Nadmo Boss Hot!

As He Sells All Sadac Fertilizers

THE DISTRICT Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) of Bimbilla in the Nanumba North District of the Northern region, Nlibe Kawjo has sold all the Sadac Fertilizers meant for farmers who were affected during the heavy rainfall and spillage of the Bagri-dam.

The items were handed over to the NADMO office last year by government to be distributed among farmers who were hit by the disaster.

Many farms were submerged and farm products were destroyed during the spillage from Burkina-Faso which also coincided with the heavy rainfall in the three Northern regions of the country. The district was therefore given 781 bags of Sadac Fertilizers to be issued to affected victims in the area.

Close monitoring made by this reporter indicated that most of the fertilizers meant for the affected victims were sold out to people. During this investigation, the reporter found out that 200 bags of fertilizers were sneaked out of the town to a nearby village called Makayili for sale. Three days later, it was discovered that another 200 bags were taken from the storehouse and were sold in Bimbilla Township to a man whose name was only given as Zakariya for a total of GH?4,800.

The reporter further discovered that the propaganda secretary of the National Democratic Congress in Bimbilla who pleaded to remain anonymous applied for 50 bags of the fertilizers and was rather given 80 bags, as it came to his notice that it was 80 bags, he drew the attention of the NADMO officials but to his dismay the Coordinator came to his house and sold the 30 additional bags.

In an interview with the NDC party chairman of Bimbilla, Salisu Aweasu, who is also an eyewitness told this reporter that, he was called by an unknown person to witness the incident. “I saw the storekeeper, the accountant of NADOMO and the District Coordinator of NADMO sneaking 200 bags of the Sadac Fertilizers from the storehouse,” he said.

He confirmed that the fertilizers were taken to Makayili for sale, adding that another 200 bags were sold in Bimbilla to his own friend. He then reported the case to the District Chief Executive (DCE). Meanwhile efforts to reach the DCE for his version of the story proved futile.

In an interview with the Principal Disaster Control Officer of NADMO, Mr. Mohammed Issah Fushieni to confirm the story, he said he was aware that the office had received some fertilizers, but as to how it was distributed, he had no idea and charged the reporter to direct all questions to his boss since he was in the best position to answer them.

According to him such incidents have been on the ascendancy for a while now and described the situation as a hindrance to the development and enhancement of NADMO.

The Zonal Coordinators in an interview also confirmed this story adding that the recent items (rice, oil and used clothing) brought to the office to be distributed to victims have also disappeared in the store house. When asked by this reporter if they have ever distributed items to their registered victims they all said “no.”

Meanwhile the district coordinator has refused to pass comment on the issue.

NADMO is the government agency that is responsible for the management of disasters as well as other emergencies in Ghana. The board operates under Ghana’s Ministry of Interior.

Ghana formed the National Disaster Management Organisation in 1996, backed by an Act of Parliament (Act 517) to manage disasters and emergencies. This was after Ghana had responded to the United Nations Declaration GAD 44/236 of 1989 declaring 1990 to 1999 as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR).

Prior to the formation of NADMO, the National Mobilization Programme was set up after the 1982–1983 crises of drought, bushfires, famine, and the deportation of 1.2 million Ghanaians from Nigeria served as the implementing agency of the Disaster Relief Committee.

NADMO performs specific functions which are all aimed at ensuring that in times of emergency, the government is ready to support relief efforts. These functions are: Rehabilitation services for victims of disasters, Mobilization of people at various levels of society to support governmental programmes, ensuring the preparedness of the country in the management of disasters and coordinating the activities of various governmental and non-governmental agencies in the management of disasters

Its mandate includes response to earthquake, floods and rainstorms, and market fires. The mandate of NADMO stipulates that it offers relief support in times of emergencies in any location of the country. As such, the organization has structured its offices on the national, district, and zonal levels.

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