Let Us Pray Foundation has said it will build what it termed ‘Half Way Home’ for ex-inmates who had completed their sentences and needed a place to stay briefly before getting integrated back into the society.
The Chief Executive Officer of LUP Foundation, Mrs Damilola Adebisi disclosed this on Monday at the Old Abeokuta Custodial Centre, Ibara, Abeokuta during the visit of the foundation to the correctional Centre.
Mrs Adebisi who was accompanied by other members of the team among which are board members, Pastor Oladele Gbemiga, Mr Kunle Sholanke, and the Secretary, Babatunde Oluwakemi and Liaison Officer, Dele Rachael, addressed the inmates, stating that their fate “is only a phase which would soon pass” and encouraging them “to put their hope in God.”
She told them that the foundation “brings the inmates and ex-inmates to the knowledge of Christ and is dedicated to transforming the despair into hope by meeting them at the crossroads of life by providing innovative, compassionate, restorative and effective practices.”
Mrs Adebisi explained that she got the message to form the foundation through divine revelation and since then she has continue to run with the vision.
She said, “God gave me this message while abroad while I was in my room… and the message is ‘Where do inmates go when released after serving their term? And I make consultations with people who know, and that was how the foundation came to be.
“Since then the work has started. The foundation has visited some correctional centres, and offered support to inmates. For example supporting them with food items, paying fines for indigent inmates who have been set free but could not pay their fines and providing legal services etc.
“Again, we are taking it a bit further, the foundation will build ‘Half Way Home ‘ which is 33-room structure at Awowo along the Sango-Ota-Itori-Abeokuta Road.
“We have already acquired the land and construction will commence this month. The building when completed will boast of bedrooms, library, canteen, facilities for vocational skills among others.
“We will be working with the correctional authorities to really get those who need this kind of assistance.”
Receiving the team, the Deputy Controller of Corrections, Ibara Custodial Centre, Mr Bamidele Oshin commended the foundation for the initiative and acknowledged that it has a standing relationship with the centre as it had paid fines for some indigent inmates and provided legal assistance in terms of counsel for some others.
He told the CEO to place emphasis on further sharpening the skill acquisition focus of those to benefit from the programme, since they have already been taken in different skill acquisition programmes while in the correctional centres such as hair dressing, carpentry, fashion designing etc.
The DCC said the Ibara Custodial Centre would be ready to assist the foundation in every possible way it might need it, stressing that the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa placed emphasis on restorative and reformative programmes which encompassed education, skill acquisition and religion.
He said, “Some of the inmates are pursuing different degree programmes in National Open University, National College of Education, while some have undergone theological studies here, and Quoranic studies, in addition to skill acquisition in different trades.”
On his own part, the Deputy Superintendent of Corrections, Welfare, Mr Andulhakeem Awesu,
also lauded the initiative, promising that the welfare department would assist in identifying those who might need the assistance.
The foundation later visited the new Abeokuta Custodial Centre, Oba also in Abeokuta.
