An environmental manager in Rivers State, Christian Otiasah has urged the Rivers State Government to conduct an environmental impact assessment before starting the construction of Port Harcourt Ring Road. Dr. Otiasah gave this advice in an interview with our reporter. He said a project of this magnitude Kriss crossing several communities does not have an environmental impact assessment report. He urge the government to take the lead in obeying its laws. The Environmental Impact Acessment Act (EIA) does not exempts projects of this magnitude from environmental impact study.
Dr. Christian Otiadah further explained that they can not begin to repeat when, how, and where EIA must be done. He said if the government begins to disobey its laws, it will lose the moral impetus to enforce cooperate environmental compliance. Dr. Otiasah also spoke on the need to engage communities that will be affected by the construction of Port Harcourt Ring Road. He said internal climes have gone beyond using Environmental impact assessment (EIA) as the only project advisory, they have now included ecosystem services studies in addition to EIA as advisory. He said even as close as South Africa, they are doing that.
Meanwhile, the President of the Movement for the Development of Oyibo Ethnic Nationality, Victor Opute wants part of Oyibo to be included in the design of the Port Harcourt Ring Road, stating that it will tackle flooding in the area. He said it will be unfair for anyone to suggest that Oyibo Local Government Area should not be added in the Port Harcourt City Ring Road project that Rivers State Government is embarking on. Adding that Oyibo Local Government Area is a part of greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority Area and has contributed huge quota for the economic gains of Rivers State and Nigeria at large.
