Cross River submits final EIA report on 260km highway

The final copy of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report on the 260-kilometre super highway project by the Cross River State government submited to the Ministry of Environment has been rejected by non-governmental organisations within and outside the country.

They said it was done “in outright violation of the extant laws with no stakeholders’ participation, no visit to the affected areas and that the endorsement of this project would bring more harm to the communities, state, nation and the environment.”

Senior Technical Adviser to the Governor, Mr. Eric Williams, said all the issues raised by the Federal Ministry of Environment and NGOs on the draft EIA of the proposed super highway have been resolved and the final submission of the EIA report was awaiting approval by the Federal Ministry of Environment.

While thanking President Muhammadu Buhari on interest shown on the project as he personally performed the groundbreaking ceremony few weeks after he assumed office, he said “the super highway was real and the contract would be awarded soon and work would commence as soon as the EIA report is signed.

He said: “I am very confident that the Federal Ministry of Environment will sign the EIA report and the practical construction of the road will commence in earnest. Issues raised by the host-communities have been taken care of and they have been enumerated for compensation.”

In his reaction, Secretary of NGO Coalition for Environment in Cross River State, Mr. Martins Egot, said: “In the first instance after the forum that was held here for the first EIA, it was sent back for a redo. It, therefore, means that the issue we raised should have been addressed and we have seen the new one and basically, the second EIA is as good as returning the old EIA.