NADMO calls for collaboration to avert man-made disasters

Tamale, Oct. 10, GNA - Alhaji Mamoud Alhassan, Northern Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), on Thursday appealed to district assemblies, traditional rulers and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to collaborate in the fight against man-made disasters

He said the district assemblies and traditional rulers were better placed to monitor the people, whose activities could cause serious havoc such as the degradation of the environment through indiscriminate bush burning and flooding resulting from haphazard building. Alhaji Alhassan made the appeal when he addressed a forum to mark the Northern Regional celebration of the "World Disaster Reduction Day 2003", in Tamale.

The celebration, which was organized by NADMO on the theme: "Turning the tide on floods, droughts and bushfires into sustainable development", was aimed at moving the world disaster management to a higher stage and to build capacity for prevention and mitigation. Alhaji Alhassan said because of negative environmental practices in the Region, about 314 hectares of farm crops were destroyed by bushfires in the Tamale Metropolis, four persons died in the fires while rainstorm hit 36 communities, displacing about 1,000 persons, last year.

He said the NADMO Office received reports from almost all the 13 districts in the Region about flooding this year with the East Gonja and West Gonja Districts being the worst hit. He called on the people to observe sound environmental practices.

Mr Alex Apau Akoto, Deputy National Coordinator of NADMO, said, even though, the "World Disaster Reduction Day" was celebrated throughout the country, premium was put on the Tamale celebration because Northern Region was disaster-prone.

Mr Francis Azumah, Emergency and Peace Building Coordinator of ActionAid Ghana, deplored the absence of byelaws to regulate human behaviour with regard to the environment and general sanitation. The Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Mr Charles Bintim tasked chiefs and other traditional leaders to help fight indiscriminate bush burning and modify aspects of their culture that impacted negatively on their lives.

Mr Bintim reiterated the call on Dagbon to give peace a chance so that "the Northerner does not become the subject of ridicule," and reminded the people that there could be no development in an environment of conflict and chaos.

Naa Tia Sulemana, a Member of the Council of State, who chaired the function, said: "Disaster is something no one wants to hear of and I urge the people to change their negative activities that lead to disasters."