The Federal Government has said that it targets to recruit about 6,000 personnel for the Nigerian Prisons Service to close the gap on the current shortage of manpower in the service.
The minister of Interior, Lt-Gen Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) disclosed this when he paid Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State a courtesy visit at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia, Awka, yesterday.
General Dambazau revealed that the recruitment initiative was part of efforts by the federal government to ensure that the Nigerian Prisons Service met the minimum United Nations’ standard for the rehabilitation of prisoners.
Describing the inability of prisoners to appear in court to defend themselves as a major challenge in the administration of justice, the minister revealed that the ministry has procured vehicles to convey prisoners to court, adding that, the federal government was already working out modalities to have courts established near prisons so as to save the cost of transporting those being remanded in prisons to courts to enable them answer to the charges against them.
On the issue of prison congestion across the country, the minister said his ministry has mapped out strategies to permanently address the problem, adding that the Federal Executive Council had already approved the recommendations and had forwarded it to the National Economic Council for further action.
The minister, while thanking Governor Obiano for the reception given to him assured that the federal government would continue to partner the state in relevant areas to meet the demands of good governance from the people.
Earlier, while welcoming the Interior Minister after holding a close-door meeting with him, Governor Obiano explained that the minister was in the state to commission two erosion sites done by the federal government at Nnobi and Alor communities in Idemili- South local government area of the state and expressed appreciation for the federal government’s intervention.
Source: Leadership