One-Hundred and fifty four refugees, mostly Ghanaians from neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire have so far arrived in Ghana as a result of fighting between government troops and rebel forces in that country. Sixty three of the refugees were registered at Dormaa-Ahenkro, 84 at djaman, both in the Brong Ahafo Region and seven at Bole in the Northern Region. The National Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Brigadier J. Odei (rtd), announced this at the launching ceremony of this year’s World Disaster Reduction Day (WDRD) in Accra on Wednesday.

The celebrations were simultaneously marked in all the United Nations member states around the world. This year’s celebration was on the theme “disaster reduction for sustainable mountain development.” Brig Odei stated that the influx of refugees from Cote d’Ivoire into the country is not as alarming as is being anticipated in certain quarters. He said the necessary preparations have been made to accommodate refugees fleeing from Cote d’Ivoire.

He said the restructuring exercise of NADMO will soon be completed and stated that technical committees will soon be inaugurated to handle the affairs of the organizations. The WDRD which is marked on the second Wednesday of October each year is aimed at creating awareness about the increasing occurrences and impacts of disasters on human life, property, business or investments, monuments and the natural environment. It is also aimed at finding ways and means of mitigating the effects of disasters through effective hazard monitoring, early warning, timely and effective emergency response and corrective reconstruction and resettlement programmes.