Lrr — The Gambia Red Cross Society in collaboration with the International Federation of the Red Cresent (IFRC) office in Dakar, Senegal on Friday concluded a three-day training for its members and partners on early warning system.

Over 50 participants attended the training held at the Trans Gambia Lodge in Pakalinding Village, Jarra West District of the Lower River Region (LRR).

In his closing remark, Bai Cham, the secretary general of The Gambia Red Cross Society, commended the IFRC office in Dakar for funding the training on early warning system. He described the training as timely and important, noting that it is meant to build the capacity of the participants with a view to broadening there knowledge on early warning system so as to mitigate both the risk and impact of disaster in their various communities, institutions and sectors.

Cham went on to reaffirmed the Society's commitment to disaster management and risk reduction, emphasising that The Gambia Red Cross Society will continue to work in close collaboration with the National Disaster Management Agency and all other stakeholders to ensure that communities have strong early warning system in place. He thanked The Gambia government under the leadership of President Jammeh for creating the enabling environment for development to take centre stage in the country.

Speaking shortly before presenting rain gauged equipment to the IFRC's disaster coordinator for West and Central Africa, Jerry Nyati, expressed his appreciation and thanked the participants for their participation through out the whole session of the training on early warning system.

He challenged the participant to disseminate the knowledge gain from the training to the their communities. He reiterated that the training was meant to equip participants with the necessary skills and knowledge so as to enable them to have an opportunity and to establish strong structure with the ultimate gold of building communities resilience.

For his part, Mawdou Jallow, URR disaster coordinator thanked the Gambia Red Cross Society and IFRC for organising the training, adding that the training is in line with the national contingency plans of the National Disaster Management Agency. He challenged the participants to make good use of the training by not only disseminating the information but also to put into practice what they have learn from the training.

Momodou Sanneh the LRR branch officer also expressed similar sentiment.