By Funke Taiwo
Maintenance or management of facilities plays an important role in extending the lifespan of properties, be it private, residential, commercial or industrial properties. Without these critical and very essential endeavors, buildings would fall into disrepair. It is within a building owner’s or manager’s best interests to perform proper maintenance or hire professionals to do so, in as much as a building is an asset, a process and a product which can be one of the best and largest investments anyone can make. This will help preserve the structural integrity of the building, as well as its initial appearance and functionality. And, as a result, or when effectively done, the building will of certainty retain its value.
Unfortunately, as with a lot of assets, buildings do deteriorate over time. This is a natural process, though there are certain factors that purposely and significantly contribute more to the deterioration than others. Building maintenance which is an important aspect of building management when, and which is often neglected, or not properly undertaken, would begin to deteriorate. That is a sure consequence.
Apparently irked by the dilapidated state of public buildings and infrastructure across the country, former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2022 signed into law the Executive Order 11, a landmark order which focuses essentially on the maintenance of public buildings. The first of its kind with a policy framework for maintenance of national infrastructures, the Executive Order expects Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government (MDAs) to set up maintenance departments. The Order which gives legal backing to the country’s national maintenance policy also expects the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to establish a department of federal public assets maintenance.
