The National Economic Council (NEC) on Thursday agreed that states capable of building prisons should do so, in collaboration with the private sector.
Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi said the agreement was reached based on the pathetic situation of prisons painted by Interior Minister, Abdulrahman Dambazzau.
Umahi said it was agreed that governors should develop initiatives to manage the prisons and support the Federal Government on prisons matters.
He said governors were also asked to either sign death sentences of “those condemned or commit them because it is risky leaving them after their trial had been concluded.”
The governor said the NEC resolved that there should be emergency situations on prisons.
“States that have the capacity to build prisons should go ahead and do so, including the involvement of private sector participation,” he said.
Umahi, who quoted Dambazzau as saying that 70 percent of inmates were awaiting trial, stated: “Some of them can be converted to labour use. 10% of them are condemned; meaning 20% are true prisoners. Some of the prisoners should be engaged in agricultural programme.
“Governors should do a number of things to decongest prisons. Chief Judges of states should frequently visit prisons.”
