By Linus Ogbu, Lafia
The Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) on Tuesday donated toiletries and footwears to Nigeria Correctional inmates of Medium Custodial Centre, Lafia.
Mr Ango Adamu, Executive Secretary, YMCA Mada Hills said that the donation was part of the implementation of Youth Justice Project in Nasarawa state.
Adamu explained that Youth Justice Project is an African YMCAs initiative that aims to work with the young people in conflict with the law or at risk of being in conflict with the law.
He said the project intended to take young people through civic competence, empowerment and helping them to find their voice in their communities through the subject to citizen philosophy.
According to Adamu, the African population is dominated by young people where most them often find themselves in conflict with the law or are constantly at risk of being in conflict with the law simply because they are young and naive.
“Why we are here at the correctional centre today in Lafia, YMCA all over the world is implementing Youth Justice project, which has to do with supporting youths to avoid anything that is in conflict with the law.
“And those who are already convicted, we visit them to counsel them, provide some supports and encourage them to live normal life as normal human being after here.
“So, we feel is important as a rehabilitation process to visit them to see how those with minor offences, how the YMCA with time can support their release so that they can go back and live normal life,” he said.
Bridget Abraham Azizi, Youth ambassador of Youth Justice Impact LAB of the African Alliance, said the Youth Justice project was not addressing only inmates in the correctional centre but also addressing young people who are in conflict with the law.
“The youth justice project is addressing young people who are in conflict with the law, commercial sex workers, motorcycle riders (Okada), bus conductors, and today, we are encouraging inmates telling them that they can be better people to the society after here,” she said.
Aliyu Umaru, Deputy Superintendent of Corrections in charge of welfare, expressed appreciation to the YMCA and thanked them for their generous donation.
Items donated to the inmates are as follows: cartons of soap, detergent, tooth paste and footwears (slippers).
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