Prisons Suppliers ‘Baranta’ for Payment
Suppliers rsponsible for providing dietary items and cooking gas to the Sierra Leone Correctional Services have raised serious concerns over that they describe as a prolonged delay in payment, revealing that they have gone for 17 months without receiving funds for services rendered.
The affected suppliers are now calling on the Government of Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Finance, and relevant authorities to urgently intervene and address their plight before the situation escalates into a major crisis within the country’s correctional facilities.
According to the suppliers, despite their continued commitment to ensuring that inmates receive regular meals and that correctional centres remain operational through the supply of cooking gas, they have faced severe financial hardships due to the outstanding payments. Many claim that they have exhausted their savings, accumulated debts from financial institutions and business partners, and are struggling to sustain their businesses.
Several suppliers noted that they have repeatedly engaged the relevant authorities and submitted numerous requests for payment, but little progress has been made. They stressed that the delay has placed immense pressure on their operations and threatens their ability to continue providing essential services.
“The situation has become unbearable,” one supplier lamented. “For seventeen months we have continued to provide services in good faith, yet we have not been paid. Many of us are on the verge of collapse financially.”
The suppliers warned that if urgent action is not taken, the continued delay in payments could negatively affect the smooth running of correctional facilities across the country. They emphasized that adequate feeding and cooking arrangements are critical to maintaining the welfare of inmates and ensuring stability within the prison system.
They are therefore appealing directly to President Julius Maada Bio, the Chief Minister, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and also the Office of National Security, the Ministry of Finance, and the leadership of the Sierra Leone Correctional Services to treat the matter as a national priority and facilitate the immediate settlement of all outstanding arrears.
As concerns continue to mount, stakeholders are urging swift intervention to prevent further hardship for suppliers and to safeguard the uninterrupted provision of essential services within Sierra Leone’s correctional institutions.
