Provincial officials train on disaster management

NORTHERN PROVINCE The District Disaster Management Committees drawn from across the province have been trained on how to respond to disasters. The three-day workshop which was held in Musanze district was organised by the Rwanda National Police (RNP), through the department of National Disaster Management Centre and funded by UNICEF. The workshop was aimed at equipping participants with skills on the prevention and response to disasters. Speaking during the opening of the workshop Chief Superintendent Damas Gatare, the Head of National Disaster Preparedness programme, called on the committee members to be on the alert so as to enable them to respond early to disasters whenever they strike. He noted that the training would equip the disaster committee members with the capacity to identify the disasters whether natural or human induced. The District Disaster Management Committees is composed of the District Police Commanders, vice mayors in charge of social affairs, Army, Health officials, Agronomists and FARG/Disaster personnel. In his remarks, the Governor of Northern Province Aime Bosenibamwe said that disasters have claimed lives in the province due in part to lack of mitigation and preparedness. He suggested that there should be a hazard mapping in the province in order for the authorities to identify which areas are prone to what kinds of disasters. The Northern Province has previously been hit by disasters including floods, landslides, eruptions and earthquakes, which have over time killed dozens of people and left others homeless. In his presentation, Chief Supt Celestin Twahirwa said that the training seeks to establish and to maintain an efficient and coordinated system of managing disasters in order to minimize losses and resulting disruptions on populations and the economy. Ends