FED AND STATE GOVTS URGED TO UPGRADE FACILITIES AT ENUGU MAXIMUM PRISONS
The Federal and Enugu State Government have been called upon to pay adequate attention to Enugu maximum Prisons to improve the welfare of the inmates.
The Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province and Bishop of Diocese of Enugu, Anglican Communication, Most Reverend Emmanuel Chukwuma made the call when he paid a visit to the facility to mark this year’s Anglican Prisons Week in Enugu.
The Bishop observed that Enugu Prisons was faced with many challenges such as dilapidated buildings, congestion and lack of basic amenities, noting that such an environment would not bring about the required reformation of the inmates.
“We are calling Government of Nigeria and whoever is responsible, to make sure that they visit Enugu Prisons which is in a very sorry State. This is discouraging, this is disappointing, the way the place is looking, it is not at all going to reform anybody.”
In an address, the Prison Chaplain, Enugu Diocese, Anglican Communion, Reverend Cannon Osy Obi-Okoye, enumerated various achievements of the organization towards the welfare of prisoners, but called for governments’ intervention to ensure speedy dispensation of justice with a view to decongesting the prison.
“For crying out loud, what is a prison yard doing with sixty one lunatics. Why should a ninety year old manbe incarcerated in here. The oldest man in prison in Nigeria is being kept here. He turned one hundred years in August this year.”
An inmate and General Pastor in the prison, Gift Onyegam stated that the six hundred and thirty-eight capacity facility now housed two thousand and ninety-six inmates.
“There is an urgent need for your intervention in the long adjournment and slow pace of convictions by the judiciary. As much as one thousand, five hundred and twenty eight inmates are still held here.”
The Deputy Comptroller, Enugu Maximum Prisons, Mr. Usman Ibrahim explained that the government was doing its best to alleviate the sufferings of the inmates.
He called on philanthropists and organizations to complement the efforts of government.
Bishop Chukwuma donated assorted items including toiletries, food and water to the inmates.
CHINWE UGWUANYI