Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has called on the Federal Government to create skills acquisition and empowerment schemes for prison inmates across the country.
Obi who made the call during a visit to the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Onitsha, said empowering the inmates with skill acquisitions would go a long way to rehabilitate them and enable them contribute productively to societal development when they have finished serving their jail terms.
In a post on his official X handle on Thursday, the LP leader noted that with such skills, inmates will live more positive lives outside the confines of the prisons.
“In tradition with my policy of celebrating with the distressed in our society, during seasons of celebration, yesterday being Christmas, I visited the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Onitsha, where I joined the Archbishop of Onitsha and Grand Patron of the Nigerian Correctional Centres, to spend time and interact with our brothers and sisters undergoing rehabilitation in the centre,” Obi wrote.
“I was impressed on my visit to see that, through the intervention of Archbishop Okeke, their Skill Acquisition Centre is fully operational, and the inmates are already being equipped with different productive skills.
“Aside from the Skill Acquisition Centre, I was happy to learn that the inmates can now take their National Business and Technical Examinations Board examinations at the Centre.
“As one who believes deeply in human development through education as a critical tool for national development, I find the establishment of these educational facilities very commendable.
“I sincerely appreciate Archbishop Valerian Okeke for his constant intervention and immeasurable contributions to the correctional facility, and society at large. I urge the government to replicate such positive developments across the other correctional centres in the country.
“I urge the government to replicate such positive developments across the other correctional centers in the country. This will greatly go a long way in rehabilitating the inmates, who are mainly youths in the correctional facilities, and prepare them to live more positive lives and contribute productively to societal development.’