The Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Kofi Portuphy, has given the assurance that the organisation is prepared to deal with the flood situation in the country. He said the NADMO has taken seriously, the Meteorological Agency warning of heavy rains this year and was up to the task. Mr. Portuphy was speaking to the Times in Accra on Wednesday June 24, after he, in the company of the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Alfred Vanderpuije, had visited some flood-prone areas in the Accra metropolis, following yesterday’s early downpour. “NADMO is prepared and this was manifested in the quick response we made to the June 19 floods at the Royal House Chapel where we rescued over 1,000 people and a lot more in other areas,” he told the Times. Mr. Portuphy said although the organization was constrained in terms of fire tenders and rescue ladders, it had a ‘search and rescue’ vehicle and also enjoyed the collaboration of agencies like the police, AMA and the 64 Infantry Regiment, among others. Plans, he said, were far advanced to access a Dutch government grant to help equip all emergency agencies, including NADMO. Mr. Vanderpuije expressed concern that most of the drains had been silted, making it very difficult for water to pass through. He reiterated that the demolition exercise would come off to ensure that structures built on waterways were pulled down. “I cannot tell you the exact day and time but it will surely come off,” he emphasized. The team’s first point of call was the area around Mother’s Inn at North Kaneshie where members inspected some drains. The team also toured the Obetsebi Lamptey Circle, Sakaman and First Light areas. Earlier, the team dispatched police personnel to direct traffic at the Obetsebi Circle and other flood-prone areas. Source: Times