The Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Nigerian Correctional Service to ensure inclusive social protection, effective rehabilitation, and sustainable reintegration of inmates into the society.
The Minister made this known while receiving the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Mr. Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, MFR, mni, and members of his management team during a courtesy visit to the Ministry in Abuja.
Dr. Doro described the visit as both timely and significant, noting that it serves as a critical reminder of the need to pay closer attention to a segment of vulnerable Nigerians that is often overlooked. He emphasized that caring for the vulnerable is a shared national responsibility that must be pursued without discrimination, regardless of location or circumstance.
He commended the leadership of the Nigerian Correctional Service for their demonstrated commitment to the welfare, rehabilitation, and reintegration of inmates, noting that their efforts reflect genuine concern and a strong sense of duty toward those in their care.
The Honourable Minister further stated that, the Ministry is currently undertaking key reforms aimed at ensuring that social intervention programmes are better targeted, more transparent, and impactful. He acknowledged that, one of the major challenges in the past has been the ability to reach the intended beneficiaries effectively, stressing that, collaboration with institutions such as the Nigerian Correctional Service provides a practical pathway to translating these reforms into measurable outcomes.
Dr. Doro highlighted the importance of the National Social Register as a critical tool for identifying and reaching vulnerable populations, noting that it currently captures over 19.7 million households across the country through a rigorous, community-driven and geo-referenced data collection process. He pointed out that, integrating data from correctional facilities into the Register would enhance inclusivity, strengthen accountability, and ensure that inmates and ex-inmates are not excluded from government interventions.
Speaking further, the Minister outlined the Ministry’s poverty graduation framework, which is designed to move beneficiaries beyond temporary relief toward sustainable economic independence. He explained that, the framework goes beyond skills acquisition to include access to productive assets, business mentorship, financial inclusion, and continuous monitoring and evaluation to ensure long-term success.
According to him, past interventions have shown that skills alone are insufficient without the necessary support systems, often resulting in beneficiaries relapsing into poverty. He stressed that the Ministry’s current approach is to ensure that beneficiaries are fully equipped to succeed and are systematically tracked until they achieve economic stability and exit poverty.
He also acknowledged the proposals presented by the Comptroller-General, particularly in the areas of vocational training, certification, social reintegration, agricultural initiatives, and strategies to reduce re-offending rates. The Minister welcomed the suggestion to establish a joint technical committee to further develop and operationalize areas of collaboration.
Earlier in his remarks, the Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Mr. Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, MFR, mni, expressed appreciation for the Ministry’s openness to collaboration and emphasized the importance of strengthening institutional partnerships to improve rehabilitation programmes and post-release support systems for inmates.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, underscored the importance of inter-agency collaboration in addressing the needs of vulnerable populations. He noted that, correctional centres play a vital role not only in custody but also in rehabilitation and reintegration, aligning closely with the Ministry’s mandate of social protection and poverty reduction.
Present at the meeting were the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, Director Information and Public Relations, Mrs. Janet McDickson, Senior Technical Assistants to the Honourable Minister, Mr. Kupan D. Amos, DCG ITP, Mr. Ibrahim M. Idris, Esq., DCG NCS, Mr. Debit Timothy D., ACG Welfare, and Mrs. Maria Egbuche, CC Livestock.
