Give NADMO commission status(Page 47) June 19, 2008

Story:Michael Donkor
PARTICIPANTS at a conflict and crisis management course have suggested that the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) should be granted a commission status to handle all national emergencies and crisis situations.
They have also called for a national emergency fund to be established by an act of parliament to be used to tackle the new mandate of that commission.
The participants said the current situation where the Minister of the Interior was responsible for policy guidelines and ensuring that adequate resources existed at all times and co-ordinated all agencies involved in disaster management through NADMO, hampered the smooth running of the machinery, especially during preparations for and responses to crisis management.
They said during emergencies, mobilisation of funds took a long time, while allocation was untimely and the quantum inadequate.
They made the call at the end of a three-week course held for them at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC) at Teshie, near Accra to brainstorm and make recommendations on a proposed national disaster management plan at the weekend.
The programme was sponsored by the British government in collaboration with GAFCSC.
The participants were made up of senior personnel from the security agencies and included NADMO, Ghana Health Service, National Ambulance Service and the Judicial Service.
The call formed part of the recommendations made by the participants to the government at the end of the course.
The participants said the new mandate should include the handling of all national emergencies and crisis situations, sourcing for funds from sources such as bilateral, multi-lateral and other agencies.
They said the proposed National Disaster Management Commission should be headed by a commissioner and should have departments for emergency prevention, co-ordination, disaster and crisis management, training and research.
They said all these departments should be headed by deputy commissioners.
The participants noted that if this was done it would make the proposed commission independent and devoid of any political influence.
A Minister of State at the Ministry of the Interior, Nana Obiri-Boahen, in an address, said since crises did not give warning before striking, it was important to have a well- rehearsed plan in which all stakeholders knew their roles.
Mr Obiri-Boahen commended the GAFCSC for introducing innovative programmes in its curricula to bring together agencies of state to learn and deliberate on common approaches to important national issues.
He said this initiative was commendable and urged ministries, departments and agencies to give the necessary support to sustain the programmes.
He gave the assurance that the Interior Ministry would help to sustain the programme after the British government withdrew its support.
The Commandant of GAFCSC, Major-General Richardson Baiden, urged the participants to impart the knowledge gained at the training programme to their colleagues.
He said the doors of the school were open to new initiatives that would enhance the knowledge base of the students of GAFCSC.