The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), with funding help from the African Union (AU), by way of the Solidarity Assistance Disaster Relief Fund, has commissioned a neighborhood market, a photo voltaic panel water effectively, distribution of meals and non-food gadgets and provision of direct money switch to the August 2017 Mudslide victims at Mile Six.
On the 14th of August 2017, Sierra Leone skilled large floods that led to a mudslide at Mortomeh destroying a whole lot of buildings, killing 1,141 folks and leaving greater than 3,000 homeless.
The Government of Sierra Leone was in a position to set up a resettlement camp comprising 52 housing models at Mile Six by way of the help of three indigenous development firms; Pavi Fort, Seacon and Gento Group – as free of charge to the Government for the survivors of the catastrophe.
The housing models, which lie on 206 Acres of Land, are underneath the administration of the Sierra Leone Housing Corporation (SALHOC); and are being monitored by a Committee comprising victims of the mudslide survivors.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Director General of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Brima B. Sesay disclosed that it was a results of the intervention of the Sierra Leone Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ambassador Adekunle King, that the African Union, by way of its Solidarity Disaster Assistance Relief Fund, supplied the funding for the undertaking.
“The Sierra Leone Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ambassador Adekunle King, advocated on behalf of the NDMA to the African Union for the provision of basic social amenities for the mudslide survivors. The sum of $99,975 was provided,” he disclosed.
“A community-based approach involving all stakeholders such as SALHOC, mudslide survivors, and Ministry of Social Welfare amongst others was used in the identification of the basic needs of the victims. All procurement procedures were followed in the implementation of the project,” he added.
The General Manager of the Sierra Leone Housing Corporation (SALHOC), Ing. Charles Musa narrated that the camp was first recognized to resettle the 2015 flash floods victims. He stated when the 2017 mudslide occurred, the Government with help from three indigenous development firms resettled the survivors at Mile Six. He, nevertheless, expressed considerations that there have been encroachments into the allotted land and promised to place techniques in place to make sure that there’s sufficient land to relocate potential victims.
The Deputy Minister of Energy, who doubles as the SLPP Western Area Rural District Chairman, Dr Eldred Taylor said that the Government may be very dedicated to human capital and infrastructural growth. He identified a few of the developments achieved in areas of electrical energy, highway networks and schooling inside the district by the Government. He spoke on unity and patriotism and inspired everybody to help the imaginative and prescient of H.E. President Julius Maada Bio.
Representing the Chief Minister as the visitor of honour, the Western Region Resident Minister, Nabila Tunis, sympathized with the survivors for their loss. She said that the August 2017 mudslide brought on the nation to lose lots. She knowledgeable everybody that the President cares for each Sierra Leonean, particularly catastrophe victims, and that’s the reason he established the NDMA underneath the direct supervision of the Chief Minister, Jacob Jusu Saffa.
“During Ebola in 2015, the President, the opposition chief then, travelled from the UK to sympathize with the affected inhabitants and helped the Government then to combat the Ebola illness. He did so as a result of he believed that Sierra Leone is ‘One Country’ and that we’re all ‘One People’.
“As a listening President who believes that every Sierra Leonean is important and that their lives matter, he established the NDMA to manage disasters and has been providing direct support to the NDMA to effectively manage disaster-related matters in the country. The Government has been providing the required funds to respond to affected victims and the prevention of disasters. All this is done because it is the Government’s responsibility to protect and provide for its people,” she famous.
Chairlady of the camp, Madam Rugiatu famous that the amenities, particularly the market, will increase their financial actions and cut back the monetary burden confronted by girls who needed to trek lengthy distances to purchase foodstuff. She thanked the NDMA for working tirelessly to enhance their residing circumstances.
The Chairman of the Resettlement Camp, Abu Bakarr Kamara expressed his appreciation to the NDMA and by extension the Government and the management of President Julius Maada Bio for restoring the dignity of survivors and assuaging their struggling. He cautioned the beneficiaries to deal with the amenities supplied. He went on to admonish the victims to judiciously make the most of the direct money transfers supplied to them.
All 68 households residing at the camp obtained a bag of rice (50 kg), two gallons of vegetable cooking oil, a direct money switch of Nle2,000 (Two Thousand New Leones) every and constructing supplies to rehabilitate some models that had been destroyed by wind storms.