Contract auditing in public healthcare construction project delivery in Niger state: analysis of barriers

Abstract

Healthcare facilities are complicated and challenging undertakings, having an element of uncertainty which increases the complexity of their construction and maintenance. This study explored the use of contract auditing for monitoring the performance of hospital projects. The aim of this study is to assess the barriers to the adoption of contract auditing in the delivery of public healthcare construction projects in Niger State. The objectives of the paper include determining the level of adoption of contract auditing, identifying the barriers to the adoption of contract auditing and eveluating strategies to improve the use of contract auditing on public healthcare construction projects. A quantitative research design approach was adopted based on the use of structured questionnaires. Data was collected from 34 construction project professionals (architects, builders, engineers and quantity surveyors) involved in the construction of public healthcare construction projects within the study area. Mean Item Score and Relative Importance Index were employed in the analysis of the data. The research found that there is a low level of adoption of contract auditing in public healthcare construction projects. One of the key barriers is the ‘policy’ issue of senior managers’ commitment, the absence of which makes the adoption of contract auditing on healthcare projects impossible. Other significant barriers are the difficulty in obtaining close collaboration from the numerous stakeholders on healthcare projects, absence of timely enforcement of audit rules and regulations on public healthcare construction projects. It was concluded that the adoption of contract auditing is low in public healthcare projects, owing to the presence of five key barriers that are rooted in policy, communication, culture and compliance issues. Key strategies for improving the adoption of contract auditing in the sector are that top government functionaries need to openly declare support for the adoption of contract auditing in order for the full benefits of such audits to be harvested. Penalties and sanctions laid down in regulations governing the management of public healthcare projects construction must be applied in a timely manner.