President of the club, Mrs Maureen Moreira, in her welcome address, said the facility was to meet the desire of inmates and the prison authorities.
Moreira said the facility would help to protect the environment from pollution and provide shelter during cooking.
She added that the project would stem health hazards emanating from fumes inhaled by inmates, prison officials and nearby residents.
“This project is coming at a time when inmates go through a tough time while preparing their meals as rain either washes them away or soaks the firewood.
“The pollution of environment and inhalation of smoke by inmates and nearby residents cannot be overemphasised considering the condition in which the cooking of their meals takes place.
“With this project, we are protecting the environment from pollution and providing suitable shelter during cooking.
“Of course, we are also preventing the health problems resulting from fumes inhaled by inmates, prisons officials and neighbouring residents,” she said.
The project, which also housed seven local ovens for cooking, was inaugurated by the District Governor 404AI of the Lions Club, Mr Olatunbosun Okpeseyi.
In his remarks, Okpeseyi urged the prison authorities to make good use of the facility in order to attract other projects.
“We are not a religious organisation, but anything that has to do with humanity is our concern.
“The inmates need our help, that they made mistake does not mean we should abandon them,” he said.
Reacting, the Deputy Controller, Okere Prisons, Mr Solomon Airiohuovon, thanked the cub for the donation.
“We suspend our cooking sometimes because of rain thereby prolonging the time we are supposed to eat. I am happy that we are not going to experience that again,” he said.
The General provost of the inmates whose name was not mentioned appealed for donation of mattresses particularly to those on life imprisonment.
“I thank the Lions Club for putting smile on our faces, you have given us a renewed hope.
“However, I want to humbly appeal for some mattresses particularly for inmates who were on death row and who had their punishment converted to life imprisonment by the Delta State government, “ he appealed.
Highlight of the event was the cutting of the tape and presentation of awards to some persons for their moral and financial assistance which made the project reliable.
and then