The Federal Ministry of Environment on Thursday, June 29, 2017 in Abuja handed the conditionally-approved EIA report (along with the conditions) to the Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Professor Ivara Esu, which the state government threw a party and celebrated the document making everybody to believe that the EIA report had been finally approved. But what Ayade and his cohort did not tell Cross Riverians was that the Federal ministry of environment handed over a conditional approval to the State Government.
Below are
the 23 conditions the FG clearly spelt out that must be met for final approval to
be given:
1. the CRSG is to
ensure that the updated maps in the new EIA must show that the “re-routed road
corridor cognisance of the boundary of Cross River National Park and Ekuri
Community Forest as well as conform to international best practices on setbacks
for highways in critical ecosystems such as the proposed corridor.” In other
words, state authorities were told that the road should neither cut through
Ekuri nor the CRNP.
2. Environment
Minister of State, Ibrahim Usman Jibril, said that all conditions must be met
before a final approval is given to the EIA report to signal commencement of
work. He added that there would be a review within the next two or three weeks.
3. Besides demanding
that the report/plan be revised and resubmitted within two weeks, the Ministry
also stated that the EIA approval shall cover only the
construction of a 275km long by 70m width Superhighway of six lanes including
setbacks and other associated infrastructures such as eco-friendly bridges,
culverts, drainages from Calabar to Katsina-Ala junction in Cross River State.
4. Government also demanded that
the CRSG shall ensure that the diverse management plans, which include
Environmental Management Plan (EMP); Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP);
Resettlement Action Plan (RAP); Livelihood Restoration Plan (LRP); Greenhouse
Gas Management Plan (GHGMP); Public Consultation Plan (PCP); Waste Management
Plan (WMP); Traffic Management Plan (TMP) as well as Labour and Human Resources
Plan (LHRP) put in place for the road project are strictly adhered to as
required throughout the project lifecycle.
5. Besides engaging a group of
accredited consultants to effectively manage the diverse management plans for
the proposed road project, the CRSG was likewise asked to ensure the
realignment of the 275.344km road corridor from the boundary of the Cross River
National Park is in line with the National Park Service (NPS) Act CAP LFN 2016.
6. The CRSG is also to gazette the
reversal of revocation order on the acquisition of 10km on either side to the
70km span of the road corridor as well as the gazetting of the boundary of
Cross River National Park within two weeks.
7. Furthermore, it should ensure
that the initial land clearing of the road corridor that was carried out
without due inventory of the third party properties/farmlands is revisited to
adequately compensate the project affected persons (PAPS) in line with national
and international standards of practice on resettlement and restoration plans.
This shall be done prior to project commencement.
Some other conditions were identified to
include:
8. CRSG shall ensure that the
construction of the entire road project and associated infrastructures conform
to standard engineering codes and international best practices.
9.
CRSG
shall identify all proximate communities to the road corridor within the
established area of influence as well as the project affected persons (PAPS)
and ensure that every community/PAP is regularly consulted with throughout the
project lifespan.
10.
The environmental offsetting should be one of
the guiding principles for the proposed road construction as the proposed
project area of influence is noted for endemic, threatened and endangered flora
and fauna. There shall be development and funding of Biodiversity offset by
CRSG.
11.
CRSG shall ensure that all relevant
non-governmental organisations both local and international are consulted with
regularly during the project lifespan to ensure among others biodiversity
protection and project sustainability.
12.
CSRG shall ensure that the highly technical
eco-friendly bridges to be constructed at strategic points/biodiversity
hotspots/critical ecosystem on the road corridor are intensively monitored by
specialised accredited consultants.
13.
CSRG shall ensure that the borrow pits
proposed for the road project are provided with coordinates for ease of
location, site identification number, reclaimed and converted to alternative
environmental-friendly uses in line with regulatory standards as well as
international best practices.
14.
CRSG shall ensure that the proposed road
setbacks from third party structures, farmlands, critical ecosystem and green
areas confirm to engineering code of practice/regulatory standards as well as
international best practices.
15.
CRSG shall ensure that cautionary signs are
appropriately placed at strategic points along the road corridor during
implementation and throughout the lifecycle especially for wildlife crossing.
16.
CSRG shall ensure proper drainage termination
for the flow route of run-off/storm water to protect the road corridor from
erosion, ensure that the road embankment is constructed in a way that allows
free-flow of surface water run-off, that any existing access road to
neighbouring villages and settlements are not blocked, create appropriate
buffer zones to prevent damage to unique ecosystems as well as enhance forest
cover.
17.
CSRG shall put in place appropriate road
furniture and safety standards in line with international best practices.
18.
CRSG shall ensure that the proposed project
protects the hydrology of wetlands, streams and channels through restoration of
natural drainage pattern and reduce disruption of of ecological processes by
providing wildlife corridor.
19.
CSRG shall provide adequate personal
protective equipment for workers, ensure that every worker on the project is
adequately trained on Health; Safety and Environment procedures for Highway and
provide sanitary facilities and mobile clinic during project construction.
20.
CSRG shall ensure that the maintenance and
management of the road corridor is in line with international best practices.
21.
There shall be Impact Mitigation Monitoring
(IMM), Post Impact Assessment (PIA), Environmental Audits and Compliance
Monitoring on the project by the Federal Ministry of Environment in
collaboration with other relevant regulatory agencies.
22.
CSRG shall put in place a robust contingency
plan for the proposed road project.
23.
CSRG shall update 4th version
of the EIA report to also include the following: (a) To exclude flora and fauna that are non-existent in the proposed
project area of influence as per the attached; (b) A comprehensive list of the actual affected communities along the
proposed road corridor; (c) List of borrow pits with
coordinates and site identity for the proposed road project; (d) Map clearly showing the preferred road corridor with coordinates
as well as major crossings along the entire stretch; (e) The EIA report
should consider indirect long term impacts of hunting and habitat loss on Cross
River National Park proximity to the Superhighway with improved access to the
forest; (f) The updated 4thversion of the EIA
report shall be submitted to the Ministry within two weeks.
also Read why Ayade's Super highway may never see the light of the dayhttps://thedailynewsng.blogspot.com/2017/07/why-ayades-super-highway-may-not-be.html
Reacting to the development, Nnimmo Bassey, Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), said: “The lesson of the conditional approval of the EIA for the superhighway is that it took four attempts at EIA submission before the proponents of this project could come up with something close to passable.
Stakeholders note that the CRSG took many decisions without adequate prior informed consultations.
“At a recent Community Dialogue at Akpabuyo,
the community people all said they just woke up one day to see bulldozers
destroying their crops, land and properties. In other words, they were not
consulted.
And they were not compensated. One of the conditions given before the EIA would be fully approved is that this anomaly must be corrected. Moreover, the Superhighway is to re-routed away from protected and community forests.
And they were not compensated. One of the conditions given before the EIA would be fully approved is that this anomaly must be corrected. Moreover, the Superhighway is to re-routed away from protected and community forests.
“We are also pleased to note that CRSG is to ensure that the updated maps in the new EIA must show
that the ‘re-routed road corridor cognisance of the boundary of Cross River
National Park and Ekuri Community Forest as well as conform to international
best practices on setbacks for highways in critical ecosystems such as the
proposed corridor.’
“Another point in favour of the communities
who were badly shaken by the move to grab 10km on either side of the
superhighway is that the CRSG must ‘gazette the reversal of revocation order on
the acquisition of 10km on either side to the 70km span of the road corridor as
well as the gazetting of the boundary of Cross River National Park within two
weeks of receipt of this letter.’
“The entire Superhighway episode is a superstory on
the vital need for citizens to be remain alert and fight for their rights
irrespective of how powerful the forces ranged against them may be.”
Source:http://www.environewsnigeria.com/superhighway-route-avoid-ekuri-national-park-government-insists/
Ukorebi Esien
Blogs and Edits for TDN
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