By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
The Ministry of Information and Communications on the 26th May 2022 played host to the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) to inform members of the public through the media about the raining season that can lead to flooding, mitigation and preparedness plans to ensure the safety of citizens and the environs held at the Ministry of Information and Communications Conference Hall, Youyi Building in Freetown.
The Director of Communications of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) gave a brief insight into their preparedness plan of the Disaster Management Agency as he said the key factors to look out for is to develop the capacities of communities and responding to disasters across the country and a national plan for flood mitigation.
Mr. Abu Bakarr Bangura the Director of Research, Monitoring & Evaluation and Thomas Lebbie the Director of Disaster Risk Preparedness both did a slide show representation of the disaster prone areas across the country.
Mr. Bangura said the reason why Sierra Leone Floods are bad is based on bad decisions by Sierra Leoneans (citizens) miners, etc.
He said to the data collated fire disaster was at high rate due to the activities of Sierra Leoneans. The data displayed show the preparedness of the National Disaster Management as per government suggestions of seasonal outlook by the SLMET, RFMA for available resources, and SLRSA for priority areas and the Freetown city council all are working closely with in ensuring citizens safety.
He said some of the causes of flooding are as a result of poor urban and irregular construction, banking of rivers to mine in mineral rich areas, extreme weather conditions and climate change, and reclaiming of swamps and banking waterways for construction and poor waste management to name but a few results in flooding, and that the system with NDMA is to collaborate with all other Agencies to ensure citizens safety
A particular case study citied was the Mo Wharf wherein piles and piles of plastic waste where shown in a video. Bangura said the reduction of plastic waste is one major concern and encourages manufacturers to move from plastic to paper base and caution people to stop depositing waste from the hilltop as this are all major causes of flooding.
He said the NDMA has currently mapped out 196 points and the focus for this year’s engagement is community and behavioral change and said the media has a massive role to play in educating people on their activities and the military are involved in the cleaning exercise.
The Public Relations Director Success Serry Kamara from SLMET also contributed and also gave a slide show display of their data collation towards their preparedness in working together with the NDMA to ensure flooding mitigation.
He said some of the risks involved are strong winds prevalence, fairly thunderstorms and lightening with high occurrence in October, risks of flood and pest/insecticide outbreak as we now with the outbreak of the Anthrax Virus.
He concluded on the recommendations made by strengthening the communications of seasonal forecasts as he said Sierra Leone is the only country with the best forecasters and cleaner sewer channels.
In another development, the Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Mr. Solomon Jamiru Esq introduced the Secretary General of the Maritime Sierra Leone for West and Central Africa based in Abidjan.
Dr. Paul Adaliku in his opening statement gave a brief detail about his position and plans and said as part of his plans in promising to visit the 25 countries he gave an insight of engaging these countries in finding out areas of Synergies and what to do in order to uplift the Maritime Sectors of these countries’ Economies he said.
He continued that he had held several meetings with the Minister of Transport and Aviation as well as the Agencies under the Ministry, the Port Authority of Sierra Leone and the Maritime Administration. He said during his engagements with these various institutions that upon his arrival at lungi he was displeased over what he saw on the coast line littered with marine litter.
He continued that with this he had had engagements with the President of the African Development Bank to source for grants and resources to develop the green economy in member states and said he assured the Minister of Transport and Aviation that Sierra Leone will be a pilot in this regard and would generate resources from stakeholders through the bank in order to generate jobs for people.
He said during his engagement with the Port Authority of Sierra Leone said one of the major challenges they faced was capacity building. MOCA he said is a sub organization under the International Maritime Organization.
He concluded and said as Nigeria is highly develop than Sierra Leone he will ensure that Sierra Leone also suits in the same lime light and said as a mandatory it is to offer scholarships to ten Sierra Leoneans at the World Maritime University in Accra Ghana and the IOM to assist Sierra Leone develop a port master plan.
