PLANS are underway to establish an agency that will be well equipped to monitor and manage disasters in the country.
The Prime Minister, Mr Kassim Majaliwa,
reported on the development during the ‘Questions- to-the Prime
Minister’ session in the National Assembly here, adding that discussions
were going on to have the agency in place.
The agency will coordinate all emergency
responses to disasters all over Tanzania. It will be equipped with
enough resources to respond to disasters, including providing emergency
shelters, food and drugs.
“It will receive enough funding to
respond to disasters across the country. They will be equipped with all
facilities needed, including tents to provide emergency shelters and
food,” Mr Majaliwa explained.
He was responding to a question from Ms
Maria Nasoro Kisanga (Special Seats-CCM), who wanted to know
government’s plans to safeguard the public from disasters and food
shortage following heavy rains across the country that have caused
floods and destroyed crops.
Mr Majaliwa stated the government was
prepared to assist all Tanzanians affected by the heavy rains and,
already an evaluation of the extent of the damages is underway under the
district councils, which form parts of the disaster committees.
The premier said government experts on
the matter were already on site evaluating the extent of damage with a
view to providing emergency response where needed. “Experts on site will
present a report to the disaster management department in my office and
we will supply the assistance requested,”he told the House.
Mr Majaliwa noted that the government
had enough food reserves to cater for those affected and the
distribution exercise had already begun, adding that the government is
also preparing for future disasters.
“We will specially use this season to
buy food for storage purposes from areas that were not affected by the
floods in readiness for future disasters. I call upon the public to
cultivate more crops so that we can have enough food reserves to cater
for such disasters,” he urged.
The premier warned those living in
valley and lowland areas to move out of the places, directing local
leaders to help relocate them to better areas. Mr Majaliwa extended his
sympathy to all Tanzanians who have been affected by the recent rains
that claimed some lives and destroyed properties
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