The Keta Municipal Directorate of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has called for greater public commitment to disaster prevention and preparedness, stressing that building resilient communities must begin at the household level.
The call was made at the Volta Regional celebration of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, held in Keta on the theme: “Resilience Starts At Home.”
The event brought together NADMO officials, traditional authorities, health professionals, environmental advocates, community leaders and other stakeholders to promote disaster risk reduction and strengthen preparedness for emergencies.
The Volta Regional NADMO Director, Pascal Agbagba, urged residents to see disaster prevention as a collective responsibility, beginning with individual households and extending to communities and institutions.
He emphasised the need for increased public awareness and collaboration among stakeholders to reduce the impact of disasters and improve emergency response.
Environmental activist Joel Deque also called for urgent measures to address the persistent environmental challenges confronting Keta and neighbouring coastal communities, particularly flooding and tidal waves.
The Chairman of the occasion, Togbi James-Ocloo V of Keta, called for the implementation of the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) projects to help protect vulnerable coastal communities from the effects of coastal erosion, flooding and other environmental threats.
NADMO Directors from Ho Central, Akatsi and Anloga also stressed the importance of collaboration and public support in disaster management and preparedness.
The Keta Municipal NADMO Director, Wonder Setsoafia Deynu, said the Directorate had recorded significant achievements over the past 18 months and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening disaster risk reduction and emergency response in the municipality.
The celebration also featured health screening and National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) registration and renewal exercises, undertaken in collaboration with relevant health and educational institutions.
The event ended with renewed calls for households, communities and institutions to take practical steps to prevent disasters and build resilience, particularly in vulnerable coastal areas.
NADMO maintained that effective disaster management requires the active participation of all stakeholders, stressing that “Resilience Starts At Home.”
By: Daniel Orlando/newsalertgh.com
