From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Federal Government has approved the recruitment of 50 medical doctors and 100 nurses to strengthen healthcare services across correctional centres in the country.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Tuesday in a courtesy visit to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, in Abuja.
Tunji-Ojo said President Bola Tinubu granted the approval, following the shortage of medical personnel in several correctional facilities nationwide. According to the minister, some correctional centres currently operate without medical doctors, citing a facility in Rivers State where inmates lack access to a resident doctor.
“The President understands that he is the President of all Nigerians, including those inmates. And as father to all, he has always shown that he cares”, Tunji-Ojo said, adding that the recruitment would help improve healthcare delivery for inmates.
Noting that some correctional centre hospitals already possess equipment capable of handling major surgical procedures, Tunji-Ojo cited the correctional facility in Kuje as one of the centres with equipment capable of carrying out major surgeries but requiring adequate medical personnel to maximise its capacity.
The minister also highlighted the Federal Government’s efforts to rehabilitate inmates through skill acquisition and capacity-building programmes within correctional centres. He said the government had introduced a “train-the-trainer” initiative to empower inmates to transfer skills to others.
“We have been able to build capacity through what we call training the trainer. We carried out what we call inmate skills audits across correctional centres to identify the skills inmates already possess. We then empower them to train others, and those who graduate from the programme are also supported”, he said.
Tunji-Ojo further noted that the government had taken steps to improve the welfare of inmates, including a recent 50 percent increase in their feeding allowance.
The minister stressed the importance of stronger collaboration between the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Information and National Orientation in communicating the ministry’s reforms and achievements to the public.
“We want you to come and see some of the things we have been able to achieve. In terms of our national security strategy, we want to collaborate more so that there can be a coordinated communication strategy”, he said.
Tunji-Ojo also highlighted security initiatives under the ministry, including the creation of “Mine Marshals” within the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in partnership with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.
According to him, the initiative is to protect mining sites and safeguard critical national assets.
“You can see that the effect is there. There is a reduction in criminality and violence within this sector and also better protection of critical national assets”, he added.
