Miyove inmates advised to grow more maize

GICUMBI - Minister of Internal Security, Musa Fazil Harerimana, has called on inmates at Miyove central prison and prison authorities to increase maize production for the purposes of ensuring their self sustenance. “Government has been importing hybrid maize from abroad at exorbitant prices which is why the National Prisons services (NPS) partnered with Rwanda Agriculture Development Authority (RADA) and the Ministry of Agriculture to promote maize production in prison farms for self sustainability,” Harerimana said Thursday, while touring the prison. On expanding the prison, the Minister urged prison authorities to put in place the prison’s expansion architectural master plan as soon as possible. He recommended for construction of storied buildings to economise space at the prison. The Commissioner General of National Prisons services, Mary Gahonzire, said once the in house maize increment production programme is in place the scarce resources that was being spent on importing hybrid maize would be used to improve prisoners’ welfare. She noted that the Butare prison soap manufacturing factory, in the Southern province, has the capacity to produce soap for all inmates countrywide. Miyove prison Director Alex Saano Gato said Miyove prison has made tremendous progress in increasing self sufficiency through various initiatives such as maize and tea production, biogas installations and modern livestock farming. The head of Miyove prison inmates, Evariste Kimenyi, hailed President Paul Kagame, for improving prisons conditions and spearheading the abolition of death sentence in the country’s law books. “We are all behind President Paul Kagame, in his endeavor to steer Rwanda to economic prosperity,” declared Kimenyi. He appealed to authorities to re-introduce prisons week program, to enable inmates participate in National building ventures. Ends