SMALLHOLDER COMMERCIALIZATION AND AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (SCADeP)

JOB NUMBER SIE4023 RFP No.: MAFFS/PCU/SCADeP/QCBS/01/02/2017 Public Disclosure Authorized REPORT TITLE: ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE REHABILITATION OF 500KM OF FEEDER ROADS IN 13 DISTRICTS, IN SIERRA LEONE - ESHIA REPORT

DATE: JUNE 2018

This report is own by the Government of Sierra Leone for the project Prioritization and Assessment Study to Improve Selected Feeder Roads (500km) including Preparation of Bidding Documents using Output and Performance Based Contract (OPRC) and Traditional Contract in Sierra Leone

Public Disclosure Authorized

Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized

CERTIFICATION REPORT TITLE: ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROPOSED 500KM FEEDER ROADS IMPROVEMENT IN 13 DISTRICTS IN SIERRA LEONE

Signed: ______Date: ____25/09/2018______

For: RIL/ICS

Disclaimer: This ESIA Report is strictly confidential to the Proponent and any use of the materials thereof should be strictly in accordance with agreement between the Proponent and the GoSL. It is, however, subject to conditions in the Environmental (Impact Assessment) Regulations, EPA-SL Act of 2008 and amended in 2010.

Acronym ABC Agri-Business Centres CDAP Community Development Action Plan CHP Community Health Post EIA Environmental Impact Assessment ESMMP Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plan EIS Environmental Impact Statement ESMP Environmental and Social Management Plan EPA-SL Environment Protection Agency- Sierra Leone EPAA Environment Protection Agency Act ESHIA Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment EU European Union GIS Geographical Information Systems GoSL Government of Sierra Leone HPC Housing and Population Census IDPs Internally Displaced Persons I & APs Interested & affected parties` MCHP Maternal and Child Health Post MoEWR Ministry of Energy Water Resources MoWHI Ministry of Works, Housing and Infrastructure OPRC Output and Performance-based Road Contract NafSL National Association of Farmers in Sierra Leone PHU Public Health Unit PIZ Project zone of Influence RAP Resettlement Action Plan ROW Right of Way RPSDP Rural and Private Sectors Development Project SCADeP Smallholder Commercialization and Agribusiness Development Project SLRA Sierra Leone Roads Authority ToR Terms of Reference UNCLS United Nations convention on the law of sea biodiversity UNCCD United Nations convention to combat Desertification UNFCCC United Nations framework convention on climate change WI Wealth Index

Table of Contents

SMALLHOLDER COMMERCIALIZATION AND AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (SCADeP) ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE REHABILITATION OF 500KM OF FEEDER ROADS IN 13 DISTRICTS, IN SIERRA LEONE - ESHIA REPORT Table of contents Page E1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...... 1 SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION ...... 1-1 1.1 BRIEF ...... 1-1 1.2 PROJECT OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE ...... 1-1 1.3 PROPOSED ACTIVITY ...... 1-4 1.4 PROJECT LOCATION ...... 1-4 1.5 METHODOLOOGY ...... 1-6 1.6 PURPOSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (ESIA) STUDY ...... 1-7 1.7 SCOPE OF THE ESIA ...... 1-7 1.8 STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT ...... 1-8 1.9 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION ...... 1-8 SECTION 2 LEGAL, POLICY AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK ...... 2-1 2.1 LEGAL FRAMEWORK ...... 2-1 2.1.1 The Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991 ...... 2-1 2.1.2 The Environment Protection Act (EPA), 2008 ...... 2-2 2.1.3 The Sierra Leone Roads Authority Act (Amendment) 2010 ...... 2-2 2.1.4 Local Government Act 2004 ...... 2-2 2.1.5 Forestry Act 1988 ...... 2-2 2.1.6 Factories Act – 1974 ...... 2-2 2.2 POLICY FRAMEWORK ...... 2-3 2.2.1 Local Policy Framework ...... 2-3 2.2.1.1 The Sierra Leone National Environmental Policy, 1994 ...... 2-3 2.2.1.2 Land National Policy, 2004 ...... 2-3 2.2.1.3 National Feeder Roads Policy ...... 2-3 2.2.1.4 National HIV/AIDS Policy for Sierra Leone, 2002 ...... 2-3 2.2.2 World Bank Environment and Social Policies ...... 2-5 2.2.2.1 OP/BP 4.01 Environmental Assessment ...... 2-5 2.2.2.2 OP/BP 4.04 Natural Habitats ...... 2-5 2.2.2.3 OP/BP 4.12 Involuntary Resettlement ...... 2-5 2.2.2.4 OP/BP 4.36 Forests ...... 2-5 2.2.2.5 OP/BP 4.11 Physical Cultural Resource ...... 2-5 2.2.2.6 ESS4 Community Health and Safety ...... 2-6 2.2.2.7 ESS5 LAND ACQUISITION, RESTRICTIONS ON LAND USE AND INVOLUNTARY RESETTLEMENT ...... 2-6

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2.3 INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS ...... 2-6 2.3.1 The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants ...... 2-6 2.3.2 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity ...... 2-7 2.3.3 Convention on the International Trade and Endangered Species ...... 2-7 2.3.4 Other Protocols Sierra Leone is a signatory to include: ...... 2-7 SECTION 3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ...... 3-1 3.1 INTRODUCTION ...... 3-1 3.2 FEEDER ROADS ...... 3-1 3.3 GEOMETRIC DESIGN STANDARD ...... 3-1 3.4 PAVEMENT LAYER AND ROAD FURNITURE ...... 3-2 3.5 DRAINAGE ...... 3-2 3.6 PRE – CONSTRUCTIOON, CONSTRUCTION AND POST-CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES ...... 3-3 3.6.1 Pre-Construction Activities ...... 3-4 3.6.2 Construction Activities ...... 3-4 3.6.3 Road Construction Materials ...... 3-5 3.6.4 Post Construction Activities ...... 3-5 3.7 PROJECT ROADS ...... 3-5 3.7.1 Western Rural Area ...... 3-5 3.7.2 Eastern Province ...... 3-9 3.7.2.1 Kailahun District ...... 3-9 3.7.2.2 Kenema District ...... 3-11 3.7.2.3 Kono District ...... 3-13 3.7.3 Southern Province ...... 3-15 3.7.3.1 Bo District ...... 3-15 3.7.3.2 Pujehun District ...... 3-17 3.7.3.3 Moyamba District ...... 3-19 3.7.3.4 Bonthe ...... 3-20 3.7.4 Northern Province ...... 3-22 3.7.4.1 Bombali District ...... 3-22 3.7.4.2 Port Loko District ...... 3-22 3.7.4.3 Tonkolili ...... 3-23 3.7.4.4 Kambia District ...... 3-24 SECTION 4 ANALYSES OF ALTERNATIVES ...... 4-1 4.1 ALTERNATIVE 01: CONSTRUCT NEW ROAD ALIGNMENTS...... 4-1 4.2 ALTERNATIVE 02: UPGRADING / REHABILITATION ...... 4-1 4.3 ALTERNATIVE 03: THE NO-ACTION...... 4-2 4.4 TECHNOLOGY ALTERNATIVES ...... 4-2 SECTION 5 DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ...... 5-1 5.1 TOPOGRAPHY AND ECOREGIONS ...... 5-1 5.2 WEATHER AND CLIMATE ...... 5-2 5.3 HYDROLOGY AND DRAINAGE ...... 5-2

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5.4 GEOLOGY ...... 5-3 5.5 FLORA AND FAUNA ...... 5-5 5.5.1 Vegetation ...... 5-5 5.5.2 Animal Species ...... 5-6 5.6 NOISE AND VIBRATION ...... 5-7 5.7 SOCIO ECONOMIC ISSUES ...... 5-7 5.7.1 Population Size and Composition ...... 5-8 5.7.2 Education and Literacy ...... 5-9 5.7.3 Livelihoods and Economy ...... 5-10 5.7.4 Employment ...... 5-11 5.7.5 Health ...... 5-11 5.7.6 Energy ...... 5-12 5.7.7 Road infrastructure ...... 5-12 5.7.8 Land Ownership and Rights ...... 5-12 5.7.9 Gender and Poverty ...... 5-13 SECTION 6 IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ...... 6-1 6.1 METHODOLOGY ...... 6-1 6.1.1 Impact Evaluation ...... 6-1 6.1.2 Intensity of Impact ...... 6-2 6.1.3 Impact Significance ...... 6-3 6.2 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ...... 6-3 6.3 MITIGATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ...... 6-4 6.4 STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS AND IDENTIFICATION ...... 6-7 6.5 IDENTIFICATION OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND THEIR INTERESTS6-7 SECTION 7 ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES ...... 7-1 7.1 INTRODUCTION ...... 7-1 7.2 CONSTRUCTION PHASE IMPACTS ...... 7-1 7.2.1 Positive Impacts: ...... 7-1 7.2.1.1 Employment opportunities ...... 7-1 7.2.1.2 Short-term roadside business opportunities for women ...... 7-2 7.2.1.3 Sourcing of construction materials ...... 7-2 7.2.1.4 Lease Rent for workers camp and equipment yard to landowners ...... 7-2 7.2.2 Negative Impacts ...... 7-2 7.2.2.1 Impacts of equipment yard and workers camp ...... 7-2 7.2.2.2 Social Ills of Construction Labour ...... 7-5 7.2.2.3 Occupational health & safety risks for workers ...... 7-6 7.2.2.4 Sourcing of Construction Materials (gravel and stone)...... 7-8 7.2.2.5 Haulage of earth construction materials ...... 7-10 7.2.2.6 Impacts of storage of construction materials ...... 7-11 7.2.2.7 Improper management of cut to spoil ...... 7-12 7.2.2.8 Demolition of structures within reserve of proposed road ...... 7-13 7.2.2.9 Traffic diversion during road construction ...... 7-13

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7.2.2.10 Gender Impacts ...... 7-14 7.2.2.11 Improperly finished road sites ...... 7-14 7.2.2.12 Impact on Bio- physical Environment ...... 7-15 7.3 POST CONSTRUCTION PHASE IMPACTS ...... 7-15 7.3.1 Positive Road Use Impacts ...... 7-16 7.3.1.1 A safer road and reduced social cost of transport ...... 7-16 7.3.1.2 Increased economic activity and gender benefits ...... 7-16 7.3.1.3 Improved access to social services ...... 7-16 7.3.1.4 Appreciation of property value ...... 7-17 7.3.2 Negative Road Use Impacts ...... 7-17 7.3.2.1 Possible fatal injuries ...... 7-17 7.3.2.2 Induced development ...... 7-17 SECTION 8 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP) ...... 8-3 8.1 INTRODUCTION ...... 8-3 8.2 Budget for the Implementation of the ESMP ...... 8-12 8.3 ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL MONITORING PLAN ...... 8-13 8.3.1 Introduction ...... 8-13 8.3.2 Environment Monitoring and Incidence Reports ...... 8-13 8.3.3 Construction Commencement Report ...... 8-14 8.3.4 Routine Reports ...... 8-14 8.3.5 Emergency/ Environmental Response ...... 8-14 8.3.6 Progress Reporting ...... 8-15 8.3.7 Final Mitigation Report ...... 8-15 8.3.8 Institutional Arrangements and Roles ...... 8-16 8.3.9 Obligations of the Contractor ...... 8-17 SECTION 9 PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND DISCLOSURE PROCESS (PCDP) ...... 9-1 9.1 INTRODUCTION ...... 9-1 9.2 APPROACH TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND CONSULTATION .... 9-1 9.2.1 Identification of Stakeholders ...... 9-1 9.2.2 Identification Modalities of Consultation and Participation ...... 9-2 9.2.3 Identification Residents Consultations ...... 9-2 9.3 OUTCOMES OF STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION PROCESS ...... 9-2 9.4 THE GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM (GRM) ...... 9-3 9.5 GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AND VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN9-5 9.6 CHANCE FIND PROCEDURE ...... 9-5 SECTION 10 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACTION PLAN (CDAP) ...... 10-1 SECTION 11 CONCLUSIONS...... 11-1 Tables Table 1: :Geometric Design Standards for Feeder Roads ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Table 2: Water resources in Sierra Leone ...... 5-2 Table3. Sierra Leone’s Population by District ...... 5-8 Table 4:Classification of impact evaluation ...... 6-2

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Table of Contents

Table 5: Intensity scale gradation for environmental impacts ...... 6-2 Table 6 Determination of impact severity ...... 6-4 Table 7 Illustration of significance values that would apply to various impacts ...... 6-4 Table 8. Personal protective equipment according to hazard ...... 7-8 Table 9 Summary of Environmental Impacts and its Mitigation Measures ...... 7-18 Table 10. Environmental and Social Management Plan ...... 8-4 Table 11 Budget for ESMP ...... 8-12

Figures Figure 1: Target Commodities location in Sierra Leone (Source: INTEGEMS 2016) 1-4 Figure 2 Major road network in Sierra Leone ………………………………………...………1-5 Figure 3 : Typical Feeder roads geometry and structure……………………………………….. 3-2 Figure 4.Ecoregion of Sierra Leone (Source eros.usgs.gov) …………………………………….5-1 Figure 5. Geological Map of Sierra Leone (Source: Jallohet. al. 2012 Based on Dixey, F, 1925) ………………………………………………………………………………………………5-5

ANNEX ANNEX 1 CHECKLIST FOR IMPACTS ASSESSMENT IN ROAD UPGRADING PROJECTS ANNEX 2 LIST OF PEOPLE CONTACTED ANNEX 3 EXAMPLE FORMAT ESH REPORT ANNEX 4 ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDELINES FOR CONTRACTORS ANNEX 5 LIST OF SETTLEMENT, FACILITIES AND SENSITIVE ECOSYSTEMS ANNEX 6 ESHIA BUDGET BY LOT ANNEX 7 LIST OF ROADS UNDER OPRC AND TRADITIONAL ANNEX 8 PROJECT MAPS ANNEX 9 TYPICAL CROSS SECTIONS ANNEX 10 S SCADEP GRM HANDBOOK

SMALLHOLDER COMMERCIALIZATION AND AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (SCADeP) V

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

E1.1 Introduction The Government of Sierra Leone, through its implementing agency, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS), has received a Grant from the World Bank towards the Smallholder Commercialization and Agribusiness Development project SCADeP for which part of the proceeds is to rehabilitate about 500km of feeder roads in thirteen districts in the Sierra Leone. The Project Coordinating Unit (PCU) This Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Report gives the findings of the ESIA studies undertaken as an integral part of the design process. The report highlights salient social and environmental issues associated with the design, construction and operational aspects of the selected feeder roads. The project will incorporate two types of contracting methods to rehabilitate these feeder roads, namely; traditional method of construction and the output and Performance Based Contract (OPRC). The Output and Performance-based contract (OPRC) for roads is basically designed to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of road asset management and maintenance. This method ensures that the road condition suits the need of the user over the project duration. The Traditional method on the other hand is the most common contracting method in Sierra Leone whereby the contractor is solely responsible for the execution of the works and the employer normally defines the scope. Payment to the contractor is based on measured works for unit item rates i.e. input based. The project consists broadly of the following elements: • Prioritization of 500Km of feeder roads using performance-based road contracts (OPRC) for 200km and traditional contract (FIDIC) for 300km. • Preparation of design and bid documents for the 300km roads selected for a traditional approach to rehabilitation. • Assessment of the market in relation to an OPRC approach and preparation of concept design and bid documents for the 200km roads selected for this purpose. • Preparation of relevant environmental and social studies and obtaining of related approvals for the entire 500km project roads. • Procurement of the works contracts for the rehabilitation of the 300km under a traditional approach

E1.2 Scope of the ESHIA Report The ESHIA Report has been prepared in line with the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulations, as described under the EIA procedures of July 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Act 2008, revised in 2010. Objectives of the ESHIA Report Study The purpose of the Study is to identify the environmental and social impacts associated with the proposed feeder roads rehabilitation project, evaluate the possible positive and negative impacts related to the interventions and propose sustainable mitigation measures, concrete actions to address risks and impacts. Furthermore, one of the main objectives of the Study is to develop an appropriate Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for the project’s sustainable development.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

E1.3 Study Approach and Methodology The study approach is structured as required by the Environmental Impact Assessment procedures of 1999. It identifies the possible impacts originating from the proposed feeder roads rehabilitation project through an environmental scoping process based on the baseline conditions established during the field work and information obtained from the documents review. A detailed evaluation of the project area was undertaken to focus on significant environmental issues. The communities living near the proposed project roads area were also involved during consultative meetings and participation processes to get their views and input on the proposed project. The tools that were used included questionnaires, site checklists, photography and discussions with stakeholders and host communities. The Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP) were then developed respectively to guide environmental management during the various phases of project development. Public Consultation and Participation Process The public consultation involved the various stakeholders concerned with the project; the local authorities and residents. Diverse approaches were applied in stakeholder engagement as follows:- • Public Hearing Meetings: Some public hearing meetings were arranged for residents and traders within the traverse. Relevant local authorities or leaders chaired the meetings as the need arose. • Consultative Forums: A Consultative forum bringing together the Consultant and personnel from local and district councils was arranged with the aim of engaging them during the project design and entire process. On their part, the local councils identified and nominated staff that would be focal persons in assessing the selected roads in their districts. • Discussions with the client: Following the Scoping Report, discussions were held with the client during which, comments on the content, quality and focus of the environmental reports were made. Such comments have subsequently been used to update reports. Key Informant Interviews Key informants to the Study especially stakeholders from Government ministries/agencies were approached and met in their respective offices where they were engaged on issues of interest. Essentially, concerns expressed by respective sectors contacted proved to be useful checklists in the analysis of impacts anticipated from the feeder roads upgrading / rehabilitation project. Further, from discussion with key informants, it was possible to identify other stakeholders previously not appreciated by the Study Team and this helped to widen the consultation base and by extension, the checklists for impact identification. Outcome of the process: there were general consensuses that the project will generate positive impacts, such as creation of employment, increase of economic activity in the area and contribution to poverty reduction. However, there were concerns raised concerning the safety risks related to operation of heavy equipment during construction period and road safety during the raining season due to the type of construction activities to be undertaken. To address the concern raised by the stakeholder mitigation measures have been provided in this report. The issue of road safety has been addressed in the design of the project. The measures to

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

mitigate safety risk include; provision of appropriate road safety signage, adherence to speed limits appropriate to the site, inspection of the equipment and training of operators on machine safety.

E1.4 Policy, Legal and Regulatory Framework This ESHIA Report has been developed to ensure that the proposed improvement of the selected feeder roads in the fourteen districts conforms to national policy aspirations towards securing sustainable development. Specifically, this report is written in compliance with requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)Act, 2008 (amended in 2010) and the National Constitution of 1991. Part iv Section 23 (1) of EPA Act requires that all development proposed in Sierra Leone are subjected to environmental assessment in line with the First Schedule (of EPA Act 2008) and the EIA procedures of July 1999. The entire Study process has been designed to conform to the regulatory framework stipulated by the Environment Protection Agency - Sierra Leone (EPA-SL) that will review and grant the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) license to the development of this report, and also to other relevant regulatory frameworks that are susceptible to the project. E1.5 Project Rationale The SCADeP project is designed to mitigate the adverse effect of EVD in a post Ebola recovery programme and is specifically focusing on the following produce areas: rice, cacao, oil palm and poultry production, and marketing within the agricultural sector. The Agricultural sector like other economic sectors was severely hit by the Ebola pandemic that restrained farmers from carrying out their productive activities. Farms were abandoned or neglected due to restriction of movement under the public health emergency. Some farmers and farm laborers lost their lives to the disease while in the area of infrastructure, feeder roads connecting farms and market outlets were left unattended and in ruins, as well as some rural infrastructure for processing, marketing and distribution being grounded nearly to a halt. Capacities severely diminished as a result of mortal fear, human debility and reduced activities/near closure of the agricultural enterprises/ agribusinesses. Although the Ebola epidemic is not the only justification for this project, the epidemic put a strain on a sector, which is riddled with low productivity and competitiveness. As such, the incidence of the epidemic makes this project intervention much more urgent as it is a form of partial contribution towards the country’s Ebola recovery. Therefore, in order to restore, enhance and continue with gains achieved under the former World Bank funded project; namely the ‘Rural and Private Sectors Development Project’ (RPSDP), the predecessor to this proposed project the GoSL has secured funds from the World Bank towards four key components that will promote productivity, efficiency, increase farmers’ and business promoters earnings through enhanced feeder roads maintenance and access to markets, support to agribusiness through farmers linkages and SMEs for value chain addition, building institutional and personal capacities and strengthened project coordination, management and monitoring and evaluation. Sierra Leone is faced with deficiencies within the existing road network. The national road network is about 11,000km of which about 8,000km consists of feeder roads. One of the key components identified is Component B - Market Access Improvement with a sub component that is responsible for the rehabilitation and maintenance of over 500Km of Feeder Roads targeting produce

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

nationwide. The Government of Sierra Leone and other funding agency have various projects gear to the improvement of the road network. E1.6 Structure of the Report This report has been arranged in the following chapters: • Chapter 1: Introduction • Chapter 2: Legislation, Regulation and Institutional Framework • Chapter 3: Project Description • Chapter 4: Analysis of Alternatives • Chapter 5: Description of the Existing Environment • Chapter 6: Potential Impacts and Mitigation Measures • Chapter 7: Analysis of Impact • Chapter 8: Environmental and Social Management Plan • Chapter 9: Public Consultation and Disclosure Plan (PCDP) • Chapter 10: Community Development Action Plan (CDAP) • Chapter 11: Conclusion

E1.7 Potential positive impacts anticipated The core observation of this Study is that the proposed improvement of the feeder roads is aimed at opening up transportation sector by improving local connectivity between towns and market centres within each district. A more efficient transport network will allow vehicles to ply the routes conveniently and in a reduced time and cost. As such, the project in itself is already an activity mitigating existing concerns; that is, selected feeder roads are in deplorable conditions and need interventions relating to inadequate / damaged drainages and erosion on the road which often makes some road impassable during the rains. The deplorable conditions of these Feeder roads make traveling slow and their huge maintenance cost has drastically affected economic activities in these rural areas over the past years. In most cases, transportation of perishable farm crops and produce from these areas to market centres remains a major challenge. This is the prime justification of the proposed investment. Other positive impacts of the project that were assessed include: • Potential to create short-term business and employment opportunities to both professional staff and workers during the design phase. • During construction phase, traders will benefit from opportunities to supply construction material, while locals will be employed for construction work. • Improved access to the towns and market centres; • Reduced travel time and cost of travel; • Improved human productivity through reduced travel time; • Reduction of road accidents;

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Traders will also benefit through timely delivery of their produce and services, thereby making them more competitive; • Improved access to schools, health centers and other social services. E1.8 Potential adverse impacts The feeder roads rehabilitation activities will introduce nuisances, such as dust, noise, vibrations and fumes. Social vices associated with influx of job seekers can disturb the social order and even lay the ground for escalation of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) cases whose impacts are likely to be prolonged in prevalence. The adverse impacts that were identified include: • Noise generated during construction; • Dust from construction activities and movement of vehicles; • Potential increase of soil erosion during the raining season; • Potential spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV/AIDS as a result of in- migration by foreign workers; • Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) • Risks of injuries and fatal accidents to workers at work sites; • Gender inequality and sexual harassment; • Sanitation and solid waste disposal at the construction camps are issues that could also impact negatively on the environment; • Child labour and disability issues E1.9 Residual and Cumulative Impacts: The project has no residual or cumulative impacts as all can be effectively mitigated. Proposed mitigation measures; • Dust emissions can be reduced during construction through dust suppression methods, such as water spraying in construction areas ; • Speed bumps clearly marked warning signs and traffic controllers should be installed at all access points to the site to reduce incidences of accidents and dust levels; • The contractors should maintain equipment’s and vehicles regularly according to the manufacturer’s specifications; • The contractors should ensure workers are provided with adequate and proper personal protective equipment (PPEs) and clear health and safety guidelines; • The contractors shall prepare a Solid Waste Management plan to be approved by the Project Manager for proper management of solid and liquid waste at various sites; • HIV/AIDS and STD awareness campaigns should be conducted at the worksites by individual contractors; • The contractors shall ensure that no child is employed at the site;

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• The contractors shall be required, to prepare and enforce a No Sexual Harassment and Non- Discrimination Policy, in accordance with national laws and World Bank Safeguards policies; • Diligence on the part of the contractors is essential in mitigating negative impacts, and therefore mitigation measures should be embedded in the conditions of contract. E1.10 Environmental and Social Management Plan An Environmental and Social Management Plan has been developed for the project, where mitigation measures, design features, or actual impacts can be monitored to ensure environmental acceptability of the project during and after construction. This Report observes that the possible adverse impacts will manifest mainly at the Construction stage, therefore the mitigation effort will be strongly concentrated on the contract for construction. In some cases, monitoring can be done as part of routine or periodic maintenance, while other parameters, especially socio-economic or ecological impacts can only be effectively assessed in the longer term by the client and interested stakeholders. Parameters that should be monitored during and after construction include: • Efficiency of drainage structures; • Soil conservation interventions; • Prevention of Soil Erosion • Sanitation at the site; • Impact on public health (for example due to HIV/AIDS and STDs, dust on road side stalls / market and clean drinking water); • Noise levels; • Air quality during pre – construction, construction and post construction • Occupational Health and Safety; • Road safety along the project road; • Child labour; • Sexual harassment and gender equity in terms of employment; • Number of trees felled or trimmed for replanting up to 4-fold at a convenient period to ensure increased survival; • Number of workers on site disaggregated into local, imported and gender; • Opening of borrow pits in accordance with the environmental standard and reinstatement of borrow pits once construction phase is complete. • Traffic Management during the construction stage • Better management practices for the solid waste generated during the construction, construction yards and from the labour camps. • Awareness campaign among the local population about the importance of Environment, Safety and Health • Gender sensitivity (both needs and opportunities)

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Moreover, this ESMP should be integrated into the Design Report with appropriate allocation of funds in the Bills of Quantities. The contract for construction should include clauses binding the contractor to implement impact mitigation as part of the civil works. The SCADeP`s Project Coordination Unit will settle internal monitoring to evaluate environmental and social safeguards at all stages of the project development.

E1.11 Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) SCADeP handbook on grievance redress will be used for this project. During the implementation of a project, there will be complaint and grievance from local communities. Some of these complaints may be justifiable and other may not. The GRM developed by SCADeP will be used to deal with these complaints and grievances.

The GRM commitment at the project level

Project-level Committee

• Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS) - Chair • Project Coordinator PCU • Grants Manager PCU • Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialist, PCU Secretary/Registrar • Communications Officer, PCU • SCADeP Value Chain Promotion Officers PCU • Civil Society Organization • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA-SL)

GRIEVANCE REDRESS PROCEDURES

Value Chain of Grievance Redress Process

o Uptake o Processing o Resolving o Monitoring, Evaluation, and Feedback

E1.12 Document Disclosure The final ESHIA shall be disclosed in all the twelve districts and western area.

SMALLHOLDER COMMERCIALIZATION AND AGRIBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (SCADeP) E7

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION

SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 BRIEF The Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) has received funding from the International Development Association (IDA) and UK Department for International Development (DFID) towards the cost the Smallholder Commercialisation and Agribusiness Development Project (SCADeP). The overall objective of this project is to strengthen the agricultural sector, promote health and education, and improve related infrastructure. Part of the strategy is to improve farmers’ access to markets by improving the feeder roads joining their communities with the national road network and hence markets. The project consists broadly of the following elements: • Prioritisation of 500Km of feeder roads using performance-based road contracts (OPRC) for 200km and traditional contract (FIDIC) for 300km. • Preparation of design and bid documents for the 300km roads selected for a traditional approach to rehabilitation. • Assessment of the market in relation to an OPRC approach and preparation of concept design and bid documents for the 200km roads selected for this purpose. • Preparation of relevant environmental and social studies and obtaining of related approvals for the entire 500km project roads. • Procurement of the works contracts for the rehabilitation of the 300km under a traditional approach

This Environmental and Social Health Impact Assessment Report (ESHIA) has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of EPA Act). It was compiled study on the proposed road project after series of consultations with stakeholder mainly beneficiaries along the road -local residents and district councils.

1.2 PROJECT OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE Feeder roads development and poverty eradication have their own voluminous literature. Most of the early road investment was in major trunk roads or highways but in the 1970s as rural development objectives were pushed to the fore front by multilateral donors. In recent years, the World Bank and other donor institutions have extensively championed rural roads as poverty alleviation instruments. It is argued that rural roads are key to raising living standards in poor rural areas. By reducing transport costs, roads are expected to generate market activity, affect input and output prices, and foster economic linkages that enhance agricultural production, alter land use, crop intensity and other production decisions, stimulate off-farm diversification and income-earning opportunities, and encourage migration. Poor people living in rural areas are isolated by distance, terrain and poverty and from employment opportunities, markets, healthcare and education. Lack of basic infrastructure like paths, trails, bridges and roads and access to transport services makes it difficult for poor local population to access markets and other services. There is clear evidence that rural isolation is associated with low agricultural productivity linked to poor market access and low use of fertilizers and modern agricultural technologies. It is also linked with poor health and low school enrolment.

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SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

The rural road network in Sierra Leone is normally made up of tracks, trails, footpaths and earth roads that link rural villages and towns among each other and, in many cases, connect to secondary roads, which allow their residents to access product and factor markets as well as social services their own communities do not provide. The Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) haven recognized the importance of the road network to the national economic embarked on massive road construction projects including the Feeder roads that have yielded benefits to the economy. The improvement of the human development has seen the investment in the Agricultural, Health, Education and infrastructure by the GoSL with support from development partners such as World Bank, EU etc. The 2009 World Bank led Rural and Private Sector Development Project had the objective of increasing the production and sales of selected agricultural commodities by improvements in efficiencies along the value chain. The project provided for the rehabilitation of over 400Km Feeder roads that links farmers and market centres. The project was a success and led to the provision of additional funding for over 500Km roads. The SCADeP project is made up of four (4) main components • Component 1: Support to agribusiness-farmer linkages and SMEs along selected agricultural value chains (US$ 19.00 million): This component is designed to strengthen linkages between agribusiness firms and farmers and promote producer associations and SMEs linkages along commercially viable agricultural value-chains, including but not limited to rice, cocoa, palm oil and poultry. The project will aim at improving access to finance through a combination of matching grants scheme and/or on-lending facilities and technical assistance. • Component 2: Market Access Component (US$ 21 million): The objective of this component is to link high agricultural production areas to markets. This component will support the rehabilitation and spot improvements of about 400 km of feeder roads and the routine maintenance of the rehabilitated roads and structures. Specific focus will be on those rural roads that link markets to production areas with high volumes of perishable crops and produce. In addition, the project will scale-up the capacity of the district assemblies to undertake maintenance for the rehabilitated feeder roads using labour-based methods. Special focus will be given to capacity building of specialized contractors, their work force, and involved government bodies through training and provision of advisory services. To minimize risks associated with migrating workers, the majority of the labour-based works will be scheduled when demand for farm labour is low, usually from December to March. The project will also address the feeder roads maintenance budget deficit through supporting the development of a sustainable revenue base for the Road Maintenance Fund Administration (RMFA) for feeder roads maintenance financing. The project will also pilot-test the use of hybrid Performance- based Maintenance Contracts on 100 km feeder roads. • Component 3: Institutional Strengthening to Promote Agricultural Development (US$ 6 million): This component will strengthen State and Non-State institutions through Capacity Building to support critical services required for agribusiness development. This component will include the following: 1. Technical support and training for selected Institutions and Personnel through development of programmes aimed to maximize/improve the production of the agricultural products; 2. Provide support for Institutional studies through the promotion of agricultural research;

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3. Build Institutional and/or farmers’ capacity for value-chain development services and provide support for conducive policy environment for agribusiness development

• Component 4: Project Coordination, Management and Monitoring and Evaluation (US$ 4 million): This component will provide a comprehensive Environmental Management Plan to support short, middle and long- term implementation and technical assistance to the project. A proactive National Steering Committee under the Ministry of agriculture Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS) and a strong Project Coordinating Unit will be proposed.

Sierra Leone is faced with deficiencies with the existing road network. The national road network is about 11,000Km; about 8,000Km consists of feeder roads with about 90% of these roads in poor condition. This has restricted mobility and significantly increases vehicle operating cost, which exacerbate the isolation of several communities in rural areas. Furthermore, there is a huge economic loss as poorly maintained roads in rural setting results in perishing of food products. Sierra Leone was affected by the deadly Ebola Virus (EVD), which hampered economic activities in the country. The Agricultural sector like other economic sectors was severely hit by the Ebola pandemic that restrained farmers from carrying out their productive activities. Farms were abandoned or neglected due to restriction of movement under the public health emergency, some farmers and farm labour lost their lives to the disease while the in area of infrastructure, feeder roads connecting farms and market outlets were left unattended and in ruins, as well as some rural infrastructure for processing, marketing and distribution being grounded nearly to a halt and capacities severely diminished as a result of mortal fear, human debility and reduced activities/near closure of the agricultural enterprises/ agribusinesses. Therefore, in order to restore, enhance and continue with gains achieved under the former World Bank funded project; namely the ‘Rural and Private Sectors Development Project’ (RPSDP), the predecessor to this proposed project the GoSL has secured funds from the World Bank towards four key components that will promote productivity, efficiency and increased farmers’ and business promoters earnings through enhanced feeder roads maintenance and access to markets, support to agribusiness through farmers linkages and SMEs for value chain addition, building institutional and personal capacities and strengthened project coordination, management and monitoring and evaluation. One of the key components identified is the Market Access Improvement with a sub component that is responsible for the rehabilitation and maintenance of over 500Km of Feeder Roads targeting produce illustrated in Figure 1 nationwide.

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SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

Figure 1: Target Commodities location in Sierra Leone (Source: INTEGEMS 2016) 1.3 PROPOSED ACTIVITY The project will involve the rehabilitation of 500Km of Feeder Roads nationwide. The activities to be undertaken during the rehabilitation process will comprise of: I. Improvement on the carriageway to 6.0m/8.0m according to Low Volume Roads standard; II. Improvement in the drainage structures along the various roads: bridges and culverts; III. Erection of location sign posts, traffic sign post etc.

1.4 PROJECT LOCATION The project is nationwide and will improve about 500Km of Feeder Roads that links agricultural produce from villages to neighbouring towns and markets. The geographic location of the major road network in Sierra Leone is presented in Fig. 2. The SCADeP project forms part of the link in the national road network and either connects the project road(s) to the major road network or to agribusiness centres or market centres and are accessible through the district headquarter towns.

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Figure 2 Major road network in Sierra Leone The selected roads are found in twelve districts and western area in Sierra Leone (attached list in Annex 7). The current condition of the selected roads is terrible especially in mountainous terrains like Koinadugu district and clayey soils in Pujehun and Kailahun districts and motorists have to make time-consuming detours to reach their destinations. The proposed project aims to provide increase in the efficiency and effectiveness of rural roads, through an effective maintenance regime which offers improved and safer roads for all road-users which will serve as a development spine for settlement with large agricultural production and will link these areas with the economic hub in their respective districts. Existing sections of some selected roads will be upgraded and others will be maintained over a period of time. Once completed, these roads will also provide excellent travelling conditions and reduced travelling time. In 2009, the World Bank financed the Rural and Private sector Development Project with the objective to increase production and sales of selected agricultural commodities by improvements in efficiencies along the value chain. Although it was an Agricultural project, it catered for the rehabilitation of 440km of rural / feeder roads with the aim of creating access and linkages between farmer and markets to Agribusiness centres.

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SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

Due to the successes of the Rural and private Sector Development project, additional funding was provided to rehabilitate an additional 526km of Feeder roads across the country. The Government of Sierra Leone through the SCADeP intends to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the management and maintenance of the country's road network, particularly the Feeder roads. This move is motivated by the recognition that the road network constitutes the single largest asset owned by Government, and that a less than optimal system for management and maintenance of that asset results in huge losses for the national economy. 1.5 METHODOLOOGY

The ESHIA is part of the feasibility study of the proposed project. The findings of the ESHIA will also assist the engineering design team in taking into consideration potential environmental impacts. During the Scoping phase the technical assessment focused on identifying issues of concern. These will be taken into consideration during the impact assessment phase. The following has been carried out:

1. A review of the proposed project and available information by the Consultant. 2. Meetings with the project team and design engineers. 3. A biophysical assessment of the route by the Consultant technical specialists. 4. Field visits to the proposed project roads in the twelve districts and western area.

The purpose of the visit and meeting was explained to stakeholders and their views incorporated in this draft Scoping Report. The proposed project intends to follow International and Local safeguards policy requirements for the acquisition of EIA License and below are steps undertaken during the scoping phase of the project;

DESK STUDY AND DOCUMENT REVIEW

In order to effectively and efficiently identify the main environmental and socio-economic effects and impacts that the project is likely to have on the environment, the client will provide the Consultant with relevant data, information to help clarify the crucial dimensions of the Project, including the purpose of the project, its life cycle, physical locations, processes, and associated policies, including:

• An outline of the main Project alternatives (in terms of location) and an indication of the main reasons for the current choice of location, taking into account its potential environmental and socio-economic effects and impacts. • General location of the Project on a base map in relation to geo-political and geographic boundaries. • Clarification of the various stages in the Project's life cycle (e.g., construction, operational and decommissioning stages and associated activities, etc.), including their size and relative duration. • A description of the physical characteristics of the Project and the land-use requirements during the construction and operational phases and associated activities. • A description of the main characteristics of the construction processes, for instance, nature and estimates of the quantity of the material usage (e.g., water, energy, etc) and chemicals that will be used;

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• A description of the technology and processes for the containment and disposal of wastes, including estimates of types and quantities, resulting from Project activities.

FIELD VISITS

Site visits were made to the selected roads in the twelve (12) districts and the western area in Sierra Leone to gather primary data on the project locations estimate the volume of work involved, assess sites and community accessibility and many other parameters that will provide an in-depth baseline database. Focus group discussions, meetings were held with relevant stakeholders (local council officials, interested and project affected persons) to obtain socio-economic information and get their perceptions about the project. Other stakeholders will be interviewed by administering a limited number of questionnaires that will be used for the purpose of data analysis. A team of environmental scientists/environmental engineers /socio-economists to the biophysical and operational features, as well as interview relevant stakeholders in the community will do this entire exercise.

1.6 PURPOSE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (ESIA) STUDY The main objective is to carry out a comprehensive environmental impact assessment for the proposed infrastructure development activities i.e. rehabilitation/upgrading of 500Km of Feeder Roads in the thirteen 13 Districts and the improvement of the drainage systems. The specific objectives included: • Establishment of the project‘s potential environmental and social impacts and propose measures to mitigate them; • Assessment of the impacts of alternatives and advise the design consultant accordingly; and • Determination of the actions required by the Environment Protection Agency -Sierra Leone and other stakeholders to satisfactorily • Address the environmental impacts that might arise as a result of project implementation. 1.7 SCOPE OF THE ESIA In contrast to new road and drainage projects, where interest is on preventing impacts, the focus of environmental impact assessment for rehabilitation or upgrade is on rehabilitating and mitigating further impacts. Refer to government information on roads and the environment, guides that for existing roads which are to undergo upgrading, the focus should be on repair or rehabilitation of prior environmental damage caused naturally. For example, a culvert that restricts water flow, thus causing flooding, should be examined with special regard to widening the water channel. The Government roads handbook and the relevant safeguard instruments, and also advises that for existing road projects, the EIA should: • Define the nature of the proposed work and how it would change the existing road; • Identity which aspects of the existing road have caused unacceptable negative impacts; • Based on baseline conditions, analyse combined effect of the rehabilitation action with that of the existing road operations; and • Prepare an action plan for repair of prevailing environmental damage and for the prevention of any negative effects resulting from the new work. This requirement does not suggest that

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SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

state of the environment in the study area must be brought back to pre-development state but rather, at the very least, ongoing degradation should be halted and the environment not be subjected to significant new negative impacts. The EIA scope therefore dwelt on the aforementioned aspects in addition to consideration of the environmental and social issues raised in the Scoping Reports for each location nationwide. 1.8 STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT The report is organized in the following structure: • Chapter 1: Introduction • Chapter 2: Legislation, Regulation and Institutional Framework • Chapter 3: Project Description • Chapter 4: Analysis of Alternatives • Chapter 5: Description of the Existing Environment • Chapter 6: Potential Impact s and Mitigation Measures • Chapter 7: Analysis of Impact • Chapter 8: Environmental and Social Management Plan • Chapter 9: Public Consultation and Disclosure Plan (PCDP) • Chapter 10: Community Development Action Process (CDAP) • Chapter 11: Conclusion 1.9 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION Stakeholders are usually defined as: Any individual, group or institution with interest in the natural resources of the project area and/or who potentially will be affected by the implementation of the project; they have something to gain or lose if conditions change or stay the same. Stakeholders are all those who need to be considered in achieving project goals and whose participation and support are crucial to its success. Stakeholder analysis identifies all primary and secondary stakeholders who have interest in the project. Stakeholder consultation is a process of systematically gathering and analysing information to determine whose interests should be taken into account when developing and implementing a project. The analysis includes stakeholder characteristics such as knowledge of the project, interests related to the project, position for or against the project, potential alliances with other stakeholders, and ability to affect the project process (through power and/or leadership). This section is detailed more in subsequent section

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SECTION 2 : LEGEL, POLICY AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

SECTION 2 –LEGAL, POLICY AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

SECTION 2 LEGAL, POLICY AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK In this chapter, policy, legal and institutional framework within which this ESHIA will be undertaken is discussed. National laws are discussed along with relevant multilateral environmental agreements to which Sierra Leone is a signatory. Road development may have serious impacts on the environment from two perspectives: • Firstly, effects of construction / improvement itself and the resulting disturbance on ecological and social systems especially impacts on property rights; and • Secondly, after the road has been constructed /improved, the economic activities it creates may have both negative and positive impacts on the environment and social setting of the areas it traverses. These environmental and social effects must be managed within a legal framework. However, the upgrading and rehabilitation of Feeder roads does not have such adverse impacts because the mode of construction is not highly mechanized but its labour intensive. Below are the Statutory Instruments that are relevant to the Project: 2.1 LEGAL FRAMEWORK 2.1.1 The Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991 Section 7.1 of the 1991 states that the state shall undertake amongst others, the following pursuit of social protection, and prosperity for its people; • Harness all-natural resources of the nation to promote national prosperity and efficient, dynamic and self-reliant economy, • Manage and control the national economic in such a manner as to secure the maximum welfare and freedom of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of opportunity; and • Protect the right of any citizen to engage in any economic activity without prejudice to the rights of any other person to facilitate in the areas of the economy. In addition, under the social objective in section 8(3), the state shall direct its policy towards ensuring that, every citizen without discrimination on any grounds, whatsoever, shall have the opportunity for serving adequate means of livelihood as well as adequate opportunities to secure suitable employment. And that, the health, safety and welfare of all persons in the employment is safeguarded and not endangered or abused, and in particular, having regard for the resources of the state. It emphasis on equal pay for equal job without discrimination on account of sex, and that adequate and satisfactory remuneration is paid to all persons in the employment. These constitutional provisions guarantee the protection of the environment and its sustainable use; it further emphasizes the need for gender equality and equity in terms of access to employment opportunities, equal pay and safety during the execution of works. These will be taken care of in the Feeder roads project.

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SECTION 2 –LEGAL, POLICY AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

2.1.2 The Environment Protection Act (EPA), 2008 One key provision in the Act is the establishment of the Environment Protection Agency with the overall mandate of effectively protecting the environment and other related matters. With specific reference to the road project, the categorization in Section 23 (1) provides for the preparation of an ESIA for projects that are in its First Schedule (which includes roads construction), hence there is need for a full ESIA in this Road project even though it's a category C project which should require no ESHIA but the activities are deemed by EPA -SL it is a category c project. 2.1.3 The Sierra Leone Roads Authority Act (Amendment) 2010 The SLRA Strategy and its Investment Plan are all consistent with the Authority’s mission which is to: “provide a safe, reliable and sustainable National Road System for the enhancement of the Socio-Economic Development of the country”. The Strategy recognizes that, for a country to be socially, economically and financially sustainable, its transport infrastructure and specifically roads must be in good motorable conditions throughout the year. This therefore emphasizes the need for transport infrastructure development and maintenance, hence the need to rehabilitate the selected roads. 2.1.4 Local Government Act 2004 Being an Act to consolidate with amendments, the law on local government, and to provide for the decentralization and devolution of functions, powers and services to local councils and for other matters connected therewith. It shall be responsible, generally for promoting the development of the locality and the welfare of the people in the locality. Feeder roads selection and rehabilitation is done in collaboration with the local Councils 2.1.5 Forestry Act 1988 This Act came into operation on 1st July 1988 and the Chief Conservator of Forest, with the directives of the Minister, is responsible for the implementation of its regulations. It is set to ensure sustainability of forest products, and the protection of the soil and water resources that constitute the environment at large.

In this case, the project will take cognizance of water and forestry resources in its ROW during the implementation of its activities. 2.1.6 Factories Act – 1974 This Act became effective on 30th May 1974 and deals with the health and safety of workers in their work environments. The Act provides for the protection of the workers by their employers in aspects such as cleanliness of work environment, handling of all injuries, accidents, diseases and death during work. Whereas the name of the Act denotes “Factory based”, its provisions cut across spheres of work including roads and in this case, the safety and welfare of the road workers have to be taken care by their employers i.e. road Contractor(s). For purposes of grievance redress, the Act provides for the creation of a Factories Appeal Board whose duty is to handle and determine appeals submitted by the parties (workers and owners of employers)

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2.2 POLICY FRAMEWORK 2.2.1 Local Policy Framework 2.2.1.1 The Sierra Leone National Environmental Policy, 1994 The National Environmental Policy (NEP) which was approved by cabinet in1990 and revised in 1994 (GoSL, 1994) is aimed at achieving sustainable development in Sierra Leone, through sound environmental and natural resources exploitation and management. The NEP also contains broad sectorial objectives and goals on the country’s natural resources which are all set to ensure sustainable management and use of the country’s natural resources, which applies to the implementation of the planned rehabilitation of all roads project. It is therefore of importance to note that, the planned roads rehabilitation works need to comply with the NEP Policy objective of ensuring sustainable use the country’s natural, vegetation, land and land resources amongst others. 2.2.1.2 Land National Policy, 2004 The land policy is intended to serve as a useful guide for the smooth administration and management of Land. The policy provides the framework to ensure equity in access to land and to provide security to tenure in order to maintain a stable environment of the country’s sustainable, social economic development. In this case, the road works will be required to oblige with this policy provisions during land take in which, there should be fair and adequate compensation for the land and property that will be likely taken up by the road project and the RAP study is already addressing this aspect. 2.2.1.3 National Feeder Roads Policy The National Feeder Roads Policy was developed in 2011 in order to develop a strategic plan for rural roads that can set out the long-term direction and framework for rural development management. It aims is to ensure a consistent and unified approach to the planning, improvement and maintenance of rural roads under the Ministry of Works, Housing and Infrastructure (MoWHI)

2.2.1.4 National HIV/AIDS Policy for Sierra Leone, 2002 The Government of Sierra Leone fully recognizes the urgency of the threat posed by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and undertakes to ensure the development of coherent policies and the implementation of a coordinated national multi-sectorial program to successfully combat this epidemic. As part of Government's overall social and development strategy, this policy is formulated to guide Government and its development partners in combating the spread of HIV/AIDS. Of relevance to the road rehabilitation project is the HIV/AIDS policy provision on Multi-Sectorial Approach to HIV/AIDS Control which enjoins sectors and the spheres of economy to put in place, HIV/AIDS interventions in place. This road project will also have a HIV/AIDS sensitization and control program.

2.2.1.5 Laws related to GBV and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse At a national level, a number of legislative and policy frameworks have been established to provide supportive and conducive environment to stem and reduce incidents of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and punish perpetrators. The passage of the three Gender Acts (the Domestic

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Violence Act (2007), the Devolution of Estates Act (2007) and the Registration of Customary Marriage and Divorce Act (2007) in 2007 provided concrete legal pronouncements on the rights of women and children which could be drawn on to prevent SGBV and seek redress in the event of occurrence. The Gender acts indicated a sea change to attitudes towards gender equity and gender equality and were a core part of the post reconstruction agenda to create a new social order. The Domestic Violence Act ‘situates domestic violence as a criminal act in and of itself and uses a broad definition of domestic abuse which includes physical and sexual abuses, economic abuses, verbal, emotion and psychological abuse’ (Swaine, 2012: 8) perpetrated against an individual in a domestic setting. The Registration of Customary Marriage Act raises the legal marriageable age and requires customary marriages to be registered under Customary, Muslim, Christian and civil laws. The Devolution of Estates Act aims to address issues of women’s inheritance rights by allowing men and women to inherit equally and abolishing customary practices whereby widows were often required to marry a member of her deceased husband’s family. A child rights was also passed in 2007. Despite the plethora of laws and apparent institutional commitment to address SGBV, the committee remains limited in its ability to effectively coordinate activities, largely due to lack of funding. It is also detached from key government networks, including district coordinating bodies and ministries responsible for addressing SGBV (MSWCA, 2012).

In 2012, these Gender Acts were complemented by the Sexual Offences Act, which criminalizes rape (with marriage explicitly denied as a defense), indecent assault and harassment and imposes a maximum 15-year sentence for cases of rape. It also entitles victims of sexual offences to free medical treatment, as well as a free medical report (necessary for prosecution). This was designed to protect women and girls from rape and abuse from people in authority; bans rape in marriage, provided greater powers to Family Support Unit (FSU) to investigate and prosecute cases of sexual abuse. The mandate is to receive cases of SGBV, provide assistance to victims, investigate crimes and prepare a case for prosecution, as well as increase public awareness. NGOs and service providers have also contributed efforts in stemming the problem by raising awareness on the issues, advocating increased access to services for victims – or in some cases providing those services- and promoting attitudinal change about women’s status, women’s rights and gender power relations within the society. These policy and legislative changes are clearly important in criminalizing VAW, building greater respect for women’s rights, and demonstrating how seriously the government takes issues of women’s security, owing in no small part to ongoing advocacy by women’s organizations and activists (UN Women, 2011).

The Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDs Act (2007) enacted to provide a legal framework for the prevention, management and control of HIV and AIDS, for the treatment, counselling, support and care of persons infected with, affected by or at risk of HIV and AIDS infection. It urges the government to assume to responsibility for educating and providing information to all citizens on HIV and AIDS, safe practices and procedures, testing, screening and access to healthcare facilities within the country. It prescribes safe practices and procedure to enhance prevention of transmission and prohibits compulsory testing. The law also prohibits discriminatory policies in the work place and schools, restriction of movement based on HIV status, and denial of burial rites.

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2.2.2 World Bank Environment and Social Policies 2.2.2.1 OP/BP 4.01 Environmental Assessment The core requirement of this Policy is that screening should be done as early as possible for potential impacts and select appropriate instrument to assess, minimize and mitigate potentially adverse impacts. Environmental Assessment (EA) ensures that appropriate levels of environmental and social assessment are carried out as part of project design. It also emphasizes the need for public consultation process, and to ensure that, the views of PAPs and local NGOs are incorporated as early as possible for Category A and B projects during their ESIAs preparation. 2.2.2.2 OP/BP 4.04 Natural Habitats The conservation of natural habitats, like other safeguards that protect and enhance the environment, is essential for long-term sustainable development. This policy supports the protection, maintenance and rehabilitation of natural habitats and their function and aims to apply precautionary approaches to natural resource management to ensure opportunities for environmentally sustainable development. In broad terms, the planned rehabilitation of the Feeder Road project will occur in areas where natural habitats are located such as mangroves, which are ecological sensitive sites. Therefore, the appropriate mitigation measures will be paramount to avoid any negative impacts on these natural habitats. 2.2.2.3 OP/BP 4.12 Involuntary Resettlement This Policy is based on assisting the displaced persons in their efforts to improve or at least restore their standards of living to status before project displacement occurred. The impetus of this Policy is based on the fact that, development projects should not cause the impoverishment of the people who are within the area of influence of the projects. In cases where resettlement of people is inevitable, proper RAP should be undertaken to at least restore, as stated above, their standard of life prior to the projects. Under this project, a RAP is to be prepared and will equally address any issues of Involuntary Resettlement aspects anticipated to arise. 2.2.2.4 OP/BP 4.36 Forests The objective of this policy is to protect the vital local and global environmental services and values of forests, to harness the potential of forests to reduce poverty in a sustainable manner and integrate forests effectively into sustainable economic development. These feeder roads are located in areas with secondary forest and rehabilitation will directly or indirectly result in the loss of forests with high ecological value through improving access for logging, especially in logging prone areas. 2.2.2.5 OP/BP 4.11 Physical Cultural Resource This policy addresses physical cultural resources, which are defined as movable or immovable objects, sites, structures, groups of structures, and natural features and landscapes that have archaeological, paleontological, historical, architectural, religious, aesthetic, or other cultural significance. Physical cultural resources are important as sources of valuable scientific and historical information, as assets for economic and social development, and as integral parts of a people’s cultural identity and practices. In this case, though no evidence of physical cultural resources is reported to be in the districts far away from the project roads. The ESHIA should emphasize the need for the Contractor(s) to observe the archaeological chance to find measures during the implementation of the road project in accordance with this will be implemented in the road projects.

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2.2.2.6 ESS4 Community Health and Safety The objectives of this policy are

• To anticipate and avoid adverse impacts on the health and safety of project-affected communities during the project life -cycle from both routine and non-routine circumstances. • To promote quality and safety, and considerations relating to climate change, in the design and construction of infrastructure, including dams. • To avoid or minimize community exposure to project-related traffic and road safety risks, diseases and hazardous materials. • To have in place effective measures to address emergency events. • To ensure that the safeguarding of personnel and property is carried out in a manner that avoids or minimizes risks to the project-affected communities.

2.2.2.7 ESS5 LAND ACQUISITION, RESTRICTIONS ON LAND USE AND INVOLUNTARY RESETTLEMENT The objectives of this policy are

• To avoid involuntary resettlement or, when unavoidable, minimize involuntary resettlement by exploring project design alternatives. • To avoid forced eviction. • To mitigate unavoidable adverse social and economic impacts from land acquisition or restrictions on land use by: (a) providing timely compensation for loss of assets at replacement cost and (b) assisting displaced persons in their efforts to improve, or at least restore, their livelihoods and living standards, in real terms, to pre- displacement levels or to levels prevailing prior to the beginning of project implementation, whichever is higher. • To improve living conditions of poor or vulnerable persons who are physically displaced, through provision of adequate housing, access to services and facilities, and security of tenure. • To conceive and execute resettlement activities as sustainable development programs, providing sufficient investment resources to enable displaced persons to benefit directly from the project, as the nature of the project may warrant. • To ensure that resettlement activities are planned and implemented with appropriate disclosure of information, meaningful consultation, and the informed participation of those affected.

2.3 INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS The related international convention to which Sierra Leone is a signatory that relates to the construction and operation of roads are described in the following sections. 2.3.1 The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants Sierra Leone became a signatory to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) on the 27th August 2001. The Convention seeks the elimination or restriction of production and use of all POPs (industrial chemicals and pesticides). The chemicals stated for elimination are: aldrin, chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, hexachlorobenzen (HCB), mirixtaxaphene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB’s).

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Therefore, within the framework of this Convention, the planned road project should seek continued and sustained minimization and, where feasible, ultimate elimination of road activities that will likely release POPs such as dioxins and furans. In addition, and in line with the Convention, road construction-based activities that are likely to release wastes containing POPs must be managed and disposed off in a safe, efficient and environmentally sound manner, taking into account international and national rules, standards and guidelines. 2.3.2 United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity As contracting party to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD) in 1994, the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Country Planning and the Environment with assistance from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) developed the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) and Country Report to the CBD Conference of Parties (COPs) which assessed the threats to the nation’s biodiversity and of the sustainability of the use of biological resources in Sierra Leone. This implies that during implementation of the road project works, attempts to protect the biodiversity have to be observed in terms of minimal loss of roadside and riverine vegetation and habitats. 2.3.3 Convention on the International Trade and Endangered Species The Convention on the International Trade on Endangered Species (CITES) requirements went into effect in Sierra Leone on 16th January 1995. It provides for the elimination and/or reduction in the trade of certain species, including endangered species. CITES provides a list of species that require protection from trade due to their uniqueness (rare, endangered etc.). Species lists in CITES are also those for which, trade is strictly prohibited except in exceptional circumstance. The majority of the species lists in CITES are also listed as endangered or threatened by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). During project implementation, project management teams should ensure that, the road workers do not engage in any trade in biological resources that are listed in the CITES such as birds (parrots), plants-orchids etc. 2.3.4 Other Protocols Sierra Leone is a signatory to include: Sierra Leone is signatory of, or has ratified the following relevant international environmental conventions and instruments: • The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); • The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD); • RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands of international importance; • The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Biodiversity (UNCLS), and • The Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone Layer.

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SECTION 3: PROJECT DESCRIPTION

SECTION 3 –PROJECT DESCRIPTION

SECTION 3 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 3.1 INTRODUCTION This chapter provides detailed description of the selected roads and accessibility of the project’s site infrastructural facilities, the design standards and equipment/construction method within this ESHIA. 3.2 FEEDER ROADS Feeder roads/Class F roads are primarily low volume roads that serve as collector/distributor routes for the secondary and some primary routes. More than 50% of Class F roads in Sierra Leone are in poor conditions. The roads to be developed by the SCADeP project will involve mainly rehabilitation of existing roads by upgrading/rehabilitating them to enable the movement of people and produce to processing and/or market centres. These roads will enhance reduction in the traveling time and increase accessibility and connectivity between settlements and district headquarter towns. The roads targeted are mostly those regarded as Class F1, F2 and F3 Feeder Roads under the GoSL and SLRA’s Feeder Roads. The salient proposals for the upgrading and improvement of the priority roads are classified into the following engineering, environmental health and safety aspects. • Widening of existing formation width to suit the applicable cross section Construction of various pavement layer (formation and gravel). • Rehabilitation and widening of the existing structures including bridges, culverts etc. and design of new ones where necessary. • Improving the horizontal geometry of the existing road as far as possible within available space. • Improvement of all major and minor intersections within available space. • Provision of retaining wall as slope protection measures. • Provision of road furniture for complete road safety 3.3 GEOMETRIC DESIGN STANDARD This project is essentially an upgrading/improvement project involving construction/widening of existing formation layer. There are universally accepted standards for national feeder roads, however, the draft Low Volume Design Manual or other relevant standard document has been taken into consideration in designing the geometric properties of the project roads. SLRA categorized feeder roads as F1, F2 and F3 according to their functionality. Excerpts of the approved geometric design standards provided in the Feeder Roads Policy for improvement of these categories of roads is enumerated in the Table below.

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Table 1: :Geometric Design Standards for Feeder Roads Description Type F 1 Type F 2 Type F 3 Carriage width 6m 6m 4.5m Shoulder width 1m - - Surface type Gravel Gravel Earth Pavement thickness 150mm 100mm -

3.4 PAVEMENT LAYER AND ROAD FURNITURE All rural feeder roads are expected to be all weather access. The typical pavement layer for feeder roads

Figure 3 : Typical Feeder roads geometry and structure 3.5 DRAINAGE Storm water drainage is part of the essential infrastructure along the road corridor. While in the past, the term ‘drainage’ was widely associated with ‘sewerage’ and vice versa, now it is dealt with in broader perspective, separately from sewerage. Frequent floods cause damages to roads & property and also disturb the economic and social activities. Proper storm water drainage system is essential to have safe and sustainable growth.

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Sierra Leone drainage system is made up of nine (9) major streams/river that provides water resources. These are the Great Scarcies, Little Scarcies, Rokel, Jong, Sewa, Moa and Mano. Most of these river flow from the northeast to the southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. The general topography of the country comprises of four major regions: Koinadugu and Kono Plateaus (KKP)also known as the Interior Plateau that forms extension of the Guinea Highlands in the east and the north with several isolated mountains, the Interior Plains (IP), which contains primarily forest regrowth, woodland, savannas, and farmland and makes up about half of the country; the Coastal Plains (CP) and Mangrove Forest (MF) are adjacent to the Atlantic shoreline, and the Western Area Peninsular which hosts the capital city and rises to about 1000m above sea level. Formation and maintenance of roads and drainages in steep terrain is a challenging task especially, around Koinadugu district where the roads are to be constructed on a mountainous terrain. Unlike in the past when storm water drainage was given relatively less emphasis compared to water supply and sewerage, it has now become essential for road infrastructure. Due consideration has been given to the very important aspect of drainage while preparing the design. The cross-sections incorporate roadside drains proposed at various stretches of the roads taking into account the existing and natural conditions as well as the future situation. Open trapezoidal drain sections have been proposed. The drains shall discharge into the nearest outfall. As drains are proposed at hillside, cross drainage arrangements (in form of pipes) have been taken into account for passing of this drain water into valley side. Basis of estimation of design runoff for storm water drainage system is that, the part of the rainfall that reaches the drains depends on the ratio of the impervious to the relatively absorbent surface, the intensity and duration of rainfall, the character, shape and the slope of the drainage area. The design to take consideration of: • Drain size to carry the design runoff • Shape • Available slope • Material adopted for the construction of drains. Manning‘s formula has been used globally for the design of open flow channels. While designing storm water drains, it is to be ensured that a minimum velocity is maintained in the drains even during minimum flow conditions for self-cleansing and at the same time velocity should not be excessive to cause erosion. Hence, it is recommended rainfall intensity of two (2) years return period for design of the drains. 3.6 PRE – CONSTRUCTIOON, CONSTRUCTION AND POST- CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES The schedule for the implementation of both projects differ. OPRC PILOT PROJECT 2 Years 2 Years 1 Year

Periodic Initial Rehabilitation to bring the roads Routine Maintenance to achieve the Maintenance up to pre - defined standards minimum service level before closure

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Feeder Roads construction will entail the removal/stripping of topsoil, the excavation of fill material and haulage from sources to road sites. Borrow areas are to be identified for gravel and aggregate, final choice of material sources rests with the road construction contractor who then would be responsible for preparing project briefs for borrow sites and providing a copy of the EIA license for quarry sites chosen. Sections below outline activities that will be undertaken during project development. 3.6.1 Pre-Construction Activities Before the implementation of any construction activities, there are pre – construction activities that the Contractors, Supervising Consultant and the Client will have to undertake. After the Contractors will have been selected, the following activities will have to be done; • Handing over of sites • Preliminary sites visit (Consultant and Contractor) • Setting up of Camp sites • Acquisition of borrow pit land from the communities • Environmental, Social and health workshop/campaign 3.6.2 Construction Activities The rehabilitation or upgrading of the road simply implies the improvement of the carriageway and the associated drainage and safety infrastructure along the existing alignment. Construction activities planned are: • Topsoil stripping, clearing and grubbing • Earthworks involving cut and fill operations • Excavation of gravel and soils from borrow areas • Natural gravel base construction • Planting grass on side slopes/ embankments • Reshaping of borrow pits and decommissioning them • Construction of drainage structures (bridges and culverts)

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• Construction of retaining walls where necessary on steel embankments • Installing road furniture including traffic signs, guard rails and road markings • Replanting trees felled during construction 3.6.3 Road Construction Materials Materials to be required by the civil works on the project are: • Gravel: This will be used for the purpose of filling to make up the pavement layers and embankment and will be obtained from approved borrow areas along the project road. • Crushed rock / aggregate: will be required for all concrete works. The rock will be procured from the nearest locality and will be of approved quality, • Sand: for concrete works, • Cement: The cement will be used mainly for concrete works and will be locally or imported. • Steel: The steel will be required mainly for structural work and will be imported. • Water: for construction and use in workers camps to be sourced locally within the various communities and stream. The quality of the water will be examined before approval for use is given.

3.6.4 Post Construction Activities After the implementation of the project, there are post– construction activities that the Contractors, Supervising Consultant and the Client will have to undertake. These are: • Restoration of all borrow pits • Demobilization of the contractors’ camp sites • Handing over of the project roads • Closing of the project

3.7 PROJECT ROADS

All proposed roads under this project will be rehabilitated or constructed following the existing road alignment. No land acquisition, farm land destruction of cash crop is envisaged under this project. No building such as houses, school etc will have to be demolish for the construction of the roads. The identified borrow pit lands are not being utilized by the communities. The communities will be consulted and approval seek for the use of those plot of land. 3.7.1 Western Rural Area The Western Rural District is located predominantly around the peninsula in the Western Area of Sierra Leone. The Freetown Peninsula consists of three roughly parallel ranges of highlands that are narrow but extend about 30 km south of Freetown. The hills and mountains in the highlands rise from 200m to 1,000m above the low-lying narrow coastal area. As the rest of the country has

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a tropical climate with two pronounced seasons: a wet season from May to October, and a dry season from November to April. Rainfall in this area is 3,000 to 4,000 mm per year. The Rural District capital is located in the city of Waterloo. The agricultural sector comprising food crops, fisheries, livestock, and forestry sub-sectors are the backbone of Sierra Leone’s economy. Nearly two-thirds of the population depends on the agriculture sector for their livelihoods. Major protected areas are forest reserve, with a large cross section. The district has 12 Community Health Centres (CHC), 20 Community Health Posts (CHP), 21 Maternal Child Health Post s and 1 hospital. There is a total of 317 registered staff medical and non-medical staff working in health facilities in Western Area. Access to safe drinking water in the rural areas has remained considerably low over the last two decades. The sanitation situation remains poor, with rural access to improved sanitation at 9% over the last two decades. Mangrove forests line much of Sierra Leone's coastline. But these fragile ecosystems are under threat from increased human activity in coastal areas. Sierra Leone has recently signed up to a regional charter to protect their mangrove resources. During the past 10 years, people have cleared the area to plant rice and to extract salt from the rich soil. With disappearance of mangroves fishing will be in crisis and the ecological balance disrupted. Trees and their roots play a critical ecological role in the coastal areas, preventing erosion, providing protection from storm surges, filtering toxins from soil and providing a habitat for a host of organisms. Mangrove forests are rich in biodiversity and provide numerous valuable resources to their human inhabitants. These saltwater trees also serve as nurseries for fish, shrimp and crabs. Oysters cling to mangrove roots and migratory birds shelter in their branches. As mangrove resources dwindle and coastal populations increase, preserving mangrove areas will also be crucial for maintaining coastal stability and averting cross-border disputes over resources. Six feeder roads were prioritized in the Western Rural District under SCADeP Project. 1. Mercy to Masorie The road condition appears to be in good condition and do not require further tree cutting. The carriage way passes through human settlements. There is a school and a community health centre along the proposed carriageway. The community health centre has six number of staff. The major work is to conduct child delivery and treating the children. The staff is only medical attendants. Complicated cases are referred to the major hospital at the district headquarters. There will be dust emission during road construction. However, this will be mitigated by constant watering of this road section. The major agricultural produce are the rice, cassava and vegetables. The proposed project would enhance the economy of the villages surrounding the feeder roads. During implementation of the project, the local communities should be considered and regular interactive meetings will be necessary to improve smooth implementation of the project.

Proposed Carriage way School along the carriage way

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Community Health Centre Human Settlement along the carriage way

2. Joe Town to Campbell Town The feeder road starts from the Joe Town and goes up to Campbell Town. The feeder road length is of 3.3 Km. the connectivity to the Campbell Town is requires a bridge across the estuary. The village has more than one thousand population. The rice, vegetables and cassava are grown as an agriculture crops. The feeder road passes through the human settlements with a school along the corridor. During monsoon months the water raises up to 5-6 feet in the estuary near the Campbell Town and the local population cross the estuary on canoe. Due consideration to be given to the bridge while rehabilitating the carriageway. Most sensitive issue is mangroves, which is an ecological sensitive area. During the construction of bridge, proper precautionary measures should be taken not to disturb the mangroves. The dust prevention measures should be adopted at the human settlement.

Carriage way is not in a good condition Agriculture crops grown on either side of carriage way

The feeder road passes through human A bridge requires to be constructed over the settlements estuary

3. Tombo Highway to Matindi

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The 6.5 Km feeder road passes through human settlements and school. The agriculture crops grown are rice, cassava, banana and vegetables. The road condition is not very good. There may be problems of dust emission during the construction stage. The local population is to be consulted before the start of the project. The local population should be explained about the likely impacts of the road construction. The school areas to be protected during the construction, as there will be movement of school children.

Human settlements along the road The proposed feeder road

School by the side of the carriage way Agricultural Land on the side of the carriage way

4. Ogoo farm to IVS Site

The road length is about 0.87 Km. the road passes through commercial area and residential area. This road is densely populated with houses located adjacent to the road. The major crops grown are the rice and vegetables. Before the start of the project the local population will be informed about the likely impacts caused by the project execution. In order to control and mitigate the issue of dust, water will be applied to the road minimum three times a day. Access to the houses will be constructed over the Drainages.

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Temporary shops along the carriage way Agriculture land on the side of the carriage way

The existing road conditions Human settlements on either side of the road

5. Gloucester – Up Mountain The road length is about 2.55 Km. the road passes through commercial area and residential area. The agriculture lands may be affected while constructing the corridor. The major crops grown are the rice and vegetables. There is an Agricultural Business Center located on the route at Ch 1+480 (Mafobo). The major market is at the Central Business District (Freetown) which is approximately 20Km away. The agricultural products are Vegetables. This road forms a ring linking Leicester, Gloucester and Regent. In order to complete the ring link, it is necessary for the other section to be added giving a total of 5.1Km. 30 houses are also located adjacent to the road. 6. Fabiana - Maswaray Feeder Road The 2.67Km feeder road passes through human settlements and school. The agriculture crops grown are cassava and fishing. The road condition is not very good. There may be problems of dust emission during the construction stage. The local population is to be consulted before the start of the project. The local population should be explained about the likely impacts of the road construction. The school areas to be protected during the construction, as there will be movement of school children. 3.7.2 Eastern Province 3.7.2.1 Kailahun District Kailahun district is located in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone along Moa River in the Mano River basin. Kono in the Northwest, Kenema West and Liberia in the East border the district Kailahun. The district is made up of several towns; Kailahun town is the largest and the district head quarter with major towns such as Daru, Segbwema and Koindu. According to the 2015

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population census, Kailahun district has a population of 526,379 with 49.5% male and 50.1% female. Thought the country experiences predominantly two (2) climatic conditions: rainy and dry seasons generally, the eastern region experiences a longer period of rains. Health services are mainly provided by the central government, private owners and International Non–governmental organizations (NGOs) such as Welthungerlife that is constructing. The district hosts a government hospital, 12 Community Health Centers (CHC), 31 Community Health Posts (CHP) and 11 Maternal Child Health Post (MCHP) that forms part of the primary health care systems in the country. The most prevalent diseases are Malaria and Yellow fever. The topography consists of three roughly parallel ranges of highlands that are narrow but extend about 30 km south of Freetown. The hills and mountains in the highlands rise from 200m to 1000m above the low-lying narrow coastal area. As the rest of the country has a tropical climate with two pronounced seasons: a wet season from May to October, and a dry season from November to April. Rainfall in this area is 3,000 to 4,000 mm per year. Three roads were selected in Kailahun for rehabilitation/upgrading under the traditional 1. Siama Junction – Gondama The road is along the constructed Kenema – Pendembu Highway that leads to Kailahun town in Kailahun District. The project traverses through vegetation regrowth with several settlements along the alignment namely Manowa, Siama, Potoru Gawula and Gondama in the Upper Bambara Chiefdom. Primary education available through a school operated along the road corridor. Farming as the main economic activity. Produce from these locations is mainly cacao, coffee, palm oil and cassava. Women are mainly engaged in gardening while the men are involved in heavy work such as brushing and ploughing. The Kailahun district council is operating a primary school in the Gondama community; the KCDC primary school. The prevalent diseases are mainly Malaria and Typhoid fever.

A damage bridge along the alignment Critical section along the road

2. Pendembu – Gbanahun The Pendembu – Gbanahun road is a rural road that links a small town Gbanahun to the Pendembu Township. The existing road has not faced any form of rehabilitation for years, with severance from the main Pendembu town due to a damaged culvert. The Gbanahun road has to be approached from a nearby school rather than the existing link that has been severed by the collapsed culvert. The carriageway is narrow with timber crossing over streams. The Gbanahun community is fairly large with over 500 residents. Main economic activity is farming with produce such as rice production, plantain and cassava and kola nut. Women are

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engage in petty trading, small-scale farming and fishing. Primary education and health care facilities are accessed in Pendembu.

Timber bridge over water crossing Footpath leading to the timber bridge

Palm Kernel ready for processing Primary school block in the village

3. Gblama – Dambalu – 10.54 Km The Gblama - Dambalu road is a rural road that links Gblama to Dambalu. The existing road was recently rehabilitated by NACSA. The agricultural products are rice, coffee, cocoa and kola. There is no agricultural business center located along the road. The major market is at Buedu which is about 18Km from Dabalu. 3.7.2.2 Kenema District Kenema district is in the third largest city in Sierra Leone in Sierra Leone and is located in Eastern Province. The capital and the largest district town is Kenema. The city is located along the valley of the Kambui Hills. The metropolitan area is ethnically diverse due to the various economic activities in the region (diamond mining, gold and cacao), and the Mende people make up the largest ethnic group.Kenema city is the centre of the Alluvial Diamond Mining Scheme Area and the site of the Government Diamond Office. Kenema is an important agricultural market town and the centre of the timber industry in Sierra Leone. The area’s production of cocoa, coffee, palm oil and kernels, furniture, and woodcarvings is transported mainly by road to Freetown for sale and export. Politically,

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The legal age required for all children to attend primary school is six years and three years in junior secondary school. A shortage of schools and teachers has made implementation of this policy impossible. Currently, Kenema has about 739 schools (42 pre-primary, 605 primaries, 73 junior secondary schools and 19 senior secondary schools.). Twenty-five percent of schools typically collect water from a stream, while 38 percent of schools have non-functioning toilets. The Government, private and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) provide health care services in the country with coordination from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS). In Kenema, the medical facilities are 21 community health Centers (CHC), 17 community health posts (CHP), 44 maternal child health posts (MCHP) and 1 government hospital, 1 government clinic, 2 mission clinics, 1 mission hospital, 1 NGO clinic, and 3 private clinics. Traditional medicine forms part of the primary health care system in Sierra Leone. Endemic diseases are Yellow Fever and Malaria in Sierra Leone In Kenema, practically a single link is identified for rehabilitation under the project i.e. the Kenema – Combema – Komende – Vaahun (OPRC). 1. The Kenema – Combema – Komende – Vaahun road project is to be upgraded and maintained using the OPRC method. The road is a feeder road 32Km that links interior areas in Kenema to the headquarter town and the newly constructed Kenema – Pendembu highway. Settlements along the road include Nongowa, Komende, Nikabo, Kpalu, Konabu, Jormu, Kpaava and Combema about 2Km to Kenema town. Though the district operates a central government hospital, Community Health Post (CHP) is maintained along the road corridor. The habitants are mainly Muslims. Communities like Jormu, Vaahun and Combema have formal primary education. The road is in a fairly good state with few critical sections. These sections create problems for the transport of passengers and produce. Produce from these settlements is mainly cashew nuts, palm oil, cacao, plantain, banana, cassava and rice (approximately 20 tons). The communities are faced with the difficulty in transportation due to the condition of the road.

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Consultation with locals at JormuKafeibu MCHP along the project alignment along the Combema Combema road

School along the Vaahun alignment Vaahun- Combemaalignment

3.7.2.3 Kono District Kono district is in the Eastern Province, and borders with Kenema district to the southwest, the Republic of Guinea to the east, Koinadugu district to the northeast and Kailahun district to the southeast. Its capital and the largest city is Koidu town. The other major towns in the district are Motema, Yengema, Tombodu, Jaiama Nimikoro and Sewafe. This district is divided into fourteen chiefdoms namely Fiama, Gbane, GbaneKandor, Gbense, GoramaKono, Kamara, Lei, Mafindor, Nimikoro, Nimiyama, Sandor, Soa, Tankoro, and Toli. The population is over 250,000 and is religiously mixed between Muslim and Christians and the district is home to many ethnic groups due to migration of mainly diamond dealers. The district is one of the major areas affected by the decade long civil was due to the heavy diamond reserve. Kono district is the largest diamond producer in Sierra Leone, gold and alluvial diamond mining are important economic activities of the residents. Although agriculture has not been the main source of livelihood of the majority (less than 30% rely on farming), in some areas rice, cassava, corn, and beans are grown and small groups of residents grow coffee, cacao and palm oil. The diamond mining industry has attracted many people from other parts of the country to settle down in Kono, making the district a cosmopolitan one. Diamonds were first discovered in the area during the 1930s, local residents work as employees for the large foreign owned mining companies. 12% of the population are in poorest category and 30% fall into the medium poor category. Gini coefficient is 0.27 which is on the lower side (scale from 0-1). There are 480 schools in the district with 50 pre-primary, 349 primary, 59 junior secondary and 19 senior secondary schools as reported by the Ministry of Education Science and Technology

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(MEST). The district has 3 Vocational Technical Institutes. The majority of these schools (88%) is either mission, community or privately owned while government own only 12% of the schools. The MEST census recorded 16 less schools in 2012-2013 compared to 2011-2012 school year. Three of the fourteen chiefdoms Gbane Kandor, Mafindor, Toli each have one primary school but none of these chiefdoms have a junior secondary school. NGOs supported a school feeding programme covering 115 schools (24%) mostly at the primary level. The number of students enrolled in higher level of education is considerably lower, it is only 12 % of the total enrollment between primary 1 and 6. The net primary enrollment rate is just over 57%. 1. Koidu - Gandonhun Road Koidu – Gandonhun (OPRC) road is in the Kono district is in a deplorable condition. The road was an asphaltic concrete road that linked connecting Kono to Freetown. Two wetlands were noted along the road and are sparsely cultivated. Gandonhunis relatively a large settlement with over 2000 residents and over 15 settlements along the road. The primary schools within the town are UMC, Anzarul, KDC and RC and a secondary school. Pipe borne water is supply by gravity dams, with several season streams/estuaries located along the alignment. Main crops produced along the project zone of influence are cacao, coffee with other crops like cassava, palm oil. The health centre in the community is under rehabilitation. The road is sometimes completely impassable during the rains. This forms a major challenge in the movement of people and produce. There is an agribusiness centre in the Gandorhun town.

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Critcal section along the road Critical section on a hill that has been provide with concrete track

Newly renovated health centre blocks Critical section

3.7.3 Southern Province 3.7.3.1 Bo District Bo district is located in the Southern province and is borders with Tonkolili in the North, and Kenema in the East and Moyamba in the South, and Bonthe in the Southeast and Pujehun district in the South. Bo town is the district headquarter town and is also the second largest city in the country. The district is divided in 16 Chiefdoms namely: Badija, Bagbo, Bagbwe, Bo, Baoma, Bumpe Ngao, Gbo. Jaima Bongor, Kakua, Komboya, Lugbu, Niawa Lenga, Selenga, Tikonko, Valunia, and Wonde. The district population is about 575,478 and from diverse ethnicity and cultures especially in the metropolitan area. Mende’s are the dominant ethnic tribes and forms over 60% of the population. Gold and diamond mining forms the major economic activities of that boost the population, however, a vast number of people are engaged in other form of activities such as trading, agricultural production of rice, and crops such as coffee, cacao, oil palm etc. These trading activities form a livelihood for many residents, as the road is a major link in the national road

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network that links the capital to Eastern and neighbouring countries such as Liberia and Guinea. Less than 49% of the residents in the district practice subsistence farming. Though the Wealth Index (WI) shows that 9% of the residents fall under the poorest quintile and 22% under the medium poor category, poverty level in the district remains at 50.7%, one of the lowest levels in the country. Education in the district is been provided through 703 schools of which 64 are pre-primary, 520 primary, 94 junior secondary and 7 senior secondary schools. Furthermore, there are 21 Technical Vocational Institutes and a Home Economics Centre. 83% of these schools are owner by missionaries, private individuals or communities and the rest is government owned. The district is observing a decline in the primary, and junior secondary school attendance, and in the junior secondary and senior secondary enrolment. Literacy rate in the district is amongst the highest in the country. The district can boast of the presence of Njala University, which is the largest in the country, and Bo School, which is amongst the most prominent in the country. There are about 117 health care facilities in the district including a government hospital, 2 mission hospitals, 27 Community Health Centres (CHC), 21 Community Health Post, 62 Maternal and Child Health Post (MCHP) and 4 private clinics that serves over 5642 people a day. Wells, hand pumps and public water supplies (pipe borne) and other sources (streams and untreated sources) (are the major sources of drinking water in the district. There are about 3656 functional water points of sources with about 2412 wells making this type as the dominant source of water. OPRC road The project location is Tikonko area about 15 miles from Bo town and forms a triangulation with the Tikonko town. The project will rehabilitate 3 roads along the Tikonko axis namely Tikonko – Gawula (10.5Km), Tikonko – Kasama(12.2Km) and Tikonko – Samie (14.1) using the OPRC method. The surrounding communities form the link that is to be upgraded. Several villages are found along the road such as Nyaguahun, Gbalihun. Primary education in Gawula is provided by the ACBC primary school, ACDC School in Kasama. Subsistence farming is mainly practiced in these communities with the production of agricultural crops such as pineapple, cassava, plantain and cashew. Other economic activities such as sand mining, charcoal production and bush sticks. The population along the road is about 4500. Traditional Contract Three roads are to be rehabilitated using the traditional method namely; Feilor – Yengesa (6.3Km) Kpetema – Njagbema (7.3Km) and Grima–Njagbema road. Kpetema (5.3Km). Communities along these roads include Gandonhun, Banda and Kpohubu. The scope of works along these roads includes: clearing and grubbing, earthworks and culverts works.

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Damaged metal truss bridge Tikonko – Gawula damaged section along the Tikonko – Samie road road

Timber log bridge that needs to be replaced Palm plantation along the PIZ

3.7.3.2 Pujehun District Pujehun district is located in the Southern Province and is the third largest district in the country with Pujehun town as the district headquarter town. The district borders Kenema district to the northeast, Bonthe district to the west, the Atlantic Ocean in the southwest, the Republic of Liberia to the southeast and Bo district to the north. Other major towns are Gandorhun, Zimmi, Gendema, Massam, Bomi and Potoru. There are twelve chiefdoms in the district namely Mano Sakrim, Soro Gbema, Kpaka, Makpele, Yakemu, Kpukumu, Krim, GallinesPerri, Malen, Barri, Sowa, Pejeh and Kpanga Kagonde. The population is predominantly Muslim mainly belonging to the Mende ethnic group. Pujehun was destroyed during the country’s civil war, and thirteen years after the end of the war, it still visibly carries the marks of war. The district has a population of 346, 461 with about 19% children under the age of 5 years, 28% of children aged between 5 and 14 years and 49% are in the age group of 15-64 years which is the active workforce. It appears that the number of females is higher compared to the male population across all age groups. The district has one of the lowest population densities in the country. The majority of the population (87%) is living in the rural areas with an average family size is 6.2 persons.

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Diamond mining is one of the major economic activities in the district with a number of internationally owned mining corporations are operating in the district. This makes the mining industry one of the major sources of employment for both skilled and unskilled labor. Mining activities were severely hampered during and even after the district’s EVD outbreak, adversely affecting the livelihoods of those engaged in the mining operations. In recent years, the government has been leasing large land areas to foreign investors for the development of commercial plantations of palm oil. The agricultural productions of root crops are cassava and sweet potato, with cash crops being coffee and cacao. Pujehun is one the country’s poorest and least developed districts. There are about 305 schools in the district of which 6 are pre-primary, 273 primary, 21 junior secondary and 5 senior secondary schools. In addition, the district has 4 Technical Vocational Institutes. Only 17% of these schools are owned by the Government, while the majority (83%) is mission, community, or privately-owned schools. The net primary enrollment rate is 60.7%. 13 Community Health Centers (CHC), 15 Community Health Posts (CHP) and 45 Maternal and Child Health Posts (MCHP) and a government hospital constitute the health care systems in the district. Like many other districts in the country, the only hospital in Pujehun is for a population of over 300,000 and one bed for 4,433 persons. The sources of drinking waterfor over 42% of residents are from rivers and streams, 29% of residents use un-medicated wells, 9% use un-protected wells and only 14% of district residents have access to piped supplies (public). According to the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR), there are only 451 water points, which implies that there are 750 persons per water source. Gorlahun – Fornima and Fornokoh Junction – Kpowubu Agribusiness forms the major economic activities mainly along the project area. The Garlahun – Fornima road was selected by the council to continue the process of linking these agribusinesses to the markets along the district. It starts from the Baoma junction road that was rehabilitated under Rural and Private sector project and ends at Golahun. Fornima is strategic as it is located at the centre of the loop of all the markets in the region. The district can boast of over 12 market centres; Bandajuma, Pujehun, Fonima, Malem, Massa, Gbondapie, Tobanda, Perri, Gbanahun in the country and also one of the biggest at the moment. National Association of Farmers in Sierra Leone (NafSL) a non-government organization that advocates for farmers in the country operates in the district. Fornikoh has an Agribusiness Centre (ABC) with several functional ABC’s along the Gobaru – Maseng, - Poturu road that will be rehabilitated and maintained under the OPRC contract. The road condition is deplorable and hinders transportation of produce from these areas to the several market centres. The carriageway is narrow and drainage along the road corridor needs improvement with the construction of new culverts along waterway. The communities are notorious for produce such as cassava, potato, cacao, coffee, cashew and pepper. Kpowubu is located along the Liberia border. The road leading to this village traverses through a mixture of vegetated forest and forest regrowth. The carriageway is narrow and has not been rehabilitated for quite a long period of time. The community is engaged in farming and often in the rubber plantation that seems to have been abandoned by government. Produce from the rubber plantation is mostly sold to traders from Liberia where the rubber business is thriving. Kpowubu and the nearby village under self-help have built a primary school and are paying teachers from proceeds for the sale of their plantation.

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Plantation along the Kowubu road alignment Rubber harvesting by local residents

Residents in Kowubu village Agribusiness centre along the project

3.7.3.3 Moyamba District Moyamba district is in the Southern Province and borders Port Loko district and Tonkolili district to the north, Bonthe district to the south, Bo district to the east and the Atlantic Ocean in the west. Moyamba town is the districts headquarter town and the largest settlement. The other major towns include, Taiama, Njala, Rotifunk and Shenge. The district is the largest in the Southern Province by geographical area, and comprises of fourteen chiefdoms namely Lower Banta, Upper Banta, Timdale, Bagruwa, Kagboro, Dasse, Kowa, Kaiyamba, Kongbora, Kori, Kamajei, Fakunya, Ribbi and Bumpe. The ethnicity of the district is largely homogeneous with the ethnic Mende’s forming over 60% of the population; the other ethnic groups comprise Sherbro, Temne and Loko. The districts population is 318,588 and the residents rely heavily on agriculture and form the largest sector of economy in the district, providing livelihoods for over 71% of the population. Produce from the district includes oil palm, cereals (maize, rice, sorghum and millet) and starch food crops (yam, cassava and cocoa). In addition, cashew, black pepper, ginger, pineapple and sugarcane are also notable farm products in the district. Despite the abundance of land and water resources, the majority of the farmers have smallholdings of 0.5 to 2 cropped hectares, operating as basic subsistence food production units. Livestock remains relatively small and underdeveloped such as household level owning poultry, goats and cattle. In the coastal chiefdoms, salt production has also traditionally been an important economic activity. The port of Nitti in Banta chiefdom provides the only deep-water port in the south for direct mechanical loading and off-loading. The major weekly trade activities are in Gbangbatok of Banta chiefdom where goods are traded directly with suppliers coming by boat from Freetown and Guinea. Sea fishing is also a common livelihood

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in the coastal communities where Shenge in Kagboro Chiefdom remains the main fish trading centresand also one of the main traditional boat building locations inthe country. The district educational sector comprises about 576 schools of which 12 are pre-primary, 497 primary, 104 junior secondary and 46 are senior secondary schools. The district also has 2 Technical Vocational Institutes and 2 Home Economics Junior Secondary (12-14yrs) Centers. The large percentage of the schools is owned by the mission (490 or 85%), private and community while government owned schools are only 73 (15%). Moyamba District Council is ranked second highest in privately owned schools (303). The net primary enrollment rate is 64%. Harford Secondary School for girls - one of the elite secondary schools in Sierra Leone is located in Moyamba. There are two Government and two Mission hospitals in the district, 17 Community Health Centers (CHC), 13 Community Health Posts (CHP), 63 Maternal and Child Health Posts (MCHP) and 8 clinics. On average one health facility covers 2,512 people with 2,350 people per bed. 66.4% of children aged between 12-23 months have completed a full course of vaccinations against the most common diseases (BCG, DPT, Polio and Measles), while 4.7% of children of the same age group did not have any vaccinations. Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI), fever and diarrhea are the most common illnesses among children under the age of 5. The overall HIV prevalence rate is 1%, the rate among women is higher (1.3%) compared to men (0.6%). According to the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR) comprehensive mapping of water resources 2012, the district has nearly 1700 water points. The main water sources are piped supplies, hand dug wells, boreholes and open sources (streams and rivers). At the time of the MoEWR mapping exercise, there were only 966 functional water points, 364 points needing repair. A total of 28Km roads were selected for rehabilitation in Moyamba namely: Mofombo –Njama (9.13Km), Moguema – Gondama (11.90Km), Kawela–Toabu (1.44Km) and Toabu–Nyagagohun (15.00Km). These roads are desperately in need of intervention. Movement of passengers and goods is prohibited as a result of the current road conditions. The interventions on these roads include clearing of topsoil to extend the carriageway to meet the road design, construction of culverts and side drains and the provision of road safety signs. 3.7.3.4 Bonthe Bonthe district is in the Southern Province, and borders Moyamba district to the northwest, Pujehun district to the south, Bo district to the southeast and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The district comprises of several islands and with mainland being next to the Atlantic Ocean. Mattru Jong town is the district headquarter town, while the largest township in terms of landmass in Bonthe is on Sherbro Island. The district is divided into eleven chiefdoms Bendu-Cha, Bum, Dema, Imperri, Jong, Kpanda, Kemo, Kwamebai Krim, Nongoba Bullom, Sittia, Sogbeni, Yawbeko. Though most of the inhabitants mainly belong to the Mende ethnic group and the Sherbro people (native residents of the district) the district is one of the least populated in Sierra Leone. The district has the lowest population in the country; 200,781 residents. Bonthe was among the initial districts of the Southern Province to begin resettlement of war affected Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in an effort to consolidate peace in the area. The World Bank survey 2013, indicated that almost 79% of residents resides in rural areas of the district and the average family size is 5.5.

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Fishing and farming are the two main livelihood activities of the large majority of the district population. Palm oil plantations have been on the rise and more people are engaged in this livelihood in recent years. Bonthe district has one of the world’s largest deposit of Titanium dioxide (rutile) in the world. Mining forms the largest employment of skilled and unskilled labor with Sierra Rutile as the largest employer of mine workers. Sierra Rutile Limited, owned by a consortium of foreign investors. There are about 283 schools of which 23 are pre-primary, 219 primary and 28 junior secondary and 7 senior secondary schools. Also, the district has 4 Technical Vocational Institutes and 2 Home Economics Centers. The district has relatively high net primary enrollment (70%) compared to other districts. In Bonthe District Council, Bendu-Cha, Dema, Kwamebai, Krim, NongorbaBullom, Sittia are the five chiefdoms with a primary school but no junior secondary school. 76% of the schools in the district are community, missions or privately owned, while the government owns only 24% of schools. The number of students in junior school is only 13% of the number at the primary level of education and 57% lower still in the senior level as compared to junior level – this mirrors the general declining trend between different levels of education across the districts in the country. According to the Emergency Food Security Assessment 2015, Bonthe district has one of the lowest food insecurity (1% severe and 19% moderate food insecurity) among all districts in the country. 55% of household expenditure is used to buy food for the family, also one of the lowest compared to other districts. Farmers harvested 14% less rice (174 kg) in 2014 compared to 2013 production. During the harvest and plantation season, substantial household income comes from labor hire and labor exchange, however, this activity (farm labor) was moderately impacted due to the EVD outbreak. The prevalence of chronic malnutrition among children age 6-59 months measured by stunting was 38.4%, while malnutrition was 19.2% as measured by being underweight for the same age group. The highest prevalence of acute malnutrition among adult women was found in Bonthe (5.8%). Generally, like the other districts, the government hospital is in the district capital town with about 58 other health facilities of the district. These facilities include 1 Mission operated hospital, 12 Community Health Centers (CHC), 17 Community Health Posts (CHP), 22 Maternal and Child Health Posts (MCHP) and 7 clinics. According to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) there is one health facility for over an average of 2,800 people and almost 3,000 people per bed. Malaria is endemic and a major public health problem in the country, as the entire population is at risk of developing the disease (Malaria policy, 2010), and malaria is believed to be responsible high morbidity and mortality in children under age 5 and pregnant women. The Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey 2013 indicated that 77% of Bonthe households have mosquito nets. Major sources of water for drinking and household use includes wells, hand pumps, public water supplies (piped) and streams (untreated sources) are the. According to the comprehensive mapping of water points report by the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR) 2012, there are some 3,656 functional water points of different sources, the majority (2,412) of which are wells without a pump. During the time of the mapping exercise in 2012, nearly 800 (22%) water points were found non-functioning, 275 of these sources needed repair. Two roads were selected for upgrading to standard feeder roads level; Luawa– Gambia (16.68Km) and Baoya–Gangh (15.5Km). These roads will provide connectivity to villages within the corridor and provide access to more than one thousand population. Rice, palm and cassava are the

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agriculture crops grown along the corridor. The feeder road passes through the human settlements there is a school along the corridor. The carriageway is to be rehabilitated with the provision of drainage structures; culverts and bridges. 3.7.4 Northern Province 3.7.4.1 Bombali District Bombali district is located in the northern province of Sierra Leone and is the second largest district in Sierra Leone with Makeni as the district headquarter town, which is the largest city in the north. The district compromises thirteen chiefdoms. The population of Bombali district is ethnically diverse, although the Temne and Limba are the largest ethnic groups. Limited intervention has been made in chiefdoms outside of the Makeni area, particularly in the far north where the poor road network and large distances in the district. Savannah woodland and Boli lands are mostly found in Bombali. Approximately 90% of the cattle in the country are found in the Northern Province, predominantly in Koinadugu and Bombali districts. Range or pasture management is limited; bush fires continue to affect about 200 000 hectares of savannah woodlands annually. In Sierra Leone, it is legally required for all children for six years at primary school level and three years in junior secondary school. A shortage of schools and teachers has made implementation impossible, although the number of children in primary education has greatly increased since the end of the civil war in 2002. Currently, Bombali has 679 schools (42 pre-primary, 510 primaries, 102 Junior Secondary Schools and 22 Senior Secondary Schools.). The outbreak of Ebola led to the closure of schools for a prolonged time period from July 14 to April 2015. A 2010/11 School Census from Ministry of Education reports that 55 percent -in the country is in need of repairs. Twenty- five percent of schools typically collects water from a stream, while 38 percent of schools have a non-functional toilet. Sierra Leone has a low level of literacy among adults with only 42.0% of adult literate in 2010 The following bodies are providing medical services in the district: government, private individuals and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS) shifted to a decentralized health system structure after the end of the civil in war in 2002, in an effort to increase coverage. Bombali has 16 community health centres (CHC), 18 community health posts (CHP), 48 maternal child health posts (MCHP), 1 government hospital, 1 military hospital, 1 community hospital, 3 mission Clinics, 3 mission hospitals and 3 private clinics. Traditional medicine forms part of the primary health care system in Sierra Leone. Endemic diseases are Yellow Fever and Malaria across Sierra Leone. Five roads were selected for rehabilitation in Bombali. Two for Traditional Contract which are Mabuya – KerfayLol (2.4Km) and Masongbo–Makeh(8.89Km). Masongbo is situated along the Freetown – Makeni highway. Three roads for OPRC are Kalangba - Masongbo Loko, Kalangba – Lohindi and Gbendembu - Karina 3.7.4.2 Port Loko District Port Loko district is in the Northern Province and is the fourth most populous district in the country. Port Loko borders the Western Area to the west, Kambia district to the North, Bombali district to the East and Tonkolili district to the South. The 11 chiefdoms of the district are Bureh Kasseh Makonteh (BKM), Buya Romende, Dibia, KaffuBullom, Koya, Lokomasama, Maforki, Marampa, Masimera, Sanda Magbolontor, and Tinkatupa Makonteh Safroko (TMS). Lunsar is the district’s largest town, and other major towns are Masiaka, Rokupr, Lungi, Gbinti and Port Loko

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town. The population is predominantly Muslim (80%) and the largest ethnic group is Temne. According to the projected population 2014, the average household size1 is 7 people per family. The population distribution by age group and gender indicates that 49% of the district population is of working age. 29% of the population is children in the 5-11 years age group, according to Population and Household Census 20,041, and many of them, particularly in rural areas, are engaged in domestic or other forms of labour/economic activities. According to the projected population statistics, some 18% of the district population is below 5 years old. Almost 89% live in the district’s rural areas. Production of food crops, such as rice, cassava and sweet potato, are the main livelihood sources for over 80% of the population. Small-scale mining also takes place. The city of Port Loko is a major trade centre in the Northern Province. The areas around Port Loko are known for bauxite mining. The London Mining Company, which operates iron-ore mining in Lunsar and Marampa, is a major employer in the area. The global demand for bauxite and iron-ore slowed down recently, and this coupled with falling prices in the international market, has negatively impacted the employment sector in the mining industry. During 2013-14, the London Mining Company, jointly with the Cotton Tree Foundation, Sierra Leone, implemented a USD 115,000 agricultural project supporting the youth groups of Marampa and Mafroki chiefdoms. Hiring labour and exchange workers are seasonal activities during the plantation and harvesting season from which the farming communities generate income. Due to EVD outbreak, in 2014 that income was lost as the number of hired labour and exchange workers during the season was reduced by 29% compared to 2013. The Wealth Index (WI) indicates that 26% of the district population falls into the poorest quintile, while 33% fall under a medium poor rating. Port Loko has the second highest portion of households (59%) in the two poorest quintiles. According to the Ministry of Education Science and Technology’s (MEST) school census in 2013, there are 687 schools in the district, of which 39 are pre-primary, 512 are primary, 111 are junior secondary, and 25 are senior secondary schools. Port Loko has the second highest number of schools in the country after Freetown City. The MEST recorded an increase of 30 schools (17 pre- primary, 6 junior and 7 senior high schools) in 2012-13 session compared to that of 2011-12. The majority (63%) of the schools are missionary, community or private schools, with the remaining 27% government schools. The net primary enrolment rate is 57.5%. Educational attainment is higher among boys compared to girls in all three-school levels. The average teacher-student ratio for the district is 1:47. The overall literacy rate is 32%. The Port Loko Teacher's College is one of the oldest and best-known colleges in Sierra Leone. Under the SCADeP project, the following roads shall be rehabilitated: Masemra – Mabanka – Mayola, Robumba – Taindekom, Robana – Makambisa – Manharrma and Malekuray - Robaka 3.7.4.3 Tonkolili The district comprises eleven chiefdoms, with Magburaka as the capital, and Mile 91, the commercial centre. The population of the district is predominantly Muslim, with a Christian minority. Tonkolili is strategically located in the centre of Sierra Leone and is crossed by many rivers including the Pampana River and Sierra Leone's longest river, the Rokel. The district has both highlands and lowlands. The highlands rise up to 700 feet and are the highest in Sambaia Bendugu chiefdom. It is from these hills that the major rivers in the district have their sources. The rest of the district is lowland that occupies a greater part of the district and is appropriate for rice production. In the past, the district was covered with thick forests, but due to increased farming activities, and the use of slash and burn methods of cultivation, the forests have gradually given

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way to grass lands. Tonkolili has two major industries: The Magbass sugar complex, which produced sugar and ethanol, is not functional at the moment. There are other small-scale industries such as tailoring, carpentry, weaving, blacksmithing, gara tie-dye and soap making. Roads in this region are particularly poor, as is access to markets. In Sierra Leone, it is legally required for all children from six years old to attend primary school level and spend three years in junior secondary school. A shortage of schools and teachers has made implementation impossible, although the number of children in primary education has greatly increased since the end of the civil war in 2002-14. Currently, Tonkolili has 637 schools (20 pre-primary, 525 primaries, 74 junior secondary schools and 18 senior secondary schools.) The outbreak of Ebola led to the closure of schools for a prolonged time period from July 2014 to April 2015. A 2010/11 School Census from the Ministry of Education reported that 55% of the schools in the country were in need of repairs. Twenty-five percent of schools typically collected water from a stream, while 38 percent of schools had non-functional toilets. Sierra Leone has a low level of literacy among adults, with only 42.0% of adult literate in 2010. Tonkolili suffered significant losses during the civil war in terms of educational facilities, with 66% of schools in the district completely destroyed during this period. Poverty and the exposure to international food price volatility are the underlying causes of vulnerability in Sierra Leone. Tonkolili is significantly affected by food insecurity. The total number of people who are food insecure is 291,211 and the percentage of households’ food insecure (severe and moderate) is 74.1%. Tonkolili has a high prevalence of acute malnutrition in women (4.6%). The EVD outbreak further eroded livelihoods of communities. Farmers in Tonkolili experienced a drop-in rice production, due to a reduction in the farming workforce caused by the Ebola containment measures. As a result of unmet food needs, and a high economic vulnerability, the food security situation remains very poor. The government, private and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are providing medical services with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS) mainly responsible for health care. The selected roads are Matotoka – MangayBana (17.4Km) and Makali – Makong (10.8Km) using the Traditionalmethod and Masingbi – Kamator(8.7Km), Kamator – Matenemoi (3.5Km) and Masingbi – Farama (12.5Km) using the OPRCmethod. 3.7.4.4 Kambia District Kambia District is in the Northern Province, and borders with the Republic of Guinea to the North, Port Loko district to the South and Bombali district to the East. Kambia town is the largest town, and the district capital. The district population is ethnically diverse; the largest and most prominent ethnic groups are Temne, Susu, Limba, Fula, and Mandingo. The district provides a vital trade route between Sierra Leone and the neighboring Republic of Guinea. The average household size1is 7 people per family. There is a wide variation in different indicators between urban and rural populations, such as the number of livelihood activities, access to education and health facilities, mortality and morbidity rates. The district population is 345,474 with 46% of this population contributing to the workforce of which 49% is below the age of 15 years old. Some 78%of the district population resides in rural areas. Economic activities of the district residents are mainly farming (rice and roots crops - cassava and yam), followed by cross-border trade with neighboring Guinea. A revival of the cross-border trade in the traditional markets known as ‘Loumah’ increased, from 5 in the pre-war period to 15

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currently, in the towns and villages on both sides of the border. These markets attract thousands of traders and other visitors from far-off areas, including from Freetown and Conakry. People also engage in fishing and very small-scale animal rearing. Men engage in fishing activities, while women carry out fish trading in the market. Exchange and hiring of laborisa common practice in the district particularly during the planting and harvest seasons. The Wealth Index (WI) indicates that 43% of the district households are in the two poorest quintiles. The following roads were KamaloModiya – RobankaMakassa, TawuyaMunu – Sendugu – Mapollon, Mabonkaya – BarmoiBana, Masunthu – Masselleh, Masunthu–Musaya Masunthu -Maselleh: The actual length of this road is 3.42Km with an average of 2.4m drivable width. The Road condition is poor with an average speed of 10Km/hr. This road intersects with Masunthu-Musaya. This road connects other secondary roads leading to the market. There is one village it serves directly as market access and two villages indirectly. There are primary, secondary and hospital along this route. We consider this area an area of medium agricultural productivity. The agricultural products are rice, oil palm and cassava. Also, there is an agricultural business center located along the road. The major market is at Bamoi Luma, which is about 45Km away. Masunthu -Musaya: The actual length of this road is 3.28Km with an average of 0.9m drivable width. The Road condition is very poor with an average speed of 9Km/hr. This road overlapped Masunthu - Maselleh. The actual measurement starts from Maselleh/Musaya Junction to Musaya.This road connects other secondary roads leading to the market. There is no village it serves directly as market access but one village indirectly. There are primary school, secondary school and health centre along this route. We consider this area an area of medium agricultural productivity. The agricultural products are rice, cassava, and palm oil. From the start to 1.0Km the road is motorable but from km 1.0 to km 3.28 the road is not motorable. It main activities are ginger, palm oil and cassava. The major market is at Madina. KamaloModiya junction-RobankaMakassa junction; The actual length is 8.33km with an average of 1.7m drivable width. The road condition is poor with an average speed of 15km/hr. The road connects directly to secondary market. There three villages it serves directly as market access and two villages indirectly. there is one primary school along the route, the major market is Bamoi LUMA. We consider this area an area of medium agricultural productivity. TawuyaMunu – Sendugu-Mappolon: The actual length of this road is 3.55Km with an average of 1.0m drivable width. The Road condition is very poor with an average speed of 11Km/hr. From the start to 1.69Km the road is motorable but from 1.69Km to 3.11Km the road is not motorable. This road connects directly to secondary market. There is one village it serves directly as market access and two villages indirectly. There is primary school, secondary school along this route. We consider this area an area of medium agricultural productivity. The agricultural products are rice, cassava, and oil palm. The major market is at Bamoi Luma. There is also Agricultural business Centre an along the route; sendugumunu farmers field, community-based oil palm nursery. Mabonkaya – Bamoi Bana:

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The actual length of this road is 2.4Km with an average of 2.9m drivable width. The Road condition is fair with an average speed of 35Km/hr. This road intersects Kamalo/Modiya junction to RobankaMakassa junction and Kamalo/Modiya junction to Mapollon; However, both intersecting roads are two roads under this project to be selected. Therefore, Mabonkaya to Bamoi Bana starts from Bamoi Bana to Kamalo/Modiya Junction. This road connects other secondary roads leading to a market.There is one village it serves directly as market access and two villages indirectly. There are primary, secondary school and health post along this route and its environs. We consider this area an area of medium agricultural productivity. The agricultural products are cassava, groundnut and pepper. The major market is at Bamoi Luma.

Petty trading along the Tawuya road Masunthu – Masseleh carriageway

Road through flood plain along Masunthu – Musaya Public Consultation with residents along the PIZ in Kambia

Koinadugu District Koinadugu district is the largest district in terms of geographical area; with the least population density in the country iandis located in the Northern Province. The district borders Bombali district to the west, Tonkolili district to the southwest, Kono district to the south and the Republic of Guinea to the North East. The district headquarter town is Kabala, which is among one of the

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major cities in Northern Sierra Leone. The other major towns are Sinkunia, Falaba, Fadugu and Krubola. The district is divided into eleven chiefdoms, namely Nieni, Neya, Diang, Kasunko, Mongo, WaraWaraBafodia, WaraWaraYagala, Senqbe, Sulima, FolosabaDembelia and DembeliaSinkunia. The population is ethnically diverse and the major ethnic groups are the Fula (mainly in the district Kondeya–Farandugu, Kabala – Bendugu and Der-es-Salam – Tonkonia. These roads are passing through mountainous terrains with settlement more than 5Km apart. The Bendugu section is currently isolated and is impassable by motor, so also is the Dar-es-Salam – Tonkonia road. This is as a result damaged culverts and bridges that need construction. Temporary crossing over some culverts is provided by the use of palm trees and timber logs. Timber logging has become a source of livelihood for the young. This activity will form a threat to the road as overloading is highly occurring along these roads. The need for axle road control implementation is highly anticipated in order to combat this. Produce from these areas are mainly rice, vegetables, mango, and even honey.

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Timber being transported from Kabala PHU service in Kondeya 12Km away from Farandugu

Carriageway throught the road corridor Timber bridge along the Farandugu road

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SECTION 4: ANALYSES OF ALTERNATIVES,

SECTION 4 – ANALYSES OF ALTERNATIVES

SECTION 4 ANALYSES OF ALTERNATIVES Analyses of Alternatives forms one of the main components of an ESHIA study in which, environmental, social, health as well as economic indices are employed to determine the most viable option of a planned development project. It should be noted that Feeder roads are normally gravel and unpaved road that are sometimes foot paths through rocky and mountainous terrains connecting remote settlements to each other and to district head quarter towns. The selected roads will facilitate transportation between rich agricultural areas to markets and district head quarter towns across the country. Therefore, in this ESHIA, the Analysis of the project Alternatives has been based on the implementation modalities of the road project taking into account, a combination of factors, such as environmental, social and economic dimensions. Usually ‘Do Nothing Scenario and “Do Something Scenario’ are considered as the alternatives to deliberate. However, it is important to note that, these are existing roads that now simply require upgrading / rehabilitation. In this case, the following Alternatives have been considered: I. Alternative 01: Construct new road alignments II. Alternative 02: Upgrade and rehabilitation; and III. Alternative 03: No-action. 4.1 ALTERNATIVE 01: CONSTRUCT NEW ROAD ALIGNMENTS This alternative clear new land for the construction of new roads, which means vegetation clearing, will be more than when upgrading existing alignments. This alternative has more adverse impacts on the environment surrounding the proposed alignment and is more costly. For this alternative; there is need for in depth studies to be carried out to ensure that no endangered species will be affected. Moreover, the local people know their terrain better and have a better knowledge about alignment choice, so it is better to be guided by their choice of alignments otherwise they might end up not using the costly road constructed for them. In view of the above, this alternative will not be viable for the proposed project since it might have more adverse impacts on the ecology. 4.2 ALTERNATIVE 02: UPGRADING / REHABILITATION This alternative will carry out the implementation of the proposed feeder roads proposed as designed and for the performance-based contracts, carry out routine maintenance regimes on the selected roads in terms of: • re-gravelling and re-surfacing of the road bed; • cutting grass to maintain sight distance and safety of road users; • construction of new drainage structures, cleaning of culverts and drains; • cleaning and re-shaping of ditches and side drains; • cleaning, repairing and replacing of traffic signs, sign posts and kilometer markers; and • Painting of some super structures (bridges rails etc.)

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SECTION 4 – ANALYSES OF ALTERNATIVES

For this alternative and based on the computations from the Project Feasibility Study Report, the costs are reasonable compared to the first alternative and it has less impacts on the environment since clearing is limited to the SLRA ROW. 4.3 ALTERNATIVE 03: THE NO-ACTION This Scenario implies that, the roads remain in the same condition without any rehabilitation or maintenance interventions. Under these circumstances, the road condition will continue to deteriorate with many potholes coming up as well as further deterioration of the culvert and bridge infrastructures making the road risky for public use. Moreover, these roads are mostly accessible by heavy trucks due to their poor conditions, which makes it very difficult for smaller vehicles to travel on them. Poor accessibility to most of the selected feeder roads area, make them unattractive for investors, which will have a negative effect on economic growth and associated job opportunities. This option will perpetuate poverty and impede development of the entire project areas. The proposed roads and associated drainage systems have deteriorated in many parts especially, the Koinadugu district where hard wood logging is a concern to local people because heavy trucks plying their roads with timber have destroyed almost all drainage structures within the district. The No Action alternative was dropped from further consideration, as it does not fit into GoSL programme for Agenda for Prosperity. Therefore, from the analysis of alternatives, alternative 3.2 (rehabilitation of selected roads) is selected since it has minimal and reversible impacts on the ecology and communities at large. 4.4 TECHNOLOGY ALTERNATIVES The ICS is aware of different noise levels associated with different road designs. This will be taken into account during the engineering design in order to minimise the effect of noise to adjoining landowners and residents. Similar application of technology will prevail for the: • discharge of water from the road • provision of cross accesses where required • construction techniques to limit dust and other air pollution issues • erosion protection of embankments • stability of cut and fill slopes • width of construction where applicable

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SECTION 5 –DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENT

SECTION 5 DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING ENVIRONMENT 5.1 TOPOGRAPHY AND ECOREGIONS Sierra Leone is divided into four main regions. Koinadugu and Kono Plateaus (KKP) ecoregion form extension of the Guinea Highlands in the east and the north with several isolated mountains including the Tingi Hills, and the Loma Mountains where Mount Bintumani reaches 1,948m above sea level. A mosaic of woodland and savannas, interspersed with cropland, mostly covers the plateau. The high mountains of the Montane Forest Zone (MFZ) are dominated by tropical rain forests, often protected as forest reserve or national park. The northern part of the Koinadugu and Kono Plateaus (KKP) receives relatively less rainfall, often resulting in less dense and lower canopy height, even among mature stands of woodland (Munro and van der Horst, 2012). Parallel to the coastline, but inland of the coastal belt, are the Interior Plains (IP). This ecoregion of lowland plains, containing forest regrowth, woodland, savannas, and farmland, makes up about half of the country. Adjacent to the Atlantic shoreline are the Coastal Plains (CP) and the Mangrove Forest (MF) zones. The Gabbro massif, confined to the Western Area Peninsula (WAP) where the capital city of Freetown is located, rises impressively from 200 m to 1,000 m above the low-lying narrow coastal area.

Figure 4.Ecoregion of Sierra Leone (Source eros.usgs.gov)

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5.2 WEATHER AND CLIMATE Climate in Sierra Leone is mainly referred to as being tropical. The country experiences two seasons with the average humidity ranging between 40 to 90% daily. The rainy season commences between April/May and runs till October/November, while the country experiences the dry between November/December to April/ May when the rain cycle begins. Due to the effect of global warming, the country is experiencing severe weather conditions and the cycle may extend beyond this period. Daily temperature usually varies between 25° and 34°C. Lower temperature is experienced during the Harmattan period this usually occurs between December and February where dry wind blows south easterly from the Sahara Desert. Annual rainfall values experience over the years varies from 2000 – 5000mm annual. The coastal areas including the capital Freetown experiences mean annual rainfall between 3,000 to 5000mm, while the north and central, southern and eastern regions experiences 2500 to 3000mm. Air quality in the rural areas is generally good, while air quality in urban setting is poor with elevated concentrations of carbon monoxide, lead, volatile hydrocarbons, ozone, and particulate matter. These are pollutants associated with transportation sources. In general, for these road areas, air quality conditions would be expected to be better during the wet season when rain removes pollutants from the air. Dust is expected to occur both naturally due to the nature of the soil and the wind conditions and due to disturbance during construction activities. Bush burning of undeveloped land will also affect ambient air quality. 5.3 HYDROLOGY AND DRAINAGE Nine (9) major streams/river provides the water resources in Sierra Leone that forms the drainage system in the country. The approximate lengths of these rivers and the sizes of their catchment areas is indicated in Table 2 namely: Great Scarcies, Little Scarcies, Rokel/Seli, Pampana/Jong, Sewa, Waanje, Moa and Mano, and Coastal Creeks/Peninsula streams in the Western Area. Table 2: Water resources in Sierra Leone

River Basin Region Length (km) Catchment Area (%) Area (km2)

Great Scarcies Northern 160 3,115 4.3

Little Scarcies Northern 280 13,000 17.9

Rokel/Seli North/Western 380 10,620 14.8

Pampana/Jong Southern 300 7,511 10.4

Sewa Southern 430 14,140 19.7

Waanje Southern 200 4,510 6.2

Moa Eastern 320 9,220 12.7

Mano Eastern 180 2,530 3.4

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Coastal Streams/ Western 120 6,960 9.6 Creeks Source: ESMF for RPSDP additional financing, April 2011. 5.4 GEOLOGY Sierra Leone geology forms part of the West African Craton whose counterpart is the Guyana shield. Two main structural divisions characterize the country’s geology namely; (a) the Liberian granite-greenstone terrain and (b) the pene-contemporaneous Kasila group mobile belt. A Radiometric age from both divisions has shown a spread between 2100 Ma and 3400Ma. The rocks in the country are predominantly Archaean that consists of a granitic basement that contain elements of sedimentary, mafic formations and a group of supracrustal greenstone belts with banded ironstones and detrital sediments. About 75% of the country is underlain by rocks of Precambrian age, with a coastal strip of about 50 km in width comprising marine and estuarine sediments of Tertiary and Quaternary to recent age. The seven major structural units recognized in Sierra Leone are shown Figure 2. These structural units are discussed below as follows: a) The Granite-Greenstone Terrain. This represents parts of an ancient continental nucleus that is located on the edge of the West African Craton. Supracrustal rocks and basic and ultrabasic intrusions were discovered by regional mapping. The infracrustal gneisses and granitoids were formed and reworked during two major orogenic events, an older Leonean event (2950-3200 Ma) and a younger Liberian event (2700 Ma). The Leonean event commenced with the intrusion of a basic igneous suite and by the formation of a greenstone belt represented by the Loko Group which is now deeply eroded. Other volcano- sedimentary sequences are preserved within the granites, gneisses and migmatites. Highly folded greenstone belts predominate in the north and central Sierra Leone. Figure2 shows a folded Quartz- Mica Schist in northern Sierra Leone. These greenstone belts are the principal hosts of the gold mineralization in the country. Other associated mineral deposits include molybdenite, columbite- tantalite and chromite. b) The Kasila Group The Kasila group is a high-grade metamorphic belt with rocks trending in the NNW direction. It comprises a high- grade series of granulites, consisting of garnet, hypersthene and hornblende gneisses, quartzites and associated migmatites. In Sierra Leone, this group bounds the main part of the West African craton on its west and southwestern margin. Where the Kasila Group is eroded, significant secondary deposition of titanium minerals (Rutile and Zircon) have been formed. Weathering of this Group has also deposited bauxite c) The Marampa Group This group is subdivided in to two layers; a lower, Matoto formation consisting of basic pillow lavas, serpentinites and andesites; and an upper, Roktolon formation consisting of psamites, pelites and banded iron formations (Macfarlane et al., 1974). The Marampa Group is bounded on its eastern margin by a tectonic contact and it is important for its Iron ore deposits. d) The Rokel River Group

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Comprises of Precambrian to Cambrian sedimentary and volcanic assemblages deposited uncomformably on a basement complex. Deposition was probably in a fault-bounded basin along the Rokel-Kasila boundary following the formation of the tectonic zone at the end of the Liberian or during the Eburnean orogeny. The Rokel River Group was deformed during the Rokel ideorogenic episode (550 Ma). Deformation increased in intensity westwards. e)The Saionia Scarp Group This group forms a small ingression into Sierra Leone in the northwest of the country, and is composed of horizontally bedded arkoses, grits and shales with intruded dolerite sills. This group belongs to that part of the GresHorizontaux of Guinea which has been classified as Ordovician, based on the discovery of the graptolites monograptusreccartonensis in shales near Telimele. In Sierra Leone, the Saionia Scarp Group rest uncomfortably on the Rokel River group. f) Basic and Alkaline Intrusions Dolerite intrusions are common as dykes trending mainly E-W within the basement complex, and as extensive sills above the Rokel River Group. Kimberlite dykes and pipes which are alkaline intrusions follow a similar pattern in the east of the country. These pipes and dykes are the main hosts of the diamonds in the country. The Freetown igneous complex is a basic layered complex that forms an intrusive body on the coast. It is composed of gabbro, norite, troctolite and anorthosite. Platinum occurs in the gravels of the streams that drain the complex. The relationship of this complex with other units is obscured by the coastal veneer of tertiary sediments.

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Figure 5. Geological Map of Sierra Leone (Source: Jallohet. al. 2012 Based on Dixey, F, 1925) 5.5 FLORA AND FAUNA 5.5.1 Vegetation The country covers a total land area of about 72 325 km2 of which 75% is arable. Approximately 56% of the land is below 150m above sea level while upland and lowland ecologies make up 78% and 22% respectively of the arable land area. The uplands are composed of forest, savannah woodlands and grasslands while the lowlands comprise approximately 675 000 hectares (ha.) of inland valley swamps, 145 000 ha of ‘boli lands’ (or large, saucer-shaped basins), 130 000 ha of riverine grasslands; and 200 000 ha of mangrove swamps. Vegetation can be categorized as either primary/secondary forests, Mangroove forests, Savannah. Primary Forests and Secondary Forests The forest ecosystems can be divided into closed forests and transition or secondary forests. The closed forests can further be sub-divided into evergreen and semi-deciduous forests. The evergreen forest is characterized by trees about 30 m tall with a closed canopy growing in areas with abundant rainfall of at least 3 000 mm per year which is well distributed throughout the year. The semi- deciduous forest has similar characteristics to the rain forest, but with a greater proportion of deciduous forest trees. Herbaceous layers that may include a few specialized grasses occur over a variable portion of the forest floor. A number of timber trees are present in the rain forest, such as the African mahogany (Khayaivorensis and K. grandifoliola), the scented sapele wood (Entandrophragmacylindricum) and iroko (Chlorophora excels). There are also economic cash crops such as oil palm (Elaeisguineensis), cocoa (Theobroma cacao) and rubber (Heveabrasiliensis). The area of forest in the country has been reduced considerably, with less than 5% of the original forest remaining in isolated reserves. Most of the closed forest has been converted into secondary forest and forest regrowth or ‘farmbush’ as a result of clearing for use in ‘slash-and-burn’ or shifting cultivation farming and for firewood. The secondary forest has a closed canopy with trees 10-30 m tall, most of it consists of re-growth often from farming. Forest re-growth is by far the largest type of forest in Sierra Leone. Generally, farming is done in cleared sites for 2-3 years before it is abandoned for a fallow period of 4 to 5 years. Shortening of the fallow period leads to a decrease in tree species, loss in soil productivity, and increase in the number of herbaceous plants. This leads to a change from the secondary forest or ‘farmbush’ state to predominantly grass/shrub or grass/herb mixture referred to as derived or transitional savannah. With more disturbances from man, the derived savannah gives way to a fire tolerant tree species with closed canopy in a tall grassy cover referred to as the Guinea Savannah. As the amount of rainfall reduces, and frequency of burning and intensity of grazing and cultivation increase, the Guinea Savannah vegetation changes to the Sudan Savannah. Savannah Lands This is mostly found in the Northern Province towards Guinea, especially in Koinadugu, Bombali and Kono Districts. There is also a strip of savannah along the coast of Bonthe and Pujehun Districts. It is comprised of the derived Guinea and the Sudan savannah zones. In the northern region where 60% of the cattle and small ruminant populations are concentrated, over 9000 km2 of land has been left bare due to overgrazing. Bush fires continue to affect about 200 000 hectares of savannah woodlands annually. Mangrove Swamp Forests

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The mangrove swamp forests contain mostly stunted shrubs and some trees up to 10-20 m tall. Mangrove woodlands occupy 47% of the Sierra Leone coastline, covering a total area of approximately 200,000 ha. Mangroves are halophytic, woody seed-bearing plants. They have unique adaptation features, which contribute to their survival in their relatively stressful environment. Mangroves are distributed in the four main estuaries that fringe the coastline of Sierra Leone. The predominant mangrove plant spp. found in Sierra Leone is Rhizophorasp. They are important habitats for diversity of migratory waterfowl and water dependent amphibians and mammal species, and grazing lands for buffalo and waterbuck. However, the selected roads in the project do not traverse through any mangrove swamps or swamps of specific scientific interest. 5.5.2 Animal Species Plants and animals distribution in Sierra Leone is been influenced by such factors as relief and soil types and, perhaps more important, by farming methods and civil strife. The animal species in the country are common with little variation in other locations due to these factors. During the civil war (1991–2002) animal species were adversely affected by unrestricted hunting. Sierra Leone had animals, such as elephants, leopards, lions, hyenas, and buffalo, which are rarely seen outside of national parks or reserves. Chimpanzees and various species of monkeys are common in the forest zones, while other animals, such as antelope and bush pigs, are more generally distributed. There are varieties of insects, including the malaria-carrying mosquito and the tsetse fly that transmits river blindness. Hippopotamuses, crocodiles, and manatees occupy the rivers, including such rare species as the pygmy hippopotamus and the dwarf crocodile. The coastal waters, estuaries, and rivers, such as the Sierra Leone and the Sherbro, contain a wide variety of fish and shellfish, such as tuna, barracuda, bonga (shad), snapper, herring, mackerel, and lobster. Sierra Leone’s rich birdlife, which emerged relatively unscathed from the years of conflict, includes emerald cuckoos, owls, little African swift, vultures, and many other species. Areas designated as sanctuaries and reserves such as Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary and the Gola Forest Reserves in the east and Outamba-Kilimi National Park in the north are used protected the country’s wildlife. Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary is located near Freetown and was established to rescue and rehabilitate abandoned or orphaned chimpanzees. The project location does not in any way hinder the movement of endangered species. Table 3. Sumaary of Species

Species Location Names

Bird Kenema/Kailahun/Pujehun/Koinadugu White-necked Picathartes

Kenema/Kailahun/Pujehun Rufous Fishing-Owl

“ White-breasted Guinea fowl

“ Gola Malimbe

Tonkolili/Bo hite necked picathartes,

“ black-faced stream warbler,

“ green-tailed bristlebill).

Mammals Kenema/Kailahun/Pujehun/Koinadugu Upper Guinean Red Colobus

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“ the Western Pied Colobus

“ the Diana Monkey

Kenema/Kailahun/Pujehun/Tonkolili elusive Jentink’s Duiker

ALL Western Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) Kenema/Kailahun/Pujehun Crocidura jouvenetae

“ Crocidura obscurior

“ Malacomys cansdalei

“ Hipposideros marisae

“ Rhinolophus hillorum

Tonkolili bushbuck, buffalo, red river hog

Reptiles and Amphibians Kenema/Kailahun/Pujehun African dwarf crocodile Osteolaemus tetraspis

Plant Kenema/Kailahun/Pujehun Cynometra leonensis

“ Brachystegia leonensis

“ Heritiera utilis

Koinadugu submontane shrub savanna, montane grassland, submontane gallery forest, submontane forest

5.6 NOISE AND VIBRATION Noise level may vary according to the activities undertaken and the time of the day. The noise level in urban areas varies from that of rural area. Current anthropogenic noise on along the rural area is related to agricultural and domestic activities. Vehicular traffic along the settlements located along major roads such as the Bo – Bandajuma, Pendembu – Kailahun etc are of a higher magnitude as these roads are in good driving condition with vehicles plying these roads at high speed and compared to those located in the interior with less cars and lower speed. Natural noise sources include noise from animals/insects, both of which can be very loud at times. In general, for the area, ambient noise levels would be expected to be higher during the wet season due to rain events. Ambient noise levels will be investigated during the ESIA. There were no significant sources of vibration noted during the site visit. The area is also generally not illuminated at night. 5.7 SOCIO ECONOMIC ISSUES Sierra Leone is divided into Northern, Southern, Eastern Province and the Western Area. The regions are sub-divided into 14 districts that are further divided into 394 wards managed by district

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councillors, and 149 chiefdoms that are managed by paramount chiefs. The Western Area, which houses the national capital Freetown, is an exception; it does not operate a customary legal system present and thus has no chieftaincy or chiefdoms. The history of Freetown as a Crown Colony has led to privately held land tenure, while in other parts of Sierra Leone; the chiefs are still responsible for managing land issues. Sierra Leone, before the EVD outbreak, had risen in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Index from an index of 0.329 in 2005 to 0.379 in 2013. The country, however still ranks among the world’s least developed countries, with a life expectancy at birth at 48.8 years; under-five mortality at 157.9 per 1,000 live births one of (one of the highest in the world), and adult literacy of about 42 percent. About 70 percent of its population (5.5 million) falls below the national poverty line of US$ 2 a day. Sierra Leone has a very youthful population, with about half of all Sierra Leoneans being under the age of 18 and population growth estimated at 2.5 per cent. The country’s maternal mortality rate is considered one of the highest in the world and the poverty rate is still over 60%. The country is challenged in reaching all the Millennium Development Goals except for parts of MDG 3 (gender parity) and MDG 6 (HIV/AIDS). To reverse these negative trends, economic growth rate should reach 10% from its 6.5% level, according to the second PRSP (UNDP Country assessment report, 2008-2010). 5.7.1 Population Size and Composition Size and Distribution According to the 2015 Population and Housing Census (PHC), Sierra Leone recorded a total population of 7,092,113. This comprises of a household population of 7,076,119, and an institutional population of 15,994. By type of residence, the 2015 PHC reveals that 4,187,016 people live in the rural areas (59.0%), and 2,905,097 people live in the urban areas (41.0%). Table 4. Sierra Leone’s Population by District

Region Population Male Female Employment Employment Not Literate - Female - Male Literate

EASTERN 1 642 370 814 441 827 929

Kailahun 526 379 260 586 265 793 105 870 103 698 196 657 176 358

Kenema 609 891 301 104 308 787 116 942 127 577 225 424 207 979

Kono 506 100 252 751 253 349 95 228 107 954 186 015 169 798

NORTHERN 2 508 201 2 508 201 2 508 201

Bombali 606 544 296 683 309 861 120 288 110 802 225 525 195 482

Kambia 345 474 165 541 179 933 76 865 64 264 138 961 90 046

Koinadugu 409 372 204 498 204 874 94 024 90 292 166 936 113 709

Port Loko 615 376 294 954 320 422 126 954 111 496 237 266 180 636

Tonkolili 531 435 263 152 268 283 111 425 106 852 210 296 142 004

SOUTHERN 1 441 308 1 441 308 1 441 308

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Bo 575 478 280 569 294 909 102 935 110 912 197 139 207 926

Bonthe 200 781 99 014 101 767 37 659 41 650 81 148 56 803

Moyamba 318 588 153 699 164 889 72 281 67 330 128 890 86 723

Pujehun 346 461 168 869 177 592 61 857 64 557 138 386 101 782

WESTERN 1 500 234 1 500 234 1 500 234 AREA

Western 71 900 85 852 109 424 217 769 444 270 221 351 222 919 Rural

Western 164 283 207 125 178 833 639 661 1 055 964 528 207 527 757 Urban Source: Statistic SL 2015 Majority of the population are recorded to be living in the rural areas. Population growth is at 3.2% with a higher percentage experienced in Western Area (4.2%). The sex ratio at national level for 2015 is reported as 96.8 males per hundred females, compared with 94.7 in 2004. At the regional level, the sex ratio for the Eastern Region is 98.3; Northern Region 95.3; Southern Region 94.9 and Western Area 99.3. 5.7.2 Education and Literacy The current system of education by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology is the 6- 3-4-4 system i.e. six years of primary education, three years of junior secondary education, four years of senior secondary school education and four years of tertiary/university training. This system was created to allow access to nine years of comprehensive basic education and to promote technical and skills training post basic education. Primary education is free but payment of various fees is required from junior school onwards. Although education is compulsory up to junior secondary school, the proportion of the population that has received formal education is relatively low. The 6-3-4-4 system is comprised of the following (Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, 2007): • Age 3-5:pre-primary schooling (optional); • Age 6-11:six years of primary schooling / community education centre A (CEC-A) (compulsory); • Age 12-14:three years of junior secondary school (JSS) / community education centre C (CEC- B) (compulsory); and • Age 15+: four years of senior secondary school (SSS), four years of tertiary education and above (optional). According to the 2015 PHC, out of the 6m people aged over 3 years, 55.4% have enrolled in school whilst the remaining 44.2% have never attended school. 37.2% of the 55.4 are currently in school. The percentage of the population that has never attended school in rural areas (32.7%) is almost three times more than those in the urban areas (11.5%).

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Overall, literacy rates in Sierra Leone are 36% for women and for 54% men (SL-DHS, 2013). Literacy rates are higher for younger women and men compared with the older population. Nationally, the adult literacy rate for those aged 15 and above is 40.9% (UNDP, 2011). 5.7.3 Livelihoods and Economy Sierra Leone is still highly dependent on foreign aid, which contributed 30-40%of GDP between 2000 and 2009, although additional revenue streams are now opening up (African Development Bank, 2011). GDP continues to rise and is currently at USD734 per capita (UNDP, 2011). In terms of government expenditure, 13.1% of GDP is spent on healthcare and 4.3%is spent on education. Rural areas in the country and its economy are dominated by small-scale agriculture. For nearly half of Sierra Leoneans of working age, family farming is a way of life and the main source of livelihood. Agriculture, most of it is smallholder, accounts for nearly 57.0 percent of the country’s GDP. During the 1970s and 1980s, the country was 80-90% self-sufficient in rice production, which is its staple food. Agricultural production plummeted just before and during the war years, but has been rising again steadily in the past decade or so. Sierra Leone however, remains a country plagued by food insecurity and malnutrition, largely due to poverty. The mining sector accounted for 12 percent of GDP in 2012 but increased to about 16 percent in the period before the EVD outbreak, mainly due to the discovery and mining of iron ore starting 2011 in the Northern region. Coffee, cocoa, and fish are the major agricultural exports of the country. The civil war significantly affected the mining sector and large-scale rutile and bauxite operations were abandoned in 1995 (African Development Bank, 2011). New mining policies were adopted in 1995 and 1998 to attract investment in operations and the industry has since grown. GDP growth averaged nearly 8% per annum for the period 2003 to 2006 and is forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to continue at over 6 per cent per annum in the medium-term. The IMF predicted a 51.4% increase in total GDP in 2012 due primarily to iron ore resource development. Agriculture Agriculture was the single most important component of Sierra Leone’s economy. The sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Product was larger than any other sector. Within the agricultural sector, crops, in particular food crops, made the largest contribution, compared with livestock, fisheries, forestry, and cash crop production. More than 70 percent of the labour market was working in agriculture, including more than 90 percent of those in rural areas. Rice continued to be the main crop, produced by 93 percent of crop-growing households. The other main crops produced included cassava, groundnut, beans, maize, guinea corn, cowpeas, sweet potato, yams, eggplants, and leafy green vegetables. The main cash crops produced were cocoa, coffee, and oil palm, and were most common in the Eastern region. The main crops produced were rice, cassava, groundnut, beans, maize, guinea corn, cowpeas, sweet potato, yams, eggplants, and leafy green vegetables. Rice continued to be the main staple food crop in Sierra Leone and was grown by 93.0 percent of crop-growing households. After rice, the most important cereals and grains in terms of production in crop-growing households were maize, millet, guinea corn, and sorghum. The other main grains had a much lower prevalence and were almost always grown in conjunction with rice or maize, Oil palm was the most common cash crop in the Northern and Southern regions and has shown substantial increases in the recent years. The oil palm is grown to extract two types of edible oils: palm kernel oil, which is extracted from the seed of the oil palm fruit, and palm oil, which is extracted from the flesh of the oil palm fruit.

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Other cash crops grown in Sierra Leone included tree crops such as plantains, bananas, kola nuts, oranges, pineapples, coconuts, cashew nuts, mangoes, papayas, and avocados; and other crops such as cotton, sugar cane, tobacco, and wood. The incidence of inorganic fertilizer purchases was highest among farm households in the Western region and lowest among farm households in the Eastern region. 5.7.4 Employment The share of the working-age population that is actually employed varies greatly across the country Tonkolili District, where 77.2 percent of the working-age population is in employment, has the highest employment-to-population ratio, and Kailahun (76.2 percent) and Kambia (75.6 percent) districts are not far behind. At the other end of the spectrum, the Western Area Urban District (47.8 percent), Kono (50.9 percent), Moyamba (52.5 percent), and Bo (52.5 percent) have the lowest employment rates. Although unemployment rates and the employment-to-population ratio are highly (negatively) correlated (−0.665), variations in labour force participation can also affect employment rates. The type of job and the sector of employment activity can characterize employment. This report considers self-employment, decomposed into agricultural and non-agricultural self-employment, and wage and salary employment among possible job types. Unpaid labour is also considered a type of job, although the ILO does not consider it employment. The sectors of employment are agriculture, fishing, and forestry; mining and extractive industries; manufacturing and utilities; construction and services. Generally, the employment to population ratio has remained constant at 40% to 45%, with the majority working for smallholdings or in the informal sector (mainly farming), indicating that the absorptive capacity of labour by the labour market in Sierra Leone is very limited due to low investment levels in labour-intensive economic activities and the fact that many of the people seeking jobs lack relevant education and/or skills. 5.7.5 Health Government departments, religious organizations and non-government organizations variously deliver healthcare in Sierra Leone. In addition, there is a growing private health sector, mainly in urban areas, that operate under the authority of private owners or boards of directors. The provision of healthcare is overseen by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, which is represented by the District Health Management Teams (DHMT) at the district level. The major focus of the health sector, aligned with the country’s socio-economic development objectives as articulated in the PRSP I & II, is on reducing infant and maternal mortality, resulting in the priority provision of services, such as immunization, utilization of treated bed nets for the prevention of malaria, promotion of early and exclusive breastfeeding, and promotion of hygiene practices as well as making available minimum maternal and neonatal health care systems. In light of the country’s high maternal mortality rate, the government introduced free medical care for pregnant women and children less than five years in early 2010. The prevention of HIV/AIDS and mitigating its effects also remains a priority of the government. A medium-term approach is a health insurance scheme that would help improve the quality of life of the population. Health care is of particular concern in rural areas, which often face challenges such as supply of drugs and medicines, blood transfusion services, equipment supply and laboratory services.

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Additionally, there is a lack of health care professionals in Sierra Leone that has been exacerbated by the EVD epidemic that claimed the lives of over 300 health workers. Nationally there are only 0.2 physicians and 1.7 nurses and midwives per 10,000 people. This is below the African regional average of 2.2 physicians and 9.0 nurses and midwifes per 10,000 people. Malaria accounts for over 40% of outpatient morbidity in Sierra Leone. Children under five, pregnant women and refugees count amongst the most vulnerable to this disease. Malaria also contributes to malnutrition. 5.7.6 Energy The energy sector is the lifeline in the development of any nation and therefore, access to reliable and affordable energy supply on a sustainable basis, particularly by industry, agriculture and the commercial sectors, is an important catalyst for achieving high economic growth thus reducing poverty. Developing the energy sector has been quite challenging, in spite of high potential for hydropower development on the many rivers traversing the country. The country currently produces (15 kWh/a to be scaled up to 35% of total need by 2015) far less energy than meets its needs to drive industry or service sector. The energy access (about 12%) is lowest in world compared to 49% in Ghana, 46% in Nigeria, 96% in North Africa, 73% in Asia, 99% in China and 76% global average. Only around 1% of the total rural population in Sierra Leone has access to electricity. 5.7.7 Road infrastructure Of the 11,300km of roads in the country, 8,148km are classified in the national road system. The remaining roads consist of urban roads, community roads, local roads and farm tracks. With respect to the regional distribution of roads, the Northern Province accounts for 41% of the roads followed by the southern province with 33% and the Eastern Province with 23%. The Western Area accounts for only 3% (PRSP III, 2012).

5.7.8 Land Ownership and Rights Land tenure in Sierra Leone is characterized by a dual ownership structure. In the Western Area including Freetown, private ownership of land also known as freehold tenure is recognized. Land in the rest of the country (i.e. the Provinces) is held in communal ownership under customary tenure and is controlled by traditional chiefs who administer it on behalf of their communities in accordance with customary principles and usage. Generally, land is considered a divine heritage, which the spirits of the deceased ancestors expect that it will be preserved and handed over to future generations. The absolute authority in the community’s land is vested in the entire community. In the communal land system practiced in the provinces, the Paramount and his council allocate land to individuals within the village. These serve as the custodians and are responsible for resolving land disputes. Ownership is customary and is not formal (i.e. involving title deeds). In most cases, land that is individually ‘owned’ is located relatively close to the village while lands further away from the village Centre tend not to be farmed and are used communally for grazing, hunting and the collection of firewood and non-timber forest products. Generally, only natives of the village are allowed to ‘own’ (freehold) land that they can pass onto their children. ‘Strangers’ or non-indigenes have to lease land to farm, either from individuals or the chief’s council. Four principles form the basis for customary law with regard to land allocation and land use;

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• No member of a family can usurp the right of another member to the land; • Every member of the family is entitled to a portion of the land to cultivate to feed himself and his family; • No member can dispose of any portion of the land without the consent of the Paramount Chief; and • Land cannot be sold. Within this framework there are variations in the rights of allocation and usage of land. The community represented by the Paramount Chief exercises the rights of allocation and usage over all its lands. In most chiefdom, extended family groups have effectively acquired permanent right of use of land allocated to them by the community. This has led to a form of restrictive individual ownership. Land use rights stand as long as the land is tended. There are three types of tenure affecting arable land, which apply to members of a landowning group: • Traditional communal, practiced by the Kono, Koranko and Susu ethnic groups, where paramount chiefs are custodians of the land. Individuals request land and are granted user rights until cultivation ceases. At this point the land can be returned to a communal pool and reallocated when cultivation starts; • Semi-communal, among the Kissi, Limba and Sere-Gbema ethnic groups, where individual villages establish boundaries and rights limited to land within the boundary. The village chief is the custodian of the land and allocation is carried out as in (i) above; and • Family, practiced by Temne, Mende and Sherbro ethnic groups; in which land belongs to a group formed of descendants of the individual who first obtained the land. The current family head acts as a trustee or caretaker and he is responsible for land distribution. Individual members are either allocated land annually or land is allocated to sub-groups then to individuals. The land will then belong to the individual unless it is left undeveloped, then it returns back to the communal pool and reallocated. There are many variations of the above systems, some, though communal, offer sufficient security for an individual to be willing to make long term investments on the land. Between the Mende and Limba ethnic groups, tree tenure is distinct from land tenure. The individual who planted the trees owns them even though someone else may own the land. The permission of the family head may be required to plant trees on land allocated to an individual. In all systems, the Paramount Chief is the ultimate custodian but would only intervene when land disputes involve outsiders. The Provinces Land Act of 1927, Cap 122 governs the occupancy of land in the provinces by non- natives, who are defined as “any person who is not entitled by customary law to right in land in the provinces”. According to the Act, non-natives are unable to purchase land. Land may be leased with the consent of the Paramount Chief. Tenancy leases may only be approved for up to a maximum of 50 years, with the possibility of a 21-year renewal. 5.7.9 Gender and Poverty Eradicating poverty continues to be one of the major challenges of our time and understanding gender roles in economic activities in the various districts relating to poverty reduction and planning programs is relevant to the successful implementation of programs in these areas. Various parameters such as education, health, decision-making, agriculture, involvement in commercial

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activities etc. was used to investigate gender roles and poverty assessment in the SCADeP road project is to be implemented across the country. Gender roles and activities is crucial to the rural and national economy since Sierra Leone is largely dependent on the export of agricultural products (fish and cash crops) at the moment, especially with the drop in the mining section since the Ebola surge. Land Cultivation and Agriculture Land cultivation is predominant in the rural areas, hence, the sole parameter selected is agricultural practice and their responsibilities in food production, food processing and distribution and secondly, the study looks at the extent of their involvement or participation in farming and decision-making. It was discovered that both male and females were involved in food production for consumption and commercial purposes; however, males were responsible for labour intensive activities such as bush clearing (brushing the forest / bush), clearing the farm while both male and females were involved in ploughing, and harvesting. Females’ specific role in farming was weeding. Women are major contributors to agriculture and play a primary role in ensuring the food security and nutritional status of their household members. Their level of participation and involvement both in terms of time and number of days they spend doing farm work exceed that of men. They have absolute freedom in decision-making relating to food security of family members. It is from interviews given that the battle for food security in the study areas can be won only if the invaluable contribution made by women is recognized, their potential as farmers can be developed and they be involved in decision-making processes. Poor people in these rural areas, mostly depend directly or indirectly on subsistence farming and land cultivation for their livelihoods, and among the poor, women and children are normally in the vulnerable groups. In all the districts in Sierra Leone women are the main farmers or producers, but their roles remain largely unrecognized. In Kambia and Port Loko, most of the forest cover is being replaced by grass due to short fallow periods and this trend is rapidly showing in the south east where upland rice cultivation is widely practised, destroying the forest cover unchecked. Decision-making Decision-making is mostly male dominant in farming. It was also clear that males are mostly involved in plantation cultivation of cash crops which ranged from cashew and kola nut in the North to coffee, cocoa and kola nut in the south east of the country respectively. Cash crops are preserved before selling them to local or international markets and they are less perishable compared to vegetables Females on the other hand are largely involved in growing vegetables such as garden eggs, pepper, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, groundnut, cassava, ginger, green leaves etc. which could be perishable if not consumed in the shortest time after harvesting. There is income disparity between males and females across Sierra Leone involved in agriculture because even in the case where the rice from farms is sold, the male household heads mostly uses the proceeds. Gender Inequality Significant gender inequality can be found in people's access to other key productive assets and services: land, labour, financial services, water, rural infrastructure, technology and other inputs. Among the rural poor, women and children are considered as the most vulnerable up in this country especially because this is a patriarchal society were men are the final decision makers in the home. For instance, in the North of the country, women do not have ownership rights to land which is a disadvantage and according to respondent, even government agricultural funding support is mostly

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given to men. Failure to recognize the different roles of men and women is costly because it results in misguided projects and programs, forgone agricultural output and incomes and food and nutrition insecurity. There is also division of labour among the gender in terms of economic activities and mostly males do bike riding which is predominant transport mode with few women in the North, but women in the southeast are not involved in motorbike riding for income generation. The women are mostly involved in trading of vegetables which is highly perishable, therefore the selected roads are very important if proceeds from these agricultural products are to translate into the economic well being of these rural areas. Most of the women found in the project road corridor are either occupied with trading, farming and or gardening for income generation but few might be teachers or nurses for a living. Majority of household heads are male dominant while the few household heads are interviewed who females, most of who are either widows or single parents. The household was large ranging from 3-5 and 15 - 25. In all the districts, respondents who are females either never went to school or dropped out at primary level. However, due to massive sensitization by Non-governmental organizations and the central government, female enrolment had evidently increased in almost all the districts. For instance, in Kambia district at Robanka village, on the Kamalo Modiya junction to Robanka Makasa, the Kambia District Council primary school has enrolled 105 femals and 93male students. In Kailahun district on the other hand, there were about 449 females and 349 males respectively enrolled at a primary school in Jomu Kafebu on the Siama - Combama road. These figures indicate that there is high female participation in primary education, although the same could not be said for higher education. Access to public facilities In terms of access to public facilities such as health, women are disadvantaged because in the communities where there is no health facility, they have to walk long distances while carrying their young and loads. The men on the other hand will still access the same health facility without carrying children on their back. Most of the women spoken to, expressed this concern and said improvement to their road network will ease the burden because vehicles will then be made available or the cost of transportation will reduce. Access to public services like Internet and mobile connections is very difficult in some areas that have no stations close to their settlements. Services like pine borne water are found in some rural areas in Pujehun, and some settlements along the Siama-Combama road network, however most of other settlements either depend on hand pump wells and or stream. Women predominantly do sourcing water for domestic use.

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SECTION 6 : IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

SECTION 6 IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 6.1 METHODOLOGY Description of potential impact involved an appraisal of its characteristics, together with the attributes of the receiving environment. Relevant impact characteristics included whether the impact is: • Adverse or beneficial; • Direct or indirect; • Short, medium, or long-term in duration; and permanent or temporary; • Affecting a local, regional or global scale; including trans-boundary; and • Cumulative (such an impact results from the aggregated effect of more than one project occurring at the same time, or the aggregated effect of sequential projects. A cumulative impact is - the impact on the environment which results from the incremental impact of the action when added to other past, present and reasonably foreseeable future actions). Each of these characteristics is addressed for each impact. Consideration of the above gives a sense of the relative intensity of the impact. Specialists based on the baseline data collected during the study determined the sensitivity of the receiving environment. 6.1.1 Impact Evaluation Each impact is evaluated using the criteria listed in Table 3. To provide a relative illustration of impact severity, it is useful to assign numerical or relative descriptors to the impact intensity and receptor sensitivity for each potential impact. Each is assigned a numerical descriptor of 1, 2, 3, or 4, equivalent to very low, low, medium or high. The product of the two numerical descriptors then indicated the severity of impact with severity being described as negligible, minor, moderate or major, as illustrated in Table 3. This is a qualitative method designed to provide a broad ranking of the different impacts of a project. Illustrations of the types of impact that were assigned the different grades of severity are given in Table 5.

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Table 5: Classification of impact evaluation

No Classification Description

1 Extent Evaluation of the area of occurrence/influence by the impact on the subject environment; whether the impact will occur on site, in a limited area (within 0.5 km radius of the site); locally (within 1 km radius of the site); regionally (district wide, nationally or internationally).

2 Persistence/Duration Evaluation of the duration of impact on the subject environment, whether the impact was temporary (<1 year); short term (1 – 5 years); medium term (5 – 10 years); long term (>10); or permanent.

3 Social Context / Assessment of the impacts for sensitive receptors in terms of ecological, Sensitivity or social sensitivity and such things as rare and endangered species, unusual Potential for and vulnerable environments, architecture, social or cultural setting, Stakeholder major potential for stakeholder conflicts. The sensitivity classification is Conflict: shown below: High sensitivity: Entire community displacement, destruction of world heritage and important cultural sites, large scale stakeholder conflict, etc. Medium sensitivity: Displacement of some households, moderate level of stakeholder concern Low sensitivity: No displacements, no potential for stakeholder conflict.

4 Regulatory and Evaluation of the impact against Local and International legislative Legal Compliance requirements. High: Prohibition terms for specific activities/emissions. Major breach of regulatory requirements resulting in potential prosecution or significant project approval delays. Medium: Potential breach of specific regulatory consent limits resulting in non-compliance. Low: No breach of specific regulatory consent limits anticipated

5 Overall Impact Using a combination of the above criteria, the overall severity of the rating (Severity): impact was assigned a rating Severe, Substantial, Moderate, Minor and negligible. Note: These are just guidelines that will constitute professional judgment required in each individual case.

6.1.2 Intensity of Impact The scale of intensity is defined on the basis of ecological-toxicological studies and expert judgment and is presented in Table 6. Table 6: Intensity scale gradation for environmental impacts

Scale of Impact Intensity Criterion Score

Very low Environmental changes are within the existing limits of 1 natural variations

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Low Environmental changes exceed the existing limits of natural 2 variations. Natural environment is completely self- recoverable

Medium Environmental changes exceed the existing limits of natural 3 variations and results in damage to the separate environmental components. Natural environment is remains self-recoverable.

High Environmental changes result in significant disturbance to 4 particular environmental components and ecosystems. Certain environmental components lose self-recovering ability. 6.1.3 Impact Significance Impact significance is determined from an impact significance matrix (Table 10) which compares severity of the impact with probability of its occurrence. Impact significance criteria are as follows: • Major: These denote that the impact is unacceptable and further mitigation measures must be implemented to reduce the significance. Shaded red in the Table 6. • Moderate: Impacts in this region are considered tolerable but efforts must be made to reduce the impact to levels that are as low as reasonably practical. Shaded orange in the impact significance matrix. • Minor: Impacts in this region are considered acceptable. Shaded blue. • Negligible: Impacts in this region are almost not felt. Shaded green. 6.2 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS Cumulative effects manifest when socio-environmental conditions are already or will be affected by past or reasonably probable future development or activities. The EIA identified current, past and probable future similar activities that may compound socio-environmental conditions in the project area.

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Table 7: Determination of impact severity Sensitivity of receptor Very Low Low Medium High 1 2 3 4 Intensity Very Low 1 2 3 4 of impact 1 Negligible Minor Minor Minor Low 2 4 6 8 2 Minor Minor Moderate Moderate Medium 3 6 9 12 3 Minor Moderate Moderate Major High 4 8 12 16 4 Minor Moderate Major Major

More details of impact significance are presented in Table 12.

6.3 MITIGATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Mitigation measures are designed in order to avoid, reduce, mitigate, or compensate for adverse environmental and social impacts and inform the Environmental and Social Monitoring and Management Plan (ESMMP). Table 8 Illustration of significance values that would apply to various impacts

No Issues of Major Impact Moderate Impact Minor Impact Concern

1 Legislative Expected non- Potential non- compliance Expected compliance compliance with national with national regulatory compliance with regulatory standards or standards or good national regulatory good industry practice industry practice. standards or good industry practice, or no regulations apply

2 Biophysical • Impairment of • Impairment of • Impairment of environment ecosystem with no ecosystem with Forest expectation of expectation of ecosystem with recovery within recovery within 5 expectation of 10years years recovery • Environmental • Disturbance of a within 2years changes giving rise sufficient portion of • Reduction in to issues of public or the bio-geographic ecosystem or international population of a habitat concern. Impacts that species to cause a integrity, but harm human health, decline in abundance, recovery to or damage a site of distribution or size of baseline state

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No Issues of Major Impact Moderate Impact Minor Impact Concern historic, cultural or the genetic pool such is expected archaeological value. that the population of within 2-5 • Long-term (>10 the species, and other years with years) and species dependent on minimal widespread changes it, will not recover intervention to habitat or within several • Disturbance of ecosystems features generations. a bio- or functions that • Major loss or major geographic reduce its integrity, alteration to a locally population or affect the ability to designated site individuals of a sustain valued whereby key species components and may elements will be resulting in a require extensive fundamentally decline in intervention. The changed abundance or habitat/ecosystem distribution may not recover to over one or its baseline state. two • Disturbance of a generations, sufficient portion of but that does the bio-geographic not change the population of a integrity of the species to cause a population of decline in abundance, the species or distribution or size of populations of the genetic pool such other that the population of dependent the species, and other species. species dependent on it, will not recover naturally to former levels. • Widespread and permanent change to hydrology and hydrogeology in areas along project roads. 3 Social • Damage to social, • May adversely affect • Negative effect environment cultural or economic the economic and within existing activity considerably social wellbeing of fluctuation of beyond program residents for the the society or lifetime. duration of the economy. • Long term or life program. • Reduction in threatening health • Raises issues of assets, or effects that may limited public access to increase mortality concern. assets, such rates. that economic displacement

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No Issues of Major Impact Moderate Impact Minor Impact Concern • Physical • Physical resettlement affects 1-4 resettlement of a one or more individuals, community. household/businesses. households or • Damage to a site of • Changes that businesses. national cultural differentially affects • Job losses in a importance or local the livelihoods of community site where damage is vulnerable groups able to adapt likely to provoke (disabled, elderly, and provide protest/unrest. female headed alternative job • Unplanned in- households and those opportunities migration flows living below poverty in the near – sufficient to cause or subsistence levels). medium term exceedance of the • Damage to a site of (within one capacity of numerous local or regional year). components of cultural importance • Short-term (<1 physical or social • Medium to long-term year) financial infrastructure. (>1 year) financial loss to owners • Increases of cultural loss to businesses of businesses conflict likely not to where recovery may where recovery be contained within be difficult is likely. existing social • Increases in • Unplanned in- control norms. incidences of cultural migration not • conflict but expected expected to to be contained cause within existing social infrastructure control norms. capacity • Movement of exceedance development traffic • Decline in through very access to sensitive areas (e.g. health care near schools, facilities and hospitals) or that may acquisition of exceed carrying treatment capacity of roads. • Increased public exposure to health threats that may increase morbidity rates • Gender-Based Violence and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse resulting from the potential labor influx into the project sites

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6.4 STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS AND IDENTIFICATION A 'stakeholder' can be defined as: Any individual, group, or institution with a vested interest in the natural resources of the project area and/or who potentially will be affected by project activities and have something to gain or lose if conditions change or stay the same. Stakeholders are all those who need to be considered in achieving project goals and whose participation and support are crucial to its success. Stakeholder analysis identifies all primary and secondary stakeholders who have a vested interest in the project. Stakeholder analysis is a process of systematically gathering and analysing qualitative information to determine whose interests should be taken into account when developing and implementing a project. The analysis includes stakeholder characteristics such as knowledge of the project, interests related to the project, position for or against the project, potential alliances with other stakeholders, and ability to affect the project process (through power and/or leadership). A stakeholder analysis helps the road project identify: • Interests of all stakeholders who may affect or be affected by the program/project; • Potential conflicts or risks that could jeopardize the project; • Opportunities and relationships that can be built on during implementation; • Groups that should be encouraged to participate in different stages of the project; • Appropriate strategies and approaches for stakeholder engagement; and • Ways to reduce negative impacts on vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. Three essential steps in stakeholder analysis below were utilized: • Identifying key stakeholders and their interests (positive or negative) in the project; • Assessing influence of, importance of, and level of impact upon each stakeholder; • Identifying how best to engage stakeholders. 6.5 IDENTIFICATION OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND THEIR INTERESTS Identification of stakeholder groups started with investigating specific threat and opportunity factors and developing a list of stakeholders associated with each. This was based on key questions below: • Who will the road project benefit/ affect? • Who are key players in development and implementation of the road project? • What key resources will be impacted? • Who is most dependent on these resources? • Who has claim on resources to be affected – including legal jurisdiction or customary rights? • Are several government sectors and ministry departments involved? • Are there national and/or international bodies involved either as funding agencies or because of specific laws or treaties? • Which agencies license certain aspects of the road project or are most knowledgeable about, and capable of dealing with project impacts or resources to be affected (forestry, wetlands, wildlife areas)? Who is managing these resources?

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The issues raised by the stakeholders were generic. Below is a summary of the issues discussed and action agreed; Table 9. Personal protective equipment according to hazard

Stakeholders Issues Discussed Action point

District Councils Maintenance of the road after The roads will be handed over to Construction the District council and all maintenance will be carried and oversee by the Councils.

Local Communities Whether it is mandatory for the The Client will encourage the Contractors to employ them Contractors to employ locals especially for those non – skill works. However, no child will be allowed to work under this project.

District Councils Restoration of borrow pit area Under this project, it is after construction will be mandatory for all borrow pit completed. used to be restored as per the specified procedures. The Client and the Supervising consultant will ensure this is done.

Local Communities Dust Controls during The Contractors will mitigate construction the issue of dust by applying water along the sections where settlements are at least twice a day.

Local Communities Speed during and after The Supervising consultant will construction monitor the contractors and speed limit along villages will be stated. Also, traffic management plans will be developed and speed calming devices will be installed during and after construction.

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SECTION 7 - ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

SECTION 7 ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES 7.1 INTRODUCTION Key potential environmental and social impacts of the road upgrade / rehabilitation project is assessed in this chapter and an Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) provided (Chapter 9). The ESMP seeks to translate mitigation measures into actions. Prediction and analysis of possible positive and negative impacts of upgrading the existing gravel road ('the project') are discussed. Since the roads have existed for many years, most socio-environmental impacts associated with their upgrade / rehabilitation will be direct in nature and mostly resulting from construction activities. Normally, negative impacts associated with Feeder roads rehabilitation projects are minimal and short lived once they are properly managed. Impact analysis involved determination of nature of impact, its magnitude, extent, duration of potential impacts. For the proposed rehabilitation project, potential positive and negative impacts were identified both for the construction phase and operation phases. Throughout this report, impacts have been characterized as: a. “Positive” when they; - Enhance socio-economic welfare e.g. health, employment, - Enhance quality of existing environment. b. “Negative” when they;- Reduce socio-economic welfare of people, - Reduce quality of existing environment, -Reduce economic value e.g. of surrounding property. c. “First order” (or direct) impacts; - Are directly caused by a specific action as the primary effects. - Occur at the same time and location as the action. d. “Second order” (or indirect) impacts result from effects of the first order impacts. e. “Third order” impacts are result from incremental effects of second order impacts. f. “Reversible” impacts can be completely reversed while “Irreversible” impacts cannot be completely reversed. g. “Short - term” impacts last only a short duration probably a few days or months. h. “Medium - term” impacts could last a few years. i. “Long - term” impacts would persist for many years or decades.

7.2 CONSTRUCTION PHASE IMPACTS 7.2.1 Positive Impacts: These are all impacts as a result of project activities that leads to improvement of the socio- economic well-being of the people affected by such activity either directly or indirectly. 7.2.1.1 Employment opportunities The design, feasibility and planning phase provided financial benefit and employment for local consultants. This was a positive but short-term and reversible socio-economic impact. Contract provisions for road construction require the labour force and workers with skills like carpentry and masonry to be drawn from the local population with particular emphasis on women. Since construction is estimated to take one year, this phase will provide short- term job opportunities for local people along the selected roads. Impact enhancement: The contractor should involve local leaders in recruitment process to ensure full and fair participation of local communities along project road corridors.

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7.2.1.2 Short-term roadside business opportunities for women Construction work will stimulate roadside businesses commonly associated with road construction projects and mostly owned by women, such as vending foodstuff to construction workers. Although short-term and reversible, this is a positive impact to women (and their households) who would be involved in roadside businesses. Impact enhancement: The contractor shall control dust during road construction to avoid effect to roadside businesses and markets especially ones involved in vending foodstuff. 7.2.1.3 Sourcing of construction materials Construction of bridge(s) and culverts will require considerable volume of materials including earth material (lateritic soil), aggregate (stone) and hard wood / board. Other materials include water, cement and steel. Procurement of these resources connotes income to suppliers and owners of land where quarry material will be purchased. This is a positive but short-term and reversible impact. Impact enhancement: lateritic materials shall be borrowed from adjacent lands with suitable material after legally procuring the piece of land from the local owner or community leaders. Aggregate will also be purchased from individuals involved in stone breaking in the project area/ from licensed quarries. 7.2.1.4 Lease Rent for workers camp and equipment yard to landowners Land will be required on which to set up temporary workers camp and equipment yard. Owners of land along each of the selected roads on which these facilities will be erected will earn a rental income negotiated with contractors. This is a positive but short-term and reversible benefit ceasing with project completion or whenever such facilities are no longer required in a given location. Impact duration will be short-term for each site used as workers‘ camp or yard and likelihood of occurring is high but benefit will be to a few landowners hence minor impact significance. Impact enhancement: As a contractual obligation, contractors should clean-up sites where temporary facilities had been erected when their use ceases. All waste thereon should be removed and responsibly disposed of in compliance with national laws and World Bank Guide lines. Any contaminated areas on site should be cleaned up as part of site restoration. 7.2.2 Negative Impacts 7.2.2.1 Impacts of equipment yard and workers camp Although the design consultant can propose location of the workers camp, the final decision lies with the contractor, but any selected site would have to be approved by SCADeP. Although a worker’s camp and equipment yard would cover a relatively small area, they can cause significant environmental damage for a considerable time if not controlled. Land clearing will lead to loss of vegetation. The major causes are pollution (due to all forms of waste/ litter), high water demand, and soil erosion, spillage of oils and fuel, fire and explosion hazard at fuel storage / refuelling areas. Lack of emergency medical capability at the camp can pose life-threatening situations even from relatively simple incidents such as snakebites. Socially, if the contractor does not maintain a strict-no fraternization policy, workers camps could be hotspots for prostitution or illicit sexual relationships, breaking marriages and causing disquiet in adjoining community.

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Camp and equipment yard will require land to develop, temporarily altering land use. Their operation will generate domestic which if improperly managed will contaminated local environmental resources (soil, water) and pose public health risks. Livestock could die from feeding on camp waste such as peeling commingled with plastic carrier bags. Unrestored camp and yard sites could cause aesthetic blight and remnant contamination from fuel or oil. Workers camps are also associated with fuel storage and dispensing, vehicle maintenance areas and workshops, vehicle wash bays and waste management/disposal. All these have potential for environmental contamination. Other potential impacts from camp and equipment yards include derelict equipment left by contractors at improperly restored camp or equipment yards pose environmental and public health risks. Duration of impacts is short-term; extent is local but likelihood high. Due to the small footprint, impact severity on receptor community will be moderate (medium) if sites are left contaminated rendering overall impact significance to be moderate. This impact will occur where site camp and equipment yard are located (note that this will be a responsibility of the contractor and specific locations for the selected roads until the contractors are on site are not known at this point). The likely receptors will include: • Owners of sites left contaminated. • Soil and water resources near storage sites. • Communities near campsite. • Road construction crews (in case of OHS accidents and fire outbreak). Mitigation: i. The contractor shall establish workers camps outside ecologically sensitive areas e.g. Swamps and flood plains ii. Contractor shall develop a waste management plan as a contractual obligation.

The waste management plan should present likely sources of waste, their type (liquid, solid, domestic etc.) and quantity estimates based on proposed equipment and workers. Based on the type of wastes generated, treatment and disposal mechanisms should be presented. Measures for waste reduction, treatment and disposal should be implemented. Record of all disposal locations and potential disposal locations that require approval of the Supervising Engineer are to be presented. These should necessarily include details of: • Disposal of cut-to-spoil indicating quantity generated, disposal and disposal locations/ potential locations with photographs, • Trees cut during the progress of clearing and grubbing or other activities should be presented, • Waste concrete and cement bags indicating quantity expected to be generated and disposed, • Waste oils from service of construction machinery and vehicles, and oil spills as well as oil from cleaning of service bay • Oil and grease from vehicle washing bays,

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• Kitchen waste if any, indicating quantity generated, quantity disposed and location of disposal, • Sanitary waste management. Camp waste shall be segregated and stored in separate containers. Plastic waste should be kept on site until collected and recycled or disposed of in a designated waste dump locally approved of. Waste that cannot be recovered for reuse or recycling will be land-filled at site safely remote from potential risk for surface and groundwater contamination and covered with a daily cover of soil at end of each day. Road contractor should collect and store waste oil on site awaiting collection by a licensed entity. The road contractor should however obtain approval from the consultant / local authorities for disposal. • Contractor should sensitize workers about potential for environmental contamination due to improper waste management practices. • The contractor should ensure waste types (organics, inorganic, hazardous, medical etc.) are segregated and responsibly disposed of. Containers should be provided for safe onsite waste containment and segregation before final disposal • Campsite and yard should have adequate sanitation facilities (latrines) that are gender friendly. • Contractor should provide clean water at camp, ensuring that water abstraction does not affect local residents' water consumption due to their activities. • Contractor should not dump waste oil in watercourses, drains or on land but collected and sent for recycling or reuse. • Onsite combustion of waste shall not be done at camp. • Smoking in communal areas at camp and near fuel storage areas should be prohibited and signs to this effect posted in visible areas. • First aid kit should be made available for workers across the fourteen districts where the selected project roads are found. • HIV/AIDS sensitization programs shall be conducted for workers as per methodology and schedule devised by the HIV/AIDS Sensitization and Control service providers. Condoms shall be distributed to imported workers on regular basis • On completion of the project, contractor should remove structures and sites restored to pre- project condition or give them to local communities/ land owners for use. Exposed areas shall be replanted with indigenous tree or vegetation species. • For fire safety, contractor should provide fire extinguishers and signage in camp including refuelling areas. • Contractor should ensure that potentially contaminated runoff from storage areas should be drained through oil traps were necessary. • All buildings on site should have approved electrical wiring for safety of occupants. • At end of camp and equipment yard useful life, these sites should be remediated and all equipment and waste carried away for disposal by the contractor to designated dump sites. This is especially in regard to:

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✓ Waste tires ✓ Scrap metals from machinery repairs and vehicle parts

Residual Impact: Following mitigation, residual impact of workers camps and equipment yards will be of minor or moderate significance. 7.2.2.2 Social Ills of Construction Labour The influx of workers, typically young males seeking road construction jobs will be associated with a series of social challenges such as crime, alcoholism/illicit drug abuse and prostitution. These are often related to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. Vices such as drug abuse and prostitution would affect social coherence and security in project communities tarnishing the image and intent of an otherwise good project. Crime, drug abuse and prostitution Unless the contractor undertakes sensitization of all workers, the likelihood of the impact occurring is medium (considering some level of awareness among general populace). Duration of above-mentioned social ills will be short-term ending with completion of road construction but associated social and health effects can be long-term and irreversible, especially new HIV infections. The risk HIV makes this impact of high significance and likely to affect road construction workers and roadside local communities. Mitigation: • The contractor shall involve local leaders in labour recruitment to ensure people hired have no criminal record. • Local leaders and the contractor shall collaborate with police to contain criminal activities. HIV/AIDS Risk The influx of male workers into the project area will increase the risk of HIV/AIDS transmission. The concentration of young males in worker ‘s camps may lead to illicit and unsafe sexual behaviour that may push up infection rates in the local areas. However, since most of the labour force will be below 40 years, it is expected that behavioural change due to the sensitization of workers will help prevent new infection. This is therefore a moderate impact. Mitigation: • Contractor shall provide condoms and an HIV/AIDS poster to workers in privately convenient places such as toilets/latrines in camp. • The contractors shall put in place worker place committees to oversee implementation of HIV/AIDS control activities. Residual Impact: Following mitigation, residual impact will be of low significance. Impact management: • As a contractual obligation, the contractors should have HIV/AIDS Policy and action plan to implement it for this project. • Through posters, flyers or weekly sensitization sessions continually provide HIV/AIDS awareness to road construction workers.

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Gender-Based Violence and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Moreover, the potential effect of the influx of the male workers into the project areas on GBV/SEA cannot be over-estimated. This will aggravate the already vulnerable conditions of the already impoverished and well supported rural women and girls. Mitigation Measures that can be instituted by project implementers include incorporating Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG) prevention and response programs into project activities. This entails, partnerships with governments and civil society organizations on one hand, and on the other, mutual engagement with public transport users, transport operators and with the community in general. This should form the basis for creating a clear legal, social, cultural and technical assessment to develop innovative and cost-effective solutions. Towards the management of GBV, the Contractor ESMP must include a GBV Framework which specifies the minimum requirements that guides the contractor and his workers. Construction staff should also be included in any training sessions and awareness campaigns on GBV management and child protection. Construction staff are to be the object of training and awareness raising so they will recognize women’s concerns, including matters of sexual harassment in the construction site and the fundamental gender inequality and social customs that maintain the appropriateness of violence. Codes of conduct for employees and project staff on construction sites must be established. In addition to the code of conduct clearly outlining unacceptable behavior and consequences for harassment and any other type of gender violence, a mechanism should be created for the community to report cases of abuse by staff.

7.2.2.3 Occupational health & safety risks for workers Road works will have the following occupational health and safety risks with potential to cause serious injuries to workers: • Burns (welding/hot works, etc.) • Falls from working at heights or wet surfaces • Electrocution • Noise and body vibration from equipment Some typical road construction machinery and their noise levels (in dBA, measured 15m away) ✓ Dump truck- 88 ✓ Portable air compressor- 81, ✓ Concrete mixer- 85 ✓ Bull dozer- 87, ✓ Rock drill- 98

Construction noise is a major source of environmental noise pollution and a cluster of equipment at construction sites can produce a steady roar during working hours. Lack of

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hand wash water and mobile toilet facilities at work sites could also pose considerable health risk to workers (and local communities traversed). OHS impacts will potentially occur at any point during road construction and while some accidents could be minor, others might be grave leading to disability or loss of life of construction workers. The World Bank regulations require that the noise level does not increase to 70 dB. This presents the regular practice under the World Bank projects, in this case there is no national guideline, so the WB guidelines will be applicable. Duration of the impact will be short-term occurring only during the construction phase. Extent of the impact will be local or national depending on origin of construction workers. Likelihood of the impact occurring is high considering the usually low level of safety at construction sites on Feeder roads projects. Significance of this impact is therefore predicted to be high. Impact mitigation The contractor will develop a comprehensive OHS plan with clear assignment of responsibilities that should among others address the following: • Provision of all workers with requisite protective gear. • Provision of onsite toilet and washing water for workers. • Provision of - No smoking signs in office, communal places construction camps as well as high risk areas prone to fire hazards e.g. near fuel tanks. • Ensure adequate fire safety, fire exists and fire assembly points at camp. • Provision of signage reminding use of PPE at appropriate locations in the project area including ancillary work sites. Contractors are expected to comply with national / international best practice related to HIV/AIDS, OHS, and gender equity as follows: • OHS- Public Health, Workers Compensation, Employment, • HIV/AIDS: National Multi-sectorial HIV/AIDS Policy, • Gender equity: National Gender Policy. The specifications of national policies relating to road works require contractors to ensure the following: a. safe constructional plant, equipment and work methods b. safe handling, storage, transport and disposal of materials in a way that avoids risk to workers c. provision of protective gear d. hiring a full time - Accident prevention officer or safety officer e. conducting safety awareness among all workers f. control harmful insects/ vectors (including mosquitoes and houseflies) g. reporting accidents to supervising engineer and police h. control contagious diseases (e.g. Cholera) through proper sanitation and awareness

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i. control occupational hazards related to: ✓ Physical hazards (noise, vibrations, high temperature) ✓ Chemical hazards ✓ Mechanical hazards (moving equipment) ✓ Electrical hazards ✓ Ergonomic injuries (poor working postures, heavy loads, etc.) ✓ Poor sanitation in workplace or living environment of workers

Contractor will also develop HIV/AIDS and gender management plans. Residual Impact: Following mitigation, residual impact will be of low significance. Table 10. Personal protective equipment according to hazard

Objective Workplace hazards Suggested PPE

Eye and face Flying particles Safety glasses protection

Head protection Falling objects, inadequate height Hard hat clearance, Impact protection

Hearing protection Noise Ear plugs or muffs

Foot protection Falling or rolling objects, pointed objects Safety shoes and boots

Hand protection Hazardous materials, cuts or lacerations Gloves made of rubber or synthetic materials

Respiratory Dust from earth works Facemasks filters for protection dust removal

Body/leg protection Hazardous materials, biological agents, Overalls /coveralls cuttings and lacerations Impact management: Project supervising engineers together with Safeguards Specialist from SCADeP, SLRA and EPA-SL should inspect contractors ‘compliance with safety precautions during construction. 7.2.2.4 Sourcing of Construction Materials (gravel and stone). Rehabilitation of the Feeder road will require two types of earth materials: • Sub-base material (natural gravel or earth) • Base / wearing course material (natural gravel or earth).

It will be the responsibility of the contractor to select preferred sources (location/ sites) of aforementioned earth materials that meet design specifications. Unless materials are obtained from existing quarries and borrow pits which need not be restored upon completion of the road, the method of their extraction, haulage and state in which sites are left upon project completion all have potential for socio-environmental impacts below:

• Clearing of vegetation to create access to material sources, • Haulage impacts, for example, accident risks and road dust,

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• Safety and public health risks of un-restored borrow pits, • Construction waste generation and its disposal • Higher Noise levels due to the equipment use and transportation.

Borrowing of earth materials has potential to disinter artefacts or other resources of archaeological and cultural significance. Impact severity is medium (or even low) except when borrow areas are located close to communities, an unlikely situation unless alternative and suitable sites cannot be found at safe distances from communities. Impact significance is therefore moderate.

Impact receptors will be borrow pit workers, local communities near borrow pits (and their children / livestock), people living near unrestored or improperly rehabilitated borrow sites which pond water and harbour disease vectors, for example, mosquitoes.

Mitigation:

All aggregates / stone for culvert and bridges shall be purchased from local quarry sites operating on small scale since stone products will be required only for culvert and bridge construction and in areas where the natural soil needs to be stabilized. Borrow pits should be rehabilitated after the completion of their use by the contractor. To this effect, the contractor should ensure: • Quarry gravel is not bought from sources in ecologically sensitive areas e.g. floodplain. • That site restoration as road construction commence concurrently so that cut to spoil is used to fill up borrow pits. • Height and orientation of the borrow pits need to be controlled if reinstatement is to be effective. • Excess soil (overburden) from road excavations should be stockpiled at borrows sites to be used during site restoration. • Site restoration should utilize native vegetation species and replanting undertaken during rainy season to ensure high re-vegetation success. • Contractor should utilize licensed quarry for purchase of crush rock when large quantities are required for bridge construction otherwise purchase from local people in their communities.

Specific mitigation measures for contractors to undertake against cultural heritage impacts encountered accidentally at material source (borrow pits) sites are:

• If the contractor finds anything in any of the borrow pits that is of historic importance, relevant local and national Authorities must be notified immediately. The first two days of excavation of borrow sites should be witnessed by an official (archaeologist) from the Department responsible for museum and monuments. During this time, bulk earthworks and excavations must be monitored by a professional (district environmental officer). Archaeological monitoring is an important component of

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conserving and managing archaeological and historical resources that might be uncovered or exposed during road construction. • Should any human remains be disturbed, exposed or uncovered during excavations and earthworks, these should immediately be reported to the district environmental officer. Burial remains should not be disturbed or removed until inspected by the archaeologist. • Once identified, all proposed borrow pits should be investigated for archaeological remains. • Prohibit collection of archaeological artefacts by road construction crews. • Avoid undue disturbance to areas outside approved construction areas. • Limit worker and vehicle access to construction areas only.

Residual Impact: Following mitigation, residual impact will be of low significance.

Impact management: • Compensate any accidents to people or injurious damage to structures due to construction works on project roads and borrow pits. • Resident Engineer should not issue completion certificate to contractor or payments withheld until borrow pits and temporary campsites restored are satisfactorily rehabilitated. • Any unsuccessful vegetation re-growth should be replaced during contractors' defect liability period. • The Contractors needs to buy aggregates from existing gravel and stone quarries once the meet required material specifications to avoid opening new ones as a result of this project. • Workers should be provided with protective gear (muffs, hard hats, overalls, boots and dust protection). • Control dust by wetting the road corridor when working in settlement areas • Ensuring that corrective actions are undertaken for all incidents and accidents, including - near miss.

7.2.2.5 Haulage of earth construction materials Road rehabilitation will necessitate transportation of materials from sources to worksites. Haulage of crushed stone (aggregate) and sand from sources to road construction work site will be associated with the following impacts: Possible road kills long stretch through, • Staining of households and goods in roadside shops by dust, • Traffic accidents involving people and livestock, • Traffic noise from haulage truck,

Although never compensated, staining of trade commodities in roadside shops (especially foodstuffs: salt, sugar, fruits, etc.) with dust translates into a financial loss for local business owners. Excessive dust in dwellings poses health impact especially to children and elderly

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people. Unless speeds are controlled within settlements, material haulage poses a risk of road accidents especially near school crossings, livestock crossing and in trading centres. Haulage traffic noise is not expected be a significant impact except near schools or health centres. Risk of this potential impact actually occurring is highest in trading centres or through settlements with considerable population but largely impact extent is along entire length of the road. Material haulage will be short-term ceasing with completion of construction activities but secondary effects (if they occurred) such as accidents (hence disability or death) have negative, long-term and possibly irreversible socio-economic impact. If mitigation recommendations are implemented, likelihood of impact occurring is medium but impact severity high especially when accidents involve loss of lives. Disabled people, children, women and elderly people are especially at risk of road accidents. Significance of road dust could be comparatively highest through trading centres where goods and foodstuff could be contaminated. Overall impact significance is therefore high. Mitigation: • The contractor shall control road dust by watering wherever necessary. • Contractor shall provide temporary road signage during construction and ensure drivers observe speed limits and for safety of other road users. • Contractor should deploy traffic guides warning signs where necessary, such as at approach to trading centres. • Contractor shall provide temporary speed reducing devices e.g. humps. • Contractor shall prohibit haulage activities at night to avoid accidents in high population settled areas and trading centres. • Contractor shall erect temporary signs along routes used by haulage trucks. • Construction crews should take care to watch out for and avoid animals. • The contractor should station traffic guides at potentially high accident risk locations to warn/ guide road users while working during the day. An Emergency Response Plan should be developed. • To avoid excessive haulage traffic noise at sensitive facilities, the contractor should not install temporary speed reduction features(humps) adjacent to schools or healthcare centres. This would avoid noise associated with high-speed deceleration and acceleration at humps. Residual Impact: Following mitigation, residual impact will be of low significance. Impact management: • The contractors should sensitize project drivers on accident risk and control measures. • The contractors should compensate victims of accidents. 7.2.2.6 Impacts of storage of construction materials During rehabilitation works, there will be needed to stockpile and store assorted materials at or near construction site to ensure uninterrupted access to supplies. This could lead to pollution of land and watercourses by spilling and wash away of materials. This impact can occur anywhere along the road and receptors are soil and water resources near storage sites, landowners and local communities dependent on affected environmental resources. This

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impact is negative with a medium likelihood of occurrence but will be short-term only occurring during the construction period and local in extent. However, spills in watercourses can impact remote/ distant downstream communities. Severity is therefore assessed as medium. Impact significance will be minor or moderate since material loss is a financial loss to the contractor and they would take measures to avoid it. Mitigation: • Contractors shall protect material stockpiles from storm water erosion (e.g. by excavating a cut-off ditch around stockpiles to keep away storm water). • Contractors shall provide bounded storage for fuel. • Contractors shall cover material stockpiles with fabric or other materials. • Contractors shall avoid stockpiling material near waterways/wetlands or on slopes. Residual Impact: Following mitigation, residual impact will be of low significance. Impact management: Application of good engineering practices in design and construction should ensure that water sources are not affected by road upgrade and rehabilitation works. The most likely source of watercourse contamination is loose soil being washed into rivers and streams during construction of drainage structures and bridges. This impact is not expected to be serious but if considerable contamination is likely, then the resident engineer must instruct the contractor to construct silt traps to avoid sediment entrainment in waterways. Additionally, the contractors should have a contractual obligation to develop and implement a construction management plan (CMP) and spill response plan, to include the following: • Basic training to workers will be required, to ensure effective implementation of the Construction Management Plan. • Installation of secondary containment measures in areas where fuels, oils or lubricants are stored, loaded or unloaded, including filling points where applicable. • Equipment and materials not to be stored within or near watercourses; • Potential contaminants stored on site should be properly isolated and bounded. • Contractors should have a portable spill control pack (comprising absorbent pads/pillows, rolls, etc.) on site to contain and clean up fuel spills. 7.2.2.7 Improper management of cut to spoil The proposed road upgrading will involve excavation of spoil and the amounts are not established during the Design stage but during construction. Management of large volumes of cut to spoil can constitute a major disposal challenge when improperly planned. Receptors of this impact are expected to be watercourse and communities where contractors improperly dump spoil. Some road contractors often illegally dispose cut to spoil in wetlands leading to secondary socio-environmental impacts of impaired drainage and environmental degradation. However, this is unlikely to occur in this feeder roads project. Where such practices occur, duration of impact is short- to medium-term. Extent of the impact is often local limited to immediate neighbourhood of disposal sites on land but considerable extent downstream of deposition site in watercourses. Therefore, impact severity can be high leading to major significance.

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Impact mitigation: As a priority, cut to spoil materials should be used in restoration of quarry and burrow sites rather than improper disposal in wetlands or on private farmlands. Residual Impact: Following proper mitigation, residual impact will be of low significance. 7.2.2.8 Demolition of structures within reserve of proposed road Design engineers determined that and upgrading and rehabilitating the selected roads would affect some buildings (especially in the Northern provinces were residence like to build in a straight line adjacent to the road corridor) including commercial and residential structures but partially. This impact is certain and likelihood of it occurring is high. Compensation should be provided to replace affected structures; severity of this impact will be medium resulting in a moderate overall significance level. Mitigation: The Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development should commit to providing due compensation to all affected owners to ensure post- project conditions do not make them worse off than they were before the project, as required by the Rwandan laws and World Bank safeguard policies. Residual Impact: When equitable compensation is provided as required by World Bank to restore livelihoods of and property affected, residual impact of involuntary resettlement will be of low or moderate significance. Impact management: • SCADeP should provide adequate vacation notice to affected people before construction commences. This will also allow affected property owners to plan appropriately or take any salvageable material from their demolished structures without delaying contractor‘s work. • SCADeP should institute a strong grievance committee so that complaints and dissatisfactions about the resettlement/ compensation process do not unduly delay contractors progressing works. A grievance procedure should be developed in the resettlement action plan. 7.2.2.9 Traffic diversion during road construction Inevitably, road construction will necessitate diversion of traffic from sections being worked on to allow fast and safe road works or continued use of the road especially for construction of drainage structures. Diversions will cause temporary delays in transportation of goods and passengers or accidents (especially for heavily laden trucks) along detour roads that may not have been constructed properly. Impact is negative but temporary (short-term) and reversible (note that effects of accidents such as loss of life are irreversible). Likelihood of this impact occurring is moderate; however, it will be short-term ceasing with end of construction hence medium severity. Additionally, not all road sections will necessitate diversions hence impact severity is medium and overall impact significance is therefore moderate. Impact receptors: • Communities traversed by diversions/detours, • Road users, • Vehicle owners,

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• Traders who might lose merchandise in accidents on improperly constructed diversions.

Mitigation: i. Contractor should place signs warning road users about traffic detours. ii. Contractor should have guides at detours to organize traffic.

Residual Impact: Following mitigation, residual impact will be of low significance. Impact management: Wherever practical, contractors should provide communities with information and plans of intended diversions in good time. 7.2.2.10 Gender Impacts Negative gender impacts would arise from discrimination in hiring road construction workers if preference is given to men who are perceived to be stronger and more resilient. Road construction could also result into constrained access to homes, gardens, water sources, places of worship and schools, especially for women, children, elderly and disabled people. Temporary crossings improvised to abate this impact are often inadequate and unsafe for use by vulnerable people. Mitigation: • Ensure positive discrimination in job allocation to road construction workers whereby women are given tasks they would do best, based on their potential. • Where access to private property or public resources/ places is severed, the contractor should provide safe temporary access that is both gender-friendly and usable by disabled persons. In this regard, temporary culverts instead of wood planks would be more appropriate. • Workplace environment including tools and fixtures should be gender-friendly. 7.2.2.11 Improperly finished road sites Good road finishing practices should aim to avoid residual impacts at work sites. Abandoning stockpiles of construction materials on road shoulders (e.g. gravel, aggregate, hard wood/ sticks, sand) can pose aesthetic and ecological impacts at affected sites or location. Embankments that are regressed are prone to soil erosion and silting of storm water drainage systems. Moreover, steep sections of roads are also prone to erosion detour roads created during construction are an unsure if not restored upon project completion.

Mitigation: • Contractors should ensure good housekeeping to avoid material wastage. • Contractor should remove all stockpiles of unused material upon project completion. • Contractor should re-grass all embankments to avoid erosion and siltation of storm water drains. • Contractor should scarify and restore all detour roads to pre-project conditions.

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• Any other temporary access facilities and workspaces should be restored to pre- project conditions. For in-filled gravel on banks of watercourses should be removed and the sites appropriately restored.

7.2.2.12 Impact on Bio- physical Environment Hard wood and bush sticks are normally used in form works for culvert and bridge constructions which could be purchased from local vendors. However, contractors need to ensure hard wood is not cut in protected or communal forests. This type on material need could have a negative impact especially if large amount of hard wood is required because very old trees are cut down without being replaced. With the already affected forest ecosystem all over the country, it will further alteration of natural ecosystems upon which birds and animals are dependent for their survival. It should be noted that although timber export has been banned, locally over exploiting the natural resource without replacing it will lead to its depletion. Most of the tree species used for hard wood could have medicinal value even though it is not documented. If contractors are encouraged to purchase bush sticks from locals it might become a lubricating source for income generation which lead to rapid deforestation in the area. The cutting of old trees for hard wood can transform primary forests to secondary forest. This could have a long-time effect since trees take very long time (say 50 to 100 years) to mature. This trade of hard wood and bush sticks might continue long after the project has ended which could have devastating effect for ecosystem recovery. This will then have a negative impact on the bio- physical environment which could be adverse and non- reversible if it continues long after project completion. The animal could migrate if the ecosystem is altered and they cannot readily adapt to this type of activity in the vicinity. Local bird could also migrate or face extinction.

Impact receptors: • Local residence will suffer more from alteration of local climate due to the removal of forest cover and reduction in ecosystem value • Birds, animals and insect could lose their habitat and become endangered. This could negatively impact their population size in the affected areas,

Mitigation: • Contractors who will be constructing culverts and bridges, should be prohibited from cutting trees for hard wood from near be forest ecosystems along the road under construction, • Contractors should be encouraged to hire readymade metal forms for the construction of bridges and culverts, and • Penalty should be levied on defiant contractors

7.3 POST CONSTRUCTION PHASE IMPACTS These are impacts (both negative and positive) that will occur after the rehabilitation of the selected roads.

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7.3.1 Positive Road Use Impacts 7.3.1.1 A safer road and reduced social cost of transport Improvement of the road will have positive, significant and long-term local, national socio- economic impacts that include: • Lower travel cost: An improved road is expected to attract more operators of public transport and ensuing competition would lower fares for both goods and passenger transport. • Reduced vehicle wear/ tear • Safer journeys with reduced accident risk (design will remove sharp corners and steep inclines). Accident rates change following improvement in road geometry and pavement. Upgrading and rehabilitating a gravel road will improve visibility, reduce braking distances and have road signs installed where none existed. Although speeds are expected to increase, there is evidence that overall, rehabilitation reduces accident rates and fatalities. • Reduced travel time Duration of this impact will be long-term and likelihood of occurring high after road improvement. Benefit to road users will be of local and national spatial extent, hence high impact significance. Impact enhancement: SCADeP through the consultant shall ensure that road designs provide facilities and signage for safe pedestrian crossing. 7.3.1.2 Increased economic activity and gender benefits A good road will enhance access to markets of agricultural produce, improving local and regional economies. Road improvement could also stimulate development of businesses along the road, for example, roadside markets and secondary job opportunities from new businesses. Of specific benefit to women could be greater participation in less strenuous household income activities with examples including roadside retail trading or vending of food and agricultural produce, art and craft to travellers (and even road construction workers). This would be a long- term benefit, especially for rural women most of whom currently earn a living working long hours in cassava and other plantations. Duration of this impact will be long-term and likelihood of occurring is high after road upgrade. Increased economic activity in local economies would benefit all communities along the road hence high impact significance. Impact enhancement: SCADeP / SLRA should ensure continual road maintenance to sustain mentioned benefits. 7.3.1.3 Improved access to social services An improved road will ease access to social services, most vitally healthcare. This will especially benefit women by way of improved maternal health, reduced infant and maternal mortality and general public health improvement in communities traversed by the road. This will especially be true in cases where women from remote settlements have difficult to deliver on their own and will have to be taken to district hospitals for safe delivery or operations. The above are significant, positive and long-term socio-economic cumulative impact impacts.

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Impact enhancement: SLRA through the Road maintenance fund shall ensure continual road maintenance to sustain road benefits. 7.3.1.4 Appreciation of property value Upgrading the road will open up areas along the road to commercial businesses and investments. Increased commercial activities might lead to an appreciation of land/ property value. 7.3.2 Negative Road Use Impacts 7.3.2.1 Possible fatal injuries Drivers on a newly improved road commonly excitedly drive faster than is often safe risky behaviour common on new road and could result into fatal injuries due to the dust. This usually happens in the first few months of commissioning a new road and is associated with frequent road accidents, especially at pedestrian crossings, sharp corners and blind spots, sometimes leading to loss of life or commercial goods. These impacts can be minimized with safe road use practices, and short-term if concerted effort is expended in sensitization of road users and local communities before and after commissioning of the upgraded or new roads. Likelihood of impact occurrence is medium but severity high where accidents lead to loss of life. Impact significance is therefore high. Mitigation: • Potential accident hotspots will be marked with appropriate road signs. • Road design should provide the necessary road signs. Residual Impact: Even after mitigation, residual impact can still be of moderate or high significance. Impact management: Local leaders, driver and bike unions should undertake road safety campaigns before commissioning the road. 7.3.2.2 Induced development Induced development can be a positive as well as negative cumulative impact. If not planned to conform to local physical plans, it can lead to urban sprawl and slums with attendant vices such as prostitution, drug abuse and social ills and public health risks. This impact might likely occur at trading centres traversed along the road. Slums and urban sprawl due to unplanned induced development are negative and medium to long-term impacts that are costly to reverse. If it occurred, duration of this impact would be long-term and its likelihood of occurrence low considering poverty levels in these feeder roads areas. Vices (prostitution, drug abuse) associated with slums lead to long-term societal degeneration. These together with public health risks make this impact to have high significance. Impact mitigation: Local Councils and local leaders should develop physical plans for their towns where none exist to ensure planned development. These they should enforce/ implement to avoid unplanned development in trading centres traversed by the selected project roads in the various districts. Residual impact:

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Even after proposed mitigation, significance of residual impact of cumulative unplanned development could be low, due to factors unrelated to the road project, for instance high population growth and weak enforcement of proper planning. Impact Matrix Table 11 Summary of Environmental Impacts and its Mitigation Measures

Activities Environmental impacts Mitigation Measures Design Stage

Design Erosion and instability of cut • Design cut slope to minimize instability faces and borrow pits • Use structural stabilization measures such as retaining walls and gabions. • Use adequate design, sitting, and sizes of drainage structures.

Erosion of Lands below the • Site drainage structures so as to avoid a roadbed receiving concentrated cascade effect and to ensure that runoff outflow carried out by the is conveyed into natural drainage lines drainage structures with controlled velocities • Line the receiving areas with stones or concrete to protect soils at outflow areas • Incorporate sufficient number of drainage outlets such that flow from any individual outlet is not excessive.

Encroachment on irrigation • Use appropriate drainage structures to channels and structures. replace those presently used in irrigation systems. • Avoid encroachment on irrigation systems in use. If unavoidable, consult with relevant organization for appropriate solution. • Consult with relevant Organization/Departments on planned area for irrigation. Incorporate culverts into road design where planned irrigation across the road.

Encroachment on water supply • Road engineers will work with the systems from road construction Water Supply Department of Sierra activities Leone in each district during the detailed design phase to identify places where there are existing and planned water pipes and to find appropriate ways to manage working around water pipes.

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SECTION 7 - ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Activities Environmental impacts Mitigation Measures Design Stage • Culverts will be incorporated into road design where water systems are planned. • Detailed design will include plans for avoidance of damage to water systems and replacement/repair of water systems where avoidance is not possible. Coordination with the water Supply is necessary.

Not to silt the adjoining • Do not site borrow pits or dispose of agricultural lands cut spoil on agricultural land.

Encroachment on known cultural • Do not damage to any newly and historical sites. discovered heritage sites. • Do not encroach on grave yard sites.

Construction Stage

Mobilization of Accident risks from mobilizing • To the extent possible, avoid the mobilization equipment’s and construction equipment of heavy equipment’s at night. workforces • Over-width and over-length vehicles should display adequate warnings such as flashing lights, signs, and flags on extending parts of equipment.

Impact on health and Negative impact on the health • Conduct special briefing or on-site training on Social Well-being of and social well-being of local environmental, occupational safety and health Local Communities population due to the requirements of the project workers. introduction of workforce from other places • Strictly supervise workers not to interfere with local affairs or quarrel with local people. • In case of complaints from local people on the issues caused by workers and complains will be solved as soon as possible, under collaboration of Environmentalist.

Accidents and safety The followings for safety will be provided to workers. • Warning and/or Precaution Signs on safety. • Helmets. • Instruction on health and safety.

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SECTION 7 - ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Construction Stage • Establishment of all relevant safety measures required by law and good engineering practices. • Provision of first aid facilities at the construction sites.

Outbreak of disease • The Contractor will have all his workers undergo a regular medical check on their arrival on Site. • Necessary vaccinations should be given to the workers. • Site construction camps at least 50 m far away from rivers and as far as possible from local communities. • Provide enough water supplies for workers, and ensure sufficient sanitation for the camp: the proper drainage systems, and the proper location for solid waste disposal. • Make medical treatment available for workers. Provide workers mosquito nets and malaria- prevention medication. • The work force should be made aware of the yellow fever and other diseases of the project area.

Depletion of natural resources • Do not harvest wood resources within through demand for building provincial and district protected area. materials, fuel, and food for workers • Where local materials must be used, make agreements with local communities about the areas or the volume that can be harvested without significant impact. • Support community development by paying an adequate price for any local resources used. • All supplies for building camps will be brought from outside the area.

Earthworks and Erosion and instability of cut • No contour will be permitted in areas with steep operating of quarries faces and borrow pits slopes. and borrow pits • Minimize major earthworks during the rainy season, to the extent feasible. • Pile topsoil from digging of borrows pits carefully to one side, where it can be later used for reclamation.

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SECTION 7 - ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Construction Stage • During construction, employ erosion prevention measures such as the use of hay bales. • At the end of the construction phase, re-contour borrow pit walls, replace topsoil, and re- vegetate. • At the end of the construction phase, grow vegetation in cut slopes where ever it is feasible.

Destruction of agricultural land • Do not dispose cut spoil and construction waste through spoil and construction at agricultural land. waste disposal

Erosion from disposal of cut • Where spoil disposal in vegetated sites cannot spoil. be avoided, select areas with scrub, bamboo, or herbaceous growth over areas of healthy forest. • No disposal into gullies or watercourses. • No disposal in or adjacent to cultivated areas (unless such areas lie within the road reserved width, in which case owners will be compensated under the Resettlement Plan. • No disposal by direct tipping of spoil down slope. • Plantation will be developed on spoil dumps to maintain the soil stability.

Loss of vegetation from detour • In flat areas, leave enough roadside edge for construction vehicles to pass. In mountainous areas, build/rehabilitate only half of the road at a time so that traffic can pass on the other half of the roadway • Remove and store the top soil of any necessary detours to be used for rehabilitation and re- vegetation of the area after road construction • Where realignments are necessary, use the existing roadway for traffic to pass • Limit the width of the necessary detours to a minimum.

Damage to irrigation canals • Dumping of spoils and fill materials into irrigation canals shall be avoided • In case of obstruction or damage, irrigation ditches and ponds shall be cleaned or repaired immediately.

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SECTION 7 - ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Construction Stage

Improper disposal of solid waste • Segregation of wastes shall be observed. • Organic (biodegradable) shall be collected and disposed of onsite by composting (no burning on site). • Recyclables shall be recovered and sold to recyclers. • Residual and hazardous wastes shall be disposed of in disposal sites approved by local authorities.

Damage to artefacts – The • Should any potential items be located, the site following chance-find’ supervisor will be immediately contacted and principles will be implemented work will be temporarily stopped in that area throughout the construction phase to account for any • If the site supervisor determines that the item is undiscovered items identified of potential significance, an officer from the during construction: Department of Culture Government of Sierra Leone, will be invited to inspect the site and work will be stopped. After getting a clearance from the department than only further work will be taken up.

Degradation of Quarry and • The contractor shall observe environmentally borrow areas responsible procurement by sourcing materials from authorized quarries. • Priority must be given to the use of existing quarry sites, if they are available and suitable; • If the contractor shall operate the quarry site, required environmental permits shall be secured prior to operation of quarry/borrow areas. • Topsoil, overburden, and low-quality materials shall be properly removed, stockpiled near the site, and preserved for rehabilitation. • The contractors shall ensure that borrow pits are left in a tidy state with stable side slopes and proper drainage in order to avoid creation of stagnant water bodies, which are favourable places for mosquito breeding.

Damage to river/stream beds and • If it is not possible to locate quarries out of river banks due to extraction of beds, quarry sites lying on small rivers and construction material streams shall be avoided. • Rock and gravel won from rivers shall be removed over some distance so as not to disrupt river flow or damage or undermine riverbanks.

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SECTION 7 - ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Construction Stage • Reinstate banks by providing stable slopes and vegetation cover.

Pollution/ Contamination due to • Hydrocarbon, toxic material and (explosives -- use and storage of hazardous - if blasting will be involved) will be stored in substance adequately protected sites to prevent soil and water contamination while vehicle maintenance and refuelling will be confined to areas in construction sites designed to contain spilled lubricants and fuels. • Fuel depot shall be provided with impervious flooring and bund/containment wall to keep spilled fuel/lubricant within the depot; • Used oil and other toxic and hazardous materials shall be disposed of in an authorized facility off-site. • Spill waste will be disposed at disposal sites approved by local authorities. • Adequate precaution will be taken to prevent oil/lubricant/ hydrocarbon contamination of channel beds. Spillage, if any, will be immediately cleared with utmost caution to leave no traces • All areas intended for storage of hazardous materials will be quarantined and provided with adequate facilities to combat emergency situations complying all the applicable statutory stipulation • The personnel in-charge of these sites will be properly trained and these areas will be access controlled and entry will be allowed only under authorization

Occupational health and safety • Workers shall be provided with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety shoes, hard hats, safety glasses, ear plugs, gloves, etc. • The contractor shall orient workers on health and safety issues related to their activities as well as on the proper use of PPE. • Where worker exposure to traffic cannot be completely eliminated, protective barriers shall be provided to shield workers from traffic vehicles. Another measure is to install channelling devices (e.g., traffic cones and barrels) to delineate the work zone.

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SECTION 7 - ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Construction Stage • Workers shall be provided with potable water supply. • Construction camps shall be provided with adequate drainage to avoid accumulation of stagnant water. • Construction camps shall be provided with toilets/sanitation facilities in accordance with local regulations to prevent any hazard to public health or contamination of land, surface or groundwater. These facilities shall be well maintained to allow effective operation. • HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention program shall be implemented under the Project.

Public health and safety risks • Barriers (e.g., temporary fence), shall be installed at construction areas to deter pedestrian access to the road except at designated crossing points. • The general public/local residents shall not be allowed in high-risk areas, e.g., excavation sites and areas where heavy equipment is in operation. • Speed restrictions shall be imposed on Project vehicles and equipment when traversing areas with sensitive receptors (residential, schools, temples, etc.).

Loss of vegetation and habitat • High care will be observed where ever it is due to quarries and borrow pits necessary. • Do not cut trees outside of the construction zone. • In case of new quarries operation, the quarries will be approved by the Environmental monitoring Authorities.

Encroachment on water supply • Contractors will pay a fee to villagers for systems from road construction damage to water systems, perhaps based on activities number of days without water until the system is fixed. Fees might be specifically targeted towards women or women’s groups, since they are usually the ones who will have the main burden of carrying water when the system is down.

Encroachment on previously • Alert local authority upon discovery of any unidentified cultural heritage objects of possible archaeological significance sites that may be discovered during construction.

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SECTION 7 - ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Construction Stage • Construction activity will be stopped till a proper identification is made by a qualified archaeologist • Do not damage to any newly discovered heritage site.

Dust/air pollution • Maintain all construction vehicles to minimize toxic vehicle emission. • Appropriate, scheduled road maintenance will be needed to retain a sealed surface, continuing the improved situation. • Sprinkle water on the road surface to prevent dust emission at residential areas.

Creation of stagnant water • Incorporate adequate drainage and fill in bodies in borrow pits, quarries borrow pits and quarries. Before doing this activity, the local concern should be considered. The village authorities should also be consulted. • Maintain borrow pits and quarries by landscaping them after operation by growing the native species.

Noise and vibration • All construction vehicles will have working mufflers and they will be properly maintained. • Blasting activities should not disrupt the local population activities. • People should be well informed about the activity of road surfacing before using the rollers near to the settlement area.

Accidental risk by traffic • Employ “flag men” to regulate the traffic flow disruption during construction. at every construction area.

• Allow traffic to continue on old alignments till the completion of the new alignment.

• Where ever possible provide enough space for one-way traffic flow. • In mountainous areas, build one-half of the roadbeds at a time, leaving the other half open for traffic.

Visual impact of road cut, spoil • Where feasible, quarries will be sited away disposal, borrow pits, and from the road. Blasting and construction of quarries crushing plants will be done away from the road. The plants will not be placed very near to the human settlement.

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SECTION 7 - ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Construction Stage • In sites where quarries must be close to the road, trees and other vegetation will be left between the quarry/crushing plant sites and the road. • Screens will be provided to prevent the dust emissions.

Ground and water contamination • Collect, store and dispose of materials in by oil, grease, fuel, bitumen, etc. accordance with local law or standard acceptable practice.

Construction/traffic related dust • Limit construction works between 6 am and and noise impacts in villages 10.p.m in or near villages areas • Avoid use of vehicles with excessive exhaust or noise emission, install and maintain equipment silencers • Regularly sprinkle water on road surfaces in village areas during dry season, maintain the speed of the vehicles and maintain construction vehicles, cover haulage trucks with tarpaulins to prevent spillage. • The speed regulations should be strictly observed at the schools and at the settlement areas. • Pave roads through villages as soon as possible. It should be taken as a priority.

Environmental and Social • Hire as many local people as possible and train disruption from construction them Camp • Site construction camp should minimize adverse impacts by better management practices. • Implement malaria control, HIV/AIDS and yellow fever awareness programs. • Plan and carry out post construction site clean- up.

Water quality impacts • Work in rivers will be scheduled during dry season and work duration shall be as short as possible. • Immediate stabilization of bare slopes shall be undertaken. • Construction storage/stockpiles shall be provided with bunds to prevent silted run-off.

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SECTION 7 - ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Construction Stage • Stockpile areas and storage areas for hazardous substances shall be located away from water bodies. • Washing of machinery and vehicles in surface waters shall be prohibited.

Use of bush stick and Loss of Vegetation and habitat • Encourage contractors to hire readymade forms hard wood for culvert due to natural resource use for construction purposes and bridge construction • Prohibit contractors from using the tree resource for such purposed • Levi penalties for defiant contractors

Operation of Solid waste from the • Provide garbage tanks and sanitary facilities for construction camps construction camps workers. Waste in the specific tanks should be cleared regularly so that vector borne infections can be prevented. • The waste water from the construction camps should be settled and treated prior letting it out. The wastewater should not be let down into nearby surface waters. • Garbage will be collected in a tank and be disposed of periodically. • Special attention will be paid to the sanitary condition of camps.

Impact from extraction of • Balance cut and fill quantities as far as possible construction materials • Re-contour walls of borrow pits, reduce depth or fill in if required, spread with topsoil and re- vegetate with native species or return it to productive use, alternatively pits may be reshaped and left flooded for water storage or fishponds. Conversion borrow pits to fish ponds should be done in concurrence with the local population.

Increased Accidental risk of toxic materials • Incorporate plans for safe storage of all toxic construction spills from increased vehicular and potentially toxic material into traffic vehicular traffic traffic and commerce planning.

• Regulate transport of toxic materials. • Set and enforce speed limits, especially near schools and settlement areas.

Accidental Risk of Injury or • Install appropriate signs warning drivers to Loss of Life to People and slow down in settled and livestock areas. Livestock from Increased Traffic Volume and Speed

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SECTION 7 - ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES

Operation Stage

Beneficial Socio-Cultural Development • Support well-planned eco-tourism that involves Impacts solicitation of continuous feedback from both local residents and travellers. • Support the development of village cultural preservation groups, as already occur in several villages along the Project Road • The rural population can join the urban population and learn a lot more about the cultural values and it happens vice versa.

Better Connectivity • Better Connectivity and faster mobility • Access for the Medical and Educational Facilities • There will be an overall economic impact on the country

Marketability of food produce • Faster movement of perishable goods • Improved connectivity for the major markets • It will also help to export of food and vegetables for the neighbouring countries • Import of better seeds for increased food production.

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SECTION 8:ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

SECTION 8:ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

SECTION 8 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

SECTION 8 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP) 8.1 INTRODUCTION This environmental and social management plan (ESMP) is a generic ESMP for all the districts; however, site specific / the contractor should prepare contractors’ ESMP for each project road before works starts. We would like to emphasize that the cost or budget for implementing the ESMP is part of the civil works contract and have been included in this project as part of the annex.

The following personnel will be responsible for the implementation of the ESMP:

1. The Client’s Environmental Specialist: - She will give an oversight on all ESMP procedures. - Ensure that the sites specific ESMP are developed. - Review and approve the sites specific ESMP

2. The Supervising Consultant - Assist the Contractor (s) in developing the sites specific ESMP - Daily monitoring of all ESMP - Reporting on compliance and non – compliance

3. Contractor (s) - Develop all sites specific ESMP - Implementation of the specific sites ESMP

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SECTION 8 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

Table 12. Environmental and Social Management Plan

Impact and Desired Outcomes Monitoring/ Timing Responsible party Incremental Costs Mitigation/Enhancement performance Commitments Indicators/Targets or acceptance criteria A Construction Phase Positive Impact 1 Impact: Employment opportunities Mitigations: Local residents are • Percentage of Construction Contractor Negligible • Establishment of recruitment employed in at all level & residents employed period PIU centres at sub county level. special attention to women at various levels Local Authorities • Publicize recruitment using is achieved along project road EPA-SL appropriate media. • Percentage of women employed at various levels 2 Impact: Improved income generating opportunities Mitigations: • Local residents • Number of social Construction Contractor Negligible • Encourage local residents benefit from the groups established. period PIU especially women to form procurement • Number of local Local Authorities women's group process to supply residents/groups EPA-SL construction transacting business material demands. with contractors. • Appreciation in • Per cent value of land and property contracts awarded to values. local residents • Emergence of small enterprise at campsite

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SECTION 8 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

B OPERATIONAL PHASE 3 Impact: Shorter travel time & improved access to social services Enhancement: • Reduced time and • Drop in travel time in Operational • PIU Negligible Local public transport travel safer travel different sections of Phase • Traffic Police • Improve access to roads section social amenities • Number of accidents • Local /school per month authorities • Local drivers'/ riders' associations 4 Impact: Soil erosion Mitigation: • Rehabilitated • Area recovered and Construction Contractors Part of contractor‘s • Plant grass and trees on steep landscape with planted with trees/ and operational PIU bid embankments improved aesthetic grass phase EPA-SL • Compact loss earth material appeal • Look for evidence of on steep sections of the road • use the appropriate erosion after rainfall material that can will hold firm on steep slopes after compaction 5 Impact: Presence of Road Furniture Enhancement: Reduced accidents Number of accidents Operational PIU, Limited costs Sensitize road users on road recorded per year Phase - Traffic Police, - signage Local Govt. authorities Negative Impacts Road Rehabilitation and Campsite Development Phase 6 Impact: Destruction of Vegetation

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SECTION 8 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

Mitigation: Ensure no trees are Number of trees Construction PIU Negligible • Identify valuable local tree destroyed destroyed / felled Phase Contractors species Local owners/ • Species for planting on Ensure that tree Number of seedlings farmers private land and on the road replacement is planted planted reserve. and sustained • Identify plants trees with socio-economic value (medicinal, timber, fruit etc.) and conservation purposes. • Recover valuable wood for use by the community • Replace 1 felled tree with 10 seedlings (1:10). 7 Impacts: Improper management of cut to spoil, debris, stripped vegetation (overburden) Mitigation: • Elimination of Rehabilitated sites using Construction -Contractors Negligible • Use soil spoils in backfilling. blight due to over burden Phase -Supervising • Use soil spoil for daily cover unsightly heaps of consultant at disposal sites. Salvage overburden - District vegetation for use by • No illegal environment communities. dumping of officers • Consult District Environment construction waste Officers on disposal of over especially in burden wetland 8 Impact: Soil and surface water contamination by accidental spills of lubricants and fuels Mitigation: An elaborate Levels of contamination Construction - Contractors Contractor’s bid • Recycling lubricants for construction waste of nearby surface water and post -Consultant form work, disposal plans and soils construction -District • Design manual for handling indicating records phase authorities waste oils etc. of generated wastes

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SECTION 8 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

• Pave areas for refilling and and place where -Environment repair of equipment, disposed off Officers • Sensitize workers on managing hazardous waste, 9 Impact: Air pollution Mitigation: • Improved air • Level of suspended Construction -Contractors Negligible • Enforce speed reduction on quality with particulate matter in Phase - Supervising sections under construction suspended air in areas under Consultant • Spray water to suppress dust particulate construction. release matter with • Level of complaints WB limits. from the public 10 Impact: Child Labour Mitigation: • No children are Count no of children Construction -Local Authorities • Make it clear to all contractors allowed to be employed phase -Contractor that child labour is unacceptable employed SCADeP • Inform Local authorities that child labour is unacceptable in this project 11 Impact: Impairment of drainage and infilling of wetlands Mitigation: No incidence of Frequency of flooding at Construction -Contractor In contractor‘s bid • Schedule construction activities flooding due to river/stream crossings and Operation - Consultant in wetlands during water stress construction phases. -SCADeP periods. activities -Local council • Improve geometric properties of Flow of water is officers roads in wetlands to take into maintained across account unexpected amounts of bridge location water. Install culverts with appropriate specifications.

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SECTION 8 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

• Provide temporary diversions such as with coffer dam when installing culverts • For the construction of bridges, construction activities should be carried out during the dry season. However, if there is need to construct across waterway, the flow of water should not be obstructed by constructing cofferdam. 12 Impact: Gullies resulting from deep cuts and steep slopes Mitigation: Controlled erosion • Rate of siltation in Construction -Contractor Part of contractors • Protect road embankments with from road nearby surface water. and operation - Consultant BOQ stone walls embankments. • Rate of rill formation phases -SCADeP • Plant vegetation on graded Improved aesthetic on road sides Soil -Local council embankments to improve of road. • transport/creeps on officers aesthetic beauty. embankments • Compact steep sections of the • look for visual road to minimize erosion in such evidence of erosion sections of the road after it rains 13 Impact : Increased noise levels Mitigation: Noise should not Monitored noise levels at Construction Consultant Part of contractors • Schedule construction exceed required construction sites Level of Phase -SCADeP BOQ activities near school during local and complaints from the -Local council weekends or during school international public officers holidays standard • Ensure equipment maintenance schedules are followed.

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SECTION 8 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

14 Impact: Effects of operation of borrow pits a. Visual impairment • Restored sites Level of suspended During and -Contractor In contractor‘s bid Mitigation: with aesthetic particles in surrounding after - Consultant beauty air and water construction -SCADeP • Disposal of cut to spoil restored. -Local council in borrow pits • Cut to spoil Level of water retention at officers • Backfilled pits should be not dumped in the restored site left to settle before tree sensitive planting takes place. ecosystems • Screen off borrow pits as like wetlands. recovery takes place. • No accidents involving b. Suspended particulate community matter in air and water members and Mitigation: livestock • Establish cut off drains • Work area & around material storage neighbour - areas. hood free of • Maintain surfaces free of excessive dust debris. Elimination of • Suppress dust by water vectors bowsers. • Restored and • Plant grass on aesthetically embankments attractive sites. c. Disease vectors in abandoned borrow Mitigation: • Backfill abandoned pits • Planting vegetation on restored sites. • Screen off quarry sites

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SECTION 8 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

15 Impact: Effects of worker’s camps and equipment yards Mitigation: Reduction in Reported number of Construction - Contractor $10,000 Any worker’s camp that is set up occupational health trainings and sensitization phase - Consultant Negligible by the Contractor/Sub-contractor and safety hazard, carried out. -SCADeP should comply with the World increased awareness of Number of women -Local council Bank’s guidelines on Worker HIV/STDs. employed officers Camps, particularly having a list Employment if women Reported complaints of all workers, regular training on Cordial relationships involving construction occupational health and safety, with the surrounding workers and local community health and safety, communities. residents. HIVs/STDs, gender equality High levels of Waste collection Locate worker’s camps and sanitation at the frequency. equipment yards away from campsite. Reported incidences of sensitive ecosystems. No exposure to exposure to hazardous Maintain a realistic buffer hazardous substances. wastes. distance from the community. Easy access to medical Reported cases to health Screen off site to intrusion by services when required unit community. Counselling services Enforce buffer distance are easily accessed. regulations from surface water Documentation sources. requirements for Develop waste management applicants, system. requirement for Management plan for contractors to maintain construction waste. records of employees Solid waste disposal sites will be showing age. located away from watercourses and have restricted access. 16 Impact: Community health and safety Mitigation: • Increase No new incidents of HIV Construction Contractors USD 5,000 for each participants’ /Aids and STIs reported Phase Consultants contract road

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SECTION 8 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

• Contractors should undertake awareness of HIV/ at local health centers Local health sensitization of communities Aids among local community workers for communicable diseases, • Reduce the risk of members • and the contractor should STI transmission embark on condom sharing for STIs during the meetings with communities 17 Impact: Occupational Health Hazards and Risks Mitigation: No injuries to workers No of injuries reported in Construction - Contractor USD 5000 for • Contractors should provide Reduced risks to the every month during the Phase - Consultant HIV/AIDS induction training to all work force. construction phase -SCADeP Awareness workers on OHS Design A safe and productive -Local council USD 4,000 for PPEs occupational safety reference work environment. officers (for each contract manual road) • Contractors should provide all workers PPE • Institute peer counselling and monitoring. • Install housekeeping signage in all work places • Observe recommended working conditions for all workers • Provide onsite mobile toilet systems. • Design an HIV/AIDS policy and strategies for awareness, counselling and support. This ESMP was developed after investigating all the different districts and looking at their terrain.

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SECTION 8 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

8.2 Budget for the Implementation of the ESMP There are minor non-significant impacts can be curtailed by the site-specific environmental management plan for this project. However, there is budget provision to handle the mitigation measure caused during the construction of the project. Even the budget provided is a very small amount. Like the reclamation of borrow areas and quarry sites and debris disposal and landscaping requires certain budget, so they are provided with some amount, as there is lack of funds for construction activities. The amount required for this reclamation activities are given in a meagre budget provided. Capacity building is seen as an essential element of the environmental management work, consultation with the government officials and local communities in the ongoing process to ensure that the environmentally such protecting the natural and ecological environment meets its objectives. The Environmental Specialist of the Consultant should be directly involved with the process of designing various environmental training modules for the environmental impacts mitigation and environmental management plan. The participants for the training program include: The training program will be done for the entire project and will be held at various stages of the project cycle. The major issues which will be focused during the training is the efficient environmental monitoring of the project implementation, data analysis and interpretation of results, institutional monitoring and strengthening, resettlement issues, land acquisition issues and resettlement action plan. Each of the training aspects will be dealt for two-day workshop. The finance for conducting training should be provided by the Government and funding can be expected from the funding agency. The following should be consider as given down below Table 13 Budget for ESMP Environmental issues Quantity Unit

Feeder Roads (500 Km) Maintain borrow pit site by landscaping and re- Lump Site vegetating after operation Sum Maintain quarry site by landscaping and re-vegetating Lump Site after operation Sum Water the road at the settle area when dust seem to be Lump sum Month arise Make workers aware on STD and HIV/AIDS and Lump sum Ebola Post construction clean-up to ensure no dangerous Lump sum Camp debris are left behind the camp site Tree Replanting No. Safety equipment for workers (first aid kit and personal Lump sum Camp protective equipment (PPEs)

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SECTION 8 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

Details of the Budget Cost per Lot is given in Annex 6 8.3 ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL MONITORING PLAN 8.3.1 Introduction SCADeP, SLRA and EPA-SL shall carry out environmental monitoring in order to ensure that construction activities comply with and adhere to environment requirements. Clear monitoring plan is associated with the management plan of the following chapter. In addition, implementation of mitigation measures in the EIA report and EIA License approval conditions will have to be implemented. The core-monitoring tool the Contractors will use is a standalone Environmental Monitoring Plan. This will serve as a reference document for planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting. Both the Contractor and the Supervising Engineer will have competent staff in the field of environmental and social management to ensure that commitment in the EIA report are implemented on daily basis. Monitoring will involve measurements, observations, evaluations, assessment and reporting on the following variables during the implementation phases of the proposed project. Among others, implementation of the following will be monitored;- • Impact on ecosystems, e.g. road kills of fauna and damage to trees. • Accidents during road construction. • Socio-economic impacts of the project (e.g. impacts on roadside markets, water sources, impact on schools, etc.). • Environmental impacts and restoration of material sources (specifically borrow and sand mining sites). Impact on cultural resources / practices. • Construction waste management. • Measures for mitigation of air quality regularly. • Measures for protection of water quality. • Measures for control of noise levels during working hours. • Measures for control of land degradation on temporary stock pile areas or campsites. • Measures for Occupational Safety and Health. Monitoring activities associated with afore mentioned issues should be documented and reported by the consultants monthly and quarterly to SCADeP and other key stakeholders. 8.3.2 Environment Monitoring and Incidence Reports This section describes the monitoring program and reporting required for ensuring effective implementation of the Environment and Social Monitoring Plan (ESMP), including assignment of responsibilities and environmental performance monitoring to be conducted as part of the project. The locations for monitoring are specified as following: • Noise level exposure – at sensitive receptors in the nearby settlements

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SECTION 8 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

• Landslide and soil erosion – at landslide prone areas identified next to proposed project infrastructure • Pedestrian and traffic safety – in settlements along project roads in all the fourteen districts and next to active construction sites (access roads) • Air quality – at sensitive receptors – health care centres, schools, community and religious places. • Water resources depletion and water scarcity – at community water sources next to proposed project infrastructure e.g. use to local water source to mitigate dust along project road especially when work is on- going in settlement areas. 8.3.3 Construction Commencement Report The Supervising Consultant and Contractors will document the physical, biological and cultural features and values in the areas where the project will be implemented. This will be achieved using photographs and chainage points along the project projects to avoid interference with such areas. This task should be done in collaboration with the local authorities. The Supervising Environmentalists will mark sensitive areas so the proposed mitigation plan can be implemented during construction. This data shall be included in inspection reports and submitted to SCADeP as part of the progress reports. 8.3.4 Routine Reports The project will prepare and submit to the relevant government departments and the World Bank, a project Environmental and Social quarterly report. The structure, content and format will be agreed with government and the Bank prior to the commencement of the work. This quarterly report will document key information on the project’s performance against the ESMP requirement. The Supervising Environmentalist will inspect the works for compliance with the contract specifications, proposed construction mitigation measures and all relevant environmental regulatory requirements concerning the project on a continuous basis. The Environmentalist will also conduct random inspections while construction activities are occurring on site. Inspection/supervision will include all construction work, pits, excavations, waste collection and disposal areas, access roads and other project structures. The inspection will include but not be limited to: • Inspection of past work carried out for compliance with contract specifications; • Inspection of construction areas for signs of environmental spills or emergencies; • Inspection of the markers/ tapes used to fence off sensitive areas and no disturbance areas; and • Inspection of construction equipment for oil and fuel leaks. 8.3.5 Emergency/ Environmental Response Contractors must notify the PCU immediately any social or environmental incident occurs. Contractors must ensure that all environmental and social incidents are appropriately

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documented, that the relevant parties are notified and that reporting requirements around the incidents are met. For monitoring emergencies, the Supervising Environmentalist will target the following:- • The contractor‘s activities for non-compliance with environmental specifications • Grounds for non-compliance and notify the Supervising Engineer. If non-compliance is not rectified and the significance of the non-compliance warrants it, the procedure to halt construction will be initiated. The Environmentalist can instruct the contractor to halt work if: • Construction activities are unexpectedly and significantly affecting environmentally sensitive areas or features; • There is likelihood or actual occurrence for an environmental emergency; • A government agency has ordered the work to halt to enable supervision of remedial activities before work can commence. 8.3.6 Progress Reporting A monthly Inspection Summary Report and detailed monthly Environmental Report with clear illustrations will be prepared and submitted to SCADEP for onward submission to the Bank. The Detailed Environmental Report will form an appendix to the monthly and quarterly inspection and summary report. A copy of all written documentation and records of verbal communication will be submitted as part of the detailed monthly report which will result from a compilation of Weekly Reports. The monthly reports will also include: • General progress of the project with special emphasis on work in environmentally sensitive areas; • Routine mitigation measures being used and monitoring of effectiveness; and • Environmental concerns encountered including community concerns, recommendations made and new mitigation measures taken (if any) including a list and record of all parties notified of any changes. 8.3.7 Final Mitigation Report In line with the General Specifications for Road (SLRA's Feeder Road's Policy) and Bridge Works, a Final Mitigation Report will be prepared with the full involvement of Environmentalists of the Supervising Engineer and the Contractor. The report will among others include: • A summary of all work in environmentally sensitive areas, including procedures used and success thereof; (e.g. flood plains or swamp ecosystems) • Routine mitigation measures used and mitigation effectiveness; • Explanation of all design changes implemented for environmental reasons and/or recommended design changes; • Summary of environmental concerns encountered and new mitigation measures taken;

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• A summary of all correspondence and communication with Government agencies and the contractors (s); and • A copy for all reports for halted works or environmental emergencies. • An opinion on compliance with environmental requirements. 8.3.8 Institutional Arrangements and Roles The SCADeP will be the Project Coordinating Unit (PCU) with the key role of coordinating the key stakeholders involved with the upgrade and rehabilitation of the 500km of Feeder roads in fourteen districts in Sierra Leone (SCADeP, SLRA, EPA-SL and 13 Districts and Local Council) and other key players including CSOs in the concerned Districts among others. SCADeP will act on behalf the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security and of the borrower (GoSL) to enter into agreement and receive funds from the World Bank for the implementation of this Feeder roads rehabilitation project. SCADeP will be responsible for coordination of implementation and the management and disbursement of the project funds to the implementing contractors and will host the Project Implementation Unit (PIU). The PIU will manage implementation of the project under the two components of traditional and performance-based contracting. The roles of the implementing agencies will include: • Contracting and implementing physical works, according to agreed procurement procedures • Managing sub accounts according to agreed Financial Management arrangements • Providing quarterly financial reports on physical and financial progress • Environmental and Social Safeguards Implementation • Informing and engaging citizens • Ensuring availability of officers for regular monitoring of the implementation Under the Districts, the District Council will be responsible for the policy decisions on the implementation of the Project. Engineers will assist the Project Manager, environmentalists and sociologists to ensure that all planned activities are undertaken as per technical, environmental and social specifications and safeguards. Contractors are strongly encouraged to follow the Environmental and Social Management Plan and report according to the format provided in Annex 3. Who monitors and how: Monitoring will be undertaken by PCU in SCADeP, SLRA, Supervising Consultant, EPA-SL and District Environmental Officers. Monitoring by EPA-SL is - third party monitor, but this is its regulatory mandate and cover in the EIA License. Another government agency that may undertake - third party monitoring is the Ministry responsible for Labour and Industrial Relations. This unit has authority to inspect any facility for compliance with national requirements on safety in workplaces. The project shall not provide funding for this activity since this is provided for in its annual budget. Monitoring will be done through site inspection, review of grievances logged by stakeholders and ad hoc discussions with potentially affected persons. For each monitoring visit, a

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SECTION 8 - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT PLAN (ESMP)

discussion with local leadership at District level that could provide insight into grievances a given community has about the project. An inter-agency committee involving local government offices and key institutions mandated for these roles will undertake monitoring. Frequency of Monitoring and Reporting Monitoring will be undertaken monthly over the construction period. The contractor’s Environmental Officer under oversight of the supervising consultant shall compile detailed monthly monitoring reports with clear illustrations of implementation of mitigation measures. The reports will be based on records kept as per requirements of the General Specifications for the project. These detailed reports with evidence of compliance shall be prepared and appended to summary monthly reports. 8.3.9 Obligations of the Contractor The contractors are required to develop a 1. Contractor's site specific Environmental & Social Management Plan (ESMP) which should include a relevant Emergency Response Plan and 2. Occupational Health and Safety Plan.

SCADeP and other stakeholders shall enforce implementation of the provisions of the ESMP through the supervising consultant and Contractor. In addition to monitoring of implementation of environmental provisions, there is a need for an Environmental Specialist, Social Specialist and Land Acquisition Specialist (when required) to be involved in monitoring the Contractors' activities during construction. The contractors shall bear the responsibility to carry out the implementation of HIV/AIDS sensitization and control among their work force. That is Contractors are expected to implement their own HIV/AIDS prevention campaign at every construction camp put in place.

At field level, the Contractor‘s Environmental Officer and Health and Safety Officers, shall be responsible for implementing the ESMP. Monitoring sequences are to be agreed upon with contractors before commencement of works. In general, contractor is responsible for implementing the ESMP and submits reports through the supervising consultant to SCADeP

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SECTION 9:PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND DISCLOSURE PROCESS (PCDP)

SECTION 9 - PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND DISCLOSURE PROCESS (PCDP)

SECTION 9 PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND DISCLOSURE PROCESS (PCDP) 9.1 INTRODUCTION Public participation is concerned with involving, informing and consulting the public in planning, management and other decision-making activities. Public participation aims at ensuring that due consideration is given to public values, concerns and preferences when decisions are made. It encompasses the public actively sharing in the decisions that government and other agencies make in their search for solutions to issues of public interest. It is a continuous process that should continue throughout the project. Public consultation in this project was carried out with the following aims: • To inform the Project Affected Persons (PAPs), leaders and other stakeholders about the proposed project and its objectives. • To seek views, concerns and opinions of people in the project area or road corridor • To establish if the local people foresee any positive or negative environmental impacts from the project and if so how the impacts can be addressed. Stakeholders’ consultation tour to the thirteen (12) districts including Western Area took about three weeks to cover all the local communities in which the project roads are found in February 2018. Meetings were held with the various stakeholders, where the Consultant presented the list of roads under the proposed road project and the rehabilitation interventions to be considered during implementation. Meetings were also conducted with district and city councils in the different districts, including the Western Area. 9.2 APPROACH TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND CONSULTATION The EPA Act of 2008 and the EIA procedure 1999 underscores the need for stakeholder participation in the ESIA process. Residents along the proposed project roads and areas have to live with the project if implemented as they have the most to gain when project impacts are beneficial to them. Conversely, they have the most at stake if the project goes awry. Not just residents but for projects whose impacts have a wide geographical spread, distant communities need to be involved. Stakeholder input is thus vital at the earliest stage possible in project development and should continue throughout the project cycle. In case of the Proposed Feeder Road Project, public consultations followed several steps as follows: 9.2.1 Identification of Stakeholders Like in all civil engineering projects, the core stakeholders comprise people to be directly served by the proposed project roads and then comprise residents along the selected road corridors in the thirteen districts, motorists, businessmen/women and service providers who rely on the road for transportation, etc. This is the group that is likely to be positively or negatively affected by the proposed development. This study also identified a second category of stakeholders, which comprised of government offices (proponent) in charge of diverse sectors, which are likely to be impacted by the Feeder Roads project. This category was also consulted as key informants on sectorial policy and to advise this ESIA team on mitigation measures to be put in place so as to minimize adverse impacts in respective sectors. Each category of stakeholders called for a different approach to consultation. The following stakeholders were consulted

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SECTION 9 - PUBLIC CONSULTATION AND DISCLOSURE PROCESS (PCDP)

- District Councils - Communities along the project roads

Registers of all those who attended are in the annex section of this report.

9.2.2 Identification Modalities of Consultation and Participation The following techniques and instruments were used for public participation and consultation; Photography and direct observation Photography was particularly useful as it captured the real situation on the ground that was relevant to the study. Direct observation involved site viewing of the proposed project locations to see the extent of development on it and the condition of the existing road Alignments (refer to Annex 3). Questionnaires Structured questionnaires were used to collect information from key informants such as households in the study area, however, for most of the respondents the questionnaire was used like a checklist for socio-economic baseline information due unavailability of baseline data and the high illiteracy rate in the project area. Public meetings This involved scheduled meetings with the public who are directly affected by or will benefit directly from the proposed project. The aim was to get their views concerning the proposed project; how it will affect them and the environment. 9.2.3 Identification Residents Consultations Most of the stakeholders near to the selected Feeder roads comprise of residents in the settlements / villages and towns situated along such roads in the thirteen districts. These residents will continue staying in their local communities and will not be affected by the project to the extent of resettling any of them away from their present locations. Although few structures (sheds and kitchens etc.) will be affected and will need to be relocated away from the road corridor within the same settlement, on the average, the impact is minimal and positive in the long run. Consultation involved talking to representative samples of all. A summary of the outcome of the consultation with local residents during the open session discussions is presented in 9.3. 9.3 OUTCOMES OF STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION PROCESS Employment It was the wish of the stakeholders that priority of employment opportunities for skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labour be given to the local residents. However, the locals were informed that if the local residents do not have adequate or none at all of the skilled labour, then these can be sourced from outside their district or region. Moreover, they should know that priority for labour intake will be given to them but they should accept Sierra Leoneans from other regions with prerequisite skills that will be employed on the project since they are one people. Potential for increased economic activities

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The residents are optimistic that upon completion of the project roads, more opportunities for business will be realized. Completion of the project will attract more investors/ traders and increase in business activities among the residents because it will be easy to transport goods from villages to other villages / towns in their Region /districts. This means that the returns from sales of agricultural goods to the residents will be higher than the current case. Reduction of travel time Another additional benefit will be improved transport services as improvement of the selected roads will increase attraction of the nearby settlements to use the project roads to get to different destinations and districts headquarter towns. This in return, will ensure that people save time and it also means that costs of travel from remote settlements to the other settlements will be lowered because of shorter time taken to travel and improved road network. Long-term sustainability Most of the stakeholders requested that the proposed project should not lead to environmental degradation (e.g. hard wood cutting in Koinadugu District) and require that comprehensive assessment of potential impact areas be carried out. Moreover, they were concerned about the maintenance regime of such roads once they were completed. However, in addressing this issue the study him informed participants that they still have an opportunity to incorporate this into the CDAP for their respective areas once the contractors have been commissioned and there is an allocation for capacity building which will ensure that the local youths take over the maintenance of these project roads. Poor drainage and flooding The stakeholders raised issue of poor drainage in the area due to heavy trucks plying their routes in search of agricultural goods and hard wood especially in Koinadugu, Kailahun and Pujehun districts respectively. This situation resident noted that the culvert points flood during heavy rains and makes crossing such sections impossible. They proposed that the project should address the poor drainage facilities in their areas to allow accessibility throughout the year and reduce flooding issues in the affected sections of the roads. The stakeholders were informed that the issue of drainage has been addressed in the design. Health and Safety The stakeholders were concerned about safety hazards related to operation of construction equipment and machinery, which could lead to injuries or loss of life for the workers. The stakeholders were informed that measures to mitigate potential health and safety hazards has been provided in the ESMP which include enforcing speed limits, inspection of machinery, training of machinery safety, provision of adequate safety signage and wears among others. 9.4 THE GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM (GRM) In all the project areas, the grievance redress mechanism was presented by the consultant and briefly discussed with the participants. In these meetings, it was requested that the local leadership structures be used to address grievances relating to the proposed rehabilitation project.

The Local Councils volunteered to further sensitize the project communities about the grievance redress mechanism according to both the requirements of Sierra Leone and of the World Bank. For this project, SCADeP GRM handbook will be used.

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The proposed Structure of the GRM will be

Project-level Committee

• Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS) Chair • Project Coordinator PCU • Grants Manager PCU • Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialist, PCU Secretary/Registrar • Communications Officer, PCU • SCADeP Value Chain Promotion Officers PCU • Civil Society Organization • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA-SL)

In addition to the above list, we recommend that the Supervising Consultant, Local representatives from the communities should be included. The following stages will be used to address of complaint and grievance.

Stage 1: due to the level of illiteracy, the channel of receiving grievance/complaint shoould be both verbal and written. The village Chief should be the focal person for each community. Individual household or a whole community should take their complaint to the village Chief who will assess the grievance and take action at the village level. If the grievance cannot be solved, the Chief should refer the matter to the project level committee. The Chief should assist the complainant in filling the project complaint register form. This form will be signed and then submitted to the committee.

Stage 2: a maximum of 10 days will be required for the complaint to be processed. The project level committee should visit the complainant to assess and evaluate the grievance and to establish the appropriate response. An investigation into the causes will commence and a solution will be reached.

Stage 3: resolving the issue - after investigation of the issue has completed, the findings should be submitted to the committee and the matter deliberated on. The outcome should be communicated and the final solution should then be signed by all parties. In the case where a solution of the grievance is not accepted by the complainant, the complainant should further seek redress in an appropriate court of Sierra Leone. The Court will now be in the position to give verdict. Stage 4: monitoring, evaluation and feedback- The monitoring should include the progress of implementation of grievance resolutions and the timeliness of grievance redress, follow up grievances to be sure they are attended to, and document details of complaints received and the progress in solving them (SCADeP 2017).

Under this project, the following grievances are anticipated: 1. Ownership of water resource 2. Acquisition of borrow pit land – ownership

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3. Cutting down of trees In order to prevent the occurrence of these grievance, community consultation and engagement should be effective and sufficient and timely communication will be very vital.

9.5 GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AND VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN Violence against women and children is becoming prevalent in Sierra Leone especially in the rural areas. In most household, the man is the head of the family and have control of the women and the children. In subsequent section of this report, we have mentioned that women should be employed for non – skilled works such as brushing, removing of small boulders etc. Despite the possibility for women to be employed, there is also the risk for Gender based violence against women. In some areas, the men are reluctant to work, they prefer allowing their wives or elder daughters to work on project. However, there is the tendency of dispute when it comes to payment. The men prefer any payment to their wives and/or daughters to be paid to them despite them not working or even if they also worked. Any objection to their request will be met by violence. Also, there is the possibility for parent to send their children to do labour work or even join them to work during working hours. As part of the sensitization campaign, men will be educated that it is a crime to apply any form of violence against their wives (these are related to physical or economical abuse). Also, communities will be educated that child labour will not be accepted on this project. Every woman should be interviewed to establish that they voluntarily decided to work and are not coerce. The Sierra Leone Constitution (1991)

Section 15 of the Constitution guarantees fundamental Human Rights of the individual irrespective of sex. In the area of protection from violence, Section 15(a) of the Constitution provides for the right to life, liberty and security of person, while Section 20 stipulates that no person shall be subject to any form of torture or punishment or other inhuman or degrading treatment. These constitutional provisions ought to promote a basis for government to protect and promote the rights of women to be free from violence and ensure that its laws, policies and programmes reflect these provisions.

9.6 CHANCE FIND PROCEDURE There are construction activities that will require excavation and there is a possibility of encountering buried items of archaeological or cultural/historical significance such as sacred woods or tree, rock outcrops etc. for any such findings, the supervising Consultant should be notified who should then notified the relevant authority including the Client. The “Chance Finds” procedure is a process that prevent any archaeological, cultural or historical sites to be destroyed or disturbed until an assessment by a specialist is done and

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actions implemented that are consistent with the requirements of OP4.11. If in the process of excavation any of these sites is encountered, work will cease, the supervising consultant should inspect and secure the site. The Consultant will then contact the relevant authority for advice and further action to be taken. In the Specific sites ESMP, provision should be made for Chance Find Procedure such as a rapid archaeological survey. The procedures will include

1. Identification 2. Cessation of Work 3. Protection of Site 4. Record keeping 5. Informing the relevant authority such as EPA and Tourist Board 6. Expert verification 7. Chain of custody

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SECTION 10:COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACTION PLAN (CDAP)

SECTION10 - COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACTION PLAN (CDAP

SECTION 10 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACTION PLAN (CDAP) The objective of a CDAP is to develop a plan stipulating the felt needs of affected communities and their expectation from contractors in addressing the set needs. The plan provides opportunities for welfare improvement of affected communities. For this feeder roads rehabilitation project, the CDAP will be developed before construction commences, developed to manage the activities associated with the proposed development, which may lead to the occurrence of the issues and impacts discussed. It will further address the potential problem of maintaining the road once it is completed, so that it does not deteriorate to its present state. The plan consists of a management strategy, broken up into recommendations that attempt to maximize benefits and minimize adverse impacts on the local community. The following management measures will be implemented to ensure that the issues and concerns expressed about the project are properly mitigated and avoided where possible; • SCADeP will plan and carry out its infrastructural projects strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Environmental Protection Agency Act, 2008; • SCADeP will ensure that direct benefits from its programs are focused on the surrounding communities; and • A Community Development Action Plan, will focus on establishing sustainable livelihood projects and capacity building relating to the training of youths in different communities in maintaining and managing the road once it has been completed. The process will involve active participation of affected communities, SCADeP and the various Contractors. Other specialist and interested stakeholders could be called upon to provide expert advice and assistance for the preparation and implementation of the CDAP. SCADeP could select and prioritize projects for the implementation based on community needs and availability of funds. The development projects identified could be related to: • Improve health standards through timely provision of quality, affordable and accessible healthcare services, safe drinking water, improved sanitation and waste disposal; • Improve access to formal education through the establishment/rehabilitation of educational infrastructure and facilities; • Youth empowerment schemes; • Targeted sensitization and awareness raising on the transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS, Ebola and STDs; and • Ensuring the maintenance of a stakeholder consultation and participation through regular consultative meetings. The affected Communities will establish a District Steering Committee responsible for the joint implementation of the CDAP. Moreover, the funding required for the implementation of the CDAP will be provided in the project.

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SECTION 11:CONCLUSIONS

SECTION11 :- CONCLUSIONS

SECTION 11 CONCLUSIONS Since road upgrade and drainage systems will largely follow existing alignments, EIA findings indicate that direct impacts will be fairly benign and limited to the alignment areas where road and drainage works will be undertaken. Direct negative impacts will include: • Soil erosion especially during rainy season; • Scouring of the landscape due to opening of borrow pits; • Destruction of vegetation due to clearing right-of-way and inadequate re-vegetation; • Dust emissions, • Noise and vibrations during road construction; • Increased sediment loads to streams and rivers where road crossings occur. • The project could further have impacts from improper disposal of cut to spoil and wastes. • Other concerns include occupational safety hazards, traffic accidents and HIV/AIDS risk associated with construction labour. Secondary beneficial impacts include among others: • Improved accessibility, • Reduced public transport costs, • Road safety improvement, • Improved access to social services, • Improved local economies and induced development, • Upgraded drainage systems will result in reduced risks of flooding and reduced soil loss in the residential areas. Positive impacts from road improvement activities will occur and indeed justify this project. Other benefits include increase in value of agricultural products due to improved access to markets, stimulation and development of roadside economic activities, increased social mobility and access to social services especially health. In conclusion, the findings of the studies indicate that the impacts associated with the Feeder roads project will be limited to the road corridor where the construction intervention will take place. Below is a table showing direct negative and positive impacts; Table: summary of impacts

No Impact (Negative) Description 1 Soil erosion especially during rainy Direct, short term, temporal (with appropriate season interventions), local effect, low social sensitivity, minor severity and very low intensity (Most roads are in flat to well drained terrain) and low non-compliance with regulatory or legislative requirement

2 Scouring of the landscape due to Direct, Short term, temporal (with reclamation), Low opening of borrow pits social sensitivity, low intensity (few borrow pits are opened and earth material is necessary to fill in bad

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SECTION11 :- CONCLUSIONS

No Impact (Negative) Description sections only), severity is negligible, low intensity, low to moderate non- compliance

3 Destruction of vegetation due to Direct, temporal (natural re-vegetation occurs within clearing right-of-way and inadequate five years) Low social sensitivity, local (affecting re-vegetation; ROW only), negligible severity, very low intensity, low non- compliance ( SLRA clear ROW vegetation

during maintenance to allow for clear visibility)

4 Dust emissions Direct, short term, temporal. Reversible, local effect, low to medium social sensitivity, medium to high non- compliance, moderate to substantial (earth roads are normally dusty but wetting them will moderate dust production during construction), medium to high and medium to high non- compliance

5 Noise and vibrations during road Direct, short term, temporal, local low social construction sensitivity, low non- compliance, minor to negligible severity (feeder road construction is labour intensive with very little machinery input), very low intensity

6 Increased sediment loads to streams Direct, temporal, short term, affects local streams, low and rivers where road crossings social sensitivity (siltation occurs naturally with occur. construction intervention), severity is minor, intensity is low (improved drainage and erosion control measures)

7 The project could further have Direct, medium to long term (if properly not disposed impacts from improper disposal of of), low social sensitivity, medium to long term, cut to spoil and wastes medium compliance, very low intensity

8 Other concerns include occupational Direct, short term, temporal, local effect, regional safety hazards, traffic accidents and (contractor brings some workers from outside with high HIV/AIDS risk associated with HIV/Aids transition risk), high social sensitivity, minor construction labour severity (Works are labour intensive with low accident / safety risk) high social severity(if STD infected), low intensity (HIV sensitization to be undertaken) and low non-compliance (PPE supply ensured)

No Positive Impact Description 1 Improved accessibility, Direct, long term, permanent, local and regional

2 Reduced public transport costs Direct, long term, temporal,

3 Road safety improvement, Direct, medium term (feeder roads deteriorate after few years), temporal,

4 Improved access to social services Direct, long term, permanent,

5 Improved local economies and Direct, short to medium, low social sensitivity, low induced development, non – compliance with regulations

6 Upgraded drainage systems will Direct, short term (during raining season) local, result in reduced risks of flooding

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SECTION11 :- CONCLUSIONS

No Impact (Negative) Description and reduced soil loss in the residential areas

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SECTION 12: RECOMMENDATIONS

Roughton International Ltd Associates information ICS Ltd ANNEX 5