By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
The Deputy Director-General of the Sierra Leone Correctional Service (SLCS), Colonel Sahr David Ngaujah has told the Ministry of Finance (MoF) organized budget hearing that their institution generated 38,500,000 (thirty- eight million, five hundred thousand Old Leones) from products and services offered.
He said they include products and agricultural crops sold at their Showroom, Canteen, and hiring of the Brass Band.
He said SLCS’ Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 approved budget by MoF was estimated at 60,644,966,000 OLe (Sixty billion, six hundred and forty four million, nine hundred and sixty six thousand Old Leones), but made an expenditure overweight of 68, 251, 681, 527 (sixty- eight billion, two hundred and fifty one million, six hundred and eighty one thousand, five hundred and twenty- seven Old Leones).
On the 2022 achievements made by the correctional service, Ngaujah noted that they have installed CCTV Camera and Incident Control Room at the Freetown Male Correctional Centre alongside other security gadgets for improved security.
He said they have established a facility at the male centre for in-service middle and senior level managerial training to improve staff capacity.
He said they have deployed twelve Case Managers in the regional correctional centres to intensify psychosocial counseling programmes for inmates. He also said that, they have introduced service training for twenty senior officers on security and management.
SLCS has completed the rehabilitation of a fence, installed solar lights and constructed sentry posts at Mafanta. He said they have improved on the speedy trial of inmates, through the judiciary to avoid prolonged detention.
The Deputy Director General reiterated that, they have established Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) between SLCS and the University of Makeni (UNIMAK) to carry out academic educational exercise inside the Makeni Correctional Centre for qualified inmates and officers. He also said that, SLCS has increased agricultural activities on animal and crop farming in Mafanta, Kenema, and Kabala, Moyamba, Pujehun and Port Loko districts.
But he said they are faced with key challenges such as ‘severe’ overcrowding in Freetown, Bo, Makeni and Kenema. Ngaujah also explained that they are also challenged with insufficient vehicles to facilitate staff and inmate affairs, and lack of accommodation for classified inmates.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (03/10/22)
