Disaster Management demands sacrifice-Portophy

Takoradi, April 25,-GNA-Mr Kofi Portuphy, the National Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), had called on stakeholders in disaster management to make sacrifices during management of emergencies to help save lives and properties. He was closing a three-day workshop on emergency management organized by NADMO, in Takoradi.

The workshop, brought together about 40 participants from the security agencies, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ghana Red Cross Society, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the NADMO, the Ambulance Service Department, the Health Sector as well as the Media. Topics treated at the three-day workshop are Emergency Management Overview and Core Principles, Key elements of an emergency operation and International Disaster Management Standards. The rest are Citizen Core and community response team, Incident management and incident command system overview as well as Fundamentals of damage assessment. Mr. Portuphy said there is the need to encourage the individual to be part of an emergency team as volunteers to assist stakeholders in disaster management.

"These people could be trained in emergency management as volunteers in their communities and their services would be of benefit to the society at large", he emphasized. Mr. Portuphy asked stakeholders to assess their resources for emergency management to enable them decide what they could contribute towards management of emergencies in their areas. He further urged stakeholders to pool resources during emergencies saying "in planning, take meticulous note of resources available so that we can know how to manage what when there is an emergency". Mr. Portuphy said that, during disaster it was very important for organizations to take stock of items used explaining that "so that it can be used somewhere at another time and not to be thrown away. Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, the Western Regional Minister, in an address read for him, noted that disasters are not restrictive to local or national boundaries.

"There are some disasters that cut across national boundaries and thereby assume international dimension", he said. Mr. Aidoo said no organization on its own can effectively handle an emergency to a close adding "It is very important to note that the activities of discordant stakeholders which sees itself as competing with others could be the bane of any emergency operation". He encouraged stakeholders to work as a team by ensuring that communication is effective in all areas. "Capacity building, is very useful and enables an organization to effectively handle its mandated function", Mr. Aidoo said. Mr. Padmore Kofi Nyakopa Arthur, the Western Regional Coordinator of NADMO emphasized that managing disaster cannot be handled exclusively by NADMO.

"In fact, it will border on irresponsibility if we assume this stance considering the multi -faceted nature of disaster occurrence", he said. Mr. Arthur said there is the need for collaboration between different specialized government and non governmental organization in the efforts to perform their statutory function in the protection of our citizenry. "With the coming of rains, especially when floods are the most threatening disasters to the region, I hope we stakeholders, we will apply what we have learnt and also educate our colleagues on disaster management", he said.