Cross River superhighway EIA fails to impress 3rd time out
The Environmental EIA stakeholder event was hosted in Calabar by the Federal Ministry of Environment on the proposed Cross River Super Highway, today, Thursday, 16 March 2017.
It was graced by the State Governor, Ben Ayade who made an emotional case for a speedy approval that cited political detractors, seized oil wells, reduced revenues and enemies of progress willing to sell their future for a few bucks. He stated that the world has moved on from environmental conservation and is practicing management, whatever that means. He came with a flag waving contingent from the NLC and was loudly cheered by his supporters.
Shockingly he left the venue after his speech without listening to any feedback from communities who will be affected by this project and some whose crops where destroyed over a year ago without a kobo of compensation. He did not dwell on his initial seizure of 25% of the land mass of Cross River State for this one road that was fought and reversed a week ago.
It was graced by the State Governor, Ben Ayade who made an emotional case for a speedy approval that cited political detractors, seized oil wells, reduced revenues and enemies of progress willing to sell their future for a few bucks. He stated that the world has moved on from environmental conservation and is practicing management, whatever that means. He came with a flag waving contingent from the NLC and was loudly cheered by his supporters.
Shockingly he left the venue after his speech without listening to any feedback from communities who will be affected by this project and some whose crops where destroyed over a year ago without a kobo of compensation. He did not dwell on his initial seizure of 25% of the land mass of Cross River State for this one road that was fought and reversed a week ago.
So
The EIA for the cross river superhighway has been sent back to the state for being substandard twice. The consultant today acknowledged that the Federal Ministry of Environment scored the process low because of low community consultation, inadequate field work and a host of other issues. Today in the audience community leaders who wanted the project and those who don’t want the project all said the same thing. They have not been consulted. This is the third version of this EIA and they still have not been consulted.
The EIA for the cross river superhighway has been sent back to the state for being substandard twice. The consultant today acknowledged that the Federal Ministry of Environment scored the process low because of low community consultation, inadequate field work and a host of other issues. Today in the audience community leaders who wanted the project and those who don’t want the project all said the same thing. They have not been consulted. This is the third version of this EIA and they still have not been consulted.
It is mind boggling that a Professor of the Environment is unable to commission competent EIA for the third time in a row.
The THIRD version of the EIA is no better. Here are just a few of its issues, some thrown up at the stakeholder event.
• Again. Poor consultation with communities mentioned and in many places reported, none at all. This is strange when it was easy to mobilize bulldozers to communities and survey the route before they were halted.
• Instances in the document where references are made not to a highway but to an airport or mine. This could be a cut and paste issue from a different document.
• Mention of species found on other continents suddenly attributed to Cross River. Again cut and paste issues from EIA’s belonging to a totally different project
• Mentions of partners who have denied any involvement in the EIA
The Federal Ministry of Environment had this to say
• They are tired of the consultant saying they will correct lapses that don’t get corrected
• Engineering designs should be included in the report
• Environmental safeguard should be addressed
• Social & livelihood plan not addressed
• Baseline data was not thoroughly or adequately done
The THIRD version of the EIA is no better. Here are just a few of its issues, some thrown up at the stakeholder event.
• Again. Poor consultation with communities mentioned and in many places reported, none at all. This is strange when it was easy to mobilize bulldozers to communities and survey the route before they were halted.
• Instances in the document where references are made not to a highway but to an airport or mine. This could be a cut and paste issue from a different document.
• Mention of species found on other continents suddenly attributed to Cross River. Again cut and paste issues from EIA’s belonging to a totally different project
• Mentions of partners who have denied any involvement in the EIA
The Federal Ministry of Environment had this to say
• They are tired of the consultant saying they will correct lapses that don’t get corrected
• Engineering designs should be included in the report
• Environmental safeguard should be addressed
• Social & livelihood plan not addressed
• Baseline data was not thoroughly or adequately done
The third time! This is an EIA commissioned by a Governor that is a Professor of the Environment for a project unknown investors are meant to sink $3.5 billion into. The opposition is not political. Do transparent people oriented projects and follow due process and standards first.
Yes people want roads. The people of New Ekuri for instance want a simple two lane road a few kilometres long to connect them to Ochong on the Federal Highway especially as the AFDB funded road failed to reach it as advertised. They need this as quickly as possible. They also have no water.
Tales of 12 lane superhighways with wi fi and speed cameras that will first destroy property, to evacuate containers to Niger and Chad from a non-existent port, toll vehicles heavily in the process and won’t be completed in the next 10 years are an extremely unfair guilt trip to force on people who need quick, relevant and useful interventions.
EIA aside
Please someone help me do math. Our Governor said today that 4,000 trucks will ply that road per day. Suspend disbelief and say yes. How much will they be charged as toll and for how long to recoup the $3.5billion dollars the as yet unknown investor will spend on the road? Assignment!
Please someone help me do math. Our Governor said today that 4,000 trucks will ply that road per day. Suspend disbelief and say yes. How much will they be charged as toll and for how long to recoup the $3.5billion dollars the as yet unknown investor will spend on the road? Assignment!
Pamela Braide
Thanks to greencode for live twitter updates on the session and Crossriverstate Civilsociety for a fast recap online.
Thanks to greencode for live twitter updates on the session and Crossriverstate Civilsociety for a fast recap online.
p.s.
I won’t even touch statements like the world has moved from conservation to management. Anyway let me congratulate ALL who fearlessly put themselves on the line to force the Govt. reversal of the 10 km on either side of 400 m “buffer zone”.
I won’t even touch statements like the world has moved from conservation to management. Anyway let me congratulate ALL who fearlessly put themselves on the line to force the Govt. reversal of the 10 km on either side of 400 m “buffer zone”.
Now the 20.4 km width has reduced to 70 m. Without you 25% of the landmass of Cross River State would have been seized for this mess rendering people landless, without homes or compensation in the name of development. All that is required is respect of process and transparency. Dassol.
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