By Mohamed Konneh
The Sierra Leone Correctional Service (SLCS) on Monday refute allegations by the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) that its rice procurement for inmates involved “abnormalities.
” In a press release, the agency called the report “untrue and inaccurate.”
SLCS said all purchasing strictly follows the Public Procurement Act and government financial regulations, with internal controls, monitoring mechanisms and periodic audits. It added that inmate welfare remains a statutory duty and that feeding programs continue to meet approved nutrition standards.
“The Service remains committed to transparency and welcomes constructive engagement with oversight institutions,” the statement read, while urging “accurate contextual interpretation of institutional data to avoid public misunderstanding.”
The IGR report—which alleged irregularities in prison food procurement—has not been publicly detailed by SLCS. The agency issued the rebuttal through Superintendent Nannah Sesay of its Public Relations Unit.
SLCS invited further dialogue with watchdogs but stood by its procurement procedures as lawful and efficient.
The Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) in a recent report launched highlighting alleged inefficiencies and political influence in the procurement and distribution of rice for prisoners in Sierra Leone.
The report, titled: Di Hade’ Pa Di Case – Part II: Prison Rice and the Case for a New Politics, analyzed 552 prison contracts from 2016 to 2023, 202 under the previous administration and 350 under the current Government, alongside data on firms’ political connections.
The report by IGR stated that on paper, prisoners were allocated an average of 10.2 cups of rice per day, with significant fluctuations across the years.
The Director General of the Sierra Leone Correctional Service, Joseph J Senesie refute the claims noting that there is nowhere in the world where ten cups of rice a day can be allocated to an inmate.
‘’This makes the IGR report inaccurate and lacks substance,’’ the Director General said.
