2nd Niger Bridge

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THE PROPOSED SECOND RIVER NIGERBRIDGE, NIGERIA

Scoping Report

1 July 2014

Report Number: 9151

Prepared by:

Aurecon Consulting EngineersNigeria LimitedBlock 20 Plot 32BAdmiralty WayLekki Peninsula Scheme 1Lagos, NigeriaEmail: [email protected]: +234 1 710 1481

Prepared for:

NSIA Motorways InvestmentCompany & Julius BergerConsortium4th Floor Clan Place Plot 1386ATigris Crescent

Maitama, AbujaNigeria

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Document Control Record

Document prepared by:

Aurecon Consulting Engineers Nigeria Limited

Block 20 Plot 32B

Admiralty WayLekki Peninsula Scheme 1

Lagos, Nigeria

T

F

E

W

+234 1 710 1481

+27 86 233 9530

[email protected]

aurecongroup.com

A person using Aurecon documents or data accepts the risk of:

a) Using the documents or data in electronic form without requesting and checking them for accuracy against the original hard copy

version. b) Using the documents or data for any purpose not agreed to in writing by Aurecon.

Document control

Report Title Scoping Report for the Proposed Second River Niger Bridge, Nigeria

Document ID 9151 Project Number 110757

File PathP:\Projects\110042 ESIA 2nd River Bridge\03 PRJ Del\4 REPORTS\4 SCOPING

REPORT\Niger Bridge Scoping Report_Final.docx

Client NMIC Client Contact Vivianne Infante

Rev Date Revision Details/Status Prepared by Author Verifier Approver

2 13 June 2014 Client copyKirsten Jones

and Nelis

Bezuidenhout

Diane

Erasmus

Pieter

Botha

5 1 July 2014 Final copy

Kirsten Jones

and Nelis

Bezuidenhout

Diane

Erasmus

Pieter

Botha

Current Revision 5

Approval

Author Signature Approver Signature

Name Diane Erasmus Name Andries van der Merwe

Title Associate Title

Technical Director:

Environment & Advisory

Services

This report is to be referred to in bibliographies as: AURECON. 2014. Scoping Report for the Proposed

Second River Niger Bridge, Nigeria: Scoping Report. Report No. 9151.


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Second River Niger Bridge, Nigeria Page | 1

Scoping Report

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CONTENTS

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY 8

1

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 18

PROJECT DESCRIPTION 18 1.1

LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS 21

1.2 PURPOSE OF THE SCOPING REPORT AND TERMS OF REFERENCE 21 1.3

ROLE PLAYERS 23 1.4

2

PROJECT DESCRIPTION 26

OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT 26 2.1

NEED AND DESIRABILITY 26 2.2

PROJECT COMPONENTS 27 2.3

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES 33 2.4

OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES 39 2.5

DECOMMISSIONING ACTIVITIES 40 2.6

ALTERNATIVES 40 2.7

3 LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK 46

INTERNATIONAL LEGISLATION 46 3.1

NIGERIAN LEGISLATION 52 3.2

DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC LEGISLATION 52 3.3

4 ESIA PROCESS AND METHODOLOGY 56

PROCESS OVERVIEW 56 4.1

SCOPING PHASE 56 4.2

ESIA PHASE 59 4.3

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT 60 4.4

GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE AND UNCERTAINTIES 63

4.5

5

BASELINE DESCRIPTION 66

INTRODUCTION 66 5.1

GENERAL DESCRIPTION 66 5.2

LAND USE 68 5.3

TERRESTRIAL BIODIVERSITY 69 5.4

AQUATIC BIODIVERSITY 72 5.5

GEOLOGY AND SOILS 75 5.6

GEOHYDROLOGY 78 5.7

HYDROLOGY 79 5.8

AIR QUALITY 83

5.9

NOISE 85 5.10

VISUAL 86 5.11

SOCIAL 87 5.12

TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT 93 5.13

VULNERABILITY AND ADAPTATION 95 5.14

WASTE MANAGEMENT 96 5.15

SUMMARY OF BASELINE DESCRIPTIONS 96 5.16

RISK 98 5.17

6

OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS 100

7 TERMS OF REFERENCE 104


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INTRODUCTION 104 7.1

PURPOSE OF THE ESIA AND ESMP 104 7.2

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT 105 7.3

ALTERNATIVES 105 7.4

ISSUES AND IMPACTS 105 7.5

METHODOLOGY FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS 110 7.6

ASSESSMENT OF CUMULATIVE IMPACTS 114 7.7

MITIGATION MEASURES 114

7.8 TIMELINE 115 7.9

CONCLUSION 116 7.10

8

REFERENCES 118

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 | Locality map indicating proposed infrastructure .......................................................................................... 19 Figure 2 | Overview map indicating proposed infrastructure ................................................... ..................................... 20 Figure 3 | Visualisation of bridge from the north .......................................................................................................... 29 Figure 4 | Visualisation of bridge looking from the east to west ................................................................................... 29 Figure 5 | Longitudinal section of the bridge showing the three sections ..................................................... ................ 30 Figure 6 | The Scoping and ESIA process (adapted from Roughton, 2012) ........................................................... ..... 57

Figure 7 | Stakeholder engagement methodology ....................................................................................................... 61 Figure 8 | Land cover of the project area ................................................................................................................ ..... 69 Figure 9 | Part of the study area at Onitsha showing clearance of vegetation for farming and housing construction

(Source: Bamidele, 2014) ............................................................................................................................ 70 Figure 10 | A view of part of the freshwater swamp forest in the study area showing Hallea ciliata (Abura) (Source:

Bamidele, 2014)........................................................................................................................................... 71 Figure 11 | Fisherman inspecting his fishing gear (Source: Prof Anthony E. Ogbeibu) ............................................... 74 Figure 12 | Dredged sand being offloaded by hand (Source: Perold and Boersema, 2014) ........................................ 78 Figure 13 | Niger River annual flow series 1970-1992 at Lokoja gauge ...................................................................... 81 Figure 14 | Niger River monthly flow distribution as a percentage of the MAR ............................................................ 82 Figure 15 | Flow Duration curve average daily flow (1970-1992) at Lokoja gauge ...................................................... 82 Figure 16 | Season Flow Duration curves average daily flow (1970-1992) at Lokoja gauge ....................................... 83 Figure 17 | A typical focus group in progress (Source: Perold and Boersema, 2014) ................................................. 88

Figure 18 | Typical wattle-and-daub structure (Source: Digby Wells) .......................................................................... 91 Figure 19 | Multi-story residential buildings (Source: Aurecon) ......................................................... ........................... 92

Figure 20 | A road in the study area with no hard shoulder lane or line markings and pedestrian walkways (Source: Aurecon) ...................................................... ........................................................... ..................................... 94

Figure 21 | The contribution of risk assessment to the risk management process (source: ISO 31000: 2009) ........... 99 Figure 22 | Hierarchy of mitigation ............................................................................................................................. 115

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 | Role players .................................................................................................................................................. 23 Table 2 | Environmental specialists ............................................................................................................................. 24 Table 3 | Environmental authority ................................................................................................................................ 25 Table 4 | Summary of alignment sections and design features ................................................................................... 32

Table 5 | Summary of resources ..................................................... ............................................................. ................ 36

Table 6 | Summary of construction components and various metrics .......................................................... ................ 38

Table 7 | Alignment alternatives considered prior to this ESIA (Roughton International (Nigeria) Ltd, 2012) .............. 42 Table 8 | Outline of the IFC PS and their relevance in this ESIA ................................................................................. 47 Table 9 | Outline of the international standards and Nigerian legislation regarding ESIA, Stakeholder Engagement, social

impact assessment and resettlement .......................................................................................................... 48 Table 10 | Summary of discipline specific legislation ................................................................................................... 53 Table 11 | Scoping activities undertaken ..................................................................................................................... 58 Table 12 | Comments raised during the Stakeholder Engagement process ........................................................... ..... 63 Table 13 | Specialists studies gaps in knowledge ........................................................... ............................................. 64 Table 14 | Population density and utility of dominant economic plant species along the proposed road and bridge ... 71 Table 15 | Guidelines for ambient air quality in Nigeria ............................................................................................... 85 Table 16 | Summary of land uses and assets in the road RoW ................................................................................... 90 Table 17 | Land uses to be displaced by other Project components ............................................................ ................ 90 Table 18 | Differences on each side of the river bank – more disadvantaged communities are at more risk for climate

change variables.......................................................................................................................................... 96

Table 19 | Aspects requiring additional study ............................................................................................................ 106


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Abbreviations

BOD Biochemical oxygen demand

CBO Community-based Organisations

COD Chemical oxygen demand

CRR Comments and Responses ReportCu Copper

dB(A) Decibels

DBOT Design Build, Operate and Transfer

DO Dissolved oxygen

EAP Environmental Assessment Practitioner

EIA Environmental Impact Assessment

EIA Act Environmental Impact Assessment Act (No. 86 of 1992)

EP Equator Principles

EPC Engineering, Procurement and Construction

EPFIs Equator Principles Financial Institutions

ESIA Environmental and Social Impact Assessment

ESMP Environmental and Social Management Plan

Fe Iron

FEPA Federal Environmental Protection Agency

FGN Federal Government of Nigeria

FMEnv Federal Ministry of Environment

FMW Federal Ministry of Works

FNL Fugro Nigeria Limited

FRSC Federal Road Safety Commission

GIS Geographical Information Systems

HGV Heavy Goods Vehicle

I&APs Interested and Affected Parties

ICR Act Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission Act (2005)

IEC Electro-technical Commission

IEE Initial Environmental Evaluation

IFC International Finance Corporation

ISO International Standards Organisation

ITZC Inter Tropical Convergence Zone

LFN Laws of the Federation of NigeriaLoS Levels of Service

NBA Niger Basin Authority

NBS National Bureau of Statistics

NEEDS National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy

NESREA The National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency Act (2007)

NGO Non-Governmental Organisation

NIHSA Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency

NIIMP National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan

NMIC NSIA Motorways Investment Company

NSIA Nigerian Sovereign Investment AuthorityNO3 Nitrate


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NPE National Policy on the Environment (1989, revised 1999)

NSIA Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority

NSR’s Noise Sensitive Receptors

Pb Lead

PPP Private-Public Partnership

PS Performance Standards

RAP Resettlement Action PlanRoW Right of Way

SEEDS State Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy

SIA Social Impact Assessment

SO4 Sulphate

THC Total Hydrocarbon

TIA Traffic Impact Assessment

ToR Terms of Reference

TSS Total suspended solids


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NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Works has proposed the

construction of a second bridge across the River Niger between Onitsha in Anambra State and

Asaba in Delta State (refer to Figure 1).

The road and bridge together will be 11.9 km long, and the bridge itself 1.59 km long. It includes a

toll plaza on the Asaba side. This will allow for six lanes of traffic, three in each direction. The path

of the road is known as the Right of Way and will have an average width of 91.44 m but is wider

near the embankments and the Toll Plaza.

The FMW has entered into a Public Private Partnership with a Consortium made up of the NSIA

Motorways Investment Company and Julius Berger. This contract is in the form of a concession sothat the Consortium can manage the project for 25 years until it may be handed back to the

Federal Ministry of Works.

An Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) is a requirement of the Environmental

Decree No 86 of 1992 – known in the statute books as Environmental Impact Assessment Act CAP

E12, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) (2004) (EIA Act). Aurecon Consulting Engineers

Nigeria Limited (Aurecon) have been appointed to lead this ESIA process. The International

Finance Corporation (IFC) also has a set of standards for ESIA processes and the highest possible

compliance with these standards will be sought. The FMW is leading a land acquisition process to

accommodate the project. As a parallel but integrated process to the ESIA, Aurecon is compiling aResettlement Action Plan (RAP) to ensure that the necessary land acquisition (as an impact of the

project identified in the ESIA) adequately identifies and compensates all affected persons.

As a requirement of the Nigerian EIA Act, a full ESIA study is required. Before this is undertaken, a

Terms of Reference must be submitted to the Federal Ministry of Environment, as the

environmental authority, to describe the proposed process for the study. An environmental and

social scoping exercise was undertaken by Aurecon and partners, which include Waste Matters

Nigeria Limited and MacBenuz Enviros Ltd, as well as sixteen environmental specialists. The

specialists will consider the biophysical environment (aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, hydrology,

geology, climate change) and the social environment (land use and social impacts, air quality andnoise, traffic and visual impacts) as risk. The Scoping Report and Terms of Reference therefore

document the scoping process and activities to date and set out the way forward for the ESIA.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The first Niger Bridge was constructed in 1965 to link the south-eastern and south-western parts of

Nigeria economically. Located on the east –west national main road from Lagos through Benin, the

bridge is a strategic gateway. Population growth and urbanisation has put pressure on the bridge

and there is a clearly identified need for additional capacity in the form of a new bridge. The new

bridge aligns with a number of development plans at the national, regional, state and local level.

The new bridge is intended to reduce the strain on the current bridge; improve safety and security;


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ease traffic flow; improve health and security; create opportunities for local residents; improve the

commercial viability of the immediate area; and regenerate the social and economic life of the

region.

Project components

Figure 2 shows an overview of the project components. The project comprises four sections,namely the Asaba Road, the Toll Plaza, the Bridge and the Onitsha Road sections. The section of

road on the Asaba side is 2.8 km and will be built on an embankment of 6 m to protect it from

floods.

The road itself is ±37 m wide and includes three lanes paved in asphalt in each direction and

separated by a concrete ditch and barrier. The outside of the road would have a guard rail and

grassing and would adjoin the embankment. There would be street lighting along the road. This

part of the road passes through Amakom Village where resettlement is required. A secondary

bridge would be constructed to accommodate an existing local road to the Amakom Village. The

bridge would be flyover ± 21.7 m wide that would not be connected to the carriageway.

The proposed toll plaza section is near the Amakom Village and is 500 m in length and is 115 m

wide. It will have an embankment with a height up to 17 m to protect the toll plaza from floods. The

plaza includes administrative and service buildings; a police station; a weight station; and a garage

for the maintenance of vehicles. A culvert needs to be constructed below the plaza to

accommodate an existing water channel.

The bridge would be 1.59 km in length and can be divided into three different sections, namely the

west approach, the main bridge and the east approach. In total there are two abutments and 22

piers with 23 spans between them of varying lengths between 40 m and 150 m. The main bridgehas wider spans to allow for the shipping channel which has a clearance of 120 m width and

clearance of 15 m high.

The section of road on the Onitsha side of the bridge has a total length of 7 km and will be

constructed in an area that is mostly swamps. The asphalt road would also be six lanes wide and

within a Right of Way 91.44 m wide, with a concrete barrier in the centre and a guard rail on the

outside. The road passes through Harbour Industrial Layout as well as Okpoko. There is currently

a creek in this area which would be diverted. A flyover of ± 21.7 m width would need to be

constructed over Atani Road and would not be connected to the new road. A culvert would be

constructed in the swampy area to the east to allow for a diversion of water from the swamp to

pass below the road. On the eastern end, an interchange at the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway would

provide future connections to other connecting roads.

Construction

Construction will take place over a 41 month period commencing in November 2014 and

completed in March 2018. It will involve a number of phased activities both along the alignment

within the Right of Way, as well as at locations outside the Right of Way.


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Early Works II activities commenced in March 2014 and are currently underway. Completion is

expected in October 2014. These activities include set up of a camp for construction workers and

set up of the main construction yard near Onitsha Port; set up of a road yard on the Onitsha side; a

temporary access road on the Asaba side; mining from two borrow pits on the Asaba side;

clearance of vegetation and earthworks on the Asaba side near the toll plaza site and four pile

tests to establish ground conditions.

Main construction works would result in a level of job creation. Most of the sites used during Early

Works II would continue to be used during the main construction. Additional smaller yard sites will

also be required as well as additional borrow pits. Dredging will be used as a source of sand and

this will be stored in stockpiles, the location of which is not yet identified. Temporary slipways will

be constructed to receive goods and materials transported by barges. Other materials and

resources will be brought by trucks to the yards and the alignment. The road construction activities

include bush clearing; top soil stripping; sub-grade preparation; earthworks; and construction of

base course and asphalt layers are required. The bridge construction activities include piling;

construction of pile caps; construction of piers; construction of abutments; and construction of

superstructures including parapets, bridge bearings, expansion joints, light poles and cabling.

Operation

During operation, the road and bridge will be used as a new crossing over the River Niger.

Vehicles would be required to pay a toll for use of the road and would need to abide by traffic

control measures as required. Other activities will occur at the toll plaza and these would be

housed in the administrative and service buildings; a police station; a weight station; and a garage

for the maintenance of vehicles. The bridge and roads would require regular maintenance to make

sure they remain in good condition. The culverts would also be kept free of blockages so that

drainage is maintained. It is likely that the bridge would remain in operation after the concessionlength of 25 years and would continue to serve as a strategic gateway for many decades.

Alternatives

An ESIA considers alternatives so that the most environmentally and socially responsible

development alternative is selected. The strategic and location alternatives for this project have

already been identified much earlier on in the process, before the commencement of this ESIA.

Locating the bridge between Onitsha and Asaba is economically strategic. Four alignment

alternatives were considered in a screening process in 2012. Based on constraints such as the

location of communities and resettlement requirements and the location of existing infrastructure

such as the connecting roads and high tension lines, the alignment in this ESIA was selected as

the preferred alternative. Because of the advanced stage of planning, the opportunity to assess

alternatives in this ESIA is limited. The ESIA will therefore focus on assessing the proposed

activity as presented against the “no-go” alternative and will focus on how to minimise the negative

impacts and optimise the positive impacts. However, it will be possible to consider project level

alternatives for construction activities and resources in the ESIA.


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LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

As already described, the ESIA will be undertaken in accordance with Nigerian legislation as well

as the voluntary international best practice framework for ESIAs, known as the Equator Principles

and the IFC Performance Standards.

In terms of the Nigerian legislation, the Environmental Decree No 86 of 1992 is the primarylegislation that governs this ESIA process and makes EIA’s mandatory for development projects

that are likely to have adverse impacts on the environment. The EIA Act stipulates that “The public

or private sector of the economy shall not undertake or embark on public projects or authorise

projects or activities without prior consideration, at an early stage, of their environmental effects”.

In terms of land acquisition and resettlement required for the project, the Land Use Act of 1978

(modified in 1990) gives the government the right to acquire land by revoking both statutory and

customary rights of occupancy for the overriding public interest. In doing so, the Act specifies that

the State or Local Government should pay compensation to the current holder or occupier with

equal value.

The ‘Equator Principles’ are a framework for determining, assessing and managing environmental

and social risks in finance transactions for major projects. It comprises a set of principles adopted

by the Equator Principles Financial Institutions (EPFIs) to ensure that the projects they finance are

developed and implemented in a manner that is socially responsible and environmentally sound.

Theses Equator Principles are a set of voluntary standards that commit the EPFI to the

Environmental and Social Performance Standards of IFC. These Performance Standards are

based on the World Bank Group Environmental, Health & Safety Guidelines. The IFC Performance

Standards are therefore considered as the bench mark for environmental and social performance

in the financial industry and compliance is voluntary and managed by the IFC or the financier.However, the national regulatory system also applies and the borrower is required to meet the

most stringent standards (in most countries worldwide, the IFC Performance Standards are more

stringent than national legislation).

The process has been undertaken in accordance with these Acts and associated guideline

documents. Other environmental and planning legislation applies to the project and have been

considered by the ESIA team and the environmental specialists in their studies.

ESIA PROCESS AND METHODOLOGY

The ESIA has involved environmental screening which allowed the Federal Ministry of

Environment to establish that the project was a Category 1 project due to its scale.

A scoping process was undertaken which included wet and dry season sampling of the project

areas and Stakeholder Engagement with various sectors of society.

The findings of the sampling and consultation have allowed the environmental and social baseline

to be documented and also to capture any constraints, opportunities and potential impacts of the

project. This information is recorded in this Scoping Report which also sets out the Terms of

Reference for the ESIA.


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This scoping phase will be followed by an assessment phase whereby each specialist will assess

the significance of the potential impacts and will provide recommendation measures to reduce any

negative impacts and enhance any positive impacts. This will be the basis of the ESIA report and

the Environmental and Social Management Plan, which sets out how the social and biophysical

environment should be protected during the construction and operational phases. Further

stakeholder consultation will be undertaken to present the findings of the ESIA and gather further

comments.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

The stakeholder engagement process included circulating a Background Information Document

and an Information Pamphlet translated into Igbo, as well as a radio and newspaper advert.

Meetings and workshops were held with Federal (National), State & Local Authorities, traditional

authorities (kings, paramount chiefs, town & village chiefs), affected landowners, associations such

as the Sand Dredging Association & Harbour Layout Association Fishermen Associations and

Non-Governmental Organisations such as environmental organisations & Community-based

Organisations (CBOs). The issues raised are summarised below.

Category Comments Raised

Compensation– Local communities are expectant of compensation they might receive.

– Uncertainty of who will pay compensation; the State or the project proponent.

– Chiefs should be involved in the payment of compensation to avoid cheating.

– No middle men should be involved in compensation payments.

– Compensation should be paid before assets are destroyed.

– There are fishponds which need to be compensated for.

Consultation– Traditional leaders need to be met with.

–

The project has started without proper consultation. Air Quality – Request for air quality to be investigated.

Noise – A noise impact study should be undertaken.

Traffic – Request that a study be undertaken considering traffic impacts.

Road Network – How the new roads will connect to existing roads needs to be explained.

Right of Way (ROW) – There is confusion with regards to the positioning of the ROW.

Borrow Pits–

The position of borrow pits needs to be indicated.

Flooding – There is concern that new roads will result in flooding of areas.

Land use– Need for land use plans to be considered.

– Need for alternative land to be provided.

– Alternative land is not easy to obtain.

Time Frames– Uncertainty if construction has started already.

– The project should be undertaken as soon as possible.


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Category Comments Raised

Employment– There is high unemployment.

– The project should employ local people.

– There are local skills available, and not only for manual labour.

– Uncertainty on how employment will be arranged.

– Employment of local youths is important.

Old Niger River Bridge – Uncertainty if how the old bridge will remain as it is.

Security – Uncertainty if the new bridge will have its own security or police post.

Resettlement– No settlements should be allowed near the road verge.

– It will need to be explained to people why they need to be resettled.

Impact Assessment – Clarity needed if the ESIA will consider both Environmental and Social Impacts.

BASELINE DESCRIPTION, CONSTRAINTS, OPPORTUNITIES AND POTENTIAL IMPACTS

A baseline description has been compiled using desk based source of information as well as the

findings of the wet and dry season sampling by the team of specialists in September 2013 and

early March 2014. This allowed them to identify constraints, opportunities and potential impacts.

Baseline description

The study area falls across two states as the bridge connects Onitsha in Anambra and Asaba in

Delta State. On the Asaba side, the village of Oko-Amakom will be affected, whilst on the Onitsha

side the villages of Odekpe and Obosi will be affected. Specifically these villages are associated

with land uses such as agricultural fields, residential structures, graves and shrines, with a sacredforest and shrine at Obosi as well. There are also industrial and business land uses along the

alignment, mostly at the Harbour Industrial Layout area, as well as the Metallurgical Institute. Much

of the alignment, especially along the eastern section, crosses natural vegetation, wetland and

swamps and these remaining natural areas are not suitable for human habitation.

The biodiversity of these natural areas is disturbed by farming and run-off of contaminated water.

Such areas can be described as a mosaic of farms, bush fallows, home gardens and swamp

forest, generally made up of a mixture of trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses typical of lowland rain

forest of Nigeria. Many useful plants exist here, such as those used for timber, rope, fruit, wine, oil,

wrapper and dye. Common animals observed include birds (such as the egret, hornbill, pelican,heron, and vulture), rabbits, monkeys and rodents (such as the grass cutter). Reptilian fauna is

apparently made up of crocodiles, turtles, tortoises, snakes and lizards.

The vegetation on the river banks comprises mainly floating and emergent aquatic macrophytes,

perennial secondary grasses, shrubs and a few trees upland. However the biodiversity of the Niger

River itself has been negatively impacted by siltation, polluted runoff into the river from untreated

runoff water and waste and invasion by water hyacinth. The study area is primarily freshwater and

fishing is still carried out mainly by a few artisanal fishermen from the community.

In terms of geology, the site is situated in the low-lying flat Deltaic Plain. The river basin along theroute is covered in erosion gullies. Swamps in backwater areas off the main river often contain


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broad drainage channels created when this area was an active delta. The swamps along the

alignment are critically dependent upon natural water level fluctuations.

The entire site is situated in a region built up by the sedimentation of the Niger Delta and is

generally covered by thick layers of recent sediments. The material present is of weathered

reddish brown, lateritic soils as well as alluvial deposits. Soil erosion is a major problem in both

urban and rural areas and results from a high volume of rainfall. It is made worse by indiscriminatefarming activities and the removal of trees and vegetation through bush burning, etc.

A primary aquifer is located in the unconsolidated deposits of the area. This aquifer is heavily used

by the local population as the main source of potable water. The type of the geology means that

the risk of pollution of the aquifer is high. As a result of the high rainfall in the area, drainage

problems cause ponding in low lying areas. The geology of the area, together with the lack of

formal waste management has led to high levels of contamination of the aquifer.

The surface water quality and flow is already impacted by extensive dredging and sand mining

activities in the river near the bridge. There are poor sanitation practices in the urban areas andsewage is discharged into the stormwater system. This eventually drains into the river, or the

wetland on the southern edge of Onitsha, or streams draining into the Niger River. Used engine oil

from the many truck, car and motorcycle workshops spread throughout the area drains directly into

the soil or is discarded into stormwater drains. Litter is also a problem and many informal solid

waste dumps were observed on the banks of the Niger River or in water courses in the towns.

The general climate in the project area is humid and tropical with high temperatures and low wind

speed. The air quality in much of the region is not pristine, as it has been negatively affected by

commercial activities, mainly in the Delta State region. The location of industries within residential

areas is causing air and noise pollution. There are also high levels of air pollution fromautomobiles, electricity generators, and industrial workshops and factories in residential areas.

Noise levels are representative of urban environments close to large road networks. The majority

of measurements taken indicate noise levels exceed the environmental noise limits for both

daytime and night time periods in residential areas.

The socio-economic survey found the study area is fairly uniform in terms of socio-cultural

characteristics, with most households being Igbo-speaking and Christian. Education levels are

generally low but this trend seems to be changing with the younger generation. Most villages have

a primary school in easy walking distance, although secondary schools are more widely dispersed.

There are few professional or technical training levels in the area.

The most common sources of income seem to be agriculture (including crop cultivation and

livestock rearing) and petty trading. Other important economic activities include dredging of sand

from the Niger River, fishing and industries. Most households earn income from at least two or

three alternative sources. Houses are generally either of traditional wattle-and-daub construction,

or are constructed of concrete brick with a number of multi-story residential buildings, mostly near

the proposed creek diversion and Atani Road.

Overall, the quality of infrastructure in the affected communities is poor. Electricity supply isunreliable and in some cases, non-existent and kerosene is the most popular fuel. Access to water


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for drinking and irrigation is a challenge and the roads used by communities are poorly maintained

and difficult to use during the rainy season. There is no formal removal of refuse and solid waste

tends to build up along roadsides and in drainage canals.

In terms of cultural heritage, there are a large number of (mostly Christian) places of worship in the

area. Traditional religious worship is important and is often practiced alongside other formal

religions. Some of these sacred sites are located within the communities but many are located insmall patches of forests elsewhere on community land. The sacred forest areas are important to

the communities and economic activity within them is forbidden. Traditional leaders are important

and no community-level consultation or survey activities may be undertaken without first seeking

the permission of the local traditional leader.

Traffic congestion and the standard of roads in the study area is poor. Roads are mostly single

carriageways with no hard shoulders or pedestrian walkways. Although some of the major roads in

the town have just been resurfaced, many are in bad condition and completely impassable. There

are not enough parking spaces and drivers must park on the roads. There are often no street

lights, footbridges, road signs, and lane markings. Most roads are not wide enough for vehicleswith many being encroached upon by traders and their stalls. A lack of formal bus stops means

commuter buses pick up and drop off passengers anywhere, causing congestion.

Overall the baseline study has shown that the area is characterised by high populations,

associated urbanisation and poor town planning, which has resulted in a number of physical and

social challenges. These include air, ground, water and solid waste pollution and over-exploitation

of natural resource which have all had a negative impact on the receiving environment.

Potential impacts

Potential impacts include any change, potential or actual, to (i) the physical, natural, or cultural

environment, and (ii) impacts on surrounding community and workers, resulting from the business

activity to be supported.

Against the context already described, the construction of the project may have a number of

potential impacts; the significance of which will be assessed in the ESIA. These impacts are

identified as:

Impact to air quality from an increase in pollutants;

Impacts to aquatic biodiversity from sedimentation, increase in water turbidity (reducing light

penetration), blockage of waterways, and pollution and waste entering the ecosystem;

Associated loss of livelihood for fisherman;

Groundwater contamination from construction wastes;

Impact to groundwater from borehole exploitation;

Liquefaction impacts (impacting the long term safety of the bridge if there is seismic activity);

Soil degradation from a number of disruptive or polluting activities;

Pollution of wetland with additional health risk to humans and to aquatic ecosystems arising

from increased barriers in the area; wastewater; and hydrocarbon pollution;

Climate change impacts and increased risk of disasters;

Noise nuisance; Resettlement and compensation impacts;


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In order to provide stakeholders with more detailed information about the proposed project,

copies of the Scoping Report and Non-technical Summary will be made available from 3 July -

24 July 2014 (21 days) to be viewed at the following places:

Federal Ministry of Environment: A copy of the Scoping Report and a copy of the Non-

Technical Summary (all in English);

State Ministry of Environment: A copy of the Scoping Report and Non-technical

Summary at the Awka Office and a copy of the Scoping Report and Non-technical

Summary at the Asaba Office (all in English);

Local Government Chairmen: Copies of the Non-technical Summary will be placed at

the Local Government Councils of Idemili, Ogbaru and Oshimili (in English and Igbo);

and

Traditional Leadership: Copies of the Non-technical Summary will be placed at the

Asagba of Asaba, Obi of Onitsha, authorities of Obosi, Odekpe, Okpoko and Oko

Amakom (in English and Igbo).

Documentation will also be available for download on the following websites: www.digbywells.com (Documentation filed under Public Documents)

www.aurecongroup.com (Documentation filed under Public Participation)

www.nsia.com.ng (Documentation filed under Downloads)


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1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The purpose of this section is to briefly introduce the proposed Second RiverNiger Bridge and to describe the environmental team and the proposed

process.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION1.1

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), through the Federal Ministry of Works (FMW) has

proposed the construction of a second bridge across the River Niger between Onitsha in Anambra

State and Asaba in Delta State. Refer to Figure 1. The bridge, which will be 1.59 km in length, will

be connected to a toll plaza on the Asaba side. The toll plaza is 1.5 km in length and has approach

roads on either side totalling 9.8 km. The total length of the road and bridge that is the subject of

this study is 11.9 km in length. The average width of the Right of Way (RoW)1 is 91.44 m but is

wider near the embankments (116 m) and the Toll Plaza. This will accommodate six lanes oftraffic, three in each direction.

This proposed infrastructure would be operated for a 25 year concession period by a Consortium

comprising the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) Motorways Investment Company

(NMIC) and Julius Berger (the Consortium), together with the FMW Nigeria. This forms Phase 1 of

a wider project with later phases to include construction of connecting roads on either end. Refer to

Figure 2. The additional connection roads to the bridge section will form part of an independent

study and are thus not assessed in this Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA).

The contract agreement for the construction of the bridge is in the form of a Design Build Operateand Transfer (DBOT) / Public Private Partnership (PPP) . The Consortium has been appointed as a

private entity to ‘Design, Build and Operate’ the project during the concession period, allowing it to

be transferred back to the FMW thereafter to operate.

An ESIA is required for such a project in terms of Nigerian legislation. Aurecon Consulting

Engineers Nigeria Limited (Aurecon) has been appointed as the lead Environmental Consultant to

undertake the ESIA in terms of the required legislation and to ensure the highest possible

compliance with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) standards. In order to accommodate

the alignment and associated infrastructure, land acquisition is being led by the FMW, and is being

conducted in terms of Nigerian standards. The IFC standards are more stringent in this regard andrequire the development of a Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) that sets out a resettlement budget

and schedule, establishes the entitlements of all categories of affected persons, etc. before

resettlement is implemented. This process is also being managed by Aurecon. The ESIA and RAP

programme aims for completion of the ESIA study toward the end of September 2014.

1 The standard RoW for a dual carriageway expressway belonging to or occupied by the Federal government in Nigeria

is 100 yards (91.44 m) as stated in the Highway Manual of FMW.


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[ ]

Figure 1 | Locality map indicating proposed infrastructure


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Figure 2 | Overview map indicating proposed infrastructure


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LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS1.2

The ESIA will be undertaken in terms of the relevant Nigerian environmental legislation,

specifically the Environmental Decree No 86 of 1992 – known in the statute books as

Environmental Impact Assessment Act CAP E12, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN)

(2004) (EIA Act). The ESIA will also take cognisance of the Equator Principles (EP) and the IFCGuidelines and Performance Standards (PS).

The EIA Act is the primary piece of environmental legislation in Nigeria guiding Environmental

Impact Assessment’s (EIAs) and stipulates that “the public or private sector of the economy

shall not undertake or embark on public projects or authorise projects or activities without prior

consideration, at an early stage, of their environmental effects” . In accordance with the EIA Act,

this project was submitted to the Federal Ministry of Environment (FMEnv) for the Initial

Environmental Evaluation (IEE) to determine the project’s category. The FMEnv determined that

the project is considered a Category 1 project which requires a full EIA study (refer to Appendix

A). Considering the important social aspects of this project, an ESIA, as referred to by the IFC,is to be undertaken to fully address social and biophysical environmental impacts (both positive

and negative).

Section 3 outlines the legislative requirements of this ESIA in more detail.

PURPOSE OF THE SCOPING REPORT AND TERMS OF REFERENCE1.3

The Federal Environment Protection Agency (FEPA) EIA Process Guidelines (FEPA, 1995: 2)

state that the scoping exercise should “ensure that all significant impacts and reasonable

alternatives are addressed in the intended EIA” . The proponent must submit a Terms of

Reference (ToR) indicating the proposed scope of the EIA study. A Screening Report was

undertaken by Roughton International (Nigeria) Ltd in November 2012 and submitted to the

FMEnv. The Roughton Report provided an overview of the affected environment, the predicted

impacts and outlined the alternatives considered. The report also provided a list of follow-up

actions that were required, which included the need for a baseline survey; community

consultation; detailed hydrological, geological and soil studies, a RAP and an Environmental

Management Plan. Based on this submission, the FMEnv indicated the wet and dry season

sampling requirements. The scoping exercise undertaken as part of the current ESIA process

will ensure that there is adequate Stakeholder Engagement in determining the ToR for the

ESIA. This Scoping Report will be submitted to the FMEnv together with the ToR for the ESIA.

The purpose of this report is therefore to document the scoping process and activities to date

and set out the way forward for the ESIA. The scoping process has investigated the potential

significant biophysical and socio-economic negative impacts associated with construction

activities of the project. The scoping process has also provided an opportunity for the public and

key stakeholders as Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) to provide comment and participate

in the process. The ToR sets out how these issues and impacts will be assessed in the EIA.


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This report is structured as follows:

Section One: Provides the introduction, summarises the purpose of environmental and social

scoping and details the ESIA team and other role players.

Section Two: Describes the proposed project and reports on the need and desirability of the

project. It also describes the alternatives that apply to the project.

Section Three: Summarises the international and national legislative framework that governs

the project and ESIA process.

Section Four: Provides a description of the approach to the environment assessment process

as well as the Stakeholder Engagement activities.

Section Five: Provides a description of the social and environmental baseline of the project

area.

Section Six: The environmental and social constraints and opportunities of the project are

summarised.

Section Seven: The ToR for the ESIA process are presented including the proposed

Stakeholder Engagement, alternatives for assessment, impacts that will be

assessed and the proposed methodology thereof


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ROLE PLAYERS 1.4

There are a number of role players involved in the environmental permitting process and these

have been described with their contact details set out in Table 1 below.

Table 1 | Role players

Role player ApplicantEnvironmental assessment

practitionerEnvironmental assessment

practitioner partners

NameThe Consortium (comprising

NMIC and Julius Berger)

Aurecon Consulting Engineers

Nigeria Limited

Waste Matters Nigeria Limited

and MacBenuz Enviros Ltd

Contact Diane Erasmus Ken Edike and Cliff Uzundu

Address

4th Floor Clan Place Plot 1386A

Tigris Crescent

Maitama, Abuja

Nigeria

c/o Block 20 Plot 32B

Admiralty Way

Lekki Peninsula Scheme 1

Lagos, Nigeria

c/o 71 Obga Arcade

Ogba

Lagos, Nigeria

Telephonenumber

+27 44 805 5428 /

+2349 461 0400

+234 802 308 5407 /

+23 906 211 7717

Emailaddress

Diane.erasmus@aurecongroup.

com

[email protected] /

[email protected]

Proponent and Applicant1.4.1

The FMW is the proponent for the project in that all federal roads and bridges fall within their

jurisdiction. The NMIC and Julius Berger have signed a Cooperation Agreement to act asconsortium partners to develop the Second Niger Bridge Project. A Special Project Company

will design, build, operate and transfer the Project in a public-private partnership with the FGN.

The environmental consultants have been appointed directly by the Consortium to apply for

environmental approval of the project on behalf of the proponent and can therefore be

considered as the applicant for this process.

Environmental assessment practitioner (EAP)1.4.2

The role of the EAP is to manage the application for environmental approval on behalf of the

applicant. The contracting entity for the ESIA is Aurecon Consulting Engineers Nigeria Limited

(Aurecon) and is composed of a team of environmental practitioners mostly based in the Cape

Town office and supported by the Lagos office in Nigeria.

Aurecon Nigeria has partnered with two Nigerian companies namely Waste Matters Nigeria

Limited and MacBenuz Enviros Lt to provide environmental assessment expertise. Waste

Matters has a partnership agreement with MacBenuz Enviros where the two companies have

agreed to work jointly to provide expertise in the evaluation of ESIA, Environmental and Social

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Management Plan (ESMP) and Environmental Monitoring. MacBenuz Enviros is registered with

the FMEnv to undertake EIA work in Nigeria.

Environmental specialists1.4.3

The EAPs have a team of specialists who are responsible for the independent studies in relation

to the disciplines identified as relevant to this project. These are set out in Table 2 below.

Table 2 | Environmental specialists

Discipline Company Lead Specialist

Air Quality Waste Matters / MacBenuz Enviros Ben Begusa

Aquatic Biodiversity Waste Matters / MacBenuz Enviros Anthony Ogbeibu

Geohydrology Aurecon South Africa (Pty) Ltd Louis Stroebel

Geology and Soils Aurecon South Africa (Pty) Ltd Trevor Pape

Geographical InformationSystems (GIS)

Aurecon South Africa (Pty) Ltd Zelda Els

Hydrology Aurecon South Africa (Pty) Ltd Nico Rossouw

Land use Waste Matters / MacBenuz Enviros Andrew Nwachokor

Noise WardKarlson Consulting Richard Palmer

Risk Aurecon South Africa (Pty) Ltd Simon van Wyk

Social and Resettlement Digby Wells Environmental Jan Perold

Stakeholder Engagement Digby Wells Environmental Steve Horak

Terrestrial Biodiversity Waste Matters / MacBenuz Enviros Joseph Bamidele

Traffic Aurecon South Africa (Pty) Ltd Wayne Duff-Riddel

Visual Aurecon South Africa (Pty) Ltd Paul Buchholz

Vulnerability and Adaptation Aurecon South Africa (Pty) Ltd Zelda Els

Waste Aurecon South Africa (Pty) Ltd Nick Mannie

Environmental authority1.4.4

The decision-making environmental authority is the FMEnv, Department of Environmental

Assessment. The Evaluation and Analysis Branch is responsible for EIA scoping, risk

assessment and the review/evaluation of ToR and EIA reports. Their details are as follows:


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Table 3 | Environmental authority

Name Department of Environmental Assessment, FMEnv.

Contact c/o The Director

Address

Environment House

Independence Way South

Central Business District

Abuja FCT

Telephone number +2349 2911 337

Project Financiers1.4.5

Should finance be sought from any Equator Principles Financial Institutions (EPFIs), as may bethe case, such an institution would undertake a due diligence exercise to determine how the

project has complied with the IFC PS. These PS outline the standards that prospective

borrowers must meet throughout the lifecycle of the project to meet requirements for financial

assistance. The PS outline requirements for environmental and social assessment in the

feasibility and planning stages, pollution prevention, community health, safety and security, land

acquisition and involuntary resettlement and cultural heritage.


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2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this section is to provide a technical description of the

activities associated with the proposed bridge over the River Niger. Amotivation follows the introduction to the proposed project, after which thefeasible project alternatives are described.

OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT2.1

The proposed 1.59 km bridge over the Niger River will form a strengthened link between

Onitsha in Anambra State and Asaba in Delta State, thereby linking south-eastern and south-

western Nigeria.

NEED AND DESIRABILITY2.2

The consideration of “need and desirability” in environmental decision-making requires the

consideration of the strategic context of the development proposal along with the broader

societal needs and the public interest. This can be assessed by measuring the need and

desirability of the development against the contents of the credible development plans for the

study area, and the sustainable development vision, goals and objectives and the desired

spatial form and pattern of land use formulated therein.

The project was thus considered against the objectives of the following development plans/

policies which are described in more detail in Appendix B:

Nigeria’s Vision 2020 (2009); Nigeria’s Agenda 21;

National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (NIIMP) (2014-2043);

National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) (2004);

Anambra State Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (SEEDS) (2004);

Delta State Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (SEEDS) (2005);

Niger Delta Regional Development Master Plan (2005-2020);

Onitsha Structure Plan (2009); and

Draft Green Paper on Federal Roads and Bridges Tolling Policy (2013).

The first Niger Bridge was constructed in 1965 to achieve the Federal Government’s policy of

expansion and upgrading of transport facilities in the country, to support the nation’s

development programmes and to economically link the regions. Being located on the east –west

national main road from Lagos through Benin, the existing bridge forms the gateway between

the south-eastern and south-western Nigeria.


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However, since this time commuters and vehicles traveling on the roads in the south-east have

increased as a result of population growth, increased income and urbanisation. The existing

bridge no longer has capacity to sustain the increasing volumes of traffic. It has therefore been

identified that a new bridge is required to form an important link within this key national

transportation corridor, providing a strategic access point for people, goods and services

travelling between western Nigeria and the Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, Abia, Cross Riverand Awka Ibom States. It is understood that the current bridge also represents a safety risk as it

is aging and was not designed to cope with current volumes of traffic.

It is envisaged that this new bridge will have the following advantages:

Reduce the strain on current bridge infrastructure;

Improve safety and security;

Ease traffic flow;

Improve health and security;

Create opportunities for local residents;

Improve the commercial viability of the immediate catchment area; and Regenerate the social and economic life of the region.

It is considered that the analysis above and detailed in Appendix B provides sufficient motivation

for the project and demonstrates that the project aligns with federal, regional and state

development plans and policies as well as sector specific policies which both encourage public

private partnerships as well as recognise transport infrastructure as enabling for attracting

investment and growth within the country.

PROJECT COMPONENTS2.3

The project comprises four sections described below, namely the Asaba Road, the Toll Plaza,

the Bridge and the Onitsha Road sections. This is depicted in Figure 5.

Asaba Road Section2.3.1

The section of road on the Asaba side of the bridge has a total length of 2.8 km and will be

constructed in an area that is currently a floodplain. For this reason, the embankment has a

height up to 6 m to protect the road from floods. As described in Section 1.1 the road would be 6

lanes wide and would be accommodated mostly within a RoW with a width of 91.44 m.

The typical cross-section for this road as reflected in Drawing 1 of Appendix C depicts 17.3 mon either side of the median, or centre line. It is proposed that 13.7 m of this would be paved

and surfaced in asphalt2 and would accommodate the main carriageway which comprises three

lanes of a width of 3.65 m each. In addition, it would include a hard shoulder which has a 2.75 m

2 The asphalt surface would comprise a 60 mm Asphalt Binder Course, with a 40 mm Asphalt Concrete Wearing

Course.


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width. This is bordered by an unpaved shoulder of 1.8 m that comprises a guard rail and

grassing and adjoins the embankment. On the inside lane, adjacent to the inside shoulder, there

is a concrete ditch and crash barrier to separate the opposite carriageway. There would be

street lighting installed along the carriageway along certain sections of the alignment.

This road would also pass through Amakom Village where resettlement is required, asdiscussed in Section 5.12. Furthermore a secondary bridge, termed the ‘village bridge’ would

need to be constructed to accommodate an existing local road to Amakom Village. The bridge

would be a single span flyover (± 21.7 m width) that would not be connected to the carriageway.

Asaba Toll Plaza and Approach2.3.2

The toll plaza section is 500 m in length and would be wider than the typical road cross-section

described above as it would accommodate 20 lanes of traffic. The station will be equipped with

one toll cabin per lane. The outmost lane in each direction is widened in order to be adequate

for the passage of oversized trucks. This lane is also equipped with a weighing station. At its

widest point it would be 115 m across and would have a footprint of approximately 9 ha. The toll

plaza is located in the area of the bridge approach and has an embankment of up to 17 m.

Administrative and service buildings; a police station; a weight station and a garage for the

maintenance of vehicles will be located within the plaza. The proposed layout for the plaza is

provided in Drawing 2 in Appendix C.

The toll plaza would be located in the area of the Amakom Village. There is currently a water

channel in this area which would travel below the plaza in a north-east to south-west direction

and a culvert below the toll plaza is required to accommodate this.

Bridge2.3.3

The bridge would be 1.59 km in length and can be divided into three different sections, namely

the west approach with a length of 755.25 m, the main bridge of 630 m and the east approach

of 205 m. Refer to Figure 5 below and Drawing 3 in Appendix C for more detail. These three

sections are designed differently and their construction methods are also different and

discussed in Section 2.4.2.7 below. Visualisations are provided in Figure 3 and Figure 4.

The west approach is the longest bridge section and has one span of 40.25 m and 13 spans of

55 m, most of the piers along this section are standard water piers, two of which are water pierwith fixed bearings with land piers near the abutment. Refer to Drawing 3 in Appendix C.

The main bridge has two spans of 90 m and three spans of 150 m. The eastern span of 150 m

allows for the shipping channel with a clearance of 120 m and vertical clearance of 15 m. The

piers along this section are water piers as per Drawing 3 in Appendix C which are wider than the

standard water piers.


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Figure 5 | Longitudinal section of the bridge showing the three sections

West approach Main bridge East approach

Shipping

A-

D-

B-

C-

D-

A-


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Onitsha Section2.3.4

The section of road on the Onitsha side of the bridge has a total length of 7 km and will be

constructed in an area that is mostly swamps. For this reason, it has a different design and

construction method to stabilise the road and this is discussed in Section 2.4.1.7.

As described above the road would be 6 lanes wide and would be accommodated mostly

within a RoW with a width of 91.44 m.

The typical cross-section is reflected in Drawing 1 in Appendix C. However where soil

improvement is required the dimensions will differ slightly. Refer to Drawing 4 of Appendix C

which reflects the cross-section for soil improvement.

The western part of this road, which is closest to the bridge, would pass through the

industrial area known as Harbour Industrial Layout as well as Okpoko which is more of a

residential and agricultural area. There is currently a creek in this area which would be

diverted. A single span flyover (21.7 m width) bridge, not connected to the carriageway,

would be constructed over Atani Road. A multi-box culvert would be constructed near the

transition between the industrial area and the swampy area to the east to allow for a main

recipient to pass below the road. The most easterly component of this carriageway is an

interchange at the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway, which can be described as a full clover leaf

design including a four span bridge over the Onitsha-Owerri Expressway (the detail design

for this is not yet available). It would connect to Onitsha to the north-west, Owerri to the

south-east, the bridge (Asaba) to the west and the future connecting road to the north-east

leading to Enugu.

Summary2.3.5

Table 4 below and Figure 2 provide an overview of the features along the alignment and

their respective locations. The four broad sections described above have been further

broken down into more detailed sections 1-10 for the purposes of the table.


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Table 4 | Summary of alignment sections and design features

Alignment

Sections Chainage

Road section 1 23+000 – 25+154.750

Single box culvert 23+120

Triple box culvert 23+660




Village bridge section 2 (road crossing bridge) 25+154.750 - 25+177.250

Toll plaza section 3 25+177.250 – 26+280

Double box culvert (west of plaza) 25+230

Toll plaza 25+400 – 26+000

Single box culvert (below plaza) 25+900

Bridge section 4 26+279.75 - 27+870

Shipping lane 27+350

Road section 5 27+870 – 28+293.250

Atani bridge section 6 (road crossing bridge) 28+293.250 – 28+315.75

2 x U-channel 28+300

Road section 7 28+315.75 – 28+900


Road section 8 28+900 – 30+300Multi box culvert (main recipient) 29+340



Road section 9 30+300 – 33+500












Owerri interchange section 10 33+500 – 34+900


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CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES2.4

Construction will take place over a 41 month period commencing in November 2014 and

completed in March 2018. It will involve a number of phased activities both along the

alignment within the RoW as well as at locations outside the RoW.

Early Works II activities2.4.1

Early Works II activities commenced in March 2014 and are currently underway. Completion

is expected in October 2014. These activities include the following components which are

reflected on Figure 2:

2.4.1.1 Expatriate Camp

The first part of the camp (46%) will be installed during Early Works II with the remaining

54% during the Main Contract. During Early Works II the camp will contain:

Accommodation;

Social facilities (preliminary clubhouse and canteen, laundry);

Power supply (Generator set);

Water supply;

Sewerage facilities;

Required earthworks;

Required storm water drainage; and

Required traffic ways.

2.4.1.2 Main Yard

The setup of the main yard and camp at Onitsha Port north of the A232 will be one of the

preliminary activities. The yard will be 4.1 ha in size and will include the following

components:

Site office;

Sanitary facilities;

Concrete mixing plant;

Site laboratory;

Storage facilities;

Equipment parking area; Power supply (generator set)

Water supply (water well, water treatment plant)

Sewage installations;

Temporary roads; and

All required earthworks.


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2.4.1.3 Road Yard I

Road Yard I is located close to the Niger Bridge abutment in Onitsha. It will be partially

installed during the Early Works (approx. 80% Early Works, remaining 20% during Main

Contract). The yard will be 1.6 ha in size and includes but is not necessarily limited to the

following installations during the Early Works:

Site office;

Sanitary facilities;

Concrete mixing plant;

Site laboratory;

Storage facilities;

Equipment parking area;

Power supply (generator set);

Water supply (water well, water treatment plant);

Sewage installations;

Temporary roads; and All required earthworks.

2.4.1.4 Temporary access road

A temporary access road of approximately 2 km is required to provide direct access from the

A232 (the existing Asaba-Onitsha Road) near the approach to the old bridge, to the area of

the proposed toll plaza near the Amakom Village. This construction of this access road has

commenced and involved compensation for agricultural fields and gardens. The road is

asphalt and is intended to be temporary and will therefore be rehabilitated upon completion

of the construction works.

2.4.1.5 Borrow pits

Mining of sand from borrow pits I and II will be necessary for supply of material, this includes

minor quantities of 200,000 m3 compared to what will be required as part of the main

construction works.

2.4.1.6 Clearance of vegetation

Bush clearing will take place in the area between CH25+300 and CH26+300, so that the

below mentioned earthworks can be facilitated.

The process will involve bush clearing and then loading, hauling, stockpiling, separation and

disposal of cleared material.


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2.4.1.7 Earthworks

Following bush clearing along the accessible areas between CH25+300 and CH26+300,

topsoil will be stripped and soil exchange3 will occur along this section of the route.

Refer to Drawing 4 in Appendix C for the cross section depicting the soil improvement

earthworks.

2.4.1.8 Piling Testing

This activity will involve the execution of four pile tests to verify and optimize the bridge

foundation design. One of these will be located in Asaba, with one other on the Onitsha

shoreline; and two others in Onitsha.

Main Construction activities2.4.2

2.4.2.1 Construction period

The main construction period will commence upon completion of the Early Works II in

November 2014 and would be complete by July 2018.

2.4.2.2 Employment

There will be a number of temporary jobs available and affected communities will be

considered for these. Where necessary, temporary staff will be accommodated at the main

yard in Onitsha Port. The Consortium is current working on the Local Employment Policy.

2.4.2.3 Schedule

Activities will be undertaken along the entire line simultaneously, so the entire alignment willform the construction site at any given point during the programme.

2.4.2.4 Ancillary locations

As described as part of the Early Works II activities, locations for activities outside of the

RoW include those associated with mining and stockpiling of material from borrow pits as

well as from dredging. These activities would continue at the locations depicted in Figure 2

during the main works.

An additional 1.8 million m

3

of sand would be dredged from the river and stockpiled duringthe main works; whilst an additional 2.2 million m3 of sand and laterite would be mined and

stockpiled.

3 Soil replacement/exchange involves excavating the soil that needs to be improved and replacing it. The

excavated soil can sometimes be re-compacted to a satisfactory state or it may be treated with admixtures and

then be replaced in a controlled manner. It can also be replaced with a different soil with more suitable

properties for the proposed application. Soft soil, mostly soft clay or highly organic clay under or near the

expected structure is removed and replaced by a good quality foreign material up to the extent required to

maintain stability or to avoid unfavourable settlement of the structure.


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The installation of the main camp and yards would be completed. In addition, smaller yards

would be installed, namely in the locations of secondary bridges which includes:

Road Yard II;

The Bridge Yard near Amakom Village; and

Two Bridge Yards near the proposed interchange.

2.4.2.5 Resources, materials and equipment

Table 5 below summarises the nature of the materials and resources required for the

different construction components. Such materials and resources would be sourced locally in

the region, as well as elsewhere in Nigeria and from abroad. Haulage would be in the form of

road and river transport.

Cumulatively the road transport of materials would account for the movement of a number of

heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) during the construction period.

The imported materials and equipment would be received at Warri Port, a cargo transit point

between the Atlantic Ocean and the Niger River, and would be transported from there to

Onitsha Port by barge. The travel time takes approximately 3 to 4 days and would need to

occur during the rainy season. Soil dredged from the Niger River is required for the project.

No dredging activities will be undertaken as part of the project works and sand will be

sourced from licensed operators in the area.

Table 5 | Summary of resources

Material /Resource

Use

SourceHaulage /

Transport

Y a r d s / C a m p /

T e m p r o a d s

C o n c r e t e f o r

v a r i o u s u s e

T o l l p l a z a

A p p r o a c h r o a d s

B r i d g e s ,

c u l v e r t s ,

d i v e r s i o n s

Water x x x x xRiver and / or

boreholes

Energy x x x x x

Power from

grid and

generator

Asphalt x x x

Partly local

and partly

imported

Ship and barge

from Warri

Port; locally

transported by

truck

Sand for

concrete and

embankments

x x x x xLocal sources

(dredging)

Transported by

truck

Stone/rock Aggregate for

x x x x x Quarry within200 km of site

Transported bytruck


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Material /Resource

Use

SourceHaulage /

Transport

Y a r d s / C a m p /

T e m p r o a d s

C o n c r e t e f o r

v a r i o u s u s e

T o l l p l a z a

A p

p r o a c h r o a d s

B r i d g e s ,

c u l v e r t s ,

d i v e r s i o n s

concrete

Laterite x

Borrow pits

close to Owerri

Interchange

Transported by

truck

Cement x x x x xPartly local and

partly imported

Ship and barge

from Warri

Port; locally

transported by

truckBricks x x Abuja Truck

Steel casings

(piling)x Imported

Ship and barge

from Warri Port

Imported

Cement (CEM

III)

x x x x x

Partly local

(Obajana) and

partly imported

Ship and barge

from Warri

Port; locally

transported by

truck

Reinforcement x x x ImportedShip and barge

from Warri Port

Equipment and

spare partsImported

Road and/or

Ship and barge

from Warri Port

Cabling,

bearings and

expansion joints

for bridge

x

Imported if not

available

locally

Road and/or

Ship and barge

from Warri Port

2.4.2.6 Road works

A typical cross-section of a road is depicted in Drawing 1 in Appendix C and characterises

the Asaba section as well as the Onitsha section.

Whilst construction of the road along the Onitsha section requires additional earthworks in

the form of soil exchange, it would also follow a similar methodology thereafter.

The construction methodology for the typical road includes the following:

Bush clearing;

Top soil stripping; Sub-grade preparation;


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Earthworks; and

Construction of base course and asphalt layers.

2.4.2.7 Bridge works

The bridge is characterised by three different sections (refer to Figure 5), each with a distinctconstruction methodologies, namely:

West approach: concrete box girder installed by incremental launching;

Main bridge: free balanced cantilever; and

East approach: in-situ box girder on shuttering.

The construction methodology for the bridge includes the following:

Piling;

Construction of pile caps;

Construction of piers;

Construction of abutments; and

Construction of superstructures including parapets, bridge bearings, expansion joints,

light poles and cabling.

2.4.2.8 Utilities

Street lighting and cable ducts are the only utilities or services to be accommodated along

sections of the alignment.

2.4.2.9 Summary

Table 6 below summarises the construction components and various metrics relating to

these.

Table 6 | Summary of construction components and various metrics

Construction

Activity UnitQuantity

(approximate)

Early Works II Duration 8 months

Construction period Duration 24 monthsMain Yard and Camp Size 4.1 ha

Road Yard 1 Size 1.6 ha

Road Yard 2 Size 0.3 ha

Bridge Yard 1 (Village Road) Size 0.1 ha

Bridge Yard 2 (Interchange) Size 0.1 ha

Bridge Yard 3 (Interchange) Size 0.1 ha

Temporary access road Length 2 km

Atani Road diversion Length 200 - 300 m

Temporary slipways Number 2

Borrow pits Number 5


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considering alternatives to manage the traffic in such a way that there was no need for an

additional bridge.

Strategic Alternatives2.7.1

Both Onitsha and Asaba, which are linked by the current bridge, are densely populated cities

located on the main road from Lagos to Benin. These cities are situated at the northern

most navigable (by large vessels) point of the Niger River which is also a major east-west

crossing point of the Niger River. As a result the area has developed as a major trade centre

between the coastal regions and the north, as well as between eastern and western Nigeria.

Onitsha is one of the four main potential industrial and commercial growth areas because of

its location, which combines both road and waterway access points. There is heavy traffic on

the existing bridge between Onitsha and Asaba which increases significantly during specific

times of the year (such as Christmas). The existing bridge is nearly 50 years old and there

are safety concerns as well as a need for better traffic management. The need for an

additional bridge has thus been identified and clearly vocalised from many parties for manyyears. The significance of the area for trade and development indicates that the new bridge

should be located between Onitsha and Asaba, close to the existing bridge, and as such a

strategic decision was made to locate the 2nd Niger Bridge in this area.

A strategic decision was also made to undertake this project as in a PPP, with tolling as part

of the financial feasibility study. This ESIA will therefore not consider the alternative of tolling

of the road versus not tolling.

Alignment Alternatives2.7.2

Four alignments for the bridge in the Asaba / Onitsha area were considered in the Screening

Report undertaken by Roughton in 2012 (Roughton International (Nigeria) Ltd, 2012). Such

alternatives are summarised in Table 7 to show how the current alternative being assessed

was selected. The preferred option for the current alignment, which is the only alignment

under consideration in this ESIA, was selected based on the fact that it presented the best

option from a design, technical and financial perspective. Constraints included the location

of communities and resettlement requirements and the location of existing infrastructure

such as the connecting roads and high tension lines in the areas. No other alignment can be

considered as part of this ESIA as the Early Works for the bridge have commenced, thereby

fixing the proposed alignment. This alignment will therefore be assessed against the “no-go”option (i.e. the option of no second bridge across the Niger River) and the impacts

associated with the “no-go” alter native).


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Table 7 | Alignment alternatives considered prior to this ESIA (Roughton International (Nigeria) Ltd, 2012)

Alternatives

Aspects considered Activity Option A (FMW Preferred Option) Option B Option C Option D

Route

South of existing bridge, linking Oko

communities with Harbour Industrial

Estate. Access roads run from

Asaba-Ibusa express road on the

western banks to Harbour IndustrialEstate-Ogbe Ukwu – Ogbosi

interchange – Ogidi – Ugwu Asike –

Enugu/Onitsha expressway.

Commencing East of Asaba Airport,

the route alignment is similar to

Option A, with a slight diversion tothe East through Ogidi.

North of the existing bridge, option C

links the Benin/Asaba Expressway to

Marine beach in Onitsha – Nkisi –

Nkwelle Ezunaka – Enugu – Onitsha

Expressway.

Side – by side with existing bridge

Description of Route way

The link runs south of the existing

bridge. Although the western section

is lightly po

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