AMAWBIA (ANAMBRA) – The President of the Awka Metropolis of the District 9140 of Rotary Club International, Dr Dennis Ekemezie, has assured the inmates of the Amawbia Prisons in Awka-South Local Government Area of Anambra of educational assistance.
Ekemezie gave the assurance on Saturday in Amawbia, when the club visited the prison inmates, as part of their charity work to mark the Easter festivities.
“In times like this, we the Rotarians do engage in various charity works that will make a difference in the lives of the people around us.
“We are here to share some good moments with you and say that it is a small world after all, that your world has not come to an end because you are here but that you should make the best use of your time and reform yourselves.’’ he said.
Also speaking during the visit, Mrs Ngozi Mbachi, the Public Relations Officer of the club, assured the inmates of more assistance and enjoined them to use the opportunity offered by their time in prison to reform themselves and become better citizens.
Mbachi said that in life, people do make grave mistakes that keep them out of the sight of their loved ones but it is no proof of how they will end their lives.
“We love you as our own, we are one but with different ribs, we are here to make you smile in a special way, to encourage you that your world has not come to an end but that you are at the beginning of good times to come.
“All we ask of you is to be repentant and strive to be reformed, so that when you leave here, you should be able to score good points,” she said.
Earlier, the Welfare Officer of the prison, Mr Henry Okafor, said that currently, there were 450 prison inmates at the prison.
He said that the prisoners needed the visits by well-meaning Nigerians, saying that such visits give hope and a sense of belonging to the inmates.
“Some here are being rejected by their relatives because they are here. It should not be so. They should be shown love and care and with such acts, they will be reformed “.
Okafor said that the prison authority had enrolled most of the inmates in schools and after the fundamental schooling, some do not have money to go further. Some then go on to learn various handiworks and need financial assistance to set up a trade.
He called on wealthy citizens in the state to look in the direction of these prisoners and offer them assistance either for medicals, trade or educational assistance, saying that such gestures would better our county by engaging the inmates meaningfully and taking their minds away from evil acts.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the club also visited the Nise Motherless Babies Home, also in the Awka-South Local Government Area, with some of their members.
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NAN reports that 20 tubers of yam, 4 bags of rice, 8 packs of toilet rolls,10 cartons of Indomie, among other items, were given to both the inmates and the Motherless babies home. (NAN)
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