By Philip Ezuma, Port Harcourt
The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has assured that it will assist the Nigerian Correctional Service with training and skills acquisition for inmates in custodial centres in the region.
The Managing Director of the commission, Dr Samuel Ogbuku gave the assurance, during a courtesy visit by the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Mr. Sylvester Nwakuche, at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt.
The NDDC Chief Executive Officer observed that there had been a long-standing partnership between the Commission and the correctional service, noting that the NDDC had incorporated the Nigerian Correctional Service into the Operation Light Up the Niger Delta and the Free Medical Services. He added that the Commission would consider various ways of incorporating prison inmates into its youth training programmes.
He said: “We have had a partnership with the Correctional Service over the years in some of our interventionist programmes, even before the name was changed from Nigerian Prisons Service to Nigerian Correctional Service.
But under our watch, we have included the Nigerian Correctional Service in the operation Light Up the Niger Delta to ensure the place is well illuminated, as darkness promotes criminality. We are glad that since then, we have not heard of any jailbreaks in this region.
Considering that prison inmates have fundamental human rights, the NDDC will partner with the Correctional Service to see areas it can intervene, such as the youth internship scheme, training programmes.”
He added that, towards realising the objective, the Commission would select from its database to train inmates in their areas of competence, thereby ensuring its sustainability.
In response to the Comptroller-General’s request for assistance in decongesting correctional facilities, Ogbuku said the NDDC would oblige after reviewing the position of existing laws.
