(Issue, Friday, 16, September 2016)
The
National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has rolled out another initiative
calling on all and sundry, especially members of the private sector, NGOs, and
philanthropists to give a helping hand to our compatriots who have so far
severely suffered from bad weather condition in the light of this year’s rains
and windstorms.
The
Agency yesterday held what it called Partners’ Briefing at the UN Library room
at Cape Point in Bakau to brief partners in national development on the current
situation regarding the loss and havoc wreaked on some of our communities, and
lives, across the country due to the torrents of rain and windstorms
experienced so far this raining season.
The
heavy downpour of rains on Monday 22 August 2016, specifically, “has affected
many people” and caused “severe damages” to some houses and community
structures.
“Several
households are affected and are without secured housing due to unavailability
of alternative accommodation in some communities,” the NDMA has said, adding
that some individuals have had health issues as a result of collapsed
structures falling on them. “North Bank Region has registered one death,” the
agency said.
This
threatening situation to lives and livelihoods warranted the NDMA to convene a
convergence of partners to brief them on the current situation caused by heavy
downpour of rains with intermittent windstorms, which has affected more than
4000 people across the country this season.
The
NDMA, which has quantified the cost of salvaging the situation as standing in
the region of D50 million, is therefore seeking collaboration and support from
partners in national development to give a helping hand to disaster victims
across the country.
We
are therefore subscribing to this call for support from the disaster management
agency to meeting the dire needs of our compatriots across the country.
We
should always be our brother’s keeper, and more over the rains - in our African
traditional proverb - do not fall or pour on the door of a single person, but
on all and sundry , and at different occasions most times.
So
let’s give a helping hand to others.
“A
kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.”
Steve
Maraboli
