Lagos — As part of efforts to realise the resolve of Anambra citizens to enjoy air transport services within and outside Nigeria, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) panel review for the construction of Anambra International Cargo Airport has ended its sitting in Awka.

The exercise was undertaken to enable it determine the level of compliance and appraise the technical aspects of data available on the proposed project.

The airport project sited at Ivite Umueri, in Anambra East council area of the state is a joint effort undertaken by the Orient Petroleum Resources (OPR) Plc in partnership with Anambra State Government.

Participants at the meeting included the Minister of Environment, Mr John Odey, represented by Mr Emmanuel Okokon-Ndem; Chairman of the panel, Prof M. O Kadiri; EIA consultant, Mr Ademola Tinibu, the Managing Director and Executive Directors OPR Plc, Mr. Nnaemeka Nwawka, Mr. Sonny Okoye and Mr. Ikemefuna Akuezumba respectively, officials of Federal Ministry of Environment as well as representative of Umueri Peoples Assembly, Mr..Chukwudi C. Okaa, among others.

Addressing the participants, Odey said that the airport would not only advance the economic development of the state and Nigeria in general, it will also help realise President Umar Musa Yar'Adua's seven point agenda in improving the air transport sector, even as he emphasised on major rquirements which demand that OPR Plc acquire land, clear and construct the airstrip.

According to him the primary assignment of the panel is to determine the level of compliance, appraise the technical aspects of data available, analyse reports from experts on the project and make adequate recommendations to his office on the EIA report

Odey, who pointed out that the panel was necessary since Nigeria needed to learn from developed economies,added that, "some mistakes in the environmental assessment exercise have brought problems to the world and Nigeria can not make such mistakes. Things must be done properly," he insisted

Also speaking, Kadiri commended efforts of OPR in carrying the host communities along, arguing that experience shows they want to avoid past mistakes made by foreign oil companies which neglected their host communities in the planning and execution of their projects and assured that all the issues raised in the EIA report would be considered before sending the final recommendations to the minister.

In his speech, Nwawka disclosed that the state government acquired land through proper channel, pointing out that while OPR Plc was planning for an airstrip, the state government indicated interest which lifted the project into an international airport status.