The National Chairman of the Community Watch Forum of Liberia (CWFL), Mr. Isaac Nyenati Kaffey, has urged the government to establish vocational and technical training centers at all prison compounds in the country so as to empower the youth.
He said that the establishment of these centers is intended to provide training for the inmates who have been sentenced by the courts for a longer period.
The CWFL boss said training inmates in various disciplines and trade while in jail would help transform them to refrain from the criminal activities that sent them to prison.
Mr. Kaffey made the statement recently in the Township of Paynesville, outside Monrovia when he hosted the last meeting for the year 2012 that was meant to review the past year's activities and develop a plan for 2013.
He noted that the provision of skills-training for the prisoners would afford them the opportunity to be rehabilitated and get reintegrated into the society.
According to Mr. Kaffey, it will be too hard to reduce criminal activities in the country, once government fails to train prisoners while they are serving jail sentences.
Mr. Kaffey observed that most of the young people are involved in numerous criminal activities because they do not have skills that will qualify them to be employed.
“As we enter 2013, CWFL will redouble its strategies in reporting criminals and their activities to state security including the Liberia National Police (LNP) Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN),” Mr. Kaffey noted.
He further explained that plans have been finalized for the introduction of a program, code named “Safety Discussion”, as the United Nations Mission in Liberia Draws Down”. He added that the objective is to empower CWFL members to perform their duties with commitment, honesty, dedication and hard work.
He said that under the new program, CWFL will also strive to expose white 'collar criminals' and those that get involve in sexual exploitation, drugs and human trafficking so as to help minimize unwarranted crimes in the society.
He also mentioned that a decision has been reached by the administration of CWFL to honor counties that performed well during 2012. The honoring gesture will also extend to law enforcement agencies such as the: Immigration, Police and DEA Commanders assigned in those counties for the cooperation that existed between the security and CWFL.
Mr. Kaffey said plans are underway for CWFL to work with the Mano River Union (MRU) countries' to organize Community Watch Forums designed to avoid cross border operations.
