Some coordinators of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) in the Ashanti and Central Regions are contemplating abandoning their posts because they have not been paid since their appointment since September 2009. They are hoping to seek other ventures to earn a livelihood. Some of the forty-four coordinators in the two regions say their inability to receive salary has placed their families in shambles. According to them, continuing to work for NADMO in the name of managing disasters where they themselves cannot manage their homes is the most disservice. Twenty seven of the coordinators work in the Ashanti region alone with seventeen representing the Central region. Majority of the Coordinators, until their appointment two years ago were teachers employed by the Ghana Education Service while others worked for the Ghana Health Service among others. But they have had to battle with the sour side of life as for instance, spouses of male coordinators continue to verbally assault them consistently for their inability to perform their fatherly roles. Nhyira Fm investigations can confirm two coordinators in the Ashanti region alone have been ejected by their partners for their inability to meet their families’ financial needs. They are also saddled with other challenges including, poor transportation system, delayed release of monthly stipend of two hundred Ghana cedis to run their offices and hijacking of relief items by some District and Municipal Chief Executives. Living in hell An appointment letter for the coordinators signed by the National Coordinator of NADMO Kofi Portuphy dated 1st September 2009 reads: You are hereby appointed to the position of Deputy Chief Disaster Control Officer. You would be paid an amount of three thousand two hundred and sixty three Ghana cedis per anum in salaries. But the coordinators are afraid to go public because of fear of being victimized and oath of secrecy they took before assuming office. "It’s very appalling because we were enjoying life at its best. Me and my colleagues were working for Ghana Education Service, Ministry of Health and some were into consultancy. Can you imagine what has happened," an aggrieved coordinator noted. Life without salaries within the past years has been described by the coordinators as hell. "Look at me, as a head of a family of four; I cannot even put bread and butter on the table for my family and I am constantly harassed by my wife who has threatened to leave me if I don’t perform my responsibilities as man," one of the aggrieved officials explained as he shook his head. Managing disasters on empty stomachs They say continuing to work for National Disaster Management Organization in the name of managing disasters where they themselves cannot manage their homes is the most disservice. Some of the coordinators believe the time to quit NADMO is now before things get out of hand. "I cannot continue to live this way all in the name of managing disaster…Majority of my colleagues also feel that the time has come for us to leave NADMO" he said in anguish. The Ashanti Regional NADMO Coordinator, Bulamatari Mohammed confirmed the co-coordinators have not been paid their salaries since their appointment. He argues the problem is not only peculiar to NADMO alone, but other public sectors. According to him, "it is no wonder that NADMO has also fallen into that kind of trench because we are under the public sector department". Alhaji Bulamatari attributes the delay to what he describes as technical challenges. "The (national office) had wanted to facilitate the payment before the close of the year. I know very well that everybody will be settled by the end of this month," Alhaji Bulamatari said. Story by Ohemeng Tawiah/Nhyira Fm-Kumasi/ Ghana