By Kebba Ansu Manneh
Sanna Dahaba, Executive Director of National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has disclosed that community radio stations are playing important roles in disaster management, they are the most accessible means of communication before, during and after disasters.
NDMA Executive Director, made this statement on Thursday 7th October, 2021 at the agency’s office, where the agency with support from UNESCO presented computers and accessories to nine (9) community radio stations across the country.
“In The Gambia, radios are the most accessible means of communication before, during and after disasters. It is at the heart of the process of communication and democratization of societies,” said Sanna Dahaba, Executive Director, NDMA.
He added: “We can all attest to the fact that, in order to reach people who are socially isolated and living in remote areas, community radio stations have been set up to serve their community as channels of expression and information. Therefore, in the management of Early Warning Systems, community radio stations are an essential player in the information and communication circuit.”
Dahaba observed that, for community radio stations to continue doing its job effectively, it must have trained manpower and equipment to fulfill its mandate, adding that without these, community radio stations cannot deliver the mammoth task it is assigned to do for the society.
“This project is part of the agency’s targets in the National Development Plan (NDP 2018-2021), which is to ensure that there is an “Availability of Early Warning and Early Action available Nationwide”, and in line with Target G of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (Access to Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems and Disaster Risk Information and Assessment),” NDMA Executive Director disclosed.
According to him, the presentation of these computers and accessories is part of a project dubbed ‘Using Drones and Early Warning Systems for Pre- and Post-Floods Disaster Management in The Gambia’, adding that the project is being funded by the Government of India through India-UN Development Partnership Fund. “With The Gambia being highly susceptible to flash floods, this project will play a key role in building resilience to natural hazards and disasters, particularly with the use of community radios.
The vulnerability of the Gambia against flooding and other hazards are indeed on the increase in terms of population affected over the past years and the year 2020, alone over 91,000 people in the country were affected by natural hazards, mostly in the form of floods,” Sanna Dahaba revealed.
He added: “This large number stems from the fact that many people are currently living in areas prone to flooding, and there is limited access for population to be informed on the early warning information. This project will ensure that the country is better informed on early warning information to enhance community preparedness to respond to endangerment, especially climate related hazards.”
NDMA Executive Director observed that the project is keys to the attainment of national socio-economic development meant to improve institutions and communities’ disaster preparedness and management capabilities, noting that by mitigating the impact of natural hazards, we must protect the environment, improve agricultural productivity and improve lives and livelihoods.
Michel Elvis Kenmoe, Representative from UNESCO Regional Office in Dakar said the presentation of these materials will go a long way in mitigating disasters in the country, noting that it will boost the capabilities of communities’ radio stations to disseminate early warning information to communities before disasters strikes.
“We believe that community radios can play a major link between the early warning systems set in place by the NDMA and the communities. This will ensure that dissemination of information to and fro NDMA to the communities will be made easy and this will strengthen the disaster risk management in the country,” said Michel Elvis Kenmoe
Yuspha Bojang, President of the Network of Community Radios in the Gambia (NCRG) welcome the gesture from the NDMA and UNESCO Regional office, adding that the donated computers and accessories will go a long way in enhancing their works in mitigating disaster as well as relaying early warning information in time.
He urged the beneficiaries to utilise the donated items judiciously, revealing that Gunjur Janneya Community Radio, Brikama Community Radio, Kuloro Community Radio, Bwiam Community Radio, Soma Community Radio, Brimamaba Community Radio, Bansang Community Radio, Farafenni Community Radio and Kerewan Community Radio benefited from the donation.