CSO’s urges President Buhari to wade into Gov. Ayade proposed Superhighway project

* Says project violate relevant laws
*About 185 communities will be affected if project is allowed
A coalition of about five civil society groups has drawn the attention of president Muhammadu Buhari to the irregularities and violations of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the proposed Superhighway project of the Cross River State by Governor Ben Ayade.

Aside violating the laws of the land, the group said that about 185 communities will be affected by the Governor Ayade Superhighway proposed project.

“This jumbo project if allowed will displace communities and millions of innocent people with little or no compensation plan.

It will also exacerbate climate change, destroy the only remaining rainforest in Nigeria which will cause deforestation” the group added.

The civil societies, Climate Transformation and Energy Remediation Society, CLIMATTERS, Peace point Action, Social Action and RRDC stated this while jointly addressing journalists in Abuja over the weekend.

President of CLIMATTERS, Mr. Smart Chukwuma who outlined the negative environmental hazard the project will have on the people wondered why governor Ayade has refused to comply with the 23 conditions for the provisional Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) imposed on him in June 2017, 5 months after the EIA conditional approval.

” The 23 conditions for the provisional Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) given in June 2017 only confirm that the Federal Ministry of Environment is not oblivious of the ulterior intentions of the Cross River State Government.

“Though the conditions where to be met in two weeks, after nearly 5 months of the conditional EIA approval, most, if not all of the conditions have not been met. Instead, the provisional approval was received with much rejoicing by officials of the CRSG” he said.

He further called on the Ministry of Environmental to suspend the issuance of the Impact Statement (EIA) and certificate until the proponent of the superhighway project complies with the demands specified in the 23 conditions issued by the Federal Ministry of Environment.

On his part, Umo Isua-Ikoh of the Peace Point Action who called for the compensation of members of the communities that will be affected by the project lamented that since the commencement of the Bakasai superhighway project, activities have been virtually grounded.

He said that farming activities which is the only source of livelihood for for the indigenes have been suspended as open defecation has become the only alternative left for the people of Cross River State.

” It is so sad that our people can no longer send their children to school. Women are exposed to having their bath outside because the convenience here have been pulled down.

” The people are looking for compensation. The government cannot embark on such a huge project without compensating them because we should be able to combine the project with the interest and comfort of the people” Isua-Ikoh added.

Also, Representative of the Social Action, Fyneface Dumnamene advised Gov Ayade to complete Tinapa project which according to him, the structures are already on ground and that if completed, it will attract tourists to the state as well as generate income.

He added that instead of adding more debt to the state that is already indebted to huge amount of money, it will be more advisable to partner with other agencies to complete the already existing projects on ground.

Francesca Iwambe- Abuja