President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday instructed officials to act immediately to resolve shortcomings in prisons and provide the prisoners with necessary facilities while adopting a more humane approach towards them.

Observing that over 12,000 drug-addicted persons were in jail, the President stressed the importance of implementing a drug rehabilitation programme with special attention to them.

The President was addressing a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday to look into the prevailing problems in prisons and recommend solutions to them.

The President instructed officials to look into the possibility of constructing prisons in the locations already identified using pre-fabricated material.

The President pointed out the need to study models in prisons of foreign countries and provide such facilities to prisons in the country.

Many persons are languishing in prisons due to delays on the part of the Government Analyst’s Department, Attorney General’s Department and the Police Department.

The President noted that a Presidential Task Force comprising of the Customs, Police, Prisons Department and other relevant agencies must be formed to resolve the prevailing issues in prisons.

Justice Minister Ali Sabry, Prison Management and Prisoners Rehabilitation State Minister Lohan Ratwatte, Secretary to the President Dr. P. B. Jayasundera and Ministry officials attended the meeting.