Institute Urges Strict Implementation Of EIA Report

The Nigerian Institute
of Town Planners (NITP) has advised Federal and State Governments to ensure full implementation of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports on major construction works, in the country.
Dr Femi Olomola, the President of the institute, gave the advice in an interview with newsmen recently in Lagos.
According to him, the advice becomes necessary in order to stem the consequences of neglecting the EIA reports in major government constructions projects.
Olomola said that the law provided for EIA to be conducted before a project is started but such report is always neglected or improperly implemented.
“The purpose of the EIA report, before major construction project begins, is for the consultant handling the project to look at the negative and positive impact of the project and come up with ameliorating measures.
“This report can be implemented before, during and after the project.
“EIA report helps to identify likely impacts of a project on the communities but in Nigeria, it is not followed while executing the project,’’ he said.
The NITP president said that EIA was a multidisciplinary report that is not limited to one profession.
He said that the EIA process was coordinated by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
According to him, EIA is part of the requirements for town planning approval by Ministry of Physical Planning at the state level.
He explained that the assessment must be carried out before major projects like construction of bridges, dams or oil processing plants, among others.
Olomola said that EIA was also required when carrying out town planning for new development areas.