By Alieu Jallow
A Gambian rights organisation has raised alarm over the reported sale of Mile 2 Central Prisons to the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA), describing the move as opaque, questionable, and potentially unlawful.
The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFSCRJ) says the transfer of one of the country’s most sensitive security and human-rights institutions should have followed clear legal procedures. Instead, it argues, the lack of transparency has fuelled public suspicion.
Mile 2, a national landmark with decades of historical and security significance, is state property. EFSCRJ insists that if GPA required the land for expansion, the government should have pursued a formal state-to-state transfer guided by the Public Finance Act, State Lands Act, and established administrative rules. “What we are seeing instead is a direct sale without any open tendering, public disclosure or parliamentary involvement,” the group said in a statement.
The reported sale price of USD 4 million has also drawn criticism. Rights advocates say the figure appears unreasonably low for prime coastal land of such national importance, particularly in the absence of a valuation report or competitive procurement record.
The organisation is questioning the government’s wider correctional strategy. The Interior Minister has previously estimated that building a new prison could cost between USD 20 million and USD 30 million. With Mile 2 allegedly sold for only USD 4 million, EFSCRJ says the public deserves clarity on how the remaining costs will be met, where inmates will be relocated, and whether international human-rights standards will be upheld. The poor conditions at Jeshwang and Janjanbureh prisons, it adds, make the issue even more urgent.
EFSCRJ stresses that no policy document, feasibility study, or approved reform plan has been published on the future of correctional facilities. Many Gambians, it notes, have long proposed converting Mile 2 into a memorial or educational site as part of the country’s transitional-justice process. The group insists that any irreversible decision should only follow national consultation.
It is calling on the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Lands, and the Office of the President to release:
– The legal and policy justification for selling Mile 2 rather than transferring it.
– The Cabinet decision or authorising document approving the sale.
– Any valuation report, feasibility study, or procurement file.
– The financing plan for building a new correctional facility.
– A detailed relocation strategy that respects human-rights standards.
– Information on government plans for Jeshwang and Janjanbureh prisons.
EFSCRJ has also urged the National Assembly to exercise its oversight role and investigate the transaction. “As a country still dealing with the painful legacy of abuse at Mile 2, Gambians must be assured that decisions about this institution serve the public interest and follow the law,” the statement concluded.
By Alieu Jallow A Gambian rights organisation has raised alarm over the reported sale of Mile 2 Central Prisons to the Gambia Ports Authority (GPA), describing the move as opaque, questionable, and potentially unlawful. The Edward Francis Small Centre for Rights and Justice (EFSCRJ) says the transfer of one of the country’s most sensitive security The Fatu Network
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