J48716 Willend EIA ResearchReport V4 FINAL - Flipbook - Page 9
The practice of EIA in Nigeria, as in other nations, has been a
learning curve, with the need for on-going capacity building
and enhancement being a key on-going feature. The move
toward digital approaches to EIA will add to this challenge, as
the application of information computing & technology (ICT)
requires different skills, knowledge and experience which, up
to now, has not been part of the suite of capabilities needed in
the professional EIA community.
- Draft EIA Report submitted to FMEnv by the
developer – who has produced it using EIA
professionals that are accredited and registered
in line with Nigeria’s legislative requirements.
Consultation occurs on the Draft EIA Report,
with advertisement in newspapers and via radio,
alongside physical copies provided to review.
- Panel Review Meeting, the FMEnv forms a
review panel made up of independent experts
– academics + experienced EIA professionals –
plus representatives from relevant Government
bodies, depending on the sector the EIA project
relates to. This is generally a 3-day meeting
process, which includes:
○ Considering comments received in relation to
Draft EIA Report,
○ Undertaking a site visit
○ Technical review of the EIA Report and any
other documentation
The Panel Review Meeting can be attended
by the developer + their consultants and
stakeholders are also able to attend.
Following approval EIA projects undergo
environmental monitoring in relation to both their
construction and operational phases. The former
has a focus on checking compliance with the
construction Environmental Management Plan.
The latter includes expectations that the developer
undertake quarterly monitoring and reporting of
compliance – e.g. related to effluent discharges –
and the opportunity for Government audit.
The process remains heavily reliant on physical
copies of documents and confirmation of
developer information via direct observation of
the site and in some instances data gathering
activities by the Government. General advances
in the application of workplace technology have
clearly been adopted, examples include the writeup of EIA Reports via word processing and the
submission of soft copy – PDF versions of such
reports on CD or memory stick – alongside hardcopy printed versions. Beyond this, however, there
is limited evidence for the application of more
advanced digital approaches in Nigerian EIA until
the last five years, or so, as discussed in Sections
2.2 and 2.3 below.
- Panel Recommendation Report to FMEnv,
the output of the Panel’s view on whether the
EIA Project should or should not be consented
and details of environmental conditions to be
attached to the project, if consented.
Willend Associates and FothergillTC Ltd – Digitization in and around Nigerian EIA
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