Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has charged the Nigerian government with providing skill-acquisition programmes to prisoners nationwide, stating that such a measure will significantly improve the rehabilitation of prisoners and make a positive contribution to the advancement of society.
Obi, who visited the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Onitsha on Wednesday, claimed in a post on his X handle on Thursday that equipping the prisoners with skills would also enable them to lead more constructive lives.
Inmates, primarily young people in correctional facilities, would benefit significantly from this as it will help them rehabilitate and get ready to lead happier lives and make valuable contributions to the advancement of society.
“Following my policy of celebrating with the underprivileged in our society during festive seasons, such as yesterday’s Christmas, I went to the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Onitsha to spend time and engage with our brothers and sisters who are undergoing rehabilitation there, along with the Archbishop of Onitsha and the Grand Patron of the Nigerian Correctional Centres.
“My visit today was struck by the fact that, because of Archbishop Okeke’s assistance, their skill acquisition centre is completely functional and the prisoners are already receiving various useful skills.
“I was pleased to hear that the inmates can now take their National Business and Technical Examinations Board exams at the Centre in addition to the Skill Acquisition Centre,” he remarked.
He gave the National Open University of Nigeria credit for setting up a research centre within the prison.
“As someone who firmly thinks that education is a vital instrument for advancing human development and the advancement of the country, I think it is excellent that these educational facilities have been established.
“I thank Archbishop Valerian Okeke for his unwavering support and incalculable contributions to the prison and society in general. I implore the government to duplicate these beneficial advancements in the other correctional facilities throughout the nation,” he added.
