RDMC Sensitises VDCs, Alkalolu in Urr

The Daily Observer (Banjul)

Alieu Ceesay

13 May 2011

Urr — The Regional Disaster Management Committee (RDMC) in the Upper River Region (URR) with support from the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) Friday held a one-day sensitisation meeting with Village Development Committees’ (VDCs) chairmen and alkalolu in Fulladu East at the Koba Kunda Lower Basic School in Basse, URR.

The meeting was aimed at enhancing the awareness and understanding of the participants on disaster risk reduction in conjunction with the Hugo Framework for Action (HFA) and the National Disaster Strategic Plan.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the chief of Fulladu East District, Hammeh Minteh Krubally, underscored the importance of the meeting, citing the effects of disaster and its related issues on people. He then urged the participants to take the meeting seriously by discussing important issues in order to come up with recommendations that could be applied to reduce the impact of disaster.

For his part, Mawdo Amadou Jallow, regional disaster management co-ordinator in URR said the aim of the meeting was to enhance better management and effective co-ordination of disaster risk reduction in the district. He revealed that similar meetings will be organised in other districts in URR. He explained that the government of The Gambia established the NDMA through the Act and it is governed by the National Disaster Management Council headed by the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Her Excellency Dr. Ajaratou Isatou Njie-Saidy.

He finally underscored the crucial role played by the VDCs on disaster risk reduction in their various localities.

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