The Rivers State Government has been rated the number one in terms of rendering welfare assistance to immates in the prisons.
The Deputy Controller in charge of Prisons in Port Harcourt, Mrabure John made the remark during the Head of Service Charity visit to the Port Harcourt Maximum Prison as part of activities for the 2009 Civil Service week celebration.
Mrabure John who spoke while receiving gifts. From the HOS said he had never seen any state perform such act before and wondered why the Rivers Stat Civil Servie would remember prisoners with such gift items.
In his words “I have been to other states and I have not seen this anywhere”.
John who said he was barely one year in Rivers State described Rivers State as exceptional.
He noted with dismay the attitude of most people at the top towards those behind the bars adding that the spirit with which the Rivers State government donated the gift was better than the gift itselt.
While noting that the Port Harcourt maxi mum prison was meant to accommodate 804 prisoners, John said the inmates are over 2000 and urged the government to continue in its kind gestures towards the prisoners.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary (welfare) in the office of the Head of Service, Mr. Gogo J. Isong stated that the Rivers State government deemed it necessary to identify and partner with the prison inmates for their rehabilitation.
He said “we believe that when these inmates are out, they would have been refined and rehabilitated and that is what the government is out for.”
