Disaster risk reduction (DRR) is yet to be effectively institutionalized because there is no legal framework or finance to enable government agencies to mainstream disaster risk reduction into their development strategies, plans, and programs.
This is according to the Damage and Loss Assessment (DaLA) of the World Bank in response to the August 14 landslide, highlighting that the ONS budget for disaster risk management is not adequate.
The DaLA also noted that even at the strategic level, with the drafting of a National Disaster Management Policy and National Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan, these instruments are not fully operational.
In addition, the local government councils do not have legal responsibility and budget allocation for DRR. The WB report noted that development partners support preparedness and response, not disaster risk reduction.
One of the frequent observations within the report, was throughout all sectors analysed, the complexities of institutional systems management cause weaknesses in the overall resilience of these systems to shocks.
“To better manage risks in this multi-hazard environment, the government needs to simplify and strengthen institutional arrangements, in turn to improve the disaster risk knowledge, better implement risk reduction and preparedness, and improve the overall emergency response mechanisms…” the report adds.
One of its primary recommendations was to use and enhance the current DRR platform centrally to address this root problem. “If core issues remain encapsulated within silos, or a purely sectoral approach, any potential solutions or improvements will be so diluted by the institutional complexities to the point where they are not effective…”
Strengthening the DRR, the report says, will play a critical role in enabling an effective resilient recovery, by building back a better reconstruction which will in turn better resist and reduce the impacts of future shocks and stresses in Sierra Leone.
Another key challenge in the different sectors has to do with the lack of technical capacity. Each sector lacks the ability to define, design and deliver, and maintain basic needs and services to the population.
This reflected and amplified the shocks and events that occurred on August 14, 2017. The government and partners have recognized this, thereby leading to the development of the concept of creating a central ‘technical pillar’ or Project Management Office (PMO) to assist with recovery.
“A strongly focused and central technical capacity within the government will not provide all the solutions; however, such a capacity could effectively underpin and anchor much of the physical recovery planning, design, and implementation of projects that will be required—without diluting and dividing the resources that will be needed between all 10 sectors. This concept would also enable a more cost-effective and consistent mechanism for central design, planning, and execution of a resilient recovery action plan…” the report reads.
The DRR short-term needs are focused in the stabilization and reprofiling of the landslide-impacted areas. The estimated cost of the required activities has been estimated at approximately $2.6 million USD.
For the medium term, prioritizing indexing, design and planning to undertake priority works has been estimated at around $5.56 million USD, and for the long-term implementation of institutional and community capacity strengthening activities and mitigation works in $19.9 million USD.
ZJ/25/11/17
By Zainab Joaque
Monday November 27, 2017.
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