NADMO builds capacity of stakeholders in disaster management

The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) has held a two-day training to build the capacity of stakeholders to ensure effective and efficient management of disasters in the Upper East Region. The training programme is also expected to strengthen the existing monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, and identify vulnerabilities in disaster risks reduction (DRR).

Mr Kofi Koranteng Abrokwa, the Director in charge of Planning, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at NADMO, who facilitated the programme, said the training was on disaster risks strategies, disaster management plans and standard operating procedures for reducing disasters, as set under the UN Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction.

“The UN Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction document looks at risk reduction, preparedness measures, prevention measures and mitigation measures so that disasters will be minimized in the region,” he said.

Mr Abrokwa said when the document was validated, it would serve as a working document for the region and its implementation would improve resilience of the region.

He said disaster risks reduction worked better with strong collaboration, adding that plans were underway in the first phase of the implementation to set the pace for better assigned working roles and institutional collaboration.

According to him, hazards identification and methodology for risks reduction was not effective in the last implementation of DRR and stressed that measures were taken to improve performance in that area.

He said the Regional Coordinating council needed to provide the funding for effective implementation of activities.

Mr Nyaaba Agambilla, the Upper East Deputy Regional Director in-charge of administration, said similar DRR plans were first done in 1995, supported by Action AID but due to new trends of disaster risks, there was the need for the development of new plans.

Mr Paul Woomah, the Regional Coordinator of the Ghana Red Cross, expressed hope that the Regional Minister and her team would approve the implementation of the plans.

The capacity building programme was sponsored by the Ghana Red Cross Society of Ghana with support from the SWISS Red Cross.

Between 2019 and 2020 the Swiss Red Cross built 202 houses for communities affected by floods in the Upper East Region and helped in disaster risk reduction through the community preparedness and response teams of the GRCS.