Controller General, Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) Mr Jaafaru Ahmed
By Stanley Nwanosike
The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has empowered three of its freed inmates with vocational training and tools to enable them make a difference in the society.
The inmates are: Mr Uche Utobo, who learnt tailoring; Mr Ifeanyi Aguwagu,who learnt welding works and Mr Sunday James, that learnt carpentry.
Mr Joseph Emelue, the Controller of Correctional Service in Enugu State, presenting the inmates and their tools to newsmen in Enugu on Sunday said that the gesture was a routine of the NCoS.
Emelue said that the training was to ensure that freed inmates contribute meaningfully to the society and national development after their release.
He said: The NCoS is always positive about these exceptionally freed inmates that had been trained, re-oriented and empowered with occupational tools to face the world.
Our service is that of rehabilitation whereby ex-offenders are actually reformed and equipped with skills to be able to live a law abiding live and be self-sustaining as they are discharged. That is what we are seeing here today.
The controller, who did not disclose the cost of training and empowering the ex-inmates, noted that it would be difficult to quantify the amounts spent since we are training them as our own children.
Our happiness is that these ones have turned out exceptionally and are ready to contribute to their immediate communities and the society at large.
Emelue, however, told the serving inmates that custodial centres are not punitive places but places meant to give them a new and a better orientation and equip them for a life after serving their terms.
Nobody comes to the correctional service to die; so the best option is for serving inmates to conform to the opportunities provided by the Federal Government and NCoS and utilise them for their own good.
All we need from the serving inmates is their ability to be willing to learn and add something new, beneficial and viable to their lives.
We are always here and willing to inculcate the best orientation and lifestyle in them, he added.
Responding, one of the freed and empowered inmates, Mr Uche Utobo, appreciated the Federal Government and the NCoS for the opportunities of training and equipping them with tools.
Utobo, who spoke on behalf of the other freed and empowered inmates, assured the NCoS that they would make a positive difference and mark within the society.
The highpoint of the event was the presentation of tailoring machine and associated tools; wielding machine and associated tools and carpentry machines and associated tools to the ex-inmates according to the occupation they learnt.
Source: NAN News