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Bayelsa State deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has urged inmates at correctional centres across the country not to despair over their situation, but rather have faith in God.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo gave the encouragement on New Year Day when he paid an unscheduled visit to the Nigerian Correctional Service, Medium Security Custodial Center at Okaka, Yenagoa with Christmas and new year gifts.
Addressing the inmates, Senator Ewhrudjakpo said he was with them to celebrate the dawn of another year and encourage them not to give up on life.
A press release by the senior special assistant on media to the deputy governor, Mr. Doubara Atasi quoted Ewhrudjakpo as urging the inmates to use their current situation as a launch pad to greatness.
He advised them to pray regularly, have faith in God and turn a new leaf so as to impact their environment positively when they are eventually released.
Describing his visit as that of a forerunner, the deputy governor charged the inmates to be hopeful as it would pave the way for the state governor, Senator Douye Diri, who is being expected at the centre to perform a jail delivery exercise.
His words: “I have come here to felicitate with you. I felt the best way to appreciate God for what he has done is to come and be with you people. As you are here today, you are not here by mistake. God allowed you to come here to learn a lesson.
“Some of you are here innocently, while some are genuinely here. Whatever the case, where you are now, is to enable you vomit the unwanted food some of you ate. But it is not yet over. So keep hope alive.
“I want to encourage you to take the good things you are being taught here seriously. A lot of people have come out from prisons and become great men and women.
“This visit is like that of John the Baptist, the forerunner. Some of you may be released when the governor visits you. But you must try as much as you can to turn a new leaf because if a dog goes back to eat his vomit, then that dog is not fit to be a dog.”
In their separate remarks, the state comptroller of Nigeria Correctional Service, Bayelsa Command, Mr Seth Edoghotu, and his deputy, Mr Emeka Ogbuji, thanked Senator Ewhrudjakpo for the visit, which they described as encouraging.
According to them, the set of inmates the deputy governor addressed were repentant and could contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of the state if released.
Items donated by the state deputy governor include bags of rice, beans, cartons of indomie, groundnut oil, toiletries and cash.
The deputy governor was accompanied on the visit by the member representing Yenagoa Constituency One in the state House of Assembly, Hon. Oforji Oboku, and the special adviser to the governor on Religious Matters, Rev. Godspower Asingba.
Earlier at the Saint Lawrence Chaplaincy, Government House, Yenagoa, Senator Ewhrujakpo had assured Bayelsans of prosperity and aggressive infrastructural development in the New Year.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the ‘Solemnity of Holy Mary, Mother of God Service, he stated that the state government has planted seeds of prosperity in 2020, which will start to yield fruits this year.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo said although the outgone year had several challenges, the prosperity government has reasons to be grateful to God for its numerous court victories and urged Bayelsans to expect great things in the new year.
