Contemtious Issues on Poor Stakeholder Management in Some Major Road Construction Projects in Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

The unwary attitude of most construction firms in mapping-out as well as analyzing various stakeholders’ interest and influence during projects execution has brought about a lot of conflicting issues that has deterred success on these road construction projects in Anambra State. Constructions sites are marred with uncertainties, which most times if unchecked may likely spread all through the Project phase. Ambiguities associated with road construction projects are sometimes innately embedded in the job description and it is very unwise to neglect the influence of some extraneous variables like some of the construction stakeholders. This paper discussed confrontational issues prevalent in road Construction projects in the State and its consequences on Project schedule and consequently cost. Based on some highly debated arguments surrounding the causes of Project delays, our research surveys was conducted in phases to capture all the involved stakeholders in the road construction projects in the state. In the first phase of our study, we conducted an interview within the concerned communities (n₁ = 25). Various community stakeholders were interviewed (n₂ = 298); the interview questions used in this phase was structured based on four parameters suspected to be the likely causes of project delays. These are as follows: duration of the Project, quality of materials used, environmental management, and community participation in decision making. The structured questions asked were made concise, coherent and complete enough to elicit the required information concerning the success and delays witnessed in most of the awarded road projects in the State. In the subsequent phase of the study, a survey questionnaire was designed based on the stakeholder’s arguments and interviewed response of the selected community stakeholders. The questionnaires were sent to three key different players in these road construction projects in the state who had actively participated in some of these road construction activities. The studied groups were made up of four consultants, twelve major contractors and nine project managers. Their various responses was tabulated and analyzed with respect to the initial purported arguments that characterized the study needs. We also took study of some road construction projects awarded from 2006 to 2009; the effects of poor stakeholders management on their execution timetables were also analyzed reflecting percentages of delayed, stalled, and timely executed projects. The study was able to unveil the causes of project delays and pivotal issues surrounding stalled projects in the State. The protracted arguments that led to the study was clarified from the study and recommendation were proffered that will assist both the contractors and the State government to timely execution of projects with adequate resources being utilized optimally in the road construction Projects in the State.

Keywords: Stakeholders, Road Construction, Management, Anambra State