By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, over the week, paid the examination fees of 54 prisoners in the State who recently sat for different examinations, including the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) and General Certificate of Education (GCE) in the State.
The payment of the whopping sum of one million, two hundred and twenty thousand naira (N1, 220, 000), which was made specifically for inmates of the Onitsha Custodial Centre of the Nigeria Correctional Services, was handed over to the Management of the Centre by the State’s Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh.
According to the Commissioner, the gesture was in fulfilment of the Governor’s promise to ensure that the inmates of correctional centres come out as better citizens who can contribute positively to the development of the state and the society at large.
Commissioner Chuma-Udeh also commended Governor Soludo’s compassionate move, remarking, explaining that supporting the educational aspirations of prison inmates demonstrates the belief in their capacity for positive change. While urging the beneficiaries to take full advantage of the opportunity and privilege, she added that by investing in the inmates’ academic pursuits, the government sows seeds of transformation that will undoubtedly contribute to a more rehabilitated and resilient society.
In his remarks, the Comptroller of the Nigeria Correctional Service, Anambra State Command, Usifo E., expressed his gratitude to Governor Soludo for his benevolence.
According to him, this act of covering exam fees not only fosters education but also instills hope and motivation among the inmates, marking a significant step towards their reformation and successful reintegration into society.
