The Deputy Director General of the Sierra Leone Correctional Service, Colonel David Ngaujah asked for help for the Sierra Leone Correctional Service from the Chinese Embassy on Wednesday, 23rd November 2022.

He wasted no time in tabling the fact that of the security forces, the SLCS is below the pecking order, in terms of infrastructure, funding, and human resource.

The DDG admitted that intervention is needed from China in areas like infrastructure, capacity building, industry, and agriculture.

He dwelled on capacity building noting that after the civil war in Sierra Leone, the Military and Police were restructured, but Prisons were not.

That is a recipe for a lack of the requisite knowledge for most officers to execute their tasks professionally, according to the DDG.

He asked that China steps in, to bolster the knowledge base of the SLCS.

Responding to Col. Ngaujah, Li Xiaoyong, who is the Minister- Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy, said the issues raised by the DDG were genuine.

He said “it is good for inmates to rehabilitate”, adding “that is the only way they can effect positive change upon discharge”.

They also assured us that they will look into all the requests and see where and how China can help the SLCS.