Wilmar International, through its subsidiary Biase Plantations and Eyop Industries Limited, has engaged landlord communities and other critical stakeholders as part of the ongoing review of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the proposed conversion of the Rubber Estate at Uyanga in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State into an oil palm estate.
The stakeholder engagement, coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Environment, took place on Friday, the 18th day of September, 2026 at the main hall of Teny Homes, Ekorinim, Calabar, with key stakeholders, including the Chairman of Akamkpa Local Government Council, Hon. Amb. (Ophot) Felix Akposi KSJI; the Paramount Ruler of Akamkpa, HRM Ophot Agbor Ewa Ebani; the member representing Akamkpa I State Constituency in the Cross River State House of Assembly, Hon. (Ntufam) Okon Owuna; traditional rulers, youth leaders, women leaders and representatives of landlord and directly and indirectly impacted communities in attendance.
Representing the Honourable Minister of Environment, Mr H. D. Ladula expressed appreciation for the progress recorded in the process so far, stressing that the review was necessary to strengthen areas requiring further clarification and address concerns raised by stakeholders.
Ladula noted that the process was designed to ensure that every relevant stakeholder had an opportunity to make meaningful contributions before the project proceeds to subsequent stages.
He thereafter officially declared the engagement open.
Speaking at the meeting, the Chairman of Akamkpa Local Government Council, Hon. Amb. (Ophot) Felix Akposi KSJI, commended Wilmar International and its management for subjecting the proposed development to the requisite environmental and social assessment process.
Akposi expressed appreciation for what he described as the company's adherence to international best practices and due process, particularly in ensuring that the required procedures are followed before the conversion of the existing rubber estate into the proposed oil palm plantation.
He maintained that the concerns, observations and recommendations emanating from the stakeholder engagement would contribute significantly to strengthening the ESIA and ensuring that the interests of affected communities and other stakeholders are adequately captured.
Also speaking, the lead panellist, Prof. Damian Agom, described the engagement as an important milestone in the assessment of the proposed project.
According to him, the review would provide an opportunity to examine the ESIA critically and determine whether the project should proceed or be discontinued based on the findings and outcomes of the assessment.
The review featured presentations and discussions on the brief history of the proposed 8,550-hectare Uyanga Oil Palm Estate, project presentation, question and answer sessions, environmental and social considerations, socio-economic issues, agricultural engineering, waste management and other technical components of the proposed development.
The Akamkpa Local Government Council also made a presentation on relevant provisions of its extant environmental Bye-Law, while the Cross River State Ministry of Environment presented its position on matters within its regulatory purview.
Other aspects of the review included discussions on Public Display Centres and the socio-economic implications of the proposed development.
A major intervention came from Hon. (Ntufam) Okon Owuna, member representing Akamkpa I in the Cross River State House of Assembly, who raised a number of issues requiring clarity and stronger commitments from the project proponents.
On education, Owuna sought clarification on the proposed educational support and foreign scholarship components, stressing the need for such commitments to be properly classified to reflect both national and international educational opportunities.
He also called for a broader approach to employment opportunities, noting that employment should extend beyond unskilled labour to include middle and top management positions.
Owuna emphasised the importance of building the capacity of indigenes to take advantage of higher-level employment opportunities, encapsulating his position in the statement: "Qualify our people to be qualified."
On procurement, the lawmaker advocated greater consideration for host communities and local businesses that meet the requisite basic requirements.
He equally raised the need for value addition through the establishment of an oil palm refinery, as well as the inclusion of electricity provision in the developmental plan for the affected communities.
Responding to the concerns raised, Prof. Damian Agom provided further clarification on the identified grey areas and sought commitments from Wilmar International on issues requiring action.
The lead consultant and representatives of the project proponent, Biase Plantations and Eyop Industries Limited, including Plantation Head, Mr Anthony Voo Gin Fah, alongside senior management officials Antigha Essien Esiet, Steve Ebong and Paul Amid etc, assured the panel and stakeholders that the issues raised during the engagement would receive priority attention.
The management further pledged that the identified concerns and grey areas would be addressed and implemented as appropriate.
The engagement subsequently proceeded into a closed-door session involving the relevant parties to finalise the proceedings ahead of the public hearing stage.
The stakeholder engagement forms part of the broader regulatory process for the proposed conversion of the Uyanga Rubber Estate into an oil palm plantation, with the ESIA review providing a platform for affected communities, government authorities, traditional institutions and other stakeholders to contribute to the assessment of the project's potential environmental, social and economic implications.
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