MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES FACING MASS TRANSIT PROGRAMME IN NIGERIA

MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES FACING MASS TRANSIT PROGRAMME IN NIGERIA

(A CASE STUDY OF KOGI STATE MASS TRANSIT COMPANY, LOKOJA)

ABSTRACT

This research explains the Management Challenges Facing Mass Transit Programme in Nigeria, mostly in Kogi State Transport Company. It has been apparent that Mass Transit in Kogi State has not been done in the right procedure which has motivated this research. The objective of this research is not only to give insight into the factors that militate against mass transit but to bring about recommendations so as to eradicate the problems. The method used in collecting data was mainly secondary data and questions which were administered in the Kogi Mass Transport Company. These were analyzed by simple percentage method. It was discovered from the findings that insufficient spare parts affected the operation of the corporation. It was also clear that insufficient number of vehicles is one of the major factors that affect the organization and many more. At the end of the research work, the researcher recommended that the company should improve their services to the customers. The company should acquire more vehicles (buses) so as to be able to attain the service level desired by the customers.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

 In Nigeria, people have been suffering from moving their items even people to move from far distance, and rendering of services have been a problem.

Since we are now in a global world, where people engage in importation and exportation of goods and services which the nature of the items cannot be engaged in warrant transportation because those items cannot be carried by head and the distance too so, globalization has solved the problem of people suffering from transportation by land, air and water, this has resulted in the introduction of mass transits in Nigeria.

Mass transits can be defined as a process of moving large numbers of people, goods and services from one place to another.

Management can be defined as a process by which scarce resources such as people, money and equipment are organized to achieve certain objectives.

Mass transits were controlled by the private company known as National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

As a result of the opportunity gained by the private company, people were charged higher. Along the line, the state government saw that this huge amount of money was too much for people to bear. This now brought about the introduction of public transport company known as Kogi State Mass Transit (K.S.M.T). It is a government owned company.

Similarly, the state government introduced their own mass transit to check the huge amount of money been collected from people by the private company and the government now charge lesser.

Mass transit is something that deal with public service, people want to enjoy it because they saw it as a fastest means of transportation.

The area where management has challenged is the are of organizing proper mass transit programme in Nigeria most especially in Kogi State are not being taken care of such as marketing factors that affect the management of mass transit company. This is why sufficient vehicles, promotion and provision of spare parts have to be provided for the company. Another problems is motivation where workers have to be encouraged in their place of service so that they can have positive effect on people and the company.

 Recruitment is another problem here. If there is no proper recruitment, the organization can not move forward in the way of efficiency, effectiveness and spare parts is the least problems of management in mass transit. This is where high quality items need to be supplied to the company for reliability  of vehicles.

1.2  STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The problems of this study includes

1. Lack of infrastructures
2. Poor maintenance of existing roads
3. Lack of provision of funds by the government
4. Neglect by both public and private organization in Nigeria
5. Inconsistency in government policy and implementation
6. Siphoning of public funds by contractors
7. Negligence at duty

However, the success of Kogi State mass transit can be measured in terms of its responsiveness to the many and often changing expectations of Kogi State government provide highly qualified good road, competent staff, highly qualifies spare parts, good sources of finance, provision of vehicles, creating of different routes, dedication, affordable price of transport and a sense of commitment of duty.

1.3  PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

A good research must have purpose to achieve. It is therefore on this fact that this research intends to achieve the following purposes;

1. To help management of transport company identify and isolate the marketing problems of the company and find out why they exist
2. To help the management to know the importance of motivation in an organization
3. To also help the company to effect proper maintenance of vehicles in order to provide satisfactory transport services.
4. Lastly, to help the company to recruit a highly qualified skillful manager.

1.4  SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study is designed to know some of the following points listed below:

1. Essentially, the study will identify the point or poor marketing practices of the company and the decline in sales trend and overall performance which other transport companies may identify in their own services and so search for correction.
2. The greatest beneficiaries of this study will be the management and the travelers who pay for the services. The improvement in the management practices will result in the provision of better customers services and ultimately improve customer satisfaction.
3. The study will bring the idea of opening up new areas. The study will enable the government to think of opening new areas where there has not been mass transit in order to increase the economic condition of the company.
4. The study will also enable the government to embrace new technology and diffusion of ideas. That is, it will enable the government to know the latest as per transport company and disseminate its idea to the company.

1.5  RESEARCH QUESTIONS

              The research question in this study are as follows:

1. What are the marketing factors that affect the management of mass transit programme?
2. What are the sources of finance available to the company?
3. By what way is the workers motivation?
4. What are the safety or security needs?
5. What are the sources of recruitment?
6. What are the goals and objectives of the company?
7. What are the area to be covered
8. What kind of vehicles needed by the company
9. What are the sources of maintenance of vehicles employed by the company.

1.6  SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study is centred on the management challenges facing mass transit programme in Nigeria and limited to Kogi State Mass Transit.

In order to do this, the study intends to cover such areas like the marketing factors that affect management of the mass transit programme, the sources of finance available to the company, motivation, recruitment, spare parts management, importance of transportation, problem of transportation and finally, government involvement in transportation of Kogi State.

1.7  LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

In this aspect, there were certain limitations in data collection that made the work of the researcher too difficult. First was the record keeping system of the company’s. The company records were not well kept. The researcher could not get many statistical and information he desired. Because records files either could not be traced.

1.8  DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS

This section is designed to know some of the terms in this project and their meaning.

MASS TRANSIT: This can be defined as a process of moving large number of people across an area. Mass transit can be described as large number of people and goods conveyed from one place to the another.

TRANSPORTATION: Can be defined as the movement of people, goods and commodities from one place to another either by land, water and air.

TRANSPORT COMPANY: Are the companies that engage in the conveying of people, goods and services from one place to another.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: This is a service rendered by the government to the people by transporting them at cheaper rate. The public transport belongs to the Kogi State mass transit (K.S.T.C), They have nothing to do with private company.

PRIVATE COMPANY. This is a service rendered to the people but it is a private owned company. They belong to (NURTW) National Union of Road Transport Workers. They have no business with the public company. They charge at a high rate.

MARKETING: This is defined as per formation of business activities that direct the flow of goods and services to the customers or users.

MARKETING FACTOR: Are those things that the company needs to know or consider in the company. And also things that are affecting the operation of the company.