Economic and Social Justice Trust appeals against Canadian oil driller’s in Kavango East and West
The Environmental Commissioner (EC) Timoteus Mufeti issued a renewed environmental clearance certificate (ECC) on 15 June 2022, to Canadian driller ReconAfrica despite public concerns about the legality of their current drilling program in Kavango East and West.
The Economic Social Justice Trust (ESJT) appealed this decision, in line with Namibia’s Environmental Management Act, to the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, plus the Community Forest and Conservancy Management Committees and the Conservancy and Forest Association also appealed the ECC and are represented by the Legal Assistance Center.
The ESJT in a statement on 7 March said that despite numerous requests to have this appeal heard it was only nine months later that a meeting was scheduled for these appeals, which coincided with ReconAfrica’s new Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process.
“Our application to stay the EC’s decision, if successful, would mean that ReconAfrica will have to stop operations pending the outcome of the appeal hearing on 2 April 2023, which seems to be a possibility that the EIA assessor and Recon have considered since they are busy doing a new EIA process. Parties who are dissatisfied with the decision of the Minster have the option of taking the matter to the high court,” they added.
The ESJT confirmed that there are now two known investigations into the conduct of ReconAfrica in both Germany and Canada. “The appeal was to be heard on 1 March, but was postponed to 3 April,” they concluded.
