The Zimbabwe AntiCorruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested the Director General of the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), Aaron Chigona on charges of criminal abuse of office.
Chigona is accused of fraudulently issuing an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) certificate to Borrowdale Investments Private Limited.
EIA are required for specified projects listed in the first schedule of the EMA Act forcing developers to complete an EIA process before to execution.
The EIA is a tool used to define, quantify, and evaluate the possible and known consequences of human activities on ecosystems at the earliest stage of project development in Zimbabwe.
When the prospectus has been approved, the developer engages a registered independent consultant to prepare the EIA report and submit to EMA which has 30 days to review and issue an EIA certificate/notify the developer of the decision.
Zwnews
