President commends DG of NADMO for hardwork

His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his historic visit to the National Disaster Management Organization in his referred to the Director-General of the Institution as hardworking in his remarks.

The President was there to present the first set of 40 vehicles and earthmoving equipments to the organization.

He used the opportunity to acknowledge the success story of NADMO under his watch and supervision of Hon. Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh.

Since 2017, NADMO has worked hard to carry out various emergency response missions and especially risk reduction measures, which has made the Organisation enviable among its peers in the sub-region. The following are some of the success stories:

Operationalizing Act 927, 2016

Act 927 made critical provisions which when operationalized will enhance performance. Among these provisions are the establishment of the Governing Council and the National Disaster Management Fund. The Government constituted the Governing Council in 2017 to give direction to the organisation. It is gratifying that finally, a Governing Council which has eluded the Organasition for so many years had been inaugurated. Similarly, the National Disaster Fund established under the Act was also operationalized by the Organisation with the opening of the Account. Clearly, this is a feat beyond compare, considering the enormity of financial investment required for effective Disaster Risk Reduction.

International Emergency Response Support

NADMO, in its bid to show solidarity for our neighbouring countries as indicated in international protocols, the Organisastion has supported its neighbours who have suffered the ravages of disasters. NADMO, and for that matter, Ghana, supported Sierra Leone when it suffered an agonizing mudslide disaster in August 2017.

Similarly, when fire guttered the properties of a group of Ghanaians in Katanga, Togo, NADMO acted swiftly to alleviate the suffering of their fellow Ghanaians. In both cases relief items and cash donations were made.

Operation Thunderbolt

The perennial flooding in the northern part of the country exacerbated by the opening of the Bagre Dam has visited deaths and hardships on the people. To address this problem, NADMO has instituted a holistic programme code-named ‘Operation Thunderbolt’. This programme prepositions responders and relief items at flash points for timely rescue and relief. The programme also provides early warning to people on the banks of the White Volta.

Catch Them Young

The United Nations gives much thought to the involvement of young children in DRR. NADMO in response to that concept has come out with a programme called ‘Institutional Arrangement to Engage the Youth and Young Children in DRR’, dubbed ‘Catch Them Young’. The programme was piloted successfully in selected schools in Greater Accra Region, Ashanti Region, Bono Region and Volta Region. The target were school children and young ‘Kayayes’. The programme has advanced to a yearly DRR quiz competition among Senior High schools.

Space-Based DRR Infrastructure

NADMO has been granted universal access to the International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’. In February, 2019, the International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’ acknowledge that NADMO had successfully completed the necessary steps to become an Authorized User of the Charter. Subsequently, NADMO was awarded a certificate formalizing the International Charter’s acceptance as Authorized User. This is a milestone for the National Disaster Management Organisation.

Promotion of Financial Discipline

To promote financial discipline, an Internal Audit Committee has been set up at Headquarters. Again, Internal Audit Units and Committees have been formed in all the 16 Regions. The staff at the Internal Audit Units across the country have been taken through training for this purpose.

Retooling and Logistical Support for the organization

The organization has provided motorbikes for all 16 Regional offices as well as all 260 Metropolitan, Municipal and District offices across the country.
A payloader, one rescue ambulance, one clinical ambulance, thirty (30) Toyota Hilux Picks, Six (6) 4x4 Toyota Vehicles and a saloon car have been provided.

It is worthy to note that approval has been granted with all procurement processes complete for the delivery of additional thirty-two (32 ) pickups to the organization.