Introduction
The Department is active in disaster relief, post-emergency recovery projects as well as risk reduction programmes. It is essentially concerned with humanitarian relief interventions, rehabilitation of human/vulnerable groups affected by disasters and reconstruction of infrastructure. This is to enable affected victims overcome the stresses, traumas and enhances their recovery from disasters.

The Department is headed by a Chief Disaster Control Officer/Director who is responsible to the National Co-ordinator on the day-to-day administration of the Department. There are four units under the Directorate namely; Relief and Counselling, Rehabilitation and Resettlement, Warehouse/Stores, and Refugee Settlement

Functions of the Department

• Ensure that relief and rehabilitation activities are performed in an effective, efficient, accountable and transparent manner.
• Draw and facilitate the development of plans to meet medium and long-term relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction needs.Ensure distribution of relief items to the regions and districts
• Ensure human reception of deportees/returnees and their safe departure to their hometowns.
• Monitor programme implementation and provide support in terms of information and planning of relief and reconstruction.
• Set standards for assessment of relief/resettlement impact in emergency response programmes.
• Collaborate with technical committee members to facilitate the setting up of structures to assist technical members to ensure that relief funds and items are managed effectively and efficiently.
• Liaise with and solicit assistance from Local and International Agencies involved in relief operations.
• Liaise with other departments.

 

Responsibilities/Duties of the Department are as follows:

• Consideration of assessment reports on natural and man-made disasters from zonal offices;
• Assessment of both natural and man-made disasters;
• Rehabilitation of victims of disasters/internally displaced persons (IDPs) and vulnerable communities in collaboration with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies and other stakeholders;
• Reception and Rehabilitation of Ghanaian returnees from foreign countries;
• Provision of relief assistance to friendly African and other foreign countries ravaged by natural and man-made disasters;
• Propagation of information on relief distribution and rehabilitation programmes at the nationwide;
• Organising and providing relief to disaster victims country-wide
• Forecasting and drawing yearly relief plans and counselling
• Stockpiling, maintenance, distribute and monitoring of relief items.
• Co-ordinating relief programmes in the country.
• Other ad-hoc duties that can enhance relief distribution and rehabilitation of disaster victims and communities:
• Organising and participating in awareness programmes etc. seminars, workshops, lectures, TV programmes
• Training of staff on relief and counselling
• Supervising of other subordinates
• Effect needs assessment and registration of victims