Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, has expressed interest in forming a collaboration with the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) to acquire funding for involving inmates in agricultural endeavors.
The minister highlighted that due to the escalating expenses associated with providing food for inmates, it would be advantageous for NIRSAL to work in tandem with the Ministry of Interior to enable inmates to grow their own sustenance.
According to a statement released by the Ministry’s Director of Press, Ajibola Afonja, Tunji-Ojo conveyed these sentiments during a meeting with the management of NIRSAL, led by its Managing Director, Abbas Masanawa, in Abuja.
The statement quoted Tunji-Ojo as saying, “NIRSAL has the potential to significantly benefit the Nigeria Correctional Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Given the rising costs of feeding inmates, NIRSAL could collaborate with the interior ministry to secure funds for engaging inmates in farming activities to produce their own food.”
In response, the NIRSAL Managing Director explained that the organization is a non-bank financial institution fully owned by the Central Bank of Nigeria, dedicated to redefining, measuring, repricing, and sharing credit risk associated with agribusiness in Nigeria.
