CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
In accordance with the national development objectives for improving the nature of service in the public areas to become "The Developed Countries in 2020" will have five star infrastructures on the agenda for this nation. Aside from this, numerous facilities, for example, buildings and public infrastructures are built to satisfy managerial and social needs just as economic duties to the general public (Shardy et al, 2011). The government assets and infrastructure ought to be overseen appropriately with maintenance work to guarantee the working resources, least expense of fixing and giving a safe condition for the user. Upkeep work is characterized as the combination of specialized and authoritative moves to be made to safeguard or ensure a structure, equipment to work appropriately (British Guidelines Institute, 1974). It as a work procedure or work movement packaged by an individual or group to be undertaken to ensure, protect and keep up the capacity of a facility.
Resources and facilities are fundamental to an organisation’s assets, along these lines improving the working condition and prosperity of their maintenance is a significant viewpoint that ought to be given genuine consideration. This is where the need for the duties of every individual from the organisation involved with maintenance duties with an unmistakable understanding in respect to maintenance work. In any case, the present maintenance issue has become a significant motivation for the nation and weight on the neck of government in dealing with managing its assets and facilities (Annies, 2007). This is base on the increasing expense of estate management and maintenance because of absence of maintenance culture of assets and facilities in Malaysia.
Despite the fact that the nations of the world differ enormously in their degrees of industrial and social development and the nature of their economical and political systems, the significance of housing and its related facilities as crucial components in deciding the way of life and as basic components of the development procedure and the requirement for the government to take a significant portion of duty regarding improving the level at which they are given and by and large perceived. The Management of Federal low cost housing estate, covers rent collection, fixes yet additionally different parts of good management, for example, facility management, property management and maintenance services.
The significance of the management of properties has become so specialized that the knowledge and services of skillful property managers are required to perform the task for example. There is need to meet the desires for the different classes of tenants properties. Regularly the requirements of various classes of tenants properties at difference or indirect opposition in extraordinary cases. . The inability of the property manager to achieve a harmonious parity of the accommodation needs of all types of tenants properties makes the realization of investment objectives to be hardly achieved. Thus, this study will examine the problems associated with the maintenance and management of federal government properties in Nigeria.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Building without a practical maintenance plan or arrangement for it represents a serious problem for the occupants and leads to economic loss. As indicated by previous studies on infrastructural maintenance, numerous infrastructural facilities in government organizations in Nigeria are insufficiently maintained. Those that are maintained are allowed to dilapidate completely without any sustainable maintenance plan. Resulting upon this, numerous infrastructures designed for the workers in government establishments are quick losing their financial worth and simultaneously placing the life of the tenants in danger. In Ikorodu area of Lagos where Federal Low Cost Estate is situated, it appears that infrastructural maintenance plan is not set up additionally the current infrastructural structures have been dilapidating at a somewhat quick rate. With the end goal that if no infrastructural support plan or scheme is developed and actualized the buildings will in no time experience a significant infrastructural harm. This study will no doubt examine the problems associated with the maintenance and management of federal government properties in Nigeria. It is trusted that from this investigation, an infrastructural building maintenance plan will be developed.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The main objective of this study is to examine the problems associated with the maintenance and management of federal government properties in Nigeria. Other specific objectives are:
- To understand the functions of property managers in maintaining and managing of government properties in Nigeria
- To find out the nature and causes of problem in building in Nigeria
- To examine the prevalence of the problems associated with the maintenance and management of federal government properties in Nigeria
1.4 Research Questions
In addressing our central problem, answers to the following research questions were found worthy.
- What are the functions of property managers in maintaining and managing of government properties in Nigeria?
- What is the nature and causes of problem in building in Nigeria?
- What is the prevalence of the problems associated with the maintenance and management of federal government properties in Nigeria?
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study will be carried out with the aim that its outcome will be of great value to several interest groups; the academia, investors and government at all levels. For the academics, the literature review, findings and recommendations will enrich the scanty literature of this topic and also serve as further researchers in the study area. This study will also benefit the occupiers and property managers on how to carry routine management practices in the study area. It will equally benefit the investors; hence the research will provide a good insight into the viability of other property investments in Nigeria.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This study on problems associated with the maintenance and management of Federal Government properties in Nigeria is focused on large on the maintenance of Government buildings most especially, residential buildings provided by the Federal Government to its workers. It is safe to say it will be focused on the Federal Low Cost Housing Estate. The decision to focus on Federal Low Cost Housing Estate on large acres of land is based on accommodation users, classes and typologies; each with their peculiar occupancy needs. There are various purposes in which properties are been used for example shops, offices, markets, financial markets, banks etc.
Therefore, the case for this study will be Federal Low Cost Housing Estate Ikorodu area of Lagos state. The low cost housing estate is owned by Federal Government which was built for civil servant. It is an affordable housing for medium and low income earners. The Federal Low Cost Housing Estate is confronted with lots of management problem such as maintenance, repairs, renovation and painting.
