By Mariama Bundu
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has commenced a public awareness and sensitization campaign across flood-prone communities in Freetown to enhance community preparedness during the rainy season.
The campaign, which forms part of the Agency’s Flood Mitigation Strategy, is targeting communities including Jui, Portee, Wellington, Shell, Up Gun and the PZ axis. It aims to educate residents on measures to prevent flooding and other related disasters.
Leading the exercise, NDMA Deputy Director of Communications, Mrs. Philomina Isatu Turay, urged residents to take responsibility for keeping their communities safe by avoiding the dumping of waste in drainages and refraining from building on waterways.
She emphasized that flooding is a community challenge that requires collective action from residents, traders and other stakeholders.
The Agency also used mobile public address systems to broadcast early warning messages and safety information while engaging community members on disaster risk reduction measures.
NDMA Deputy Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Miss Agnes Farmer, encouraged residents to pay attention to official warnings and report potential hazards before they develop into disasters.
Director General of NDMA, John Vandy Rogers, said the awareness campaign forms part of the Agency’s proactive efforts to reduce the impact of flooding through prevention, preparedness and public education.
The campaign follows recent drainage clearing exercises carried out by the Agency in Makeni, Bo and Kenema as part of its nationwide flood mitigation programme.
The awareness drive is expected to continue in other communities across the western end of Freetown during the peak of the rainy season.
