THE Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Kofi Portuphy has stated that Ghana could only tackle disasters effectively if more resources were devoted towards disaster risk reduction.
According to him, too much emphasis has been placed on relief interventions for disaster victims, instead of putting in place sustainable measures to prevent and manage disasters.
Mr Portuphy made these observations in a speech read on his behalf during the maiden meeting of the Northern Regional platform on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
The body is mandated to design and implement programmes and measures to prevent, mitigate, prepare for and respond adequately to disasters in the region.
Mr Portuphy noted that five things were crucial for Ghana to successfully control and manage disasters through disaster risk reduction.
These, he mentioned, were the institutionalisation of disaster prevention in all sectors of the national endeavour, risk identification assessment, monitoring and early warning, knowledge management and education, reduction of underlying risk factors and preparedness for effective response and recovery.
Mr Portuphy said there was a need for a sustained effort to identify risks, assess their impact, monitor their evolvement and institute early warning signals to pre-empt early response.
“This needs to be a continuous effort and not only seasonal or when disasters are apparently impending,” he explained.
The co-ordinator again mentioned that there must be evolving technology on buildings and road construction in manner to reduce the impact on disasters on them.
In the area of knowledge sharing and education, he explained that Ghana must institutionalise disaster education into the education curriculum to raise a disaster-risk-conscious youth.
Mr Portuphy noted that these measures were the recommendations of the Hyogo Framework for Action and therefore urged the regional platform to take these ideas on board.
“The platform should also develop specific mechanisms to engage the participation and ownership of relevant stakeholders including communities in disaster risk reduction measures, in particular, building on the spirit of volunteerism,” he further urged.
The co-ordinator observed that disasters were assuming alarming dimensions and intensity due to the effects of climate variability and climate change.
This surge, he noted, was the main reason why, disaster risk reduction efforts needed to be strengthened.
The Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Mr San Nasamu Asabigi pledged the commitment of the Regional Co-ordinating Council to support the work of the platform to ensure that it reduces disasters, which, he noted, ultimately guarantees security.
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