NADMO and North Dakota National Guard plan joint emergency exercise in Ghana for 2027

Pinned summary · as of 01:22

Visitors from the North Dakota National Guard, together with staff of the US Embassy in Accra, met the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to discuss working more closely on emergency preparedness, response and training. Brigadier General Mitchell Johnson headed the group, and NADMO's chief executive, Major Dr J. B. Kuyon (Rtd), received them. The visitors said they plan a large emergency management drill on Ghanaian soil in 2027.

What we know

• Brigadier General Mitchell Johnson, who doubles as the North Dakota National Guard's Adjutant General and head of that state's Department of Emergency Services, led the visiting team, which also had representatives of the US Embassy in Accra.
• Major Dr J. B. Kuyon (Rtd), who directs NADMO as its Director General, received the delegation, and the talks covered disaster preparedness, emergency response and technical training.
• NADMO's link with the North Dakota National Guard goes back to 2004, and both sides used the meeting to signal that they want to deepen it.
• The North Dakota delegation told NADMO it intends to hold a big emergency management drill in Ghana during 2027, with smaller drills and technical exchanges beforehand to build the skills of emergency personnel.
• The visitors also briefed NADMO on continuing efforts to provide it with watercraft and personal protective equipment.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

• ?
  Rainbow Radio Online alone reports Major Dr Kuyon thanking the visitors for their ongoing support and pledging that NADMO will build on the two-decade partnership to improve national emergency response and relief capacity; Atinka Online attributes only a general wish to build on the partnership to NADMO.

Why it matters for Ghana

NADMO is the agency Ghanaians turn to during floods, fires and rainstorms in places such as Accra and the regions. Boats and protective gear would matter to rescue crews working in flooded communities, and joint drills give responders a chance to practise before real emergencies. The 2027 exercise and the preparatory training would also affect how well staff cope when disaster strikes.