The Medium Correctional Centre in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has held its maiden ceremony for inmates who successfully completed the 2024 National Examination Council (NECO) Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, marking a significant milestone in the centre’s rehabilitation efforts.
The event, hosted within the facility in the state capital, featured a public display of various handcrafted products made by inmates, including bags, wallets, hand fans, clothing and soaps. Guests and stakeholders were also taken through the inmates’ educational and vocational achievements.
The ceremony attracted officials from NECO, representatives of the Ministry of Women Affairs, security agencies, and several traditional and religious leaders.
Controller of Corrections in Ekiti State, Oluremi Okuseinde, said the presentation of certificates and exhibition of inmates’ products underscored the service’s commitment to true rehabilitation. She noted that the initiative aims to ensure that inmates return to society better equipped to contribute meaningfully after completing their sentences.
Okuseinde commended the inmates for their impressive performance in the NECO examination and lauded the council for approving the inclusion of the correctional centre as an examination venue in 2022.
She added that the reforms within the facility align with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu, supported by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and the Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche.
According to her, the Nigerian Correctional Service, formerly the Nigerian Prison Service, now operates with a broadened mandate emphasising education, vocational training, and recreation in line with global best practices.
The Controller also appealed for support in establishing a study centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) within the facility, noting that such an initiative would enable inmates to pursue higher education during and after their incarceration.
Assistant Controller of Corrections, Olutope Amele, reaffirmed the centre’s commitment to transforming inmates through structured educational programmes and vocational training. He urged members of the public, particularly non-governmental organisations, to assist by providing equipment and facilities that would further enhance skill acquisition in the centre.
“We remain steadfast in our mandate of rehabilitation and reintegration. With the right support in education and vocational training, these individuals can become productive members of society,” Amele said.
Deputy Superintendent of Corrections, Esther Aremu, called for a shift in public perception about inmates, stressing that many have acquired marketable skills and educational qualifications capable of positively impacting society upon release.
A representative of the Special Assistant to the President on Women Affairs, Maryam Abdullahi, praised the centre’s management for its efforts and pledged to advocate for the establishment of a NOUN study centre in the facility.
