Speaking at the presentation ceremony held at the Prison Department in Banjul, the permanent secretary Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Cherno Omar Barry, said the training of inmates would go a long way in helping them to be an asset to society, once they are out of jail and back in their various communities.
He added that every Gambian, without exception, should acquire skills for national development.
He urged the inmates to take this opportunity to improve their lives once they are out, and assured all of the ministry’s support.
Barry also thanked Insight Training Centre and the Ministry of the Interior for the gesture.
Receiving the items, Yaya P. Jarju, deputy director of prisons, thanked Insight Training Centre for the support.
Skills are a tool for national development, and urged other donors to come onboard and help the prisoners.
The principal of Insight Training Centre, Ismaila Ceesay, said the school was happy to be associated with such a venture.
The school’s main objective is to improve vocational training in The Gambia, and they are happy to help in this sector, Ceesay added.
They are honoured to be part of this initiative of training inmates, who would walk out of prison with useful skills, he said.
“We hope the inmates would take this opportunity, as we are happy to train inmates who will be part of national development,” Ceesay continued.
Ms Kansum Cham, principal assistant secretary at the Ministry of the Interior, said they want to train inmates with useful skills that would help them in the future.
She added that this was a good initiative, and thanked Insight Training Centre, and hoped many would emulate this gesture and help in the proper rehabilitation of inmates.
She then declared the training of the inmates open.
Other speakers at the ceremony included the director-general of the National Training Authority (NTA), Edirisa Colley, the chairperson board of directors (ICT), Alieu Dibba and chairperson prisons visiting committee, Mustapha Jobe.
