The Regional Disaster Management Committee in the Central River Region (CRR)  on Wednesday 3 March held a one-day sensitisation workshop on the National Disaster Management Act and Policy for its members in Janjangbureh.

The aim of the sensitisation workshop was to equip the regional disaster management committee members with the skills and knowledge of their roles and responsibilities, especially when disaster occurs. Speaking at the opening ceremony, the governor of CRR, Alhaji Ganyie Touray said the importance of the sensitization workshop cannot be over-emphasised as it will go a long way in improving the skills and knowledge of the regional disaster members in order to respond positively when disaster occurs. The governor underscored the need for rapid response during disaster, saying that it is a serious disruption of the functioning of a society, causing widespread human, material or environmental loses. He then called for concerted efforts in order to minimise the mitigation of disaster.

The CRR disaster management coordinator, Bubacarr Fofana, said government’s strategy in the management of disasters in the country is not to create new or additional structures but to ensure optimum utilisation of the existing resources. He noted that since disaster management is multi-faceted, multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary, it calls for concerted efforts of people with different professional backgrounds and institutions with expertise in disaster management.

He finally pointed out that the organisation will set up a mechanism whereby professionals from various departments could be called upon to offer technical support and advice.