…Gives succour to inmates, detainees
By Palma Ileye
Minister of Women Affairs, Barrister Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye has projected provisions to alleviate the plights of not less than 540 unfortunate female inmates and detainees who have some of their children experiencing same fate with them at the Suleja Correctional Centre.
Kennedy- Ohanenye made the vow during a visit to the women inmates and female detainees at the Suleja Custodial Centre, located at Suleja Town in Niger State.
Taking along essential supplies such as sanitary pads, soaps, washing detergents and even food packs and bottled water she expressed pleasure to see that the custodial/correctional facility runs various skill training.
She remarked on convincing the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and partners to support her in providing more tools and equipment to facilitate skills’ development for many more of the women inmates and detainees to improve them to turn new leaf after their terms at the facility.
The Women Affairs Minister and her entourage composed of some development partners, a few commissioners in charge of women affairs and children at States level and some Directors of her Ministry were shown some of the productions by the women inmates of the Suleja Custodial Centre.
These include sanitation products, air fresheners, bags and dresses/wears which reveal that the centre looks out for reformation of inmates through skills impartation.
The officials in charge of the custodial centre also told the Minister of the existence of educational training opportunities for those seeking to acquire education to pass West African Examination Council, WAEC, moderated examinations; the National Examination Council, NECO, moderated examinations; National Business and Technical Examination Board, NABTEB, moderated examinations; and even National Open University.
While engaging with some of the inmates and detainees, she pointedly told them of the need to shun crimes and criminality.
The Minister paid off the fines imposed by courts to get some detainees off the hook while promising to seek further intervention through her colleague at the Ministry of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to get assistance and help to some many more of the inmates.
Idris Ibrahim, the Correctional Officer heading other officers in charge of the Suleja Centre, expressed appreciations to the Women Affairs Minister and her team for the visit and for what she was able to do within the short visit, for the inmates.
