Maintenance Culture Research Articles

Student Hostel Accomodation Challenge in Benue State University, Makurdi and The Public-Private Partnership Option

One of the most cherished educational assets for students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria and the world is hostel accommodation. This asset provides students with an environment for intellectual development and easy interaction with fellow peers and fosters teamwork and communal spirit among students. Hostel accommodation in most Nigerian tertiary institutions is problematic and scarce too; as such, many students tend to be affected academically and psychologically; this study investigated the challenges of hostel accommodation in Benue State University, Makurdi and suggested the Public Private Partnership (PPP) option. The objectives of the study are to ascertain the causes of hostel accommodation challenges in Nigerian tertiary institutions with Benue State University, Makurdi, in sight, to ascertain the impact of hostel accommodation problems on students' academic performance and welfare and to suggest options best for hostel accommodation challenge in Nigeria tertiary institution. Three research questions guided the study. The study is anchored on the stakeholders' theory by Edward Freeman (1983). A mixed-method research design was adopted for this study. Simple random sampling was used, and questionnaire administration and Oral interviews were conducted to obtain information from 45 respondents. The study found out, among other things, that the over-enrollment of students causes a shortage in student hostel accommodation, inadequate hostel facilities, and a lack of maintenance culture by management/government, which are identifiable sources of accommodation challenges. The study recommends the PPP option and privatization of hostel facilities as the way forward for the best quality and quantity of accommodation in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

‘MAN MUST CHOP!’: Agency of Potholes, Informal Road Menders and Socioeconomic Survival on a Sub‐Urban Road in Nigeria

AbstractOwing to Nigeria's poor road maintenance culture, informal road menders (IRMs) have emerged who fill potholes on urban and sub‐urban roads in exchange for money from road users. This article interrogates the micropolitics of this phenomenon as a relatively new means of informal livelihood within the context of the ethnography of road infrastructure, informal agency and the everyday struggle for socioeconomic survival. Conceiving informal road mending as a livelihood offers a promising lens for discussing how IRMs gain and retain access to space, navigate risks, and harness relationships with other road users and state institutions along the road. Drawing on conversations with drivers and commuters during ‘go‐alongs’ in public transport and on interviews with IRMs, private car owners and state regulatory agents, the article shows how IRMs and other road users appropriate the risks and opportunities associated with potholes as socioeconomic resources through which they leverage the precarious road transport experience in the country. This contributes to the literature on the ethnography of road infrastructures and the micropolitics of informal work in urban Africa.

Building a Culture of Maintenance: Strategies for Addressing Office Machine Challenges in Polytechnics

This research study was undertaken to investigate the various challenges faced by staff in maintaining office machines, which are critical to the smooth operation of modern workplaces. The study involved a thorough review of existing literature, encompassing both published and unpublished works, to examine the wide array of issues related to the maintenance of office equipment. To gather empirical data, a structured questionnaire comprising 15 items was developed to address three specific research questions. This questionnaire was administered to a sample of 35 staff members from selected polytechnics in the North Western Zone. The data collected from the responses were systematically analysed using the mean method, following a 5-point Likert-type rating scale. The findings were organised and presented in well-structured tables to facilitate understanding and interpretation. The analysis highlighted that one of the most effective measures staff can adopt to prevent breakdowns of office machines is to have a comprehensive understanding of contemporary office equipment and their maintenance needs. Furthermore, the results revealed that a significant contributing factor to the frequent breakdown of these machines is the lack of proactive organisational decisions and comprehensive maintenance policies. Additionally, a marked disinterest in identifying the root causes of equipment failures further exacerbates the challenges faced by staff. Based on these findings, this study recommends that organisations implement a series of conferences, workshops, and training sessions focused on maintenance best practices. Such initiatives would serve to enhance awareness among staff about effective strategies for prolonging the lifespan of office machines. Furthermore, by fostering a culture of proactive maintenance, organisations can significantly reduce their maintenance costs and improve operational efficiency.

Maintenance Culture and Practices of Government Staff Housing Units in Longido District, Arusha-Tanzania

Maintenance Culture and Practices of Government Staff Housing Units in Longido District, Arusha-Tanzania

The influence of maintenance culture and its challenges on employee safety

The maintenance of assets of an organization within an environment that facilitates employee safety is essential to its growth. However, there is a dearth of detailed knowledge on how maintenance culture and its challenges influence employee safety. Thus, this treatise’s foci were to examine the direct influences of both maintenance culture and its challenges on employee safety and examine the mediating role of the challenges on the path between maintenance culture and employee safety. A positivist explorative research approach was adopted for this study, and data were collected from staff within a specific firm’s maintenance unit. A 5-point Likert scale closed-ended questionnaire was used for the survey. The data garnered were evaluated with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) of regression analysis. The findings revealed that maintenance culture had a statistically significant influence on employee safety. Furthermore, it was found that challenges of maintenance culture had a statistically significant effect on employee safety. The study also found that there was a complementary partial mediation of the challenges of maintenance culture between the path of maintenance culture and employee safety. The findings of the study could be used primarily within the context of the transport maintenance industry. However, the verdicts of the study may also be generalized for usage in other fields, as it adds on to literature. It is projected that the yields of this study would inform strategic resolutions on maintenance culture by firms to create and maintain impressive levels of employee safety.

Impact of Public Private Partnership on the Development of Critical Infrastructure in Nigeria during the Fourth Republic

The use of Public Private Partnership (PPP) for the provision of critical infrastructure became imperative in order to reduce cost, absorb risk, improve quality, guarantee effective service delivery and obtain value for money. However, the extent to which the use of PPP in the provision of critical infrastructure in Nigeria during the fourth republic has not been established due to lack of access to necessary data. This is the gap that this study intends to bridge by providing necessary information on the impact of PPP in the development physical infrastructure within the period under review. Therefore, the main objective of the study is to examine the impact of PPP in the development of road, rail and water transportation in Nigeria during the fourth republic. Methodologically, the paper adopts a qualitative approach for the purpose of obtaining the required materials through the contents analysis of documents from the Ministry of Transport, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and National dailies. The findings of the study reveal that the impact of PPP in the development of road, rail and water transportation during the fourth republic in Nigeria have not be quite impressive due to poor maintenance culture, poor funding, lack of accountability and evading due process in contract award .Therefore, the study recommends for the use of cost benefit analysis in ensuring value for money, replacement of obsolete equipment, increase in budgetary provision and compliance with the provisions of Public Procurement Act in contract award.

Infrastructure Development and Economic Growth Nexus: The Nigeria Experience

This study examined the impact of government infrastructural development on transportation (IFDT), road (IFDR), water (IFDW) and telecommunication (ITEL) as they influence the growth process of the Nigerian economy, proxy by real GDP (RGDP), from 1990 to 2023. Data were sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Statistical Bulletin (various issues), World Development Indicators (WDI), and National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Four models were estimated to capture the influence of infrastructure development on GDP growth. The Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) and Phillips Perron (PP) unit root tests were conducted to ascertain the level of stationarity of the series. Descriptive statistics and econometric methods of Auto-Regressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) model and Granger causality estimation tests were conducted to examine the long run relationship of the series.The analysis revealed that infrastructure development on transport services (IFDT) was positive and significant in explaining changes in real GDP of Nigeria. However, Infrastructure development on road (IFDR), water (IFDW) and telecommunication (ITEL) were negative and not significant in explaining changes in Nigeria’s real GDP within the study period. On this basis therefore, the study concludes that there is no long run relationship between the dependent variable (RGDP) and the explanatory variables (IFDT, IFDR, IFDW and ITEL). It was recommended that the government, in partnership with the private sector, should increase her investment in the provision of infrastructural facilities that are reliable, durable and affordable to the people, as this will not just reduce the cost of doing business but also attract foreign investors into the country. Proper and dedicated maintenance culture of existing infrastructure facilities should be prioritized as this will save government huge amount that can be channeled into other areas of development.

Sustainable utilization of cultivated land resources based on "element coupling-function synergy" analytical framework: A case study of Guangdong, China

Solely focusing on the agricultural production function of cultivated land resources is not conducive to the various demands for meeting the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Recognizing the multifunctionality of cultivated land and understanding the interrelationships between individual functions are crucial for the rational planning and utilization of resources. This paper introduces an "element coupling-function synergy" analytical framework for the sustainable utilization of cultivated land resources. The proposed framework is based on the causal relationships between elements and functions within the cultivated land system. Subsequently, a causal Bayesian belief network was constructed to identify trade-offs and synergies among multiple functions of cultivated land resources in Guangdong, China. The findings reveal trade-offs between food cleanliness and food production/social security, and synergistic relationships among food production, social security, and ecological regulation, as well as among ecological regulation, habitat maintenance and landscape culture. The study area was divided into eight functional zones: Green Agricultural Zone, Agro-inputs Control Zone, Urban Agricultural Zone, Major Grain-producing Zone, Modern Agricultural Zone, Agro-ecological Preservation Zone, Agro-ecological Tourism Zone, Quality Improvement Zone. Multi-objective management plans were formulated for optimizing multifunctional relationships within each zone. The analysis result reveals the importance of nutrient conditions and ecological environments for the sustainable management of cultivated land. Consequently, specific policy recommendations are proposed accordingly. This paper may not only advance understanding of the multifunctionality of cultivated land but can also provide valuable insights for land-use planning to ensure the judicious and sustainable management of cultivated land resources.

Nuclear Facilities Maintenance Culture Development Study

Maintenance is an essential part of the assets and facilities in the organization/company. This deserves serious attention because it is necessary for organizational/company resources, especially for aging nuclear facilities/installations. Maintenance is the main program used to manage company assets and facilities. A lack of asset and facility maintenance culture increases management and maintenance costs. A maintenance culture is needed to improve maintenance skills, tenacity, and perseverance. Maintenance culture is recognized as an essential aspect to improve the quality of maintenance work to maintain structures, systems, and components (SSC) so that they are ready for use at any time/when needed, as well as part of the implementation of aging management programs to extend the life of assets and facilities. This paper will discuss the development of the maintenance culture and review poor maintenance cultures and their solutions. This paper aims to develop a maintenance culture to prevent premature aging and extend the life of assets and facilities. Factors developing maintenance culture include leadership, communication, rewards and recognition, responsibility, rules and standards, empowerment, motivation, involvement, policies, work strategy and planning, teamwork, training and education, awareness, and organizational structure. Corruption, poor leadership, attitude problems, and lack of policy cause poor maintenance culture. The solution to a poor maintenance culture is selecting the right people, improving job skills and knowledge, repairing equipment, ensuring machine/equipment readiness, good planning, scheduling, and general organization, measuring performance, motivating and encouraging desire, and providing sufficient funding. Maintenance culture has an impact on facility performance. Keywords: maintenance culture, nuclear organization, assets, nuclear facility

Nigeria's Adoption of Robotic Lawyers: Legal and Socio-Economic Challenges

<div><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="left"><tbody><tr><td align="left" valign="top"><p>Technological advancement has greatly enhanced the global environment, it has improved every facet of the global industry. Currently in Nigeria, the Legal Profession has taken a bold dive by incorporating the use of technology in enhancing the practice of law. However, the current innovation of robotic lawyers in most countries may seem to be consistent with their legal systems. In this regard, it suffices to opine that given the fact that Nigeria is a developing country, there are legal and socio-economic issues that may affect or truncate the adoption of a robotic lawyer in Nigeria. It is in this regard that this study adopted a hybrid method of research in ascertaining the relevance of robotic lawyers, and the legal and socio-economic issues. Questionnaires were distributed to 305 respondent residents in Nigeria. The study found that the current trend of robotic lawyers is quite impressive, however, the nomenclature of law concerning the study and practice of Law in Nigeria does not recognize a robotic lawyer. Furthermore, some socio-economic issues such as internet fraudster, unemployment, insecurity, and poor maintenance culture may pose a challenge to the adoption of a robotic lawyer in Nigeria. In this regard, it was therefore concluded and recommended that for a smooth adoption of robotic lawyers in Nigeria, there is a need for legal approval and streamlining their roles to mere advisory to a client, training of Nigerian lawyers and judges to enhance the legal profession.</p></td></tr></tbody></table></div>

Assessment of storage structures for some staple crops in Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Increased post-harvest losses of staple crops due to poor handling and inadequate storage facilities have become a concern to stakeholders in the Nigerian Food Industry. Storage structures available for some staple crops in Akwa Ibom North East Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, were assessed. Questionnaires were administered to one hundred and fifty respondents randomly selected from a pool of farmers, processors, and marketers in the study area. The study also examined the physical state of some of the available storage facilities to ascertain some challenges limiting their usage and recommendations made on measures to address the concerns. According to the survey, 50% of the respondents used sag bags for storing maize for domestic consumption and marketing, while 29% preferred plastic containers. Less than 10% of the respondents agreed to the use of enclosed rooms and lamented changes in the physical outlook of the crop at the point of marketing them due to poor aeration. Findings revealed that materials for developing storage structures for products such as cassava and cocoyam were sourced locally. Rewetting of stored products, mold, microbial infestation, and theft were some identifiable challenges associated with using plastic containers as storage mediums. The lack of awareness on the part of farmers, poor maintenance culture, non-conformity of some of the storage structures with the environment, poor funding for the development of the structures based on available local materials, inadequate supervision, and misuse of the structures were some of the factors identified as challenges towards effective utilization of storage structures in the study area. The use of rodent glue, adequate fumigation, and efficient crop drying before storage are some of the measures that could help reduce the rate of post-harvest losses of stored agricultural products. The provision of silos and other modern storage structures in strategic farm locations and the upgrading of existing structures could also enhance the storage of agricultural products and value addition.

Multimedia-based instructional delivery practices for interactive teaching and learning in selected secondary schools in Nigeria

Rationale of Study – Despite its numerous benefits, the use of multimedia in teaching and learning in secondary schools in Ijebu North-East Local Government of Ogun state is currently low. Ogun state prides itself on being the education capital of the nation, and to preserve its standing, it is essential to give the education system more attention. Therefore, the study investigated the nature of the problem that caused the low level of multimedia incorporation into teaching and learning.Methodology – This study used a descriptive survey design with a two-stage sampling strategy. It involved 1850 students, 370 of whom were drawn from four schools. A questionnaire was used for data collection, and results were presented using simple frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation.Findings – The study has established that the interactive multimedia-based resources available were barely sufficient or inadequate and in poor condition, mainly due to a poor maintenance culture. Consequently, they were lowly used, which complicated interactive teaching and learning in secondary schools.Implications – The low use of the few multimedia resources available for interactive teaching and learning suggests that the government has not invested in multimedia infrastructure. This hinders the full realisation of the benefits of using multimedia resources for interactive teaching and learning in the secondary schools in Ijebu North-East, Ogun State.Originality – The study distinctly explored the principles of learning by doing and how deep learning occurs using multimedia as instructional delivery tools, aiming to enhance knowledge management in the educational system.

Modelling error chains in offshore wind energy systems: Examining the interplay of human performance and machine state

A dynamic model of the mutual interdependency between humans and machines in offshore wind farms (OWFs) is developed in this paper. The model emphasises the importance of having early indicators to dynamically moderate human behaviour and the need to account for both human and physical subsystems and their mutual interactions for optimal asset management practices. This work simulates three distinct scenarios for: (1) examining the interconnectedness of technical and human dynamics and their implications on error and failure; (2) assessing the impact of production loss on human and organisational behaviour; and (3) evaluating human error probability as an early warning sign of production loss. The findings suggest that adopting an appropriate maintenance culture and considering human error likelihood and production rate in decision-making leads to optimising production and mitigating the risks associated with human error. The research highlights the significance of comprehending the complex interactions between human and machine factors in the operation and maintenance (O&M) of offshore wind turbines (OWTs). The proposed dynamic model helps organisations identify the underlying causes of errors, allowing them to improve their maintenance strategies.

Nuclear energy in Bangladesh: A SWOT analysis

Zero-emission energy sources like nuclear energy are taken into account worldwide due to the negative environmental consequences of fossil fuels and their limited availability over the years. Bangladesh plans to add nuclear energy to its portfolio of energy sources by 2024. Under the scope of this study, the country's nuclear energy strategy was looked at in terms of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This was done using a method known as SWOT analysis. It has come to light that Bangladesh has a significant number of aspects in terms of strengths as well as opportunities that make the possibility of doing an investment in the construction of a nuclear power plant a realistic choice. Difficulties such as a culture of poor maintenance, financial burden, lack of skilled manpower, a poor power grid, radioactive waste management, and corruption are the weaknesses and threats to the effective construction, operation, and maintenance activities of the nuclear power plant in Bangladesh. By mitigating these difficult aspects, Bangladesh's journey to adopt nuclear energy can be more smooth.

ACCESSIBILITY AND EFFECTIVE USE OF ICT/PHYSICAL RESOURCES FOR THE PROVISION OF HIGH-QUALITY SECONDARY EDUCATION IN ENUGU STATE

The study aimed to assess the availability and utilization of ICT/physical facilities for quality secondary education in Enugu State. A descriptive survey research design was used, with a sample size of 1,147 respondents. The study used a researcher-structured questionnaire called "AUPFQDSEQ" and was validated by three experts. The instrument had an overall reliability index of 0.80, indicating its reliability. The findings revealed that laboratory facilities, instructional facilities, infrastructural facilities, and sports facilities were not utilized to a high extent for quality secondary education in Enugu State. The study recommends that laboratory facilities be made available by school administrators and the government for meaningful teaching and learning, and vice principals and teachers should adopt a maintenance culture to prolong the durability of available physical facilities

Infrastructure Development and Economic Growth Nexus: The Nigeria Experience

This study examined the impact of government infrastructural development on transportation (IFDT), road (IFDR), water (IFDW) and telecommunication (ITEL) as they influence the growth process of the Nigerian economy, proxy by real GDP (RGDP), from 1990 to 2023. Data were sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Statistical Bulletin (various issues), World Development Indicators (WDI), and National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Four models were estimated to capture the influence of infrastructure development on GDP growth. The Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) and Phillips Perron (PP) unit root tests were conducted to ascertain the level of stationarity of the series. Descriptive statistics and econometric methods of Auto-Regressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) model and Granger causality estimation tests were conducted to examine the long run relationship of the series.The analysis revealed that infrastructure development on transport services (IFDT) was positive and significant in explaining changes in real GDP of Nigeria. However, Infrastructure development on road (IFDR), water (IFDW) and telecommunication (ITEL) were negative and not significant in explaining changes in Nigeria’s real GDP within the study period. On this basis therefore, the study concludes that there is no long run relationship between the dependent variable (RGDP) and the explanatory variables (IFDT, IFDR, IFDW and ITEL). It was recommended that the government, in partnership with the private sector, should increase her investment in the provision of infrastructural facilities that are reliable, durable and affordable to the people, as this will not just reduce the cost of doing business but also attract foreign investors into the country. Proper and dedicated maintenance culture of existing infrastructure facilities should be prioritized as this will save government huge amount that can be channeled into other areas of development.

Drug utilization by the population as an indicator of health protection culture in the region

The relevance of the research is determined by the total dependence of the level of health of the population on the availability of medicines. The problem of consumer culture is among the problems of drug circulation, because the health of the nation directly depends on it. The state-economic program for providing the population with necessary products from the pharmaceutical industry is also related to the issues of health maintenance culture. The purpose of the research is to determine the population’s attitude towards the consumption of medicines as an indicator of health conservation. The study is based on the use of a questionnaire survey method. The main questions were the peculiarities of the respondents’ attitude towards taking medications, the question of medical prescription of drugs, the importance of drug prices for the population, the influence of advertising on drug consumption, etc. According to the survey results, it has been proven that the quality of life of the vast majority of people directly depends on the use of drugs. The culture of the population regarding the consumption of drugs is quite high, as evidenced by the information about studying theinstructions before taking the drug by the majority of respondents, a reasonable attitude towards advertising drugs in the media, and an optimal level of trust in the quality of pharmacy products. An important issue in the culture of health conservation remains the provision of people with chronic diseases with drugs for daily use, which should not be completely dependent on imports from other countries, as well as a pricing policy that allows patients to purchase the necessary medicine. Maintaining a high level of culture of drug consumption should be ensured by the state, which implements a reasonable social policy and effective control over meeting people's needs for resources to maintain the health of the nation.

Maintenance Culture and Socio Economic Development in Enugu State Nigeria

Maintenance Culture and Socio Economic Development in Enugu State Nigeria

Periscoping E-Governance in Nigeria: Matters Arising

The technological trends of our changing world, has changed the world into a global village where every nation including Nigeria is striving to attain a high level of electronic governance, which revolves around the use of information and communication technology to deliver technology market in Africa, yet in spite of this, the country is still ranked low in the provision of e-government services to its citizens. The paper is adopted content analysis technique. The study also evaluated the parameter of E-governancebased on the laid down guidelines by the United Nations Global E-government Readiness Report. The paper identified and addressed the obstacles and benefit of e-governance. The paper therefore recommends that Nigeria government should create enabling environment where maintenance culture will be an accepted ethic or norm in public life; there should be effective implementation of ICT at all levels of education in both urban and rural areas and Principle of the rule of law must be upheld to promote equality before the law.

Utilization of Information Technology is an Elixir to Maximizing Efficiency in Business Organizations

This study has been able to justify the notion that the utilization of information technology is an elixir to maximizing efficiency of business organization. The paper used the qualitative approach applying survey design. The study purposively selects fifty (50) entrepreneurs and business owners to form the sampled subjects. The instrument for data collection used for this study was the close ended questionnaire with question items measured with the 4-likerts “Extent Format” (VHE, HE, LE, VLE). Conclusively, it was found that computers, mobile phone, computer software and internet are utilized for maximizing efficiency of business organizations to a high extent. Also, it was revealed that challenges as such infrastructural deficiencies, lack of maintenance culture, poor/no access to the internet and lack of skilled and competent ICT personnel has affected the utilization of information technology to a high extent. It recommended that business owners should ensure to put in place a standard ICT structure that will support effective and full utilization of information technology.