Nkiende Penitentiary conditions better - Official

Zaire,  Mbanza Kongo – The Angolan secretary of State for Human Rights, António Bento Bembe, Tuesday in Mbanza Kongo, northern Zaire province, expressed satisfaction with the conditions offered to inmates in Nkiende Penitentiary, in the region.“There have been significant improvements, as last time the conditions were not good at all.Today the inmates are living better as compared with what we found during our visit in 2009,” he said to journalists.According to the secretary of State, these improvements are translated in a new penitentiary and regular food aid to inmates which show a special attention from the local authorities that have a say in the administration of justice and safeguard of human rights. On the occasion, António Bento Bembe spoke of the need for creation of arts and business courses for the prisoners, with a view to their social re-integration. On the other hand, the official expressed concern about the high number of youths in the prison situated about 30 kilometres of Mbanza Kongo city. “It is deplorable and worrying to see many youths serving sentences in this penitentiary, while the country needs this workforce for the national reconstruction tasks,” he said. Meanwhile, Bento Bembe and his delegation drove to the locality of Luvo, some 60 kilometres north of Mbanza Kongo city, as part of his five-day visit to Zaire province. There are currently 312 inmates in Nkeinde Penitentiary.