Wa, Oct. 14, GNA – People in the Upper West Region have been asked to start preparing themselves against the harmattan season which comes with challenges of wildfires, food insecurity and Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM).

Alhaji Seidu Bawa, Upper West Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) said there was a looming possibility of food insecurity due to the erratic rainfall pattern and the excessive high temperatures of late which could cause an outbreak of CSM.

He entreated the people to keep to the technical advice from health officials, agricultural and fire service personnel to help avoid disasters that would come along with the harmattan.

Alhaji Bawa was addressing a cross section of workers, students, traditional rulers and farmers to mark the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction in Wa on Thursday.

The Day was marked with the theme: “Making children and young people partners for disaster risk reduction”.

He appealed to farmers not to rush to sell out their farm produce, saying that could aggravate their already threatened food security levels.

He said government recognized the role of the youth in disaster management, especially in the areas of search and rescue operations, as well as information dissemination.

Alhaji Bawa, therefore, called for support to develop their skills and organise them to form disaster volunteer groups to enable them to respond promptly to disasters when they occur.

Alhaji Issahaque Salia, Upper West Regional Minister who graced the occasion said disasters had become development challenges in the world, and appealed to the youth to assist to replenish the natural things that were being destroyed.

He said they could do that by embarking on serious afforestation programmes to help check desertification and improve the weather conditions to enhance food production.

He appealed to them to also take interest in the preservation of water sources by avoiding indiscriminate felling of trees for charcoal, illegal mining and pollution of rivers.