By CITRO MEDIA.
CITY RELIEF ORGANISATION PAY COURTESY VISIT TO CONTROLLER CORRECTIONS OF NCS C’RIVER COMMAND, SEEKS PARTNERSHIP, COLLABORATION TO TRAIN INMATES.
The Founder of City Relief Organisation (CITRO), a faith based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in Calabar, Cross River State, Pastor Dike Oganiru, led Management Team on a courtesy visit to the State Controller of Corrections, Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) Cross River State Command, Mr. Richard Moses Williams (FCAI), to strengthen the already existing relationship, seeking partnership and collaboration, hence to facilitate the continues training of inmates in the Custodial Centres.
According to Pastor Oganiru, “our visit is to officially welcome you and continue our started discussion and brief you of what CITRO have been doing at the Afukang Correctional Centre in the last One year plus and as we intend to expand our services to other Centres in near future.
“City Relief Organisation (CITRO) actually started in 2002, and officially got registered in 2013. Our very first task was to have provided disaster relief response to the victims of the Ikeja Bomb Blast in 2002, in conjunction with the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), Cross River State Branch.
“I’m driven by passion, born out of a vision I received from God. I have been in evangelisation, pastoring for over two decades where I work with the State CID., Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Nigerian Police Force and have done feeding outreach on every Thursdays, where I provide 200 plates of sumptuous meals to the less privileged of the society within the period, and all cost on me without any support from any quarters, all to God’s glory!
“At the Afukang Correctional Centre, we have engaged inmates in skills acquisition trainings on Soap Manufacturing (and we have been able to produce ZIM Black Soap) under ZODEL Industries; Bakery (bread, chin-chin and golden burns), Food Processing and Carpentry, preparing them for the future, life after prison. It’s train the trainers program; and it’s been self funding all through. We have in the period under review collaborated with the Millennium Bakery, Calabar, provided bread on weekly basis to the Centre, and I must use this opportunity to thank the Managing Director and his wife for their service to humanity.
“In the course of our engagement with the inmates, we have noticed that there’s immediate need for a library, the provision of WAEC and GCE Centre to facilitate their writing of external examinations, hence majority of them are willing to be educated to university graduate level.
“As an Organisation with a first-hand experience with what we have seen, we want to commend Officers and Men of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), the Afukang Correctional Custodial Centre for their humane approach to inmates in the cause of reforming, rehabilitating them for reintegration to Society.
In his response, the State Controller of Corrections, Mr. Richard Moses Williams (FCAI), thanked the Management of City Relief Organisation (CITRO) for the wonderful job they have been doing at the Afukang Correctional Custodial Centre for the past one year plus, especially in the training of soap manufacturing that have culminated in the production of the ZIM Black Soap and other trainings that will boost skills acquisition and preparing the inmates as they get to be reintegrated to the Society.
“As a Service, we’re open for collaboration amongst Stakeholders in all ramifications as we provide on our mandate of safe, secure and humane custody for inmates; and identifying the existence and causes of anti-social behaviours amongst inmates by conducting risk and needs assessment aimed at developing appropriate correctional treatment methods for reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration into society, having empowered the inmates through the deployment of educational and vocational skills training programmes, and facilitating incentives and income generation through Custodial Centres, farms and industries where applicable, gone are the days of ‘behind the walls.’ inmates are human beings and must be accorded that dignity for socialisation but with check; NCoS is a solutions provider.
“It is on this note that I have embarked on courtesy visits to Stakeholders on resumption of duty, to seek collaboration and partnership where necessary, we’ll not negate on our obligations, but do our best as the spirit leads.
“And let me once again thank you for the good works and services you are providing to inmates as our Lord Jesus Christ say; ‘whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren, that you’ve done on to me’, let me assure you that, I will formally convey to the Headquarters in Abuja, informing them of all that you have been doing in Afukang Correctional Custodial Centre, and may God continue to bless the work of your hands and the Ministry,” he said.
At the Meeting also were, the NCS State Command Public Relations Officer (PRO) CS. Effanga Etim, the City Relief Organisation (CITRO) Assistant Project Manager, Mr. Zimuzor Oganiru and Comrade Amawu Cletus Albert Amawu, CITRO Media Consultant.
