MITIGATING NEIGHBORHOOD INSECURITY THROUGH FACILITIES MANAGEMENT IN HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

ESV Oluwabusuyi Adepoju,

Housing from a wider perspective is mostly viewed beyond the common definition of shelter provision. The notion of home transcends well beyond the trivial and shallow viewpoint conceived about housing. As an integral component of the built environment, housing is considered as an omnibus term constituting multidimensional functions including aspects that are physical, economic and social.

The provision of adequate housing and housing facilities as one that presents the general populace in urban and rural settlements with a feeling of satisfaction, regarding their emotional well-being and safety particularly for residents situated in various neighborhood, connotes the significant impact of housing unit on the psychological needs of individuals living in the society. A link exist between neighborhood insecurity, urbanization and the quality of housing in the built environment. Following the 1970s, the situation of security in many African countries was relatively stable. Residents lived peacefully and moved freely from one neighborhood to the next without the apprehension of crime, harassment or violence.

As opposed to what is obtained today, life back then was quite accommodating not only in Africa but most developing countries in the world. The skepticism as to where to live or where not to live was not taken into cognizance as people developed their houses in any area of their preference. The evolving trend in the structure of modern society as staged by rapid urbanization accompanied with a high level of population growth have occasioned multifaceted issues harping mostly on escalating crime rate such as: thug activities, burglary, hoodlum attack, theft, banditry, kidnapping, ethnic conflict, terrorism and a range of other unsavory incident inimical to social and economic development in the society. In Nigeria, the emergence of insecurity in some government-controlled territory takes root in the early 2000.

Sadly, the consequences of this have been the unpleasant situation meted out to citizens who through the years have lose their loved ones and properties to the devastating problems of violence and attack within the neighborhood. Facilities management as a growing field in property management have in many developed countries proven to be effective in guaranteeing an appreciable level of safety within homes across neighborhoods. As a practice focused with the integration of people, process and technology, the management of housing concerns through innovative strategies of facilities management presents the tendencies for efficient crime control and management.

The function of facilities management fits perfectly into the role of physical design aimed at reducing crime, by incorporating the concept of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), facilities management which engages in space planning and management is imperative within the context of rural and urban housing safety. Neighborhood crime faced in Nigeria could be profoundly addressed through cost-effective and edge-cutting smart technology in housing management based on the principles of facilities management.

The installation of surveillance cameras (CCTV) as commonly used may need to be harmonized with other smart technologies for fighting crime such as e-surveillance including but not limited to: radio detection device (RDD), automated facial recognition (AFR), automated voice recognition (AVR), unattended ground sensors (UGS), automated vehicle tracking (AVT), automated number plate reader (ANPR) and other promising technology.

The government as part of its social responsibility should investment into facilities management in order to promote and instill a sense of safety in the mind of residents in their various neighborhood. The need to collaborate with experts in facilities management field such as professional Estate Surveyors and Valuers is prudent in achieving good facilities decision-making for housing delivery. The need to provide effective housing facilities cannot be overemphasized considering the substantial role it plays towards enhancing the quality of life within neighborhoods. The prosperity of any given nation is tied ultimately to the relative safety and peace enjoyed by its citizens at large.

ESV Oluwabusuyi Adepoju, a trained Estate Surveyor and Valuer, sent this piece from Lagos, Nigeria.