Tema: The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has officially inaugurated its Metropolitan Disaster Management Committee, signalling a strategic shift from reactive relief to proactive disaster prevention.
According to Ghana News Agency, the inauguration fulfills a statutory requirement under the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) Act, 2016 (Act 927), making Tema the first of the 29 districts in the Greater Accra Region to establish its committee in response to recent ministerial directives.
Ms Ebi Bright, the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), addressed the committee during the inauguration, highlighting the assembly's priority to safeguard lives by addressing long-standing structural hazards. She stressed the importance of moving away from a culture of merely responding to disasters with basic relief items, towards proactive risk identification and infrastructure safety.
Ms Bright emphasized that the committee's mandate, under her chairmanship, is an integral part of the 'Resetting Tema' agenda, which aims to restore the city's administrative and infrastructure integrity. She also underlined the significance of interagency cooperation in disaster management, a shared security duty beyond the sole responsibility of NADMO, urging committee members to prioritize their loyalty to the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and the safety of its citizens.
Mr Dennis Nartey, Greater Accra Regional NADMO Director, commended TMA for pioneering this initiative among the region's assemblies. He encouraged the newly formed committee to prioritize the evacuation of dilapidated structures at the Kaiser Flats as its first task, warning of the potential disaster they pose at the slightest tremor.
The committee consists of 19 members, including representatives from various sectors such as TDC Ghana Limited, the Metro Coordinating Director, Members of Parliament for Tema East and Tema Central, and Directors of Health and Education. Other members include representatives from the Environmental Protection Authority, Metro Development Planning Officer, Regional Police Commander, Regional Fire Commander, and several other key agencies involved in disaster management.