NADMO Wants Power to Prosecute

The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has proposed to parliament to enact laws that will empower the organisation to prosecute and punish people and institutions whose activities cause disasters.

It said the proposed law would ensure that the organisation had the legal and constitutional right to sanction people and institutions as well as demolish structures that pose threat to life and security, and those that could lead to disasters.

Mr Jerry Asamane the Upper East Regional NADMO Director, who made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Bolgatanga, disclosed that most of the disasters recorded in the country could have been prevented if the organisation had the legal right to sanction people and institutions.

“We do not have the legal backings to demolish any structure that pose danger and result into disaster whenever we experience heavy rains, storms, and fire outbreaks among others.” The Regional Director said.

Giving the statistics of disasters recorded last year in the region, he said the Binduri District was the hardest hit and suffered almost all the disasters, including rainstorm, windstorm, flood, Fall Army Worm and fire outbreaks.

He added, “last year, we recorded 2,988 people and 18 schools that were affected by rainstorm in the Bulisa South, Bongo, Binduri and Garu-Tempane Districts. We also recorded a total of 3,773 people and 21 schools affected by windstorm in the Bolgatanga and Bawku Municipalities. Bongo and Binduri Districts recorded 362 people affected by disasters and about 10 acres of farmland affected by flood in the Bolgatanga Municipal, Binduri and Kassena-Nankana West Districts”.

The Director indicated that the Fall Army Worm affected about 3,141 acres of farmlands in the Binduri, Bawku West and Kassena-Nankana Districts. The same districts recorded 88 fire outbreaks in which about 458 people were affected.

Source: GNA