Prisoners Receive Catholic Sacrement.

Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most
Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor on Thursday
administered confirmation sacrament to 50
inmates in the Awka Prison during a pastoral
visit.
The Bishop was accompanied by the Anambra
state governor, Mr. Peter Obi and his wife.
While addressing the gathering at the prison,
the bishop called on the federal government to
accelerate the Nigerian prisons system reforms
maintaining that the present state of
inadequate facilities in Nigerian prisons was
unacceptable.
He lamented that 90 percent of the inmates
were still awaiting trial, he stressed the need
for speedy dispensation of justice while
protecting the fundamental human rights.
The bishop explained the reason for the
visitation stating that it was to give the inmates
a sense of belonging and encourage them
towards reformation and proper integration
into the society when they regain freedom.
He expressed his regret over the attitudes of
some politicians towards the plight of Nigerian
youths who form the bulk of inmates in prisons.
The state governor towed the line of the bishop
in condemning the activities of some politicians
in exploiting the condition of unemployed
youths to expose them to crime and urged
parents to see that their wards are productive
and not thugs.
Mr. Obi enjoined the Awka prison management
to engage the inmates in agricultural activities
so as to be productive while assuring of his full
support in the course.
The Senator representing Anambra South
Senatorial Zone, Senator Andy Uba,
represented by the director of his charity
foundation made donations of materials to the
inmates and decried the level of decay inside
the prison.
The Catholic Diocese also added a bus donation
to the prison authority to help ease
transportation difficulty in conveying the
inmates to court.