Speaking at the mid-term consultative meeting of the Regional Committee for Disaster Management in West Africa, organized by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission in Abuja, Frank Nansam-Aggrey, Deputy Director of the Climate Change Department at Ghana’s National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), highlighted the urgent need for coordinated efforts to tackle the complex disaster landscape in the region.
“Disasters are becoming more frequent and severe, affecting a large portion of the population with events such as floods, droughts, and conflicts. This calls for a critical approach to disaster management,” Nansam-Aggrey said. He stressed the need for robust budgeting at all government levels to address disaster risks effectively, cautioning against treating disaster management as an abstract concept.
Nansam-Aggrey noted that while ECOWAS has made significant efforts, financial constraints often hinder the bloc from fully meeting member countries’ needs. He called on national governments to intensify their disaster risk reduction measures, emphasizing that preparedness and budgeting should be prioritized from community to national levels.
The Director General of Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, represented by Dr. Daniel Obot, Director of Disaster Risk Reduction, expressed concern over the region’s vulnerability to both natural and human-induced disasters, which pose severe threats to human lives, infrastructure, and livelihoods.
Mohammed Ibrahim, Head of ECOWAS Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Division, pointed out that the region’s exposure to hazards is expected to increase over the next decade due to climate change and ongoing conflicts. He stressed the need for comprehensive and coordinated responses to break the cycle of climate change and conflict, urging for greater humanitarian access and funding to support resilience and adaptation efforts.
The meeting underscored the critical need for West African governments to take proactive steps in disaster budgeting and management to protect their populations and sustain development efforts amid escalating disaster risks.
