Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has fulfilled his pledge to cover the National Examinations Council (NECO) registration fees for 148 inmates across correctional centres in Anambra State, enabling them to sit for their secondary school leaving examinations.
In an unannounced visit to the NECO office in Awka, Obi personally presented a cheque for ₦4,741,400, covering the full examination fees and logistics for inmates from Awka (50 beneficiaries), Onitsha (36), Nnewi (25), and Aguata (37) correctional centres.
The initiative began earlier this month when representatives of the inmates appealed to Obi for assistance, explaining that while NECO had approved their participation in the ongoing exams, unpaid fees threatened to bar them from completing the process.
Obi initially provided a letter guaranteeing payment and shared the appeal on social media.Inspired by the gesture, the Nigerian Friendship Association, USA, through its non-profit arm, the Friendship Association Education Assistance, Inc. stepped in to fund the entire amount.
Obi praised the diaspora's generosity, noting it exemplifies how collective goodwill can restore dignity and create opportunities for rehabilitation.
Following the NECO visit, Obi proceeded to the Awka Correctional Centre, where he interacted with some of the beneficiaries.
He encouraged them to remain hopeful, stressing that their current circumstances do not define their future and that education is a vital tool for personal transformation and societal reintegration.
Drawing from his recent observations at California State University, Sacramento, where education-focused programs support disadvantaged and formerly incarcerated individuals, Obi called for Nigerian correctional centres to prioritize reform through knowledge, skills, and hope."Education remains central to rehabilitation," Obi said.
"Correctional centres in Nigeria should function as true centres of reform, equipping inmates for a meaningful life beyond confinement."
He urged the government to support similar initiatives for deserving inmates nationwide, emphasizing that through compassion and strategic investment in education, lives can be transformed and society strengthened.
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