The member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon Chinedu Ogah, has attracted, constructed and commissioned the first-ever National Open University (NOU) campus for the inmates in the Abakaliki Correctional Centre, Ebonyi State.
Hon Ogah, who is the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions, said he was moved into carrying out the project to support the education of inmates as well as to give them hope of reformation and better their lives at the end of their jail term.
The lawmaker, who commissioned the project as part of events marking his 48th birthday anniversary, noted that prison inmates also deserve to pursue their education despite being in the prison adding that many inmates are intelligent and deserve to accomplish their lifetime ambition.
“This is the first-ever National Open University campus situated inside the correctional centres.
I was moved to construct the university campus to support the education of the inmates to show them that all hope is not lost and that they can still have access to education while they are serving jail terms,” he said.
He stated that he is corroborating with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and promised to commence outreach campaigns to all inmates in the Abakaliki Correctional Centre on the need to abstain from drugs and crime.
Hon Ogah cautioned the inmates who have been found guilty of one or two crimes to seek true reformation and repentance and urged those who are still awaiting trial to remain good citizens.
Shortly after the commissioning, a philanthropist, Chief Emeka Ogazi, pledged to support the newly commissioned National Open University Campus with 24 computers to advance the learning process of the inmates.
The federal lawmaker also donated free drugs, food items, and huge sums of money to improve the health and welfare of the inmates and promised to renovate the dilapidated infrastructure within the center and make it conducive to human habitation.
Hon Ogah also commissioned several kilometres of roads, commissioned four different bungalows for widows, commissioned the Ndende Bridge, the civic centre in the constituency and inspected ongoing road construction.
The Lawmaker visited motherless homes, the old people’s homes, artisans and commercial motorcycle operators within and outside the State capital and distribute food items and cash to them to alleviate the suffering.
