By Davida Spaine-Solomon
Freetown, 26th February 2026- A new report by the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR) has raised serious concerns over government spending on rice for prisoners, estimating that between NLe144 million and NLe189 million may have been unnecessarily expended between 2016 and 2023.
The findings, published in IGR’s February 2026 edition of Critical Perspectives of Governance under the title “Di Hade Pa Di Case II – Prison Rice and the Case for a New Politics,” analyzed 552 procurement contracts awarded by the Sierra Leone Correctional Service (SLCS) across two administrations.
According to the report, a total of NLe211.3 million was spent on rice procurement for inmates over the eight-year period. This translated to an average of NLe5,707 per prisoner annually and NLe15.63 daily. However, IGR’s analysis suggests that the reported quantities far exceeded realistic dietary needs.
Procurement records showed that, on average, 10.2 cups of rice were allocated per prisoner per day. The figure peaked at 15 cups daily in 2017, while the lowest recorded was 4 cups per day in 2020.
By contrast, national consumption data and nutritional benchmarks indicate that a typical adult requires about 2 cups of rice daily, and rarely more than 3 cups even under high-calorie diets. IGR described the reported figures as “economically implausible.”
Using realistic consumption assumptions, IGR recalculated the procurement figures: At 3 cups per day, approximately NLe144 million (68%) appears excessive. At 2 cups per day, excess spending rises to NLe166.5 million (79%). At 1 cup per day, the unexplained amount reaches NLe189 million (89%).
The report concludes that even under generous feeding assumptions, a substantial portion of rice procurement funds cannot be justified.
Beyond fiscal concerns, the study highlighted political influence in contract awards. More than 60 percent of prison contractors were replaced following the 2018 change in government, suggesting regime-linked contracting. Similar shifts reportedly occurred after the 2007 transition, pointing to entrenched patronage networks in prison food procurement.
Despite the high expenditure on paper, previous performance audits cited in the report revealed that inmates often receive limited food portions. In some facilities, one basin of rice was reportedly served to cover both lunch and dinner.
IGR warned that the issue extends beyond financial inefficiency, raising potential human rights implications if procurement figures do not reflect actual feeding conditions.
The report recommends a comprehensive review of food procurement practices not only in prisons but also in other institutions where government provides bulk food supplies, including hospitals and security forces. It further calls for accelerated digitalisation of procurement processes to strengthen transparency and accountability.
