NDMA Holds Inter Pillar Coordinating Meeting
By Mohamed Konneh
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) on Thursday 29th February 2024 held it’s Inter Pillar Coordinating Meeting at its Head office, 64 Sir Samuel Lewis Road, Aberdeen in Freetown.
Giving the rationale of the meeting the chairperson of the occasion, Mr. John B Rogers, Deputy Director, National Disaster Management Agency said very soon the rains will start coming and the need to start mitigation activities so as to prevent flooding.
Mr. Rogers said the risk directorate of the agency has been working right round the clock geared towards disaster prevention.
The meeting he said is key adding that the aim was to present the flood mitigation strategy of the agency.
The Director of Disaster Risk Management, Thomas Lebbie in his presentation said the national flood mitigation and prevention strategy 2024 is a document that has been developed.
He said some ten years ago flooding were only experience in few areas like Kroobay, Susan’s bay, but flooding is now occurring everywhere making it a major concern.
"There are several causes of flooding including heavy rainfall, steep topography, poor drainage infrastructure, urbanization and land use changes, informal settlement, poor waste management, deforestation and soil erosion," he said.
Mr. Lebbie noted that in 2019 flood impacted on Queen Elizabeth Quay and that the impact of flooding includes loss of life, damage to infrastructure, disrupting of livelihood and other economic activities, displacement of people, and health risks.
He said the aim of the strategy is to develop a smart national flood mitigation geared toward reducing the impact of flood or extreme weather events related disasters.
‘The objective is to review the 2023 strategy and that the intervention over the years includes completion of the construction of 295 meters long storm drainage infrastructure at Water Street in Freetown.
The Director of Risk Management at NDMA said they’ve also done the widening of water ways, and construction of sub waterways in Freetown.
On the non-structural flood counter measures, he said the strategy is to enhance early warning for flood, enhanced risk communication, preposition and preposition and pre-emptive evacuation, monitoring evaluation and learning, coordination, enhanced risk knowledge and capacity.
"So far we have achieved reduction in fatalities from 41 to less than 10 between 2022 and 2023. Reduce impacts of flooding on selected communities’ he said.
Mr. Lebbie noted that the strategy will be funded by the government and partners, local council direct intervention, and private sector players intervention.
Representatives at the meeting made meaningful contributions ranging from activities undertaken to support mitigation activities.
The National Disaster Management Agency was established in Sierra Leone in 2020 to manage disasters and similar emergencies throughout the country and to develop community capacity to respond effectively to disasters and emergencies (National Disaster Management Agency Act 2020).
Sierra Leone is prone to natural hazards such as floods, landslides, tropical storms, coastal erosion, and droughts that cause severe economic damage and loss of lives with disproportionate effects on the poorest and most vulnerable. Climate change and underlying socioeconomic factors, such as the increase in urban population exposed to disasters, poverty, and low levels of economic development will most likely aggravate the impact of adverse natural events in the future. The more reason why the strategy put together is important as part of measures to mitigate flooding and other disasters.
