By Tina Amanda
The Deputy Comptroller in charge of the Maximum Correctional Service Centre, Port Harcourt, Effiong Etim, says the facility has experienced tremendous reformation since his assumption into office.
Etim stated this to newsmen while receiving an award of outstanding silent achiever from a group under the aegis journalist without border, at the Custodian Center Port Harcourt.
He pointed out that different programs and activities have been created to engage the inmates in a reformational process such as educational, and recreational amongst others.
“I assumed duty here as the officer in charge on 26 April 2022, and God has been with us. I took over three thousand eight hundred fifty-six (3,856), inmates, and as of today it has reduced to three thousand and twenty-five (3,025), Statistically more than one thousand inmates have gone.
“We try as much as possible to give inmates an enabling environment to thrive and engage them meaningfully. We have a bio-fertilizer mini factory where we produce bio-fertilizer from human waste, waste to wealth, We are hoping in the near future to commercialize it, and it will be available for the public to purchase.
“We have the paint manufacturing workshop, carpentry and tailoring workshop, hairdressing salon, pastry, bead making. We just ended our DCC football tournament where a trophy was presented to the winning team, it was a cultural event as a form of recreation for the inmates.
“Every last Thursday of the month we have Birthday thanksgiving for both Christians and Moslems inmates born on that month. Some of them have never celebrated their birthdays before coming into the facility, it is filled with fun, there is a dancing competition between the inmates and staff, cake cutting, and comedy.
“These are the activities we engage the inmates in aside from religious activities where we encourage them to turn a new leaf to be closer to their God, so when they leave the prison they can contribute meaningfully and positively to society.
“As a matter of fact, we have some of the inmates running their post-graduate in the facility”.
The Deputy Comptroller however said lots of effort has been made in decongesting the prison, adding the Chief Judge of the state and Magistrate have also visited the facility for decongestion exercise.
Etim disclosed further that the custodian center has been given a facelift through several planting of flowers to beautify the place.
“There are over one thousand flowers planted in the past year in the facility to encourage cleanliness and beauty. It is what we call reformation aesthetics, which has gone a long way to make the yard calm and peaceful, a holistic approach to reformation.
“The staff are very hardworking, and inmates well behaved, I pray it continues to be so. I want to thank you for recognizing the little we have contributed to Rivers State and Nigeria at large”.
Earlier, the leader of the group Princewill Onuwor, said the award of honour for the Deputy Comptroller is for his outstanding achievement of transforming the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Center into what it is today.
Onuwor noted that the recognition calls for more commitment and hard work.
