Yep Naija is pretty much good at renaming federal institutions, sadly that doesnt translate to improved efficiency and effectiveness. Remember renaming Electricity Corporation Of Nigeria (ECN) to National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) to Power Holding Company Of Nigeria (PHCN) did any improvement come with change in nomenclature? Your guess is as good as mine.
The Nigerian Prison Service got a new name yesterday. It is now “The Nigerian Prisons and Correctional Service.” This followed the third reading and passage of “A Bill for an Act to repeal the Prisons Act Cap. P29 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and enact the Nigerian Prisons and Correctional Service, to make comprehensive provisions for the administration of Prisons in Nigeria and for related purposes” by the Senate.
According to the Bill, the name change is “to underscore
the humane aspect of the reform focus of prisons administrations and to conform
to provisions in the international instrument.” The lawmakers undertook a
clause-by-clause consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on
Interior after a motion moved by its Chairman, Abubakar Bagudu.
The Senate also approved a recommendation that deleted
the words ‘hard labour’ and replaced it with ‘prison labour’. The Senators
noted that “hard labour” is an inheritance from colonial era and should be
deleted and replaced with “prisons labour.” The Bill also empowered the State
Comptroller of Prisons to reject additional prisoners where the prison in
question is already filled to capacity.
Section 6 (4, 5,6) states: “In the event that the prison
has exceeded its maximum capacity, the State Comptroller shall notify the Chief
Judge of the State or the State Criminal Justice Committee.
“Upon receipt of the notification the Chief Judge or the
State Criminal Justice Committee shall within a period not exceeding one month
take necessary steps to rectify the overcrowding.
“Without prejudice to subSection 4, the State Comptroller
of Prisons in consultation with the Prison Superintendent shall have the power
to reject more intake of prisoners where it is apparent that the prison in
question is filled to capacity.”
Senate President David Mark hoped the Bill would bring
the required changes to the prison system in the country. He urged prison
officials to ensure that prisoners do not become “more hardened” after serving
their sentences but become better citizens.
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