THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE (OCTOBER 24, 2007)

THE ultimatum by the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, to district chief executives and co-ordinators of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) in the region whose areas were affected by the recent floods to immediately distribute relief items under their care to the victims of the flood disaster, is a timely one.
It is unfortunate that inertia on the part of those put in charge of the distribution of the disaster relief items has compelled the regional minister to issue the ultimatum.
Since August this year the three northern regions and parts of the Western Region have experienced prolonged heavy rainfall, leaving in its trail massive destruction of life and property. At the last count, 15 lives were said to have been lost, 12,844 houses washed away and 140,000 people rendered homeless from 94 communities in the Northern Region. The story is equally heartbreaking in the Upper East Region where 31 people were reported dead and many acres of farms submerged, while some bridges collapsed, rendering most roads impassable.
The government established a task force to consider strategies, both short and long term, to ameliorate the suffering of the people in those regions. The donor community, business concerns and public-spirited Ghanaians also responded positively to give hope to the flood victims, some of whom had lost their entire harvest and farms to the floods.
The overwhelming support also exposed the operational deficiencies of disaster management institutions, particularly NADMO. Emergency response and disaster preparedness are based upon the principle of humanity. For this reason, it is necessary for all entrusted with the management of relief items to demonstrate a sense of responsibility in their distribution plans so that the vulnerable, for whom the relief items are meant, do not feel neglected.
It is against the background of the harrowing experiences of the flood disaster victims that the DAILY GRAPHIC welcomes the ultimatum by the Northern Regional Minister. Many people will, however, be disappointed if this directive is not complied with. The burden on the flood victims will be reduced if those incorrigible public officials are appropriately sanctioned for failing in the discharge of their duties for which they are paid by the taxpayer.
We echo the frustration of Alhaji Idris when he said that “it is embarrassing to note that several weeks after the disaster most of the relief items are still locked up in the districts ” and note that the DCEs and the NADMO co-ordinators cannot be forgiven for locking up the relief items in warehouses while the flood victims struggle to stand on their feet after they have lost their farms, houses and in some cases loved ones to the floods.
The DAILY GRAPHIC appreciates the difficulty involved in moving in flood disaster areas following the washing away of bridges and roads. Nonetheless, that cannot be a justification for the DCEs to keep the relief items in the warehouses, thereby denying the victims of humanitarian support. The axe must fall on those whose actions or inaction are likely to create hardships for the flood victims.
We doff our hats for the bold step taken by the Northern Regional Minister to get the relief items to the flood victims and urge him to go a step further to monitor the distribution of the relief items to all the flood victims.
The DAILY GRAPHIC will also monitor the directive and the actions intended to be taken by Alhaji Idris to get the relief items to the people.