Bolgatanga, Sept 11, GNA - Regional Coordinating Councils (RCC), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have been urged to incorporate disaster management plans into their development projects.

The Director of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), Mr. Kofi Portuphy made the call at a meeting with the Upper East RCC and head of departments, to find out the extent of damage caused by the recent flood that hit parts of the region. Mr Portuphy was in the region with disaster assessment team made up of NADMO personnel, meteorologists, hydrologists, Town and Country Planning officials and medical personnel among others to assess the situation.

He stressed that RCCs and MMDAs should come out with comprehensive management disaster programmes to enable them to effectively prevent disasters.

Mr. Portuphy said that a rescue team made up of 48 personnel of the Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces and NADMO Rapid Response Team, based in Walewale in the Northern Region was ready to swiftly deal with emergency situations in the Northern, Upper West and Upper East. He expressed concern about conditions at the remote areas popularly known as ""the oversees"" like Yagba and Kobori in the Northern Region where it was very difficult to reach out to disaster victims and said an arrangement had been made to acquire a helicopter to convey food items and medicines to them.

Mr Portuphy expressed fear that there could be epidemic in the disaster areas because some toilet facilities there had been submerged under water and but said NADMO had a professional team to handle the situation.

Mr. Portuphy said some members of the team that accompanied on his visit would remain in the Upper East region to ascertain the level of damage caused by flood so that government could find ways of solving the problem.

According to the NADMO Director, some relief items including food, clothing, blankets and cups were being dispatched from NADMO office in Accra for distribution to the victims.

Briefing the NADMO Director, the Acting Regional Director of Agriculture, Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Razaaq, said crops including rice, soya beans and millet were washed away by the flood whilst others were still submerged under water.

Mr. Gerson G Agordo, Upper East Regional Maintenance Manager of Ghana Highways Authority (GHA), said some of the roads and bridges in the area had been destroyed, rendering the roads unmotorable. The Regional Manager of Water and Sanitation, Mr. Emmanuel Adii said many boreholes had also been destroyed by the flood and sources of drinking water polluted which could cause water born related diseases. Dr Kokou Awoonor-Williams, Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, said that most community-based health centres had collapsed and urged the authorities to supply medicine including Oral Rehydration Salt and anti-snake bite serum and other logistics to the Service for emergency cases.

The Upper East Deputy Regional Minister, Mrs. Lucy Awuni and the Regional Maintenance Manager of Ghana highways Authority accompanied the Director of NADMO to Builsa District one of the most affected area. The Deputy Minister commended the Director of NADMO and his team for their quick response to the flood situation. 11 Sept 09