NCS Commence Implementation of Correctional Service Acts
Controller General of Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) formerly known as Nigerian Prison service, Ja’afaru Ahmed says the implementation of the new act and rebranding will commence in October to meet contemporary global orientation standards in managing offenders.
Controller Ja’afaru stated this during a press briefing at the Correctional Service headquarters in Abuja.
The NCS boss noted that the reform does not only affect the name of the service but also the non-custodial service to address and adopt a restorative justice in promoting peace and social stability in the country.
“Our design of the non-custodial service is one of the important components of this reformation because it provides options to address minor infractions without recourse to imprisonment. Such measures such as community service, probation and parole will certainly humanize justice delivery and ensure that people who absolutely have no reason to be imprisoned are not sent to correction centers” he said.
Ja’afaru also noted that, the authority will not only serve as custodians of over 74,000 interned persons, but rehabilitate, reform and empower inmates through development of educational and vocational skills training programs.
“Before now, the existing reformatory programs were mere creation of past CG’s; this new NCS Act provides a legal backup to the reformation and rehabilitation process for convicted persons in custody. By so doing, we aim at creating a holistic character transformation before reintegrating them into the society” he stated.
“After training them, they will be issued with certificates of training and good conduct to avoid being stigmatized as ‘ex-convict’ and shall not be discriminated against on ground of his custodial sentence” he added.
He assured the nation of their relentless determination in achieving the proper orientation mechanism and also build on their capacity to effectively and efficiently drive the new order.
He called on stakeholders and the media for their maximum support in achieving the aims and objectives of the new order reform in the Nigerian Correctional Service in other to meet the global community standards.
By PRNigeria
