J48716 Willend EIA ResearchReport V4 FINAL - Flipbook - Page 38
3. Federal Ministry for Environment – EIA
personnel
The remainder of the meeting was a discussion
between Josh Fothergill and Dr Musa Gashau
and Adegboyega Lawal in line with bullets
1-3 of the purpose of meeting under item 1. A
summary of the areas covered is set out below,
details can be reflected on by listening the
meeting recording – link set out above.
Clarifying EIA Regulatory systems in Nigeria and
Federal Ministry’s role
○ The federal Ministry of Environment has a
role across all three legislative EIA systems
in Nigeria, with state / local government and
stakeholder agencies collaborating with it.
Of particular note in terms of government
stakeholders are those related to Oil & Gas
and those related to Mining.
○ The Ministry receives a copy of all EIA
Reports both in hard copy and soft copy
format [Note: from discussion Soft copy is
understood to be the EIA report and related
documents as electronic files stored on a CD.
DVD or Memory Stick]
○ EIA acts as part of the project approval
process and the process must be completed
for the developer to legally progress their
development. In some cases developers
progress activity before the EIA is completed
and the EIA system has mechanisms to
handle this and take action against the
developer, as appropriate.
○ Dr Gashau provided a very useful summary
of the EIA process:
· Developers come up with initial
development proposals and hires
accredited EIA consultants to undertake
the assessment on their behalf.
· The EIA is registered with the Federal
Ministry, a fee is paid and a file number is
assigned to the EIA of that development.
· Initial Site Verification occurs via site visit
by Federal Ministry EIA staff.
· Project is categorized (Category 1, 2
or 3) with this defining certain aspects
of the scope of the consultants work –
number of seasons of survey, previous EIA
undertaken in vicinity
· Data gathering and use of suitable
laboratory for testing defined and
undertaken.
· Draft EIA Report submitted to Federal
Ministry, advertised nationally and locally
providing opportunity for public and
stakeholder comments.
· Comments received taken into account.
· Panel Review Meeting:
•
Panel made up of independent
experts and Government Agency
representatives
•
Generally held in State capital where
the development proposed, but can be
held online (Covid pandemic expanded
the need to use this approach)
•
Generally 4 days, including a site visit
•
Proponent, their consultants and
stakeholders can attend
•
Panel undertakes a Technical
Review and based on this makes
Recommendations to Ministry, including
EIA related conditions for approval.
· Federal Ministry makes decision to
approve / not informed by above
recommendations.
· Monitoring
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Willend Associates and FothergillTC Ltd – Appendices
