Assessment of Drivers and Challenges of the Use of Cost Control Techniques in Dam Project Delivery in Nigeria.

Abstract

A project is bound to fail due to its nature and size, that is, as projects increase in size, planning, budgeting and cost control become complex and problematic. This consequently leads to cost and time overruns that hinder effective project delivery. Ineffective application of cost control techniques from inception through to execution of infrastructural projects, especially dam projects, is a major cause of poor project delivery. This paper presents the result of pilot survey aimed at assessing the drivers and challenges of the use cost control techniques in dam project delivery in Nigeria with a view to suggesting strategies for improved delivery of dam projects. Questionnaire were sent to twenty (20) respondents purposively selected from the identified population for the larger study. Findings from the study indicated that technical know-how, the need to train people to implement cost control techniques and desire to complete the project within cost envelope were the major drivers in the use of cost control techniques. The size and technical requirement of the project, non-availability of skilled manpower, and the cost of applying the techniques were revealed as the major challenges the major challenges to the application of cost control techniques in the delivery of dam projects in Nigeria. It was however concluded that the most effective strategies for cost control techniques application for improved project delivery of dam projects are Bench-marking new projects to a reference class of similar completed projects (Reference class forecasting); enhanced project management capability; and Computer-aided cost estimating and forecasting models. Major recommendation from the study was that most severe challenges of cost control techniques application should be identified as a major threat to be addressed in order to mitigate the causes and effect of poor delivery of dam projects in Nigeria.