Interior Minister Seeks Support For Reforms In Correctional Service

By Nkiru Njemanze

The Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has called on the international community to support the country’s bid to reform its correctional service operations and architecture.

The Minister made the call in Abuja during his presentation at the International Donor Round Table on Correctional Service Reform organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC.

According to the Minister, decongesting the correctional facilities demands the urgent attention of the government, civil society groups, and international communities.

“With over 80,000 inmates, we were able to decongest by only 5% with the N585 million fines we cleared on Saturday. Today, we seek the support of the United Nations as there is an urgent need for government, civil society groups, and the international community to contribute their quota to re-engineering the system”.

On abuse of power by correctional facility controllers, which has in recent years become a commonplace practice, the Minister who frowned at such development noted that the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President was set to crack down and expel anyone caught in the act.

“We are here to fill in the gap for the weakest in the society. We are here, as a government, to be the voice of the voiceless, and the strength of the weakest. Never again should the freedom of anybody be taken away on the basis of his weakness.”

Speaking on giving hope to Nigerians and delivering on the mandate of government, the Minister assured the United Nations team that the current administration is key to doing things differently in order to earn the trust of its citizens and the international community.

The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Matthias Schmale, commended the Minister for his proactive measures since taking over the helms of affairs of the Ministry.

Held in the UN House in Abuja, the round table saw the participation of top officials from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, UNODC, UNFPA, concerned NGOs, diplomats, and members of the international community including the Italian Ambassador, and representatives of the governments of Germany, Qatar and the USA.

Edited By Grace Namiji