By Patience Gbeze/Edward Dankwah, GNA
Accra, Oct. 13, GNA – The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has called for collective action from individuals, communities, institutions and government agencies to strengthen Ghana’s resilience to disasters.
Madam Charlotte Norman, the Director of Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction at NADMO, said building a disaster-resilient country required everyone to take responsibility for reducing risks and preparing for potential disasters.
The Director was speaking during a campaign float in Accra to mark the 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR), on the theme, “Resilience Starts at Home.”
As part of the celebration, NADMO has outlined series of week-long activities, including a stakeholder exhibition, tree planting exercises and distribution of waste bins, as a way of community engagement, a high-level symposium and a national debate on disaster risk reduction, to help build a disaster-resilient Ghana.
The exhibition is expected to bring together stakeholders from the private sector, government, academia, civil society organisations and community-based organisations to share knowledge, expertise and practical approaches to disaster management.
The platform is also intended to improve coordination among institutions and help the public identify the appropriate agencies to contact during different types of disasters.
Madam Norman said the tree planting exercises in schools, lorry parks, markets and other parts of the country, were to promote environmental sustainability, support carbon capture and provide shade.
She said the waste bins would be distributed to selected public places, including schools and lorry parks, while assemblies would be engaged to ensure that designated personnel regularly collect refuse to promote proper waste disposal and sanitation.
She said the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMet), which provided weather forecasts, warnings and alerts, was also expected to participate in the exhibition to educate the public on its role and how NADMO disseminates weather-related information to ensure that warnings reached communities, including people at the grassroots.
The Director highlighted the need to begin building resilience at the household level and extend it to communities, schools, churches, Parliament, and other institutions.
Madam Norman said reducing disaster risks was crucial because it helped minimise the impact of disasters on lives, property and communities.
She urged the public to remain vigilant, lookout for one another, and promptly report potential threats to the appropriate authorities.
“Everybody should be on the alert. Be your brother’s keeper. See something, say something,” she said.
Mr Dennis Adjarnor Nartey, the Greater Accra Regional Director of NADMO, said the organisation undertook several preventive measures behind the scenes, although public attention often focused on its emergency response and distribution of relief items.
He said NADMO’s priority was to prevent disasters rather than wait to respond after they had occurred.
He indicated that the celebration provided the need to educate the public on safety measures, including the need for occupants of high-rise buildings to familiarise themselves with emergency exits and evacuation routes.
Mr Nartey highlighted the role of the community Disaster Volunteer Groups (DVG) in providing immediate assistance before professional rescue teams arrived, citing building collapses at Adenta and a school at New Town, where volunteers reportedly rescued about seven people from the rubble.
Mr Nartey encouraged more residents to join the groups to strengthen community preparedness and enable them to assist during emergencies.
He urged the public to avoid building on waterways, keep drains free of refuse and take personal responsibility for disaster prevention.
He said investing in preparedness and prevention was less costly than repeatedly financing emergency response and recovery, stressing that building a disaster-resilient Ghana required collective action.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo