CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF ROAD PROJECTS ABANDONMENT

Abstract

This project has determined and analyzed basic causes and effects of road projects abandonment and it mitigation in Ekiti State, South Western Nigeria through a well structured questionnaire in two categories of participants. The first category was a general view of participants such as contractors, surveyor and engineers on general causes and effects of road projects abandonment in Ekiti State. The second category of participants such as contractors, consultants and site engineers were based on eight selected abandoned roads projects. Data collected from various categories of respondents formed the basis of the study. Causes of road projects abandonment considered were inadequate planning, inadequate finance, inflation, change of priority, improper documentation, inexperience consultants, administrative action etc. While various effects include disappointment of the populace in terms of higher cost of the standard of living, reduction in employment opportunities, difficulty in re-awarding due to inflation, decrease in government revenue, lowering the speed of economic activities, wasteful resources, difficulties in foreign partnership etc. Each causes and effects considered were rated on a five-point Likert scale 1 to 5. Likert scale is a technique for measuring psychological attitudes in a scientific way. Results from the five point Likert scale were analyzed using the Relative Importance Index (RII) including Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version 17) and Microsoft Excel 2007 Software. The outcome of the study indicated thatdelaying in payment (23.62%), inadequate finance (21.81%), political factors (21.74%) and inadequate planning (17.59%) were major critical causes of road projects abandonment in Ekiti State.Low speed of economic development (20.97%), disappointment of the populace in term of higher cost of living (20.64%), wasteful resources (20.51%) and reduction in employment opportunities (19.77%) were major prevailing effects. The study shows that incorporation of effective construction policies before and within road project execution phase will mitigate political favoritism, lack of project continuity, use of inexperienced and poor financial status contractors are basic solutions to problems of road project abandonment. Also accurate design, adequate finance, importance of project, expected revenue generation to government are need to be considered before embarking on a road project