By Tekena Amieyeofori
The Chairman of Kuje Area Council in the FCT, Honourable Danjuma Shekwolo, has charged inmates of the Medium Custodial Centre, Kuje, to seize economic and psychosocial opportunities provided under the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 as amended, as part of efforts to ensure lasting reintegration.
Hon. Shekwolo, who was represented by the Vice-Chairman of Kuje Area Council, Asabe Zainab-Boyi, made the call on Thursday during the presentation of trade test certificates to 253 inmates trained in various vocations and an exhibition of items produced by them at the custodial centre.
“The onus is on you to now put into use the vast opportunities created by this laudable initiative,” he told beneficiaries of the vocational training programme organised by the FCT Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
The graduation marked the culmination of months of skills acquisition in trades including tailoring, upholstery, cosmetics and detergent production, shoemaking, and solar installation and management.
The programme was implemented by the FCT Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, with support from other federal agencies and non-governmental organisations. It is one of the practical expressions of Section 14 of the NCS Act 2019, which prioritises rehabilitation, economic empowerment, and re-entry support for inmates.
Speaking on the broader significance of the initiative, Hon. Shekwolo said human capital development remains more critical to sustainable growth than physical infrastructure alone. He pledged deeper collaboration between Kuje Area Council and the Correctional Service to expand access to skills and post-release support at the grassroots level.
“We are always willing to key into this laudable initiative as we believe that there is no sustainable development without building capacity for our citizens, especially at the grassroots,” he said.
The Chairman noted that when ex-inmates are equipped with market-relevant skills and counselling, communities benefit from reduced recidivism and increased productivity. He added that local government structures are well-placed to link graduates of custodial programmes to markets, cooperatives, and micro-credit schemes to help them start small businesses.
The event drew government officials, security chiefs, civil society actors, and traditional rulers, underscoring growing consensus that correctional reform must combine training, dignity, and community support to be effective.
With 253 inmates now certified in trades with direct economic value, stakeholders say the Kuje model reflects a shift in national corrections policy, from confinement to capacity building, and from stigma to second chances.