Eliezer Harps on Individuals’ Involvement in Infrastructure Management

Mary Ekah

In a bid protect both individual as well as investments in infrastructure; there is a need for individuals to participate actively in management and maintenance of infrastructure in the communities in which they exist. The Chief Operating Officer, Eliezer Workplace Management Limited, David Korede, has said.

Speaking during a media parley in Lagos on the topic, “Fostering Infrastructure Maintenance Though Ownership Culture” in commemoration of this year’s World Facility Management Day’, he said “To participate effectively in management and maintenance of infrastructure, we need to take ownership of those in our communities.” He stressed that there was a need for Nigerians to be passionate about public facilities, while they developed in themselves a maintenance culture. He said the idea of ‘Ownership Culture’ is encompassing; “It involves accepting responsibility, personal accountability, creativity and innovation especially using ownership judgment and making independent but learned decisions in promoting growth and development.

Using Lagos State where the numbers of people living therein grow in double consistently as example, Korede said the consistent growth of the population of Lagos brings with it unique challenge of inadequate infrastructure and maintenance plan that is obviously inadequate for the number of people who utilise this public infrastructure. In view of this, he it was necessary to have appropriate assets and facilities management plan in the state, as this will bring about increase in life expectancy and sustainability of values. “This sounds simple and straightforward, but taking ownership actually has a cultural dimension. In some cultures, it is expected and often times rewarded when people take ownership of tasks while it is punished and ridiculed in some cultures,” Korede said. He saiD it was in consideration of this that Eliezer, a leading facility Management in Africa, is adopting ownership culture to management of Lagos State assets, infrastructure and environment through what it tags, ‘My Lagos, Our Lagos’