- Appoints consultant to carry out critical assessment
By Demi Adeniyi
Lagos State Government through the Office of Public-Private Partnerships will Wednesday, hold a stakeholders’ forum on environmental, ecological and social challenges with residents of Lekki Free Trade Zone.
The forum, which is being organised by Global Impact Environmental Consulting (GIEC) Ltd, is to help the state government develop a high level safeguards template for the developments springing up along the Lagos FTZ, to tackle the various environmental, ecological and social challenges along the Lekki Free Zone Corridor.
GIEC Managing Director Dr. Babatunde Osho, said the forum is to inform critical stakeholders of the imminent commencement of the assessment with a view to developing necessary instruments to mitigate against any environmental, ecological and social challenges that may be thrown up in the nearest future.
“The zone boasts of both local and foreign investments running into several billions of dollars, among which are the largest oil refinery in Africa, a fertilizer plant, petrochemical plant, a sub-sea gas pipeline project under construction and the largest Deep-Sea Port in West Africa, also under construction, and the newly approved Lagos International Airport, all of which are primed to open up access for export to West Africa and beyond.
“However, these huge investments have various environmental, ecological and social challenges requiring urgent attention. To address these challenges, there is need for the State Government and indeed all relevant stakeholders to implement appropriate environmental and social safeguard instruments, Osho said.”
The Lekki Free Zone created in 2006, as a modern free zone and managed in accordance with international best practices, is now a major hub for industrial activities. Currently, the Lekki Free Zone, located on 16,500 hectares of land, is divided into four quadrants and managed by various operators, benefiting from Lagos State’s position as the premier distribution hub in West Africa.
The firm will conduct Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA), develop a holistic Land Acquisition and Resettlement Policy Framework as well as an efficient and Fit For Purpose Environmental and Social Management Framework. It will also conduct a robust air and groundwater quality modelling for the area as well develop Biodiversity Management Action Plan.