FG to distribute 50,000 mattresses to correctional centres in Ondo
By Boye Oyeyemi –
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving inmates’ welfare, announcing plans to distribute 50,000 waterproof fibre mattresses to correctional centres nationwide.
The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this on Tuesday during the presentation of mattresses at the Olokuta Correctional Centre in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Correctional Reforms, Babatunde Ogundare, the minister said Ondo State was selected for the pilot phase, with over 850 mattresses delivered to cater for more than 700 inmates at the facility.
He explained that the initiative is part of ongoing reforms aimed at ensuring humane treatment of inmates and aligning custodial facilities in Nigeria with global correctional standards.
Tunji-Ojo stated that the mattresses would be distributed in phases to correctional centres nationwide to address the shortage of basic bedding materials, stressing that inmates would no longer have to sleep on bare floors.
He added that the waterproof fibre mattresses are durable, foldable, and designed to last about five years, noting that the intervention would also improve hygiene, health conditions, and general living standards within the facilities.
The minister further highlighted that the programme is part of broader reforms in the Nigerian Correctional Service, including infrastructure upgrades, healthcare improvements, and vocational training initiatives to aid inmates’ rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
In his remarks, the Controller of Corrections in Ondo State, Charles Oyewole, commended the Federal Government and the minister of interior for the reform initiatives, urging inmates to make proper use of the mattresses while assuring them that their welfare remains a priority for the present administration.
