The long-standing challenge of the absence of a prison facility in Grand Kru County is expected to come to an end as the Government of Liberia has initiated efforts to construct a modern correctional facility in the county.
Grand Kru is said to be the only county in Liberia without a standard prison facility — a situation that has persisted for more than four decades since 1984.
The absence of such facility has severely affected the operations of the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation and undermined the effective administration of the criminal justice system in the county.
Under the leadership of President Joseph Boakai, plans are said to now be underway to construct a modern prison compound on a 15-acre of land provided by local authorities in Barclayville.
Speaking on the development, County Prison Superintendent, Mose Alison, disclosed that the lack of proper correctional facility has compelled authorities to transfer inmates to neighboring counties for detention over the years.
According to him, correction officers in Grand Kru have been operating under extremely difficult conditions, with only a single room being used to detain male inmates, while the conference room of the Barclayville Police Station has also served as a holding space for female suspects.
He further explained that the absence of a secure prison structure has contributed to repeated inmate escapes.
At least two escape incidents have reportedly occurred since his assignment, with only a few escapees rearrested while others remain at large.
Superintendent Alison also stressed the urgent need for additional manpower, revealing that only seven corrections officers are currently assigned across the entire county.
He noted that increasing personnel will be critical to ensuring effective operations and security once the new facility is completed.
He extolled the Government of Liberia for the intervention and reaffirmed his commitment to continue providing professional correctional services throughout Grand Kru County.