DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE PROJECT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR FLOOD DISASTER PREVENTION PROJECTS IN BAYELSA STATE CAPITAL, NIGERIA (MANAGEMENT PROJECT TOPICS AND MATERIALS)
ABSTRACT
Recent predictions by Flood management experts about Flood re-occurrences in many countries like the United Kingdom, United States, China, etc., advocates for a shift in focus, from the existing structural heavy engineered Flood Defences, to a more sustainable and effective project management strategy in Flood prevention Projects globally. This same phenomenon of perennial Flooding in the Bayelsa state Capital, Nigeria, has created the need for a more effective and sustainable Project Management Strategy, of the ongoing Flood Prevention Projects in Yenagoa, Capital of Bayelsa State. A qualitative investigation, through: peer reviewed journals, interviews of Stakeholders in the Flood prevention Project from Bayelsa State, documents, reports, a systematic Content-Thematic analysis and discussion, revealed that, the combination of Structural Engineered Flood Defences and the components of Non-structural Adaptive Governance Strategy, is a more effective/sustainable Project Management Strategy for the Flood Prevention Projects in Bayelsa State Capital, Nigeria.
The Strategy contributes to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, by providing, first, a Project Management Strategy framework of, cordiality, collaboration between Government, the Public, Professionals, and Project Managers, together with strong financial support from the Government, as resilience against Flood disaster impact, and second, recommends best standards/practices in Flood Defence Projects in the State.
Chapter One Introduction
1.1 Overview
Natural Flood disaster is a phenomenon that is common around the globe that causes enormous losses in terms of lives and properties (Ismail et al., 2014). For instance, Deen, (2015) maintained that in Pakistan since the year 1973, the country has been ravaged by seven major Flood disasters, affecting about 40 million people, and causing a massive devastation of homes, infrastructures, farmlands, businesses, livestock etc. Additionally, Kim and Choi, (2013), He et al., (2013), and Rojas et al., (2013), all maintained that natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, tornados, etc. have caused a tremendous socio-economic cost and considerable loss of lives.To provide a solution, Ismail et al., (2014) stated that, it was very important for NGOs (Non- Governmental Agencies) and Government Agencies/Organizations involved in post- disaster or Flood disaster reconstruction projects to embark on Studies to mitigate these disasters and learn from previous Flood disaster projects in terms of their successes and failures, for the purpose of improvement.
Experts thus, emphasized that there was need to embark on prevention of Flood disasters than to focus on rebuilding Flood disaster projects, due to threatening predictions of Flood reoccurrences globally (Kim and Choi, 2013). To support this, Hasson et al., (2008), emphasized that a sustainable or effective Flood prevention Project Management, that mitigates perennial Flood losses, can help reduce the suffering of citizens. Therefore, Countries and States especially who are plagued by perennial flood problems, for example, the Case Study of this Research, Bayelsa State Capital, have embarked on and still searching for the most effective or sustainable Project Management Strategies to cub the challenge.
