Kano state government has donated items worth N10 million to female
inmates of Kurmawa Central Prison and Goron Dutse Prison in the state
capital.
The donated products include 150 mattresses, 150 blankets, three sewing
machines, three knitting machines, two power generators and hair dressing
materials. Others are 10 cartoons of toilet and laundry soaps, 10 cartoons
of sanitary pads, 10 dozens of plastic buckets and 10 cartoons of
germicide.
Presenting the donation to the Deputy Comptroller Kano, Nigeria Prison
Service, Kano State Command, Auwalu Umar Diso at Kano Central Prison, on
Tuesday, the state Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development,
Barr. Zubaida Damakka Abubakar explained that the donation was meant to
alleviate the plight of the convicts.
According to the Commissioner, “the gesture is in addition to the regular
assistance from government aimed at improving the living conditions of
female inmates of prisons so that they can serve their respective jail
terms under an environment that would help in assuring their eventual
moral reform”.
Barr. Abubakar explained that items were purchased after due consultation
with prison officials, pointing out that some of products are meant to
facilitate skills acquisition for the inmates so that they would become
gainfully employed when they regain their freedom.
The commissioner announced that the state government would soon facilitate
discharge of the female prisoners with minor charges like fines,
highlighting that present administration in Kano, under Governor Ganduje,
had recently made possible the release of about 1,000 inmates, whose jail
terms arose from petty offenses.
“It is part of the mandate of the Ministry to provide legal aid to female
inmates”, Barr. Zubaida reiterated, saying for anyone of them that cannot
hire a lawyer, the ministry would do so at their behest.
She advised them to take the advantage of being in the prison, as a
reformatory ground, to mend their ways, pointing out that although some
are responsible for their own incarceration, others are victims of
circumstances.
In his remarks, the Deputy Comptroller Of Prisons, Auwalu Umar Diso
appreciated the administration‘s determination to improve the lives of
prisoners in the state, assuring that all the items provided would be
judiciously used.
The prison official appealed to the state Ministry of Women Affairs to
provide trainers for the skills acquisition program being conducting in
the prison.