Dear Editor,
I write with deep respect and with a sincere concern shared by many Gambians regarding Minister of Interior’s recent disclosure in the National Assembly that Mile 2 Central Prison is on the verge of being sold to the Gambia Ports Authority for a reported sum of $4 million.
While I acknowledge the urgent need for The Gambia to construct a modern, humane, and rights-based correctional facility, I firmly believe that selling Mile 2 — one of the most historically significant state institutions in our nation — would be a profound and irreversible mistake.
Mile 2 Central Prison, built in 1920 by the British colonial authorities, has served as our primary penitentiary for over a century. Its walls have witnessed the evolution of our nation — from colonial rule to independence, through authoritarianism, and now into a new democratic era. It is a site of difficult memory, but also a critical part of our national story. Preserving it is not an endorsement of its painful past; rather, it is an acknowledgement that our history, both proud and painful, must be remembered, studied, and learned from.
Honourable Minister, the proposed sale raises several critical concerns:
The $4 million price does not reflect its historical and national value. As you stated, constructing the envisioned modern correctional facility will require between $20–$30 million — rendering the proceeds from the Mile 2 sale both insufficient and insignificant in the broader context of the project.
Selling Mile 2 treats national heritage as disposable. A site that has stood for 104 years and shaped generations of national experiences should not be handed over for purely financial gains or commercial expansion.
The goals of reforming our correctional system and preserving our national heritage are not mutually exclusive. It is entirely possible and responsible to build a new correctional facility while still preserving Mile 2 as a protected historical landmark.
Recommended alternatives
Transform Mile 2 into a National Museum or Memorial. It could serve as a powerful educational space documenting the evolution of The Gambia’s justice system, transitional justice journey, and political history.
Preserve the site under the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC). This ensures legal and structural protection of the facility as a heritage landmark.
Seek international funding for rehabilitation. Institutions such as UNESCO routinely support the preservation of historically and culturally significant sites. The Gambian government could meaningfully explore collaboration and grants to rehabilitate the facility and maintain it as a museum or research centre.
Repurpose parts of the site for academic, research, or community engagement purposes. Doing so retains its historical significance while giving it renewed national relevance.
Honorable Minister, selling Mile 2 may provide short-term financial relief, but it will cause long-term historical and cultural loss. Future generations deserve to understand the full story of our nation. Mile 2, with all its complexities, is part of that story — and once sold, its historical essence will be lost forever.
Let us build the future boldly, but not by erasing the past.
Mile 2 is not just a prison.
It is part of our national heritage.
And our heritage is not for sale.
With sincere respect,
Aziz Bojang
A concerned citizen
