Mr Issahaku Bukari, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Bawku, has hinted that the Assembly had put in place adequate measures to prevent the occurrence of disasters in the area.

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BAWKU: Assembly institutes measures to prevent future disasters

Mr Issahaku Bukari, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Bawku, has hinted that the Assembly had put in place adequate measures to prevent the occurrence of disasters in the area.


Date Created : 4/16/2014 3:57:12 PM : Story Author : GhanaDistrict.Com

Mr Issahaku Bukari, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Bawku, has hinted that the Assembly had put in place adequate measures to prevent the occurrence of disasters in the area.

Mr Bukari said the assembly had instituted measures, including radio discussions programmes and public announcements, among others, to sensitize the people on the need to prevent disasters.

The MCE disclosed this in an interview with newsmen at Bawku, and said the Assembly has procured some relief items, including roofing sheets and mattresses in standby as emergency aid to disaster victims should there be any form of disasters, while the central government comes in to help.

He mentioned that the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) was actively participating in managing disasters in the area, and had deployed zonal officers into the communities to educate members not to build or erect structures on water ways, and plant trees that could hold storms.

Mr Bukari noted that since the Assembly alone could not shoulder disaster management responsibilities, it was collaborating with departments such as the Ghana National Fire Service, the Volta River Authority (VRA), Town and Country Planning, individual entrepreneurs such as carpenters and electricians, and the security agencies, to help in the fight to reduce natural disasters in the area.

Mr Bukari cautioned farmers along the banks of the White Volta River to refrain from farming there, and relocate because the river would soon overflow its banks and destroy their crops.

The MCE asked the people to consider the area as a poverty endemic one, and protect their properties from rainstorm, fire or any form of disaster, to prevent deepening the poverty level in the area.

The Municipal Coordinator of NADMO, Mr Musah Sulemana, said as part of efforts to get messages on disaster prevention and education down to community members, his outfit had formed NADMO clubs in basic schools, to teach the children on disaster management at the early stages, so that they would in turn educate other community members.

Mr Sulemana explained that when the knowledge is imparted to the children at school, they would then pass it on to their parents and relatives.

He indicated that since women and children were the most vulnerable during disasters, much attention would be given to them when the need arose.

The NADMO Coordinator said tree seedlings have been secured for planting in the various parts of the municipality which would serve as windbreaks in future, to prevent severe windstorms destroying properties in the area.

Mr Sulemana hinted that the Municipal NADMO office was understaffed and called on central government to provide enough manpower to enable it perform its duties efficiently.

GNA