Districts to get disaster offices-Mallinga
Aug 31, 2011
GOVERNMENT will establish emergency relief and disaster offices countrywide, the minister of relief, disaster preparedness and refugees has said.
By Nicholas Kajoba
GOVERNMENT will establish emergency relief and disaster offices countrywide, the minister of relief, disaster preparedness and refugees has said.
Stephen Mallinga said the offices would help to monitor and detect any emergency that is needed in that particular area.
The minister made the remarks at ceremony where he received emergency communication equipment from Uganda Communication Commission at Bugolobi.
He said Government is committed to help people who reside in prone disaster areas like Bulambuli by evacuating them to safer places. Mallinga said that with donation of the equipment it would be easier to detect and help in the management of relief services.
UCC executive director, Godfrey Mutabazi said that UCC contacted the International Telecommunications Union for emergency communications equipment to assist in the management of relief services.
He explained that the equipment that were offered to Uganda included, 4 Inmarsat broadband global area network terminals, 4 Iridium satellite telephones and 2 Thuraya satellite telephones with all their accessories.
Mutabazi said that ITU would meet costs related to airtime for the equipment during the operations of emergency relief services.
He said UCC in collaboration with ITU are jointly developing an early warning system that would provide public alerts to the population.
This is third time ITU is extending its donation to Uganda. The donation came as result of recent heavy rains which resulted into severe flooding and landslides.
GOVERNMENT will establish emergency relief and disaster offices countrywide, the minister of relief, disaster preparedness and refugees has said.
Stephen Mallinga said the offices would help to monitor and detect any emergency that is needed in that particular area.
The minister made the remarks at ceremony where he received emergency communication equipment from Uganda Communication Commission at Bugolobi.
He said Government is committed to help people who reside in prone disaster areas like Bulambuli by evacuating them to safer places. Mallinga said that with donation of the equipment it would be easier to detect and help in the management of relief services.
UCC executive director, Godfrey Mutabazi said that UCC contacted the International Telecommunications Union for emergency communications equipment to assist in the management of relief services.
He explained that the equipment that were offered to Uganda included, 4 Inmarsat broadband global area network terminals, 4 Iridium satellite telephones and 2 Thuraya satellite telephones with all their accessories.
Mutabazi said that ITU would meet costs related to airtime for the equipment during the operations of emergency relief services.
He said UCC in collaboration with ITU are jointly developing an early warning system that would provide public alerts to the population.
This is third time ITU is extending its donation to Uganda. The donation came as result of recent heavy rains which resulted into severe flooding and landslides.