By Mustapha Jarju
Insight Training Center (ITC) in partnership with the Gambian First Children Organisation recently graduated 70 prisoners after successfully completing intensive skills training at the Mile II Prison.
Four prisoners and three prison officers traveled from Janjanbureh in the Central River Region to partake in the training.
The beneficiaries were trained in different skills, including satellite installation, electrical installations, plumbing, masonry, computer, and tailoring.
In his statement at the graduation ceremony, the Director General of the Gambia Prison Services, Ansumana Manneh, said the training was not the first of its kind that the ITC rolled out to the prisons department.
He explained that over 278 former inmates have benefitted from the initiative, adding that none of them returned to jail after serving their jail time.
DG Manneh explained that the rehabilitation of prisoners is one of the key mandates of the GPS, adding that the training programs have played a pivotal role in the execution of their mandate.
The Deputy Chairperson of the ITC Board of Directors, Mr.Ousman Nyang, advised the graduating inmates to not lose self-esteem, adding that the skills they acquired can help them become productive members of society.
“We are bold enough to knock on the door of the abled Director General of the prison to say we want to train our own brothers and sisters to empower them on skills training. I always put up this challenge that if you think that vocational training or education is not very important, you are not getting things right,” he stressed.
The Principal of ITC, Ismaila Ceesay, also spoke at the graduation ceremony, and according to him, 69 inmates received certificates in solar installations while three officers received certificates in electrical installations. He added that 19 inmates have received certificates in tailoring, three inmates awarded certificates in IT, and four in satellite installation. Thirty-one intimates have received certificates in other areas, he explained.
Principal Ceesay said ITC has trained 278 inmates in different skills from 2012 to date, adding that only 22 beneficiaries “are still in prison” while most of the ex-convicts are either employed or self-employed.
“Some of these former inmates are employed at the Insight Training Center; one at managerial level and two at supervisory level, “he revealed.
Mr. Ceesay thanked the beneficiaries for their dedication to completing their courses.