NEMA (National Environmental Management Authority) has instructed at least four officials to step aside as investigations into the issuance of a license for the Embakasi gas filling plant, which exploded on Thursday, February 2, continue.
In a statement released on Saturday, February 03 and signed by NEMA Board Chair Emilio Mugo, the agency specified that the individuals affected include the Director of Environmental Compliance, and the Acting Deputy Director of Compliance.
Also sent home were the Senior Environmental Officer in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) section, and the Head of Environmental Impact Assessment.
“After a thorough assessment of the licensing procedure and processes, the Board of Management has noted with great concern some serious gaps in the issuance of the license to the LPG plant in question,” the NEMA statement reads.
According to NEMA, these officials overlooked the plant’s failure to comply with regulations and processed the license in an irregular manner.
The decision to have them step aside comes in the wake of President Ruto’s directive to immediately dismiss, arrest, and prosecute government officials involved in issuing licenses to the gas-filling plant.
