By Samuel Kamara
Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, on Tuesday inaugurated a new administrative building for the Sierra Leone Correctional Service in Freetown, describing it as a milestone in the country’s ongoing security sector reforms.
The facility, located at New England, replaces an aging structure that had been in use since 1961. Jalloh said the new building forms part of a broader modernization programme launched in 2018 aimed at improving working conditions and restoring professionalism within the correctional service.
“This is a deeply personal milestone,” he told officers, dignitaries and stakeholders at the commissioning ceremony, emphasizing the importance of creating a more dignified and efficient working environment.
Jalloh, who also chairs the Sierra Leone Correctional Council, said reforms would extend beyond infrastructure to include improved welfare for officers, citing efforts to enhance salaries, provide uniforms and expand training and career development opportunities.
He added that promotions within the service would be based on merit, discipline and training rather than favoritism, urging officers to uphold professionalism and integrity in their duties.
The vice president also called on correctional officers to view themselves as agents of change responsible for rehabilitating inmates, stressing that a disciplined and effective correctional system is key to national development. He assured officers of continued government investment despite economic constraints.
Director General of the Sierra Leone Correctional Service, Joseph John Senessie, described the new facility as a historic turning point, ending decades of operating from an outdated structure and paving the way for a more efficient institution.
Senessie expressed appreciation to President Julius Maada Bio, the vice president and development partners for their support, and paid tribute to Major General Sahr David Tamba Ngaujah for his role in advancing the project.
The commissioning marks a key step in Sierra Leone’s efforts to modernize its correctional system as part of wider institutional reforms.
