An estimated GHC1.5 million has been lost to rainstorms across all municipal and district assemblies in the Upper West Region in 2020, affecting 1,002 rooms and 17 classroom blocks whose roofs have been completely or partly ripped off.
The Upper West Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, made this disclosure at the inauguration of a ten-member regional disaster management committee.
Household fires
Dr Bin Salih said: “The crucial information on traditional early warning systems should be collected, analysed, compiled and disseminated to relevant stakeholders to mitigate disasters.
I will call on all members to bring your expertise to bear in the formulation of plans to promote the culture of prevention of avoidable disasters.
The Regional Minister said this year that the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) had recorded domestic fires which had
affected ten communities and certain schools. Among them was the Wa Islamic Senior High School, two of whose dormitories were
destroyed, disrupting life for 371 people.
Dr Bin Salih said it is important to put in place disaster risk reduction plans and increase response capacities to cope with rainstorms,windstorms and fire.
Disaster-prone
The regional director of NADMO, Mustapha Ahmed, said the whole of the Upper West is disaster-prone. He called for a change in attitude as
the lasting solution to the problem.
The regional co-ordinating council on 15 January 2020 presented 11 motorcycles with crash helmets to al municipal and district directors, he
said. The motorbikes have contributed to easy movement of the directors between the municipal and district assemblies.
The members of the regional disaster management committee include the regional police commander, hire officer, armed forces commander, director of health services, director of social welfare and director of information services.
Other members are the chair of the regional platform for disaster risk reduction and climate change risk management, the MP for Wa Central(representing all Members of Parliament from the Upper West), regional director of NADMO (secretary) and the Regional Minister (chaiman)