In a significant step towards empowering inmates and facilitating their reintegration into society, the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Hon. Ayodele Olawande has visited the Kuje Correctional Center to unveil the ‘1 Youth 2 Skills’ initiative, a flagship programme under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration
While addressing the inmates, the minister expressed the commitment of the federal government through the Ministry of Youth Development and Ministry of Interior, to provide comprehensive vocational and digital skills training aimed at equipping inmates with the necessary skills for smoother reintegration into the public upon their release.
Olawande assured of the government’s dedication to creating opportunities for them to make a meaningful living after their exit from the correctional centre.
In a release by head, press and public relations in the ministry, Mrs. Maryam Umar Yusuf and made available to Blueprint, the minister emphasised the importance of empowering youths through skills acquisitions. He disclosed that plans were underway to organise sensitisation programmes to reshape public perceptions of inmates and ex-convicts.
In his remarks, the Controller of Correctional Services FCT Command, Francis John disclosed that a total of 1,225 inmates were currently serving different jail terms in the facility.
He commended the federal government’s effort at improving the lives of inmates in the country.
The controller emphasized the significance of vocational training for inmates in the centre and therefore called for additional resources for enhanced learning, especially as youths account for 90% of the inmates. He solicited for collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development to ensure better livelihoods and reintegration of the inmates to society after their exit from the centres.
