EVALUATION
OF PROBLEMS OF INSUFFICIENT ACCOMODATION TO MILITARY PERSONNEL (A CASE STUDY
OF NIGERIAN ARMY)
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The
Nigerian Armed Forces were established to protect Nigeria against external aggressors
and observers note that the forces have performed their duties creditability
ever since their establishment. Analysts, however, underscore the need for the
government to provide a good working environment especially in the area of
decent accommodation for the military so as to facilitate its efforts to give
quality service delivery (Adeniyi, 2004).
It
has been observed all over the country that most of the barracks of the armed
forces are currently in a derelict state, while several soldiers are not
quartered in barracks. This is not to suggest that the Federal Government of
Nigeria has not been mindful of the accommodation needs of the armed forces, as
it has initiated some interventionist measures to ensure the soldiers’
wellbeing. For instance, former President Olusegun Obasanjo inaugurated the
Presidential Committee on Barracks Rehabilitation (PCBR) in 2001 to oversee
efforts to rehabilitate military barracks across the country (Vanguard, 2011).
Housing
has been recognized to be in the same category with air, food and clothing as a
basic necessity of life (Okpala, 1985). It’s basic function is to protect man
against the weather and to guarantee him some security against marauders.
Housing is one of the major problems facing the Nigerian military. Housing
problem has been a general problem in all government parastatals in Nigeria
because of the high level of corruption and embezzlement of allocated funds
coupled with poor implementation of the housing policies for the military
personnel (Adeniyi, 2004). Various governments at Federal and State level have
in the past made efforts of improving the housing situation in the military
Barracks. The low-income group to which most soldiers belong is the most
hard-hit by the shortage of housing. The shortage of housing persists despite
the various government efforts because the supply is far short of housing needs
(Ogunshakin and Olayiwola, 1992). Housing programmes targeted at the low-income
group of soldiers invariably end up with the rich senior officers because of
the autocratic nature of the profession.
Military barracks across the country
are in dire need of rehabilitation and in many cases lack enough accommodation
for soldiers in spite of the yearly budgets of billions for barracks repairs, (Daily
Trust, 18th March 2015). Daily trust (2015) also revealed that military
barracks in Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi and other places are characterized with
many buildings that are in a state of disrepair, with broken doors, windows and
leaking roofs.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The problem of insufficient housing and
accommodation to military personnel is primarily that of a crisis situation,
manifesting and expressing itself in quantitative and qualitative forms. Lack
of comfort and rudimentary infrastructure, congestion, unhygienic conditions,
high densities and absence of organization make for ghastly experiences shared
by the vast majority of the military personnel. The spatial product of this
problem is not only in the rapid emergence and deployment an environmental
problem in the Nigeria military barracks. However, the researcher is evaluating
the problem of insufficient accommodation to military personnel with a special
focus on the Nigerian Army.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The
following are the objectives of this study:
1. To
examine the problem of insufficient accommodation
to military personnel in Nigeria.
2. To
examine the level of government commitment at providing decent accommodation
for the Nigerian Army personnel.
3. To
determine the factors hindering the provision of decent accommodation for the
Nigerian Army personnel.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. Is
there a problem of insufficient accommodation
to military personnel in Nigeria?
2. What
is the level of government commitment at providing decent accommodation for the
Nigerian Army personnel?
3. What
are the factors hindering the provision of decent accommodation for the
Nigerian Army personnel?
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The
following are the significance of this study:
1. The
outcome of this study will sensitize the Nigeria government, the Nigerian Army
authority and the general public on the problem of insufficient housing and
accommodation to the Nigerian Army personnel with a view of identifying how the
problem can be solved.
2. This research will also serve as a
resource base to other scholars and researchers interested in carrying out
further research in this field subsequently, if applied will go to an extent to
provide new explanation to the topic.
1.7 SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This
study on the evaluation of the problem of
insufficient accommodation to military personnel in Nigeria will cover the state
of accommodation facilities in the Nigerian Army barracks all over the country.
LIMITATIONS OF STUDY
Financial constraint– Insufficient fund tends to impede the
efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature
or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire
and interview).
Time constraint– The researcher will
simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently
will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.
REFERENCES
Abiodun,
J.A. Housing Problems in Nigeria Cities Onibokun p ed Housing in Nigeria: A
book of Reading NISER, Ibadan Pp 49-63, 2005.
Adeniyi
E.O, The Provision of Housing A challenge to Military performance in Africa,
Ibadan NISER reprint series 96, Pg 701 – 710, 2004
Daily
Trust, 18th March 2015
Ogunshakin
and Olayiwola L. The Collapse of Official Housing Policy in Nigeria
Habitat International Vol.16, No1 1992.
Okpala
D.C.I. Housing Tenure in Nigeria Housing Policy, of need for Rethinking of
current emphasis, Publication of Nigerian Association of Housing Corporation
Vol. 2 No.1 1985