The former Governor of Anambra State and the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called for enhanced skills and educational empowerment for inmates in Nigeria’s correctional facilities.
He made the call today in a statement shared on his X page ,after visiting the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Onitsha yesterday.
He said he joined Archbishop Valerian Okeke to interact with inmates undergoing rehabilitation.
Obi expressed delight at the operational status of the Centre’s skill acquisition facility, which equips inmates with various productive skills.
He noted that through Archbishop Okeke’s intervention, the facility has become a hub for educational and vocational advancement.
“Inmates at the centre now have access to the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) examinations and a study centre established by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN)”, he said.
Obi commended the efforts, highlighting education as a critical tool for national development and rehabilitation.
“I sincerely appreciate Archbishop Valerian Okeke for his constant intervention and immeasurable contributions to the correctional facility and society at large,” Obi stated.
He urged the government to replicate these initiatives in other correctional centres nationwide, emphasising their potential to rehabilitate inmates, many of whom are youths, and prepare them for productive roles in society.
Obi reaffirmed his belief in the possibility of a new Nigeria, emphasising the transformative power of education and skill acquisition.
