Bauchi – Wife of Bauchi State Governor, Mrs Aisha Abubakar, is sponsoring the training of 40 prison inmates whom she assisted to regain their freedom two weeks ago.
Mr Organiser Gbokiss, Principal of the Skills Upgrading and Vocational Centre of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Bauchi, gave this indication in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Bauchi
He said the wife had settled the registration, accommodation, and consumable training materials fees of the former inmates, totaling N1.6 million, to enable them pursue six months skills upgrading training programme of the Centre.
Gbokiss said that she had also taken the responsibility of feeding them throughout the period of training.
“The former inmates are doing well now. You can clearly see the difference between when they were brought here two weeks ago, and now.
“Most of them have transformed and others are in the process of transforming,” he said.
The principal lauded the humanitarian gesture of Mrs Abubakar and called on other prominent personalities to emulate her.
NAN recalls that the wife, a lawyer by training, had assisted the inmates in settling fines imposed on them for committing offences, thereby enabling them to regain freedom.
Speaking further on the contribution of his centre in the transformation of restive youths, the principal stated that since its inception in 2009, the centre had imparted vocational skills on even thugs that were enrolled.
“Imparting skill on such category of trainees means bringing yourself down to their level and then working on their psychology.
“We talk to them in a manner as to capture their attention and this approach makes them to feel so important.
“Sometimes we lie to them if such lies will produce the desired result,” he said (NAN)