Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Morro

By Senator Iroegbu

Federal Government has inaugurated a Steering committee to help maximise the potentials of over 200, 000 prison  inmates for the development of agriculture and fight food scarcity across the six geo-political zones in the country.

The Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Morro,  who inaugurated the ' Steering Committee on the Prisons' Agricultural development Project', Wednesday in Abuja, said that the inmates will be well taken care of and put to good use while serving their various prison terms.

According to Moro, the prison inmates who will constitute the majority of the workforce, will earn salaries, which would be paid to them at the end of their prison term.

He said the new policy, that aims to establish large agricultural farm sites across the country, is also  to utilise the physical labour force of Nigerian prison inmates.

His said: “It may interest you to know that presently in South Africa, it earns more than $84 million annually from a similar project. This underlines the fact that the scheme when fully operational would from earn our country, Nigeria, millions in dollars.

"In addition, the prison inmates who will constitute the majority of the workforce, would earn salaries which would be paid to them at the end of their prison term, in addition to acquiring requisite reformation skills. It is worthy of note that this project will also provide additional employment opportunity for our teeming youths all over the country.”

Moro told the committee not to hesitate to call his attention when they confront any difficulty in acquiring land in any part of the country.

Responding, the chairman of the committee and as well as Director of Paramilitary in the ministry , Mr. Amuga Kefta, assured that the programme will be a success