humble background, eager to make a difference in life. I
have encountered a lot of challenges, but with patience, determination, and
hard work, I have been able to come this far.
I want to thank the
Director General of Prisons and the entire Prisons Directorate for giving me
the opportunity to serve as a Regional Commander and also offering me the
necessary support during my term of office.
Let me also express my
profound gratitude to all senior and junior officers of the entire Volta Region
for their unwavering support towards me as Regional Commander. I wish to urge my
fellow officers to remain disciplined and resilient in discharging their duties
as prison officers. To my family, both immediate and extended, I appreciate you
all for standing by me through thick and thin in my career.
Indeed, the creator of
this world has apportioned time and seasons for everything, and the time has
come for me to hang up my boots as a prison officer. I am proud to say that I
have given my best in service to mother Ghana in the Ghana Prisons Service. I
look forward to a happy retired life, and I wish you all the very best of luck.
Thank you all.
New Regional Commander
( DDP): Raphael K. Tuekpe
Regional PRO:( SUPT) Alhaji David N. Apusigah.
By Boniface H.Tougue - August 25, 2023