ANGLICAN ARCHBISHOP ADVOCATES IMPROVED FACILITIES IN ENUGU PRISON

The Federal and Enugu State Governments have been told to pay adequate attention to the Enugu Maximum Prison to improve the welfare of the inmates.

The Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province and Bishop of Diocese of Enugu, Anglican Communion, the Most Reverend Emmanuel Chukwuma made the call when he paid a visit to the facility to mark the 2018 Anglican Prisons Week in Enugu.

The Bishop observed that Enugu Prison was faced with many challenges, including dilapidated buildings, congestion and lack of basic amenities, noting that such an environment would not bring about the required reformation to the inmates.

In an address, the Prison Chaplain, Enugu Diocese, Anglican Communion, the Reverend Cannon Osy Obi-Okoye, enumerated various achievements of the organization towards the welfare of prisoners but called for government intervention to ensure speedy dispensation of justice with a view to decongesting the prison.

An inmate and General Pastor in the prison, Gift Onyegam, complained that the 638 capacity facility now housed 2,096 (two thousand and ninety-six) inmates.

In a remark, the Deputy Comptroller Enugu Maximum Prisons, Mr. Usman Ibrahim explained that the government was doing its best to alleviate the sufferings of the inmates and called on philanthropists and organizations to complement the efforts.

Archbishop Chukwuma donated assorted items, including toiletries, food and bags of sachet water to the inmates.

CHINWE UGWUANYI