Inmates in over 240 correctional facilities in Nigeria have commenced vocational training to arm them with useful skills, even as they are cut off from society, News About Nigeria reports.
The Senior Special Adviser to the President on Technical, Vocational, and Entrepreneurship Education, Abiola Arogundade, disclosed this in a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.
She noted that President Bola Tinubu is concerned about the reintegration of the inmates into society and has decided to empower them and prepare them for life after sentence, adding that each beneficiary will get a grant of N500,000 once they complete the skills acquisition programme.
She stated, however, that only 500 inmates from each facility will be considered after the official take-off of the pilot scheme in Kuje Centre, which currently has a capacity of 723 inmates.
“We launched the scheme in Kuje after we took a few members to do an audit on the needs of the inmates. Every single person we train there is also going to be certified. We are partnering with global bodies to ensure any skill you acquire in Nigeria will be recognised worldwide.
“At the end of their prison term and our training, we give them N500,000 to set up their business so they don’t become second-time offenders after leaving the correctional centre. This scheme is ongoing,” she said.
She further noted that after Kuje Correctional Centre, the team will head to Suleja, maintaining that this intervention will be duplicated in all correctional facilities.
“We are also working with the Bank of Industry. For instance, we will train the beneficiaries on how to have the best skills in hairdressing in a kiosk they can also use for POS and other business ventures,” she added.
