By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah
The Director- General of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), Ret. Lt. General Brima Sesay has in the official launch of the Sierra Leone Disaster Risk Financing Strategy and Implementation Plan at the Atlantic Lumley Hotel in Freetown said they have recorded four hundred and ninety-two disaster incidences across the country since the establishment of the agency in 2020.
Speaking at the event on the 21st of March 2024, the 492 disaster incidences, Sesay added that 291 disaster cases have been responded to, and ten thousand two hundred and seventy-six households responded to equally. "As for those houses that were affected by disasters, we have also responded to three thousand three hundred and sixteen houses, by providing them with zinc and other makeshift materials," Sesay said, emphasising that they had to intervene in a bid to help affected houses.
212 of public infrastructure, such as places of worship, community centres, and schools, markets, were struck by disasters, and the lives of over fifty thousand disaster-affected persons impacted.
Speaking about the launch of Sierra Leone’s first Disaster Risk Financing Strategy and Implementation Plan, the Director- General said it would assist the government in addressing the disaster and disaster-related issues.
"Sierra Leone is vulnerable to a range of natural and man-made disasters," he noted, suggesting the need for disaster preparedness at all times, mitigating response, and the recovering mechanism, which he said needed funding from the government.
According to him, disaster cases in Sierra Leone continue to rise, affecting lives and infrastructure.
In his statement, the Financial Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Mathew Dingie, stated that the strategy would respond to not only disasters but also help in the preparedness for disasters, saying attention is being only paid to response to disasters. He called on the government, individuals, and communities to take preventive measures concerning disasters.
Speaking about the climate pattern in Sierra Leone, Dingie described it as unpredictable, thus he called for disaster preparedness at all times.
The Minister of Finance, Sheku Ahmed Fantamandi Bangura said the rate at which disasters are happening in the country is increasing; noting government unpreparedness “sometimes”, which he added puts constraint on the national budget.
"This strategy establishes a structure for collaboration among all the stakeholders. It will also amplify solid financial safeguards," Bangura said noting it would leverage other forms of international resources.
Highlighting the implications of disasters, the Finance Minister continued saying it affects agricultural productivity, creates displacement of communities as well as the loss of human lives.
In developing the strategy, the Deputy- Director of the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), Jimmy Batilo Songa said they have been collaborating with the World Bank by setting up mechanisms for shock responses to disasters, social protection, and interventions.
Speaking about the activities of the commission, Songa mentioned income support in response to disasters, and mass registration of population in disaster-prone areas.
"At NaSCA, our Short Response Protection (SRP) programme has benefited a lot," he pointed out, but said the commission's current response to disasters has been limited to level three. He said their commission has not been responding to level one, which he said is more likely to cause shocks to vulnerable populations.
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