UK Prison Service Faces Criticism Over Recruitment of Nigerian Officers no Accommodation

[Social Media]

 

The UK prison service has begun recruiting prison officers from Nigeria and other countries to address severe staffing shortages, marking the first time it has sponsored skilled worker visas for overseas employees. However, this move has led to unexpected challenges, with reports of some recruits sleeping in cars or setting up makeshift camps due to a lack of accommodation.

 

The recruitment follows an October 2023 policy change that added prison officers to the list of skilled workers eligible for sponsorship. While this initiative aimed to tackle workforce shortages, it has revealed logistical and operational shortcomings. Some overseas recruits, particularly those from Nigeria, arrived assuming that accommodation would be provided, only to find none available.

 

Mark Fairhurst, president of the Prison Officers Association (POA), highlighted troubling cases where recruits were forced into difficult living conditions. “We have got problems with people who turn up at the gates with cases in tow and with their families saying to the staff: ‘Where is the accommodation?’” he said. One recruit reportedly commuted 70 miles from Huddersfield to Nottingham before opting to sleep in his car outside the prison. In another case, officers set up camp in a wooded area near their workplace.

 

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has sponsored up to 250 foreign nationals to join the prison service, with candidates undergoing online interviews and vetting processes. Prison governors suggest the demand has grown significantly, with many applicants hearing about the opportunity through online networks, particularly within the Nigerian expatriate community.

 

Tom Wheatley, president of the Prison Governors Association (PGA), noted that this influx has created challenges in certain areas. “It’s turned into an approach that has been promoted online by the expat Nigerian community,” he said. In rural prisons, disproportionate numbers of foreign officers have led to difficulties with integration into local communities, as well as concerns about language barriers and communication issues.

 

The recruitment strategy has also drawn criticism for its reliance on remote hiring methods. Mr. Fairhurst expressed concerns over the lack of face-to-face interviews, describing the Zoom-based process as inadequate. “Recruits were then given only six weeks’ training, which was not enough time to learn how to manage prisoners,” he said. He labeled the current system as “simply not fit for purpose,” warning that it could lead to the hiring of underqualified or corrupt officers.

 

The prison service has defended its approach, asserting that all officers undergo robust assessments and extended training before beginning their roles. A spokesperson stated, “We also continuously review our recruitment process to ensure our officers are best suited to their role and have strengthened vetting procedures to root out applicants who fall below our high standards.”

 

While the initiative to recruit overseas workers seeks to address the staffing crisis, the accompanying issues highlight significant gaps in planning and execution. As the prison service continues to adapt, questions remain about how effectively it can balance workforce demands with ensuring proper integration, training, and support for its recruits.

 

Based on a report by Daily Telegraph 2025-01-20

 

 

[Justanotherone]

are they not enough unemployed lazy bums in uk to do the job?  force them the job or cut unemployment?

[LittleBear57]

I applied years ago after leaving UK military. Took them 3 years to call me for an interview, by which time I had a half decent job in aerospace. Very surprised they can't fill their positions from the British unemployed. The pay didn't seem bad then.

[The Cyclist]

9 minutes ago, LittleBear57 said:

I applied years ago after leaving UK military. Took them 3 years to call me for an interview, by which time I had a half decent job in aerospace. Very surprised they can't fill their positions from the British unemployed. The pay didn't seem bad then.

 

I had a mate that was in the prison Service in the late 90's. He said it was great job, his rota meant that he had 4 days on and 4 days working his landscape gardening business.

 

His prison service mate had a taxi.

 

Sometime after that they changed his terms and conditions and he went full time on his Landscape Gardening business.

 

I think like most jobs of that ilk, Prison, Police, terms and conditions have been eroded to such an extent, that it is just not worth it.

[The Cyclist]

Quote

UK Prison Service Faces Criticism Over Recruitment of Nigerian Officers no Accommodation

 

I have a cunning plan

 

Offshore the prisons to Nigeria 😀😀

[James105]

8 hours ago, Social Media said:

marking the first time it has sponsored skilled worker visas for overseas employees

 

So they didn't even have the wherewithal or the common sense to ask about accommodation yet we are calling these "skilled" workers?  Right.   

[Watawattana]

31 minutes ago, James105 said:

So they didn't even have the wherewithal or the common sense to ask about accommodation yet we are calling these "skilled" workers?  Right. 

Yeah.  Even if they 'forgot' to ask, their offer letters should have been clear.  No mention of accommodation means no accommodation.   Crazy.

[Watawattana]

36 minutes ago, The Cyclist said:

 

I have a cunning plan

 

Offshore the prisons to Nigeria 😀😀

Yeah, and far enough away from Rwanda to not upset the lefties?