The Cross River State House of Assembly has queried the inclusion of N300 million for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) on completed projects in the 2018 budget of the state.
Trouble started when the state Environment Commissioner, Mike Eraye, appeared before the assembly’s committee on appropriation to defend his ministry’s budget proposal.
In the course of scrutinizing the proposal, it was found that Mr. Eraye set aside N.3billion to carry out EIA on projects that were executed and inaugurated by former Governor Liyel Imoke between 2007 – 2015.
The ministry is planning to carry out EIA on the Calabar International Convention Centre (CICC), Marina Resort and the Obudu Mountain Resort, among others.
But worried by the development, the Chairman of the House Appropriation Committee, Hilary Bisong, demanded an explanation from the commissioner.
Mr. Eraye told the lawmakers his ministry decided to carry out the EIA following the failure of the previous administration to conduct such even after completion of the projects.
Responding to the explanation, Mr. Bisong insisted the assembly is not convinced by the claim made by the commissioner.
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The lawmaker wondered why the ministry is insisting on carrying out EIA long after the completion of the projects.
He said the commissioner’s argument that the EIA is aimed at finding out the current impact of the project on communities is suspicious.
Mr. Bisong argued that EIA is meant for projects that emit chemicals, like cement factories and not places like the ranches and resorts.
Also speaking on the issue, Fred Osim, a member representing Ikom State Constituency said it was worrisome for the environment ministry to demand funds for EIA when ministries executing projects have provisions for it.
The state Governor, Ben Ayade, made history on November 30, 2017, when he presented an N1.3 trillion 2018 budget proposal to the state assembly.
Tagged: “Budget of Kinetic Crystallization,” the proposal is four times higher than the N301 billion the state budgeted in 2017.
About 70 percent of the budget is earmarked for capital expenditure, while the remaining 30 percent is billed for recurrent expenditure.
The key capital projects on the appropriation bill are the state’s deep-sea port project and superhighway.
Many have, however, wondered how the budget will be funded given the low revenue earnings of the state.
Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed the state made a total of N14.7 billion as internally generated revenue (IGR) for 2016.
As at November 2017, the state made a total of N9.4 billion as IGR, an indication that it might not have met last year’s target.
Based on information from the Debt Management Office (DMO), the state had accumulated a foreign debt of N168 billion and domestic debt of N128 billion as at June 2017.
Observers say the Ayade administration might have a herculean task in funding the huge budget proposal, except through grants.
