The impact of project appraisal on the delivery of east-west road project in Niger delta, Nigeria

The East-West Road project in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria has remained uncompleted since its initiation in 2006 despite the strategic importance of the project to the region. Against this backdrop, this study investigated the impact of project appraisal on the delivery of the project. Three specific objectives guided this study. Thus, the first objective is to identify if proper feasibility studies was done before the initiation of the east-west road project. Second, to examine whether there was effective stakeholder engagement during the East-West Road project appraisal phase, and third to identify the challenges encountered during the project appraisal process. The study employed a descriptive survey approach, using Cochran's method of sample size determination, a sample size of 294 was obtained from a population of 1250 stakeholders (Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA) officials, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) officials, Project management team, Contracting firm representatives, Residents and community leaders, Environmental and social impact assessment personnel) in the East-West Road project. A stratified random sampling technique was used to distribute the research questionnaire to the stakeholders. The findings of the study provided several insights. First, it was found that the feasibility studies for the road project were inadequate, with an overall mean of 3.13 on a scale of 5.00, reflecting significant gaps in the appraisal process. Technical assessment is one of the critical aspects of project appraisal that was substantially neglected in the appraisal process. Second, it was revealed that the stakeholder engagement during the appraisal phase was insufficient, evidenced by an overall mean of 2.38. Poor inclusivity and transparency were among the major problems that marred the stakeholder engagement. Lastly, it was revealed that the project appraisal process faced major challenges, including political interference and lack of local expertise, with an overall mean of 4.06 highlighting these critical issues. In conclusion, the study has demonstrated that poor project appraisal is one of the significant problems that have hindered the successful completion of the East-West Road close to two decades since its inception. It is recommended that the Federal government should convoke all the stakeholders involved in the project to make amends, and chart a new course for the completion of the project.