From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
The Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN) has expressed concerns about the indiscriminate abandonment of projects in Nigeria.
It has also noted from research, that over 56,000 abandoned projects valued over N17 trillion were littered across the country.
Team Lead of the Practice Sub-Committee of Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria, Inimi Stephen, made the disclosure, at their Annual General Meeting, investiture, induction, DUCAP training and award in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at the weekend.
According to Stephen, Nigeria’s project environment has been characterized by a lot of failures and lots of abandoned projects.
He said cultural attitude of Nigerians towards projects execution is at variance with what is obtainable in other climes.
The team lead noted: “One of the peculiarities Nigeria has is that, there are so many things that occur in Nigeria that do not occur anywhere in the world. For example, let’s look at our culture. If you are managing a project in America, you would work from Monday to Sunday.
“But, in Nigeria, if you are managing a project in the South and you want your workers to come to work on Sunday, they (workers) would tell you, no, they are Christians. In the same vein, when you go to the North, on Fridays, they wouldn’t want to go to work.”
He disclosed: “A research was done and it was observed that over 56,000 projects had been abandoned in Nigeria. The value is worth over N17 trillion and it is still counting.
“Some of these projects even if you complete them now would not be used. They are already obsolete. And some of them, in order to complete them, would cost four or five times their original budget.
“So, one of the mandate of this institute is to ensure that one, project management in Nigeria would now change this narratives. Nigeria is labeled by a lot of countries as projects management graveyard. If you drive along the roads, you see a lot of abandoned projects. It is very disheartening.
“So, we developed a methodology called DUCAP, which means Delivering Unified Contemporary Aggregated Project. This methodology was developed by professionals who came together and developed a methodology that would work for Nigerian projects.
According to him, the institute was equipping its members through training, to enable them to overcome challenges that might confront them while executing projects.
“So, we designed courses that handle all these peculiarities that are unique to Nigerians.
Another official of the CIPMN, Mrs. Victoria Okoronkwo, said the institute hosted the event in Port Harcourt, so that people in the zone would know that project management is no longer business as usual.
“People should look at project management as what would help us develop this nation.”
On how to address the incessant building collapse, Okoronkwo said CIPMN wants to address it through getting members and by extension making members being involved in all projects execution.
“And whenever any project because a substandard project, we hold that person responsible. But, for now, we don’t have our people in the projects because we are just coming up.”
Vice Chairman of CIPMN Resourcery, Peter Latebe, said project management develops a nation, because “with good project management, you cut down on costs, your projects are on time, you ensure quality, you prevent building collapse, you prevent abandon projects.
“Nigerians today, have a lot of abandoned projects. It is so because the project managers are not there. Or, the project managers have not been able to use a methodology that suits the Nigerian environment.”
The theme of the programme is: Driving National Development and Sustainability: Effective Project Management – The Engine Room.