Role of FM in tackling infrastructure decay
Both the public and private sectors have over the years invested heavily in infrastructure and continue to do so in various sectors of the economy but unfortunately most of them cease to function even before it’s normal life expectancy due to lack of maintenance.
The high level of infrastructure decay in Nigeria has become an issue of monumental embarrassment to a nation that prides itself as the giant of Africa. So many reasons have been given for this situation. However, it has to be said that we do not give priority to maintenance related issues.
One key issue that has been debated over and over again has been whether, as a people, we have a maintenance culture in the first place. Whilst one school of thought says we do not have a maintenance culture, another feels there is a maintenance culture but inadequate due to lack of planning and funding. I will like to personally add that lack of competent hands has also contributed to the present state of infrastructure decay.
Globally, infrastructure is one major support on which the economy grows. Its presence in an environment remains a yardstick for measuring a nation’s greatness and level of development. It beats the imagination of the international community that, many years after independence, Nigeria is still battling with infrastructure decay which sets in soon after assets are commissioned for use.
For instance, a recent study of the education sector showed that inadequate funding, lack of periodic monitoring and regular maintenance of infrastructure are responsible for the prevalent infrastructure decay in secondary schools across the country. There is a steady but accelerated increase in enrollments which has not been matched with commensurate provision to cope with pressure of expected quality service delivery
Research investigation and analysis by a group of FM personnel also revealed that certain features such as client’s perception, cost of maintenance works, unskilled maintenance technicians, government policies, and inability to prepare and follow maintenance schedules are direct causes of neglect which lead to dilapidations and deterioration of our infrastructure.
Facilities management as an evolving profession has an opportunity to bring a paradigm shift to the way maintenance is carried out. This will involve a concerted effort between FM practitioners and other professionals who are directly or indirectly engaged in infrastructure development to work together to set specified standards to achieve set goals. The architect, quantity surveyor, and engineer are some professionals that readily come to mind.
The economic growth of a nation is, no doubt, largely dependent on the availability of functional infrastructure such as roads, railways, water supply, energy, education and other amenities that converge to provide the required environment for the prosperity of its people.
The government on its part will have to exercise the political will to put in place adequate, strong and vibrant institutional and legal framework that addresses the problem of bad governance, infrastructure decay and weak implementation.
Even civil society organisations and NGOs can contribute to the concerted effort by educating the people through seminars and workshops on infrastructure sustainability and the efficacy of a robust maintenance culture.
Tunde Obileye