ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE IN THE CORE OF AKURE NIGERIA

Abstract

Infrastructure is no doubt a set of resources that can be harnessed for the benefit of mankind. It is equally an established fact in literature that infrastructure maintenance is a panacea for achieving sustainability in infrastructural facilities. It is from this end that this study assessed the level of public infrastructure maintenance in the core of Akure, Nigeria with a view to providing recommendations that will aid policy formulation towards effective maintenance of public infrastructural facilities in the area. With respect to questionnaire administration, 425 copies, amounting to 5% of the research population were administered on household basis and same number was retrieved. Systematic random sampling technique was adopted where data was extrapolated from respondents in the study area via a house-head interviewed per building at the interval of twenty buildings. Findings from this study revealed that majority of the residents in the core of Akure were urban poor constrained by financial resources to maintain existing infrastructural facilities in their domain. It was also discovered that people’s indifference attitude, poor maintenance culture, ageing facilities, poor response to maintenance request and political instability were the major catalytic factors influencing facilities maintenance challenges in the Akure core. In conclusion, the study recommends aggressive public enlightenment program for residents in this area on the need to make judicious use of infrastructural facilities in their domain, synergy between government, corporate organizations and residents in the form of public private partnership (PPP) to garner more funds for infrastructure projects and prompt repairs or replacement of faulty or ageing facilities in Akure core, Nigeria.