The Plateau State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ephraim Usman said the vision of the present administration is to reposition the state for global impact. Hence, the recent award of scholarships to ten Plateau indigenes to study in one of American universities.
Hon. Usman made this known when he received the officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Jos Custodial Centre who paid him a courtesy visit in the ministry.
The Commissioner commended the Jos Custodial Centre of the Nigerian Correction Service for creating an enabling environment for the inmates to acquire relevant skills and education that will help them when they are out of the Centre.
He stated that the ministry will assist them where necessary since it is part of their responsibility to make the society a better place to cohabit. He called on them to ensure that the innocent ones are released.
Earlier in his remark, the Deputy Controller of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Jos Custodial Centre, Ponyak Nandang said that they came to the ministry to solicit for help and support to enhance the capacity of the Centre to train inmates and make them responsible when they go back into the society.
He stated that they have 1118 inmates (16 females) who need education and training in skills acquisition, noting that NECO has approved their Centre for NECO examinations and the National Open University has given them some conditions to meet in order to open a centre in the Correctional Custodial Centre.
He called on the Ministry and the seventeen (17) Local Government Councils in the state to support the payment of the NECO fees for some of the inmates.
Also, at the ministry were the Management of the Plateau State Agency for Formal and Non-formal Education led by Mrs. Phoebe John Clark, the Acting Executive Director who said they came to seek collaboration with the ministry and the seventeen (17) Local Government Councils, stressing that they are stakeholders in running the affairs of the agency.
She said that the agency has offices in all the Local Government Areas that need to be revived to play a role in enhancing the educational development of the state. Clark added that each of the seventeen (17) Local Government Councils in the state are supposed to be sponsoring four (4) persons each for a one-year yearly skill acquisition training.
Responding, the Commissioner promised to discuss with the seventeen Local Government Transitional Chairmen to see to the progress and success of the formal and non-formal education in the state.
