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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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Scoping Report
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Document prepared by:
Aurecon Consulting Engineers Nigeria Limited
Block 20 Plot 32B
Admiralty WayLekki Peninsula Scheme 1
Lagos, Nigeria
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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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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
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
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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
Single box culvert 24+000
Single box culvert 24+270
Single box culvert 24+500
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
Single box culvert 28+800
Road section 8 28+900 – 30+300Multi box culvert (main recipient) 29+340
Single box culvert 29+800
Single box culvert 30+200
Road section 9 30+300 – 33+500
Single box culvert 30+450
Single box culvert 30+700
Single box culvert 30+900
Single box culvert 31+250
Single box culvert 31+550
Single box culvert 31+900
Single box culvert 32+210
Single box culvert 32+550
Single box culvert 32+900
Single box culvert 33+160
Single box culvert 33+430
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