Haitians Need Gari & Shito’

A DISASTER Management expert has suggested that considering the effect of the Haitian crisis, cash donation is not the best assistance from Ghana, proposing that food items would be more significant. Sharing his opinion with DAILY GUIDE in Ho on Friday, Kenwuud Nuworsu, a former Chief Disaster Control Officer, explained that looking at the extent of damage caused by the earthquake and considering other international organizations that are working in Haiti, Ghana’s $3million is insignificant.

The former Volta Regional boss of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) noted that there is even that probability that the money might not even get to its destination, wondering if the people and government of Haiti will take notice of it at all.

Mr. Nuworsu stated that instead of the cash donation, the money could have been used to buy food items from Ghanaian companies to be relabeled from ‘For Sale’ to ‘Gift from Ghana’.

He added that the multiple effect of the approach is that Ghanaian companies would benefit from the donation whiles victims of the disaster are more likely to receive the gift directly.

The disaster expert said the move would market corporate Ghana not only in Haiti but the entire world, adding that it would also expose made-in-Ghana products to the various international relief organizations.

Mr. Nuworsu explained further that his opinion is based on the fact that Ghana and Haiti have cultural identity as blacks and in Need Assessment in relief operations, the cultural background of the victims must be considered.

To him, no relief item will be more appreciated by Haitians than African food items such as ‘gari’, ‘shito’, tuna and others like ‘quick-meal’ which he observed is easy to prepare and has high nutritional value.

He said ‘shito’ and ‘gari’ are also easy to prepare without the use of fire and are common in every part of the country, hence its procurement will be easy, saying that if government will take the advice from a non-political angle, it would be very helpful to Ghana and Haiti.

He noted that as Disaster Management expert with both national and international exposure, he is aware that Ghana does not have the technical men and equipment to send to the aid of Haitians but can only contribute by sending a some of its police and military forces to assist in the maintenance of law and order, apart from the locally-made foods as suggested.