Ngoma prison to get facelift

Ngoma Correctional Centre, currently one of the oldest detention facilities in the country, is set for an extension and renovation.Built 80 years ago, the prison has apparently started undergoing renovation, though no specific timetable for completion has been determined, said Jeanne Chantal Uwantege, the director of the prison.Uwantege told The New Times yesterday that the construction of the new building started a few weeks ago.“We earmarked over Rwf60 million but we expect further input from other stakeholders. The prison was built to accommodate a smaller population, compared to what we have today. We need to create space by expanding and renovating the buildings,” she added.Built in 1934, the facility is currently accommodating 2,200 inmates.Uwantege said the works will take into account different initiatives put in place to boost the welfare of the prisoners, including provision of formal and informal education.“Inmates attend classes that are conducted in accordance with the national curriculum. The illiterate are taught writing and reading,” she said.Ngoma Prison has also begun an intensive construction of a biogas plant, which will greatly reduce its expenses on firewood.

National

Ngoma prison to get facelift