The Prisons Fellowship Nigeria (PFN), Lagos State Chapter, on Saturday called on stakeholders to prioritize the psycho-social situation of inmates through specialised programs to improve their lives.
The call was made at the maiden edition of Lunch with Prison Fellowship Nigeria at the Global Harvest Church, Maryland, Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PFN, an affiliate of Prisons Fellowship International, comprises over 60 churches which organises pre and post jail term programmes to empower inmates.
Mr Benson Iwuagwu, PFN Executive Director, said there was a need to prioritize the basic challenges such as the psycho- social aspect of inmates instead of emphasising mainly on preaching to them.
According to him, PFN plans to engage inmates six month before their release and 12 month after serving their jail terms through programmes and projects that will make them self reliant.
“PFN is not just about preaching inside the prison but for social and spiritual transformation and networking to change and transform prison inmates.
“As you know we have a terrible justice system in this country, the prison facilities is overburden with overcrowded awaiting trials which has lead to congestion,” Iwuagwu said.
Among programmes aimed at making inmates better people in the society included Lagos State Restorative Justice Pilot Project, The Sycamore Tree Project, Prisoners Journey Programme Project and Onesimus Project for Life Recovery Pre-release Empowerment Programme.
Speaking at the occassion, Mr Tunde Ladipo, Lagos State Controller of Prisons, thanked PFN for their transformation programmes which had reshaped the life of inmates in the state.
Ladipo said that Nigeria Prisons Service had partnered with Lagos State Government by initiating information management system to ensure that every inmate had a record to decongest the prisons.
” I urge the public to collaborate with the PFN to better the life of inmates because more hands are needed.
“In the past, some inmates dont have records to fastrack their trials in court so they spend long time awaiting trials,” Ladipo said.
The controller commended Gov. Ambode for providing utility vehicles to enhance prisons opeations and ensuring that inmates were taking to court as and when due to decongest the prisons.
Mr Rapheal Godwin, a pastor of the Charismatic Renewal Church, said PFN was helping to correct the impression and truamatruama of inmates after returning to the society. (NAN)
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