CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Human capital represents knowledge, skills and abilities that make it possible for people to do their jobs. The world today is very different from the one which experienced the two world wars. During the second half of the twentieth century, considerable advancement in science and technology along with the establishment of broadly-based government and strengthening of institutions, has led to significant socio-economic progress and improvement in lives of a large number of people in many countries, (Asian Development Bank 1999).

In today’s intensely competitive and global market place, maintaining a competitive advantage by becoming a low cost leader puts a heavy premium on having a highly committed and competent workforce. In a growing number of organizations human capital is now viewed as a source of competitive advantage.

There is greater recognition that distinctive competencies are obtained through highly developed employee skills distinctive organizational cultures, management processes and systems (Siddharil Chaturvedi 2004). In the prison service, a close study of colonial and past colonial laws seems to emphasize the custodial functions of the prison while silent on correctional functions of the modern prison. In view of the increasing emphasis on correctional educational in most countries in Europe and North American, it becomes clear that there is the need to humanize the Nigerian prisons system through provision of education which will not doubt help ex-offenders develop positive social skills (Evawoma-E Enuku,U. 1991) the rate at which the in-mates population is growing can not be compared with that of the staff.

For instance, the average daily prison population in 1976 was nearly 26,000, a 25 percent increase from 1975 ten years later Nigeria prison population was about 54,000 by 1989 the prison population had increased to 58,000 and in recent years prison population has been on the increase reaching well over 70,000 in 1997 (Evawoma Enuku U. 1998).

The over growing couple with in-human conditions in the prisons have led to the prisons being variously described as “human cages” (Kayode, 1987) human zoos (Neuswatch, 1985; tell, 1998). It therefore becomes very pertinent that there should be proper personnel development in the prison service to enable them discharge their duties effectively. Also, the fact that prisons are built for correction and re-integration of ex-convicts the need for effective human capital development in the staffing of prison personnel cannot be over emphasized