Correctional Service: Minister
Correctional Service: Minister Asks for More Funds as
Catholic Church Commissions Centre
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola during a Budget
Defence Meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on
Reformatory Institutions held at the National Assembly Complex,
appealed for considerable attention to be given to the Nigerian
Correctional Service (NCS).
Aregbesola who gave a vivid analysis of what corrections entails
and how it is driven in other climes, emphasised that Nigeria is
just at the entry point as far as the issue is concerned. He
further stressed that the moment an individual’s freedom is taken
away from him/her, the responsibility of catering for the basic
needs of such an individual becomes the duty of the holding
authority and that describes how cost intensive the correction
regime is.
The Interior Minister who appreciated members of the committee
for the audience, beckoned on them to use their good offices to
ensure that the NCS gets the much desired attention as they
consider the year 2020 budget.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman, House Committee on
Reformatory Institutions, Hon . Lazarus N. Ogbe appreciated the
minister and the Controller-General of Corrections (CGC) Ja’afaru
Ahmed for honouring the committee’s invitation. He expressed the
unalloyed commitment of the legislature in ensuring that the NCS is
taken to its ideal height in line with global best standards.
In his presentation, CGC Ahmed who expressed great delight in
the new order occasioned by the commitment of the legislature in
passing the NCS Bill 2019 and the subsequent assent by President
Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR which brings the NCS under the oversight of
the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions as against that of
Interior, as it then was.
The Corrections’ boss began with the year 2019 budget
performance, highlighting significant achievements in the following
areas: training of over 11,000 personnel locally and
internationally; acquisition of different grades of Trade Test
Certificates by 131 inmates, massive infrastructural upgrade with
318 Capital Projects completed out of 423; procurement of 137
vehicles including, green marias, duty vans, staff buses, sewage
trucks, water tankers, ambulances, etc; among others.
Ja’afaru while presenting the NCS year 2020 Budget Proposal to
the committee, added his voice in calling on the legislature to
give premium attention to a Service he described as a “neglected
Service” until the advent of the present administration.
While assuring the committee that NCS was poised to efficiently
and effectively utilise the huge government investment in the
Service, he also stressed that the new NCS Act 2019, has come with
a number of significant changes that require additional cost.
Members of the committee took turns to respond to the
presentations by the Minister and the CGC and requested
clarification on certain areas. The meeting was then adjourned to
Tuesday 22nd October, 2019 for further deliberations.
Present at the meeting, were the Clerk of the Committee, senior
officials from the Ministry of Interior and the management team of
the NCS.
DSC. SS Bulus
Sambeee23@gmail.com
Public Relations Unit, NCS NHQ-Abuja.
……………….
MULTI MILLION NAIRA SKILLS ACQUISITION CENTRE FOR INMATES
COMMISSIONED
The Metropolitan Archbishop of Onitsha Catholic Archdiocese, His
Grace Most Rev. Dr. Valerian Okeke commissioned the Multi Million
Naira Skills Acquisition Centre built and equipped for the inmates
of Onitsha Custodial Centre by the Catholic archdiocese of
Onishta
The Prelate who concelebrated High Mass at the Centre to mark
his birthday, charged the inmates to make proper use of the
facility to equip themselves to be self reliant on discharge from
custody.
Thereafter, the facility was formally commissioned and handed
over to the Nigerian Correctional Service.
The Controller General, Nigerian Correctional Service Ja’faru
Ahmed represented by the Zonal Coordinator of Zone “G” ACG Tina
Okereke in her response, thanked the Archbishop for this rare
gesture and benevolence, and promised that the facility will be put
to good use by making sure that the inmates imbibe skills necessary
to make them self reliant ,and aid them to stay away from crime and
criminality on discharge.
The skills acquisition Centre consists of computer lab,
electronics, shoemaking, welding, carpentry, tailoring and barbing
sections among others..
Earlier on Saturday, the inmates honoured the Archbishop with
novelty football competition which the “G” and “H” wards emerge
overall winner and second runner up respectively. The Archbishop
presented prizes to the winning team, and also donated food items,
toiletries, 200 pieces of foams amongst others
Dignitaries who graced the occasion and also gave gifts to the
inmates include the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Sen. Dr.
Chris Ngige, the wife of the State Governor Chief Mrs Eberechukwu
Obiano, Hon. Ibuzo and other members of the state Assembly and Exco
members.
DSC EKEZIE FRANCIS
COMMAND PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
NIGERIAN CORRECTIONAL SERVICE ANAMBRA STATE COMMAND