Filling Knowledge Gaps In Construction Project Management

Project management knowledge gap is one of the challenges the construction sector in Ethiopia has been facing for years. Understanding and properly applying project management skills to the construction industry will have profound impact in improving project management effectiveness. Supporting the profession with research and advanced education will contribute its effectiveness.
Recently, the Ethiopian Construction Technology and Management Professionals' Association (ECoTMPA) conducted its fourth National Workshop in the premises of the Africa Union (AU). Speaking on the occasion, Construction, Housing and Urban Development State Minister, Haile-Meskel Teffera said, “ as per the new construction industry policy, the government will give due attention to strengthening professional associations.” He added that from certification, to ensuring the proper implementation of construction laws and principles, the ministry will work together with the association.
The State Minister further said that Ethiopia has been one of the fastest growing countries in sub-Saharan Africa in particular and in the world in general. As a matter of fact, the living standards of the citizens are changing from time to time and the demand for improved infrastructure requirement is in the heart of the problem that the government has been challenged with.
The government has allocated considerable amount of budget for the development of power scheme, transportation networks, telecommunication facilities, housing, sugar and fertilizer factory, irrigation schemes, health, education facilities and water supply programmes.” Investment in such capital projects is essential for economic growth and development which naturally entails the involvement of the construction industry. Yet there is wide spread dissatisfaction with the outcome of construction investment both in the public and the government.
Consequently, the government has intervened in various reform actions to bring about changes in the industry. Among the efforts one is the drafting of new legal framwork and setting legislative policy directions with meticulous involvement of stakeholders and other industry actors.
The newly introduced legal instruments which are believed to have momentous impact on the execution of the construction projects include construction industry policy, building proclamation, revision of national code of standards, registration framework and restructuring of the ministry's of Urban Development, Housing and Construction. The organizational structure as well as mandates of the ministry have been revised in a number of occasions but still its capacity to respond to the booming construction activities in the country is way far from demanded.
The major shortcomings in this respect include absence of qualified manpower specially construction managers who can effectively manage a given project and who are equipped with modern knowledge and technological skills. In relation to this the government has taken a further step by establishing Construction Project Management Institute of Ethiopia ( CPMIE) with the objective of filling skill gaps in particular and catering other related services at large fostering modern construction delivery.
The institute is mandated to explore appropriate technologies within the sector and adopt them to the Ethiopian context and work on skill development in the construction industry. Moreover, it is responsible for facilitating the implementation of an international standards certification system in Ethiopia to professionals who are involved in construction project management and related tasks .
CPMIE is expected to develop the culture of taking advantage of quality management in terms of improving efficiency by eliminating delay, reducing resource wastage and disruption cused by failure to do things properly. projects, high prices, poor quality, excessive time and cost overturns, inadequate maintenance and low returns are the major problems that are faced in the construction industry. The problems also impact development and poverty alleviation efforts negatively, Haile-Meskel indicated.
The State Minister however emphasized that major shortcoming in the industry is absence of qualified construction managers.
In the course of tackling problems that are faced in the industry the support of professional associations such as and other international organizations is indispensable. ECoTMPA will have un-substitutable role in the activities of CPMIE due to the fact that both operating in closely related issues of the industry problem and collaborative policy direction, Eng. Haile-Meskel said.
ECoTMPA President, Dr. Eng. Wubishet Jeakale on his part noted that three important objectives of construction related professional and business associations like ECoTMPA are developing and promoting the professions, participating in and contributing fruitful and constructive inputs to the development of governance frameworks of the construction industry to create conducive environment, and creating international networks and liaison with sister associations to ensure knowledge transfer experience sharing among others..
Wubishet explained that construction management is an interdisciplinary field that deals with the management of construction industry.
Construction, Housing and Urban Development CPMIE Director with the Ministry, Dr. Yoseph Biru said that Ethiopian has been undertaking successive public procurement reforms to make them adhere to good governance principles. Reform efforts were made to promote competitive tendering for the selection of suppliers and effective delivery of projects with predictable cost and time through achieving value for the whole cycle of the project.
However, poor performance of the industry in delivering projects with allocated budget, time and required quality is still a prevailing fact. Most construction projects in Ethiopia take prolonged period of time; delaying the very basic rights of the public from such infrastructures provisions. The ultimate effect of this prolonged time is exhibited in the ever growing inflation of construction materials and labour market in the country. This in turn led to inferior quality of projects, shorter life of physical infrastructure and ultimate denying of fair value for public money.
The absence of an integrated system of construction management education, research and practice in the country has resulted in low performance output of the local construction industry.
The failure of the construction industry to deliver in line with the expectations of both the government and the public emanate from shortage of properly trained and skilled professionals in project management. Inefficiency of the construction industry has also been the concern of the private sector.
Alemayehu Gessese highlighting project management body of knowledge said that project management is an integrative process that focuses on the project life cycle from initiation all the way to the transfer of the 'product or service' created by the project to the client including closure of the project. Its kernel is balancing the competing project demands of the time, cost and output. Meeting these demands involves the application of all the knowledge areas and processes as creatively as possible.
Source: The Ethiopian Herald