MAINTENANCE OF ROAD FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
Freight and passenger movement have become increasingly dependent on the road system to meet virtually all inland transport needs in Nigeria. Three major issues were identified to affect the Nigerian road network; axle overloading, neglect of routine maintenance and inadequate design and construction. However, the decline in road transport infrastructure maintenance vis a vis the boom in government expenditure between 1999 and 2011 raises several questions. This study analysed the trend in government budget and spending on road transport infrastructure maintenance between 1999 and 2011. The study also evaluated the effectiveness of government spending on the quality and quantity of Nigerian federal roads. First, data on government budget and spending on highway construction and rehabilitation for the period 1999 to 2011 was collected from the Federal Ministry of Works and analysed. A deviation between budget estimates and spending was also calculated to evaluate the budget process. To evaluate the effectiveness of government spending on the quantity and quality of federal roads, a case study of Bida-SacciNupeko-Pategi Fedral Road was carried out using data of government funding for the road from years 2000 to 2011. Government Budget and Spending on the road served as input while the output on the road and outcome (benefit) that accrue through the use of this federal road were analysed using graph showing the present condition of the road and data from questionnaire administered on a sample of thirty road users including drivers and passengers. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used to generate tables for frequencies and percentages. Results were thereafter presented in tables and analysed using simple statistical parameters such as frequencies and percentages. Findings revealed that the federal government spends less than it allocates in its annual budgets for the period of this study. Also, the pattern of allocation was inefficient as they were more likely to increase project cost and increase further the risk of abandonment of projects. Findings also show that although there was budget for the construction and rehabilitation of Bida-Sacci-Nupeko-Pategi federal road from year 2000 to 2011, money was released for spending only for year 2002 to 2008, no fund was released in years 2000 and 2001, and 2009 to 2011. Graphical evidence of the present condition of the road reveals a dilapidated and abandoned road. Sixty percent of the samples of road users agree that the condition of the road has not improved. Rather, that it had declined thereby increasing their traveling time by about thirty six percent. Sixty three percent of the sample feels the road is of poor quality, poor safety design thereby causing their vehicle maintenance cost to increase by about thirty six percent. Sixteen percent of the sample confirmed that the road had been abandoned. The study therefore concludes that iinefficiencies in government budget allocation and spending affects efficiency in output and effectiveness of outcomes. The study further recommends an improvement in the budget process by specifying the spending plans for road transport infrastructure maintenance projects and budget discipline in fund releases.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1:Background to the Study
A well-developed transport and communication network is a pre-requisite to competitiveness and economic development. Effective modes of transport, including quality roads, ports and air transport enable entrepreneurs to get their goods and services to the market in a secure and timely manner and facilitate the movement of workers to the most suitable jobs. However, out of the 139 countries assessed by the
Global competitiveness report in the 2010-11 year, Nigeria declined in the rankings to 127th from 99th position. Nigeria also receives poor assessment for its infrastructure, ranked 135th and placing 128th for quality of its roads. Railroad transport infrastructure maintenance placed 104th, quality of port infrastructure and air infrastructure placed 121th and 101th respectively (The Global Competitiveness Report, 2010-11).
The Nigerian transport system consists of the following modes: road, rail, maritime
(water), pipelines and air. From available statistics, the bulk of cargo transported round Nigeria makes use of the road system. The pipeline system (crude oil 2,042 km; petroleum products 3,000 km; natural gas 500 km) basically is used to transport oil, gasoline, diesel, natural gas and others, the air system are probably the less used in comparison with the rest (Madu, 2011).
An “efficient transport system” means that the transport services are provided in a way that ensures resources are used efficiently and the economic potential of appropriate technology is used to achieve sustainable gains in productivity in order to reduce costs and improve service quality. An efficient transport system also implies the progressive reduction of social costs, the control of other external costs of transport, and the expenditure of public funds in a way that is properly justified and carefully managed (Engel et. al, 2009).
Nevertheless, the imbalance in the supply and demand for transport capacity and the development of the different modes of transport has increased since the first comprehensive draft transport policy of 1993 for Nigeria. Though efforts have been made to provide adequate transport of all modes, notwithstanding, the demand for transport services in Nigeria seems to exceed the supply (Draft National Transport Policy, 2010).
Filani (2002) found that over 90% of the country‟s goods and freight movement is accounted for by the road transport. Only 50% of federal roads and 20% of state roads are in good condition while a meager 5% of rural roads are freely motorable despite several reforms in the transport sector (Oni, 2009).
1.2: Statement of the Problem
In 1993, Nigeria introduced the first comprehensive National Transport policy which stated that “the Nigerian transport system was in crisis‟‟. One of the principal causes identified was “a major imbalance between the needs of Nigerian society and economy for adequate transport facilities and the ability of the transport sector to meet such demands”. This statement was said to remain valid till in 2010, in respect of most of the transport system. The imbalance in supply and demand for transport capacity, the development of the different modes of transport, has in fact increased over the period since the first comprehensive draft transport policy of 1993 for Nigeria (Draft National Transport Policy of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2010). However, infrastructure is the second among the twelve basic pillars that serve as indicators of the competitiveness of a given country in the computation of the Global Competitiveness index. Nigeria received poor assessment for its infrastructure, the country scored 135th out of the 139 countries covered in the 2010-2011 Global Competitiveness Report. The forum noted that 65% of the 198,000 km Nigerian roads were in bad condition while inadequate supply of infrastructure placed second and accounts for 21.2% among the seven most problematic factors for doing business in Nigeria (The Global Competitive Report, 2010-11).Three major issues were identified to affect the Nigerian road network, arising from the fact that the country has become increasingly dependent on the road system to meet virtually all its inland transport needs. These include: axle overloading causing damage to roads, neglect of routine maintenance and inadequate design and construction (Draft National Transport policy for Nigeria, 2010). One of the major challenges faced by investors (both public and private) in Nigeria is that of infrastructure deficit. Out of Nigeria‟s 198,000 km of roads, less than 20% are paved and more than 65% are in bad condition, compared to South Africa‟s 362,099 km of roads out of which 73,506 km are paved (2002 estimate) and the rest in good motorable condition. The Nigerian Rail way Corporation which was established in 1955 has 3,798km of rail comprising 3,505 km obsolete narrow gauge rail and 293 km standard gauge that carries less than 1% of freight traffic compared with a global average of 46% (Ohia, 2011). The annual loss due to bad roads is valued at N80 billion, while additional vehicle operating cost resulting from bad roads is valued at N53.8 billion, bringing the total loss per annum to NB133.8 billion (Federal Ministry of Work & Housing quoted in CBN, 2003 Report). This figure does not take into account the man-hour losses in traffic due to bad roads and other emotional and physical trauma people go through plying the roads and the consequent loss in productivity. The poor state of roads in the country also accounts for the addition to the cost of operating vehicles as Nigerians are reported to spend over N487 billion annually to keep their vehicles on the road, small car owners in the country reportedly spend a total of N219, 500 for every 10, 000 kilometres of roads used, making the cost of operating vehicles in the country perhaps one of the highest in the world (Adewakun et. al, 2010).
The decline in road transport infrastructure maintenance vis a vis the boom in government expenditure between 1999 and 2011 raises several questions. First, what is the trend of government expenditure on road transport infrastructure maintenance? Second, what is the effectiveness of the government spending on road transport infrastructure maintenance?
1.3: Research Objectives
The study has two objectives:
- To analyse the trend of government budget and spending on road transport infrastructure maintenance; and
- To evaluate the effectiveness of government spending on the quality and quantity of Nigerian roads.
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MAINTENANCE OF ROAD FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA
