Posted on March 19, 2019
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) has denied claims that the ongoing port expansion and infrastructure projects were impacting negatively on the coastal marine ecosystem.
KPA head of Project Development and Management, Engineer Kennedy Nyaga, also refuted allegations by fishermen in the coastal city of Mombasa that the port dredging and disposal activities were responsible for dwindling fish catches and other fishing challenges in the region.
Engineer Nyaga noted that due diligence was done before the authority embarked on construction of the relocation of the Kipevu Oil Terminal and the expansion of the port’s second container terminal.
He observed that the excavation material from the sea and the relocation of the excavated material for disposal was being done under strict regulations.
He said the authority is also involved in the Sh.40 billion relocation of the Kipevu Oil Terminal by the China Communications Construction Company and the expansion of phase two of the KSh. 16 billion second container terminal undertaken by the Japanese Toyo construction company.
He said marine environmental impact assessment on the potential impacts of the suspended sediment and displaced dredged materials that result was carried out by a multi agency teams comprising KPA, Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), KWS and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and that there was no cause for concern.
Eng. Nyaga was speaking at the port when the Regional Development Implementation Co-ordination Committee led by the Coast Regional Commissioner, John Elungata, toured the ongoing project sites.
Elungata said the port tour by the regional development implementation coordination committee was to check on the status of several port projects.
Source: kbc.co.ke
