Bono region: The Bono Regional Office of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has held a stakeholder's meeting to devise realistic strategies to avert recurring disasters and flooding as the rains set in. The meeting, attended by security services, heads of departments and agencies, and other stakeholders, was organized to commemorate the 2025 celebration of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR).
According to Ghana News Agency, the commemoration of IDDRR commenced in 1989 after a call by the United Nations General Assembly for a day to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction. The day is marked annually on October 13th to show how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of managing the risks they face. The 2025 celebration is on the theme: 'Fund resilience, not disaster,' as the 2025 Global Assessment report on Disaster Risk Reduction reveals the cost of disasters to be approximately $202 billion annually.
Mrs. Fati Kine-Lam, the Bono Regional Director of NADMO, urged the government, private sector players, policymakers, development partners, and donors to prioritize and invest in resilient and incident-free systems rather than recovery and relief items support. She emphasized the need for stakeholders to invest in disaster mitigation measures like tree planting, modern drainage systems, and proper sanitation and waste management.
Mrs. Kine-Lam affirmed that NADMO remains a disaster management, and not a relief organization, emphasizing the importance of proactive measures. "We don't have to wait for disaster to happen before we act," she stated. The 2025 celebration of the IDDRR highlights the urgency to tackle the escalating costs of disasters by shifting focus from reactive response to proactive investments.
She further outlined that the shift focuses on long-term solutions like improved infrastructure, early warning systems, and risk-informed development to build communities that can withstand shocks and stresses, ultimately saving lives and resources. Mrs. Kine-Lam also urged Ghanaians and estate developers to avoid building on waterways and flood-prone areas to prevent disasters.
