Proximity of HVOTLS and Residential Rental Values in the Metropolitan Lagos

High Voltage Overhead Transmission Lines (HVOTLs) otherwise referred to as power-lines have been thought to influence property values over the years. This study investigates the relationship between distance to HVOTLs and the rent of homes in metropolitan Lagos. Questionnaires were distributed to estate surveying firms, residents within 200m to power-lines in Surulere and Alimosho areas of Lagos while an in-depth interview of managers and field officers of Akangba and Alimosho PHCN sub-station was conducted. Average response rate was 66.5% and collated data were analysed. Findings revealed that residential property rents increased as distance from power-lines increased and the existence of a null effect on the rent of residential properties located over 100m away from power lines. Finally, the study encouraged the burial of yet-to-be constructed power-lines and strict enforcement of ROWs within Lagos metropolis where power-lines already exist to abate the effect of power-line on property investments

TACKLING CAUSES OF FREQUENT BUILDING COLLAPSE IN NIGERIA

A building, once properly constructed is expected to be in use for a very long time. Although every society has its own problems and Nigeria is not an exception yet the very recent challenges of buildings collapsing in various locations have been giving the various arms of government and the people of Nigeria sleepless nights in view of the enormous loss of huge investments in housing, properties and human life. The major challenge on the issue of building collapse is that individuals differ radically from one another on the professional to blame as the major cause of the collapse of a building. This study reviews current challenges in the building industry in relation to collapse of buildings, loss of lives and properties. Data for the study were obtained through structured questionnaires administered to landlords and professionals in the construction industry in addition to academia in the built environment. Historical data of past collapsed buildings in Nigeria were also discussed. Findings from the three prominent groups were varied. First, building experts blamed building collapses on the use of low quality building materials coupled with employment of incompetent artisans and weak supervision of workmen on site. Second, public opinion revealed that the blames of building collapse were due to non-compliance with specifications/standards, use of substandard building materials and equipments and the employment of incompetent contractors. Third, opinion of the academia on remote causes of building collapse showed that the route causes are mainly the non-enforcement of existing laws and endemic poor work ethics of Nigerians at large. The study recommends that the press should lay more emphasis on educating the public at large on the dangers of the collapse of a building and less on public emotions. In addition, government should, on one hand, embark on proactive steps by mustering enough political will to allow the Town Planning Authorities to perform their functions unfettered and on the other hand, provide the legal framework that can improve and ensure smoother, less time-consuming and less burdensome ways to conduct business in the functioning of law courts

HVOTL Structures and Residential Property Investments in Suburban Lagos,Nigeria

High Voltage Overhead Transmission Lines (HVOTLs) otherwise referred to as powerlines, have been ascertained to influence diminution in property value. This study epicenters on the impact of power-lines on the rent of residential properties in suburban Lagos. Questionnaires were distributed to registered Estate Surveying firms, residents within 200m of a I Okm double tracked power-line in Alimosho, Lagos while an indepth interview of the manager and field officers of the Alimosho PHCN sub-station was conducted. Averagely, a response rate of 66.5% was achieved and collated data were analysed accordingly. Findings revealed that the rents payable for homes within 1OOm proximity to the power line did not suffer value diminution. Finally, the study recommended the PHCN to call to order, all residents breaching the 25m ROW in suburban Lagos, to foster environmental decorum and also retain the null effect of power-lines on rents in the neighbourhood as the suburb gradually merges into the metropolis

Towards Ensuring Sustainable Urban Growth and Development in Nigeria: Challenges and Strategies

The accelerated rate of urbanization in all forms and the geometric population growth in Nigeria have been generating serious environmental problems and concern for both the government and interested stakeholders. Notably among which include problems of accommodation, over-stretched and poorly maintained facilities, roads, traffic congestion, undirected drainage systems, etc are few of the problems plaguing most of the country’s urban centres. It is the foregoing scenario that has necessitated the recent concern about the sustainability of our environment taking into consideration the increasing rate of environmental waste and degradation going on in the country. Despite the efforts of the various organizations and interest groups spear-heading campaigns for progressive changes in policies, laws, technologies and development strategies toward enhancing urban qualities, the achievement has been rather very low and minimal. This development has created great sustainable challenges for not only the government at various levels but also the stakeholders and other interest groups in the country especially in the area of human settlement and sustenance of the environment in the area of good transportation networks, potable water supply, sanitation, effective and efficient waste management, elimination of social conflict and crime. This paper examined the efforts of government at tackling the barrage of challenges hampering issue of sustaining urban growth phenomenon over the years through poverty reduction and economic empowerment strategies, good governance and enhanced urban development international partnership strategies. The paper concludes that sustainability of urban growth and development can only be anchored on government sincerity of purpose and committed political will in an atmosphere of peaceful democratic settin

Beneficial Application of Facilities Management In Hotel Organizations in South-Western Nigeria

A survey was conducted of probabilistically determined fifty-seven hotels of various ‘stars’ in South-Western geopolitical zone of Nigeria to investigate the beneficial applications of Facilities Management (FM) in the hotel organizations. Data were collected from hotel organizations through their general managers, staff and customers with the aid of questionnaires. A combination of stratified and cluster sampling techniques were used. Kothari’s formula was adopted to determine the appropriate sample size while descriptive statistics, ranking and Spearman Correlation analysis were carried out. It was found that about thirteen benefits were common to all the stakeholders (Hotel organizations, Facilities Managers and Customers) while additional five benefits were just peculiar to the Facilities Managers and Customers only. Curiously, the flaunted benefit of FM as instrument of strategic management by literature was not reckoned with, thus affirming that receptivity to FM is at low-ebb in the hotel sector of Nigeria’s economy and a pointer to ignorance of FM as instrument of strategic change. The study recommended that International Facilities Management Association (Nigeria Group), hotel organizations and Governments at all levels in Nigeria should be conscious of this development and put in place strategic actions to market and educate the gentries on the efficacy of FM in running hotel businesses

Empirical Verification of the Clients' Perception of the Adequacy of the Valuation Reports of Nigerian Valuers

The issue of professional valuation standards and quality of valuation reports has been subject of intensive debate at both local and international/eve/ in recent years. Studies on the subject of clients' perception of the quality of valuation reports have been extensively carried out in countries like UK, Australia and the US. However, the topic has not received much attention in most developing countries such as Nigeria. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the perception of the clients who are the users of the valuation reports concerning the quality of valuations reports emanating from Nigerian Valuers. The survey was carried out with a view to addressing such issues regarding the quality of valuation reports with the intention of ascertaining the level of the clients satisfaction with the quality of valuations reports being given them by their professional valuers and to further identify the strengths/ weaknesses of the reports and make necessary suggestions for improvement if the views of clients suggest so. To achieve the objective of the study twenty four commercial banks and fifty property companies randomly selected were sampled in Lagos metropolis. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools. The study revealed serious concern regarding the quality of valuation reports in Nigeria and necessary recommendations for addressing the identified problems were preferred

What Lenders Want from Mortgage Valuation Reports:A Survey of Nigeria Banks

For over a decade now, the Nigerian real estate industry has witnessed a steady but continuous growth as via the participatory activities of major private sector players both nationally and internationally. Hence, the need to urgently explore the requirements of valuation report users is eminent as the report serves as an important input to lenders' decision making. Surveying the existing twenty-two (22) Nigerian banks as prime users of valuation reports in the country, this study examines the need of these banks vis-a-vis the report content with a view to determine their needs and further improve on the quality of valuers’ reports. The needs of the banks were examined in accordance with the reporting format of Nigerian valuation reports. Using mean ranking coupled with the relative importance index (RII) methods, retrieved data were analysed and findings showed that lenders require more explicit details relating to salient aspects of the property market in valuation reports which include valuation calculations and uncertainty in valuation figures. The study concluded that the profession of estate surveyors and valuers should be mindful of the new expectation of their clients and try as much as possible to meet those expectations to retain the reliability of valuation reports in Nigeria

HVOTL Associated Risks and Real Estate Investment in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria

High Voltage Overhead Transmission Lines (HVOTLs) associated risks have been thought to foster potential risks elements capable of creating property value diminution when located within the built environment. This current attempt identifies and evaluates particular risk elements attributable to HVOTLs within a perpendicular distance of 200m in residential neighbourhoods within Alimosho and Surulere neigbourhoods in Lagos metropolis using survey method. Data retrieved from residents within a 200meters distance perpendicular to power lines in the study areas of Lagos metropolis were analyzed and interpreted using the relative importance index. The study established that within the study areas, all nine risk elements were found significant but within varing extents. The study suggests that ROWs in the state must be enforced and respected by the public while erring individuals be sanctioned and their buildings demolished by State and Federal governments actions. This is crucial in promoting the sustainability of real estate investment

Impact of HVOTLS on Residential Property Rental Values in High-Brow Lagos Metropolis

High Voltage Overhead Transmission Lines (HVOTLs) otherwise refered to as power-lines have been debated to facilitate property value diminution. This current study investigates the impact of power-lines on the rents of residential properties in high brow Lagos. Questionnaires were distributed to registered Estate Surveying firms, residents within 200m to power-lines in Surulere area of Lagos while an indepth interview of the Manager and field officers of the Akangba PHCN sub-station was conducted. On the average, a response rate of 66.5% was recorded. Findings revealed that residential property rents increased as distance from power-lines increased averagely by =N=5,000.00 and a mean value impact of =N=786 on neighbourhood rental value.The study encouraged the use of buried armour cables instead of overhead power-lines in future and the strict enforcement of ROWs within Lagos metropolis where power-lines already exist, in a bid to abate the effect of power line on property investments

An Empirical Ascertainment of the Causes of Building Failure and Collapse in Nigeria

The incessant of building failure and collapse in the recent past has become a source of national concern and embarrassment in Nigeria. News reports of such incidents are frequently reported in the country by both the print and electronic media. In 2006 alone, no fewer than thirteen of such cases were recorded in Lagos State alone while statistics of the previous and subsequent years were not better off either. This study was set out to empirically ascertain the causes of such building failure and collapse from the perspectives of the stakeholders (comprising of the professionals in the building industry, contractors and house owners/developers) with a view to proffering appropriate recommendations to guide against future occurrence. Lagos State was chosen as the case study based on the frequency of occurrence building collapse in the state. To achieve the objective of the study, questionnaires were randomly administered on the professional Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Architects, Town Planners, Quantity Surveyors, Engineers (Structural and Civil), building contractors and Landlords/developers in the study area to seek their opinion on their perceived causes of building collapse. The study identified the use of sub-standard building materials, poor workmanship by contractors, use of incompetent contractors, faulty construction methodology, heavy downpour, non compliance with specifications/standards by developers/contractors, inadequate/lack of supervision/inspection/monitoring, structural defects, defective design/structure, illegal conversion/alterations/additions to existing structures and dilapidating structures as the major causes of building collapse in Lagos State nay Nigeria. The study recommends education of all the stakeholders including the professionals in the building industry and landlords/developers on the inherent dangers of building collapse and the need to be safety conscious while building houses