Just seen a very poor piece from @GuardianNigeria. Trying to Compare rail projects while getting basic facts wrong & making embarrassingly pedestrian (no pun intended) points.
#LagosIbadanRail = 156km distance but actual rail length close to 400km because DOUBLE-track—not SINGLE
#LagosIbadanRail = 156km distance but actual rail length close to 400km because DOUBLE-track—not SINGLE
If you’re going to compare projects get the actual facts, don’t just bring calculator and be calculating nonsense upandahn, lol. So, for example Abuja-Kaduna is 186km distance but single track, while Lagos-Ibadan is shorter distance but double-track. That’s just one example.
Journalistic rigor and common sense demand that if you’re going to compare road or rail projects you can’t simply do ‘cost divided by distance’ and publish a story. Project specs for example have to matter: is it single/double tracks, for e.g. for rail, and No of lanes for roads.
A 10km road can be much more expensive than a 30km road if the 10k is six lanes + flyover & the 30k is a simple 2-laner. Now imagine simply dividing cost by length and then jumping to ridiculous conclusions. (Meanwhile No of lanes is only one of several possible differences).
Another shocking excerpt from Guardian: they’re assuming the $3.9bn Itakpe/Warri/Abuja contract is just for rail when it’s public knowledge (@ChibuikeAmaechi announced it) that contract is for BOTH Rail AND brand new Deep Sea Port in Warri. This misrepresentation truly shocking.
So basically @GuardianNigeria just took $3.9bn figure (meant for Rail and Deep Sea Port), assumed it’s for rail only, brought out calculator, and divided. And has now gone to town with a story. Embarrassing.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
