The former Commissioner General of the National Prisons Service (NPS), Mary Gahonzire, Wednesday, handed over to Maj. Gen, Paul Rwarakabije, the head of the newly created Rwanda Correctional Service (RCS).

RCS was created after the merger of NPS and Works for General Interest commonly known as TIG.

The handover ceremony took place at RCS offices at Gisementi in Remera sector, Gasabo District.

The Minister of Internal Security, Sheikh Musa Fazil Harerimana, who presided over the function, urged RCS leaders and employees to maintain the production potential of the service.

 "We must all appreciate the tremendous job done by the outgoing commissioner General and her entire management but I also encourage you to work with the new one to take this institution to another level socially and economically,” Harerimana said.

Gahonzire was designated as the Deputy Commissioner General in the same institution.

The Minister urged them to strive for better living standards of inmates in all the prisons across the country and to collaborate with other authorities to promote security.

Rwarakabije said: "I thank the government for having placed trust in me to lead this institution and I am optimistic that I will work with my colleagues to transform it into one of the most powerful and productive institutions in the country.”

He added that he will also ensure that RCS employees acquire more skills to improve the institution.

He noted that he will strengthen cooperation of RCS and other government organs saying that this will improve the effectiveness of the institution.

Prior to his appointment as the Commissioner General of RCS, Rwarakabije was a commissioner at Rwanda Demobilisation and Reintegration Commission.

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