The daily feeding allowance of the Nigerian Correctional Service has been increased from its current N450 per person to a minimum of N1,000 per day.
The increment was made by the Senate Committee on interior on Wednesday 27th, 2021.
Officials of the NCS were in the Senate on Wednesday to defend the 2022 budget of the agency.
The NCS proposed an increment of the daily feeding allowance to N750 but the panel which described the amount as grossly inadequate jerked it up to N1,000 in line with the current economic reality.
The committee pledged to undertake an upward review of inmates’ feeding cost from N450 to N1000 per day.
A member of the committee, Senator Betty Apiafi, moved the motion for the increment and she was collectively supported by all members of the panel.
Apiafi argued that the amount was grossly inadequate to feed the inmates.”You are dealing with adults. How can they survive with that amount?
“When you send convicts to prisons, instead of reforming them, they become more hardened because of they way they are treated, particularly food,” he said.
The Chairman assured that the committee would make adequate provisions for the feeding of the inmates.