AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP
PROJECT: ROAD DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORT FACILITATION PROGRAMME WITHIN THE MANO RIVER UNION
COUNTRY: COTE D’IVOIRE, GUINEA, AND LIBERIA
SUMMARY ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (ESIA)
Team Leader J. N. ILBOUDO, Transport Engineer OITC.1 5012 J.B. AGUMA, Transport Economist OITC.1 1956 J. P.M. KALALA , Chief Socio-Economist OITC.1 3561 N. KULEMEKA, Chief Socio-Economist SARC/ONEC.3 8452 L. M. KINANE, Environmentalist ONEC.3 2933 E. NDINYA, Environmentalist SARC/ONEC.3 1541 LRFO/OITC.1 7072 P. TAMBAH, Infrastructure Engineer Team Members Project Malick Soumare, Procurement Specialist ORPF.1/ LRFO Team M. H . SANON , Socio-Economist ONEC-3
Mose Mabe-Koofhethile, Procurement Specialist ORPF.1/ SNFO
Sector Division Jean Kizito KABANGUKA OITC1 2143 Manager Sector Director Amadou OUMAROU OITC 3075 Regional Director Franck Joseph PERRAULT ORWA 4046 Director, Regional Janvier K. LITSE ONRI 4047 Integration and Trade
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SUMMARY ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
Project Name : Road Development and Transport Project No.: P-Z1-DB0-103 Facilitation Programme Within the Mano River Union
Countries: Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea and Liberia Depart ment : OITC Division: OITC-1
Introduction
This document is a Summary Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the Ivorian section of the Road Development and Transport Facilitation Programme within the Mano River Union. The summary has been prepared in accordance with the guidelines and procedures for environmental and social assessment of the African Development Bank (AfDB) for Category 1 projects, as well as with the policies in force in Côte d'Ivoire.
The project description and rationale are presented first, followed by the applicable legal and institutional framework in Côte d'Ivoire. A brief description of the key environmental conditions of the project area is presented for each section, in terms of its physical, biological and human components, and the variants and alternatives are compared in terms of technical, economic, environmental and social feasibility, including the concerns of the population. Then the most significant positive and negative impacts on the biophysical and human (socio- economic) environments are presented. This is followed by a presentation of proposed improvement and mitigation measures to increase the benefits and/or prevent, minimize, mitigate or offset adverse impacts, as well as the monitoring programme. The public consultations held and additional project-related initiatives are presented. Lastly, climate change concerns and adaptation and mitigation measures are identified.
1. Project Description and Rationale
Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea form one of the three key fragile zones on the African continent. Unfortunately, due to the state of the roads, these regions are isolated, thus contributing to making them pockets of poverty and a breeding ground for all kinds of trafficking and armed gangs, as well as a source of destabilization of countries within the region. In addition to focusing on road infrastructure that contributes to promoting peace and strengthening security, the programme will also address obstacles to the free movement of people and goods. It will thus help to unleash the development potential in each country, foster free movement of people and goods, and regional integration of the countries, while bridging the region and the rest of ECOWAS.
The project’s overall goal is to support economic recovery in the post-conflict region of the Mano River Union by improving its road infrastructure and promoting intra-Community trade.
Its specific objectives are to: (i) improve transport conditions on the various project roads and thus reduce transport costs; (ii) remove obstacles to the free movement of people and goods between the three countries; and (iii) improve the living conditions of population of the project area.
The project roads are included in the development programmes of the 3 countries (PND 2012- 2015 for CI; PRSP III (2013-2016) for Guinea, and PRSP II (2012-2017) for Liberia) and PACITR of ECOWAS which mainly seeks to develop and pave the missing links of
3 community roads (see map 1), as well as PIDA. They are included in the Action Plan and Priority Transport Programme of the MRU. The project is consistent with the Ten-Year Strategy 2013-2022 of the Bank (which gives priority to infrastructure) and the Strategic Framework of the Bank’s initiative for the MRU which is being finalized. Its roads are also included in the Bank’s Regional Integration Strategy Paper for West Africa and the Bank‘s Strategy Papers for the countries concerned.
The Ivorian section of the programme comprises:
• the Danané - Guinea border road (47.6 km),
• the Bloléquin –Toulépleu - Liberia border road (65 km)
• the Tabou- Prollo-Liberia border road (29 km) and the bridge over River Cavally.
Components Description of Components In CI : (1) paving of the Danané-Guinea border road (47.6 km), including reservations for optical fibre; (ii) paving of the Bloléquin-Toulépleu-Liberian border road (65 km), including reservations for optical fibre; (iii) Road paving of the Taboo-Liberia border road (28 km), including reservations for optical fibre; (iv) raising public development awareness of road safety, HIV /AIDS and environmental protection; and (v) works control/ supervision . and mitigation In Guinea : (i) paving of the Lola-Ivorian border road (39.75 km), including reservations for optical fibre; (ii) of negative raising public awareness of road safety, HIV/AIDS and environmental protection; and (iii) works environmental control/supervision. impacts In Liberia: (i) paving of the Karloken-Fishtown (80 km) and Harper-Cavally roads (CI border post: 16 km), including works control / supervision and implementation of the ESMP and reservations for optical fibre. In CI : (i) support for women war victim groups (drop-in and integration centre, market gardening equipment, Ancillary works MIT , boreholes); (ii) rehabilitation of 50 km of rural roads (iii) rehabilitation of schools and health centres; and measures (iv) development of 2 km of urban roads in Danané; (v) rehabilitation of a bus terminal in Danané and 2 for women roadside markets (Danané and Gbapleu); and (vi) works control/supervision. In Guinea: (i) development of 5 km of roads in Lola; (ii) rehabilitation of a market and a bus terminal in Lola; (iii) rehabilitation of social infrastructure (schools, health centres); (iv) development of 20 km of prefectural and community roads connected to the Lola-CI border road; and (v) works control/supervision; and In Liberia: (i) development of two roadside markets. In CI/Guinea : (i) construction and equipment of the JCP, including weighing/toll station; (ii) control and supervision of construction of the JCP; (iii) sensitization of road users, frontier public officials on inter-State Transport transport facilitation measures. facilitation In CI/Liberia: (i) construction and equipment 2 JCPs, including weighing/toll station; (ii) construction of the bridge over River Cavally; (iii) works control and supervision; and (iv) sensitization of road users, frontier public officials on inter-State transport facilitation measures. Institutional In CI : (i) Study on preparation of the National Road Safety Policy; (ii) study on strategic environmental support and assessment in the transport sector; environmental In Guinea: (i) integrated management of transboundary forests (GEF). protection In Liberia : (i) integrated management of transboundary forests (GEF). In CI : (i) monitoring and evaluation of the socio-economic impact of the project; (ii) financial and accounts audit; (iii) operating costs of the Delegated Contracting Authority Project In Guinea : (i) monitoring and evaluation of the socio-economic impact of the project; (ii) material and Management logistical support to the Project Management bodies; (iii) financial and accounts audit; (iv) technical audit of the project; and (v) technical assistance. In Liberia: (i) monitoring and evaluation of the socio-economic impact of the project; (ii) support for the project coordinating body; (iii) financial and accounts audit; (iv) technical audit of the project.
The project cost, exclusive of taxes and customs duties and including contingencies, is estimated at UA 228.46 million.
2. Policy, Legal and Administrative Framework
2.1 Laws and Regulations
Côte d'Ivoire has coherent and comprehensive regulations on major projects and environment. The general spirit of the regulations is to take into account the following objectives: (i) allow for the implementation of major infrastructure projects under suitable conditions; (ii) protect the environment without distorting the projects; (iii) protect and ensure the well-being of the population while preserving project outputs.
• Law No. 96-766 of 3 October 1996 on the Environmental Code is the fundamental instrument governing environmental management and protection in Côte d'Ivoire;
• Decree No. 96-894 of 8 November 1996 defining rules and procedures for the environmental impact assessment of development projects;
• Order No. 00972 of 14 November 2007 on the application of Decree No. 96-894 of 8 November 1996, which seeks to mainstream environmental constraints in the development, installation and implementation of development projects;
• Decree of 25 November 1930 on expropriation for public purposes.
2.2 Institutional framework
The Ministry of State, Ministry of Economic Infrastructure (MIE) is the Contracting Authority. The role of the Road Management Agency (AGEROUTE), which is a company under MIE supervisory authority, is to assist the State in managing the road network for which it is responsible. The Ministry of Transport (MT) provides administrative oversight and national transport policy in accordance with government objectives. The Ministry of Housing Construction, Housing, Sanitation and Urban Development (MCLAU) is responsible for the design and implementation of government policy on the urbanization of Côte d'Ivoire. The Ministry of the Environment, Urban Sanitation and Sustainable Development (MESUDD) is responsible for the development of environmental policy and its planning, and for monitoring and controlling its implementation. The National Environmental Agency (ANDE) is an entity under MESUDD supervisory authority responsible for: (i) coordinating the implementation of development projects of an environmental nature; (ii) establishing and managing a portfolio of environmental investment projects in development projects and programmes; (iii) ensuring the establishment and management of a national environmental information system.
2.3 For the African Development Bank (AfDB)
The main safeguard policies of the African Development Bank (AfDB) for the project are: (i) AfDB environmental policy (2004); (ii) the Bank’s policy on Involuntary Resettlement (2003); (iii) the Bank’s gender policy (2001); (iv) the Consolidated Engagement Framework with civil society (2012); (v) the Policy on Disclosure and Access to Information (2012); (vi) the Bank’s policy on integrated water resources management (2000); (vii) the manual on stakeholder consultation and participation in Bank operations (2001); (viii) the Bank's poverty reduction policy (2001); (ix) the Bank’s policy on population and implementation strategy (2002); (x) the Bank’s environmental and social assessment procedures for public sector operations (2001).
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3. Description of the project environment
The project’s direct impact area comprises the right-of-way and the space close enough to be affected by the project’s direct impacts. In the present case, this space extends about 500 m on either side of the axis of the present earth road; in most cases, the new paved road mostly follows the current alignment with a 20m right-of-way. The direct impact area also includes the villages and their inhabitants.
The indirect impact area is the area that, though remote, will be impacted by specific aspects of the project. This area covers the space that spans about 2 km to 10 km as the case may be, on either side of the road axis of the current earth road. It is in this area that most of the quarry and borrow sites, etc. are located.
3.1 Biophysical Environment
3.1.1 Physical Environment
Climate
• Danané-Guinea border section : The project area is located in the peneplain which borders the south side of the mountainous region dominated by Mount Nimba. Its climate is Guinea-Sudanese type, with average rainfalls of over 1,700 mm.
• Bloléquin -Toulépleu-Liberian border section : The climate of the project area is tropical and humid, with an inter-annual average rainfall estimated at 1600 mm.
• Tabou-Liberia border section: This is the wettest area of Côte d'Ivoire. Rainfall peaks vary between 1800 and 2500 mm per year.
Topography and Geology
• Danané-Guinea border section : The entire Man-Danané- Guinea Border interconnection is included in the Archean domain, that is, the domain where we find the oldest basement rocks. From Man towards the Guinea border, the project road successively cuts across ferruginous quartzites (which are iron ore), gneisses, granites, charnockites (hypersthene granites), granodiorite, syenite, migmatites, the basic and ultrabasic rocks, indiscriminately intruded by injections of norite and dolerite.
• Bloléquin-Toulépleu-Liberian border section: This area has small troughs embedded in a series of hillocks whose highest point rises to about 370 m north of Sahibly village. It has vast plains and numerous and extensive lowlands in its southern part. The ferralitic type soils, with average chemical fertility, are largely dominant. There are also soils developed on basic rocks (potentially rich), hydromorphic soils (lowlands) and mineral soils (mountains).
• abou- Liberian border section: The project area is generally characterized by level land. However, it is a vast monoclinic peneplain dotted with few permanent swamps. The bedrock geology of the project area consists mainly of shale, flysch interspersed with basic outcrops, all lying on hypersthene granite, gneiss and quartzite. The project area soils are mainly ferralitic.
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Hydrography
• Danané-Guinea border section : From Man to the Guinea border through Danané, the project successively goes across a number of rivers, such as the Gnéi, the Diaba, the Biéba, Namba, and the Sehi Guéhi. All these rivers flow south with much intensity, especially in the rainy season when floods are not uncommon. The beds of these sub-tributaries are filled with swamps and dense vegetation consisting mainly of bamboo.
• Bloléquin-Toulépleu-Liberian border section : The hydrographic network of the region is marked by River Cavally, which is largest river in the project area. It is also characterized by numerous rivulets, the largest (the Nilpi, the Doui, the Zo and the Klo) of which will require the creation of small crossing facilities.
• Tabou - Liberian border section: On the Tabou-Prollo section, the largest watercourse is River Yaka, located 5 km from Tabou. All around the locality of Prollo, is the River Toublo which virtually surrounds Prollo and River Irie which are both tributaries of the Cavally.
3.1.2 Biological Environment
Flora
• Danané-Guinea border section : The road runs across an already anthropized area dotted with natural forest relics which are sacred forests or gallery forests. The specific forest type in this region is the Celtis spp and Triplochiton scleroxylon forest. This forest is the basic type of semi-deciduous forest. Many sacred forests are present in the project’s direct impact area. Danané Department is home to one of the country’s integral nature reserves, namely the Nimba Mountains integral nature reserve. There are two sacred groves along the route, including one on mount Don. Donguiné village is named after this mountain.
• Bloléquin-Toulépleu-Liberian border section : As regards the phyto- geographical division, plant formations that occur in the project area are included in the Guinean Forests, tropical rain forest sector. Between Bloléquin and the Liberian border, the road runs across the same landscape formed by evergreen forest due to the equatorial or sub-equatorial climate type.
• Tabou-Liberia border section: The project area is the forest area of Côte d'Ivoire. It is basically a rainforest characterized by the presence of giant phanerophytes, sometimes reaching 30 metres. These species, dominated by Lophira alata, Uapaca guineensis, Diospiros spp. Terrieta used, Mapania spp. (undergrowth), have an original structure made of foothills, roots pallets, stilt roots and very straight trunks. To these wood species should be added an abundance of lianas and epiphytes. On the other hand, grassy undergrowth is rare.
Wildlife
• Danané-Guinea border section : The area was once rich in wildlife, and the ecosystem was conducive to the development of large mammals. Most of these species have been decimated by wild poaching, and it is becoming increasingly rare today to find them. An equally important reason for this situation is the loss of their natural habitat consisting of forested islands and gallery forests.
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Nonetheless, one may still find black striped duiker ( cephalophus dorsalis ), brown mongoose, small mammals (genet, bats, rodents), reptiles (python, viper, etc.), and numerous species of insects and birds (sparrows, larks, hornbill, white stork, crows, etc.).
• Bloléquin-Toulépleu-Liberian border section : This section is relatively poor in wildlife, especially large mammals. However, in the indirect impact area, it is possible to find some black or white deer, monkeys, etc. Small animals, consisting of rodents and others, are very well represented. It is worth noting that this small wildlife has not suffered large-scale commercial hunting, but rather subsistence hunting. No passage of wild animals has been reported by locals.
• Tabou - Liberian border section: Wildlife has been severely disturbed and modified by humans through range reduction and excessive poaching. Among artiodactyls, there are bushbucks, waterbucks, pygmy hippopotamus, bush pigs, giant forest hogs, tree Daman, and forest elephants. Concerning carnivores, there are golden cat and leopard, white cheek otters, marsh mongoose, Liberia mongoose and Poiana. Rodents include red-legged squirrel, giant squirrel, palm squirrel, cane rats, Emin’s pouched rats and porcupine. As regards birdlife, its proliferation is noteworthy, especially the presence of birds adapted to the present environmental conditions in the project area. Species such as the great hornbill, red fishing owl, barbed cuckoo, green tail bulbul, yellow beard bulbul, the Congo secretary bird, long tail goshawks, black necklace lovebirds, and blue-headed bee-eaters are found in the project area. Reptiles include the armoured neck crocodile (Crocodylus cataphractus), broad forehead crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis), several turtle species, various lizards, including the monitor lizard (Varanus ornatus), several snake species, including vipers, the green mamba, the sebae python and regius python.
3.2 Human and socio-economic environment
3.2.1 Population
• Danané-Guinea border section: Danané Department comprises four sub- prefectures, namely Danané central sub-prefecture and those of Mahapleu, and Kuan-Houlé Daleu. In Côte d'Ivoire, the PA is located in Danané Department in Tonkpi Region in the western part of the country. It comprises 185 villages, with a population of 281,437 inhabitants, and borders Liberia to the West and Guinea to the North. The Danané-Gbapleu section to be developed runs across 19 localities inhabited by 98,900 people, of which 49,459 women. The indigenous populations of Danané are the Dan (commonly called Yacouba) belonging to the larger Mande ethnocultural group, especially its southern branch, known as the Southern Mande.
• Bloléquin-Toulépleu-Liberian border section: The total population of the villages concerned, including settlements attached to them, is estimated at 32,168 inhabitants. That of Toulepleu town was 25,168 inhabitants. This population is unevenly distributed throughout the project area. It includes a lot of non-natives and foreigners. Liberian refugees and Guineans are the largest community of foreigners.
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• Tabou-Liberia border section: Tabou Department has over 131607.9379 inhabitants, with 46% women and 54% men. This population consists of natives and non-natives, who live mainly in Tabou and in the camps. Indigenous peoples are Tabou Kroumen, whose history is marked by navigation. As regards immigrants, there are those from other regions of the country, including Jula and nationals of foreign countries, the largest community being that of Liberians.
3.2.2 Sacred and / or cultural sites of importance to the people
• Danané-Guinea border section : Sacred places exist in different villages. At Biogota, there are no sacred sites. The Trodélépleu people love two sacred places, namely the sacred water known as Zran about 30 metres from the road and the grove at the edge of the road about 1 metre from the existing roadway. As concerns the Dongouiné people, they have three sacred places, the cemetery called Kamleu (where heads are buried) located approximately 8 meters from the roadway, a sacred mountain named Don, which means the bottom of the mountain and a creek called Domi about 100 metres from the road. The populations of these villages share totems, the Cobra for Biogota village, the Gazelle and the okra for Dongouiné village.
• Bloléquin-Toulépleu-Liberian border section: Throughout the current earth road, the majority of villages have sacred sites which consist of forests, mask enclosures, rivers, etc. All these sites are located near villages.
• Tabou - Liberian border section: Two guardian trees are found in Prollo, an ancient silk-cotton tree (Ceiba pentadra) at the market between River Cavally and the road, and an Antiaris africana , on the roadside at the old market. Unlike in other zones of the project, the dead cannot be exhumed in this place; cemeteries are sacred and inviolable whatever the constraint.
3.2.2 Key socio-economic activities in the project area
• Danané-Guinea border section : The agricultural sector is dominated by industrial exports such as coffee, cocoa and oil palm. However, the oldness and constant extension of these perennial crops does not hamper the growing of annual food crops such as cassava, the staple food of the indigenous peoples, and rice. The gradual improvement of transport infrastructure has significantly changed the way timber and non-timber products from Danané Department are used; they can now be easily routed to processing or consumer centres. However, the crisis which severely hit the western region did not spare Danané Department . The Cavally sawmill in Danané is no longer running.
• Bloléquin-Toulépleu-Liberian border section: The main occupation of the people in the project area is farming: food crops (rice, cassava and plantains) and cash crops (coffee and cocoa, kola, oil palm and rubber). Rice is the main product; it is primarily grown for home consumption. The annual output is unfortunately below the agricultural potential of the Department . Commercial activities are not highly developed in the villages in the project area. No industrial activity has been identified in the project area.
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• Tabou - Liberian border section: Agriculture dominates in the villages, and in Tabou trade involves over 80% of the population, and production concerns industrial crops (oil palm, cocoa) and food crops (rice, cassava and banana). Tabou is a large regional market, and constitutes a supply point for the surrounding communities. Moreover, it is a redistribution point for products from Abidjan, San Pedro, and even from neighbouring Liberia.
4. Project Alternatives
Since the project involves the rehabilitation of existing roads, the possible variants are quite limited. In most cases, the road will as much as possible maintain the route of the existing small road.
Sections generally have at least three alternatives and several variants. Alternatives concern “without project” and “with project” options under two alternatives regarding the structural design of the road. As for variants, they concern right-of-way dimensions.
For economic, social and environmental reasons, the variant chosen for the three sections is to as much as possible follow the route of each current earth road, while minimizing the need for expropriation. For instance, a road that will connect only the towns of Bloléquin and Toulépleu-Liberian border would leave out most of the important villages in the region. Regarding the environment, this option would cause much greater destruction of vegetation already quite heavily degraded by human activities. The last option would involve expensive facilities in terms of providing feeder roads to access the villages abandoned by the new road.
For the building of the bridge over River Cavally, seven elements that can cause difficulties in determining the variations of the horizontal alignment of the project road have been identified, with 4 on Ivorian territory and 3 on Liberian territory. Taking into account all these constraints, the following two possible route variants have been proposed:
• Option 1: Construction of a bridge at the ferry passage area;
• Option 2: Construction of a bridge 20 m downstream of the existing wharf.
Finally, option 2 was chosen in line with the type of facility considered, which is a pre-stressed girder bridge that is more cost-effective and easier to construct.
5. Potential impacts, and mitigation and improvement measures
5.1 Direct negative impacts
5.1.1 Site Preparation and Construction Phase
Biophysical Environment
• Impact on air quality: Clearing and earthworks, construction of the road and the movement of vehicles on the road works will generate dust and gaseous emissions, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc. Dust and gas emissions may also be the source of a possible reduction in atmospheric visibility caused by heavy dust clouds and the possible formation of photochemical fog following reactions due mainly to the presence of hydrocarbon mixture and nitrogen oxides. Such pollution may also cause respiratory diseases for the most vulnerable people. However, during the rainy season, it is largely limited on all three sections thanks to wet deposits.
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• Impacts on the soils: Machinery movements contribute to soil compaction, leading to waterproofing and loss of fertility. The work is also likely to cause new types of soil erosion and destabilization (landslide). Soils rendered bare may be seriously affected by surface erosion if nothing is done. The impact of operation of borrow pits on the soil will be locally sensitive, as good quality gravel materials are generally located on the summits of interfluves with poor soils and low organic fractions. Rehabilitation of such areas is difficult, and the loss of vegetation cover will mean degradation by erosion. This impact applies to all the three sections. In addition to their infertility and visual impact, the soils in disposal areas are exposed to gully erosion. This impact affects all the three sections.
• Risk of physical and chemical pollution of soil and water: Surface water, groundwater and lowlands located in direct and indirect project impact areas can be accidentally polluted due to equipment use and maintenance, hydrocarbons use and the installation of the mixing station during construction, especially in the rainy season. Indeed, the worksite sludge could, as a result of diversion, flow into the project area water bodies and lowlands. This impact could be significantly higher for the Bloléquin-Toulépleu-Liberian border and Tabou- Liberia border road sections owing to the nature of the watershed, the soils and the number of rivers in the project area. Indeed, discharges into waterways, particularly River Cavally, of dust particles, debris and other solid debris generated during the construction and sediment due to erosion will significantly increase the turbidity of the water and reduce transparency. This will reduce light penetration and adversely affect the oxygenation of water, photosynthetic production and primary production. These materials may be transported by water currents to other places or contribute to the siltation of the river. The fallouts of this type of pollution are difficult to quantify, but apart from their temporary nature, they will manifest at least partially in high water renewal areas, which should reduce their scope. There again, the bay ends will be most affected by such deposits.
• Impact on water quantity: Water is available in the affected regions. The worksite water needs will not affect the overall and daily water demand of the population. There will be no risk of water scarcity or competition with human consumption.
• Probable changes in morphology of the Cavally River bed: The stream section could be reduced by gravel and other solid debris if they are not removed but buried deep under the current mud. Accretion of the water-sediment interface in areas of low water circulation may occur, as well as widening of the central channel where water flow is high, thereby increasing the residual stream section until it reaches an equilibrium depth, hence wash-away of the mud and temporary instability of the bed. Exchanges will continue with flow rates significantly increased in the residual channel.
• Impacts on wildlife: The opening of road construction worksites could increase pressure on wildlife that could continue after the completion of the new access infrastructure. Habitats (thickets, forest area, large trees for birds) could be affected by borrow pit activities. While short-term pressure on wildlife is not significant, it is to be feared that in the long term, the new paved road could change the habits of the people who could switch from subsistence hunting to commercial hunting to supply urban centres, and thereby result in increased poaching.
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• Impacts on flora: The right-of-way clearances (20 m) at the access roads and borrow pits help to reduce vegetation cover on the sites concerned. The Tabou- Liberian border section will be hardest hit by this impact due to the forest type. It should be noted that the landscape of this area is marked by the presence of several logging areas. One of the likely impacts regarding vegetation will be increased logging. It is to be feared that the new paved road could give fresh impetus to this activity, which is in fact extremely destructive to vegetation if not properly regulated. The opening of gravel or sand borrow pits, the creation of various deviations during excavation, and the installation of a mixing station are potential factors of vegetation degradation in the short term. During the dry season, although this area is not prone to bush fires, the use of lights on the sites could be detrimental to the vegetation that is already quite fragile. Farming could also be given a boost, as a result of the ease of moving produce coupled with the rising prices of rubber and cocoa, which may lead to resumption of activities on old abandoned plantations, and definitely an increase in the creation of new plantations, particularly in the Bloléquin-Toulépleu-Liberian border and Tabou- Liberia border areas.
Human Environment
• Expropriation
Property will be affected during right-of-way clearance. This includes farmland, mainly farms of cassava, coffee, cocoa, palm oil, yam, cassava, and plantain (mainly on the Danané -Guinea border section). On the Tabou-Liberian border section, structures in permanent materials and the market made up of sheds, mud structures and wooden shacks will be affected. On the edge of River Cavally, mud houses, wooden shacks and economic activity will be affected by the construction of the bridge.
• Disruption of population mobility and noise pollution: Road construction works, when crossing villages, will temporarily affect the life of local inhabitants, whose homes and businesses are sometimes located extremely close to the work area. The works will thus disrupt mobility and access to homes. Furthermore, noise pollution characterizes work of this nature. However, the volume of noise will be low during the day, as studies have revealed the existence of noise in the initial state of the environment due to activities.
• Impacts on human health: The main risk is the exposure of workers and locals to STI/ HIV/AIDS, malaria and respiratory diseases. This risk is all the more significant as in some sections studies have shown prevalence rates of over 10%. The poverty level of the local population makes them more vulnerable to STIs/STDs. Furthermore, the precarious nature of health facilities in the area exacerbates this situation. The prevalence of malaria in the area also poses a significant risk to site personnel. For the site personnel and the public, the site as a whole will be a source of accidents, due to the mobility of equipment and vehicles, and also the handling of dangerous objects and products.
• Risk of conflict: The temporary presence of construction company personnel in the area is likely to cause a cultural mix that could cause conflicts. These conflicts may be the result of several factors: (i) non-compliance with customs and practices prevailing in their new environment, especially as the study found that on all the three sections there are sacred and cultural sites; (ii) lack of communication and sensitization campaigns; (iii) non-compliance with compensation procedures for destroyed property and non-consultation of the local population prior to the expropriation procedures, opening of deviations, etc.
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• Risk of destruction of sacred and/or cultural sites of importance to the people : Sacred places exist in different villages on the three sections. If they are not well identified and taken into account in project design and implementation, there are risks they will be desecrated or even destroyed. This could be a major factor of blockage of the project by the people.
5.1.2 Operational Phase
• Impacts on wildlife: The most significant impacts of the operational phase of the three road sections on wildlife include: (i) risk of accidents with wild animals, mainly on the Tabou-Liberian border section, and domestic animals (small and large ruminants) crossing or using the road; (ii) risk of increased poaching due to the improvement of traffic conditions on the three road sections.
• Impacts on flora : During the operation of the road, several effects on flora may occur such as: (i) increase in illegal logging; (ii) opening of tracks perpendicular to the road, which will contribute to the destruction of the existing cover and to increased access to initially less accessible areas. Lastly, the road will increase human pressure on forest resources, particularly for fuel wood, timber, etc. needs.
• Overall biodiversity impacts: The road will foster the development of transport and tourism in the area. This means waste production in all areas bordering the road and possible degradation of certain sensitive ecosystems through increased accessibility causing disruption of wildlife populations and declining biodiversity. Regarding specific impacts on the Nimba reserve, they are indirect as the road does not directly affect the said reserve. However, the indirect impacts are likely to affect this fragile ecosystem. Such impacts are pollution by waste that will be generated by a sharp increase in visitors, poaching and illegal logging.
• Impacts on water resources: Wear through friction of brake linings and metallic constituents generates essentially inorganic materials containing relatively high levels of heavy metals such as copper, nickel, chromium and lead. These inorganic materials will flow over time into the main streams.
• Impacts on the air: Improved road conditions will generate more traffic, which implies an increase of the same scale as the number of emission sources, namely vehicles. Furthermore, the construction of the road will increase average traffic speeds, resulting in more fluid traffic and emission ratios generally lower than those with current speeds (ratios of atmospheric emission are generally inversely proportional to the speed of movement).
• Impacts on the soil: The impacts of the road project in its operational phase on soils are limited to erosion risk, which is to be considered as an impact (destruction of environment by gullying, clogging, possible loosening of vegetation) as well as a major constraint on sustainability of the roads constructed.
5.2 Direct and indirect positive impacts
The positive impacts of this road are clear. However, the main positive impacts expected from the project can be summarized as follows: (i) contribution towards improving security, social cohesion and peace in the areas affected by the project; (ii) improved transportation of goods
10 and people; (iii) internal opening-up and improved accessibility to basic socioeconomic infrastructure for the populations of the three road sections; (iv) creation of direct and indirect jobs during the phases of construction, operation and maintenance of the road; (v) enhancement of the tourism potential, including ecotourism, in the project area; (vi) improvement of the living conditions of vulnerable populations using the road and connected tracks, and related works for the benefit of the population; (vii) reduced risk of landslides and erosion by strengthening and monitoring of slopes; (viii) added value of land due to improved accessibility; (ix) improved safety around schools along the road; (xi) improved access to the project area by the forestry and wildlife control services; and (xii) dust elimination compared to the initial state of the roads in the dry season.
5.4 Cumulative Impacts
5.4.1 Negative Impacts
An analysis of cumulative impacts is made at two levels: (i) between the road sections and ongoing and future projects that are known at this stage; (ii) between the different sections themselves. Regarding the first aspect, the various development projects in the region will, during the construction and operational phases, foster the movement of people in search of jobs or other economic activity and increased movements of raw materials; this will result in an increase in traffic on the road. Furthermore, these projects will increase anthropogenic pressures on natural resources and profound change in the environment. Mills that were abandoned or had slowed down activity may resume service, especially in Danané area, and/or set up in new areas such as around Tabou. It is to be feared that this additional population represents a further threat to wildlife. Regarding the second point, it concerns the effects of the proximity of the worksites to one another, which could increase pressure on local labour, the borrow pits and existing infrastructure.
5.4.2 Positive Impacts
Revitalization and redeployment of socio-economic activities, particularly in processing, transport and distribution, services and ecotourism, are possible given the potential of the areas concerned. Given the expected trade volumes due to the roads, people will have access to a wider variety of products. Overall living conditions of the affected population and others will be improved.
5.4 Environmental and Social Measures
Site Preparation Phase
• Selection and engagement of contractors: Environmental and social clauses will be included in the bidding documents. The company carrying out the works will establish a quality assurance plan (QAP), as well as pledge to comply with the environmental protection clauses.
• Fair, equitable and prior compensation of people affected by the project for the property identified in the Resettlement Plan.
• Engagement of Contractor: It will be recommended that each contractor for each lot submit to the approval of the environmentalist of the Control Bureau, a site environmental protection plan (SEPP) and a site environmental management plan (SEMP) within 60 days of notification of the contract. These documents will, at least, contain: (i) the organization chart of staff assigned to the environmental and social management, with an indication of the environmental
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and social officer of the project; (ii) a description of methods to reduce impacts on the biophysical and socio-economic environment; (iii) the management and rehabilitation plan for borrow pits and quarries, including the management of explosives; (iv) the water resources management plan; (v) management plan for erosion, drainage and sedimentation; (v) installation plan for the worksite camp, indicating storage areas and equipment locations; (vi) the solid and liquid waste management plan; (vii) all measures to protect the site and the implementation programme; (viii) the location and general site plan to scale; (vii) a description of avoidance and reduction methods of pollution, fires and road accidents; (viii) health infrastructure and population’s access in emergency situations; (ix) worksite regulations on environmental protection and security; (x) the emergency response plan; (xi) plan for the protection and enhancement of sacred and/or cultural sites; and (xii) the estimated site development plan at project completion and handover of facilities to local people.
Construction Phase
• Air Quality Protection Measures: The contractor for each lot will take appropriate measures to protect areas near the site roadways, shoulders and sidewalks from contamination by dust, debris, sludge or materials from the works. The contractor’s PPES contains all these measures, and will be approved by the supervising office and AGEROUTE before works start-up, and monitored by them during construction.
• Protection of soil structure and borrow and quarry sites : There are plans for erosion control measures, such as slope re-vegetation, roadside tree planting and drainage of stormwater that could cause soil erosion by runoff. In quarry and deposit sites, the operator is required to install and maintain erosion control facilities, backfilling and/or reforest all degraded land. Other measures and precautions will be taken: (i) an authorization required for the opening and operation of quarries and borrow pits (temporary and permanent) in accordance with national legislation is necessary; sites must lie at distances prescribed by national legislation. Choose locations where excavation works will have the least impact on the environment and reduce the number of sites by choosing quarries or sites which provide the largest volumes of materials. Site restoration should be done in a participatory manner with the people.
• Protection of water resources and soils: The protection of surface water, groundwater and soil against pollution will be primarily by prohibition of any spill or discharge of wastewater, sludge, slurries, oil, pollutants of any kind in wells, boreholes, water bodies, rivers, natural streams, ditches, or on the ground. Furthermore, the worksite camp will be provided with proper facilities (septic tanks, pumps adequate fuel, etc.). Regarding the bridge over River Cavally, a specific management plan for the protection of water resources will be implemented. This plan will include appropriate safeguards against physical and chemical pollution of the river.
• Wildlife and flora conservation measures: Actions will be taken at three levels. On the site: (i) Control staff and sensitize them to the problem of poaching and prohibit the consumption of bush meat on the worksite camp; (ii) supply the worksite camp canteen with fish or local livestock as a source of protein; (iii) install physical speed bumps, signs in areas of wildlife crossings mainly on the Tabou-Liberian border section; (v) support in the form of sensitization materials and equipment for visitors to the Mount Nimba Biosphere
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Reserve. There are also plans to: (i) prohibit wild sawmilling and ensure supply of only wood from certified logging companies for the works; (ii) install the worksite camp only in already degraded or low-impact areas; (iii) preserve large diameter trees when they present no hindrance to the work. This is of paramount importance, especially as some of the said trees are cultural symbols for the people; and (iv) completely restore destroyed habitats and establish a nursery at the commencement of works. Planting will take place prior to the acceptance of the works. At the community level , specific themes, knowledge in the area of protected species and environmental protection in general will be part of the sensitization to be conducted by an NGO specialized in environmental protection and biodiversity issues. At the institutional level, specific support in the form of materials will be provided to the Mount Nimba Biosphere Reserve. Furthermore, the conduct of the strategic environmental and social assessment of the transport sector will help to better identify and manage the long-term environmental and social impacts of the programme.
Human environment
The main steps can be summarized as follows:
• Compensation: Monitoring of the CRP implementation and the functioning of the dispute settlement committee. Since the submission of evidence of compensation is a condition precedent to commencement of works, it is important to ensure optimal implementation of the CRP.
• Preventive measures for human health: Specialized NGOs will preferably be responsible for prevention (every 3 months); this task may also be entrusted to the health districts of the region on each road section. It will train local facilitators, who will take turns to educate both site staff as well as road users and project area dwellers.
• Preventive measures for human safety: To ensure the safety of its workers, the local population and road users, the company is required to take appropriate measures to prevent any risks of accidents: road, fire, explosion, improper handling of construction equipment, etc. All recommendations for the preservation of human safety during construction works focus on signs, control of access, sensitization, fire prevention and ancillary works. To that end, sensitization campaigns will be conducted by a specialized NGO.
• Protection and enhancement of sacred and/or cultural sites of importance for the population: The protection and enhancement plan for sacred sites and/or of cultural importance for the population will help to better manage the risk associated with the desecration and destruction of such sites. This plan will identify in detail all sites on each section. For each of them, an analysis of the direct and indirect implications should be made and, where necessary, make recommendations on the route at the sites threatened with destruction and that cannot be relocated. Together with the people, each site must be suitably protected if necessary with adequate signs. For each segment, the company carrying out the work will sensitize all site personnel on the need to respect the customs and traditions associated with these sites and avoid desecrating them. The protection and enhancement plan for sacred and / or cultural sites will be submitted to the Bank prior to the signing of the company’s contract.
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Operational phase of the road
• Fauna and flora conservation measures: Installation of awareness panels, warning signs and speed limits in limited visibility, heavy traffic and animal passage areas. Also, the conduct of the strategic environmental and social assessment will better define these impacts based on past and current experiences to correct errors and failures and replicate successes in biodiversity management in road projects in Côte d'Ivoire in general. • Road safety measures: Special attention is accorded to works at town and village crossings which are dangerous for both road users and residents (signalling, speed bumps, 2 m wide sidewalks, widened shoulders, parking lanes at all villages, protection at schools, etc.).
6. Environmental Risk Management
6.1 Risk Analysis
In the construction phase, the environmental risk for the three road sections concerns mainly spillage of oil, bituminous products, explosives and other substances used in road construction, or uncontrolled discharge of waste products. These risks are all the more significant as the areas concerned are crossed by large rivers, including River Cavally. Fire remains the major risk likely to cause enormous damage. The possible origins of a fire on the site are varied and include: short circuit in electrical installations, human negligence such as forgetting a cigarette butt, collision between two vehicles, illicit siphoning of fuel by workers, etc. In the operational phase of the road, the environmental risk mainly concerns spillage of oil and other chemicals during transportation. Traffic accidents are largely responsible for these spillages and are the cause of many casualties. Furthermore, with increased heavy vehicle traffic, particularly tankers, the risk of accidents due to carelessness of the rural population and/or drivers is to be feared.
6.2 Safety Measures
To reduce the risk of accidents and their effects, the following measures must be implemented by the contractor: build fences around the different worksite camps and regulate access prior to commencement of work; put in place markings and signs on various project sites to reduce traffic accidents; provide the workers with personal suitable protective gear (safety shoes, helmets, dust and noise masks, gloves, fall arrest harnesses, etc.); constant supervision of handling of hazardous substances; store hazardous substances in sealed containers in secure storage areas, sheltered from the elements. Keep storage areas locked and control the inventory of such substances; observe the speed limits which are: 20 km/h on work and quarry sites; 35 km/ h on temporary deviations; 80 km/h in open country and 40 km/h in urban areas; erect barriers to prevent the public and non-staff accessing worksites; establish instructions for vehicular traffic within the project site and on the road under construction; design and build the construction site, transportation, loading, unloading and materials storage facilities so as not to compromise safety; sufficiently light the site and its surroundings to prevent any risk of injury and facilitate the intervention of safety teams; maintain the road clean and non-slippery at all times through appropriate means (sanding or salting, etc..), scaffolding, passages, bridges, platforms, stairs, etc.; prepare heating and lighting installations, as well as depots of flammable or explosive substances to prevent the danger of fire, explosion and asphyxiation; prohibit smoking in parking lots and on the premises where flammable or explosive substances are kept or used; carry out work on bridges and hydraulic structures during low water periods if possible; and avoid working on market days in towns that have a weekly market.
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In the operational phase: ensure maintenance of signs in settled areas and animal crossing zones; involve the police to prevent roadway invasion by traders at centres that have markets; and sensitize the local population on the risks associated with handling flammable products
6.3 Emergency Response Plan (ERP)
The emergency response plan specifies procedures for handling unexpected and sudden situations. Its objective is to limit the consequences of emergencies and to that end, prevent fatalities and injuries, reduce damage to construction equipment, and accelerate the resumption of normal activity.
During the construction phase, the Contractor will establish an emergency response plan that will take into account: the formal commitment of the Construction Manager to the safety of its employees; sensitization and training on compliance with safety requirements of all workers; formation and training of a safety team ready to respond at any time; equipment of the construction site with safety products and devices (mini-pharmacy, fire extinguishers, etc.); signature of an emergency response contract with hospitals and local firefighting services; providing all workers with a health emergency telephone number; and carrying out periodic exercises/simulations to implement the contingency plan to ensure appropriate management of emergency situations.
During the operational phase of the road, emergency management will be provided by regional or general hospitals in the project area, firefighters, police, etc. The concession holder will be responsible for the JCP in accordance with the laws in the countries concerned.
7. Environmental and Social Monitoring Programme
It is worth noting that the implementation of environmental and social measures recommended in the ESMP will not be effective if these measures are not reflected in the contract of the contractor in charge of the construction work. The Ministry of Economic Infrastructure, through the Road Management Agency (AGEROUTE) which is the Contracting Authority, is primarily responsible for ensuring the implementation of environmental and social measures recommended in the ESMP by incorporating them into the Contractor’s contract. The Bank will verify the effective inclusion of environmental and social clauses in the bidding documents and the Contractor’s contract.
The Contractor is responsible for effectively and efficiently applying environmental requirements under its contract. To be operational, it must have within it an “environmental respondent" who, after listing the most sensitive environmental constraints on the site, will be responsible for ensuring compliance with the technical environmental clauses, incorporate environmental monitoring in the site logbook and serve as an interlocutor with the Contracting Authority’s Control Bureau on environmental and social issues
The Control Bureau recruited by the Contracting Authority shall have within it an expert environmentalist to conduct daily environmental monitoring. Under the responsibility of the Head of Control Mission, it will ensure the effective implementation of all contractual environmental and social measures, doing so in consultation with local technical services.
Environmental monitoring is a short-, medium- and long-term observation and measurement activity. Its aim is to determine the most worrying impacts of the project compared to the predictions of impacts following the impact assessment, with a view to making the necessary adjustments to the mitigation measures proposed, where appropriate. During the construction and operation phases, it will focus on indicators related to the development of sensitive characteristics of some impact receptors affected by the project, notably: (i) soil degradation;
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(ii) surface water quality; (iii) flora degradation/restoration; (iv) disturbance of wildlife and poaching; (v) human health and safety; (vi) compensation and resettlement of displaced populations, etc.
In the construction phase, social and environmental aspects will be monitored by the Environmental Expert of the Control Mission, who reports monthly to AGEROUTE. In addition to the services provided by the Control Mission, internal monitoring will be provided by the AGEROUTE environmentalist assigned to this project. He/she will develop a monitoring plan that will address the most pressing impacts of the project, in order to highlight the real impact on the environmental components and validate the concerns set out in the impact assessment. This plan will include the definition of environmental and social monitoring indicators on the basis of which changes vis-à-vis the initial objectives would be observed. Table 1 below shows in detail the elements of environmental monitoring.
In addition to these provisions, external monitoring will be conducted during and after the works by ANDE.
Table 1 Elements of Environmental Monitoring Impact Monitoring Monitoring Responsible Monitoring Monitoring Receptor Elements Indicators (indicative) for Monitoring Period Frequency
Env. During Air Pollution Volume of airborne dust Monthly AGEROUTE construction
Gullying from borrow and Monthly during the During and quarry sites Env. construction phase Erosion after Scouring at bridges during the AGEROUTE Half-yearly during the construction Soil operations phase. operations phase During and Soil contamination Env. Pollution after Monthly Soil compaction AGEROUTE construction
Heavy metal content, During and Env. Pollution conductivity, PH, organic after Quarterly AGEROUTE matter, turbidity/sedimentation construction Water During and Env. Quantity Water availability after Half-yearly AGEROUTE construction During and Compensatory Reforestation W&F after Half-yearly vegetation success rate construction Vegetation and Quarterly during the wildlife Disturbance of wildlife Changes in During and construction phase Destruction of wildlife wildlife behaviour W&F after Yearly during the habitats Frequency construction operations phase
Monthly during the During and construction phase Health and safety ARI, STD, HIV/AIDS Prevalence rate Min Health after Yearly during the construction operations phase Number of accidents during During Min Health Monthly the construction phase construction Health and safety Accident Number of accidents during During Min Health Monthly the operations phase construction
Monthly during the Indemnities and During and Destruction of public Statement of compensation of construction phase and Compensation MCLAU after and private buildings people affected by the works yearly during the for lost property construction operations phase
Number of jobs created During and Monthly for employment Job creation Env. Employment Average income in communes after Yearly for average Improved income AGEROUTE concerned by the project. construction income
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8. Cost Estimate
The cost of all the environmental and social measures, including costs for resettlement and ancillary works total CFAF 4.9 billion, comprising:
• CFAF 443,428,855 for the Danané-Guinea border section, including support to the Mount Nimba Biosphere;
• CFAF 1,048,234,092 for the Bloléquin-Toulépleu-Liberian border section;
• CFAF 394,076,999 for the Tabou-Liberia border section;
• CFAF 200 million for the institutional support component;
Table 2 ESMP Cost Details Danané- Bloléquin- Tabou- Guinea Toulépleu- Liberia Amount in RECOMMENDED MEASURES border Liberia border CFAF border Installation and construction phases Checking of choices of areas intended for use by the 22,400,000 contractor 7,616,000.0 10,355,618.78 4,460,881.93 Initial assessment of critical sections (before works) 30,000,000 by an independent consultant 10,200,000.0 13,869,132.29 5,974,395.45
Air quality protection measures 28,000,000 9,520,000.0 12,944,523.47 5,576,102.42
Water and soil protection measures 100,000,000 34,000,000.0 46,230,440.97 19,914,651.49 Flora and fauna protection and biodiversity 120,000,000 management measures 60,800,000.0 35,476,529.16 23,897,581.79 Sensitization to environmental protection, road safety 200,000,000 and protection against STDs / HIV 68,000,000.0 92,460,881.93 39,829,302.99 Sacred and cultural sites protection/enhancement 150,000,000 measures 51,000,000.0 69,345,661.45 29,871,977.24
Human health protection and road safety measures 50,000,000 17,000,000.0 23,115,220.48 9,957,325.75
Management and rehabilitation borrow / deposit sites 150,000,000 51,000,000.0 69,345,661.45 29,871,977.24 Provision for further assessments / surveys on the 50,000,000 environmental and social aspects 17,000,000.0 23,115,220.48 9,957,325.75 Management plan for water resources and soils for the 25,000,000 bridge over the Cavally 25,000,000.00
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Development and implementation of a communication 30,000,000 plan for the project 10,200,000.0 13,869,132.29 5,974,395.45
SUB-TOTAL A 900,400,000 326,136,000.0 396,258,890.5 204,311,522.0 Ancillary and improvement works SUB-TOTAL B 2,858,984,324 Implementation of the resettlement plan SUB -TOTAL C 66,292,855.0 582,629,540.00 159,893,500.00 808,815,895 Institutional support Support for the development of a strategic environmental and social assessment of the transport 200,000,000 sector in CI SUB-TOTAL D 200,000,000 Monitoring of ESMP implementation
Monitoring of ESMP implementation 150,000,000 51,000,000 69,345,661 29,871,977
SUB -TOTAL D 150,000,000 51,000,000 69,345,661 29,871,977
GRAND TOTAL 4,918,200,219 443,428,855 1,048,234,092 394,076,999
9. Public Consultations and Information Dissemination
The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the three sections was conducted based on a methodological participatory approach involving the project beneficiaries on whom the project is likely to have negative and beneficial effects. This approach is consistent with Decree No. 96-894 of 8 November 1996, regulating public participation and AfDB requirements. Consultation for all three sections comprises three main phases: (i) consultation with the public; (ii) public information and consultation session; and (iii) public inquiry.
9.1 Public Consultations
This participatory process was initiated to ensure clarity, transparency and rigour. Its objectives were to: (i) ensure the consistency of action of each project stakeholder; (ii) foster the involvement of the local population in the project; (iii) create a climate of trust and cooperation, and to defuse potential conflicts through an objective approach. The consultants held working sessions with authorities and technical structures of government, roadside communities, business operators, women and youth associations, etc. in the course of which direct contacts were established to discuss the project and define the conditions for participation during the conduct of field surveys. In total, over 300 people participated in these consultations. At these consultations, there was notable willingness of partners to support the project. However, the consultations advocated that consideration be given to grievances expressed by the locals, especially with regard to the use of local labour to perform menial tasks, opening of access roads and compensation of people directly affected by the project.
9.2 Public Information and Consultation Sessions
During the preparation mission conducted by the Bank and AGEROUTE, public information and consultation sessions were organized to present all the actors directly involved in this project (objectives and activities planned under the project, gathering opinions and concerns with respect to said project). These consultations helped to define the activities to be adopted as regards ancillary works.
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9.3 Public Survey
The public survey has not yet been conducted. The survey will be undertaken this year (2014) before the project is submitted to the AfDB Board of Directors for approval. Conduct of the survey will be a Bank requirement, to be implemented as part of the action plan.
The survey involves making available to the public for consultation and comments, the report of the Environmental Impact Assessment under the supervision of a Survey Commissioner (Commissaire Enquêteur) appointed by municipal order and tasked with gathering comments from the public. The public survey is initiated by the National Environment Agency (ANDE) and conducted in the form of a public meeting. All public meetings are preceded by extensive media announcements (national or local radio, TV, print, etc.), posters, banners and other handouts. The results of the public survey will be presented by the Survey Commissioner and produced as a report.
Given the scale of the project, there are plans to prepare a communication plan on the project. This plan will involve the main project actors (the population, central and local authorities, NGOs, etc.) in all project phases, notably site installation, construction and maintenance. Hence, this plan will cover the implementation of the ESMP with special focus on issues related to biodiversity management, site environmental protection, inconvenience management, etc. Budgetary provisions have been made for implementing the plan.
On approval by the Bank, the summaries are posted on the AfDB website 120 days before the date of project presentation to the Board of Directors.
10. Additional Initiatives
Under the project, there is provision for initiatives to improve the socio-economic impacts of the project. Through the participatory approach, the following activities were retained for the Ivorian component of the project:
• Support cooperatives of women war victims (counselling and resettlement centres, market gardening equipment, MIT, boreholes);
• Rehabilitation of 50 km of rural roads;
• Rehabilitation of schools and health centres;
• Construction of 2 km of urban roads in Danané;
• Rehabilitation of a bus terminal and 2 roadside markets (Danané and Gbapleu)
These activities are estimated to cost CFAF 2,858,984,324.
11. Conclusion
The environmental and social impact assessment conducted on all three road sections shows that the project would have potential negative impacts on the biophysical, biological and human environments. However, these potential negative impacts can be identified and mitigated within reasonable limits, or sometimes offset by the appropriate corrective measures proposed in the ESMP. There are no major environmental and social changes that may justify the non-implementation of the project. Given the sensitivity of some cultural sites, it is important that the implementation of the ESMP be strictly monitored by all stakeholders.
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12. References and contacts
a. BNETD. 2014. Rapport de l’EIES de la section de route Danané-frontière guinée, avril 2014 (ESIA Report on the Danané-Guinea Border Road Section, April 2014). 146 p.
b. BNETD. 2013. Rapport de l’EIES de la section de route Bloléquin-Toulepleu- Frontiere Liberia, 2013 (ESIA Report on the Bloléquin-Toulepleu-Liberia Border Road Section, 2013). 154 p.
c. AGECET-BTP/STUDI International. 2012. Rapport de l’EIES de la section de route Tabou-Prollo frontière Libéria, 2013 (ESIA Report on the Tabou-Prollo- Liberia Border Road Section, 2013). 268 p.
For further information, please contact:
1. Ilboudo Jean-Noel, Transport Division 1, E-mail: [email protected]
2. Modeste KINANE, Environment and Climate Change Division, E-mail: [email protected]
Environmental and Social Action Plan for the Manor River Programme-Cote d’Ivoire Action Objectives Responsability Completion Indicators Timeline Operational Safeguards 1: Environmental and Social Assessment Prepare a Strategic Environmental • Define the overarching objectives and E&S measures for the programme in AGEROUTE/ • Submission of the • March 2016 and Social Assessment (SESA) for line with the transport sector development policy and strategy in general BENETD draft version to AfDB the transport sector in Cote d’Ivoire and in particular this road programme; prior to the national • This SESA will also define the framework and overall approach for workshop identifying and managing environmental and social impacts resulting from • December 2016 the ancillary works in the framework of this road programme. • Submission of the final version to AfDB Prepare a Communication Plan for Strengthen participation and ownership of the programme by all key AGEROUTE/ Submission of the plan 30 Octobre 2015 the programme stakeholders BENETD Finalize the protection and • Finalize the participatory identification of the sacred and cultural sites ; AGEROUTE/DNI/ Submission to AfDB 30 October 2014 • enhancement measures for sacred and Where applicable, for each site, define the protection/enhancement BENETD of all the proposed cultural sites measures including needs for further investigations measures Submit to AfDB the environmental Ensure that revised versions of the ESIA are approved and disclosed in line AGEROUTE/ Submission of the 30 October 2014 compliance certificate with national requirements BENETD compliance certificate Operational Safeguard 2: Involuntary resettlement land acquisition, population displacement and compensation Update the RAP reports for the 3 road • Provide the updated socioeconomic characteristics of the PAPs ; AGEROUTE / Submission of the final 30 octobre 14 sections in line with AfDB’s • Take into account the capacity building aspects of all stakeholders involved BNETD reports to AfDB requirements and the information and Education Communication component • Update the budget provision accordingly Submit to the Bank the declaration of • Ensure that the legal requirements and prerequisite are timely fulfilled AGEROUTE /MCLAU/ Submission of a copy to 15 décembre 14 public utility (DUP). enable a timely compensation and displacement of project affected people BNETD AfDB Operational Safeguard 3: Biodiversity and ecosystem services Finalize the GEF component of the • Finalize the GEF components of the financing on the trans-boundary Min in charge W&F in Submission of the 30 Octobre 2014 financing on the trans-boundary forest forest management taking into account all potential implications of the CI and in version of the GEF management taking into account all programme on the flora and fauna Guinea/AGEROUTE/D component as an annex potential implications of the • Ensure that all the implementation arrangements for the GEF component NI/BAD to the project evaluation programme on the flora and fauna are in place. report Operational Safeguard 4: Pollution prevention and control, hazardous materials and resource efficiency Prepare a water quality management • Conduct a full year assessment of the Cavaly Water quality to establish AGEROUTE/ Submission of the plan Prior to the signing plan for the construction and operation the baseline data; BENETD to the Bank of the contract for of the bridge on the Cavaly River • Prepare a water quality management plan to cover the construction works the lot concerning and operation phases the bridge on the Cavaly River Operational Safeguard 5: Labor conditions, health and safety Prepare a plan to prevent and limit the • Ensure that all necessary measures are taken to prevent the risks of AGEROUTE/BENETD Submission of the plan Prior to the propagation of the Ebola Virus during exposure of workers in the concerned areas to AfDB construction works the construction phase 2
AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK GROUP
PROJECT: ROAD DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORT FACILITATION PROGRAMME WITHIN THE MANO RIVER UNION
COUNTRIES: CÔTE D’IVOIRE, GUINEA, LIBERIA
SUMMARY OF RESETTLEMENT PLAN (RP)
Team Manager J. N. ILBOUDO, Transportation Engineer OITC.1 5012 J.B. AGUMA, Transportation Economist OITC.1 1956 J. P.M. KALALA , Chief Socio-Economist OITC.1 3561 N. KULEMEKA, Chief Socio-Economist SARC/ONEC. 3 8452 L. M. KINANE, Environmentalist ONEC.3 2933 E.NDINYA, Environmentalist ONEC.3 1541 Team Members P. H. SANON, Social Safeguards Expert ONEC.3 5828 LRFO/OITC.1 7072 Project Team P.TAMBAH, Infrastructure Engineer ,
M. SOUMARE , Procurement Specialist ORPF.1/ LRFO M. MABE-KOOFHETHILE , Procurement Specialist ORPF.1/ SNFO Sector Division Jean Kizito KABANGUKA OITC1 2143 Manager Sector Director Amadou OUMAROU OITC 3075 Regional Manager Franck Joseph PERRAULT ORWA 4046 Regional Integration and ONRI 4047 Trade Director Janvier K. LITSE
SUMMARY OF RESETTLEMENT PLAN (RP)
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Project title : Road Development and Transport Facilitation Project Reference : P-Z1-DB0-103 Programme Within the Mano River Union
Countries : Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia
Department : OITC Division : OITC-1
INTRODUCTION
At the request of the Ivorian, Guinean and Liberian governments, the African Development Bank will support the implementation of the “Road Development and Transport Facilitation Programme Within the Mano River Union ” aimed at rebuilding and paving the Danané-Lola, Harper-Tabou and Bloléquin-Toulepleu -Liberia border road linking the southeast of Guinea and the east of Liberia to the southwest of Cote d’Ivoire. Environmentally and socially, and as per the nature of the works, the magnitude, size, and the direct and indirect potential effects, the project is classified in Category 1. The implementation of the project to construct and pave the roads linking Danané to Lola, Harper to Tabou and Bloléquin-Toulepleu to the Liberian border will entail the expropriation of buildings, farmland and trees along the right-of-way (road easements) for public utility. It will surely be detrimental to the livelihood of some people found within the right-of-way. In accordance with the African Development Bank policy on involuntary resettlement of populations, the Government of Cote d’Ivoire is to develop a resettlement plan (RP) to ensure the compensation and resettlement of people affected by the project (PAP). This should aim at (i) greatly minimizing involuntary displacement; (ii) avoiding to a greater extent the destruction of goods and properties and (iii) compensating the people affected to recompense the loss incurred through the destruction of their housings and farming lands, materials and equipment, as well as income sources. This summary mainly dwells on the RP. It defines the principles and modalities for implementing the compensation and resettlement actions of affected people, and draws up an approximate budget and an indicative timetable for its implementation.
1. DESCRIPTION AND RATIONALE, LOCATION AND PROJECT AREA AND ITS INFLUENCE ZONE
1.1 Project Description and Rationale Like the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone are found in one of the three fragile zones on the continent. These three countries are characterized by (i) economic isolation; (ii) inequalities and exclusion of specific social groups like women and young people; (iii) harsh climates and conflicts deriving from the control of resources; (iv) rapid urbanization which may appear to be an opportunity but which constitute the underlying factor of social conflicts; and (v) the non-respect for regional approaches in resolving problems.
To this end, the development program for the 3 countries (PND 2012-2015 for CI ; PRSP III 2013- 2016 for Guinea and PRSP II 2012-2017 for Liberia) provides incentives for the rebuilding and paving of the Danané-Lola, Harper-Tabou and Bloléquin-Toulepleu -Liberia border roads linking the southeast of Guinea and the eastern part of Liberia to the southwest of Cote d’Ivoire. These are alternate routes from the Trans-coastal Lagos-Abidjan-Dakar corridor, considered the most important in West Africa.
The general objective of the project is to support post-conflict economic recovery in the Mano River Union (MRU) region through the improvement of road infrastructure and the promotion of intra- community trade. The specific objectives are: (i) improve transport conditions on various routes
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covered by the project to reduce transport costs; (ii) remove obstacles to the free movement of people and goods among the three countries; and (iii) improve the living conditions of people within the project zone. The major results expected are: (a) improvement of transport conditions on the different highways and at border crossings; (b) improvement of living conditions in the ZIP; and (c) decrease transport costs.
The Ivorian section of the project covers: • The Danané-Guinean border road (47.6 km), • The Bloléquin-Toulepleu-Liberian border road (65 km) • The Tabou-Prollo-Liberian border road (29 km) including the Prollo Bridge on the Cavally River.
The project has the following components:
Components Description of Components In CI: (1) paving of the Danané-Guinea border road (47.6 km), including reservations for optical fibre; (ii) paving of the Bloléquin-Toulépleu-Liberian border road (65 km), including reservations for optical fibre; (iii) Road paving of the Taboo-Liberia border road (28 km), including reservations for optical fibre; (iv) raising public development and awareness of road safety, HIV /AIDS and environmental protection; and (v) works control/ supervision . mitigation of In Guinea: (i) paving of the Lola-Ivorian border road (39.75 km), including reservations for optical fibre; (ii) negative raising public awareness of road safety, HIV/AIDS and environmental protection; and (iii) works environmental control/supervision. impacts In Liberia : (i) paving of the Karloken-Fishtown (80 km) and Harper-Cavally roads (CI border post: 16 km), including works control / supervision and implementation of the ESMP and reservations for optical fibre. In CI : (i) support for women war victim groups (drop-in and integration centre, market gardening equipment, Ancillary works MIT , boreholes); (ii) rehabilitation of 50 km of rural roads (iii) rehabilitation of schools and health centres; and measures for (iv) development of 2 km of urban roads in Danané; (v) rehabilitation of a bus terminal in Danané and 2 women roadside markets (Danané and Gbapleu); and (vi) works control/supervision. In Guinea : (i) development of 5 km of roads in Lola; (ii) rehabilitation of a market and a bus terminal in Lola; (iii) rehabilitation of social infrastructure (schools, health centres); (iv) development of 20 km of prefectural and community roads connected to the Lola-CI border road; and (v) works control/supervision; and In Liberia : (i) development of two roadside markets. In CI/Guinea : (i) construction and equipment of the JCP, including weighing/toll station; (ii) control and supervision of construction of the JCP; (iii) sensitization of road users, frontier public officials on inter-State Transport transport facilitation measures. facilitation In CI/Liberia: (i) construction and equipment 2 JCPs, including weighing/toll station; (ii) construction of the bridge over River Cavally; (iii) works control and supervision; and (iv) sensitization of road users, frontier public officials on inter-State transport facilitation measures. Institutional In CI: (i) Study on preparation of the National Road Safety Policy; (ii) study on strategic environmental support and assessment in the transport sector; environmental In Guinea : (i) integrated management of transboundary forests (GEF). protection In Liberia: (i) integrated management of transboundary forests (GEF). In CI : (i) monitoring and evaluation of the socio-economic impact of the project; (ii) financial and accounts audit; (iii) operating costs of the Delegated Contracting Authority Project In Guinea: (i) monitoring and evaluation of the socio-economic impact of the project; (ii) material and Management logistical support to the Project Management bodies; (iii) financial and accounts audit; (iv) technical audit of the project; and (v) technical assistance. In Liberia : (i) monitoring and evaluation of the socio-economic impact of the project; (ii) support for the project coordinating body; (iii) financial and accounts audit; (iv) technical audit of the project.
Source: PCN
The total cost of the project, exclusive of taxes and duties, including contingencies is 228.46 million units of account (MUA).
1.2 Main characteristics of the direct and extensive influence zones of the Project
Geographical, administrative and socio-demographic location
- DANANE – Guinea border
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The department of Danané accounts for four sub-prefectures namely the central sub-prefecture of Danané and those of Mahapleu, Kouan-Houle and Daleu. In Cote d'Ivoire, ZIP, located in the region of Tonkpi to the west of the country, is found in the Department of Danané. It comprises 185 villages with a population of 281 437 inhabitants, and has borders with Liberia to the West and Guinea to the North. The Danané-Gbapleu highway to be reconditioned will pass through 19 communities with inhabitants of 98,900 people, of whom 49 459 are women. The indigenous population of Danané are the Dan (commonly called Yacouba) belonging to the large ethno-cultural group Mandé, mainly from its South branch called Mandé of the South.
- Stretch BLOLEQUIN – TOULEPLEU – LIBERIA Border
- It passes through the Departments of Bloléquin of 25 Km and Toulepleu of approximately 40 Km. The Department of Bloléquin, with a surface area of 2,065 km2, is located to the west of Cote d’Ivoire in the Region of the Moyen Cavally at 570 Km from Abidjan. According to the General Census of the population and habitat (RGPH) of 1998, it has a population of more than 100,000 inhabitants, with a density of 44.24 inhabitants /Km2. The indigenous people within the project zone are from the KROU cultural group, the Wê ethnic group and more precisely from the sub-group Guéré. They cohabit with the Dan population, Mahou and also with many native and non-natives. We should not also forget to add the civil servants, international organizations and religious missions to this population. The department of Toulepleu, with a surface area of 875 Km², accounts for nine (09) communes of which only one is functional to this day, that is Toulepleu. The whole of the administrative districts of the department accounts for fifty-seven (57) villages spread over the departmental territory. According to the census of the population and Habitat of 1998, the population is estimated at 50,465 inhabitants. The main ethnic groups present in the department of Toulepleu are by order of importance: the Guéré who are comprised of three sub-groups namely the WELAO, the PEHOUA and the NIDROU; and the dioula made mainly of the Mahou from Touba, the Mandingo from Odiénné and the Mandingo from Guinea. A significant number of Baoulé and Burkinabe are found in the sub-prefecture of Méo involved in farming activities.
The 26 villages along the road alignment are attached to a Cantonal capital; they are directly managed by a village chief selected among the heads of families or neighbourhoods forming the notability. There is a growing trend to the democratization of the system.
- Stretch-TABOU- Prollo - LIBERIA border The section stretches from Tabou to the border with the Republic of Liberia through some relatively large communities as Djamadjoké, Djoutou and Prollo. The sub-prefecture of Tabou has 75,218 inhabitants including 35,754 women with 754 camps and 15,830 households. The population is consisted of indigenous and non-natives people largely settled in Tabou and within the camps. Tabou is the main county town of the sub-prefecture with 12,772 residents. The main indigenous ethnic group in the area is composed of Kroumen. As for immigrants, they are from the other regions of the country comprising the Dioula and nationals of foreign countries, mainly made up of Liberians.
Access to infrastructure and basic social services
Health: The Department of Danané includes a general hospital, three urban health centres, an urban clinic, a rural health centre and eight rural clinics. The medical personnel comprised of six General Practitioners, a surgeon, a dentist, twenty-seven State-registered Nurses, six Midwives and three nurse specialists. The most widespread pathologies in 2009 included malaria (22 174 cases), acute respiratory infections (1 568 cases) and diarrhoea (1 420 cases). Education: The Department of Danané includes 144 primary schools for 32 871 students including 19 246 boys and 13 555 girls. The City of Man and the Department of Danané have over 188 primary schools with 46 871 students. In Danané, secondary education is consisted of a public high school, two city junior secondary schools and four private junior secondary schools.
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Socio-economic activities - Stretch Danané - Guinea Border The agricultural sector is dominated by industrial exports such as coffee, cocoa, oil palm crops. But seniority and permanent extension of these perennial crops impedes the trend of annual food crops such as among others, cassava and rice, the staple food of indigenous peoples. In addition to such food crops, should be added vegetable crops namely okra, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, cucumbers, lettuce, etc. Overall, the production system is exclusively extensive and fundamentally traditional. In the traditional farming system, rice ranks first in crop rotation with maize, vegetables and plantains. Livestock is underdeveloped. This is basically, a traditional farming system practiced in some communities of the department of Danané (sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, and poultry). Nevertheless, there are some modern farms funded by partners in the humanitarian work such as CARITAS. Traditional fishing is predominantly female; it is practiced in groups during the dry season in non- sacred areas of rivers; fishing tools include traps and nets, and the catch, mainly catfish. The trade sector is largely informal and dominated by micro trading, retail and popular restaurants. - Stretch-Bloléquin-Toulepleu - Liberia border The bulk of the population under the project is dependent on agriculture including food crops and cash crops. The food crops currently grown along the road include rice, cassava and plantains. They are largely used for domestic consumption; the surplus is sold. Rice is the main production; it is primarily intended for consumption; annual production is unfortunately below the agricultural potential of the department. The cost of food production can be hardly determined; moreover, their tonnage is down since the outbreak of the Ivorian armed conflict that caused the sudden departure of several farmers. Cash crops include coffee and cocoa, kola, palm oil and rubber. The latter two are of recent introduction. The coffee and cocoa varieties, identified in the project area are aging and not maintained. It shall be noted that the project area is consisted of a large number of lowland rice plots and fish ponds throughout the current track. - Stretch Tabou-Prollo- Liberia border Agriculture is the main activity in the region, basically practiced by over 80% of the population. Agriculture is widespread in communities where industrial production mainly involves palm oil. Cocoa ranks second in the crop rotation, followed by rubber and coconut. Coffee production exists, but is endangered. The main food crops are rice, cassava and banana. Tabou is a large regional market which is a supply point for surrounding communities. Moreover, it is a redistribution point for products from Abidjan, San Pedro and even Liberia the neighbouring country. As regards livestock, it is not developed at all. At most, it is made up of some poultries and wandering small ruminants. Regarding trade, it is dominant in Tabou, teeming with various economic activities.
2. POTENTIAL IMPACTS
As the potential impacts on human and natural environment is thoroughly covered by the Social and Environmental Impact Assessment Study (ESIA), this section will only expand on the impacts on the human environment in terms of expropriation to release the right of way and construction work in minimizing any potential pollution. A special emphasis will be on vulnerable people to ensure they are spared from a more precarious condition.
The development and tarring of the stretch Bloléquin- Toulepleu- Liberia Border requires a 20m clearance sway along the route; entailing the displacement and resettlement of the population affected by the project.
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2.1 Sources of impact The main activity likely to result in physical and/or economic displacement is the anticipated clearance sway (floor and outbuildings, sidewalks, hydraulic drainage channels, crossings ...), the improvement of rural roads and amenities (concrete plants, asphalt plants, quarries and borrow pits, crushing and screening stations, hydrocarbon deposits, deposits of building materials, ... etc.) as well as the base camp of the project. The drop-off points of the displacement process include, among others, buildings, trees and other informal/temporary settlements (shops, pens, etc.).
2.2 Positive impacts The following positive impacts are expected: ° Regional integration with the liaison of Côte d'Ivoire to Liberia for greater road-based free movement of people in both countries; ° Liaison between production zones and consumption zones; ° Creation of direct and indirect jobs; ° Creation and/or strengthening of market activities; ° Improvement of the transport conditions; ° Improvement of living conditions in the communities served.
2.3 Negative Impacts Negative impacts on the biophysical environment will mostly arise from soil degradation, use of surface and groundwater, logging, brushing and deforestation, threats to the microclimate associated with planning and tarring operations. To mitigate such negative impacts on the biophysical environment, the Environmental and Social Management Plan (SEMP) provides several correction measures. As regards the human environment, on all three sections, the major negative impact is the involuntary displacement or loss of property and economic activities of 634 people spread over fifty villages along the road. The negative impact is set out as follows: ° Total or partial loss of 142 Units; ° Potential disruption of 105 businesses; ° Loss of six public facilities; ° Loss of a market of 57 sheds; ° Loss of source of income due to loss of annual perennial crops, such as rubber, cocoa, coffee, and some cola trees; ° Loss of a henhouse; ° Loss of 15 cemeteries; ° The classified forest of Glacon Bloc and Drouo River of Guiéllé will be affected. ° Desecration of four sacred groves (Droh and Kahan, Djô or Djakoulaté and Drigbèké) To mitigate this impact, an inventory and assessment of losses was carried out to compensate the affected people and support their resettlement. A comprehensive assessment of affected assets will be carried out prior to the start of the compensation process.
2.4 Potential risks and disasters associated with the resettlement The following potential risks were identified: ° the risks of accidents and thefts in resettling the PAPs; ° potential conflicts; ° risk of disease and spread of STI/HIV/AIDS; ° risk of profanation of sacred site or object or interference with rituals ; ° threat to peace, security and human health related to the sound effects of electromagnetic fields and radio interference.
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Such risks should be identified through appropriate measures.
3. ORGANIZATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Under the responsibility of the Ministry of Construction, Housing, Sanitation and Urbanization (MCLAU), the Implementation Committee shall ensure the involuntary resettlement. The committee shall comprise: 1 representative of AGEROUTE; 1 representative of the Departmental Construction Division ; 1 representative of the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture; 1 representative of the sub-prefecture; 5 representatives of PAPs, one per major category; 1 representative of BNETD. It will be tasked with: Ensuring proper implementation of the compensation process; guaranteeing compliance with eligibility criteria; Making sure vulnerable people are not disadvantaged; Drawing up the records of payment of compensation.
The compensation process will involve the following steps: - identification of the affected person with its ID or the trustee; - Individual compensation upon checking of the ID; - Any affected person must shall provide a photocopy of its ID to the compensation commission before receiving any compensation; - the compensation process shall not exceed five working days in each community; - the period of payment of compensation should be widely disseminated across the various sites. All complaints shall be filed with the committee whose members and missions are as set out above. All affected persons shall drop their complaints prior to the end of payment of compensations. The complaints received shall be forwarded to the sub-prefect for consideration. Where appropriate, the complainant may apply to the court. In the absence of ID, testimonies of resident populations should be sufficient for payment of the compensation. However, such testimonies will need to be confirmed by the Chief of the relevant village.
4. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
4.1 Public consultation Public consultation is an important step in the successful implementation of the resettlement process. As the withdrawal of property for a public purpose is a state action involving the well-being of people, it is required that all people affected by the project be fully made aware of the intentions of the authorities. That is the aim of the partial investigations and the act of public statement notified to the interested persons, whether owners or not. The following steps are identified in the public consultation strategy: Stage 1: Stakeholders, relevant actors, or those affected are identified, located and met in order to inform them about the project on the one hand and collect their views on the other. Such investigations are carried out under the identification missions in each of the project areas and aimed at making contact. During this Stage, state structures, professional organizations and NGOs are informed and called upon. Stage 2: This served to introduce the Project (rationale), objectives, planned activities under the different components and expected results, the action and implementation strategy, collect views, concerns and suggestions made during the discussions held after the presentation of the Project. Stage 3: This was to brief on the CPRP and ESIA reports. Feedback sessions were held in the project sites, involving all concerned actors who participated in the Stage 2 organized by AGEROUTE.
This report is based on the public proceedings organized by the investigators within the communities as to validate the information collected. Some meetings were chaired by the sub-prefects, others by village chiefs, etc. Some reports were prepared to substantially record all discussions.
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During public consultations, populations from the communities reached by the road have displayed their interest in the project. They have reiterated their membership and engagement in all the activities planned under the project. However, they have expressed their wish for the completion of some road work under the project in order to boost the socio-economic development of the surrounding communities.
Public consultations will continue during the project implementation Stage. The minutes of the various meetings conducted by the investigators will serve to feed discussions during consultations.
Finally, the participatory approach was also put forward by the African Development Bank, during the preparation mission and is planned for the assessment mission ahead.
4.2 Information of those affected by the project
In the census of project-affected people, they were briefed on the content and potential impact of the project. They were also exposed to the conditions for the release of the right-of-way. The PAP were informed, educated and mobilized during the implementation of the resettlement process.
5. INTEGRATION WITH HOST COMMUNITIES
As part of this project, the resettlement of populations and work will take place within the same villages. There is no provision for resettlement from one village to another or from one community to another. This will involve the internal relocation of some households and business established near the road.
6. SOCIO-ECONOMIC STUDIES
6.1 Characteristics of the project-affected people
The surveys carried out by BNETD allowed to identify a total of at least 634 people. These households are mostly led by men. The socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the PAPs should be provided as part of the update of the resettlement plans prior to the compensation process. This comes under the Environmental and Social Action Plan to be implemented according to the schedule below.
6.2 PAP and land tenure
Most of the project affected people are either owners of buildings and/or farming land or tenants.
7. LEGAL FRAMEWORK, INCLUDING THE APPEAL AND DISPUTE SETTLEMENT MECHANISMS
The legal framework for the development and implementation of RP takes into account on the one hand the legal provisions of Côte d'Ivoire and on the other hand the AfDB's policy requirements on involuntary resettlement.
7.1 Regulatory framework at national level The project shall enforce the Ivorian laws regarding land and expropriation. The regulatory framework for compensating the people is focused on the Constitution dated July 2000, the Law 98-750 of 23 December 1998 on rural land, the decrees pertaining to the expropriation procedures and Decree N o 028 of March 12 th , 1996 determining the compensation scale on crops.
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V The Ivorian constitution: Article 15 states that “the right to property is guaranteed for all. No person shall be deprived of his property except for a public purpose and under the condition of a just and prior compensation.” This text and various Acts of Côte d'Ivoire are the foundation of all the duties of the state in matters of expropriation for public purposes. V Decrees of August 29, 1933 and February 8, 1949 relating to expropriation for public purpose: The expropriation for public utility is governed in Ivory Coast by the Decree of November, 25 1930, as amended by the decrees of August 29, 1933 and February 8, 1949, which states in its first article: “expropriation for public utility operates in West Africa by French Authority of justice”. It is therefore up to the court for a judgment of expropriation and not merely the Administration. The Decree of 25 November 1930 sets out all of the applicable procedure for expropriation in the public interest. The decree states: the public interest must be legally recognized; everything must be done to avoid expropriation and expropriation can only be imposed "if not for the public interest"; compensation is a condition of expropriation; it should be right; it must be beforehand. V Act N o 98-750 of 23 December 1998 on Rural Land Area: In Côte d'Ivoire, Act N o 98-750 of 23 December 1998 relating to land ownership which was amended by the National Assembly July 9, 2004, established the basis of land policy in rural areas namely: the recognition of customary rural area and the validation of the existing management of the area; the association of village authorities and rural communities in the management of rural land and in particular, the finding of customary rights and their transformation into real rights. Article 1 of the Act states that rural land “Rural Area land consists of all land developed or not and regardless of the nature of the development. It is a national heritage which any natural or legal person can access. Central government, local authorities and individuals can own.” Under the Act, the occupation and enjoyment of land national land require the holding of a title (occupancy permit, provisional Concession subject to the rights of third parties, the concession pure and simple, the final concession respect to lands already registered with two conditions: the long lease (18-99 years), the concession freehold land certificate, the land Title). However, occupation and exploitation of undeveloped in order to meet the needs of housing and food of the occupier and his family lands are not subject to possession of an administrative capacity. Customary user rights are recognized. V Order N o 028 of 12 March 1996 determining the compensation scale on crops: The first article of this decree sets compensation rates for crop destruction, when the destruction is to the performance of work utility. This rate takes into account the age and condition of plants or crops. The order also specifies the minimum rate and maximum rate, it may (in some cases) to five (5) times greater than the first. For example, a hectare of coffee is at least CFA francs 100 000 and CFA francs 500 000 CFA francs at most. One hectare of cocoa worth a minimum of CFA francs 100 000 and a maximum of CFA francs 500 000.
7.2 International regulatory framework in force in Côte d'Ivoire
The Involuntary Resettlement Policy of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group is also applied under the projects receiving its supports. The development of a resettlement action plan is a requirement for its participation in development projects, when such projects result in involuntary resettlement of populations. The involuntary resettlement policy of the Bank Group aims to significantly mitigate the impact of resettlement and establish a viable economy and society. Major objectives of the AfDB voluntary resettlement policy are as shown below: - To avoid as much as possible any involuntary resettlement, or, should this be unavoidable, reduce the impact to a minimum, exploring all other feasible alternative ways and means. Special attention should be paid to socio-cultural considerations such as cultural or religious values of the land, the vulnerability of the affected population, or availability of replacement property, especially when the loss of assets to be replaced will involve a severe tangible impact. When a large number of people or a large segment of persons could be displaced or sustain damages that cannot be easily quantified and compensated, the project manager should seriously consider not to carry on with the said project; - To ensure that the displaced people receive resettlement assistance, preferably under the project, to
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improve their living conditions, their livelihood capability and production levels; - To provide explicit guidance to the Bank personnel and to borrowers on the terms and conditions to be met by the Bank's operations in respect of the involuntary ressetlement, so as to reduce the adverse impacts of the transfer and resettlement and establish a sustainable economy and society; and - To establish a mechanism to monitor the implementation of resettlement programs as part of the Bank’s operations and solve problems as they may arise to save harmless against poorly prepared or poorly implemented settlement plans.
7.3 Complaint and Dispute Management Process As in normal practice for this type of activity, disputes may arise over compensation operations. Many complaints can be lodged. In practice, complaints and disputes that occur during the implementation of a compensation program are as follows: - Mistakes can be made about the identification and valuation of assets, areas of use, etc. ; - Disagreement about lot boundaries/areas of use, either between the affected person and the expropriation agency, or between two neighbors; - Disputes over the ownership of a given property (two persons/affected villages or more entities claim to be the owner of a given property); - Disagreement about the valuation of a plot/area of use or any other property; - Family problems (estate, divorce) arousing disputes among heirs or members of the same family over a property or parts of a property or even over another separate property; - Disagreement about resettlement efforts, the location of a resettlement site or the type of compensation or habitat proposed or even the characteristics of a plot or the quality of new areas of use.
Local populations affected by this project will be notified of the mechanism established to handle complaints and disputes. Thus, if any individual or community feels unfavourably treated by the Compensation Plan or its execution, the latter may opt for either procedure below: ‹ Submit one’s complaint to the field coordinator on the team responsible for carrying out the compensation who will also serve as complaints manager on matters relating to compensation. One of the tasks of the coordinator will include registering and managing the complaints related to the project. Should the complaint fail to be handled satisfactorily by the project staff within 30 days upon registration, or within 15 days whenever complaints relate directly to economic or farming issues, then the plaintiff may refer the complaint to the Sub-prefecture or City Council authorities. ‹ Refer to the Complaints Committee at the City Council or Sub-prefecture to look into the complaints that are not yet handled by the project implementing bodies in a timely manner. This committee shall consist of the Sub-prefect who will chair it, the Mayor of the town or his representative, the Chairman of the General Council or his representative, the field coordinator of the team implementing the involuntary resettlement under the project, the village chief or a representative of every village whose populations were affected by the project. The role of this committee is to register any complaint from any affected party, to review it in order to find solutions, make recommendations and follow up with the proper implementation of the solutions to address such complaints.
The courts of justice may register complaints, review the relevant proceedings and give the rulings they deem appropriate. This may include an order to pay compensation, or work stoppage.
This mechanism coupled with clearly showcased bodies, timelines and schedules will be outlined in a paper to be submitted to the persons affected. The said mechanism should provide for legal remedies. However, out-of-court settlement of claims will be seen as the best means of redress.
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8. INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
8.1 Institutional Responsibility The Ministry of State, Ministry of Economic Infrastructure (MEI) is the Contracting Authority . The Road Management Agency (AGEROUTE), which is a company under the authority of MEI is devoted to provide assistance to the state to perform a number of tasks relating to highway network management. In view of the Ivorian institutional system on involuntary resettlement, management of resettlement is the responsibility of the following institutions: V Ministry of Economic Infrastructure: The Ministry of Economic Infrastructure is responsible for implementing and monitoring national policies on infrastructure equipment in the field of heavy and highway construction. In this regard, and in conjunction with the various ministries concerned, it initiates and is responsible for efforts relating to roads and bridge infrastructure, facilities; air, rail, maritime, river and lagoon transport services. It is therefore important to involve the management of Programming and Evaluation of this government department alongside the efforts planned for the compensation of affected populations. V Ministry of Economy and Finance: The Directorate General of Budget and Finance responsible for monitoring the implementation of the state budget will come into play to ensure the release of funds required for the effective compensation of the eligible people. V Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests: This department is responsible for the environmental policy. It covers four (4) bodies including the Forestry Development Authority (SODEFOR) and OIPR (Ivorian Office of Parks and Natural Areas). Both bodies ensure the preservation of national natural heritage. Construction of land routes can impact the permanent forest estates of the state which are under their authority. In this case, these departments under the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests will therefore play an arbitration role. V Ministry of the Interior: Through its prefectural authorities and decentralized bodies, this ministry will ensure that the commitments made by the PASP vis-à-vis the populations in terms of compensation are abided by. Prefects and, where appropriate, their deputy counterparts will chair the compensation committees. V Ministry of Justice and Human Rights: The Ivory Coast is a law-abiding country and as such, her government has a department responsible for asserting the rights and duties of all citizens nationwide. Growers whose farms and other crops would be partially destroyed can resort to the existing courts of justice if need be. Trial courts will be responsible for administering justice as part of the management of complaints. V Ministry of Agriculture: This ministry is responsible for rural development. To this end, it is responsible for the management of rural lands, the enforcement of the Land Code in conjunction with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests. This ministry is also responsible for developing and implementing a rural land register. The Rural Domain Department under the Directorate of Agriculture will be tasked to assess the specific costs for compensating crops. V The Expropriations Board: This national committee will be in charge of evaluating the property and affected persons. It will be highly involved in the payment procedure of compensation. V NGOs and CBOs in the project area, with skills and expertise in the resettlement of displaced persons will be requested to support the resettlement process. They will primarily support affected people, specifically the vulnerable populations.
The table below outlines the responsibilities for each body:
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Institutional Stakeholders Responsibilities
Ministry of Economic - Approval of the implementing system Infrastructure - Referral to the Ministry of Construction - Referral to the Ministry of Agriculture - Referral to the Ministry of the Interior - Referral to the Ministry of Environment, Water and Forest.
- Recruitment of an expert or a research consultancy firm for implementing the compensation plan.
- Precise outline of the corridor AGEROUTE - Identification of property of the affected populations
Ministry of Housing Construction, Housing, - Manages and coordinates the resettlement; Sanitation and Urban Development (MCLAU) - Sets up the Expropriation Commission;
- Prepares the Declaration of Public Utility (DUP);
Ministry of Economy and - Securing the funds meant for compensation in connection with Finance resettlement and various compensations.
Ministry of the Interior - Through the p refectural authorities and decentralized bodies, this ministry sees to it that commitments made by the contractor vis- à-vis the people in terms of compensation and resettlement will be complied with.
- Sets up Committees on Land Affairs
Expropriations Board - Evaluation of the property of affected populations
- Payment procedure for compensating and indemnifying affected populations.
Rural Land Management Committee; - Registration of claims and complaints Village Rulers - Processing in accordance with the dispute solving procedure - Involvement in close monitoring.
8.2 The Persons affected by the Project (PAP) These are the people affected as a result of the project location. Such persons should be closely associated with all the stages of the resettlement process.
9. ELIGIBILITY
9.1 Eligibility Criteria for the people affected by the project Those eligible shall be any man and woman adversely affected by the implementation of the project and being settled right into the highway right-of-way. By definition, a person is said to be negatively affected by a given project, whenever that person loses his income sources, rights of ownership and of
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use or other rights on a building, a piece of land or other real or personal property, in whole or in part, permanently or temporarily, on account of the said project.
As one summarizes the requirements of the Ivorian law and of the Bank, such people can be likened to those who:
• possess legal rights in respect of lands, including customary and traditional rights; • do not have legal rights in respect of lands when the census was done but they enjoy a recognized property right to use such lands and to lay claims; • Occupy lands, although having no legal right over them. People so affected will be entitled to indemnification and compensation, that is to say, they will benefit from measures to mitigate that damage. Such measures may be in the form of indemnification or compensation, based on the occupancy status of the affected area, renovation, relocation allowance and disturbance allowance. Those also eligible for compensation shall be the formally recognized heirs of deceased people at the time elapsing between the time of the census of property and the distribution of allowances and compensations.
9.2 Date of eligibility The people affected by the Project activities in respect of its various components should receive compensation computed as of a date called date of eligibility for entitlement to compensation. In the specific context of the road development project, the deadline is set as of the day of signing the minutes of the meetings on information validation to be held in the locations concerned, at the exact delineation of the road alignment to be asphalted.
10. EVALUATION AND COMPENSATION OF LOSSES
Under the terms of the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) policy on involuntary resettlement, the evaluation method is a full replacement cost or valuation method of assets that helps ascertain the adequate amount used to compensate for losses and cover transaction costs, given that depreciation is not taken into account. All lands lost by lawful or customary homeowners will be compensated in cash at market prices or in kind by way of another parcel of land of the same size in the host site or within acceptable travel distances, depending on the agreement of the owners. To evaluate the cost of compensation, surveys were conducted with the people whose constructions, businesses, and crops were affected. These people gave the amount of compensation they expected from the developer. Such amounts will be compared with the results of valuations and will be increased on a case by case basis through additional compensation to facilitate their movement. The validation of these survey data will be done in the villages concerned in the course of public work sessions chaired by village chiefs. The minutes issued at the end of these meetings will be signed by the persons in attendance of the sessions validating the survey data. The value of the allocated buildings was estimated on the basis of standards established by the Ministry of Construction, Sanitation and Urban Development (MCAU) and by the District Department of Construction of the town. Given the soaring prices of construction materials, we considered the cost of new buildings affected. However, it is better that the project should rebuild the homes that it will affect later on, to ensure effective resettlement of affected households in the best conditions ever. While awaiting their effective resettlement, the households will receive relocation allowances equivalent to 12 months’ rent, to enable them to release the project area, by the time their new housing is available to them.
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All homes offered for construction will be individual buildings similar to improved rural housing, made up of concrete (cement coat), with ceiling, roof in sheet tray, electrical installation, plumbing and standard sanitary appliances (outside the house). Regarding the price of compensation for vegetable goods, this will be based on the compensation scale for crops developed by the Ministry of Agriculture and governed by Decree N o95-817 of 29 September 1995 and Order N o098 of 12 March 1996. The compensation procedure for commercial and craft activities, was established this time round on the basis of the average profit observed over three (3) months. The head of each business will receive three (3) months of his average monthly profit, standing for the minimum time required for the trader to restore his business. Added to this, is a relocation allowance and the reimbursement of the investment amount in relation the building. This applies to homeowners. Given that monthly incomes should be reported, to ensure fairness, traders will receive a package according to the monthly income they reported. The packages offered are as shown below: - CFA F 50 000 for reported incomes lower than CFA F 100 0000; - CFA F 150 000 for reported incomes ranging from CFA F 100 000 to 300 000; - CFA F 300 000 for reported incomes ranging from CFA F 300 000 to 500 000; - CFA F 500 000 for reported incomes greater than CFA F 500 000. Employees of businesses will be compensated in an amount of three (3) months’ salary according to the salaries reported by their employers. Finally, we noted the existence of graveyards and sacred sites in the project right-of-way. These locations will be compensated in accordance with the village communities’ requirements. However, to take into account immediate contexts and the market patterns, we should consider the proposals made by the local population during the socio-economic surveys conducted in the villages concerned. Some excited or poorly-informed people suggested ridiculous figures in terms of compensation. To avoid frustrating some already-affected populations, project staff should harmonize their approach compensation-wise.
11. IDENTIFICATION OF PROSPECTIVE RESETTLEMENT SITES; SITE(S) SELECTION, PREPARATION AND RESETTLEMENT
In the instance of this project, the aim is to resettle the people concerned in their home towns. No creation of site or re-housing or site preparation will happen.
12. HOUSING, FACILITIES AND SOCIAL SERVICES
The resettlement of PAP will not give rise to relocation to another specific site. Hence, the steps taken on this score are irrelevant. Affected buildings will be reconstructed. 13. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Environmental protection will be done in accordance with the Environmental and Social Management Plan (PGES) encapsulated in the Environmental and Social Impact.
14. SCHEDULE OF IMPLEMENTATION The general schedule of implementation of the various stages of resettlement provides for a sectional implementation. Considering the preparedness of this document the timeframe below is provided as follows, as of August 2014.
MAJOR ACTIVITIES MONTHS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Input of additional information as per the Bank’s requirements Validation and release of the PR paper nationwide Education and awareness of the affected populations
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Public interest statement Establishment of the committee responsible for settling the disputes Establishment of the Expropriations Board Establishment du Monitoring and Evaluation Committee Valuation survey Committee Report Registration and settlement of disputes Negotiations and payment of compensation to the affected populations Release of rights-of-way Monitoring/Evaluation Reporting
15. COSTS AND BUDGET
15.1 RP Cost The overall cost of the implementation of RP is estimated at millions Seven hundred eight million two hundred forty-seven thousand three hundred ninety-one CFA francs ( CFA F 708 247 391 ), i.e. one million seventy-nine thousand and seven hundred sixteen euros ( euros 1 079 716 ). This cost can be broken down as follows:
N° Heading Cost (F CFA) 1 Compensations 583 521 325
2 Operation of the Unit 25 000 000 External monitoring/evaluation (Consultant or 3 30 000 000 NGO) Technical support – capacity building - 4 15 500 000 Consultant 5 Social support– IEC - Consultant 20 500 000
Sub-total 674 521 325
6 Unforeseen expenses + 5% 33 726 066
Total 708 247 391
15.2 Funding Plan Amount Institution (in CFA.F)
Government of Côte D’Ivoire 708 247 391
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16. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
Compensation Action Plan Monitoring
Monitoring the implementation of the resettlement plan helps to make a comparative analysis between forecasts and achievements. Its performance depends on a one-off collection of reliable information (about the recipients of compensation, other expenses or additional work to be planned and roadblocks that may arise) and the compensation committee.
The overall goal is to ensure that all affected people will be compensated within a very short timeframe and without adverse impact. Monitoring deals with many issues: - Economic and social monitoring of affected people; - Monitoring of vulnerable people; - Monitoring the system dedicated to deal with complaints and disputes.
There are plans to set up a local monitoring and evaluation committee composed as follows: devolved authorities (Deputy Prefect, District Director of Agriculture, District Director of Construction, ANADER Area Manager, Camp Director of Waters and Forests); Decentralized authorities (Mayor, Chairman of the Regional Council); Traditional authorities (Canton Chief, village chief ...); Representatives of the affected population; NGOs; Any other person whose competence is recognized for monitoring and evaluation (expert from the research consultancy firm desktop study that conducted the ESIA).
Public involvement in this process should be encouraged. Performance indicators to measure the progress of resettlement and compensation should be used. It is expected that a research consultancy firm or a benchmark NGO may also be involved to give a helping hand.
Specifically, monitoring and evaluation should ensure that: • Predefined compensations have been granted; • resettlement is done as agreed; • support for vulnerable groups is maintained in a suitable way; • review of all complaints is done and deliberations made known; • the time schedule for the implementation of the PR is abided by; • Resettlement does not cause as much negative effects or such impact is well under control. This will include ensuring that the PAP integrated well into their host populations and their standard of living has not grown worse.
The following considerations will be taken into account to work out the indicators: Involvement; Negotiation and compensation; moving and resettlement process; Solving all legitimate grievances; Satisfaction of PAP
Evaluation
The evaluation aims to ascertain the operations that yielded the desired impact or which created the conditions conductive to achieve the expected results. The objectives included: - Overall evaluation of performance compliance with the objectives and methods set out in the policy framework for compensation; - Assessment of performance compliance with national laws and regulations, and with the policy of the African Development Bank (AfDB) on involuntary resettlement; - Evaluation of the procedures implemented for compensation; - Evaluation of the adequacy of compensation.
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The evaluations will be conducted immediately after the completion of resettlement, halfway through the project and at the end of the project. This will be done by consultants selected on the basis of objective criteria.
17. References and contact details
This abstract was prepared based on the following literature and material: - Plan d’indemnisation et de réinstallation des populations affectées - Sous-projet Pont sur le Cavally – Mai 2012 – BNETD (Compensation and Resettlement Plan for affected populations: Sub-project for the Bridge Construction over Cavally River- May 2012 – BNETD) - Plan abrégé de réinstallation des populations affectées par le projet d’aménagement et de bitumage de la route BLOLEQUIN – TOULEPLEU –frontière du LIBERIA –Rapport provisoire, juin 2014 – BNETD (Abbreviated resettlement plan for the populations affected by the development and road asphalting project connecting BLOLEQUIN – TOULEPLEU –LIBERIA Border – Interim report, June 2014 – BNETD) - Plan abrégé de réinstallation des populations affectées par le projet d’aménagement et de bitumage de la route Danané – Frontière de Guinée – Rapport provisoire, Août 2014 – BNETD (Abbreviated resettlement plan for the populations affected by the development and road asphalting project connecting Danané- Guinea Border ; Interim report, August 2014 – BNETD)
For any further information, please contact:
3. Ilboudo Jean-Noel, Division of Transport (OITC1), Email : [email protected]
4. Mr. Pierre Hassan SANON, Division of Environment and Climate Change (ONEC3), Email : [email protected]
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