Dr Amadou Scattered Janneh, a one-time Information minister in the former regime and an ex-prisoner have donated food items to Mile 2 Central prison in Banjul.
He said the donation coincided with his birthday and the 7th anniversary of his release from prison. He was sentenced to life imprisonment during former president Yahya Jammeh’s tenure for treason and was later pardoned.
Dr. Janneh said instead of organising a party to celebrate his birthday, he decided to gather resources from friends to improve the prison conditions. “We have to keep pushing so that our prison meets universal standard,” he said.
He said The Gambia Prison Act, which was inherited from the colonial era still remains, saying prison officers in some cases are ahead of the changes, they are allowing prisoners to do things beyond what the law allows.
“We need to push our political leaders for the legislature and the executive to do away with the colonial Acts that mandate only thirty minutes visitation every three hours. The central government should take care of the prison,” Mayoress of Banjul Rohey Malick Lowe said.
During a tour, female prisoners complaint of lack of some facilities like fans, chairs and mattresses but Mayoress Lowe recommended that she will facilitate that for them.
She said because she is gender sensitive, 80% of what she is going to facilitate will be going to the women because male participated in committing some of the crimes that took them to prison.
Some of the items donated were; bags of rice, gallons of cooking oil, sanitary pads, soaps and toothpastes.
Prison officer, commissioner Lamin Sowe thanked Dr. Janneh and the team for the gesture and assured them that the items will serve the needs.
