FOR Nigeria to experience true economic boost, the construction industry, particularly project management, cannot be neglected, experts in the built environment both from public and private sectors said.They spoke recently in Lagos at the 8th Prof. Reuben Iyagba Annual Project Management Lecture, held within the fancifully designed Julius Berger Lecture Theatre, University of Lagos. The annual event was organised by Unilag's Department of Building.With a theme: 'Transformation through Construction: Challenges and Opportunities in Developing Countries', the Guest Lecturer and Principal Consultant/Founder, ProConsult LLC Global Limited, Ms. Bukunola Odusanwo and other contributors, said Nigeria could make significant progress in her quest towards redefining her wealth as well as create more employment opportunities, if all tiers of governments would return to the drawing board with a view to plunge into the opportunities embedded within the construction sector.The immediate past acting Head, Department of Building, Dr. Olabode Emmanuel Ogunsanmi, said the theme of this year's lecture could not have come any other better time than now, when the nation is working towards actualising the visions of transformation, adding that the lecture would in doubt examine the likely challenges and opportunities that are in transformation through construction in developing countries.'Nigeria as a developing country has witnessed massive impact of construction in our national development. Construction process has in itself been a tool of national development in the areas of housing and infrastructural provisions that include power, transportation, roads, rails lines, airports and ICT. Provision of these facilities has economic, social and political transformations on Nigeria.'Ogunsanmi added in the event of transforming Nigeria through construction with heavy housing and infrastructural developments, there might be the challenge of human capacity development in the area of project management to man these activities, hence the need for the lecture.To Prof. Reuben Iyagba, the nation lacks the attitude of good maintenance culture hence, the massive decay of her infrastructures. He faulted the idea when the governments would be hiring foreigners to handle some maintenance projects, where experts on that field abound, therefore, tasking the governments to have a rethink on this trend.Prof. Sunday Oyediran, said the lecture became imperative and apt as all indications in the country point to quick recovery of the construction industry and the nation's fortune at large.He pledged to the department's continuity of the lecture, which he said would not only boost the nation's economy but also the educational institutions.In her lecture, Odusanwo said the role of construction in the overall economy could be significant contributions in the development process of both developed and developing nations; products provide the necessary public infrastructure and private physical structures for many productive activities such as services, commerce, utilities and other industries and that it employs a large number of people (directly or indirectly) and therefore has an effect on the economy of a country/region during the actual construction process among others.According to the lecturer, government's investment in construction was the most beneficial use of public expenditure in stimulating the economy in both the short and long term, adding that there abound multiple opportunities including impact on economic activity, contribution on employment and benefits of investment.She also said that construction industry contributes majorly to national GDP, promoting new spending activity across the breadth of the economy and that the sector is an important driver of growth for other sectors, without which there would be loss of domestic production capacity and skills.As virile as the sector could have been, the challenges the industry are enormous, some of which include lack of data in developing countries, lack of investment in fixed assets by government on vehicles and machineries, lack of human capacity development in project management, heavy reliance on imports due to lack of raw materials or non development of raw materials and lack of maintenance.In addition, lack of continuity due to political instability, lack of enforcement of standards of both raw materials and finished goods and lack of improved institutional construction were also said to be the bane of the industry.But the hope of revival is not lost, if authorities would do the needful. According to her, there is a dire need to adopt a standard project review and, or approval framework and authorize projects in useful segments of the economy among others.
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