Assessment Of Building Construction Professionals Perception On The Causes And Implication Of Abandoned Building Projects In Asaba Metropolis

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted to assess building construction professionals perception on the causes and implication of abandoned building projects in Asaba metropolis. Three research question were formulated to guide the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study and it was carried out in Asaba metropolis. The population for the study was 50, made up of 15 builders/contractors, 10 architects, 8 clients, 10 quantity surveyors and 7 civil engineers. The instrument for the study was fifteen items structured questionnaire which was validated by three experts. In view of the manageable number of the population, the entire population of the 50 respondent was used as sample for the study. The instruments was piloted and tested and the reliability coefficient of the entire instrument was 0.85. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean standard deviation. It was found, that five (5) factors are responsible for building abandonment which include Crises, death of contractor or client, poor  funding and political factors,  five (5) implications  were also identify as effects  on the abandoned building site, which are waste of resources, creating unemployment, illegal activities such as criminal hid out, economic meltdown, promotion of corruption. Five (5) factors which when properly put in to consideration can minimized the occurrence of abandonment in Asaba metropolis  which include: Legal claim by the government on abandoned building projects over thirty years (30), establishing building construction monitoring team, through proper contrast agreement, enactment of fine, and ensuring proper contract agreement.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

The construction industry in both developed and developing countries may be viewed as a sector of the economy which through planning, design, construction, maintenance and repair, and operations, transforms various resources into constructed facilities (Kheni, Gibb & Dainty, 2014). The types of public and private facilities produced ranges from residential and non-residential building to heavy construction and these physical facilities play a critical and highly visible role in the process of development. The major participants from the construction industry include the architect, engineers, management consultants, general contractors, special trade contractors or sub-contractors, quantity surveyors, builders and other related workers, along with the owners, operators and users of the construction facility (Isa, Jimoh & Achuenu, 2013).

However, construction industry at present in many countries of the world is facing a lot of chronic problems especially in the developing countries as cases of poor and abandoned construction project are  mostly  being reported. As reported in Saudi Arabia, Assaf and Al-Hijji (2011) found that only 30% of construction project were completed within the scheduled period. Omoregie and Radford (2011) reported that the cost of projects in Nigeria escalated by 14% (the minimum average percentage) and the period of projects in Nigeria escalated by 188% (the minimum average percentage). As also reported by Endut, Akintoye, & Kelly (2010), only 46.8% of public sector and 37.2% of private sector projects were found completed within the stipulated budget in Malaysia while only 20.5% of the public projects 33.35% of the private sector projects were completed within the time. The findings from various studies, which were conducted in different developing countries (Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Indonesia), had confirmed that all of the projects currently undertaken in these   countries suffer from significant construction cost and time overruns which leads to projects abandonment (Kaming, Olomolaiye, Holt & Harris, 1997;  Oko, Aliu & Koleola 2010). One of the major effects of this declined economic and technological advancements which is negatively confronting the building industry is that of project abandonment.

Therefore, in recent times, there are various types of houses as a result of the numerous types of designs by the architects and the houses not only serve the primary purpose of shelter alone, but also have the modern amenities. There are different types of materials, plants and equipments produced to suit the modern constructions. There are also professionals like Architects, Builders, Quantity surveyors, Engineers, among others, trained in their respective field for proper execution of projects. Also, we have the skilled and unskilled labours, who contribute grossly towards the execution of a project. All these are as a result of civilization and technological advancement which have impacted the construction industry. Hence, the construction industry is regarded as one of the largest industries in the world, as it contains the highest number of people, ranging from the clients, professionals, skilled labours, unskilled labours and suppliers of different building materials etc.

Despite all these, abandoned building projects still litters our society, causing problems like security threats, promotion of illegal activities, unemployment, waste of human resources, poor landscaping, etc. Abandoned building is a building which has not been completed within a stipulated period due to lack of finance, poor maintenance and infrastructure etc. Nobody initiates a building project for abandonment, because an uncompleted building project is always a source of sorrow to its owner, an unfulfilled hope and aspiration – a failure to achieve a purpose (Oladipo, 2012).

Unfortunately in Nigeria, when projects are abandoned there are no conscious efforts to ensure completion, instead, new projects are embarked upon, putting money, materials, time and effort to waste, and also, causing problem to the nation as a whole. The Longman Dictionary (2005) defines abandon as to stop something that is in progress before as a result of problems and it is impossible to continue. From the definitions above of a world abandon, it can simply be put that a project is said to be abandoned whom it is left uncompleted, or when there is a partial construction of the said project. Abandonment of building projects can be influenced by the various factors that are caused by the people of the society. Apart from the unemployment problems in the industry, towns, cities scraps are littered with abandoned project sites that has overgrown by weeds, constituting a hide out  not only for criminals and kidnappers but also a menace to the beauty of the Environment The abandonment of construction projects is the act of discontinuing any activities or maintenance works on such development project within a time frame of the contract agreement and with no intention of returning back to the unattained because of its incessant abandonment (Ayodele and Alabi, 2011). For example, osemenan (2011) concluded that Nigeria has become the ‘world’s junk-yard’ of abandoned projects worth billions of Naira. While Kotangora (2010) in supporting the fact contended that there are about 400 uncompleted or abandoned development projects costing more than three hundred billion (#300 Billion) Naira embarked upon by successive government.

In Nigeria today the landscape is littered with abandoned buildings and other infrastructural projects at all level of governance from local government through state and federal territory. Many of the projects in Nigeria are strictly abandoned even at conception.“Abandonment” can also mean an owner cease to provide maintenance and operating service to a building or loss of an owner’s legal right to a building or  demolition of a building”

An abandoned projects is an incompletes in a time frame of a contract. Hence there is an urgent need to look inward and examine the cause and implication of abandoned building projects in Asaba metropolis.

Statement of the Problem

In Asaba metropolis today, the landscape is littered with abandoned building projects. Which have devalued the esthetics nature of the metropolis and also serves as a criminals hideout in the metropolis. Therefore, the research work focuses critically into the causes and implications of abandoned building projects which have littered the Asaba metropolis  landscape. Every nation aspiring to attain development must utilize its resources effectively; develop its industrial base, energy sectors among other things (United Nation, 2006). Unfortunately, Nigeria has suffered a set-back in following these principles to development.

Every year, government announces a huge amount of money to be spent on capital projects, only for all to be put to waste as a result of corruption (e.g. embezzlement), leaving the projects abandoned even from conception   Also, both the public and the private sectors experience the abandonment of building projects which makes it pronounced, in the harsh economic climate, in developing countries like Nigeria. As a result of the involvement of the private sector, this has threatened job opportunities, rendering our economic development effort to suffer continuous set-back.

Solving this problem, might really be of help and having a gross contribution to the economic development in Asaba metropolis.

Research Questions

 The following research questions are formulated to guide the study;

1. What are the factors responsible for project Abandonment in Asaba metropolis?
2. What are the implications of project Abandonment in Asaba metropolis?
3. How can problem of abandon building be minimized in Asaba metropolis?

Research Hypotheses

The role of hypothesis is to provides a bench mark to determine whether the argument of the research are valid or not therefore the researcher conceptualized a null and alternative hypothesis as a means of   validating the argument of the research. The hypothesis is presented below:

H0:  there is no significant relationship between abandoned building projects and it’s implication in Asaba metropolis.

 Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to investigate the causes and implication of  project abandonment in Asaba metropolis. Specifically the study sought to examine the:

1. Examine the factors responsible for project abandonment in Asaba  Metropolis.
2. Identify the implications of project abandonment in Asaba Metropolis.
3. Recommends strategies for minimizing abandoned building projects in Asaba Metropolis.

 Significance of the Study

This study on Building construction professional perception on the causes of a abandoned project will instruct or inform the general public, government and professionals in the construction industry on the causes and effects of project abandonment and propose solution. This research will also serve as base to other researcher interested in carrying out further research in this field and subsequently, if applied will go an extent to provide new explanation to the topic. This study on the building construction professional perception and implication of abandon building projects in Asaba Metropolis.

Delimitation and Scope of the Study

This research work cover selected areas in Asaba metropolis and  in view of selected  construction firms  both private and public (Government) which will examine and assess the causes  and implication of the abandoned project in Asaba metropolis.

Definition of Terms

Abandonment: Leaving a thing (building project) that is uncompleted half done.

Building construction: process of adding structure to real property.

Incompetence: Lack of physical or intellectual ability of qualifications.

Project abandonment: Act of discontinue any activities or maintenance on a project within a time frame of contract agreement.

Variation: Deviation from the normal or original designed stage or form.

Project: A planned construction work structured or building construction work.

Implication: Possible future effort or result.

Contractual: To carry out an agreement instructions between two parties especially by the contractor.

Pages:  55

Category: Project

Format:  Word & PDF               

Chapters: 1-5                                          

Source: Imsuinfo

Material contains Table of Content, Abstract and References.