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Kirikiri Custodial Centre gets first bio, liquefied gas plant

Joy Anyim 

To ensure a healthy and hazard free environment at all Custodial Centres in the country, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), has completed the first ever bio and liquefied gas plant at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos State.

The Controller-General of Corrections (CGC), Ja’afaru Ahmed, who commissioned the project on Monday, ssid that the bio and liquefied gas plant converts waste to cooking gas used in the kitchen at the correctional centre, generates electricity and organic fertilizers used in farm. 
According to the CGC, the innovation which is in line with contemporary public health protocol, will further save the lives of staff and inmates from pollution occasioned by the use of firewood in the kitchen. 

Ahmed, who was represented by Bello Bomoi, an Assistant Controller General (ACG) of Corrections, stated that the plant was being replicated at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre Prot-Harcourt as well as the Medium Security Custodial Centres Enugu, Lafia and Gombe.
In his address during the occasion, the CGC said: “ It is indeed a fulfilment as the successful completion of this project is the first in the series of similar projects initiated by the Nigerian Correctional Service about three years ago.

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The NCoS embarked on the construction of joint biogas and liquefied natural gas in 2017 essentially because of its numerous advantages which are in tandem with global best practice. 
“ Perhaps, the most outstanding advantage of the project is its capacity to amongst others address health challenges associated with the use of firewood in the preparation of inmates’ food as well as saving the huge funds the federal government spends annually on the evacuation of sewage from the custodial centres across the country. 
“ The biogas structures convert sewage into gas resources for use in the kitchens, hence, its combination with liquefied natural gas certainly provides enough required for the cooking of inmates’ food thereby foreclosing the use of firewood. The successful completion and inauguration of this project today therefore marks a significant shift to environmental friendliness and alignment with contemporary public health protocol.
“  Moreover, as we speak now, the construction of similar projects are ongoing at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre Prot-Harcourt, as well as the Medium Security Custodial Centres Enugu, Lafia and Gombe. It is therefore expected that these projects would be completed and inaugurated in no distant time from now.”
Ahmed said the Service has also incorporated the biogas plant into the new 3,000-capacity Maximum Security Custodial Centres currently being constructed at Janguza-Kano, Karshi – Abuja (FCT) and Bori in Rivers State. 
He said all Custodial Centres in the country will also benefit from the initiative as the Service intends to extend the project to all Custodial Centres in Nigeria subject to the availability of funds. 

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“ More importantly, the Nigerian Correctional Service has by the completion of this project demystified the anxiety surrounding the conversion of human waste to energy which is largely alien in this part of the world. It is also envisaged that in due time about half of the energy requirement in the kitchens of the nation’s Custodial Centres would be sources for biogas. Nevertheless alternate firewood kitchen is also provided in the event of unforseen challenges. 

“ Though like every other agencies of government, the NCoS is confronted with a lot of challenges which tend to inhibit the effective discharge of its statutory mandates. It is however gratifying to state at this juncture that the present administration of his Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, as well as the Ministry of Interior under the amiable leadership of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, have genuinely demonstrated commitment to address those challenges, ” he stated. 

He further enjoined the officer in charge of the Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, to ensure judicious use of the biogas and LGP equipment. 
Stating that the Service is witnessing a major transformation in all facet, Ahmed admonished officers to re-double their efforts in ensuring judicious use of government properties in their care.  
He urged officers at all formation to stick to health guidelines as the nation continues  to grapple with the challenges arising from Covid-19 pandemic. 
While also speaking at the occasion, the Zonal Coordinator, Zone A, Assistant Controller General of Corrections, Peter Pevigo, described the feat as a methodically calculated step towards experimenting with the bio gas technology, which is gradually but steadily coming on stream to replace other forms of providing the energy to prepare meals for inmates. 
Pevigo said the project was a laudable development that places the correctional service among the committee of organisation which are keeping pace with modernity.  
He further expressed delight that the first of such project was taking place in Lagos, one of the states he preside over as the zonal coordinator. 

He said: “This project by our reckoning is one among so many others the CGC has executed since he became the number one Correctional Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We of the Zonal command are happy to be considered to be in the front burner of this leap from natural gas/firewood to the innovative experiment with biogas in the preparation of food for our inmates. 
“ While bathing in that euphoria, we wish to thank the Lagos State Government which has always identified with us and assisted immensely in our effort to collaborate in making Lagos State a crime free state. We enjoin all to emulate this gesture which if adopted by all and sundry in all spheres, will go a long way in preserving our forests and as a consequence, reserve our liquefied natural gas for income generation for the country. ”
Similarly, in his remark, the Deputy Controller of Corrections in charge of Water and Sewage, Jatau Raymond, said that the objectives to transform the Custodial environments into work friendly, energy generating and farm supporting entities informed the idea of the development of Biogas infrastructures, for the in-house treatment of sewage matter. 
He said: “ With biogas, the end of firewood is in sight and it means that Custodial kitchen has up to half of the gas’s needed to cook food on daily basis. The end of sewage evacuation will be a strategic solution to pollution in custodial environments as more emphasis is pit on use and mainetenece of the favility. This directly points to a paradigm shift and announces the advent of civilisation in our country penitentiary institutions. No more causalities as a result of health hazards on the job. ”

The project coordinator, Avenam Links, represented by Nina Ani, said that the need to create change gave birth to the developmemt. 
She said: “ When we came to this custodial centre it was pit toilet that was in use, everywhere was smelling. We had to change it to a flush toilet. We then built a biogas plant and the smell stopped. We were not just interested in turning the waste to gas, but also in the sanitation of the Custodial Centres. So in all the cells, we built about four digesters and channelled the waste there. 
“ We are looking at managing the wasw and ending the use of firewood in the kitchen. By this innovation, the Federal Government and the NCoS will save more. The huge amount spent on waste evacuation will also be saved. It will also benefit our agricultural sector. 
“ The biogas produce liquid manure, which is organic fetilizer and it is an added benefit. In so doing, smoke will be eradicated. The plant has been on for three years and we have trained inmates to operate it. We are already doing same in other centres and it can also generate electricity.” 

The Nigerian Xpress reports that representatives of from the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Police Force, Federal Road Safety Corps, and the Nigerian Navy were present at the occasion. 

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