Assemblies advised to include disaster plans in projects
Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the Eastern Regional Minister, has urge municipal and district assemblies to put disaster mitigation plans in their development agenda especially in construction of places such as markets.
This, he said, would ensure that in the event of any disaster, be it natural or artificial, there would be enough access ways to facilitate movement of victims and mandated persons such as the fire service to enter the market.
The Regional Minister said this at the inauguration of the Regional Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for the Regional National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) at Koforidua on Wednesday.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said during recent fire outbreaks fire service personnel found it difficult to gain access to the sites because of improper planning.
He said disaster was looming all over in the country due to human behaviour and cited the Kwahu North District where charcoal burning and its attendant degradation of the environment had assumed alarming dimensions.
Mr Kofi Portuphy, the National Coordinator of NADMO in a speech read on his behalf, said disaster in the country had assumed alarming rate that called for action from all stakeholders.
He said in the recent rainfall that resulted in flooding of some areas, 63 persons lost their lives and 29 suffered serious injuries whiles the spillage of the Akosombo Dam in over 20 years also caused disasters in some settlements.
Mr Portuphy therefore stressed the need for a strong institutional base.
Mr Ransford Owusu Boakye, the Regional Coordinator of NADMO, said the law regarding the issuance of building permit should be strictly enforced and offenders given stiff punishment.
He said this would deter others from indulging in that act since building on waterways had been one of the major causes of flooding and called on the members of the platform to take the issue up.
Twenty-five members were inaugurated for the regional platform for disaster out of which 11 members were nominated as the working committee to steer the affairs of the platform with the chief of Oyoko, Nana Kodua Kesse II, as the chairman.
Source: GNA