Azura-Edo Independent Power Plant Environmental Impact ... - IFC

Project’s construction phase will likely affect the ability of stakeholders to
continue their traditional practices and ways of life, it is unlikely that these
practices will be replaced. Stakeholders have reported that there is flexibility
to accommodate the Project through the moving of shrines and other sacred
areas, but they have emphasised that this must done through extensive
consultation with local religious authorities and leaders. The sensitivity of the
receptor is therefore considered to be moderate.
Impacts to cultural institutions are assessed to be moderate and negative.
7.12.2 Impact Description and Significance: Operation
Impact Description
Acquisition of up to 102 ha of land for the Project is expected to require the
relocation of a number of sacred sites. The impact of this on local cultural
practices, initially assessed for the pre-construction period, will continue
through the operations phase.
Azura Power will seek to promote the development of local skills and the
transfer of international technologies and expertise to local manpower and
local manufacturers. This should increase the possibility of local employment
during the operations phase of the Project; however in the early stages at least,
it is estimated that a minimum of 15 percent of the operations workforce will
come from outside the state. Accommodation plans for these workers is not
yet known, but it is likely that they will be housed either on-site in Project
housing, or they will find housing in nearby towns. However their presence
may impact on local cultural beliefs and ways of life.
During the operational phase of the Project, the impacts to cultural institutions
will be:
• Ongoing disruption of traditional religious observance associated with
removal/relocation of sacred sites; and
• Increased number of outsiders in the region, affecting the ethnic structure
and associated customs, rites, language, etc.
Impact Significance
With the exception of the increase in the number of outsiders, which would
have a regional impact, the extent of impacts would be limited to the local
area. The duration would be long-term, although removal of sacred sites is a
permanent impact. While the removal of sacred sites is a definite impact
under current Project plans, the probability of other impacts to cultural
institutions during operation is actually unlikely, given current conditions,
and the precedence set by the neighbouring NIPP project, which neither
resulted in a large foreign influx nor in the erosion of traditional leadership
structures. The magnitude of the impacts is therefore considered to be low.
AZURA EDO IPP
7-62
DRAFT EIA REPORT