Immense resourses needed for disaster mitigation - Scott
By Moses Kuwema
Sun 04 Mar. 2012, 11:58 CAT
VICE-President Guy Scott says immense resources are required to create mechanisms that may mitigate disasters.
Speaking when he officiated at the Lions Club fundraising dinner at Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka on Friday, Vice-President Scott said the mechanisms have to range from research and early detection or warning to management and alleviation of disasters.
"This exercise is enormous both in financial and human resources. This therefore, calls for concerted efforts by all. As you are aware, disasters are unpredictable and may occur at any time and in places unexpected," Vice-President Scott said.
He said through its efforts and resources, the Lions had managed to mobilise a total of US $30,000 between 2005 and 2010.
Vice-President Scott said the government stood ready to work closely with service organisations such as the Lions clubs in mitigating disasters.
He said the fundraising dinner themed ‘Disaster mitigation' was appropriate as it was in line with the objectives of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) which falls under his office.
"We are all aware that humanity world-over has undergone or experienced one sort of disaster or calamity. In the recent past the world experienced some major disasters, including what Japan, New Zealand and Haiti experienced," said Vice-President Scott.
Labels: DISASTER MANAGEMENT, GUY SCOTT
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Red Cross acquires flood management kits
Red Cross acquires flood management kits
Written by Kelvin Tembo
Friday, December 12, 2008 4:15:15 AM
THE Zambia Red Cross Society (ZRCS) has acquired flood management kits worth over K122 million in anticipation of floods this rainy season.
In an interview yesterday, ZRCS public relations manager James Zulu said the society was ready to respond to any humanitarian needs that would arise as a result of floods.
“We have acquired the kits worth US $25,000 for flood preparation and the equipment is already in the country,” Zulu said.
He said the kits comprised shelter materials, water purification chemicals to avoid any water-bone diseases, water storage containers, emergency sanitation materials, kitchenware and cutlery.
Zulu said also access extra water sanitation kits for about 10,000 people would be available within 48 hours from the regional office in South Africa.
He said the kits included water treatment materials, sanitation materials and hygiene education materials for sensitisation among flood victims.
Zulu said ZRCS staff had been trained from Namibia on how to use the kits so that they could quickly respond to emergencies, as that was part of the contingency plan revised for the 2008/2009 flood management strategy.
Zulu said ZRCS was working in partnership with the government and other agencies such as the United Nations and some NGOs.
The meteorological department has predicted that there is a likelihood of floods during this rainy season.
Labels: DISASTER MANAGEMENT, FLOODS, RED CROSS
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Nigeria’s foreign minister raises concern over natural disasters
Written by Gillian Namungala
Monday, December 08, 2008 11:42:38 PM
NIGERIA’S minister of state for foreign affairs Bagudu Hirse has said the destruction brought about by disasters has tremendous setback on economic growth and development.
Donating US$250,000 (approximately K1.2 billion) cash and various materials which included blankets, cooking oil and mealie-meal worth over K200 million to the Zambian government, Hirse said scarce resources had to be redirected from capital investments to relief and emergency operations.
He said Nigeria, like Zambia, was concerned and worried about the world food crisis and the global financial meltdown.
“We are concerned about the possible effect it will have on the million of our people who are already ravaged by poverty, hunger, HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis,” he said.
Hirse said the destruction of farmland, crops, and livestock by floods during the last rainy season was a great concern to Nigeria because of the seriousness and negative implication on the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
“It is our belief that with cooperation and collaboration between and amongst African countries, we will be able to overcome the challenges posed by natural and other disasters,” he said.
Hirse also commended the Zambian government for adopting the Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative.
“We in Nigeria adopted the PPP few years ago and it is working very well in providing solution to infrastructural development,” he said.
Hirse said Nigeria was ready to share her experiences with Zambia and other African countries in implementing the PPP.
And receiving the donation Vice-President George Kunda said Zambia and Nigeria shared a common vision of a strong Africa that would be able to solve its own problems and find solutions to challenges facing the continent.
He noted the increased Nigerian investment into Zambia citing Access Bank as one of the investments.
Vice-President Kunda said the two countries had enjoyed cordial relations and the relation had been given a further boost through the donation.
Labels: DISASTER MANAGEMENT, NIGERIA
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Envoy calls for long-term disaster prevention, management plan
By Maluba Jere
Tuesday February 12, 2008 [03:00]
NETHERLANDS ambassador to Zambia Eduard Middeldorp has asked the government to develop a national long-term disaster prevention and management plan to address structural issues that exacerbate the impacts of natural calamities. In an interview, ambassador Middeldorp said the embassy was ready to offer aid to flood victims as long as the government gave detailed information on its concrete plans on how such assistance would be utilised.
“The embassy stands ready to render assistance in one form or another, in the spirit of longstanding partnership for development and wellbeing of the Zambian people,” he said.
“As much as we appreciate the government’s short-term efforts to address the effects of floods, the embassy would emphasise the need to develop a national long-term disaster prevention and management plan to address structural issues that exacerbate the impacts of natural calamities.”
Meanwhile, Ambassador Middeldorp said his government would gradually reduce aid to Zambia’s health sector in order to refocus on areas requiring more funds.
He said the move was in line with the division of labour the co-operating partners agreed upon in the Joint Assistance Strategy for Zambia (JASZ).
He said that by 2011 their annual aid to the health sector would stand at 6.5 million Euros (about K35.6 billion).
“This is not to say that we are cutting our aid completely. What this means is that we are going to divert the funds to other sectors identified as being in need of more aid,” he said.
And Ambassador Middeldorp advised the Zambian government to consider presenting the national budget earlier to avoid huge sums of money being left unspent.
“The budget speech is presented late and this has to change. They could have the budget presented in October and people start discussing it in November and then the executing agencies start disbursing funds on time. This way, there won’t be too much money left unspent,” he said.
He also urged the government to involve the private sector in infrastructure development if high standards were to be maintained.
Labels: DISASTER MANAGEMENT, FLOODS
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