By Raphael Enwelu
Mr Emmanuel Nwakeze, the Controller of Prisons, Anambra State says the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) is working hard to promote sporting activities amongst inmates in the state to keep them actively engaged.
Nwakeze said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Awka.
He said that presently, his office has been organising football matches in the four prisons located in Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi and Aguata.
Nwakeze explained that apart from football, the inmates have been exposed to other sports saying that the motive was to identify budding talents.
“We are very interested in promoting sporting activities among inmates to sharpen their skills and fish out hidden talents amongst them,
“At the end of the competition, we give prizes to those who performed very well,” he said.
He said that due to the fact that some of the inmates were serving time for serious offences, the sporting activities were being held within the prison yards.
Nwakeze advised youths to shun crime and embrace sports as a way of life.
“There are a lot of sporting activities that are begging for participation. As a youth, rather than commit crime it will pay you better if you get involved in such sports,
“If they try getting jobs that are not forthcoming, it is better they (youths) engage themselves in sports even as there is much money in it,” he said.
