![](https://frontpageafricaonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Henry-Williams.png)
MONROVIA – The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) of Liberia, through its Executive Director Henry Williams, has expressed fear that the outbreak of a potential conflict during this electioneering period would increase the growing wave of unpredicted disasters across the country.
By Obediah Johnson
Liberians are expected to go to the polls on Tuesday, October 10 to elect their new leaders, according to a timetable released by the National Elections Commission (NEC).
Speaking to Reporters in Monrovia on Tuesday, October 3, Mr. Williams observed that despite the efforts being applied by local and international partners, disasters may get worse in Liberian society.
He said though fire and flood were the most prevalent disasters being attended to by the agency, conflict has added to the list.
“Since this year, we have been having a series of serious disasters and we have been trying to cope, but disasters are either man-made or natural. Sometimes they are hard to predict and prevent. We want to caution because in our priority area, we have issues that we look at to be very important like flood, fire, and windstorm. But now, conflict has added there. We know what happened in Lofa and two persons died.”
Mr. Williams said Liberians should refrain from activities that would lead to conflict as part of efforts to curtail the increase in disasters.
According to him, conflict is very destruction when it occurs on a larger scale.
He said citizens and others would lose their lives and properties as a result of conflict, thereby imposing severe suffering on vast majority of the citizenry.
“Conflict results to displacement and what we have seen in Lofa, conflict results to deaths. So, we want to bring all of these issues to the public to make them to be cautious that yes, disaster is a serious issue and it needs to be taken care of.”
He, however, failed to disclose whether or not the NDMA is fully prepared to respond to disasters arising from conflicts during this electioneering period.
“Disaster cannot be handled by one entity or even one government. What is happening now around the world, countries are partnering. So, we are looking for partners to help because single government cannot. The activities that happened are unpredicted and you cannot determine the magnitude by even your budgetary allocation. For conflict, I will not say we have what it takes, but when it comes to conflict resolution, we have the joint security that we are also part of. It’s a joint intervention to take care of the conflict. We want conflict not to even occur because, it is expensive to control.”
High magnitude of disasters
Speaking further, Mr. Williams disclosed that several citizens, including women and children have lost their lives as a result of fire or flood incidents in Montserrado County.
In Maryland, he reported that a house collapsed, leading to the deaths of seven persons.
Mr. Williams disclosed that the agency is presently assessing the situation in Maryland to make an intervention.
He stressed that disaster management is not a “cheap area to take care of”, and as such, government and its partners should see the need to provide adequate support to the agency.
He said though the agency remains grateful to the government and others including the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the ECOWAS Commission, the Saudi government, more support needs to be provided to the agency to tackle and curtail disasters.
Mr. Williams called on citizens to brace themselves and get prepare or take measures to prevent disasters due to climate change and other natural occurrences.
He maintained that that it would be problematic if the requisite support is not provided to prevent and manage disasters in Liberia.
“What is happening in terms of the loss of lives (as a result of disasters), the magnitude is getting higher and this is an issue that we have not predicted. This year, those that are affected by floods are almost surpassing the 100,000 mark. Montserrado bears the most of the problem but equally so, other counties have been affected.”
“If you look at the gravity of the flood situation or disasters, it is a little drop in the budget. So, we are calling on partners, the private sector to intervene. The flooding and fire situations are grave. The agency needs adequate support for us to be able to tackle these problems. Let’s know that when disaster takes place, people suffer and we that are intervening or responding will also suffer.”
He used the occasion to also commend international partners and other local governmental organizations, including the Ministries of Public Works, Mines and Energy, Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Reintegration Commission (LRRRC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), among others for putting in place preventive and mitigation methods to address the increase in disasters.
Take precautionary measures
Meanwhile, Mr. Williams has called on Liberians and foreign residents to prioritize mitigation measures before purchasing parcels of land or constructing their homes.
He said some environments may appear conducive for habitation during the dry season, but those same areas may be deplorable during the rainy season.
He emphasized that some disasters cannot be prevented due to geographical changes, but however, citizens residing in flooded slum communities should always prepare for disasters.
“When building your house, use the best of electrical mechanism that will not affect you. On the market there are items that may not have the quality and they are used. If you know that flooding is always in your area, prepare for that. Pack your things on the higher level, instead of them being on the lower level.”
Mr. Williams, however, disclosed that the NDMA has put in place measures, including the airing of jingles and leaflets to raise awareness in the communities to help curtail disasters in Liberia.