Except Nigeria changes its approach to project execution fundamentally, I do not see the Lagos - Calabar Coastal Highway project finishing in my lifetime. This project was conceived in 2006 by OBJ, 18 years ago. They are just starting today... 2024. If things are done properly, it will take 8 years - 8 years oh... that could be 80 years in Nigeria. How many decades since the Ibadan - Ilorin highway was conceived (since 1979) - it was restarted in 1999 during OBJ who conceived the road during his first stint in government as a military head of state. The road is yet to be completed, and the portion completed is already dilapidated, worse than the old road. Lagos - Ibadan expressway is yet to be fully completed 25 years since it was awarded. There have been several awards and re-awards since 1999 and billions of dollars have been wasted on a major road that links the commercial hub of Nigeria to the rest of the nation. There are so many other Federal highways like this, especially those in the South that took decades to complete, and the cost of completion is usually multiple times the initial estimated budget. Ajaokuta remains a national disgrace despite the benefit the nation could get from its completion.
Now, the Lagos - Calabar Coastal Highway will be built on ocean fronts from Lagos to Calabar. This project is supposed to be funded by private investment, but you see that our government has budgeted billions of taxpayer money for ... which is which. Check the companies awarded the contract, it probably has a connection with some big shots in the current government. In Nigeria, this type of conflict of interest is nothing. Instead of Nigerians benefiting from a project like this, they often end up bearing the cost and suffer immeasurably because of the many failures. I will be happy if the project finishes as planned - timely, on budget, and with international quality...
Comments
Post a Comment