- In the 1980’s, it was observed that the number of disasters and their impacts were increasing worldwide. This situation alarmed the United Nation Organization which held various conferences on the issue, leading to the UN declaration of GAD 44/236 of 1989 declaring the 1990’s as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR).
- This was followed by the conference on Natural Disaster Reduction held in Yokohama, Japan in May 1994. The conference established the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR) to replace the defunct IDNDR. The Yokohama strategy for a safe world and its plan of action mandated each country to establish a permanent disaster management organization.
- In response to the Yokohama strategy for a safer world and plan of action, the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) was established by act 517 of 1996 to manage disasters and similar emergencies in the country.
- It was structured and placed under the ministry of the interior, to enable it coordinate all the relevant civil authorities at the national, regional and district levels. NADMO functions under a National secretariat, sixteen (16) Regional secretariats, two hundred and forty-three (243) Metropolitan, Municipal and District secretariat and over nine hundred (900) Zonal offices throughout the country.
- To promote Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Risk Management through the establishment of National and Regional Platforms for all Stakeholders.
- To strengthen Disaster Prevention and Response Mechanisms.
- To link NADMO’s Disaster Prevention and Management Programmes to the GPRS and re-afforestation through effective social mobilization for disaster prevention and poverty reduction.
General Objectives: To equip the Organization to handle all aspects of disasters in Ghana. - To create awareness on disasters through intensive public education;
- To ensure disaster prevention, risk and vulnerability reduction, as a means of reducing the impact of disasters on society;
- To be in a position to provide the first line response in times of disaster.
- To assist in post-emergency rehabilitation and reconstruction effort;
- To assist and motivate community-based organizations to serve as the credible voluntary organizations to assist in the prevention and management of disasters at the local level;
- To set up monitoring and early warning systems to aid the identification of disasters in their formative stages, to disseminate timely information and warning, and hazard/disaster awareness creation;
• Prepare national disaster plans for preventing and mitigating the consequences of disasters;
FUNCTION
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION (NADMO)
OUR BACKGROUND
VISION
NADMO seeks to enhance the capacity of society to prevent and manage disasters and to improve the livelihood of the poor and vulnerable in rural communities through effective disaster management, social mobilization and employment generation.
MISSION
To manage disasters by co-ordinating the resources of government institutions and non-governmental agencies, and developing the capacity of communities to respond effectively to disasters and improve their livelihood through social mobilization, employment generation and poverty reduction projects.
OBJECTIVES
• Monitor, evaluate and update national disaster plans;
FUNCTIONS (cont'd)
• 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;
MANDATE
The mandate of the National Disaster Management Organization includes all activities from preparedness to response and recovery, prevent disasters, create awareness in prone communities and institutions on all hazard/disaster types, train and motivate the communities especially volunteers to initiate actions to prevent and respond to disasters; bring relief to disaster victims, assist to reduce poverty in vulnerable and poor communities through social mobilization for employment creation and income generation.
GOALS
• Professional approach to disaster management system.
• Mainstreaming disaster risk reduction.
• Strengthening institutional mechanisms for disaster management.
• Empowering communities at risk to disasters.
• Strengthening emergency response systems for handling natural and man-made disasters.
• Developing and strengthening networking.