Federal Government says no fewer than 465 inmates serving various jail terms in it custodial centres were currently pursuing various degree programmes.
Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola stated this on Tuesday in a virtual zoom meeting during a block laying ceremony to establish a leather processing factory in Janguza Custodial Centre in Kano.
The Minister represented by his Permanent Secretary, Dr Shuaib Belgore while giving a break down said currently, 23 inmates were undergoing Post Graduate Programmes comprising of One PhD; 16 Masters Degree; and six Post Graduate Diploma Programmes.
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He further said about 280 inmates are also undergoing vocational education out of which 267 were males and 13 females while 1,162 have graduated from Adult Education programme.
According to him, “A total of 465 inmates are studying various Degree Programmes such as Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution; Criminology and Security Studies, Political Science, Law, etc.
“In addition, 1,404 wrote SSCE and 634 passed with five credits, including English and Mathematics, while 4,757 enrolled for Adult Education programme and 1,162 graduated. These are just a few.
“Vocational education enrolment also soared as 280 inmates made up of 267 males and 13 females acquired Trade Test Grades III, II and I in sundry vocations like woodwork, welding, shoe-making, barbing, dress-making, etc.
“They have been beneficiaries of education and other skill acquisition programmes.
“It must be noted and commended that this leather factory is just a tip of the iceberg on what the government has been doing to improve the condition of inmates in our custodial centres.
“Correctional institutions are established primarily to keep safe custody of convicted offenders and criminal suspects but a critical component of this task is the dire need to reform and rehabilitate them in other to imbue them with a sense of responsible citizenship that will make them live a crime-free life on discharge.
“Without doubt, providing skills development opportunities is central to the realisation of this task hence, the initiative to up-scale this service in our custodial centres is commendable, especially with the collaboration of a private investor,” the Minister stated.
In his remarks, Secretary to Kano State Government, Usman Alhaji described the establishment of the factory as a welcome development noting that it will serve as a launchpad for reactivating moribund industries (tannery and leather) in the state.
The SSG represented by his Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Musa Yahaya said, “Kano is the commercial centre of Nigeria and hosts the largest hub for the leather industry in the country. The traditional tanneries in the state are the oldest in the whole country and also the biggest suppliers of local leather. Records available indicated that twenty-two of the thirty-six tanneries in Nigeria are in Kano.
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“Kano State government welcomes this initiative and will not hesitate to support the project because of the importance attached as it will provide employment opportunities to our teeming unemployed youths,” the SSG however stated.
Earlier, a Consultant of the contractor handling the project, Erojim Enterprises, Mr Ese Idiegbe, said the project is a Public-Private-Partnership project and a collaboration between the Ministry of Interior and Nigeria Correctional Service which is expected to be completed in the next nine months and to provide about 5,000 direct or indirect jobs.
