The Controller General of Prisons, Ahmed Ja’afaru, on Tuesday officially commissioned the gas operated kitchen and secured recreational area for awaiting trial males at Port Harcourt Maximum Prison.
Delivering his speech, The Deputy Controller General of Prisons in charge Works and Logistics, Abuja, Charles Ahaotu, who Represented the Controller General of Prisons, appreciates the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for their massive support in the conception and delivery of the project, and encouraged them to sustain their critical interventions in improving the living conditions of persons in detention centres.
According to him: “in sustaining the idea of the use of combustible gas in cooking prisoners’ food, the Nigerian Prisons Service intends to replicate the gas operated kitchens in as many prisons as can be accommodated in the statutory budget within the foreseeable future.
” The use of gas in the kitchen supports early final lock- up and minimises security risk in the Prisons.
“This renewed option also helps to conserve the Nigerian Forest Resources. In this regard, the Nigerian Prisons Service is partnering with the National Biotechnology Agency (NABDA) and the Great Green Wall (GGW), in a bid to ensure that the Prisons Service supports the reforestation/aforestation of degraded territories in Nigeria.
“While the option of converting firewood to gas operated kitchen is ongoing, the Nigerian Prisons Service is also exploring the possibility of using biogas for the kitchen in another programme of renewable energy sourcing, which has taken off in kirikiri maximum Prison, Lagos, and Port Harcourt Maximum Prison will be next on line.
“This biogas will reduce the cost of heat energy required for cooking by half. Also commissioned was the Building of an “Outing” or “Recreational Area” for awaiting trial male prisoners.
“This is a move to provide basic facilities to protect the human dignity of Inmates and enhance human right practices in the Prison, congested cells will be opened in the day for Inmates to move freely within the Area demarcated without posing any security threats” he said.
In a welcome address delivered on behalf of the Controller of Prisons, Rivers State Command, Olumide Tinuoye, by the officer in charge of Port Harcourt Maximum Prison, Deputy Controller of Prisons, Felix Lawrence, appreciated the Controller General of Prisons and his team for this good gesture and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for their partnership with the Nigerian Prisons Service.
Also present at the commissioning was the ICRC / NPS anchor person, Deputy Controller of Prisons, in charge of water and sewage, Abuja, Jatau Raymond; the Assistant Controller of Prisons (Admin), Rivers State Command, Benson Luke; the Representative of the ICRC, Ifeanyinwa Luciana Nwankwo and Contractors of the project.
