Nigerian PrisonersThe National Public Relations Officers of the Nigeria Prison Service (NPS) Mr. Francis Enebore, has disclosed that prisoners across the country are now fully engaged in productive ventures while serving their terms.
According to him, while many of them have engaged in large scale commercial farming, no fewer than 430 others are pursuing various degree programmes at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). He added that three others are about to complete their doctorate degree in other universities in the country.
Enebore, who briefed news men in Abuja on the forthcoming Public Presentation of Survey Reports on the Nigerian Prisons on February 1, said the prisoners were allowed to enrol for the University education as part of new reforms being implemented by the Federal Government to make life out of prison meaningful for the ex convicts.
Enebore said that the Open University offered the prisoners opportunity of higher education to make them better citizens of the nation.
According to him, well meaning Nigerians, religious and corporate bodies have been assisting the ex convicts in providing for their educational needs.
The spokesman said that prisoners are now fully engaged in the production of food for themselves and the country in the new farm settlement schemes established in some states of the federation.
He said that at the moment, 17 farm settlements in Kaduna are already producing beans in commercial quantities, whereas Bauchi farms is producing rice and Edo farms are producting palm oil for the prisoners and the nation.
He announced that 22 tractors have been procured by the federal government and distributed to prisons for the used of prisoners across the country to enhance their farming skills in the production of mainly food crops adding that a good number of tractors are also underway for delivery before the year runs out.
He said, at the media briefing with the Executive Director of Prison Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) Dr. Uju Agomoh that 951 others were set free upon meeting conditions for freedom.
He said that fines imposed on the ex-convicts by various courts in the country were offset by the National Stakeholders to pave way for their final release.
Enebore commended the new reform initiative, even as he regretted that the N450 feeding cost per prisoner in a day is grossly inadequate hence, the introduction of the farm settlement schemes.
“In the education sector, I am pleased to announce that 430 of our prisoners are running various degree courses at the National Open University of Nigeria, the new reform efforts allowed them to access university education in order to make life out of prison meaningful for them”.
“In the agriculture, massive revolution is going on with prisoners now engaging in full scale commercial farming. At the moment, we have our farm settlement in Kaduna where the Prisoners have produced huge quantities of beans, in Bauchi where rice had been produced and Edo where our farm settlement is involved in the production of palm oil”.
Meanwhile, the survey report on the Nigerian Prisons would be formally presented to the Nigerian public on February, 1.
The survey is anchored by experts put together by the Prisons Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) as part of reforms to be put forward to the federal government for implementation that will lead to decongestion of the prisons and ensuring adequate welfare for all the inmates. [myad]
