IPNews-Monrovia,Liberia-24 February 2018:Assistant Justice Minister for Correction and Rehabilitation, Eddie Tarawali has decried the poor and overcrowded condition at the Monrovia Central Prison or South Beach.

Minister Tarawali paid an official visit at the prison facility on Wednesday, 21 February, telling reporters that he observed poor sanitary conditions there.

Mr. Tarawali says poor condition of inmates and lack of clothing, among others, are issues that need to be addressed, adding that “those conditions are surmountable with teamwork.”

The youthful Assistant Justice Minister for Correction and Rehabilitation discloses plans that he and his team will work in line with the laws of Liberia to ensure that the condition of correctional officers are also looked at.

He also indicated that as part of the processes to better the condition of prisoners, inmates, pretrial detainees, he and his team will begin visitation to the various prison facilities in Liberia.

According to Tarawali, those conditions are not unique to the Monrovia prison, saying “that is why we will set up a team to visit all of the 16 prison facilities of Liberia for us to come up with our conclusion to see how we can be able to find solution to these problems.”

Previously, he told staffs and international partners witnessing the welcoming program that it is against the laws of Liberia for prison facilities, inmates, pretrial detainees and others to be in conditions that are inhumane to them.

Mr. Tarawali noted that he and other members of his team are going to make sure that they work with national and international partners in ensuring that inmates, pretrial detainees, juvenile and prison workers’ conditions experience some level of changes.

He observes that the problems facing the correction and rehabilitation of inmates and pretrial detainees are areas that he and his team are going to give serious attention. The Assistant Minister concludes.