Dr Kwasi Apea-Kubi, Deputy Minister of the Interior on Wednesday hailed the establishment of a National Contingency Plan (NCP), saying it would be relevant for all types of disasters in the country.
He has therefore called on stakeholders to take into account the hazards likely to arise, especially during the full-scale oil and gas
production in Ghana.
Dr Apea-Kubi was delivering the keynote at the opening session of a two-day review workshop on the 2008 NCP in Accra.
The workshop is being organised by the National Disaster Management Organisation, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs and World Food Programme, to review the NCP for Ghana and make it relevant to the disaster situation.
Its being attended by stakeholders in disaster response, including the UN System in Ghana, Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Health Service, Environmental Protection Agency,
Ministries, Department, Agencies and non-governmental organisations.
According to the 2009 World Disaster Report, disasters are on the increase as well as their impact. Over the past 10 years, the world had
suffered an increasing number of natural disasters affecting more than 2.5 billion people and killing more than one million.
It had also caused economic losses of approximately 700 billion dollars.
Daily disasters occur around the world with devastating effects on human lives, infrastructure and the environment.
The most current of such global disasters is the on-going volcanic eruption in Iceland on Thursday April 15, with its social, economic and
human consequences.
In Ghana, perennial flooding, windstorms, fire outbreaks, epidemic disease outbreaks, and specifically, the recent Pandemic Influenza threat indicates that disasters are part of human life.
During the 2007 Northern Ghana floods, 49 lives were lost, 16,657 homes in more than 500 communities were affected, 13 bridges collapsed and two dams were damaged, while 39 irrigation dams were destroyed. About 307,127 people were also affected
Dr Apea-Kubi said in order to survive the impact of these devastating disasters as a nation; there was the need for preparedness at all levels of society.
Preparedness, he said should involve knowing the hazards that we live with, their period of occurrence, impact and how to reduce their effects when they do occur.
Dr Apea-Kubi pointed out that disaster management is a complex function, which required maximum co-operation and co-ordination among the
various team players.
He said one of the most vital elements of disaster preparedness was the development of NCP that spelt out the mode of co-ordination and the roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders involved.
"It is in this light that this two-day workshop, which seeks to review the 2008 NCP and look at the hazards in the oil and gas industry is crucial in our efforts to reduce the effects of disasters when they occur so that we can achieve sustainable national development," he added.
Dr Apea-Kubi said there were numerous emergency agencies that operated in Ghana, an assurance that society had become aware of the need for proactive measures to help prevent disasters and a timely response when the
unpreventable ones occurred.
He said duplication of efforts and unco-ordinated response to efforts during a major disaster would definitely lead to waste of resources and ineffective relief operation.
"A good contingency plan would in no doubt eliminate such hindrances and facilitate a timely and effective response, "he said.
Mr Ismail Omer, UN Resident Co-ordinator said the magnitude and frequency of floods had become an annual phenomenon in Ghana and required a holistic framework that would guide the collective action of all partners to prepare and be ready to respond in a timely and effective manner.
He pledged commitment of the UN System to continuously provide support to the relevant authorities in managing disasters through mainstreaming risk reduction in development plans.
Mr Omer said in addition, the UN is committed to develop programmes aimed at Climate Change Adaptation with focus on early warning systems for multiple hazards such as droughts, floods, wildfires and pest outbreaks.
"With regards to the design and implementation of emergency preparedness and response programmes, the UN Country Team provided support to NADMO in preparing the 2008 NCP. We continue to partner in undertaking detailed assessments, providing relief supply and co-ordinating early recovery, "he said.
Mr Omer expressed the hope that the workshop would determine the necessary and practical actions that would enhance Ghana's preparedness to respond to disasters in a timely and effective manner, to save lives and property.