GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State says he opted to celebrate his 53rd birthday at the Enugu Maximum Prisons to appraise the condition of inmates.
Ugwuanyi told the inmates during the birthday party within the prisons’ premises, that he was delighted to share with the inmates and boost their morale.
“I have come here to share company with you, see how you are faring and to consider areas of assistance in respect to your welfare.
“It is indeed the cardinal objective of government to cater for the well-being of everybody.”
The governor said he had noted the challenges confronting the Enugu prisons and would take steps to address some.
He said that the state government had earmarked funds to address the congestion of prisons in the state, adding that deserving awaiting trial inmates would soon regain their freedom.
“Having observed the challenges with the congestion of the prison, we set aside funds that will provide logistics to lawyers and civil society organisations to secure the prompt release of inmates.
“We are also creating the enabling environment and encouragement for lawyers to provide Pro Bono services to you and ensure that your cases receive speedy and prompt attention,” he said.
Ugwuanyi said that he had the interest of the inmates at heart and assured them that “very soon, most of you will walk out from here”.
Earlier, the Comptroller of Enugu Prisons, Mrs Ukwuori Kalu, commended the governor for choosing to celebrate his birthday with the inmates, in spite of several choice places in the state.
Kalu said that the governor, by his action, had exhibited humane and humble character.
“Your choice of the prison is a manifestation of your humility and preparedness to serve both the rich, poor and the downtrodden.”
She commended the governor for his intervention during the Nsukka jail break in 2016.
She also noted that the governor ensured the renovation and tiling of cells in Enugu prisons and released funds to procure drugs for inmates.
The comptroller called for proactive measures to check incidences of jail break and other violent conducts in the prisons.
Kalu appealed to the governor to avail the prisons of vehicles with which to convey inmates to courts to answer to their charges.
She said that taking the inmates to courts had become a difficult task to the extent that staff vehicles were often deployed for that purpose.
“The level of the sophistication of our inmates needs certain proactive measures to be taken to checkmate incidences like jail break and violence conducts.
“Nsukka prison is still using bucket system to dispose human excreta. Staff cars are even used to convey awaiting trial inmates to courts which is not a healthy development,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Enugu prison, built in 1947, currently has 1,918 inmates.
Highlights of the celebration were cultural display by female inmates and a hip-hop freedom song by select male inmates titled ‘We are pleading with the world to give us second chance’.