President Mills urges Ghanaians to avoid practices leading to disasters
President John Evans Atta Mills on Wednesday stressed the need for Ghanaians to avoid practices that lead to disasters, because they set back the clock of progress.
He noted that some disasters in the past few weeks could have been avoided if adequate preventive and protective measures had been put in place.
In a chat with Mrs Ruby Sandhun-Rojon, United Nations Resident Co-ordinator in Ghana, at the Osu Castle in Accra, President Mills said Ghana was ready to partner and learn from other disaster risk nations to reduce the impact of the phenomena both at home and abroad.
Mrs Sandhun–Rojon together Mr Kofi Portuphy, National Co-ordinator of National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) were at the Castle to brief President Mills on the involvement of United Nations agencies in the country’s natural disaster risk reduction.
The meeting was to invite President Mills to participate in Ghana’s observance of International Day for Disaster Reduction, designated by the UN on October 12.
President Mills expressed Ghana’s appreciation to the UN agencies for their involvement in disaster risk reduction.
He commended Brazil, which had expressed interest in supporting Africa’s development and welcomed more efforts and collaboration to reduce the damaging effects of natural disasters.
President Mills mentioned the partnership and cooperation received from Former Brazilian President Lula da Silva, who introduced a number of packages for Africa’s development.
“We have to learn from Brazil. We have to team up with them to teach us tricks of the game,” President Mills said.
On the need to maintain peace, President Mills re-emphasised peace as a pre-requisite for development and commended Ghana’s Peace Council for their efforts.
He said Government was ready to nip in the bud any threat to national peace, stressing national unity in spite of the different backgrounds to achieve the common objective of improving the living standards of the people.
“Our unity should give us the impetus to raise the standard of living of the people,” President Mills said.
Mrs Sandhun-Rojon commended Ghana for her efforts in disaster risk management but noted, however, that disasters, like floods, had destroyed schools and plantations.
Mrs Sandhun-Rojon announced that the cultivation of mango was being encouraged in Northern Ghana to conserve the soil and serve as source of fruits.
“Ghana has gone far ahead in putting together natural disaster risk reduction,” she said.
Mrs Sandhun-Rojon stressed the need for collaboration with nations that had high rates of natural disasters to reduce their risks.
Mr Portuphy, stressed the need for more disaster risk reduction infrastructure, like drains and early warning systems.
Source: GNA