Temperature - European Investment Bank

WEST AFRICAN POWER POOL (WAPP) PÖYRY ENERGY LTD.
Mount Coffee HPP ESIA and RAP 2012-09-18
ESIA Report Page 96
In all the likely affected settlements, no social infrastructure like schools, clinics, will be
affected as these are all on higher ground away from the reservoir area. Therefore there
will be no need to replace them. An upgrading of the clinics would be called for, however.
13.3.7 Information on Population
13.4 Impacts
Households involved in using, in any way, land that will be lost or otherwise affected by
the project are at present being identified. The people who have their produce on this
land are the project affected persons (PAP), and this is the most important category of
PAP. The type of land use has been identified and is presented in the following Chapter
14. Table 13-1 above shows the most likely settlements that will be affected, indicating
numbers. However, for land use most of the settlements along the St. Paul River
upstream of Mt. Coffee dam site have their farmlands in the reservoir. An indication of
the size of these lands and the crops and trees cultivated is also shown in Chapter 14.
The main part of the RAP will deal with the compensation of the losses incurred. The
situation (socio-economic status) of the affected HH will be analysed, and a
comprehensive socio-economic survey in settlements that will likely be affected is
being carried out at present. So far six settlements, which are indicated in Table 13-1
will have to be relocated. General information on the population is described in the
village profiles as regards their socio-economic status derived from occupations as
farmers, fishermen, gold-diggers, and hunters.
13.4.1 Impacts of Construction:
From a socio-economic perspective during construction there will be both positive and
negative impacts. The negative impacts could include:
� PAPs that have used the reservoir land to grow cash crops will lose these crops
and will have to be compensated, albeit the land belongs to LEC.
� Land will be expropriated and as such a resettlement will take place in areas
where PAPs have constructed houses in the reservoir.
� PAPs will no longer fish near the construction site but fishing may continue
further upstream away from the dam site.
� Access to forest will be curtailed as a lot of vegetation clearance will be done
and loss of some forest resources earlier got will also disappear, e.g. collecting
sticks for roof construction, herbs, mushrooms, snails, etc.
� Hunting will be restricted in the vicinity of the dam due partly to thin
vegetation, but most important to keep the dam site secure.
� Making of charcoal in the nearby forest will be curtailed.
� Increased noise due to construction and should building materials be excavated
from quarries nearby. There seems to be potential to start up a quarry near
present day Gbally settlement.
� Possibility of increase of disease outbreaks if medical precautions are not taken
to screen people coming in for employment from other areas.