The Most Rev. Godfrey Onah, Bishop of Nsukka Catholic Diocese, on Tuesday, celebrated his 70th birthday with inmates and provided a borehole at Nsukka Custodian Centre.
Onah also dedicated a new Church built by the Nsukka Catholic Diocese for the centre and conferred the sacrament of confirmation to 11 people in the centre comprising staff and inmates. In a sermon at the newly dedicated Church, the bishop reminded inmates that “in all things there is a need to give thanks always to the Almighty”.
He expressed concern that some inmates awaiting trial had spent more time in the correctional centre than what the law stipulated if they had been found guilty and convicted.
“Some of the ways to decongest this centre are to set innocent ones free as well as decriminalised minor offences,” he said.
Onah revealed that he decided to divert the water borehole project Chief Chidi Obetta, representing Nsukka/Igboeze-South Federal Constituency, wanted to dig for him to the centre because of the difficulty in getting water.
“Recently, I was told that the borehole in the centre spoiled, and inmates are now suffering to get water with only one water tanker supplying water daily. So, I am happy they started work on that borehole yesterday; it is my birthday gift to the centre,” he said.
Onah appreciated all that joined him in the church service at the centre to mark his 70th birthday and prayed that God would bless them abundantly. Responding, the Enugu State Controller of Corrections, Mr Valins Obizue, thanked the bishop for all he had been doing for Nsukka Custodian Centre, while urging him to keep his “fatherly care coming”.
“On behalf of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) and my C-G, I express our gratitude for the dedication of this magnificent Church building built by Nsukka Catholic Diocese.
“We also thank the bishop immensely for all the Catholic Church has been doing in this centre for some years now to better the conditions of its inmates,” he said.
He urged the bishop to appeal to the judiciary in the state to decongest Nsukka Custodian Centre through jail delivery and decriminalising minor offences, noting that those who committed minor offences should go through non-custodial sentencing.
“Every month, we do send a list of inmates that have been detained for over 180 days who are supposed to be granted bail as required by law to appropriate authorities,” he said.
Earlier, CSC Emeka Ezeaku, the Officer-in-Charge of Nsukka Custodian Centre, appreciated the bishop and Nsukka Catholic Diocese for their special care and concern for inmates of the centre. Ezeaku, who is a Chief Superintendent of Corrections, noted that the projects initiated by the Church would further mould the character of the inmates.
He said, “On behalf of my Controller General of NCoS, our state controller, here present, the Nsukka Custodian Centre and our inmates, we say thank you, our Daddy and Bishop, for this great show of love and fatherly care.
“We owe you deep gratitude and assure you that the centre, as a community, will jealously protect all amenities provided here for our good. We continue to pray for your good health and many more birthdays to come.”
The event witnessed the dedication of the new Church building, cutting of the birthday cake, and serving of food provided by Bishop Onah to inmates of the centre.
