The Government, under the Prime Minister’s office, has launched the Eastern Region Disaster Warehouse at the Mbale Red Cross office, located in Industrial City Division, Mbale City. This warehouse will store disaster relief items such as gumboots, jerry cans, and tapelines. These items will be donated to disaster victims by the government, Oxfam, the Red Cross, and other organizations.
Districts like Bududa, Mbale, Sironko, and Namisindwa in the Elgon region, which are prone to disasters, will benefit from this facility. The government, with the help of non-governmental organizations, established this warehouse to ensure that disaster relief items are readily available for distribution during emergencies.
Speaking at the warehouse’s opening, Jimmy Ogwanga, who represented the Commissioner from the Prime Minister’s office, said this is the seventh warehouse established in disaster-risk areas across the country. He noted that the government, under the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness, has stocked these warehouses with relief items such as jerry cans, gumboots, wheelbarrows, and tapelines. These items will be supplied immediately to affected people in case of a disaster, ensuring a quicker response time.
Ogwanga emphasized that the government’s previous delays in responding to disasters were due to the time taken to gather information and reach the affected areas. With the new warehouse, district disaster management teams will be able to access relief items immediately and distribute them to victims before further government assistance arrives.
Edward Mwebaze, who represented the Country Director of Oxfam, stated that the warehouse construction cost 1.7 million euros. He highlighted that the decision to establish the warehouse in the Elgon region was due to the frequent disasters in districts like Bududa and Namisindwa.
Julie Namara, the Namisindwa Deputy Resident District Commissioner, urged the people of the Bugisu region to take ownership of the warehouse, as it will provide crucial support during disaster times.
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