By Fatou Dahaba
Ansumana Manneh, the Director General of the Gambia Prison Service (GPS), has stated that GPS’s primary challenges include its continued reliance on colonial legal instruments (specifically GPS Act 18 of 1953), the lack of a dedicated professional training school for officers, the absence of a multipurpose rehabilitation center for inmates, derelict infrastructure, and acute shortages of security and surveillance equipment among others.
He made these remarks at opening a six-day human rights training course for officers of the Gambia Prison Department (Mile II, Jeshwang, and Janjanbureh Prisons).
DG Manneh disclosed that while they recognize the need to address numerous capacity challenges, GPS suffers high attrition rates, primarily from sister security forces.
“Numerous assessments conducted by stakeholders, notably the UNDP, UNODC, and Office of National Security, have confirmed serious capacity gaps at GPS. The recently concluded TRRC hearings have confirmed the need for professional training for prison officers.”
According to him, the capacity-building training will address perennial institutional capacity challenges that continue to hold back progress in complying with national and international legal and human rights obligations in relation to the management of prisoners and prison systems.
“This training will build the capacity of prison officers in dealing with matters of international accords with direct bearing on the detention of a child offender, role & mandate of the Gambia Prison Service, dynamic security in Prison, introduction to human rights & the rule of law.”
Abraham K. Mendy, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, highlights the need for institutional reform, which has been recognized through numerous studies and assessments by development partners.
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However, he said, institutional reforms are more pronounced for GPS given the gross human rights violations allegedly committed by prison officers against inmates. “As policymakers, the Government of The Gambia came up with a series of transitional programs designed to identify institutional capacity gaps and challenges and proffer solutions through adaptive approaches.”
In this vein, he said a consultant was identified to draft a national prison service bill 2021, which has been validated by stakeholders and is currently submitted to the Attorney General’s Chambers for review and onward submission to the National Assembly for enactment. The bill aims to repeal the Gambia Prisons Service Act 18 of 1953.
“The bill seeks to establish a new GPS Act that eloquently addresses the capacity expectations gaps, human rights concerns, and the rehabilitation of inmates through market-oriented hands-on skills acquisition. Besides, the bill intends to establish a legal instrument and a mandate that stimulates responsiveness of the prison management, administrative and governance structures, processes, and procedures to diverse issues that border on human rights, good governance, preservation of the right to dignified living and self-determination,” DPS Mendy elaborated.
Enya Braun, governance from the EU delegation to The Gambia, said the European Union remains committed to supporting initiatives promoting a humane and rights-respecting prison environment.
She also said the training program aligns with the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC) recommendations, highlighting the need for prison reforms to address past violations and prevent future abuse.
“Human rights violations in prison often affect women differently, and this training will cover aspects of handling gender-based violence.”
Commissioner Njundu Drammeh from NHRC noted that the training seeks to enhance their knowledge and understanding of basic human rights principles, gain information on the promotion and protection of human rights along with best practices for the maintenance of prisons, enhance human rights protection in the prison system, engage prison officials for the creating of a human rights unit in the department and to enhance respect for human rights in the prison system.
