Insure your properties to serve as buffer during disasters — NADMO

George Ayisi, Director of Communications for the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) on Tuesday advised citizens to insure their properties so that in case of disasters, they would receive the necessary support from the Insurance Companies.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, Mr Ayisi noted that it was not the duty of NADMO to recapitalize disaster victims but rather, to coordinate activities with relevant institutions such as Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), National Road Safety Commission, among others.

“We ensure that disaster victims receive temporal relief packages such as food, water, blankets,” Mr Ayisi stated on the recent spate of fire outbreaks in the country.

He attributed the cause to negligence on the part of citizens and dryness in the atmosphere caused by the Harmattan season, however, he said the GNFS was still conducting investigations to ascertain the actual cause of the incidents.

Mr Ayisi advised that all electrical gadgets should be put-off after usage, and ensure that qualified electricians managed their domestic and company or shop electrical wiring.

The NADMO Official also advised hunters to be circumspect as they go about hunting, cooking in the market place should be well managed and used cigarettes should be properly disposed to prevent fire.

“It is also important to note that after cooking, spread out the charcoal before quenching the fire. This ensures that they do not light up again and helps the fire to die off faster,” he said.

The NADMO Communications Director called on the government to build permanent structures at markets whiles encouraging the GNFS to train market security guards in the area of fire management.

He also suggested that the GNFS station temporal Fire officers in these markets to provide swift response in case of any fire outbreak.

Mr Ayisi said NADMO, in partnership with the GNFS, North Dakota Guards from the United States, the 48 Engineers Regiments, Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, organized periodic training programmes for its staff to improve upon their activities and meet their mandate.

“Sometimes, we also take our staff to the Dawhenya Dam to train them in watermanship so that in case of floods, we can equally be relevant in providing assistance,” he added.

He said the Organization had also set up Disaster Volunteer Groups (DVGs) in the various districts to coordinate with relevant agencies to prevent hazardous practices.

Mr Ayisi said the DVGs were not on NADMO’s payroll but had volunteered to support the activities of the Organization.

The Communications Director called on citizens to avoid any act of recklessness even as they celebrated the yuletide, adding that, “just one act of recklessness can cause a fire outbreak and make you lose every property you created out of many years of toil.”