Uche Usim, Abuja
Seasoned project managers have beckoned on the federal government and other stakeholders in the Nigerian project to build a strong synergy with them to help solve the perennial challenge of abandoned projects valued at N12 trillion according to a 2017 report of the Chartered Institute of Project Management.
To this end, the professionals urge the authorities to involve project managers in all projects from the conceptualization to the delivery stage in order to ensure projects are delivered to taste and serve the purpose for which they were built.
To deepen the conversation, the professionals are set to host the 10th anniversary of National Project Management Conference (ProMaCon) in Abuja tentatively on November 12.
At a media briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, the Chief Executive Officer of Marvel Matrix Plus Limited, Phil Okoroafor, said the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika; his Transportation counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi; the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and other stakeholders in the Nigerian project are billed to attend.
She said: “We are also expecting a renowned Project Manager who has made positive impacts in the area of project management. We are looking at sectors that do a lot of project management that cuts across all ministries in the country,” she said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Director of ProMaCon, Mr Taopheek Babayeju, regretted that Nigeria has suffered great losses in human, material and financial resources through the decades due to poorly managed projects.
“There are many abandoned projects scattered across the country and the infamous concept of white elephant project are pointers to the urgent need for the nation as a whole to embrace sound project management.
“Numerous abandoned and poorly completed projects across Nigeria amounting to billions of dollars in waste point to the need for re-examining the nation’s general approach to project delivery.
“This was the motivation for convening the first National Project Management Conference (ProMaCon) in 2009 where stakeholders in the project management profession gathered to deliberate on how to institutionalise project management best practice in Nigeria.
“The objective of the annual gathering has been among other things to address the challenges bedevilling effective project delivery across all sectors in the country. The conference was also aimed at creating awareness for the role of Project Management in national development, promoting Project management best practices, contributing to the establishment of project management as a profession in Nigeria and developing project management specialist network. This year’s theme is; Accelerating National Development Through Project Management Best Practices. It’s about how to institutionalise project management best practice in Nigeria”, he explained.
Similarly, Lead Consultant of Management Edge Limited Volunteer, Mr Ayodeyi Rex Abitogun said, “Getting the right people to achieve the dream is key. Today, we talk about managing sustainable projects in the country and you find out that part of the challenges we are having in this country is how to get the right people.
“The conference will be a one-day event that will revitalize the advocacy for the adoption of project management techniques in public and private sector project delivery for accelerated national development”.