Unique Factors of Best Value Procurement from the Perspective of Nigerian Construction Professionals

The construction industry is vital to the economic development of any country. It has a major role in providing built infrastructures in an innovative and cost-effective way using an effective procurement approach. In contrast, the most widely used procurement method in Nigeria is the traditional procurement approach which is known for plaguing the industry with the poor working condition and poor performances thus, reducing the sustainability and quality of products and services. For this reason, there is a need for a procurement approach which utilises expertise to minimise the risk of non-performance and create a win-win environment for both client and contractors, while increasing transparency and add value to the project such like, the Best Value Procurement. Against the background, this paper aims to establish the perception of the Nigerian construction professionals on the unique factors of the Best Value Procurement. The paper outlines the following objectives: To identify the unique factors of the Best Value Procurement and, to establish the perception of the Nigerian construction professionals on the Best Value Procurement unique factors. Using a questionnaire survey, data was collected form 314 construction professionals involving Quantity Surveyors, Architects, Builders and Civil Engineers. Kruskal Wallis Test and mean score ranking was used for data analysis. The findings show that the professionals generally agree that the Best Value Procurement unique factors can bring about transparency, accountability, increase project performance and the contractor is the best to control risk and adds value to the project. This paper derives its significance from the need to stabilise the procurement system in Nigeria by transferring the risk and control to contractors who must act in the best interest of the client.

Male Teachers Attrition: Causes and Consequences in Ebonyi State Public Primary and Secondary Schools

Objectives: To identify the causes and consequences of male teachers attrition in primary and secondary school in Ebonyi State, and to recommend strategies for adoption. Methods/Statistical Analysis: Descriptive survey design was adopted. 300 respondents were used. A 30 item questionnaire was used for data collection. The instrument was validated by three experts. The reliability index of the instrument was 0.78. The instrument was administered on the respondents by the researcher and nine research assistants. Data collected were analyzed using mean scores and decision rule of 2.50. Findings: it was found in table one that low level of educational qualification, low salaries, poor working condition, poor motivation, lack of job satisfaction, poor treatment of teachers contributed to male teachers attrition in primary and secondary schools in Ebonyi state. The above findings agree with1 who opined that low salaries, low educational qualification of male teachers help in male teachers attrition in school.Poor working condition found in this study agrees with2 who observed that poor working condition helps in male teachers attrition in schools. This study found that lack of job satisfaction makes male teachers to drop from teachers is in agreement with3 observation that lack of job satisfaction makes male teachers to leave teaching profession. The uniqueness of the findings of this study lies in the strategies such as giving male students scholarship to read education, giving teachers hazard allowance, extending car loans to teachers, among others. Adopting all the suggested strategies would in fact add prestige to teaching profession and attract the best brains to teaching profession. Application/improvements: Adoption of the findings of this study will be the best approach to solve problems facing teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools in Ebonyi State.

A New Anti-Surge Control System for Underwater Vehicle

This paper presents a new anti-surge control system hardware structure for Underwater vehicle and Stress analysis. Based on the considered environmental impact of surge in Shallow waters, a space-based six degree of freedom equation of motion simulation model is built for the special movement. A new integrated control system for the underwater vehicle, including a fuzzy PID control part with a state prediction is obtained by solving the surge problems to deal with the poor working condition under the action of the surge in Shallow waters, and its aim at the characteristics of low static error, fast response and control overshoot suppression. Some simulations verify the performance.