The STAR Ghana Foundation has been commended for developing a roadmap for a long term, holistic and multi-sectoral approach to the management of floods in the northern part of the country.

Representatives of the National Disaster Management Orgnaisation (NADMO), and the Northern Development Authority (NDA) amongst a host of other stakeholders in the disaster management sector, who gave the commendation, were hopeful that the roadmap would have positive impact on the management of floods to protect lives and livelihoods of the people.

They were speaking at a day's workshop in Tamale to validate the roadmap dubbed: Roadmap for Sustainable Management of Floods in Northern Ghana.

In June this year, STAR Ghana Foundation in partnership with TAMA Foundation Universal and the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province Partnership in Action held stakeholders workshops in Tamale, Wa and Bolgatanga to collate inputs towards the development of the Roadmap for Sustainable Management of Floods in Northern Ghana, hence the validation workshop.

The Roadmap for Sustainable Management of Floods in Northern Ghana provides broad framework and coordinated strategy for risk reduction and strengthening of communities' resilience against floods.

They include strengthening flood management structures at community, district and regional levels, increase financing and resourcing for flood management through philanthropy and local resources mobilisation, strengthening flood early warning systems in flood prone communities amongst others.

According to the Northern Regional Directorate of NADMO, within the past three years, 14 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies recorded floods, which affected 40,894 people leading to seven deaths, destruction of 19,264 farmlands, cutting off 54 communities and destroying 13 bridges.

Mr Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh, Director General of NADMO said "Climate change has caught up with us. Its effects and impacts stare us in the face especially in the northern part of the country. This is why the Roadmap for Sustainable Management of Floods in northern part of Ghana is crucial and timely."

Mr Agyeman-Prempeh said the Roadmap was in line with efforts to attain the Sustainable Development Goals to address hunger amongst others adding "With all hands on deck, this Roadmap could help address the situation."

He gave assurance of NADMO's full support for the implementation of the Roadmap to ensure success.

Mr David Sulley, a Deputy Director at NDA said "we at NDA welcome the Roadmap' because it would help prevent rendering the people in our enclave vulnerable to floods thereby protecting their livelihoods.

Eunice Agbenyadzi, Programmes Manager of STAR Ghana Foundation, spoke about the next steps following the validation of the Roadmap, saying "We have identified some pilot activities to undertake in the short term; intensifying sensitisation to increase response of communities to evacuation, and to support the organisation of fund raising and resource mobilisation event to respond to the emergency."

She said "We know that NADMO is on the ground and government is investing heavily in responding to the situation but we also know that government needs support to reach the number of people affected."

She added that "There are long term plans also. Working with the government to construct water holding bodies. Once these long term interventions are in place, we will have reduced impact and devastation with regard to floods in northern Ghana."