The National Disaster Management Organisation, NADMO at La Dade-Kotopon Municipality, LaDMA held stakeholders meeting as part of its week long celebration of “International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR)” in Accra, Ghana.
A number of relevant agencies who are alied to NADMO to fight disaster represented fully because disaster related issues are on the rise in the country in recent times and they believe something must be done about the situation.
Hon. Member of Parliament, MP for La Dade-Kotopon Constituency, Madam Rita Naa Odoley Sowah who was the former MCE for the area called on the stakeholders to coordinate well to help fight disasters together.
The MP also charged the Works Department of the Assembly to find a lasting solution to the issuance of building permits to the prospective property owners in the municipality.
The Hon Member of Parliament indicated that proper issuing of building permits could halt unnecessary buildings/constructions on water ways which results in flooding houses.
Newly confirmed MCE for the Assembly, Solomon Niikoi who agreed with the observations the Hon. MP for the area made, hoped to worked hand-in-hand with NADMO and other organisations to ensure things are done right to prevent unnecessary disasters.
Niikoi look forward for a fruitful deliberation and a favourable outcome from the Stakeholders meeting which would bring at least a solution to curtail the dangers of disaster in the area.
Relevant organisations who took part in the stakeholders meeting included Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Police Service, Ambulance Services providers, La Traditional Council, the Works Department and Physical Planning Department amongst others.
The meeting which brainstormed on solutions to curb disaster in the Municipality, noted that lack of proper collaboration amongst the aforementioned relevant organisations in the disaster management; and it’s a key concern that needed to be addressed urgently.
According to the Greater Accra Regional NADMO Operations Director, Ebenezer Sakitey it was quite disturbing the kind of perception the general public has about NADMO and explained that NADMO work goes beyond distribution of relief items.
He stressed on the need to enforce strict bye-laws that would deter people from building on water ways. Mr. Sackitey appealed to schools’ authorities to form Disaster Volunteer Groups in their schools.
In addition, Mr. Sakitey emphasized on the need for Assembly to take the reports from the NADMO outfit seriously otherwise it would affect the performance of the NADMO officers there.
The Greater Accra Regional NADMO Operations Director pleaded with the Ghana Education Service to have as part of their curriculum Disaster Prevention and Management; this, he thinks would help to create awareness about disaster in the country at large.
The Ghana National Fire Service who are close allies to NADMO submitted that lack of biting laws to defaulters of fire safety measures hampers the work, likewise lack of interest in the fire safety tips by the public.
The Ghana Ambulance Service providers felt unrecognized, whilst other stakeholders felt there were always a clash of roles. To this effect, a proposal was made for frequent inter-agency meetings to discuss how to improve collaboration. The meeting agreed that bye-laws could be effectively applied when there is effective collaboration amongst all the relevant agencies.
In her welcome address, the hardworking La Dade-Kotopon Municipal NADMO Acting Director, Madam Deborah Ofori iterated the importance of the theme for year’s IDDRR celebration.
Mrs. Ofori posited that disaster is another negative tool which deepens the woes of the poor people and it behooves on the disaster Management agencies to come together and find improved ways to bring the situation under control.
She mentioned the relevance of the theme; “Disaster Reduction, A Shared Responsibility”, and praid for a fruitful deliberation.
Story By: Joe Witty/Nationaltymes.com
