NCoS, REA partner to enhance inmates welfare

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have partnered to improve the welfare of inmates across correctional centres in the country.

The NCoS Controller General, Sylvester Nwakuche in Abuja led a delegation to REA on a partnership for the provision of solar mini power grids across custodial facilities.

Nwakuche, however, said that there was a need for sustainable power supply to all correctional facilities.

He pointed out that the custodial centres across Nigeria were battling epileptic power supply, which he said had impacted the quality of life and services accessed by inmates.

According to him, inmates are some of the underserved and unserved community in the society when it comes to access to electricity supply.

“Therefore, the partnership is expected to light up the custodial centres, “he said.

Nwakuche explained that a lot of reformation was ongoing in the NCoS since its change of nomenclature from the Nigerian Prison Service to the NCoS.

He added that inmates in custodial centres now have the opportunity to enjoy access to education and skills acquisition.

He said that the custodial centres were places where both the innocent and the guilty stayed adding that most awaiting trial inmates were often found not to be guilty and were allowed to go free.

“Not everyone in custodial centre is guilty, as some individuals are there awaiting trial pending their sentencing.

“It’s not everybody you find in the custodial facility that is guilty which is why we have awaiting trial persons.

“They are innocent until proven guilty and most often than not, they are found not guilty and they are released,”he said.

In his response, Mr Abba Aliyu, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of REA, expressed the agency’s readiness to collaborate with the NCoS.

Aliyu also assured that the agency would provide power supply to the custodial centres in support of ongoing reforms in the sector.

He explained that all projects undertaken by the REA have produced transformative results, positively impacting the lives of Nigerians across various sectors, including education.