By Walter Wilson Nana
The rather traumatising atmosphere at the Buea Central Prison is progressively ebbing out. The Forestry, Agriculture, Animal & Fishery Network, FAAFNET and the International Centre for Environmental Education & Community Development, ICENECDEV, two Buea-based NGOs have embarked on a support mechanism for the Buea inmates and the Prison officials.
Recently, the aforementioned organisations came along and implanted a 3000 litre water tank, computers, benches, tables, cutlasses, hoes, wheelbarrows, spraying cans, beddings, drugs, vocational training materials and books destined for the Buea National School of Penitentiary Administration, ENAP.
FAAFNET, ICENECDEV officials (L) hand over one of the gifts to Buea Central Prison officials
According to the Executive Director of FAAFNET, William Lyonga, they are working in the spirit of the International Human Rights Day, Monday, December 10 with the intention to restore hope, dignity and curb crime waves when the reformed prisoners must have left the prison cells.
Lyonga said they came to teach the inmates on how to fish and not give them fish.
To the Buea Prison officials, he entreated them to use the equipments with care, so that more will come.
Inmates of the Buea Central Prison expressed their joy in dance & songs to their benefactors
Lyonga will be corroborated by the Project Coordinator of ICENECDEV, Eric Fongoh, who noted that the development of the human resource capacity within the prison service is top on their activities. “Restoring the dignity of prisoners by providing humane conditions and improving their welfare are critical for their reinsertion in the society after they are freed,” Fongoh said. He will add that the vocational training on carpentry, tailoring and the prison farm will break the cycle of crime waves and poverty within the prison communities. “The inmates will acquire skills and knowledge from the vocational trainings, which will help them to be self reliant and generate income to support themselves and their families,” Fongoh mentioned.
Superintendent of Prison, Francis Mpen Mei, representing the Southwest Regional Delegate of Penitentiary Administration lauded FAAFNET and ICENECDEV for their efforts in building the capacity of inmates of the Buea Central Prison via the materials provided.
He joined his voice to the wishes that the officials of the Buea Central Prison and the inmates put the donations into proper use.
Materials brought by FAAFNET & ICENECDEV to the Buea Central Prison
Francis Fombad, on behalf of the trainees and inmates at the Buea Central Prison expressed glee for the gesture and promised to think positively in life and desist from crime, like the rest of the inmates, after going through the training opportunities offered them.
He commended the ongoing and fruitful cooperation existing between the people and government of Australia with their Cameroonian counterparts via AusAID, the sponsors of the gifts and their facilitators, FAAFNET and ICENECDEV.
Earlier, Senior Principal Prison Inspector, Lazare Mbime, Registrar, Buea Central Prison, said FAAFNET and ICENECDEV came to reinforce the argument that one can be in a prison cell but his or her rights are still respected.
While he thanked the NGOs and wished them success in their endeavours, Mbime told the prisoners they are in the cell for reformation and they will subsequently reintegrate the society and be good citizens for the development of their communities and Cameroon in general.
The ceremony at the Buea Central Prison was done within the background of this year’s theme of the International Human Rights Day, which reads: Human Rights For All Are Important. We Support A Community, A Government, A Police Force That Respects The Rights Of All.
