The Prisons Unit of The House On The Rock was established in 2000 by Pastor Paul Adefarasin, the Senior Pastor of the Church. Through the years, the unit has been instrumental in executing many noteworthy community projects within the various prisons in Lagos State.
Their services include the provision of legal aid (resulting in the exoneration of more than 4,000 wrongfully accused and illegally detained persons and clemency for many more), medical aid and supplies, education initiatives (helping inmates to read and write, and supporting them in taking the GCSE exams), infrastructure projects and rehabilitation programmes.
As part of their rehabilitation programme, inmates receive business skills training to ensure that they become productive members of the society upon their release. The Unit has also been instrumental in aiding the former inmates in starting and running successful businesses.
Recently, Pastor Paul Adefarasin presented three former inmates with a Saloon car and 2 Tri-Cycles (popularly known as ‘Keke Marwa’) to launch them into business in the transportation sector. This was done during a special service earlier this month.
Last year, the Unit organised the first ever inter-prison sports that saw the bringing together of sports teams from all the prisons in Lagos State namely the Ikoyi, Badagry, Kiri-Kiri Minimum, Maximum and Women’s prisons for various sporting activities including football. The Ikoyi Prison participants won this maiden competition.
As part of their outreach initiatives last year, a modern set of toilet facilities donated by the Church at the Ikoyi Prisons was commissioned by Mr. Tolu Ogunsakin, Deputy Controller of Prisons, Ikoyi. This would help improve hygiene, sanitation and other health and environmental benefits among the inmates.
Other projects embarked on through the years include a crèche for the Women’s prison, security posts, repair of the buses used to transport the prisoners, refurbishment of one auditorium and some offices to mention a few.
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