As part of the activities marking the second anniversary of the Gov. Alex Otti-led administration in Abia State, the wife of the governor, Mrs. Priscilla Chidinma Otti, Wednesday visited the Afara Correctional Facility in Umuahia with messages of hope and donation of essential food supplies.
Mrs Otti had on the occasion led a humanitarian outreach and delivered a message of encouragement, redemption, and renewed purpose to the inmates.
During the visit, Mrs. Otti had underscored the administration’s belief in the dignity and potential of every Abia citizen, regardless of circumstance and reflected the broader vision of the governor and herself to ensure that even the most marginalized are not left behind in the development and compassion-driven governance that is taking root across the state.
Addressing the inmates, the Abia first lady encouraged the inmates to remain hopeful, engage in self-reflection, and take practical steps toward a better future, emphasizing that the correctional facility should not be seen as an end, but as an opportunity for renewal and transformation.
She disclosed that she would be stepping up her support for skill acquisition and empowerment programs within the correctional facility, having already extended such interventions in the past, adding that she would be strengthening their rehabilitation through skills development which is key to ensuring that they can successfully reintegrate into society upon release.
The Abia first lady also revealed ongoing efforts by the current administration to partner with the Ministry of Justice, legal aid organizations, and civil society groups to expand access to justice for inmates who lack proper legal representation, explaining that the initiative is part of a broader justice reform agenda that places rehabilitation, not rejection at the heart of the correctional system.
In her speech, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Maureen Aghukwa, commended the state governor and his wife for placing the welfare of the vulnerable at the forefront of the administration’s priorities and encouraged inmates to see their current situation as a temporary phase and to make the most of every opportunity for learning and transformation.
Welcoming the delegation, the Controller of the Abia State Correctional Headquarters, CP Mrs. Josephine Ogbeifun, expressed her profound gratitude for the timely and impactful outreach and lauded Mrs. Otti for her consistent and compassionate support to the facility, describing her as a dependable ally and a mother figure to both staff and inmates.
CP Ogbeifun emphasized that Mrs. Otti has demonstrated unwavering commitment, making it a personal responsibility to stand by the facility at every critical moment and prayed for renewed strength and continued success in her humanitarian endeavors.
A male inmate who spoke on behalf of others thanked the wife of the governor for what he described as a motherly gesture that has rekindled hope and dignity among the inmates.
The event featured the donation of essential supplies, including a cow, bags of rice, beans, toiletries, and cash support. It also attracted the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adaeze Emetu, and several senior government officials.
