Fashola, stakeholders seek attention to public assets, infrastructure maintenance

Adequate attention to infrastructure and public assets maintenance was the focus of discussion when stakeholders, gathered for a policy dialogue convened by facilities management (FM) experts and professionals in Lagos.

The forum, which is part of activities to mark the 2018 World Facilities Management Day, was attended by top government functionaries including the representative of the vice president of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, and experts from in and outside the country.

Klinserv Solutions Limited, a leading provider of Asset & FM Technology support services to the FM industry, organised the event in conjunction with other FM industry practitioners, which was described as “the first of its kind and the largest platform for interaction among policy makers, managers of public assets/utilities and infrastructure”.

According to authorities of Klinserv Solutions, the event during which the organised private sector and facility management practitioners fully participated, was titled: ‘Effective Maintenance As a Tool for National Development,” centred principally on education, healthcare and technology.

“One of the biggest challenges of our economy has been our persistent inability to articulate a sustainable national and sub-national policy and framework that will ensure the regular and effective maintenance of our public assets, buildings, utilities infrastructure and facilities”, explained Tunde Ayeye,  the lead convener and executive chairman of Klinserv Solutions, at a press conference in Lagos.

Ayeye, who is also the group managing director of the International Facilities Services (IFS) Group, added that poor maintenance culture has over the years led to a perennial problem of poor functioning of these assets, wanton wastage and dissipation of  Nigerian citizens  common heritage, poor economic performance, and  corruption.

To him, its not hard to see instances of poor maintenance culture in Nigeria as this reflected in bad roads,  poorly maintained bridges, non-functional health centers and hospitals, dilapidated school buildings, refineries our national power infrastructure, and so on. “Anywhere you look; it is evident that the issue of poor maintenance of our public facilities demands national attention,” Said Ayeye,

He noted that the policy forum  dialogue was a wake-up call on all stakeholders and lovers of Nigeria to join hands and support government in its  efforts at investing in infrastructure development and actualization of its Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) which is already beginning to achieve results.

To increase, sustain and accelerate the growth patterns being  seen in the economy, Ayeye believes that a well-articulated long term policy on total life cycle management of public assets is urgently required at the national, state and local government levels as against a focus on cost of acquisition alone without adequate policies and plans that will guarantee that the asset continues to function optimally and serve its intended purpose throughout its useful lifecycle.

Similarly,  Managing Director,  Global Property and Facilities International Limited, Mr MKO Balogun; also stated that the  policy dialogue  specifically focused on infrastructure, health and education facilities which, according to him, is in tandem with the philosophy and key areas of the federal government’s ERGP.