Appraisal of the Implementation of the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for the Okobo Coal Mining Project in Ankpa, Kogi State, Nigeria

Okobo community has continued to yell for help over the deplorable environmental and socio-economic conditions created by Okobo Coal Mining Project, despite that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) with impacts mitigation measures in the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) was conducted. Thus, this study was conducted to appraise the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) of Okobo Coal Mining Project in Ankpa Kogi State, Nigeria, in order to evaluate the performance of the EMP. The objectives were to review the Environmental Management Plan of Okobo Coal Mining Project; assess the implementation of environmental impacts mitigation measures and then evaluate the follow-up of environmental management plan (EMP). Material used in this study is the EIA report of Okobo coal mining project. Methods used for data collection are: review, questionnaire, interview and focus group discussion. Review of the EMP shows that the Okobo coal mining project EMP is adequate. However, data from the survey shows that approximately one hundred and one (101) scores representing less than twenty per cent (19.40%) agreed that the mitigation measures for environmental impacts predicted in the Okobo coal mining project were implemented. Out of the five hundred and twenty-three (523) respondents, 444 representing 84.89% rated the implementation of the environmental mitigation measures low, sixty-three (63) which is only 12.05% rated it moderate and only sixteen respondents which is 3.06% rated it high. The monitoring of the outlined mitigation measures is not in tune with the arrangement in the Environmental Management Plan as the actual follow-up (2 times) is significantly lower than the planned follow-up (18 times). Therefore, it was concluded that the Okobo coal mining project EMP is adequate but the implementation and follow-up were low. It was recommended that the mitigation measures and monitoring plan should be strictly followed.