| ONI TASKS FG ON COMPLETION OF ADO EKITI NEW PRISON |
|
|
|
| Written by Lere Olayinka | |
| Monday, 08 February 2010 | |
|
Ekiti State Governor, Engr Segun Oni has called on the Federal Government to ensure the early completion of the new Ado-Ekiti Prisons under construction in the outskirts of the State capital, adding that non-completion of the prison was hampering his government’s development plans for the newly created Central Business District (CBD).
Chief Press Secretary to
the Governor, Mr. Wale Ojo-Lanre said in a statement that Governor Oni,
who made the call while playing host to members of the Senate Committee
on Interior led by the Chairman, Senator Lekan Mustapha in Ado-Ekiti
said the State Government was ready to further support the Nigerian
Prison Service to complete the project and ensure that the 81-year old
correctional facility relocates from the heart of the town to the new
site as soon as possible.The governor recalled that the State Government in 2008 released a six bedroom duplex, and 20 units of 2-bedroom flats in Ado-Ekiti as well as a large expanse of land to the prison authorities to facilitate the speedy movement of the prison from its present location to the new site. “We are very worried that the prison is yet to move. We have done our own part and we believe that the Prison Service should do its own part too by moving. “I therefore want to urge the Nigerian Prison Service and the Federal Government to complete the project because the Ado-Ekiti Prisons is not only constituting an eyesore at its present location but also impeding the growth of the Central Business District established by the State Government,” Oni said. He urged the Committee to appropriate enough funds for Nigerian Prison Service to enable it complete the project as soon as possible. Earlier, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, Senator Lekan Mustapha commended the Oni-Administration for its numerous assistance to the state Command of the Nigerian Prison Service. He paid glowing tribute to the governor saying; “Oni is humility personified. He is somebody who is a governor and you won’t know that he is a governor when you meet him. I wish we have his likes in many of the States in Nigeria. “We have visited many States and not many of them except Kwara have been this nice to the Prison Service. I am therefore happy that to note that what the State Government has taken from us (the Prison Service) is not up to one tenth of what it has given us.” The Senator, who explained that the committee was in the state as part of its oversight function on agencies and parastatals under the Interior Ministry promised to assist in making funds available for the project. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|