A new National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) building for the people of Torba Province was officially opened last Friday. Minister of Climate Change, Ham Lini, led a delegation to Torba on Friday to open the building. The new building accommodates three offices, one server room, one conference room, one storage room, reception space, toilet and bathroom. The total cost of this new facility is Vt25 million and was funded by the European Union through the assistance of the World Bank. The main aim of this project is to increase the resilience of communities in the country.
Torba is a strategic site for this project because they have an active volcano which makes them susceptible and vulnerable to Natural Hazards. A similar building was built on the island of Tanna and could be the first disaster buildings established outside from Luganville and Port Vila to provide timely information and warnings to the people during disaster periods. Core task Team leader for the Project, Tevi Obed, said they are very happy to assist the Vanuatu Government on the project because it is part of the country’s national priorities. “They want to decentralize their services to the provinces so that the people can have easy access to disaster management services to help them in their preparedness for natural disasters”. Mr. Obed said it is a good project for the people of Torba.
The Meteorology Department has forecasted that the country is likely to experience 2 to 3 cyclones this cyclone season and thus Mr. Obed encouraged the people of Torba Province to make good use of the new facility by taking heed of the information, advisories and warnings provided by this office in relation to cyclones as well as other disasters. Minister for Climate Change, Ham Lini, said other government departments under the Ministry of Climate Change and other government agencies will also use the building as Provincial Emergency Operation Centre (PEOC) to coordinate response during emergency or disaster event.
Minister Lini urged the people of Torba to care for the facility so that it can continue to provide the needed service to the people. Secretary General (SG) for Torba Province and President Erick Shedrack extended their gratitude to the European Union, World Bank and the Government for working collaboratively in making sure the project materializes.
New Torba NDMO Building - Sola