ENHANCING BARRACKS ACCOMMODATION IN NIGERIA ARMY THROUGH DIRECT LABOUR PROJECT

ENHANCING BARRACKS ACCOMMODATION IN NIGERIA ARMY THROUGH DIRECT LABOUR PROJECT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

There are various methods of construction project delivery. As projects became complex, formal contract were developed to defined the responsibilities of each party, member of the project team, project delivery method, that specify the ways in which owners, consultants and contractors interacts to deliver a construction projects (Mohammed and Yahaya, 2014). Each project method has so many advantages as well as disadvantages. The choice of a particular project method over another depends on the comparative advantages in terms of cost, time, quality performance as well as economic and social condition.  Mojekwu (2018) identified five methods of project procurement commonly used in Nigeria as: the traditional method; labour only method; management contracting method and design and build method and the direct labour method.

Direct Labour System is one of the several options of procurement used for project delivery process and records shows that it is the oldest procurement system and has been in used in Nigerian for back as the colonial era. It is the procurement in most countries and researchers described it as a system where by a developer plans and organised the project delivery process, carries out the design, the planning and procurement of resources and the construction of a project using client employed supervisory staff and labour. These types of system is regards as in house because clients staffs as different from contractors staff carry out the project delivery process and activities. (Idoro, Iyagba and Odusami 2007) asserted that direct labour is mainly used for government project. The use of the system is a good development in construction because it does not result in high staff strength and over load costs in the Nigerian construction industry.

Direct Labour is a system where by a developer plans and organized the project delivery process, carries out the design, the planning and procurement of resources and the construction of a project using client employed, supervisory staff and labour. (Idoro, Iyagba and Odusami 2007).

There is a growing interest in the use of direct labour system in Nigeria Construction projects especially in the private sector. It is a system that entails the clients usage of own resources to realize his project. Direct labour system is a method whereby the client design and produces his project by himself with the aid of his in house professional void of the usage of contractors (Ogunsami et. al, 2003; kadiri and Odusami, 2003). This is different from the traditional procurement system in that it does not involve the usage of contractors. This method has been in use in Nigeria before the colonial and during the colonial period to execute non-complex project. Ghana, Kenya and so on are some of African countries where it is been used extensively. Previous works have shown some level of success of this method especially in the area of cost reduction omoighe and Ibekwe, 1990. The technique and industry involved in the assembly and erection of structures, primarily those used to provide shelter. Building constructor is an ancient human activities, it began with the purely functional need for a controlled environment to moderate the effect of climate. (Alfred, 2015) constructed shelter were one means by which human beings were able to adapt themselves to a wide variety of climates and become a global species. Human shelters were at first very simple and perhaps lasted only a few days or months. Over time, however, even temporary winter home evolved into such highly refined forms as structures (Britannica, 2014).

Direct Labour is seen as a process by which a project is executed by the workers of an organization instead of project being contracted out. It can simply be described as a “do it yourself” approach to project procurement (Opadiran, 2010). According, to( Iyagba and Odoro, 2011). They also direct labour defined as a method where by a client otherwise known as the owner uses his or her own in house resources for design and execution of a project. The in house resources here will include both supervisory staff, skilled and unskilled labour forces beside equipment. Worthy of note in this system is the elimination of the contractor which makes the direct labour method distinct from other procurement method.

Military barrack could also be seen as a supervised living accommodation consisting of shared facilities and essential service amenities for the community of military personnel who use it. It is normally built and owned by military institutions, provided for inexpensive chargeable rooms, and administered to accommodate military men and women alike. Likewise, barracks are housing types specifically designed to accommodate both commissioned and non-commissioned officers, such as a ‘live-in’ residential college, boarding house, or other purpose-built development containing soldiers’ units with other essential service facilities such as good water supply, electricity, study areas, communal lounge and kitchens amongst others. Similarly, a barrack accommodation can also be referred to as a building that contains a dwelling unit occupied by two or more soldiers. This form of housing can also be referred to as “other ranks” hall of residence or soldier accommodation or soldiers’ barrack or ‘boarding house’ (Renaud, 2000).

The Nigerian military comprises an Army, Navy, and Air Force with the primary mandate to defend the state from external aggression and internal insurrection (Toppo, 2015). The Military Institutions, according to Nigerian Military Policy (FRN, 2013) are pivotal to national development based on their contributions through the provision of high-level manpower development. To concretise the foregoing, the military policy (FRN, 2013) has it that military institutions ought to achieve a high standard in providing housing units with essential quality services and resources to all military personnel. These essential services comprise water supply, electricity, health facilities, barrack maintenance level amongst others. In alignment with the aforementioned, the Nigerian Government provides accommodation units for the Nigerian Military at an affordable rate with perceived required facilities and services. These soldiers’ accommodations (barracks) are core components of military institutions and traditionally, exclusively used for military habitation (Sagada, 2009).

Housing accommodation especially the Nigeria Army Barracks encompasses not only the static structure called a house but the entire spectrum of environmental factors that make living acceptable and comfortable. Among them are good access routes, ventilation, sanitation and access to basic human need such as water. In the bid to achieve a conducive housing accommodation over the years the Nigeria Army have adopted several project execution methods such as traditional procurement methods among others. Nevertheless, the housing condition have not measure up to expectation, thus the need for alternative methods of project execution. It is against this background that this study seeks to investigate enhancing barraks accommodation in Nigeria army through direct labour project.

1.2     NEED FOR THE STUDY

The downturn in the economy experienced in Nigeria after the oil boom era, among other compelling reasons like project complexity and magnitude, has also led practitioners in the construction industry to embrace some methods of project procurement other than the popular traditional contract system. This has led the Nigeria in its quest to satisfy the need for quality accommodation to adopt procurement methods other than the traditional procurement methods. The importance of barrack accommodation for the Nigeria Army cannot be ignored, despite numerous benefits, several problems have been observed on the use of the traditional method; labour only method; management contracting method and design and build method which have resulted time and cost overrun, poor quality of product delivery among others. These have given rise to the need to investigate ways of enhancing barracks accommodation in Nigeria Army through direct labour project.

1.3     STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM

Despite the fact that convenient and satisfactory barrack accommodation is crucial for effective performance of the men of Nigeria army, a considerable proportion of the population of service men live in substandard and poor housing as well as in deplorable unsanitary residential environments (Onibokun, 2014). In the recent time, the increasing pace of urbanization and the tempo of rural-urban migration make housing problem and towns very acute, this trends have directly or indirectly impacted on the barrack accommodation of the Nigeria army. Consequently, upon the above accommodation problems, houses are needed to relieve existing overcrowding in many of the Nigeria Army barracks. Also, natural increase within the force demands addition dwelling units to house the increasing population.

Several efforts have been made by the Nigeria Army to provide barrack accommodation for its service men but it has been observed however that the performance or success of such efforts have been below expectation as a result of selecting procurement systems in a cursory manner, and even the use of specific procurement system by default without making a deliberate choice (Thomas, Duc Thanh Luu & Swee Eng Chen 2002); without proper consideration of the procurement method that will best suit their needs and that of the project. Employing an inappropriate procurement system may also lead to project failure in terms of time and cost overruns (Thomas et al., 2020) which is presently a bone of contention in the Nigerian construction industry. Thus, in view of the cursory manner that Nigeria Army have imbibed in choosing method of executing project such as construction of barrack accommodation, the ever-increasing variations of procurement method now available to choose from such as the direct labour methods as a result of its numerous advantages have given rise to study. Hence this study seek to answers to the following research questions:

1. What are the benefits derived by the Nigeria Army in providing barracks accommodation through direct labour project?
2. What the factors influencing the choice of direct labour in the provision of barrack accommodation by the Nigeria Army.
3. What is the perceptions of the stakeholders in the organisation as regards to project execution through direct labour?

1.4     AIM

The aim of this study is to investigate ways of enhancing barrack accommodation in Nigeria army through direct labour project.

1.5     OBJECTIVES

1.    To examine the benefit derived by the Nigeria Army in providing barracks accommodation through direct labour project.

2.     To investigate the factors influencing the choice of direct labour in the provision of barrack accommodation by the Nigeria Army.

3.     To determine the best perceptions of the stakeholders in the organisation.

 1.6      Significance of the Study

This study will contribute valuable knowledge to procurement and project execution in Nigeria public institutions and Africa at large. The outcome of this research will be used to: enhance and facilitate public institution such as Nigeria Army efficiency in project delivery with respect to Barrack Accommodation to its service men. It enrich literature within academia for the training of construction professionals, as well as eventually contribute to high performance in the Nigeria construction industry and the public sector in particular. The significance of the study stems from the contribution that accrues from the construction industry to the economy. An efficient construction sector, according to Oyewobi and Ogunsemi (2010), is a pre-requisite to effective national development. This is because, the products of the construction industry are desired mainly for the services which they help to create, as most business, social, religious, economic and, industrial activities operate on her structural base (Nwachukwu, 2008). However, all these benefits can only accrue from the industry to the economy when construction projects are efficiently delivered.

1.7     METHODOLOGY

To achieve the desired objectives, the questionnaire method is to be use in carrying out this research work, reviewing of past similar works, journals, conference / seminar papers online materials. The purpose was to articulate existing knowledge of the subject area.

 1.7.1  DATA COLLECTION

The data shall be collected after the distribution and administering questionnaires to some selected staff and management of the case study area. The questionnaires will contain various statements for response on the appraisal of direct labour in quality production in building

1.7.2    DATA ANALYSIS

During data analysis tables, simple percentage technique shall be use to analyze the data collected using questionnaires and the response will be expressed in percentages. The percentage techniques will be use for it simplicity and this will enable the researcher to comprehend the content of the research work easily.

1.8     SCOPE OF THE STUDY This study focuses on enhancing barracks accommodation in Nigeria Army through direct labour project. The area of work of the study focuses on Nigeria army responsible for carrying out the procurement of construction works through a procurement/project/works department within their organization. The Nigeria Barrack located in the state capital was chosen as the scope due to its proximity to the institution where this research work is being carried out. Thus, projects executed or financed by individuals, property developers, owner occupiers and developers are not bounded by the findings of this research.