As part of efforts to fulfill its promise of ensuring adequate food supply in the country by 2015, the Federal Government has unveiled plans to engage and maximise the potentials of not less than 200, 000 Prison inmates to boost agricultural production across the six geo-political zone.

To this effect, the federal government, yesterday, inaugurated a steering committee of the Prisons Agricultural Development project, with a mandate of establishing larger agricultural farm sites across the country, and to thus, utilise the physical labour of the inmates.

Inaugurating the committee, in Abuja, Minister of Interior, comrade Abba Morro, explained that the prison inmates, who would constitute the majority of the workforce, would earn salaries which would be paid to them at the end of their prison term.

The Minister, who was optimistic that the project would give the prisoners the requisite reformation skills needed, believed that it would also serve as meaningful employment opportunity for the teeming unemployed youths.

His words: “It may interest you to know that presently in South Africa, it earns more than $84 million annually from a similar project. This underlines the fact that the scheme when fully operational will earn for our country, millions in dollars.

“In addition, the prison inmates who will constitute the majority of the workforce, would earn much needed salaries which would be paid to them at the end of their prison term, in addition to acquiring requisite reformation skills. It is worthy of note that this project will also provide additional employment opportunity for our teeming youths all over the country”.

Describing the project as a strategy to boost the economy of the nation, Comrade Moro, charged the committee not to hesitate to call his attention when they confront any difficulty in acquiring land in any part of the country.

Responding, the chairman of the committee, Amuga Kefta, who is also the director of paramilitary in the ministry said that “operation feed the nation” programme of president Olusegun Obasanjo administration in the 70s failed because it was politically motivated. He assured the minister that the committee would do the nation proud, by achieving the set objectives.