The Ministry of Internal Affairs with support of the World Food Program (WFP)has concluded a two-day training workshop for personnel from selected governmentministries and agencies, related to the National Disaster Relief Commission, to collect baseline data on disaster risk in the country.

The training was intended to establish baseline data for the purpose of enhancingdisaster management activities in Liberia and identifying capacity gaps for disaster risk management.

Speaking on behalf of Internal Affairs Minister Morris Dukuly at the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister for Operations,  Hon. Ranney B. Jackson said those benefiting from the training will also be assigned, not to only spread the knowledge to their respective institutions, but will also be dispatched to rural Liberia to collect baseline information for enhancingdisaster management.

Hon. Jackson noted that although Liberia is not among countries being severelyaffected by natural disasters, the country’s perennial natural problems remain sea erosion, wind-storms and house fires.

He said as a member of the comity of nations, it was time Liberia takes steps to mitigate natural disasters by taking preventive measures rather than just focusing on relief for victims when disaster strikes.

He said the training was designed to educate participants on early warning signs of natural disasters, especially climate change, adding that the Country is lagging behind in such knowledge because of the 14-years of civil war.

The expected outcome of the workshop includes; the sharing of knowledge, increaseof skills, consistency of project and field travelsto rural Liberia for collection and analysis of data to prepare comprehensive reports for use as guide.

Representatives attending were from line-ministries and agencies, staff of the National Disaster Relief Commission, Liberian National Fire Service, Liberia National Red Cross Society, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the United Nations World Food Program-WFP.