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There has been much rejoicing by the Cross River State Government over an "EIA approval" for its proposed superhighway. However what was obtained is a conditional approval with 23 pre-conditions. As usual people do not have the full text of the conditions and clearly the State Government is not releasing any details. Here is a list of all the pre-conditions many of which cannot be completed within a 2 week deadline or are vague at best.
23 CONDITIONS FOR PROVISIONAL
APPROVAL OF THE SUPERHIGHWAY PROJECT
Some Highlights
Plan to be revised and resubmitted within 2 weeks
- · Development and funding of biodiversity offset to be included
- · List of all affected 5 communities must be made public by the Cross River State Govt.
- - Communities already affected by earlier clearing before stop work order last year must be compensated before work commences
- · Create and implement resettlement plan etc before starting work
- · CRSG to maintain corridor at 70m. Reversal of revocation of earlier hotly contested
- 20.4km width with 10km either side offset must be GAZETTED before work commences. Affected land ownership revoked had included Bakassi, Akpabuyo, Calabar Municipality and Calabar South contrary to popular belief it was just a forest matter in Central and Northern LGs.
- · All non-Nigerian and Cross River wild life references to be addressed.
- · Long-term indirect impact on CRNP due to hunting and habitat loss to be addressed
- · All NGOs, national and international, to be consulted throughout
- · CRSG to protect hydrology and wildlife corridors
- · Map to be made clearer, should not cut through Ekuri or CRNP
- · Erosion controls to be included
- · Safety standards
Approval for the project subject to the following conditions:
- The EIA
approval shall cover only the construction of a 275km long by 70m width
Super Highway of 6 lanes including setbacks and other associated
infrastructures such as eco-friendly bridges, culverts, drainages from
Calabar to Katsina-Ala junction in Cross River State.
- Cross
River State Government (CRSG) shall ensure that the construction of the
entire road project and associated infrastructures conform to standard
engineering codes and International best practices.
- 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.
- CRSG
shall engage a group of accredited Consultants to effectively manage the
diverse management plans for the proposed road project.
- CRSG
shall 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.
- CRSG shall ensure the re-routed road corridor is clearly
depicted on a map in the updated EIA report taking cognizance 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.
- CRSG
shall 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
(2) of receipt of this letter.
- CRSG
shall 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- CRSG
shall ensure that all relevant non-governmental organizations both local
and international are consulted with regularly during the project lifespan
to ensure among others biodiversity protection and project sustainability.
- 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 specialized accredited
consultants.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- CSRG
shall put in place appropriate road furniture and safety standards in line
with International best practices.
- CRSG
shall ensure that the proposed project protect the hydrology of wetlands,
streams and channels through restoration of natural drainage pattern and
reduce disruption of of ecological processes by providing wildlife
corridor.
- 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
- CSRG
shall ensure that the maintenance and management of the road corridor is
in line with International best practices.
- 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.
- CSRG
shall put in place a robust contingency plan for the proposed road
project.
- 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 Super Highway with improved access to the
forest.
f. The updated 4th version
of the EIA report shall be submitted to the Ministry within two (2) weeks of
the receipt of the letter.
ADD ON. In my opinion none of these requirements can be done in 2 weeks, there are still no funders and with the recent NDDC take over of the old Calabar - Oban - Ikom - Etung road the journey to Ikom will be 1hr without the super highway within the next 2 years well before the super highway 2022 proposed completion date.
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