NADMO ready to deal with any flood - Major) Mensah

Accra, June 6, GNA - Major Nicholas Mensah (Rtd), Public Relations Officer, National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), on Wednesday assured the public of the preparedness of the organisation to deal with any unforeseen circumstances in the event of floods.

Major Mensah said NADMO had a standby Disaster Management Team that comprised the Police, Ghana National Fire Service, personnel from NADMO, the Armed Forces to respond quickly to any crisis. Major Mensah said the team, which is stationed at the 48 Engineer Regiment Base at Teshie in Accra, undertook daily reconnaissance patrols in flood-prone areas in the city to get a first hand information on how to deal with any possible flood.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, Major Mensah said NADMO held a crisis meeting last Monday with heads of institutions in the Disaster Management Team to look at the role each could play in the event of any floods.

He said the Ghana Armed Forces had provided them with speed boats, life jackets and a standby helicopter stationed at Air Force Base, which would fly to places of immediate need.

Major Mensah said the distribution of relief items to flood victims was on-going and that the current situation could not be reversed due to the poor planning of some of the areas.

"At the moment, there is nothing that we can do than to distribute relief items and build tents for flood victims due to the problem of poor drainage system in these areas."

Major Mensah said NADMO was involved in negotiations with traditional leaders and councils to look at the pivotal roles they could play in educating people in their communities in case disaster struck. He said his outfit had already held a series of meetings with the Ogua Traditional Council and hoped to do the same for Manhyia Palace. Major Mensah said NADMO at present had no legal backing to prevent or demolish buildings on waterways and expressed the hope that the necessary legislation would be put in place to make take that action. He called on the general public to pay heed to the weather forecast on a possible downpour so as not to be caught in flood.