Gbarnga — The National Disaster Management Agency has opened its first regional office in Gbarnga, Bong County to tackle the issue of disaster in Bong, Lofa, Nimba, and Margibi Counties.
First regional hub in Bong County is a pilot project with a plan to open other disaster management centers across the country.
The opening of the first regional center in Bong County follows a three-days County Disaster Management Committee Capacity Enhancement Training for stakeholders to effectively discharge their functions thereby coordinating the sector adequately.
Speaking at the event, the Vice President Madam Jewel Howard-Taylor praised the National Disaster Management Agency for decentralizing its operations to other counties something she says President Weah cherishes.
According to the Vice President, if everything is centralized in the country, it makes it difficult to attend to issues when they arise.
“So, we are grateful to the leadership of the National Disaster Management Agency because it takes vision to say let go and move this way so that when something happens we are not taking people from Monrovia. Bong County is blessed to have NDMA’s first regional office because it is the heartbeat of our country.
The Liberian Vice President also thanks the UNDP for their continued support of Liberia’s rebuilding process, something she says the President admonishes.
She added that for such a regional center to be effective, the issue of mobility in order to access some far to reach areas should not be overlooked.
“I want to make this request on behalf of the President to the UNDP to please consider one or two vehicles for this center effective,” she said.
Also speaking, the Deputy Minister for Urban Affairs at the Ministry Internal Affairs Paulita C.C. Wie promises to join the NDMA to prevent disasters across the country.
Madam Wie also praised the UNDP for their support adding that the disaster management can’t be effective without the hubs around the country.
Representing the UNDP, Moses Massa congratulates the National Disaster Management Agency for establishing the first disaster management center. This way Mr. Massa says the NDMA will tackle the issue of early warning, and also prevention of disaster in Liberia.
“We have gone a very long way to set up the first regional hub for disaster management, and we want to praise the NDMA for such great work,” Mr. Massa said.
Adding up, the Executive Director for the National Disaster Management Agency Henry O. Williams said his team at the NDMA is relying on the superintendents and other local authorities for any alert to prevent disaster across the country.
“The president has been very proactive because anytime there is a disaster he tells us to make a quick response. I bring you a greeting from the President who is pleased to have the first regional hub in Bong because this is the heartbeat of our country,” he said.