NADMO Directors asked to activate early warning systems

By Caleb Kuleke, GNA

Jasikan (VR), Oct. 15, GNA – Mr. Abu Ramadan,
Deputy Director General, in charge of operations at National Disaster Management
Organisation (NADMO), has asked District Directors of the Organisation to
activate early warning systems to prevent disasters.

He said early warning systems were imperative
to forestall disasters and help reduce impacts on communities and said it was
time they put the systems in action following reported cases of disasters
across the country.

Mr Ramadan who gave the directive at this
year’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction celebration at Jasikan on
the theme: “Reducing the economic loss of disasters”noted that the
country would not have recorded certain disasters if early warning systems had
been in place and fully implemented.

He said NADMO was working closely with the
Meteorological Agency to disseminate accurate information on weather situations
to guide the citizenry against disasters and advised people living at the
coastal areas to strictly adhere to safety measures when crossing the river or
going for fishing.

Mr Divine Bosson, Volta Regional Director,
NADMO, said the economic loss of disasters posed a great challenge to the
socio-economic development of the world.

He noted that in 2017, the UN’s report on
economic losses from all disasters including; earthquakes, tsunamis and flood
was averagely 250 to 300 billion US dollars annually while the recent World
Bank report estimated the Global Average Annual losses from disasters in the
built environment at 314 billion US dollars, which could reach 415 billion US
dollars by 2030.

Mr. Bosson said the 2017 figures from the
Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), revealed that 33 people perished, 293
sustained varying degrees of injury in fire disasters while property worth GH¢31.2m
destroyed across the country.

He said it was therefore necessary to
intensify community education and awareness programmes to sensitise people
about the need to stop activities that could lead to disasters.

Mr. Lawrence Aziale, District Chief Executive
(DCE, Jasikan, said the District had put disaster risks reduction mechanisms in
place to reduce impacts of disasters.

He said the Assembly also had a scheme to
award a community that would not record bush fires this year and next year.

“I also want to say that as much as we
are ready to encourage and motivate people to ensure that we avoid disasters in
our communities, we will not relent on the law. Anybody that will be found to
be culpable of causing any disaster related activities in the District…, shall
be dealt with, with the law, “Mr Aziale said.

GNA

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