Parliament requests deatils on crisis management

The speaker of Parliament, Mr Justice D. F. Annan, has directed the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs to request the executive to brief the house on its policy on natural disaster management in the country, according to press notice issued by the Ghana News Agency.

He said if necessary, the House would set up a special commitee to deal with the issue after the briefing. The directive followed sentiments expressed by members at today's sitting after the Minority Leader, Dr. Owusu Gyekum, the worst hit his Birim North Constituency last week.

According to Dr. Agyekum, the worst hit place was Akim Ayirebi aand its surrouding villages where many buildings collapsed under the velocity of the storm.

In one of the villages called Amoa, a builing collapsed killing one person , he said, adding that at Ayirebi, a big coconut tree collapsed on a building and fell in a room where a three-year old child was sleeping. The child however, escaped unhurt.

Dr Agyekum said in all, about 74 houses were destroyed in the storm rendering an unspecified number of people homeless.

The Minority Leader therefore appealed to the government, NGOs, firms and institutions as well as philanthropists to go to the aid of " these rural people to assist them to reconstruct their homes."

He however, advised his people to help minimise soil erosion, fortify their old buildings and check undue exploitation of the forest.

Speaking in support of the statement, Mr. Kofi Attor (NDC-Ho Central), who had a similar story to tell said his constituency had its fair share of the rainstorm that fateful day and called on communities to plant trees to serve as wind-breaks

Dr. S. B. (NCP_Aowin Suaman) and Second Deputy Speaker emphasied the for a suitable building technology to minise th effects of such misharp.

Mr Kosi Kedem (NDC-Hohoe South), who read a letter he said he had just received from his constituency on a similar disaster, called for the strenghtening of the National Disater relief Committee (NDRC) to perform effectively.

Mr. Austin Gamey (NDC-North Tongu) was of the view that the NDR and the National Mobilisation Programme should be unifeid and placed under one ministry to avoid duplication of functions.