The Federal Ministry of Environment has insisted that work will not continue on the 260km Super Highway from Calabar to Obudu until the Cross River State government is able to complete the Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA.


Since the commencement of work on the project which is one of Governor Ayade’s signature projects, there has been concerns from various quarters over the protection of the eco-diversity, particularly the National Park and the set back of the highway.


Several Environmental Rights groups and communities along the route of the highway have raised concerns that if construction is allowed to go on without addressing their concerns, the project will endanger the forest resources as well as afford the government the opportunity to annexe community land under the guise of set back.


But the government has consistently maintained that after initial concerns, the road has been re routed far away from the National Park and denied plans to annexe community land.

But the Minister of Environment, Aisha Mohammed while speaking today on “Question Time”, an interview program on Channels Television monitored by CrossRiverWatch in Lagos, said the concerns that have been raised are legitimate concerns and that the ministry has issued a stop work order until the impact assessment is completed.


She said: “Well, there has been a lot of concerns and I think they are all legitimate concerns. When they are taking pristine forest and a National Park that is a heritage for us and perhaps a heritage for the world, and it’s a threat, then everyone is going to ask questions about what the government is doing about it.

For us in the Ministry of Environment, it is very clear that before you do anything like this, there has to be an Environmental Impact Assessment and so that particular project, I will underscore that there has to be a delicate balance between development and protecting our ecosystems and so that is why the Environmental Impact Assessment is so important.


“In this particular project, the President did actually do the ground breaking for it and an Environmental Impact Assessment was given for the ground breaking alone but the process itself still has to be adhered to and the Cross River state government that we have been in dialogue with is going to have to adhere to that. Unfortunately, I think there was a lot of enthusiasm, and perhaps wanting to start before the rains and other considerations have gone ahead of that process to the extent that we as a ministry had to put a stop notice in place for any more work to happen.


“In dialogue with the Cross River state government? Yes! Of course, that much is being done, and places are being cleared, that has to be remedied and we hope that that will happen. But I think the assurances have to be that A.

This road doesn’t go through the National Park, as was so communicated; it does go on the outside of the National Park, we have to make sure that there is a buffer zone so that we are not affecting it, we have to look at the set back of the road which has been a big issue, is it 10km or is it 90m or what is it; these will all come out in the process of the impact assessment and I think that is what is important, that we adhere to processes, the rule of law and everyone at the end of the day will be happy.”


http://crossriverwatch.com/2016/04/super-highway-fg-insist-work-must-stop-until-completion-of-environmental-impact-assessment/

y nah

This foolishness accelerates

Almost the same reason they gave to stop 2nd Niger bridge.

When has the welfare of local easterners become the priority of FG that they now feign to advocate for them.

Even when the environmental assessment has been concluded months ago, they still question the conclusions.

Evil men.

Another cancelled SS project

bigwigs in the transportation sector are behind this. knowing fully well that if this project comes into fruition it will affect their business.


lalasticlala,mynd44

I don't understand this fg again o

LadyExcellency:
Almost the same reason they gave to stop 2nd Niger bridge.

When has the welfare of local easterners become the priority of FG that they now feign to advocate for them.

Even when the environmental assessment has been concluded months ago, they still question the conclusions.

Evil men.

Stop spreading lies, The 2nd Niger Bridge is on course.. Fashola has repeated this severally

The cocoa farmers @ boki have started feeling the result of the callousness of Ayade.. I thank the FG for this move.
Imagine planning a super highway without compensation plans..