1 RESETTLMENT ACTION PLAN (RAP) SUMMARY Project Name
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RESETTLMENT ACTION PLAN (RAP) SUMMARY Project Name: MULTINATIONAL ETHIOPIA / DJIBOUTI Ethiopia – Djibouti Transport Corridor Project Phase I Country: Ethiopia and Djibouti Project Number: PZ1-DB0-205 Division: PICU1 Project Category: Category I Department: PICU Date: January 2019 1. Description of the project, project area and area of influence The proposed Adama-Melka Jilo (60km) Expressway is a continuation of the existing Addis Ababa- Adama expressway and part of the planned Adama-Dire Dawa Expressway project, which has been designed in recognition of the high level of congestion on the existing Addis Ababa – Djibouti road. A large portion of the traffic on this road are heavy loaded trucks transporting import and export goods. The project is located in the central eastern part of Ethiopia, within the corridor of the existing Addis Ababa – Adama – Awash – Djibouti trunk road, and traverses 3 districts of Oromia and Amhara National Regional States. The starting point is at the outskirt of Adama Town at a distance of 90km southeast of Addis Ababa. The end of the project is at Km. 60 near Melka Jilo - a small town in Minjar Shenkora district of Amhara National Regional State. The current road design has two link roads: the first one connecting the expressway with Welenchiti Town in Boset district with a length of 1.5km; and the second linking the expressway to Nura Era Junction on the existing asphalt Road that runs from Adama to Awash. A third 1 km link road connecting Melka Jilo - rail way pass – express way link has been requested by the community of Minjar Shenkora district. There will be 3 Interchanges to connect the express way & provide access through the link roads to the towns of Adama, Welenchit and Nura Era. The proposed expressway will run parallel to the existing asphalt road mainly on the left side. The geographic coordinates are 5341e. The physical environment of the expressway falls within the Ethiopian Rift Valley system and thus it traverses flat and rolling land for about 55.7 per cent and 44.3 per cent respectively. Elevations along the route corridor varies between 800 and 1700 meters above sea level. The project is designed to AASHTO’s Freeway Standards for main road with a total length of 60km, and DC-5 Standard for link roads, having a right of way (ROW) of 90m. There will be two lanes of 3.60m width on each carriageway that means 2x(2x3.6) which is equal to 14.4, 1.5m wide inner hard shoulder, 3m wide outer hard shoulder, 0.75m wide outer soft shoulder in each side of the expressway, and 9m median at the centre. The design also provides for the construction of 17 vehicular crossings, underpasses and overpasses for the movement of vehicles across the expressway. Furthermore, there are 13 under or overpass pedestrian bridges to allow the local people to cross the expressway freely without interfering with the expressway and to facilitate the social connectivity of the local community. Three railway crossings one for the main expressway and two for the link roads will be constructed across the railway line which is running almost parallel to the expressway. 2. Potential impacts The most significant social impact of the proposed project will be physical and economic displacements due to the acquisition of agricultural and settled land for the construction of the express way, camp sites 1 and sourcing of materials (aggregates for construction). It is estimated that the project will result in the physical and economic displacement of 887 households (3300 people) in addition to the displacement of utilities, mainly few electricity and telecommunication poles and water points. A total of 593 hectares of land will be affected permanently and temporarily. Around 12% of the affected households are female headed and out of the total population affected 49% are female. A total of 113 (13%) vulnerable households (headed by females, elderly and underage youth) have been identified in consultation with the communities for special relocation support. It is expected that no household will be dispossessed from their farmland wholly because of the linear nature of the project. However, there are households who will permanently loose strip of their farmland and houses. The project would also result in some level of fragmentation of farm lands. A total farmland area of 568.58 hectares owned by 782 households and mostly engaged in production of cereal crops would be affected permanently. Among these 34% may lose 5 % - 10% of their farmland, while 34% and 32% are expected to lose 10-25% and 25% of their farm land respectively. As well, it is estimated that a total of 24.5 hectare of land will be affected temporarily. The houses of 123 households (all residential) involving 494 people will be impacted partly or fully. Around 9 households will lose about 97 trees. The affected households who lost strip of their land could continue their livelihood in the remaining plots of land. Considering the shortage of arable land in the area, land to land compensation is not feasible. Thus, they will be compensated in cash, as per the law, for losing their crops and trees. Four wooden and 1 concrete electric pole and 6 water points will also be affected. As the project execution is planned to follow the Design and Build approach, the level and type of impact will be finalized upon the finalization of the detailed design. Based on the comparison of potential environmental and social impacts, among the alternatives considered, the “no project” option is preferable to project implementation, since it would avoid the occurrence of adverse social and environmental impacts associated with the project construction and operation. However, the potential socio-economic benefits of the proposed expressway would be foregone. As highlighted during the consultations with key stakeholders, the project is highly desirable to alleviate the existing trade and transportation problems of the country and to facilitate the social and economic development activities in the project’s area of influence as well as at national level. A full Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) has been prepared and provision has been made to cover the full cost of the RAP, including livelihood restoration and support to vulnerable households and RAP monitoring, estimated at USD 18 million. Based on lessons learned from existing projects, in order to expedite the compensation process and also respond to communities’ concern on potential payment delay, a specialist sociologist will be assigned as part of the supervision consultancy to support the field assessment of affected properties, community liaison, and documentation and follow up on timely settlement of compensation prior to the start of the work. The implementation of the RAP will be closely monitored as part of the project ESMP monitoring and reporting system and a Grievance Redress Mechanism has been setup to be used to handle land acquisition related complaints. 3. Organizational responsibility The overall responsibility for the RAP implementation is vested primarily in the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA). ERA has long years of experience in implementation of RAPs and has a structure dedicated to this task consisting of Environmental and Social Management Team (ESMT) and Right-of-Way Management Teams. ERA also provides the necessary resources for the implementation of the RAP. The ESMT is established within the Planning and Program Management Directorate to ensure that environmental and social issues are adequately addressed in connection with all the activities of ERA and monitor the proper development and implementation RAP. 2 The Right-of-Way Management Teams in ERA are also responsible for making available the required land for road/highway construction and maintenance, the establishment of materials sources (borrower pits and quarries) and camp sites and for implementation of Resettlement Action Plans (RAP). Right-of-Way Management Teams establish the required compensation and follow up on the payments of compensation to the project affected people in co-ordination with the respective regional/local authorities, district councils, RAP Committees, Kebele (village) administrations and community representatives,. District administrations set up RAP committees at district and Kebele (village) comprised of representatives from sector offices, men and women representatives from project affected persons (PAPs) and the ERA right-of-way Agent. Valuation of assets, documentation and follow up of the relocation and compensation process will be the major responsibility of the RAP Committees. The RAP Committees will prepare updates which will be delivered to the Resident Engineer office, ERA RoW unit and the district administration. In recognition of the growing importance of livelihood restoration interventions, both Oromiya and Amhara Regions have developed legal and institutional frameworks to guide and co-ordinate efforts around livelihood restoration of households impacted by development projects. Key district level actors on livelihood restoration include the offices working on co-operatives promotion, income generating support, labour and social affairs, and youth. 4. Community participation Several rounds of public and stakeholders consultations were conducted with the administrations, communities and PAPs of the three affected districts throughout the design of the project and the development of the ESIA and RAP. The AfDB Appraisal Mission also conducted extensive community consultations with district officials, women and men community members, traditional leaders and CSOs in the three districts the road is designed to traverse. The objective of the consultations were to provide information regarding the project, exchange views on the expected nature and level of social and environmental impact, and the necessary mitigation measures. During these consultations district officials committed to facilitate the implementation of the RAP and provide all necessary and required support including support to the different vulnerable groups during the project implementation period and ensure the enforcement of the cut-off date to be agreed upon.