Drawn from different stakeholder organizations in the area of managing disasters and similar emergencies, about 60 experts were engaged at the Marriott Hotel in Accra on 19th April 2023 to participate in sharing their expert experience in a critical disaster risk reduction exercise.

The workshop marks the inception of a year long process intended to unearth the challenges of Disaster management and risk reduction in Ghana. It would also offer the PDC and the local technical support team from key agencies to diagnose Ghana’s disaster management mechanisms to profess recommendations and actions.

In a welcome remark by the Director General of NADMO, Hon. Eric Nana Agyemang Prempeh, he emphasized that NADMO in the past few years, renewed its commitment to devising strategies that facilitate effective engagement with all stakeholders in efforts to prepare and respond appropriately to disasters, therefore, this engagement is one of such efforts to ensure comprehensive stakeholder input into the plans and strategies for disaster management.

The Director General also said NADMO maintains the view that measures that enhance the ability to have access to sufficient data that speaks to what will happen, when it will happen, how it will happen, where it will happen, who will be impacted and what is to be done to reduce the impact on the vulnerable population is critical.

In line with this, NADMO through the United States Embassy is collaborating with the Pacific Disaster Centre (PDC) to undertake a capacity-building exercise on the use of the Disaster Aware Platform, which will be useful for the twelve (12) months National Disaster Preparedness Baseline Assessment for Ghana."

Beth Simek, the representative of the US Embassy at the workshop, also noted that her outfit would continue to collaborate with NADMO and its partners in ensuring effective disaster risk reduction for sustainable development to make Ghana a safer place to live therefore their support is purposely to enhance preparedness.

Steve Recca, Humanitarian Assistance Program Advisor from the Pacific Disaster Centre in a remark, hinted that the exercise forms part of measures to equip institutions and nations with accurate data for effective Disaster risk reduction around the world. This he also said would go a long to enhance effective and efficient preparedness.

Also, present at the ceremony were Mr. Eric Asuman, Director General, Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMET), Col. Joseph Kelvin Merdiemah, Director Centre for Early Warning, Dr. Winifred Nelson, Director, Development Coordination Division, Col. Yehuzu Salifu, Director Army Liason, Joseph Green, PDC, Deputy Director Generals of NADMO, Mr. Seji Saji, Mr. Saibu Mahama.