Economy

Nema seeks return of impact assessment fees

mamo

National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Director-General Mamo Boru. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NMG

The national environment watchdog is pushing for the return of environmental impact assessment (EIA) fees after sinking into a negative working capital.

The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) director-general Mamo Mamo told Parliament that scrapping the EIA fees has pushed it into financial distress.

Mr Mamo said a Cabinet memorandum on the reinstatement of the fees has been forwarded for consideration.

“The authority is in a negative working capital position. This is attributable to the government’s decision to scrap the collection of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) fees coupled with serious underfunding from the National Treasury,” Mr Mamo said.

Mr Mamo told the Public Investments Committee (PIC) that Nema’s allocation has not changed for years despite inflation.

“It is our strong belief that the government will reinstate the EIA fees and increase allocations to reverse this negative working capital,” he said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta in October 2016 directed the scrapping of the fees paid by property developers as a percentage of the value of projects is punitive.

The EIA, which is prepared by investors and reviewed by Nema, details the project site, its likely impacts on the environment and remedies.

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