Abstract
The research examined factors of effective maintenance management
in the public sector. Data gathering and analysis involved personal
interview and questionnaire. The research hypothesis was subjected
to test and analysis using chi-square (x2). The tested hypothesis
disclosed that funds were the key to project success and
sustainability. A number of constraints as well as economic benefits
of the study were highlighted. Recommendations from the study
indicated that projects and facility maintenance should be tailored
to the size of revenue realizable, maintenance implications should be
considered along with project conception and the need for
government sound policies in this regard. Deductions from the
study clearly show that when the required wherewithal for managing
and maintaining projects/facilities are provided and properly carried
out by competent managers, an outcome of satisfaction and drastic
reduction in environmental accidents in our society could be
assured
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Project management is an outgrowth of the need to develop and
produce projects in the shortest possible time. Project management
is necessary in complex projects in order to provide a unity of
purpose and to establish a focal point for pulling together the
cooperative efforts of literally dozens of relatively autonomous
organizations or bodies. It is particularly useful wherever
considerable coordination is required between several parties.
On the other hand, facility maintenance is not only valuable for the
sake of longevity of the life of machines or other productive facilities
but also it serves as a safety valve for the operators of the
equipment. According to Priel (1994), the maintenance of plant and
equipment in working order is essential to achieve total quality,
reliability and efficient working. The best project or equipment will
not work satisfactorily unless it is cared for, and cost of a
breakdown in the system can be very high, not only in financial
terms but also in poor staff morale and bad relations with
customers. The people and materials must also be maintained,
through training, motivation, healthcare and even entertainment for
the people, and proper storage and handling of materials.
Kerzner (2000) defines project management as the planning,
scheduling, and controlling of series of integrated tasks such that
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the objectives of the project are achieved successfully and in the
best interest of the project’s stakeholders. Therefore, project
management is an important factor for determining project success.
Where management is poor, there is failure. There is no project that
can provide the expected results without proper and sufficient
management. Sound project management is indeed a key factor in
achieving the desired goals and objectives of a project.
There are many factors that affect sustainability and continuous
derivation of services from projects long after their completion,
perhaps the most important is the maintenance of projects or the
facilities therein. Maintenance in this context refers to the act of
keeping the productive facilities in good condition, so that the
optimal expected performance or output of the facilities remains
about the same as when the facilities were initially put to use.
Maintenance of productive facilities is so important for any kind of
organisation because the alternative – the replacement of equipment
– may be very costly financially and in terms of other requirements.
In view of the limited resources of organizations and especially,
Local Government Areas, the desire to acquire new facilities from
time to time may be strong, but the capacity may be low.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEMS
Recently, there have been a series of environmental accidents such
as air disasters, collapsed buildings, bridges etc in our cities in the
various Local Government Areas. These structures and
infrastructures were designed to have a life span of over 30 years
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but they are neglected to decompose rapidly beyond repair because
of sub-standard materials used or due to poor/lack of maintenance.
The main problem of this study is centred around inefficiency of
project management and facility maintenance. This work seeks to
find solution to the problem.
(1) How the Local Government Area recognizes the need for
project Management and facility maintenance.
(2) How projects are to be properly implemented and supervised.
(3) How the administrators and politicians appreciate the
essential elements of project management and facility
maintenance.
(4) How inadequate funds affect the project management and
facility maintenance in the Local Government.
(5) How project execution is to be approved and monitored by
Government.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The major objective of this study is to know how project
management and facility maintenance are carried out in Local
Government Areas. This is necessary because there is the view that
efficient project management and sustainable facility maintenance is
a key indicator of project success and future prospect of the project.
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Other objectives of the study are:
(1) To evaluate the performance of project management and
facility maintenance in the Third Tier of Government.
(2) To identify the major problems affecting project management
and facility maintenance in the public sector.
(3) To determine whether both project management and facility
maintenance can lead to effective utilization of resources.
(4) To enable Local Government Administrators and politicians
appreciate and become conversant with the essential elements
of both project management and facility maintenance
programmes.
(5) To enable readers have a better understanding of project
management and maintenance management programmes in
the public sector.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The under mentioned questions are fashioned out so as to obtain
solutions to the fatal flaws in the project management and facility
maintenance system.
(1) What are the implications of project management and facility
maintenance in an organization?
(2) What are the constraints to project management and the
maintenance of productive facilities?
(3) Materials used in projects and maintenance of productive
facilities, are they standard or sub-standard?
(4) What is the extent of adherence to the laws in approving and
monitoring projects in the Local Government Areas?
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1.5 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
The research hypothesis focus on the following:
Null Hypothesis
HO: Inadequate funds hinder project development and facility
maintenance in Local Government.
Alternative Hypothesis
HI: Inadequate funds in Local Government does not hinder project
development and facility maintenance.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The delimitation of this study will be based on project management
and the maintenance of productive facilities in Local Government.
The study will cover the operations of the Oshimili-South Local
Government Area with regards to the review of the related literature.
The review will enable the researcher to make an objective appraisal
of the present position of projects and maintenance management of
the Government especially the third tier of Government.
1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study identified and made recommendation in the areas of
efficiency and effectiveness of project management and maintenance
activities in both public and private sectors. The outcome of the
research will enable the third tier of government administrators
know that even if a project works as designed, it is useless if there
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are no benefits for the target beneficiaries, the local community or
the nation in general.
The finding and recommendations of this study could be useful to
Government officials particularly those in Local Government Areas,
the academic environment and the general public.
It is hoped that the study will provide useful information for the
Local Government policy adjustment in project management and
facility maintenance where necessary because what was considered
state-of-the-art yesterday is, in many cases, obsolete today.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Some terms used in this study, which seem not very common and
with several usage are defined in a way to make their meanings clear
in order to avoid ambiguity.
Critical Path Analysis: A technique for planning and controlling
large complex projects which consist of may interrelated activities
and events.
Critical Path: This is a route though a network of events which will
increase the duration time of project if any of the activities on the
path are delayed.
Intangible Benefit: Benefits, which cannot be evaluated correctly
because they cannot be quantified.
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Maintenance: It is the work undertaken to ensure that plant,
equipment, building etc are fully operational, and/or to deal with
breakdowns in the minimum possible time.
Maintenance culture: Is the conscientious attention to the use and
maintenance of machines, equipment and other productive facilities.
Maintenance Management: Are those sets of tasks that should be
conducted to ensure that facility-related components and systems
perform functions and provide services which were designed to and
for the period that they were so designed.
Programme: This is a functional broadly defined business activity,
which is planned to be of continuing duration and which will provide
leadership influencing group projects.
Project: Project management institute (PMI) defined a project as
any undertaking with a defined starting point and defined objectives
by which completion is identified.
Project Analysis: Kanshahu described project analysis as an
analysis of major feature of a possible new investment and
evaluation of the desirability of committing resources to it.
Project Cycle: According to Kayode (1979), the entire series of
activities that must be covered from the project idea to the stage
where a project is ready for operation is referred to as the project
cycle.
Project Document: These are important documents related to the
planning and implementation of a project. They form the bases for
project management.
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Project Management: Kerzner (2000) defines it as the planning,
scheduling and controlling of series the projects are achieved
successfully and in the best interest of the project’s stakeholders.
Project Success: Project success means achieving quality
objectives by a given time and within budget.
Sustainability: This applies to projects that are designed in such a
way that continuity is ensured.
Total Productive Maintenance (TPM): TPM is a Japanese concept
and is defined as productive maintenance implemented by all
employees, is based on the principle that equipment improvement
must involve everyone in the organization, from line operators to top
management.
1.9 OVERVIEW OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT – OSHIMILI-SOUTH
Local Government is the third tier of Government in Nigeria and it is
widely acknowledge as viable tool for rural development and for the
delivery of social services to the people. The Local Government is
strategically located to perform these functions because of its
proximity to the people, responsiveness and relative simplicity of
operation.
Oshimili-South Local Government is one of the 774 Local
Government Areas in Nigeria. It is located in the northern part of
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Delta State, with its headquarters in Asaba. As a third tier of
government, the Oshimili-South Local Government enjoys the
freedom of action to enable it perform its constitutional functions
unfettered and energize sustainable national development from
grassroots.
There are two arms of Government in a Local Government which is
also applicable to Oshimili-South. The Executive and the
Legislature arms of Government.
Local Government autonomy is not absolute, it retains functional
and fiscal relations with higher tiers of government, that is, state
Government and Federal Government. It operate strictly within the
laws of Nigeria.
The Chief Executive of the Local Government is the Chairman, he is
also the Accounting Officer of the Local Government. He chairs the
Executive Committee meeting which consist of chairman, vicechairman, supervisors and secretary of the Local Government
appointed by the chairman.
The Oshimili-South Local Government consist of the following
departments:
(1) Department of Personnel Management
(2) Department of finance, Planning, Research and Statistics
(3) Department of works and housing
(4) Department of Education
(5) Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources
(6) Department of Primary Health
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The first two departments are the core department while the others
are operation department, reflecting the basic functions and areas of
concern of the Local Government. No Local Government should
have more than six Department in all. Each department has a
political head called a supervisor.
Another arm of Government is the legislature arm of the Local
Government Council which consist of the Leader, Deputy Leader
and the Councilors. The Legislature power vested in the Local
Government Council shall be exercised by bye-law duly passed by
them.
Functions of Local Government Area
The functions performed by Local Government are many and varied.
According to Onelakin, some of the functions are as follows:
(1) The consideration and making of recommendations to state
commission on economic planning or any similar body on
economic development of the state.
(2) Licensing of bicycles, trucks (other than mechanically
propelled trucks), canoes, wheel barrow and carts.
(3) Construction of highways, parks, gardens, open spaces or
such public facilities as may be prescribed from time to time
by the House of Assembly of a state.
(4) Provision and maintenance of public conveniences, sewage
and refuse disposal.
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(5) Establishment, Maintenance and Regulation of slaughter
houses slabs, Markets, motor parks, and public conveniences
etc.