The Rotary Club of Abuja City, District 9125, in commemoration of the 2022 United Nations World Charity Day on Saturday visited the Suleja Custodian Centre for medical outreach and donations of drugs, and sanitary pads among others.
This outreach which covers one of Rotary International’s six Areas of focus- disease prevention and treatment is in collaboration with Medplus Pharmacy.
The United Nations General Assembly in 2012 chose 5 September as the International Day of Charity to celebrate the death anniversary of Mother Teresa.
President of the Rotary Club of Abuja City, Austin Edowaye, presented the drugs and other items to the said the visit to the suleja Custodian Centre is to pay attention to the female inmate especially as organisations visit the Kuje Correctional Centre more.
He said: “We are doing this just to commemorate the United Nations world charity day which is on 5th September. We are today Saturday because Monday is a working day and we will not be able to come.
“Most time people focus on Kuje prison alone, that’s why we said we should visit the Suleja Custodian Centre and we are happy about how we are received”.
Mr Edowaye said the club was making plans to facilitate the release of inmates who were in prison for bail-able offences.
Responding to the Assistant Controller of Corrections, Ali Dayyabu Ali, commended Rotary International for the visits and donations.
“Because you see the Custodian Centres cannot do without NGOs not even in Nigeria, anywhere throughout the world. NGOs contribute a lot talkless you the Rotary who are more international than other NGOs.
“I am happy to welcome you to Suleja Custodian Centre. As you have said earlier you made your contributions to Kuje prison almost every time but I know when you talk of women, this is where the women are accommodated. So anything that comes up for women in the FCT Command, this is the Centre.
“We are happy to receive you and I am sure this is not the first time of receiving your organisation here. Last year I received your organised we are happy with the way you come to present your gifts.
“I thank you and express our gratitude to the entire members of the rotary club this is not the beginning and it is not the end because it is a continuous process”, Ali said.
Ali said there are currently 411 male and female 53 mates and the majority of them are unconvicted.
He further explained that there are 3 aspects of programmes in the centre namely religion, vocational and educational.
“Religion is the backbone of correction, if someone believes definitely whatever you teach them passing through the religion, they will accept. The two. major religions have their leaders Imam and Pastor general and each cell has both too. And every Sunday we have churches that come to preach and we have timetables that we follow daily for both religions.
“The second aspect is vocational and educational training. Indeed those who come in here with secondary school certificates, even if they did not pass their exams they apply here we register them for either NECO or WAEC. If they pass their exams with credit then they seel for admission to open university. In that, they register them to open universities and they start their undergraduate course in different disciplines.
“So if they can give their degree and they want to further to Masters or PhD they can do it here.
“So if a person has a life where her can stay here for his lifetime, he will continue with education at the end when he attains his masters of PhD. Then we inform the government and the government will pardon him through the prerogative of amnesty, he will be pardoned and employed.
“Those who are not ready to study, we place them on vocational training, we have the tailoring workshop, shoe making, baking, pastry, bag making etc, Ali added.
Earlier the Regional Manager of North Medplus, Ayodeji Adeyemo, said this is part of their Corporate Social Responsibility.
“Currently we have close to about 90 outlets across the country and one of our mission is to provide quality healthcare to community dwellers.
“And also as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, we felt that it will be good if we partner with Rotary so that we can come over here. And of our widow’s might we will be doing this over time, last month we visited a village and we’ve been partnering with organisations”, he said.
Tests were carried out for High Blood Pressure, Glucose, and drug were donated for malaria, BP, high sugar, and common cold and sanitary pads were distributed to the women.
In the ‘2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development which was adopted in 2015, the United Nations observed that eliminating poverty is one of the greatest global challenges and is required for sustainable development.
The agenda calls for global solidarity that puts importance on the wants of the impoverished. It spreads awareness among people about helping the less fortunate group in our society.
