SIR: It is important to shed more light on the pathetic state of the Nigerian Correctional Service centres, facilities, work tools and staff welfare. In the light of the ongoing backlash the correctional service is receiving on the incessant jailbreaks across the federation, particularly the recent Kuje incident, it is also pertinent to bring to bear the conditions of the service for the appropriate bodies to act accordingly.
It has been difficult to determine who to blame for the marked inefficiency in the service. The management of the service from the controller general to his deputies, could there be something they need to explain to the appropriate body, particularly the president on how the budget of the service is being expended? This is because with the current state of things, it is difficult to say if funds have been released to the correctional service in the last three years that the new act, Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019 was signed into law.
Could it be that the budget of the service was cut down by the presidency to what the executive could afford? Or funds allocated are not released by the Ministry of Finance to meet the service needs?
More so, the National Assembly, particularly the committees on interior and others responsible for the activities of the correctional service have failed in their responsibilities. There have been no serious oversight functions on the correctional centres and staff barracks across the federation. The service is left to operate as if it does not matter to national security. A visit, scheduled or unscheduled to these centres will leave much to worry about.
Budgetary allocation to the service is another thing to be worried about. One thing is sure: It is either the service management headed by the controller general does not prepare a comprehensive budget to reflect the needs of the service, or the Ministry of Interior see the Nigerian Correctional Service to be less important, or the president does not see the service as important as the military and police, or the National Assembly sees the service as a place for “criminals” that such highly placed people (National Assembly members) should not bother about its activities.
All that are concerned should wake up to their responsibilities. A visit to these centres will provide them with enough information they need to know the true state of things in the service. This will tell if all that has been budgeted had been expended appropriately.
Going forward, subsequent administrations must prioritise the correctional service. The Ministry of Interior should not be given to a civilian to head. Competent retired senior officers from the four agencies under the Ministry of Interior and senior military officers should be considered as ministers. The appointment of controller general must be based on merit among serving Assistant Controller General of Corrections as stipulated by the Nigerian Correctional Service Act 2019; same with the head of the service directorates. The consequences of unmerited appointments are what are manifesting today.
- Owolabi Alani,
Ogun State.