The Minister of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), Ms. Kenyeh Barlay said on Friday 15th March 2024 at the official launch of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Post-Flood Recovery Assistance to Sierra Leone’s 2021/2022 Flood Victims in the Bonthe District that the President appealed to the ECOWAS for the funds while her Ministry wrote the proposal intimating that more funds are expected from the ECOWAS Food Assistance and that the monies for the flood victims would be paid through their individual accounts.
The Minister made the statement while performing the symbolic presentation of monies to over 60 beneficiaries who were adversely affected by the flooding and lost plantations and other properties. Each of the 60 initial beneficiaries received Le2 thousand new Leones while others would receive theirs very soon.
A total of 1,000 people adversely affected by the killer flooding will benefit from the ECOWAS funding.
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), the Economic Community of West African States, the Government of Sierra Leone and Achievers Foundation officially launched the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Post-Flood Recovery Assistance to Sierra Leone’s 2021/2022 Flood Victims in the Bonthe District.
The ceremony took place at the Bonthe District Council Hall, Mattru Jong.
The oversight bodies for the project are the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) and the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) while the type of support is the Direct Cash Transfers with Achievers Foundation as the implementing partner.
Ms. Kenyeh Barlay also appealed to the beneficiaries to use the funds for their intended purpose and assured that MoPED is determined to increase the wellbeing of the citizens, harness the country’s resources as well as advise government how to plan for communities.
She further disclosed that the seven-year Mid-Term National Development Plan has the five game changers, assured that dormant projects would be revived and underscored the need to empower NDMA to respond promptly to natural disasters not after two years as in the case of Bonthe District.
The Development Secretary, MoPED, Mr. Peter Sam Kparka recalled 2022 when some parts of Bonthe District and other parts of the country were flooded but stressed that Bonthe District was the most affected and disclosed that only the most-affected victims would benefit from the ECOWAS funds.
Mohamed Bah, Director of Communications, NDMA revealed that the Agency was established in 2020 to deal with and address disasters adding that they presented the proposal to ECOWAS at a meeting in Lomé, Togo to mitigate the impact of the disaster and warned the people not to go back to the affected areas.
The Director-General of NDMA, retired Lieutenant-General Brima Sesay revealed that Bonthe District experiences yearly flooding, that NDMA is under the Office of the President with the key mandate of mitigating and preventing disasters as well as support victims.
He informed that the three-year old NDMA has received 492 reports of disasters with 249 deaths and responded to 291 since its formation as well as supported 10,217 households and that the Wellington fire disaster recorded the highest deaths.
He further intimated that the entire country is affected by disasters and that over 1,000 people were affected by the flooding in Bonthe District.
Mr. Jonathan Sandy Tucker, the Deputy Chairman of the Bonthe District Council revealed that 85% of the victims of the flooding were youths, lamented that the district has been deprived for decades and therefore has a lot of challenges, appealed for the construction of camps during the rains where people can be temporarily relocated and the banking of the seafront and called for more support.
The Member of Parliament for Constituency 092, Hon. Alice Jebbeh Kumabeh said the three functions of MPs are to make laws, perform oversight functions and represent their people asserting that the development of the district lies in the hands of the District Council and commended ECOWAS, NDMA and the MoPED for the support.
She further revealed that women, children and youths were the most affected during the flooding, that the number of 1,000 victims verified is underestimated, that mining has polluted the Tia River and in the process destroying farm lands with no more fishing in the river and urged the people to accept the gift in good faith.
Other dignitaries who made statements at the ceremony included Memuna Lamina, the coordinator of Achievers Foundation, the implementation partners, who assured that their aim is to work with NDMA and MoPED support disaster victims disclosing that they would start with 150 victims who were severely affected by the flooding in the disaster prone areas while the Development Secretary, who chaired the program, asserted that the funds are from levies paid by citizens from non-ECOWAS states who visit ECOWAS countries.
Highlights of the ceremony were the symbolic presentation of the monies to beneficiaries by officials of MoPED and NDMA respectively.
