Ghanaians asked to assist NADMO in disaster reduction

By Edward Williams, GNA

Hohoe (V/R),
Oct. 18, GNA – Mr. Hilarius Gockel, the Hohoe Municipal Director of National
Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), has called for support from the
citizenry in disaster prevention and reduction.

He said
Ghanaians must adhere to directives and public education carried out by the
Organisation to reduce the number of lives lost and properties destroyed yearly
through disasters.

Mr Gockel said
this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the Organisation’s
preparedness in responding to disasters in the Municipality.

He said the
sale of building plots without reference to planning schemes, siting buildings
in hazardous areas such as flood plains and on expansive soils and the decline
in the use of the services of professionals in the building industry were some
“serious indiscipline” in the Municipality.

Mr Gockel noted
that though the rate of development was out-pacing the rate of plan
preparation, non-enforcement of existing building regulations and bye-laws and
lack of building inspectors made most buildings vulnerable to disasters.

He asked
Ghanaians to make use of the National Building Guide, which gives guidance to
site investigation, selection of building materials, construction of the
substructure, superstructure, finishing and external works.

Mr Gockel said
the Organisation had no relief items hence its regular education on disaster
preventive measures and called for suppprt from all.

The
Organisation as part of the 2019 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
on the theme; “Reduce Disaster Damage to Critical Infrastructure and
Disruption of Basic Services,” educated churches, mosques and communities
on the Sendai Seven Framework.

The 2019
edition focused on target (d) of the Sendai Framework which is to
“substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and
disruption of basic services, among health and education facilities, including
through developing their resilience by 2030.”

The Hohoe
Municipal NADMO also carried out a surveillance exercise to inspect a bridge at
Fodome Ahor, which got flooded after a downpour cutting off the Gbledi Chebi
and Gbogame communities.

The
Organisation also inspected a bridge at Likpe-Bakwa, which developed
cracks.  

GNA