Former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has called for urgent steps to decongest the nation’s correctional facilities through improved and faster dispensation of justice and special interventions by governments, charitable organisations and Nigerians.
Ekweremadu made the call on Thursday when he visited the Enugu Correctional Centre where he paid the fines of eight inmates to enable them regain their freedoms.
This was even as he pledged to immediately do a water project in the correctional facility to improve the living conditions of the inmates.
“I was informed by the Controller of Corrections in Enugu State that many inmates were still in this correctional facility because they had no one to pay their fines. So, I undertook a visit to the facility to interface with the inmates and to help settle the fines of eight inmates so they can regain their freedoms and join their families for the Christmas.
“But beyond that, I think we need to take every necessary step to decongest our prisons. As a lawmaker, I know we have done quite a lot of reforms in the area of Criminal Justice Administration. Nevertheless, governments and public-spirited individuals and organisations need to step up efforts to ensure that those who deserve pardon are pardoned; that those who were fined are assisted to have their fines cleared; that those who are awaiting trial undergo trials timeously; and those with lesser offences are committed to other forms of service so that we don’t have to keep people in the correctional facilities longer than necessary”, he stated.
Ekweremadu, who was accompanied by the Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, and Member representing Udi/Ezeagu Federal Constituency, Hon. Dennis Amadi, called for better funding and maintenance of correctional facilities across the country.
“The other critical issue is the quality of facilities and the social amenities available to inmates across the country. These are called correctional facilities because people are supposed to leave here better persons. This will require better budgetary provisions, judicious application of available resources, and maintenance of available amenities.
“But for a start, I will ensure that we start a water project here in the Enugu correctional facility by next week to alleviate their challenges”. Ekweremadu concluded.
In his remarks, the Controller of Corrections, Enugu State Command, Mr. Nicolas Obiako, commended Ekweremadu for his humaneness and interventions and enjoined other public-spirited individuals to emulate his example.