We need to sit up to reduce disasters - NADMO

The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has tasked individuals and organisations to include smoke detectors, water hydrants and fire extinguishers in the construction of private and commercial buildings to help reduce the incidence of disasters.

NADMO said the increased frequency and the intensity of disaster that we are witnessing in recent times is enough to show that “we all need to sit up.”

In a statement issued and signed by its Director General Mr Eric Nana Agyemang- Prempeh to Mark International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, NADMO, said people ought to understand the need to survive adding that “the only way is to strengthen our resilience capacities and reduce the impacts of disasters to the barest minimum.”

The Day, which falls on Saturday October 13, would be held under the theme: “Reduce Disaster Economic Loss in Relation to the Global Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030.”

The statement said the enormity and frightening nature of losses to disaster requires that special attention be given to reverse the trend.

It said 300-billion dollars was the cost of disaster losses in the year 2017.

“Sadly, in Africa where poverty abounds, and where resources are needed to address the number in abject poverty, 500-million dollars was lost to disasters in 2017,” the statement said.

The statement said Ghana has had her fair share of disasters this year which had left a lot of havoc that affected people, houses, farms and animals and the entire economy.

It cited the spillage of the Bagre Dam as one of the disasters which has affected many communities in the northern parts of the country.

“This has had serious implications for food production and consequently led to economic loss.

It said the country needs is a “risk informed planning and decision making.

Improved public investment planning, prioritize projects that require risk analysis, policy re-engineering are also some of the measures required to for stall such situations from befalling us.”

Disaster risk reduction, the statement said, has now seen a paradigm shift from mere disaster prevention and mitigation mechanism to a pivotal socio-economic development solution.

It said the whole world was on a crossroads in view of the shocks coming from such disasters and the impact of Climate Change on the society.

The statement said to mark this year’s International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction NADMO will be organizing a two-day sensitization forum in Jasikan in the Volta Region and Asamankese in the Eastern Region to create awareness in disaster risk reduction.