NEMA urged to ensure environmental experts conduct Impact Assessment (EIA)

Makueni Tuesday April 18, 2023

K.N.A By Patrick Nyakundi

Lands, urban Planning, Environment and Climate Change Committee Member (ECM) has asked National Environment Management Authority(NEMA) to ensure only experts in environment conduct impact assessment in the country.

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has been urged to ensure only experts in environment are involved in conducting Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in the country, the revelations were made by the Department of Lands Urban Planning, Environment and Climate Change Executive Committee Member (ECM) Dr, Sonia Nzilani.

Dr.  Sonia Nzilani who also Chairs County Environment committee environmental experts understand their area well and are able to provide information that impacts on the environment positively.

In this regard, she observed that there was a need to ensure the individuals conducting EIA are professionals who are passionate about the environment and can give facts that will help in conserving the environment.

“NEMA should not license doctors, engineers or teachers to conduct EIA as they do not know the problems of the environment. We want people who are experts and passionate in environment matters to lead by example as they understand the issues from a professional point of view,” said Dr. Nzilani in a County Environment Committee (CEC) meeting held in a hotel in Wote town on Monday.

The meeting was called to brief some of the CEC members about the National Agricultural Inclusive Growth Project (NARIGP). Through the programme that is funded by the World Bank, the CEC needs to oversee environmental matters in the ongoing projects.

During the meeting, the ECM challenged the members to lead by example, especially on environmental matters where they are supposed to oversight all projects being undertaken in the county.

“You should ensure matters of the environment are well articulated in an effort to conserve our environment,” said the ECM.

She challenged the members who included those representing the community to ensure they plant trees during this rainy season in an effort to increase forest cover in the county.

Courtesy K.N.A