AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' - Politics - Nairaland
Nairaland Forum › Nairaland General › Politics › AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' (333 Views)
| AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by Kushites(op): 10:37am On Oct 13 |
FEMI FALANA, THE EMPTY-HEADED VILLAGE LAWYER, COME AND READ THIS AI ANALYSIS INSTEAD OF DISGRACING YOURSELF BY INSINUATING THE GOVT STOLE THE ''N15 TRILLION'' FOR THE PROJECT. ............... AI ANALYSIS OF THE LAGOS-CALABAR COASTAL HIGHWAY PROJECT AND RECENT DETOUR ANNOUNCEMENT The ongoing storm of public debate surrounding the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project highlights a recurring challenge in national governance: balancing lofty, popular expectations with the hard, unyielding realities of engineering science and fiscal responsibility. While critics and displaced interest groups have quickly accused the Federal Ministry of Works of “abandoning” the coastal corridor, a closer inspection of the data tells a completely different story. The decision to redesign the route—redirecting it inland through Edo State to align with the flood-prone East-West Road—is not an act of political trickery or a retreat. It is a brilliant masterstroke of engineering necessity and economic self-preservation. A great road cannot simply be willed into existence based on a lines-on-a-map drawing. Comprehensive geotechnical and soil investigations along the initial shoreline routing, particularly around sections in Ondo State, exposed insurmountable natural barriers. The original seaside alignment crossed treacherous terrain marked by deep swamp pits, weak peat soils, and a massive 100-metre-deep refuse layer that completely halted initial mobilization. Forcing heavy infrastructure over these subterranean hazards would require endless seaside bridges, expensive deep-piling techniques, and continuous variation orders. To build a standard, 6-lane reinforced concrete expressway over such a foundation would destroy the project’s original budget blueprint, burdening the national debt to satisfy a sentimental attachment to the shoreline. Furthermore, climate change and seasonal flooding along the lower Niger Delta basin have rendered sections of the pure coastal corridor a severe engineering risk. Rather than ignoring nature, the government heeded it. By using the new directive to absorb and reconstruct 400 kilometres of the existing East-West Road, the Ministry of Works is executing an incredibly efficient allocation of resources. While the original outline map relied on a continuous shoreline route that faced high risks of deep-swamp failures and multi-trillion budget overruns, the current realignment strategy merges with the existing road network. It diverts inland onto stable foundations and safeguards the project budget cap. Instead of funding two massive, separate infrastructure headaches, the government is utilizing a single budget to achieve a dual objective of delivering a high-speed Lagos-to-Calabar economic corridor and overhauling, raising, and reinforcing the damaged, flood-prone East-West federal road system. This is not abandonment; it is the ultimate optimization of public funds. It delivers massive relief to millions of commuters trapped by failing infrastructure right now, while securing the future transit line. While the internet remains loud with political theories, the physical construction on the ground remains unbothered. The Ministry of Works has proved its commitment across multiple sections. Section One, spanning 47.47 kilometres in Lagos, has its pavement fully completed and is ready for commissioning. On Section Two, which covers 55 kilometres, concrete laying is scheduled for completion shortly, seamlessly accounting for subsoil adjustments and the intense weight requirements of heavy trucks serving the Dangote Refinery. On the eastern ends of the project, over 40% of the Calabar end is already finished, with Section Five in Akwa Ibom crossing the 20% mark in record time. Infrastructure development is defined by adaptability, not rigid stubbornness. True wisdom dictates that you build the road where people actually live, raise it above catastrophic floods, bypass crippling regional traffic bottlenecks, and safely reach your final destination. By altering the layout to dodge fiscal ruin and engineering failure, the administration has saved the coastal highway from becoming just another abandoned, half-finished monument in Nigeria's history. The highway is alive, moving forward, and firmly anchored in reality. Explaining the ₦15 Trillion Issue The ₦15 trillion budget for the 700-kilometre highway has become the biggest lightning rod for controversy in this project. To understand why it is such a massive issue, you have to look at the math, the financing, and the competing national priorities: • The Cost Per Kilometre: The government estimated that each kilometre of the road costs roughly ₦7.5 billion. The administration defends this price by pointing out they are building a 6-lane highway using reinforced concrete rather than standard asphalt. While concrete is far more expensive upfront, the government argues it will last for decades without needing costly repairs, making it cheaper over its entire lifespan. • Not a Single Lump Sum: A common misunderstanding is that ₦15 trillion was taken out of the national treasury all at once. In reality, this is a projected estimate for an 8-year construction timeline. The money is meant to be released gradually in phases through annual budgets, international loans, and partnership funds. • The Core Argument: Critics argue that Nigeria—which is currently battling a massive budget deficit, high inflation, and heavy debt—cannot afford to tie up ₦15 trillion in a single new megaproject. They believe it makes more sense to spread a fraction of that money across the entire country to patch up dozens of broken existing highways, rather than spending it all on one new corridor. The core counter-argument is that patching up old asphalt roads is a short-term trap that merely manages decay, whereas investing in a brand-new concrete super-corridor actively generates long-term national wealth. Proponents argue that standard maintenance consumes trillions of naira every few years with nothing to show for it due to frequent road failures. By spending a premium on a durable, reinforced concrete highway, the government is building an entirely new economic engine designed to last up to a century, unlock isolated coastal trade zones, and accommodate future high-speed rail lines. Furthermore, because this megaproject relies on specialized international loans and private partnership funds tied specifically to toll-earning assets, this capital cannot simply be repurposed to fix scattered regional roads. In short, while repairing old roads keeps the country moving today, the coastal highway is what will expand the economy for tomorrow. • Why Rerouting Mattered: The ₦15 trillion calculation was based on stable ground. When engineers hit deep swamps, forcing the original route would have triggered massive "extra costs," blowing way past the ₦15 trillion cap. By rerouting the highway inland and merging it with the East-West Road, the government argues they are saving the ₦15 trillion budget from collapsing, effectively fixing two massive road systems for the price of one. -AI |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by AMINDA: 10:45am On Oct 13 |
A.I was not meant to replace common sense even though a lot of Tinubu lackeys seem to think so. |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by Kushites(op): 10:50am On Oct 13 |
AMINDA:AI IS 2 BILLION TIMES MORE INTELLIGENT THAN YOU AND ALL OBIDIENTS COMBINED PLUS OBI ON TOP. SO KEEP SHUT AND LEARN INSTEAD OF SPREADNG WICKED RUMOURS ABOUT THE FG. |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by DatNiggaDaz: 10:53am On Oct 13 |
Kushites: ![]() You are not intelligent. Even the AI is ashamed of your intelligence |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by DatNiggaDaz: 10:55am On Oct 13 |
Kushites: ![]() Have you abandoned the faaake Pan Africanism you were engaged in to divert the failures of your tin demigod? ![]() |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by DatNiggaDaz: 10:56am On Oct 13 |
Kushites: ![]() Data boi, does it not make sense to repair existing roads which such an amount than embarking on a delusional Coastal highway to fraud ? |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by DatNiggaDaz: 10:58am On Oct 13 |
Kushites: ![]() Rossik, this is what your faaake pan Afrcanism brought upon you. It tjis how to acheive your fathom Pan Africanism by defending failures and kriminals? |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by Sheuns(m): 10:59am On Oct 13 |
People that understood the terrains of the Niger Delta areas already said construction on that axis would be near impossible but you lots and your god said they’re haters. Now it’s AI that is telling you what smart people had already foresaw long ago and warned you about. You’re dull. |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by FarahAideed: 11:00am On Oct 13 |
Keep disgracing yourself |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by rossipki: 11:34am On Oct 13 |
DatNiggaDaz:Why is that whenever somebody tells you the Truth on this forum, you start calling me? I feel honoured actually, because it means I say the right thing when necessary, unlike you people that lack objectivity and base your views on primitive ethnic sentiments. You need to join the modern world and stop being so primitive in your outlook on life. |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by rossipki: 11:59am On Oct 13 |
"Not a Single Lump Sum: A common misunderstanding is that ₦15 trillion was taken out of the national treasury all at once. In reality, this is a projected estimate for an 8-year construction timeline. The money is meant to be released gradually in phases through annual budgets, international loans, and partnership funds."So Falana doesn't know this, and yet he calls himself a lawyer? Why didn't he research the financing structure of the project before blurting out his drunken accusations? Did he gain his law degree from the University of Ajegunle or what? How embarrassing. He's a mediocre. |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by Kukutente23: 12:04pm On Oct 13 |
Kushites:So you need Ai to think for you That's very sad |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by FatimaAbubakar(f): 12:07pm On Oct 13 |
It's impossible to find a sensible person who supports Tinubu the political fraudster and drug criminal. |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by DatNiggaDaz: 2:06pm On Oct 13 |
rossipki: ![]() Which truth and which somebody. You switch moniker writing epistles and you think you will get away with it. See a data defending a kriminal and talking about modern and primitive ![]() You know the last word describes someone who claims to be educated and sophisticated but clapping hands for a drugg Baron that has made his country worse than he met. People like you don't deserve to live among humans. Your dwelling should be where the Sun never shines ![]() |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by chinchum(m): 2:19pm On Oct 13 |
I am happy the president did not wait for all the design and technicalities to start this project. They will still be at design stage by now based on how Nigeria gets project done, meanwhile billions would have been spent. I remember 2nd river Niger Bridge taking 4 years at design for a few kilometers of construction 😄 Nigeria needs leaders with balls and not swayed easily by naysayers and theorists. Any one conversant with project analysis should know about AGILE and this change is in the country's best interest and realities. The naysayers said it won't pass Lagos when it started about 3 years, almost 200km of road built and counting as of today with location in Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, cross river and Akwa ibom. The thing about hate is that these naysayers will deny the obvious. |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by business360: 2:39pm On Oct 13 |
AMINDA:Ai is just a search engine bro. It compile everything already on the internet. Its not a place you go when you need to fact check something like this |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by Ofunaofu: 3:48pm On Oct 13 |
Kushites:😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by Elusive001: 4:48pm On Oct 13 |
DatNiggaDaz:You sef get mind dey mention Tinubu’s supporter and intelligence in one sentence. Did Bwala not make it clear that once one joins APC, one's brain stops working. Do you not know that it means that the person becomes a B-zoner? |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by Elusive001: 4:52pm On Oct 13 |
chinchum:"I am happy the president did not wait for all the design and technicalities to start this project" Heavenly father I earnestly thank you for not giving me certain things as children. |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by MEGAWATCH: 4:55pm On Oct 13 |
AI and what we are seeing, which one are we going to take? One day you will even eat inside AI. 😂
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| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by Iceberg3: 4:59pm On Oct 13 |
AI also says ya brain is made of garri suffide |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by nedu666: 5:02pm On Oct 13 |
Kushites:Shut up. Was ai there when the project was approved. Is ai present at meetings between tinubu and umahi. Was ai there when monies are paid out. U are very dull |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by rossipki: 6:30pm On Oct 13 |
business360:AI is what you are calling a "search engine"? Who did this to you Nigerian youths? You don't know anything. |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by AcadaWriter0: 11:52pm On Oct 13 |
Absolutely fantastic! A brilliant opportunity to boost infrastructure and solidify partnerships. Wouldn't you agree? AcadaWriter |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by Kushites(op): 1:08am On Oct 14 |
nedu666:WERE YOU THERE? YOU SEEM TO KNOW EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED FROM YOUR BEDROOM VIA MAGIC. JUST SHUT UP, OKAY? IF AI HAD SAID THE MONEY WAS STOLEN AND IS UNACCOUNTED FOR, WOULD YOU CRITICISE IT? CAPITAL NO. THIS IS WHY YOUR 'OPINIONS' ON THIS FORUM ARE GENERALLY WORTHLESS. THEY ARE NOT BASED ON OBJECTIVITY BUT ON ETHNIC HATRED AND BIAS. ARRANT NONSENSE. |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by Metrosavana(m): 2:53am On Oct 14 |
Kushites:Funny, AI still depends of the data sourced from the internet. The only difference is that it interpretes the data and report it in its own way.. |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by Kushites(op): 2:57am On Oct 14 |
Metrosavana:IN ITS OWN WAY...? YOU MEAN WITHOUT ETHNIC BIAS AND HATE? YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT ABOUT THAT. |
| Re: AI Says The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Project Detour Is NOT 'Fraudulent' by business360: 10:32am On Oct 17 |
rossipki:I'm waiting for you to enlighten me |
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