UNDP in collaboration with the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has begun a three-day regional capacity building training in Tubmanburg, Bomi County.
The training brought together local officials, civil society organizations, head of government agencies from Bomi, Grand Cape Mount and Gbarpolu Counties.
Speaking to participants at the start of the three-day event, Moses Massah, Energy and Environmental Specialist at UNDP noted that the engagement is aim at building the capacity and ensuring that laws, policies and institutions are developed that can assess disaster risks, develop early warning systems and preparedness in the western region.
He further noted that the engagement also focused on identifying and managing disaster, and disaster related issues across communities especially in mining areas.
"For the next three days, we will train you so that when you get back to your various counties and communities you will be able to identify and report disaster related cases," he added.
The Energy and Environmental Specialist at UNDP intimated that his organization has been working with the Government of Liberia since 2008 in fighting and managing disaster cases across Liberia.
According to him, the smooth working relationship with the Government of Liberia led to the establishment of the National Disaster Management Agency of Liberia.
Massah at the same time, noted that at the end of the engagement, a regional disaster hub will be established in Bomi which will serve four counties to include, Bomi, Cape Mount, Gbarpolu and lower Montserrado Counties.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"Currently we have brought in materials that will be presented at the climax of the training to local officials for the establishment of a regional hub in Bomi," he said.
He named items to be turnover as laptop, Computes, office desks, printers, and chairs with the initial amount of US$500 among others, which will be used for the smooth running of the hub.
Also speaking, the Assistant Minister for Planning at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Johnson Wallabo called on those engaged into artisanal mining to desist.
He pointed out that the practice of artisanal mining across the country is one of the contributing factors to disaster cases in Liberia.
"We want to encourage all those engaged into artisanal mining to stop because this method is causing the too many cases of disaster in our communities," he stressed.
For his part, the Executive Director at the National Disaster Management Agency of Liberia, Henry Williams thanked the UNDP family for the continuous support to the government for the fight against disaster in the country.
He disclosed that through the help of UNDP, his agency has constituted committees in the fifteen counties to work in pointing out cases of disaster across Liberia.
The NDMA is a government entity responsible to provide overall direction for integrating disaster risk reduction into development, recovery and humanitarian response policy and plan which strengthens disaster preparedness for effective emergency and recovery response.
