The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has assured that it will continue to work towards improving the living conditions of inmates in its facilities.

The acting controller general, NCoS, Sylvester Nwakuche, disclosed this during his maiden interactive session with field officers on Monday in Abuja.

Mr Nwakuche said efforts were being made to address the challenges facing the service, particularly in infrastructure, welfare, and rehabilitation.

“The service exists to serve the inmates. Their welfare will be a top priority,” he said. “Our efforts in reforming and rehabilitating inmates will also involve expanding classrooms, upscaling vocational skills centres, and fostering Public-Private Partnerships to guarantee sustainability.”

He emphasised the NCoS’ commitment to providing humane treatment and care to inmates and ensuring they were rehabilitated and reformed to become productive members of society upon release.

However, Mr Nwakuche unveiled plans to achieve self-sufficiency through farming and vocational skills development, emphasising the importance of prioritising workshops, farm centres, and industries within custodial facilities.

He also said the initiatives would contribute to food security, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s priority areas for economic reform and inclusive growth.

Mr Nwakuche said the service had strengthened its partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to enhance inmate rehabilitation.

He said the partnership would focus on the proper classification of inmates aimed at equipping them with skills to reintegrate into society.

However, Mr Nwakuche emphasised the importance of international collaboration in achieving the NCoS mandate, particularly in rehabilitation and reintegration.

“I equally intend through you to encourage the opening of schools in our custodial facilities where space allows for inmates’ educational pursuit,” he said.

Mr Nwakuche commended Mr Tinubu for increasing the inmates’ feeding allowance from N750 to N1,125 per day, saying it would significantly improve their welfare.

He also disclosed that monitoring teams have been deployed to ensure compliance with the new feeding allowance and to guarantee the quality of food served to inmates.

“Let me also reiterate here that the management of vulnerable persons in Custodial Centres – persons like pregnant women, babies, nursing mothers, physically challenged, etcetera will be favourably taken care of,” Mr Nwakuche added.

(NAN)