NDRC Cries For Support
The National Disaster Relief Commission or NDRC has emphasized the need for additional support to the commission to execute its mandate.
According to the NDRC, its budgetary allotment cannot respond to the needs of every disaster victim, noting that it is confronted with a number of challenges in rendering services to disaster victims- something that is retarding its efforts to execute its assigned duties and functions as a national institution.
The NDRC is a department within the Ministry of Internal Affairs, with a special mandate to supervise and monitor issues related to every disaster issue, including catering to citizens victimized by disasters such as Flood, heavy Storm, Fire, sea erosion, as well as epidemic, among others.
According to the Director of the NDRC, Louise K.D. Morris, the NRDC receives US$44,000 to execute its duties- something she described as low income for such institution.
She made the remarks last weekend at the climax of a three day- climate change and environmental workshop in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, under the auspices the Environmental Protection Agency or EPA, with support from United Nation Economic Commission.
The workshop, which brought together several of Liberian journalists from every sector of the media, was intended to train local journalist how to report on climate change and environmental issue in Liberia.
She stressed the need for the Liberian Government to increase the budget of the Disaster commission, saying: “we are facing serious problem from people who are victims of heavy disasters; and when nothing is done quickly to respond to the needs of those people, there will be another situation in Liberia because every day citizens are crying for assistance- and the commission cannot move to help because no additional money.”
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Madam Morris indicated that in order to deal with disasters in Liberia, the government must increase the budget allocation of the NDRC to build its capacity and establish structures at every district and community level.
By Lewis S. Teh
