Accra, May 24, GNA 96 A suggestion has been made to Government to as a matter of urgency conduct a National Risk Identification Assessment that would serve as a benchmark for all disaster contingency plans. With the successful completion of the assessment, Ghana would benefit from funding from the World Bank to assist the country's disaster management programmes.

Brigadier General Joseph Odei (rtd), National Coordinator for the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), said this when Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minster of the Interior, paid his maiden visit to NADMO Headquarters in Accra on Wednesday.

The Minister, accompanied by the National Coordinator and some management personnel, toured the various sections and interacted with staff.

According to Brig. Gen. Odei, although the United Nations Development Programme had done a common assessment, the national assessment sought to provide a detailed account on establishing early warning signal systems, mechanisms for risk monitoring and risk mapping, hazard mapping and assessment throughout the country.

He said since the impact of disasters on economies was enormous, the Organisation was currently reviewing the NADMO Act 517 to adopt a new concept for disaster management.

The disaster review would take into consideration concepts such as Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Developmental Programmes; Rapid and Effective Response and Post-Disaster Recovery and Making Disaster Management Everybody's Responsibility, he said. The National Coordinator outlined some challenges of the Organisation such as lack of rescue and radio equipment for rapid response teams and effective communication with regional and district officers as well as insufficient vehicles for operations in the districts.

"We have no warehousing facilities in the regions and inadequate staff," he said, and tasked the Ministry to pay in full all duty and risk allowances, since only 20 per cent of staff was enjoying the allowance.

He said disaster management required sectoral support of Accra Metropolitan Assembly, City Engineers and Planners, as well as civil society, especially in managing man-made disasters. Mr Kan-Dapaah said the contribution of NADMO was crucial to protect the country from disasters that might be a threat to economic gains chalked by the Government.

He said there was, therefore, the need for all Ghanaians to support NADMO and acknowledged the role it was playing in the society, instead of questioning the need for such an organisation.

The Minister expressed satisfaction that the country was being proactive in managing disasters and called for the support of the staff to ensure efficiency of the organisation.