Four officials from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) have been fired for issuing license to the Embakasi gas plant.
In a statement on Saturday, February 3, NEMA stated that its board had noticed some gaps in the licensing procedure and processes and began probe into the matter.
Further NEMA indicated that the four officers included the Director Environmental Compliance, Acting Deputy Director Compliance, Senior Environmental Officer-EIA Section and the Head of Environmental Impact Assessment – EIA Section.
“Further, preliminary investigation has revealed that four NEMA officers unprocedurally processed the license and are therefore culpable.
“The Board therefore directs that the implicated officers step aside immediately pending further investigation by the relevant government agencies.
Also Read: Ruto Orders Officers Who Approved Embakasi Gas Station Sent to Jail
NEMA Details License Issued to Embakasi Plant
According to the authority, the Embakasi LPG plant was licensed as a medium risk by the Director Environmental Compliance and the EIA officers.
It has therefore requested relevant government agencies to commence immediate investigation into the matter as NEMA cooperates with the already established multi agency teams handling the incident.
“Under the 2nd schedule of the EMCA Act, projects are classified under three categories based on the risks:-
“i. Low Risk Projects ii. Medium Risk Projects (i & ii to be licensed by Director Environmental Compliance) High Risk project: to be licensed only by the Director General,” explained the statement.
Also Read: EPRA Reveals Details on Registration of Company Behind Embakasi Explosion
Owners Behind the Embakasi Plant
Additionally, the authority revealed that the Project report for the proposed installation and operation of the facility was submitted by Derdols Petroleum Ltd under the business name of Maxxis Nairobi Energy.
On April 2022, the project report was submitted to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), the Director of Physical Planning-Nairobi City for review and comments to guide NEMA on the licensing process:
Also, EPRA submitted the report to Water Resources Authority, the Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health, Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company and Director of Urban Planning and Development
“The report was submitted to NEMA on 29th July 2020 as a project report by the Project Proponent Derdols Petroleum Ltd under the business name of Maxxis Nairobi Energy and was assigned Ref. No. NEMA/PR/5/2/23790 (PSR 16708). 3.
“The project is classified as medium risk as per regulations of the Environmental Impact Assessment and Audit Amendment regulations, 2019, legal notice 32 of 2019, category (9) Hydrocarbons Project, including (b) LPG filling plant,” added the statement.
Ruto’s Order
President William Ruto earlier issued orders to the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to hunt down and apprehend the government officials who issued an operating license to the illegal Embakasi gas plant that exploded on Thursday, February 1.
Speaking on Saturday in Kakamega, Ruto said those who approved licenses for the killer gas station should be arrested immediately and jailed.
“I have instructed the Ministry that those officials who licensed the gas station in a residential area against the law to leave office by end of today and be jailed,” said Ruto.
