By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)
Report reaching this medium has revealed that inmates within the 21 correctional centers across the country are presently facing serious food crisis due to non-payment of cash to the suppliers.
On Friday, May 3th 2024, a civil society consortium on community accountability and service delivery which is located at 89 Fort Street, Off Circular Road- Freetown told journalists that the incumbent government owes business suppliers of food stuffs, medical drugs, and the vehicle owners and others.
The CSO says government owes these sectors over 100 billion Leones since 2019 to date.
Speaking during the session, the global co-ordinator of civil society on service delivery, Moses Mambu emphasized the importance of quick response towards the ongoing disaster at the Sierra Leone Correctional Service (Sierra Leone’s Prison), adding that government must pay all debts owed to suppliers over the years.
He said inmates are languishing in prison facilities with no proper medical care and food stuffs.
“For us as civil society working in seeing that quality service is being delivered at all levels, we see this as human rights concern and an unfortunate situation for inmates at correctional services as a whole.”
He went on, “The current government owes a duty to provide good condition of service, including regular supply of food stuffs and other services to inmates and officers as this will ensure the enabling working atmosphere and other security sectors very safe,” he said.
Reacting on claims, a senior staff, who identified herself as Sierra Leone Correctional Services’ deputy media officer, told us via phone call that she wasn’t in the position to clarify issues surrounding the allegations.
In his submissions, the Chairman of CSO Consortium on community accountability and services delivery, William B. M. Sao-Lamin, said the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and other partners should come together and do the needful with immediate effect within a 14- working day period to provide payment to all suppliers, contractors and service providers.
“We have made all reasonable effort to meet Internal Affairs Minister and other critical stakeholders, but to no avail,” he said.
“We are planning to stage a peaceful protest about this situation.”
“Government is prolonging the issues and the suppliers are fed up with unfulfilled non-payment and non-compliance according to agreements,” he said.
In an interview with some unidentified ex-inmates at the Port Loko Correctional Services Center, they said they’ve got bitter experiences, noting that the medical facilities, food stuffs, water facilities are highly appalling.
“We have spent five years each at the Polo Loko correctional service centers for offences on domestic violence and robbery.”
“We normally have little breakfast at 9:30 am and 1:30 pm our daily diets, the cells are really full, a single lockup is occupied by ten or more inmates.”
The inmates said they are calling on donor partners, stakeholders, media and others to aid the current inmates, adding that the status of the medical facilities at the prison centers in the country are poor.
“Nowadays, prisons are poorly managed.” they claimed.