Inmates of the Kirikiri  Prisons were last week treated to delightful time as Chams Nigeria Plc donated food to  them.  The donation was part of the Soup Kitchen, a quarterly corporate social intervention by the technology conglomerate, in which it provides cooked food to various less-privileged people in the society.

L-R: Deputy Manager, Corporate Affairs, Chams Plc, Miss, Bukola Shopekan; Officer-in-Charge, Medium Security Prisons, Kirikiri, Mr. Tajudeen Aremu; and Head, Human Capital Development, Chams Plc, Mrs. Omoyemi Oluleye, during the donation of food to inmates of Kirikiri Prison, in Lagos

Last year in mates of Ikoyi and Kirikiri prisons as well as resident of the destitute home at Ebute-Metta, Lagos were fed by the firm.

Speaking at the reception of officials of the firm, Officer-in-Charge of the Medium security prisons, Kirikiri, Mr. Tajudeen Aremu, expressed satisfaction at the gesture from Chams and called on other companies to extend assistance to the prisons, noting that government efforts alone could not get the job done at the prisons.

He however called for the greater attention to be paid to inmates of the medium prison, noting that inmates of the section needed better assistance from the public than those at the maximum security section.  He said, “Whenever people are giving assistance to the Kirikiri Prison, the attention is usually on the maximum prison due to the perception that inmates there are the ones that need greater help. But this notion is wrong. The medium security prisons present greater opportunities for any intervention to be better noticed and achieve greater results.”

Aremu added that Nigerian prisons have been designed as corrective and reformatory centres and said part of the practice in the service was to enable people correct flaw in their lives and that based on this it does not intentionally bring people down from their social standing through bad treatment.

The Head, Human Capital Development, Chams Plc, Mrs. Omoyemi Oluleye, said the firm was committed to offering its assistance to those who were challenged in the society.

and added that firm was ready to offer assistance in other ways it could beyond providing food.
During the visit inmates of the prison were also called to state what some of their needs were. The head of the Catholic and Protestant fellowships groups called for more educational aids and medical attention.

They also solicited for assistance into securing release for awaiting trial prisoners many whom are serving jails terms because of their inability to pay fines as little as N5,000 and N10,000.

They also called for further assistance towards the rehabilitation of the sporting facilities at the centre. During the visit prison officials also showed visitors round a centre recently renovated and by the Redeemed Chastain Church of God for Open University studies.  According to prison officials, the centre already has everything required to allow students pursue academic programme up to degree levels if they had the interest.