Celebrating this year’s international day for disaster risk reduction in Ghana, the National Disaster Management Organisation with its partners, Green Africa Youth Organisation (GAYO), the Africa Youth Advisory Board for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the UNESCO Office in Accra-Ghana, marked this year’s celebration with a competitive but a very educative quiz competition across three zones in the country.

The purpose of marking the celebration with a quiz was to inculcate children and youth as important stakeholders whose meaningful involvement in the disaster risk reduction (DRR) process can contribute substantially to reducing the risk of disasters and building the resilience of society, meanwhile the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) is a day set aside by the United Nations (UN) to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster risk reduction (DRR) which usually takes place on the 13th of October of each year.

This day is meant to show how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters and raising awareness on the importance of reducing risks.

In a remark delivered by the Director-General of NADMO, Hon. Eric Nana Agyemang-Prempeh at the grand finale on Ghana Broadcasting Corporation’s What Do You Know TV program said ‘’ In line with my ‘’Catch Them Young’’ initiative, we seek to get the knowledge on disaster-related activities to permeate the whole of our society so we can know what to do in the face of the occurrence of any of the hazards.

This Quiz is to equip and test young people’s knowledge of disaster risk reduction and its linkages to sustainable development. The quiz seeks to inculcate disaster risk reduction in children to serve as change agents in their communities.’’

Defending champions Tepa Senior High School won the 2020 IDDR What Do You Know Quiz Competition for the second time, attributing their success to good teamwork by their Disaster Management Club and Patron Mr. Kankam. They competed with Serwaa Nyarko Senior High School who were winners from the middle zone, SAMMO Senior High School, winners from the Southern zone, and Bolgatanga Senior High School, winners from the Northern zone.

The status quo

In a key remark by the Representative of UNESCO to Ghana, Mr. Abdourahamane Diallo, he said ‘’ The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), recognizes that education is fundamental to building a culture of safety, and disaster-resilient communities. Education also takes various forms, such as formal, informal, non-formal, and continuing education. Learners may be children, teachers, parents, community leaders, or government officials. UNESCO also believes that young people can be meaningfully involved in DRR processes when their capacity to do so is developed and strengthened. Their capacity can be built through activities that encourage learning such as quiz competitions or involving them in awareness-raising campaigns.’’

Also present at the event were Mr. George Ayisi, Director of Communication-NADMO, Betty Osei Bonsu, Program Officer for GAYO as well as Heads of various competing schools.