By Aderogba George (NAN)
Rotary International, District 9125, Nigeria on Saturday visited the Keffi Medium Security Correctional Centre (MSCC), Nasarawa state, as part of the move towards ensuring a positive wellbeing of both the inmates and staff of the facility.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the clubs who made the visit under the district are Rotary clubs of Abuja Gudu, and Abuja Jabi Lakeside, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Keffi, Abuja with physical and moral support from the President of the Rotary Club of Abuja Bwari.
The project featured encouragement of the officials of the correctional facility and the donation of Rotary Mends Triple-A Toolkit named “Anxiety & Addiction in adolescents”, Sanitary Supplies, Thrift clothing, Food Stuffs to the 730 inmates.
Speaking during the visit, Rotarian Chinelo-Audrey Ofoegbunam, President of the Rotary Club of Abuja Gudu, said that part of the reasons for the visit was to show love on the inmates, and ensure peace-building in the facility.
She said that after considering so many options to visit a correction facility, they choose Keffi instead of Abuja, because they believe that such a correctional facility may be forgotten by most people.
“In Rotary, every month has its own theme even though there are different areas of focus, peace and conflict prevention/resolutions is one of such focus. We decided that instead of going to the community to speak about peace, we made our mind to come here, these inmates need us more. What we have done is, rather than allow them to languish in this correctional facility, which will not be helpful to them, we felt that they require rehabilitation to be able to go back home and reintegrate into the society.
” Ofoegbunam said.
Rotarian Mundong Dachi, Project Chair of the Rotary Club of Abuja Gudu, stated that the visit would be a continuous project as they would consider the plan of paying for more fines of inmates and other welfare packages for the inmates.
Rotarian Chinwe Madubuike, President, Rotary Club of Abuja Jabi Lakeside stated that the clubs would follow up to empower some of them.
“The reason why we are asking them about the work they were doing before they were arrested is to follow them up and assist them in whatever form we can.”
she stressed.
Rotarian George Hembah, the Secretary of the District Committee on Mental Health Awareness gave some of the inmates a lecture on mental health that will be useful to them after leaving the facility, as well as the leaders and officials of the correctional facility.
According to Hembah, everybody goes through different issues in life, and the inmates must not be discouraged about where they are today.
“Where you are now is just a transition, your thinking alone can bring about a mental health challenge, mental health is when someone is in a disrupted state of mind.
“There is a need for people to know that there is mental health challenge outside here. We also have mental illness, you must guide against all these,” he said.
Speaking on prison decongestion, Rotarian Kumbugu Dan of the Rotary Club of Keffi advised the government at all levels to rehabilitate and equip correctional centers across the country.
Mr Kaigama Simon, Assistant Comptroller in charge of MSCC appreciated the Rotary Clubs adding that, it is not everyone that remember that people exist in the prison.
According to Simon, the visit by the Rotary Club shows that they are lifting up the burden of judgement day from their shoulder.
“It is not because Rotarians are the most rich persons in the society, but for the fact that they have a heart of Gold. We have a big task ahead of us to ensure that the youth are well taken care of to live a crime-free society.
“We are encouraging philanthropist organisations to help in the empowerment of the prisoners to augment whatever government is providing for inmate needs.
“We can only do the little we can, the cost of empowering them is on the high side, we have different skill activities such as shoe making, soap making, tailoring and others as well as NABTEB exams” said Simon.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that item donated to the inmates were mental health pamphlets, toiletries and sanitary supplies, thrift clothing’s, a bag of rice and food items, snacks and drinks. (NAN)