ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Mr Peter Mrakpo, has advocated the expansion of Youth Agriculture Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) and Skills Training Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) as panacea for checking crime in the Country.
Mr Mrakpor this known today at the ongoing ministerial press briefing when he presented the activities and achievements of his Ministry before Journalists at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Information, Asaba.
According to Him, the best panacea for prison decongestion and check crime was not to build more prisons but for the state YAGEP and STEP initiative to be broaden all over the country, saying, “I think the best way to reduce prison congestion is to introduce the YAGEP and STEP measures in the Country to engage people. Crime is an option when people have nothing to do. Instead of building more prisons, government should think of meaningfully engaging more people. It will take the grace of God for people not to go back to crime if they are not engaged.”
He described the rate at which youth between the age of 16 and 25 were being imprisoned daily as unpleasant and posing a challenge on societal value system.
“It is frightening to see the way people between the age of 16 and 25 go to prison everyday and this is breaking down our value system”, he said.
He however called on religious leaders, parents and the media to support government in curbing crimes and break down of societal values as well as sustain the value system.
In the same vein, he said that about 40 youths had been remanded in prison for cultism, adding that the state government was working hand in hand with schools in curbing cultism amongst minors, appealing to the media for support.
He bemoaned the rising trend with youth embrace cultism, saying that it was a generational problem that must be checked.
“The problem is a generational thing, it starts from the homes. Parents should check themselves as some of them are also into cultism” he said adding: “We appeal to our Pastors, to help people understand the ills of cultism. Journalists should also help. As I speak, two persons died this morning due to cultism.”
He also said that Delta State had the lowest rate in the ongoing Fulani inhuman activity of killing villagers on their farmlands, adding that the state government had engaged a committee of Fulani leadership at the grass roots in Delta in order to reduce casualties to the barest minimum.
“The herdsmen issue is a national challenge,” Mr Mrakpo noted, adding, “We have one of the lowest in areas of conflicts, that is because the State Government has been proactive in the case. The herdsmen are not spirit. They came in with our people’s consent. The government has been able to engage them to reduce areas of conflicts. A bill for a law to check herdsmen activities is before the Delta State House of Assembly. The government is not docile, where necessary we have to use force like the case of Abraka and Ossissa, where mobile police are stationed to protect live.”
Mr Mrakpor further stated that government had approved the commencement of the implementation of the Criminal Justice Law for proper conviction and remand of criminals in the state.
According to him, the car loan will enable practicing lawyers in the state who do prosecution to be mobile and reduce their exposure to risk and dangers in the society.
The Commissioner said that the Ministry of Justice was liaising with the office of the Head of service in providing a 30 million naira car loan to prosecuting lawyers in Delta state, which will be deducted monthly from their salary.
According to him, the car loan will enable practicing lawyers in the state who do prosecution to be mobile and reduce their exposure to risk and dangers in the society.
