EFFECT OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS DELIVERY ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF ONDO-NORTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

Majority of poor people in the world live in rural areas where the level of public infrastructures, seems low. Provision of infrastructure like motorable roads contributes to economic development by increasing productivity, accessibility and providing cogent services, which enhance the quality of life. Base on this analogy, this study seeks to assess the effect of timely delivery of road construction projects of socioeconomic development of Ondo-North senatorial district, Nigeria. The study adopts a survey research technique which involves the use of well-structured questionnaire to elicit information from the respondents comprising road construction professionals at the Ondo state Ministry of Works, and residents in Akoko-North Senatorial District. Simple random sampling technique was used to distribute 50 copies of questionnaire among construction professionals and 400 copies of questionnaires among residents in the study area. Descriptive analysis such as frequency, relative importance index, and mean and inferential statistics such as factor analysis, correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to answer the research questions and hypotheses. Findings from the study find out that government funding process, improper project feasibility study and poor site management and performance are predominant challenges of timely delivery road construction projects with mean value of 4.41, 4.37 and 4.22 respectively. Furthermore, it is deduced from the study that weather condition, contractor’s competencies and project finance determines the extent to which roads construction projects are delivered. ANOVA result (with an insignificant P- value above 0.05) at 95% confidence level affirms that delivery of road construction projects does not contribute to socio-economic development in the study area. The study concludes that delivery of road construction projects do not contribute to socio-economic development in the study area, however, a positive relationship indicates that it will be a step in the right direction. The study recommends that government project monitoring and control team should be up and doing to ensure that contractors work round the clock during dry season to minimise the delay in progress of work usually experienced during wet season.