The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has assured that the Commission will assist the Nigerian Correctional Service with training and skills acquisition for inmates in custodial centres in the region.

Ogbuku stated this during a courtesy visit by the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Mr. Sylvester Nwakuche, at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt.

The NDDC Chief Executive Officer observed that there had been a long-standing partnership between the Commission and the correctional service, noting that the NDDC had incorporated the Nigerian Correctional Service into the Operation Light Up the Niger Delta and the Free Medical Services. He added that the Commission would consider various ways of incorporating prison inmates into its youth training programmes.

He said: ?We have had a partnership with the Correctional Service over the years in some of our interventionist programmes, even before the name was changed from Nigerian Prisons Service to Nigerian Correctional Service. But under our watch, we have included the Nigerian Correctional Service in the operation Light Up the Niger Delta to ensure the place is well illuminated, as darkness promotes criminality. We are glad that since then, we have not heard of any jailbreaks in this region.

Considering that prison inmates have fundamental human rights, the NDDC will partner with the Correctional Service to see areas it can intervene, such as the youth internship scheme, training programmes.?

He added that, towards realising the objective, the Commission would select from its database to train inmates in their areas of competence, thereby ensuring its sustainability.

In response to the Comptroller-General's request for assistance in decongesting correctional facilities, Ogbuku said the NDDC would oblige after reviewing the position of existing laws.

He remarked: "I have also heard the Controller General soliciting for support in the area of decongesting the custodial facilities in the region by way of paying fines for those being held due to their inability to pay minimal penalties imposed by the courts. We are prepared to intervene to ensure that such inmates, who are also members of society, are supported in regaining their freedom.?

Ogbuku called on the hierarchy of the Correctional Service to weed out officers who conspire with inmates to smuggle drugs into custodial centres.

The Comptroller General of Correction, Mr. Sylvester Nwakuche, applauded the Managing Director of NDDC and his management team for the laudable feats recorded in the region since they assumed office.

According to him, "Some of us here may not understand what NDDC has done for the region. The NDDC has executed impactful projects in the community where I come from. He acknowledged that the NDDC had provided some amenities in almost all the correctional centres in the Niger Delta region.

Nwakuche appealed for further collaboration with NDDC across diverse areas, including agriculture and health.

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