By Precious D. Freeman
The Executive Director for National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), Henry O. Williams has explained more about the intervention of the Agency in disaster in the country.
Appearing on the Super Morning Show hosted by the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS), he said the NDMA was established in 2016 by a policy that defines Disaster Management Action Plan, which leads them to prevention, instigation method for preparedness and capacity.
He added that the National work plan is being sponsored by International Rescue Committee (IRC) responsible to work with partners and as well deal with emergency.
Mr. Williams stated that NDMA has since been ready to implement the policy and coordinate the national work with actors and at county district and chiefs’ level.
”Disaster management is very expensive and for us to do this, we need very essential tools and as the NDMA is functioning, it needs the help of both the partners and the Government,” he said.
He stated that it is not every time that the government will be financially strong so they formed a team called Disaster Management Transform team to help curb and cater to disasters.
”In terms of catering to disaster, we have a platform that is relevant to all of our partners, which include, Fire Service, LRRRC, GSC, EPA etc,” he explained.
The ED for NDMA clarified that they do not have all the capacity to take care of disaster issues so they rely on partners to help.
He explained further that in terms of responding to disasters, they need to have enough materials to offer and the warehouse needs to be stocked, adding because, “If we don’t respond to disaster before 22 hours, the citizens feel bad.”
According to him, NDMA is not strong enough to cater to all of this affected counties, adding, “But we are in the fight of winning a bingo.”
”In 2018, we had a record of about 52,000 persons that were affected by disaster and in terms of reaching out to those people NDMA was a most visible institution or agency,” he explained.
”From 2020 to now all the affected communities we have visited include Topoe Village, West Point, Lynch Street, Doe Community, Duazohn Market, among others,” he stated.
”Disaster is a very serious issue which needs to be alerted making people to know the importance of our work,” he mentioned.
Meanwhile he thanked the government for always being the major contributor of the work they do.