Prison Inmates in Skills Acquisition Scheme

More than 5,000 inmates from 69 maximum and medium security prisons in 16 states of the country have benefitted from information and communication technology training programmes inaugurated by a group of non-government organisations, NGOs. This fact was revealed at the graduation and certificate award in computer engineering to a total of 23 inmates of the Oko Medium Security Prisons in Benin City, Edo State. The ceremony which was attended by the Controller of Prisons, Edo State, Etowa Effiom; Deputy Controller Friday Ovie; and Edo State Coordinator of National Directorate of Employment, NDE, represented by Solomon Edobor. According to the training facilitator, John Alechenu of Alcom Technologies, the inmates were certified after learning computer skills. Explaining the impact of the reformation, Mr. Etowa said, “I feel happy because the NGOs are helping us carry out our duties; which are the reforming, retraining and reintegration of prison inmates into the society. “These inmates need to set up shops. So, we want the NDE to include our inmates in their service. They have promised to do so. We also call on the state and Federal governments to assist in integrating these people into the society.” Effiom said such programmes, positively count for inmates during the compilation of those for parole. On what the Federal Government could do to assist, Edobor said, “The National Directorate of Employment will collaborate with the prison authorities. That is why we are here.” One of the inmates, Chibueze Obasi, said two of his colleagues participated in the 2014 Joint Admission and Matriculation Board,JAMB, computer test, based on the knowledge they acquired from the training. First seen here: national mirror