By Jibril Abdul Mumuni
Accra, Oct. 29 GNA – The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has relaunched the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Risk Management (CCRM) to coordinate efforts and build a more resilient Ghana.
The relaunch, supported by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) through the Resilience Initiative Africa project, marks a shift from reactive disaster response to proactive risk reduction.
The UNDRR Global Assessment Report 2023 highlights that the number of disaster events has nearly doubled since 2000, with projected annual events expected to rise to 560 by 2030 if current trends continue.
Despite technological advances and growing awareness, systemic risks driven by climate change, unplanned urbanization, and environmental degradation continue to undermine sustainable development.
Major (Rtd) Dr. Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, Director-General of NADMO, in his address, said the platform would end incoherent and duplicated actions among agencies.
“Our failure in this regard is not because we are afraid to act. It is because our actions are incoherent, and most often we duplicate each other rather than complement each other,” he said.
He emphasised that the platform would map out structures and objectives to ensure that Ghana invested in preparedness, which was more economical than response and recovery.
Ms. Isabel Njihia, a Programme Management Officer for Risk Governance at UNDRR, Regional Office for Africa, underscored the platform’s critical role.
She stated that the platform is a statement of intent from Ghana, signalling a move from commitment to tangible impact.
She said it will serve as a permanent coordination mechanism, weaving disaster reduction into national development planning and enhancing accountability.
Ms. Njihia informed that a functional national platform would strengthen risk governance, promote evidence-based decision-making, and help mobilise resources from various financing mechanisms, including the Green Climate Fund.
Ms. Charlotte Norman, Director for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction at NADMO, noted that while Ghana had historically faced various disasters, flooding remains the most prominent, particularly in Accra.
She explained that the platform would bring all relevant stakeholders to work together, moving beyond isolated interventions by individual institutions.
The revitalized National Platform for DRR and Climate Change Risk Management (CCRM) will serve as Ghana’s central coordination mechanism for coherence between national policies, sectoral strategies, and subnational action.
It will facilitate the harmonization of DRR, CCA, and sustainable development processes, ensuring alignment with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030), the Paris Agreement, and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
GNA
29 Oct. 2025
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong