The National Builders Party (NBP) believes that justice must be served with dignity, fairness, and a commitment to rehabilitation. We are committed to a bold and comprehensive reform that begins with demolishing and rebuilding the country’s prisons within the first two years of office.

1. Full Demolition and Reconstruction Plan

Within the first 6 months, the NBP government will commission a complete audit and engineering inspection of all prison and detention facilities in the country. Upon assessment;

• All existing structures that fail to meet international safety, hygiene, and space standards will be scheduled for demolition;
• New facilities will be constructed regionally  to decentralize detention and reduce overcrowding in urban areas.
• The NBP plans to completely demolish and relocate Mile 2 Central Prison from its current location in Banjul to a new location preferably within the Western Region. This move will bring relief for some Gambians and their loved ones who constantly get reminded any time they pass by, the horrors they faced during their unfair detentions at the prison.

The construction plans of the new prison and detention facilities will follow international best practices, including:

• Decent Cells with adequate space, lighting, ventilation and standard  sanitation provision;
• Integrated medical wings, counseling centers and worship rooms;
• Secure but humane visitation areas for families and legal counsel.

2. When it comes to compliance with International Standards, all rebuilt prison facilities will align with:

• The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules);
• African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights;
• UN Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners (Bangkok Rules);
• Juvenile Justice Guidelines under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
  
  This undertaking will ensure the Protection of human dignity and basic needs (food, clean water, hygiene, access to sunlight). 

This undertaking will ensure the Protection of human dignity and basic needs (food, clean water, hygiene, access to sunlight).  It will also guarantee fair and proportionate treatment for pre-trial detainees, with legal safeguards. Furthermore, this will provide clear policies to prevent torture, unlawful detainment, and excessive use of force in the Gambia prison system.

3. The NBP Prison System to serve as rehabilitation, Not Just Punishment

NBP’s prison reform vision promotes rehabilitation to break the cycle of repeat offenders. According the NBP plan, the new prison system will include:

• Vocational training centers like carpentry, tailoring, agriculture, mechanics, and IT to give inmates marketable skills;
• Literacy and education programs, including Senior Secondary-equivalent certification for juveniles and adult inmates;
• Counseling and mental health services, with trained social workers and psychologists;
• Spiritual and religious support, with priests and imams available by faith request;
• Post-release integration offices to help former inmates access housing and family reintegration support.

The new prisons will be equipped with high-grade security infrastructure such as surveillance cameras, biometric access, secure perimeters, digital inmate records systems to allow accurate case tracking, release dates and appeals.
The facilities will also come with independent monitoring systems, including third-party civil society observers, the Ombudsman’s Office and the Ministry of Health.

4. Capacity Building for Correctional Staff

The National Builders Party recognized that human infrastructure is as important as physical infrastructure. Therefore,  all correctional officers will undergo mandatory re-training in modern correctional ethics, human rights, and de-escalation tactics.
Additionally, a corrections Academy will be established in partnership with the Gambia Police Force and the International experts to provide certified training programs.
Correctional jobs will become more professionalized, with improved salaries, benefits and promotion structures to attract qualified personnel.

5. Gender-Sensitive and Juvenile Justice Reform

• Women’s facilities will include prenatal and childcare support for incarcerated mothers;
• Juvenile detention centers will be entirely separate and rehabilitative in design, not punitive, with education and psychological support as core priorities;
• Emphasis will be placed on diversion programs that keep non-violent offenders, especially youth out of the formal prison system.