body-container-line-1

Nigerians/Liberians graduate in Disaster Preparedness Initiative

By GNA
Social News NigeriansLiberians graduate in Disaster Preparedness Initiative
SEP 19, 2015 LISTEN

Accra, Sept. 19, GNA - The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) on Friday graduated 120 participants from Nigeria and Liberia under the West Africa Disaster Preparedness Initiative (WADPI) training programme.

The WADPI training programme is being organised by the ECOWAS, in collaboration with the KAIPTC and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) for representatives from the governments of ECOWAS Member States from July to November.

At the graduation ceremony in Accra, Mr Kofi Portuphy, former National Coordinator, NADMO, speaking on 'Disaster Preparedness in West Africa and Beyond', said member states within the sub-region had spent time over the years to collaborate in terms of disaster preparedness, and so, the beneficiaries of the training must link up with the agencies involved in disaster management in their countries.

Mr Portuphy, who proposed that ECOWAS must support member countries to engage themselves in such training programmes regarding disaster management, also urged African leaders to channel resources into health prevention measures.

In his closing remarks, Air Commodore Julius Sefadzi Kofi Dzamefe, the Deputy Commandant, KAIPTC, noted that the Centre remains a Centre of Excellence aimed at providing quality training facilities and expertise for disaster operations and peace support operations.

He said the training courses formed part of its success story, whereas, the Centre hopes to strengthen its relationship with its partners involved in the successful conduct of the training.

The Deputy Commandant tasked the participants to impact the knowledge they had acquired, towards strengthening disaster management in their respective countries.

Senator Juajulue Milton Teahjay of Liberia and Mr Osasona Oluropo Obasola, Political Representative of the Nigerian High Commission to Ghana, both commended KAIPTC for providing the training for its citizens.

They also tasked the participants to channel their acquired skills into managing conflicts and solving issues at large.

The WADPI training programme is being supported by the United States Department of Defense, the US Africa Command and the Operation United Assistance Transition Disaster Preparedness Project.

The main objective of the three-week training programme for the West Africa sub-region is to utilise lessons learned from the recent Ebola epidemic, and strengthen national capacities among 17 West African Partner Nations.

It also seeks to implement an all-hazards approach to disaster preparedness and response management to ensure continued regional collaboration, communication and coordination between member States in disaster preparedness and response.

Training efforts focused on building the capacity of officials responsible for disaster preparedness and management regarding the lessons learned from the current Ebola crisis and to establish a foundation for a national-level, systems-based approach to preparedness.

Other countries which have already passed out in the WADPI training programme include Ghana, Benin, Senegal, Togo, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso.

GNA

body-container-line