By Precious D. Freeman
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), in collaboration with the General Services Agency (GSA) has identified with some residents of various communities in Montserrado and its environs. The communities that benefited include the Catholic, Shoe Factory and Duport Road Communities due to a disaster they encountered last month.
According to block D head in the Catholic community, Emmanuel S. Nyantee, the disaster happened on the 29th of October in the morning when a heavy storm blew away the roofs of their houses, thereby rendering them partially homeless in the face of this acute financial situation. In view of the embarrassing condition they find themselves in, they then decided to pay a visit to the Director General for GSA, Mary T. Broh for help.
Mr. Nyantee explained that when they met Madam Broh and narrated their ordeal, she then called to NDMA to have them informed and to see how best they could help the victims, and the Disaster Management later sent the Deputy Executive Director for Operations, Augustine Tamba to the various communities to take photos of the damaged areas.
”I was happy when Madam Broh told NDMA about us and they promised to help us the next day but yet I was worried because if it had rained, then our homes would have been over flooded due to the damaged zinc,” Mr. Nyantee explained.
The Executive Director of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) Henry O. Williams in Collaboration with the General Services Agency (GSA) expeditiously responded to the woes of the victims by donating some items which were; 67 bags of 25kg rice, 37 bundles of 32 gauge zinc, 37 packs of zinc nail and 10 pieces of 3 inch mattresses.
According to the NDMA Director, the President of Liberia, George Manneh Weah is always concerned about his people and that they were given strict mandate that anytime such disaster takes place, they should respond and sympathize with the people immediately because he does not want his people to suffer.
”The President finds it necessary to empower the NDMA and form a theme called the Presidential Disaster Response Team (PDRA) to alleviate their sufferings whenever such incidents occur,”Mr. Williams explained.
Mr. Williams pleaded to the victims to manage and be appreciative with whatever they had received from them because he knows that disaster is very expensive and that the President cannot do all, and that he is always concerned about things like this to make sure that the Pro-poor Agenda works.
Furthermore, Mr. Williams thanked the press for their support, hard work and usual cooperation because without them the citizens will not be aware of their good deeds. He then urged them to always remain calm and good.