By Precious D Freeman
The People of Japan through the United Nations for Project Services have handed over $1.9 million in vehicles, ICT equipment and other items to the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA).
The handover ceremony on Friday began with touring of the facilities at the NDMA office, exhibition of fleet from NDMA to Broad Street to the Monrovia City Hall where an indoor program was held along with several high government officials.
The handover ceremony was under the theme: “Building Resilience to Flooding and Coastal Erosion in Liberia”.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Executive Director for NDMA Henry O. Williams said that this project was under the presidency of President George Weah, and it will not have been possible without the establishment of NDMA.
According to him, looking at the issues of complaint in Liberia; disaster is heading the list of destruction, and that is why they cherish the Government of Japan and others for the good work done.
‘We appreciates the donors for their supply because certain mitigation methods were put in place 2018, and one cannot cater to disaster if one’s capacity is low, also one cannot depend on his or partners for their entity to be developed. I must say that what we have today can supplement and enable good response to our victims,” he said.
He noted that the ceremony has brought lives to NDMA, and that it is important to note and remember that it is not just to the benevolence of the Japanese Government that they are receiving this generous assistance of epic and exponential proportions today, it is rather to the confidence reposed in the government of President Weah.
“The ambulances and other ICT equipment we have today is a serious development and now we can boast of our capacity,” he stated.
However, NDMA boss appreciated their board, which have been very strong in leading NDMA to a success, and also thanked his hardworking employees and the Japanese Government for providing the funding.
Speaking further, Mr. Yancon Dargbe Nimely Liaison who represented the Ambassador of Japan to Liberia Hisanobu Mochizuki said that on behalf of the People and Government of Japan he is pleased to celebrate with Liberia the handover of vehicles to NDMA as part of efforts for the NDMA to respond effectively to disasters in Liberia.
According to him, last year the Government of Japan provided a grant of one million eight hundred and ninety-one Thousand one hundred and thirty-eight United State Dollars (US$ 1.891.138) under the Japanese Supplementary Fund.
“Following the launching event that I attended, there was a handover ceremony of the motorcycles last October. I am sorry again that I could not be present here again despite our implementation of partners’ efforts to maximize Japan’s visibility in this project,” he said.
He maintained that he is more than pleased that this project is supporting NDMA and more broadly the people of Liberia, and explained that the office tour in the morning allowed them to see the ICT equipment in the NDMA office, in addition to the vehicles on display.
“In crisis situations including natural disasters; the collection and dissemination of accurate information by the government, using the internet are crucial to minimize damage, in light of this with increased mobility enabled by the motorcycles and vehicles that we have been offered, I strongly believe that NDMA would now cope with natural disasters more effectively,” he noted.
He intoned that NDMA would be able to save many more lives of Liberians and that this would mean the achievement of this project’s objective.
