By Omar Bah
A delegation from Ecowas has arrived in Banjul on a five-day field validation monitoring and evaluation of humanitarian relief provided for food crisis and flood disaster victims in The Gambia.
The mission will ensure the effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of the humanitarian aid distributed to the affected communities. It will include comprehensive field visits, stakeholder engagements, and an evaluation of the relief efforts to identify gaps and areas for improvement.
The mission will involve representatives from the Ecowas Commission, the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), the government, and various implementing partners.
Ecowas allocated a total of $10.16 million for humanitarian relief efforts across its member states, with $1.76 million specifically designated for The Gambia. These funds are aimed at addressing the needs of victims affected by food crises and flood disasters.
The relief aid was designed to reach 2650 households through non-food items and cash transfers to project participants in all regions. The project will provide essential social safety nets to flood victims of 2022.
The mission commenced with an opening ceremony at the Bakadagi hotel yesterday where stakeholders shared the objective of the trip and the importance of relief funds with the media.
The permanent secretary at the Office of the Vice President, Lamin Camara, said the government will continue working with Ecowas and other partners to strengthen the capacities of institutions and communities to take measures to minimise people vulnerability.
He said the government of the Gambia has demonstrated a strong dedication to disaster risk reduction and management within the country, this commitment is highlighted i9in the recovery- focused National Development Plan (RF-NDP 2023-2027), where the first pillar priorities addressing community resilience to shocks and crises. This emphasis on disaster risk reduction and management underscores the government’s proactive approach to building a more resilient and secure future for its citizens.
The executive director of the NDMA, Sanna Dahaba, said the funding was aimed at facilitating a 6-month response plan to support households affected by the 2022 floods. The NDMA, acting on behalf of the Gambian government, has identified the catholic relief services (CRS), a non-governmental organisation and a reliable partner to implement the project. The initiative is being carried out in close collaboration with the NDMA to ensure effective and timely support for the affected households.
“I want to thank Ecowas for supporting member states in managing the impact of the crisis. Disasters have significantly affected people’s lives and livelihood, especially in 2022 when over 50,000 people were affected by floods in the Gambia,” he said.
The Ecowas Commission representative, Mohammed Ibrahim, said The Gambia was granted a grant sum of $954, 616 for the flood and the food crisis. “This response was dedicated to supporting the most vulnerable in line with the Ecowas Provision on Humanitarian Mechanism which provides for the process and procedure of delivering humanitarian assistance for the Ecowas citizens,” he said. He said the mission will evaluate the impact of the funds and identify the gaps, if there is any.
