90 VOLUNTEERS ATTEND DISASTER MANAGEMENT COURSE (PAGE 35, SEPT 29, 2010)

THE National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has embarked on capacity building exercise for Volunteer Group (DVG) in four zones in the Garu-Tempane District in the Upper East Region.
The programme is aimed at preparing the DVGs to enable them to train people in the local communities in disaster management, disaster risk reduction, fire prevention and safety.
Some of the topics treated during the training included creation of fire belts, benefits of tree planting, how to handle common epidemics, and bush fire management control systems.
Ninety volunteers were selected from Basyonde, Woriyanga, Kongo and Akarafor the programme.
The District Co-ordinator of NADMO, Ms Grace Nkaw, charged the DVGs to justify the huge investment on disaster management being made by educating their communities on disaster management.
She underscored the effects of climate change and urged the DVGs to implore their communities to minimise the activities of indiscriminate tree-felling and bush burning, which were rampant in the district.
Ms Nkaw expressed the hope that the training would enable the DVGs to tackle common epidemics such as malaria, anthrax, as well as other diseases and prevent them from spreading.
The Garu-Tempane Area Development Programme Manager of World Vision, Mr Godfred Yelewere, reminded the volunteers of their primary responsibility of reducing disasters in their communities.
He urged them to be committed to the task they had taken upon themselves.
Mr Yelewere implored the DVGs to identify and recognise the common disasters prevalent in their communities and apply local knowledge of the people in addressing disasters, but not impose what they knew on the people.
Resource persons, who were drawn from the District Fire Service, District Forestry Office, Disease Control Officer, took the participants through the training programme.