Local leaders sharpen skills on disaster management
PARTICIPANTS of the awareness raising session on community-based disaster risk reduction have said that training will boost their performance in managing disasters in their areas of jurisdiction.
The session organised by Prime Minister’s Office- Disaster Management Department in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) brought together ward, street, and division chairpersons and executives as well as ward councillors from Kinondoni municipality.
The session is part of the project titled ‘Capacity Building for Disaster Risk Reduction in Tanzania’ that is implemented by the IOM in collaboration with the Disaster Management Department and is funded by the IOM Development Fund.
Mr Amini Mshana, Assistant Coordinator Emergency Services from the Office of Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner said that the participants of the session were key stakeholders in disaster management because they are responsible with policy formulation and they are members of disaster management committees at ward , division and street levels.
“This session has helped to build their capacity in disaster management so as to increase efficiency… their duties cut across various issues such as in issuance of building permits thus they should be equipped with knowledge that will help them when making various decision by considering people’s safety,” he said.
Mr Mshana noted that disaster management was a cross cutting issue thus the capacity building to the local leaders will enhance their performance considering important infrastructure when issuing building permits which will be useful in case of emergencies such as fire outbreaks.
They also have to be careful when changing the uses of land, issuing land certificates because failure of doing so will result into more problems in future.
Acting Mabwepande Ward Executive Officer, Ms Mwanaidi Mkina said that she gained a lot from the session on how to manage disasters.
“This training will enhance performance in our areas of jurisdiction because as executives, they are also members of the disaster management committees. We will also pass this knowledge to the community so that people can also be aware on how to prevent disasters and managing them” she noted.
Representative for religious institutions Yahya Kifea said that as religious leaders, they are mainly concerned with educating the public on the importance of conserving environment.
He said when people conserve environment they also reduce the possibilities on disaster occurrences.
