Disaster Risk Reduction

The Daily Observer (Banjul)

19 April 2011

editorial

It is good seeing that the government of The Gambia through the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has stepped up efforts to reduce risks to disasters across all regions in the country.

The development, which began with the signing of contracts with four construction companies in the country to improve community conditions so as to reduce risk and mitigate the impact of disasters is not only timely but also speaks volumes about the commitment of the dynamic leadership of President Jammeh to fulfilling the needs and aspirations of the Gambian people. The projects if accomplished would no doubt enable people maintain and advance their standards of living without hindrance and above all aid in guaranteeing the sustainability of national development undertakings.

It is empirical that disasters, particularly those brought about by nature, are unavoidable. However, this does not mean that humanity cannot do anything about them. Through activities geared toward disaster risk reduction, the serious catastrophe and impediment to national development that would have otherwise been brought about by disasters can be mitigated. This reality is what the Gambia government realised and out of experience acted to ensure that a replica of last years experience is averted.

The ball now lies in the court of the construction companies tasked to execute this projects, to ensure that they are implemented as planned and agreed and without unnecessary delays. The companies should ensure that the projects are principally geared to benefit the people and nothing more. Work should therefore commence in earnest and those who are also tasked to supervise the project should realise that diverting the resources allocated for the project to other avenues and executing sub-standard work, would defeat the whole purpose of the project. In fact, such a conduct is not a sound basis of meaningful sustainable development.

We therefore hope that all stakeholders in the project would put all hands on deck to ensure the effective, efficient and timely execution of the project since the rains are just a stone throw away. We once more commend the government, its technical agency NDMA and other partners in development, particularly the EU, for the wonderful development.

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