The federal government has commissioned a 20-bed comprehensive hospital, equipment and generating plant at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in a statement by his media adviser, Mr. Sola Fasure, said the project would be an enduring legacy and a testimony of the utmost importance the President Muhamadu Buhari- led administration places on corrections as well as the welfare of inmates and its workforce.
Aregbesola who particularly acknowledged that the government had addressed the problem of inmates contacting diseases in custodial centres, said inmates at the various centres now have access to excellent medical care beyond the centres.
He said prior to their coming, the custodial centres were frighteningly centres for contracting diseases like scabies and tuberculosis, among others.
“Happily, this has been addressed by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration and is now a thing of the past. We not only have well-manned clinics and well stocked pharmacies, the inmates at the custodial centres now have access to excellent medical cares beyond the centres,” he said.
While lamenting that the challenges of running correctional services are enormous, with huge demands for infrastructure, equipment and maintaining the welfare of inmates, the minister assured that they had provided long term solution to the challenge.
He said the federal government spends N1,065,790 on maintaining each inmate per annum.
