The Challenges and Resilience of Disaster Management in Ghana

In the wake of a brewing climate change crisis, disaster management has become the new gold for countries across the globe. It transcends beyond geographical borders, languages, and cultures, for it is a universal language spoken in the face of adversity. From the aftermath of natural calamities like earthquakes and floods to the tumult of man-made crises such as industrial accidents and pandemics, the stage is always set.

Ghana like every other country has adopted this common language hence the creation of the National Disaster Management Organisation to tailor and fuse universal solutions with homegrown solutions to manage/prevent disasters in the country. Oftentimes, NADMO has failed to live up to expectations, especially in producing sustainable solutions to prevent disasters but rather manage disasters. A recent disaster, the controlled spillage of water from the Akosombo and Kpone dams that has left several communities submerged and has made stakeholders question the role of NADMO.

Background
The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) under the Ministry of the Interior was established by ACT 517 of 1996 with the responsibility to manage disasters and similar emergencies in the country.

The mandate of NADMO, as stated in ACT 517, includes “preparing national disaster plans for preventing and mitigating the consequences of disasters; monitoring, evaluating, and updating national disaster plans; ensuring the establishment of adequate facilities, technical training, and the institution of educational programs to provide public awareness, warning systems, and general preparedness for its staff and the general public.”

It also mandates NADMO to "ensure that there are appropriate and adequate facilities for the provision of relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction after any disaster; co-ordinate local and international support for disaster or emergency control relief services and reconstruction; and perform any other functions that are incidental to the functions specified.”

The NADMO Act of 2016 clearly outlines a structured framework for financing the National Disaster Management Fund. It outlines multiple revenue sources, such as parliamentary appropriations, fees, charges, a portion of the District Assemblies Common Fund, advances from the Contingency Fund, returns on investments, grants, donations, and other legitimate payments.

However, real-world implementation of this financial framework seems to be facing challenges, as revealed by the Director of Communications at NADMO, George Ayisi. He noted that the NADMO has received only approximately 15% of its allocated budget for the current year.

This disparity between the provisions of the NADMO Act and the actual disbursement of funds raises concerns about the organization's ability to address the demands of disaster management, particularly in light of the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters in Ghana.

Disasters

The Akosombo dam-controlled spillage, which is a disaster mitigation plan, started on September 15, 2023, at a very low rate without any significant impact on the downstream communities until October 10, 2023, when six spillage gates were opened to increase the flow as water-inflow to the reservoir kept increasing and levels got close to the maximum capacity that the dam can take.

The spillage, although destructive, was a means to avoid a more catastrophic disaster. Several communities downstream remained submerged, rendering thousands of people homeless.

In October last year, several communities in the Weija-Gbawe Municipal Assembly got flooded due to a controlled dam spillage from the Weija dam after several days of rainfall.

The incident forced thousands of persons to abandon their homes until the floodwaters receded.

NADMO presented relief items to the affected persons.

However, on the 2023 World Risk Index, which was created by the Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft and the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict of the Ruhr-University Bochum, Ghana was ranked 117 in terms of vulnerability and disaster risk. Ghana's new rank is a significant drop from the 61st position it held in 2022.

The World Risk Index is a statistical model that provides an assessment of the latent risk of 193 countries falling victim to a humanitarian disaster caused by extreme natural events and the negative impacts of climate change. It rests on more than 100 high-quality indicators related to vulnerability and exposure to natural extreme events.

Critics have argued that NADMO, despite its mandate and resources, has fallen short in its role of adequately preparing for and responding to natural disasters. They point to a range of factors that have contributed to this perceived inactivity.

The Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Dzifa Gomashie, in a media interview on October 3, expressed worry over the inability of NADMO to function effectively as they had been unable to offer any help to residents of Keta whose homes have been flooded as a result of tidal waves.

She stated that in recent years, NADMO has only taken notice of names of residents affected by the waves with promises of aiding them but has been unable to do so.

In acknowledging that NADMO could have done more to assist residents before the recent Akosombo Dam spillage, the Deputy Director General of NADMO, Seji Saji Amedonu, in an interview on Friday said, although residents were informed to evacuate voluntarily ahead of the spillage, more could have been done when they failed to.

As part of their corporate social responsibility, some media houses such as TV XYZ, Citi TV/FM, and other philanthropists are donating to the displaced victims in the affected communities.

But then it begs the question, if corporate Ghana does not support during disasters, NADMO will not be able to fully discharge its duties? However, it's also important for corporate entities in Ghana to recognize their role in disaster management and consider the social responsibility of contributing to disaster relief efforts.

Conclusion

NADMO has been at the forefront of managing disasters in the country since its establishment, but due to the limited resources, it is seen to do more post-disaster management. Post-disaster management is the sharing of relief items and offering help, after disasters, to affected persons. Nonetheless, we have seen a tremendous increase in the management of disasters in Ghana.

Ghana's vulnerability to natural disasters necessitates a proactive and efficient National Disaster Management Organization. As concerns mount over the organization's effectiveness, there is a growing consensus that reform is not only desirable but imperative. By addressing the issues raised and implementing the proposed reforms, Ghana can better protect its citizens and communities from the recurring threat of natural disasters. The onus is now on the government and NADMO to rise to the challenge and fulfill their critical roles in disaster management.