October 3, 2017 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Director of Disaster Management at the Office of National Security (ONS) has disclosed that camps erected by the government as temporal homes for victims of the August 14, 2017 mudslide and flood disaster will be closed down on 15 November, 2017.
John V. Rogers was speaking over the weekend to affected people residing at Old Skool and Mortemeh communities, where several issues regarding their welfare were discussed.
The August 14 disaster, the worst to have struck the country for decades, claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent people with over three thousands left homeless.
Mr. Rogers said they decided to visit the various camps across the city to engage and plan side by side with the affected people to find lasting solution to their accommodation problem.
“We are here to discuss early recovery package, utilization of money to start up life again, issues of living in the camps, closure of camps, housing, child protection and healthcare service,” he said.
Also speaking was the Consultant for the President Recovery Team, O.B Sisay, who disclosed that all registered households in the various camps received three million and forty five thousand Leones in September.
He continued that in October, each household will receive one million five hundred Leones and in November, each household will further receive two hundred and seventeen thousand five hundred Leones (Le217, 500) plus seven hundred and eighty three thousand Leone (Le783, 000), including some household materials and food items.
He called on parents opting for the early recovery package to take along their kids at Don Bosco and cautioned heads of households that money given to them on behalf of their families should benefit all registered and verified household members.
“It will be a crime for household heads to abandon registered and verified family members after receiving the money. Household members can complain to the Child Protection Desk, Family Support Unit and the Ministry of Social Welfare if they are not benefiting from the money received,” he said.
He called on affected people to start looking for places to relocate before the November 15 deadline but assured them benefiting from the package that has been put in place for them.