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<p>Residents of four communities on Bushrod Island have
registered ‘no objection’ to the construction of a new cement factory in
Billimah community opposite the National Port of Authority (NPA) Headquarters
in Monrovia.</p>
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<p>Residents of Billimah, Sawmill, Bassa Town and Jamaica Road over
the weekend during a public hearing on the Environmental Social Impact
Assessment (ESIA) Report for the construction of the new factory said the proposed
Star Cement Corporation Grinding and Packaging Plant would provide jobs for
members of their communities. </p>
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<p>&nbsp;The ESIA was prepared
by Liberia Engineering and Geo-Tech Consultant (LEG Consultant), an independent
environmental evaluator.</p>
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<p>The public hearing, which attracted residents of four
communities, representatives of line government ministries and agencies,
administrators of Boatswain Junior High School and Montserrado County District
# 13 Representative, Edward P. Flomo was held by the Environmental Protection
Agency of Liberia (EPA) in accordance with the Environmental Protection and
Management Law of Liberia (EPML).</p>
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<p>Kawusu M. Toure, assistant manager for ESIA at the EPA said
the gathering was intended to review and get citizens inputs on the study done
by LEG Consultant on the environmental and social impacts the proposed Star
Cement Corporation Grinding and Packaging Plant will have on local communities.</p>
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<p>The Star Cement Corporation Grinding and Packaging Plant is
own by Sethi Brothers.</p>
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<p>ESIA process is a systemic procedure to identify, predict
and evaluate the potential environmental and socio-economic effects of proposed
projects, plans or policies. </p>
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<p>“This process is applied prior to issuance of environmental
permits,” Mr. Toure told a gathering of Stakeholders at the Arabic and English
School in Bilimah. </p>
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<p>He added that the ESIA process helps to provide key and
relevant stakeholders with information about the likely potential impacts of
projects. </p>
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<p>In some cases, Mr. Toure disclosed that the outcome of the
ESIA process may require a developer to alter or in extreme cases abandon a
project. </p>
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<p>Speaking at the start of stakeholders’ consultation, EPA
Deputy Executive Director, Randall M. Dobayou said the intent of the
stakeholder review was not to compel residents to accept the project.</p>
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<p>“We have not come to impose on you. We are not here to tell
you that the project will not have negative impacts or positive impacts. We
have come to present the facts so that you can make a determination,” He told
residents.</p>
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<p>According to him, the law requires that citizens participate
in the management of their natural resources and noted “in this case the
environment is your natural resources.”</p>
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<p>“You are habitants of the various communities and you will
be interacting with the proposed company and you will be directly impacted
either negatively or positively by the project,” Hon. Dobayou said. </p>
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<p>He explained that the issuance of an environmental permit
for the construction of the new cement factory will be based on submissions
that participants will make during the stakeholder review.</p>
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<p>For his part, EPA Manager for Compliance and Enforcement
John K. Jallah disclosed that the EPA has done a technical review of the
proposed project and assured residents that there will be a periodic review of
the project to ensure that it remains in compliance with the environmental laws
and what is contained in its ESIA document.</p>
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<p>“We will have environmental technicians and quality
technicians coming on the field quarterly to verify the reports Star Cement
Corporation will be providing to the EPA to ensure that </p>
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<p>Manager Jallah threatened to revoke the company’s permit,
when it comes in conflict with its permit conditions.</p>
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<p>He dismissed public perception that the EPA is only concern
with the granting of permits to project exponents. </p>
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<p>In a powerpoint presentation, LEG Consultants Technical
Director Jallah Nelson disclosed that his company was hired to conduct an ESIA
study for the construction of a Cement Grinding and Packaging Plant (CGPP) on a
4 acres of land within the vicinity of Sethi Brother Compound on Bushrod Island.</p>
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<p>Nelson explained that the factory will be used for the
production and sale of cement and provide services that will translate into
customer satisfaction, corporate credibility and creates employment
opportunities in and around Liberia. </p>
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<p>He noted that the company will produce three grades of
cement including CEM II 32 R, CEM II 42.5R and CEM II 52.2R Grades during its
ten hours daily operation
which will start from 8am to 5pm.</p>
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<p>“A new 130 tons cement packing machine will be installed to produce 600,000 tons of
cement per year and in the
production stage, raw materials like limestone will be source from Egypt and
Turkey and ship to Liberia,” technician Nelson said.</p>
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<p>&nbsp;He acknowledged that there will be some
potential negative environmental impacts during and after the construction of
the plants, but assured that the company will institute several environmental
mitigation measures to curtail threats to local communities.</p>
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<p>For
instance, Nelson explained that for air and dust emission which will occurred
during construction and operational phase of the project, Star Cement
Corporation has employed several measures including paving the project site;
sprinkling of water; the use of nose masks and PPEs by workers; the creation of
sufficient ventilation at workplace, de-dusting system and the covering of
spilled cement and conveyors at all times.</p>
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<p>He also disclosed that to mitigate noise pollution, the
company will conduct a monthly noise monitoring to ensure that noise levels are
below national and international standard, and ensure that vehicles and
machines are service regularly to reduce the high level of noise.</p>
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<p>Nelson explained that Star Cement Corporation will fit noisy
machines with noise reduction devices, provide suitable hearing protection to
all workers exposed to noise levels above 70dB; and as well post notices and
signs in noisy areas.</p>
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<p>Nelson’s presentation was followed by questions and answers.
Most of the questions. Most of the questions was centered around jobs and
social benefits for affected communities people. </p>
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<p>Responding to some of the questions, Representative Flomo
assured that the citizens’ concerns will be addressed by an MOU between
communities and the Sethi Brothers prior to the commencement of the cement
factory.</p>
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<p>He disclosed that through his negotiation with Sethi, the
company has agreed to construct a medical facility that will be accessible to
residents in affected areas.</p>
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<p>In separate statements, leaders and youth representatives of
the four communities including Billimah, Sawmill, Jamaica Road and Bassa Town
lauded authorities of the EPA for initiating the forum, which according to them
was never done in the case of Cemenco.</p>
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<p>Charles F. Kaizai, Jamaica Road Community Leader said they
can’t resist the construction of the cement factory because it would provide
jobs and other opportunities for local residents, while Billimah Community
Chairman, A. Mulbah Dukuly expressed satisfaction for the project.</p>
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<p> </p>
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