Governor Otti Pledges Overhaul of Abia Correctional Centers, Emphasizes Rehabilitation and Reintegration
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has reaffirmed his administration's commitment to rehabilitating and improving correctional centers across the state to ensure humane treatment, proper rehabilitation, and successful reintegration of inmates into society.
The Governor made this known on Saturday when he received members of the Federal House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions at his country home in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.
Addressing the delegation, Governor Otti emphasized that correctional facilities should not be mere holding grounds where individuals become hardened criminals but rather institutions that genuinely reform and prepare inmates for a productive return to society.
"We want to ensure that the correctional centers live up to their names places where people are corrected, rehabilitated, and reintegrated into society,"he stated.
The Governor further highlighted his administration's plans to decongest the state's correctional facilities by working closely with the Correctional Services. He stressed that individuals detained for minor offenses should be released, rehabilitated, and given a second chance.
Governor Otti's vision for correctional center reform aligns with global best practices, where prison systems focus on rehabilitation rather than mere punishment. His administration has pledged to create an environment that fosters skill development, behavioral change, and community reintegration for inmates.
The visit by the Federal House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions underscores the importance of collaborative efforts in improving the nation's criminal justice system. With the state government's intervention, correctional centers in Abia are expected to see structural improvements, improved welfare for inmates, and better reintegration programs.
Governor Otti's reform initiatives are set to make Abia State a model for correctional transformation in Nigeria. His administration's people-oriented governance continues to focus on improving institutions that directly affect the welfare and security of citizens.
As efforts are intensified to implement these reforms, stakeholders and advocacy groups have expressed optimism that Abia's correctional system will soon become an example of true rehabilitation and reintegration in the country.
