An appeal has gone to companies to give considerations to skilled offenders at correctional homes across the country to take up labour roles, in order to complement government's efforts at providing jobs for the unemployed youths.

          Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun gave the appeal at the 2021 Christmas Carol Service of the Borstal Institute, a Correctional Home of the Federal Government in Adigbe, Abeokuta.

          Mrs. Abiodun said government at the center is intensifying effort to ensure that inmates and young offenders acquire relevant skills that would make them employable after living the correctional homes.

          She encouraged those at the Institute to have hope that their future would be better, saying they should take to corrections, be susceptible to change and be studious.

          "Every time I encounter an organisation that devotes itself to the development of youths, I am always excited, because impacting the youths today means developing our tomorrow. It is important that our youths are educated, healthy and employed, to advance their own livelihoods and the development of their communities", she added.

          In her welcome address, the Controller of Corrections, Mrs. Victoria Fatodu said that the Borstal Institute in Abeokuta is the juvenile arm of the Nigerian Correctional Service, with the statutory role of correcting, training, rehabilitating and reintegrating young offenders who need psychological modification, guidance, adequate monitoring and core teaching about life to grow into useful adults.

          Fatodu noted that the Institute had made headway in the academic performance of the juveniles, saying "this year, it has registered 16 students for the May/June 2021 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, while 19 students also sat for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, and scored above the benchmark set out for tertiary institutions admission", she added.