By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Port Harcourt
The Bishops’ Forum of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS) in Rivers State has donated bedding mats, food items and clothing materials to inmates of the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre as part of its welfare outreach programme.
The delegation, comprising about 20 bishops and archbishops, visited the facility on Sunday and presented a large number of bedding mats to inmates, many of whom reportedly sleep on bare floors, a situation said to contribute to various health challenges.
The clerics also donated 150 food packs and treated drinking water after learning that many inmates often eat meals without proper plates or bowls.
Leading the delegation, Archbishop Nengia Ibifubura urged the inmates to embrace positive change and see their incarceration as an opportunity for personal transformation and a second chance in life.
He encouraged them to serve their various terms with hope and faith, assuring them that God had not abandoned them despite their circumstances.
According to Archbishop Ibifubura, the visit was intended to demonstrate God’s love and compassion for those behind bars and to remind them that their future could still be bright through repentance and good conduct.
“We came to assure them that God has not forgotten them. Regardless of their offences, they remain children of God and should strive to live better lives,” he said.
A senior officer of the correctional centre, identified as a Deputy Comptroller, commended the bishops for the gesture, describing the visit as a practical demonstration of biblical teachings on caring for people in difficult situations.
In a related development, the bishops paid courtesy visits to two traditional rulers in Rivers State — King Solomon Elleh and His Royal Majesty E. T. Ibiagolika.
During the visits, the clerics rendered songs of praise and offered prayers for the monarchs, urging them to continue discharging their responsibilities with wisdom, fairness and the fear of God.
The traditional rulers expressed appreciation to the delegation for the honour and prayers, describing the visits as encouraging and spiritually uplifting.
