Jiwaka urged to have disaster response system

By TONY PALME
JIWAKA has been urged to have a disaster risk management system in its development plans to manage disasters.
Donor agency International Organisation for Migration recommends that it is best provincial governments have their own disaster reduction plans incorporated into their development plans.
IOM emergencies and disaster management coordinator Wonesai Sithole (pictured) told provincial administrator Michael Wandil and provincial disaster officers that they must have a disaster-response system to any kind of disaster.
The Waghi Plains in Jiwaka is a flood prone area. The Jimi and Kambia area is also prone to landslides.
Sithole urged the provincial disaster office to provide the necessary information to the provincial government to draw up a disaster plan.
“We as donor agencies only complement the government’s efforts. So it is up to them to prioritise their disaster preparedness or management programmes,” he said.
“We only rely on the capacity building of the provincial government on how they would want to partner with the donor agencies.”
He said Northern had an effective disaster response system with the provincial government allocating K2 million to it.
“That’s remarkable,” he said.
Wandil thanked the IOM, USAID, Unicef, Oxfam, Red Cross and European Union for assisting during disasters.