Gbarnga — Relief has begun to reach inmates at the Gbarnga Central Prison following intervention by Jeety Rubber and its subsidiary, Salala Rubber Corporation, to address a prolonged water crisis that left prisoners and officers struggling for basic survival for more than a year.
The action comes shortly after FrontPage Africa published two investigative reports last week detailing the dire water situation at the correctional facility, where access to safe drinking water had collapsed since December 2025.
Inmates were reportedly forced to depend on nearby communities for water, a situation prison authorities and human rights advocates described as degrading and unsafe.
Responding to the public outcry generated by the reports, Jeety Rubber and SRC moved swiftly to provide immediate relief. The companies repaired a damaged hand pump within the prison compound, restoring limited water access while engineers conducted a technical assessment of the facility's water infrastructure.
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Prison Superintendent Gbolomen Siakor welcomed the intervention, describing it as timely and compassionate. She expressed appreciation to Jeety Rubber's Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Upjit Sachdeva, for responding to the prison's plight at a moment when conditions had become extremely difficult for both inmates and correctional officers.
According to prison authorities, the initial plan was to rehabilitate three hand pumps within the compound. However, technical findings revealed that the existing wells were too shallow and could not access the water table during the dry season, making them unsuitable for long term use. As a result, only one pump could be temporarily restored.
Prison authorities also emphasized that reliable water access is critical for daily prison operations, including cooking, sanitation, and disease prevention. They expressed optimism that the drilling of a deep borehole would finally resolve a long standing challenge that has strained the facility for years.
Following the assessment, Jeety Rubber and SRC committed to a permanent solution by announcing plans to deepen the existing wells and drill a deep borehole capable of supplying water throughout the year.
Company officials confirmed that drilling operations are expected to begin next week, with the aim of ending the prison's dependence on surrounding communities and significantly improving sanitation and health conditions.
For inmates, the intervention has brought renewed hope and gratitude. One prisoner, who spoke from behind the prison walls, said Jeety's action had restored dignity to people who had felt forgotten. He said the water shortage made life unbearable and described the intervention as a blessing that would save lives.
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Another inmate praised Jeety for listening to the suffering of prisoners, saying that for the first time someone outside the prison showed genuine concern for their wellbeing. He added that access to water means better hygiene and fewer illnesses among inmates.
A third prisoner described Jeety as a man with a human heart, stating that water is life and that the company's decision to act proved that prisoners are still seen as human beings despite their circumstances.
Yet another inmate said the intervention had lifted morale inside the prison, noting that many inmates had lost hope after months of hardship. He said Jeety's involvement had given them confidence that their condition matters and that change is possible.
