CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0    AN OVER-VIEW

Nigerian postal service (NIPOST) is one of the parastatals under he ministry of communications ,meanly known as post and telecommunication. (P&T) The defunction of  (P&T) in the year 1985 brought NIPOST into existence. This parastateded since its inception in the year 1985. has its headquarters atLagoswith Branches all over the state (Territories) this establishment deals mainly with postal services which includes mail and its components. All efforts to develop a maintenance culture in our people depend to a large extent on the life style of the leaders. It is therefore obligatory for our leaders as individual and government to consistently strive to ensure this culture in all its ramification.

The federal governments conscious of the need to hiculcate this issue in Nigerian citizen concerning paying more attention to maintenance setup a committee in 1979 to look into the various aspect of maintenance set  up a committee 1979 to look into the various aspect of maintenance in the country. To control the propensity of an average Nigerian to replace instead of repair and maintained. A good example of the this sort now is the petroleum trust fund (PTF) charged with the rehabilitation of all the made in the country had much to waste. Maintenance is necessary as a way of life of life other wise we remain a nation without past. Prevention is better than cure” this philosophy is an old adage which refers to this word maintenance instead of replacement. The virtues of maintenance are numerous. It minimizes uncertainties on the performance it increase reliability plan and projection are made to improved efficiency thereby reduces period of insectivity due to break down.

Furthermore, maintenance is defined as a combination of any action carried out to retain on item in on restore it to an acceptable conditions in other wise maintenance is a combination of management financial engineering and other practices applied to physical asset in pursuit of economic life cycle cost. This also include a reasonable element of worn-out components with up –to – data. However because of technological developments one could  discover  that such replacements. One could not that such replacement are sometime not exactly as the same as the original.

The main aim of maintenance is the prologation of the life of an asset. Since use bring about deterioration. Assets have life span which when tied to responsible use will in turn excompass activities that retain the asset ; in good shape one of such activities is maintenance. Other is culture behaviour towards the asset “people living in glass house do not throw stone. If one does throw stones near glass house” Having mentioned that maintenance is a combination of management finance, engineering and other application. It is the responsibility of the management to encompasses maintenance as one of the major aspect of the annual budget effective and efficient maintenance. Management require the availability of finance and capable manpower.

1.2    THE BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

There is every need for maintenance culture. The absence of this culture has created a lot of problem n our socio- economic life. Maintenance culture is the ability of people which have become their way of life to constantly maintain in their highest efficiency all  they value most in life so that, they could be of greatest use to them. It involve human being in that your need exercise regular  medical and nourishment. Material good also require constrain repairs. Culture is not just singing and dancing. It is the totality of our way of life. The way the collective responsibility of the people to ensure the survival of the community. We are therefore duty bound to build and maintain a society and environment which our descendant would be proud of. Assuming you have a car and do not maintain it always or regularly, in no time it will fail completely and probably,  cost more  to repair it. In other words, maintenance culture has both material value and non-material because, gain imbibed material there are economic gain meager resource 40 wasteful for us to use to build and neglect and build again. Most of the historical building, invention books parks, statue and other cultural artifacts which we stream to other part of the world because the ability of their owners to maintain and preserve them over decades for instance, the Greek temples of Athens the British house of parliament and Burkingham place to mention but a few.

The main aim of this report is to examine the existence of maintenance inNigeriapostal service (NIPOST) .NIPOST need a special work shop on maintenance culture, particularly in view of the present economic and social situation. This will enable us update buildings giving them new coatings vehicles pane beaten and sprayed and maintained and equipments repaired and maintained. Maintenance will enable NIPOST to staid and acquire more technology, with proper maintenance Nipost buildings, vehicles machines both their heavy and the plants will generally last for years. The virtue of maintenance are numerous. It minimizes uncertainties in performance both land and production cost which increases machine reliability. It reduces period of activity due to break. The responsibly of maintenance is carried out by the work shop.

This workshop has eight (8) sections:- Postal and allied Equipment section. Mental section Carpentry section. Auto- Electrical section Air –condition and Refrigeration section Personnel section Transport section There sections are charged with responsibility of maintenance in Nipost. For any type of maintenance to be carried out, there must be an approval from the area postal manager. Depending on the nature of the repair. Also depending on the nature of the repair also the availability of fund where such repairs involve very heavy sum of money  and approval for the release of fund must come from the post master- general” maintenance culture” is perhaps the most important bold initiative by the federal government which Nipost as  one of federal government has inculcate in its execution to ensure  that the propensity to replace instead of repair is drastically reduce mostly as this time of economic recession in the  country. To enable Nipost consolidate what it has more priority must be places on maintenance. It is the same story every where, they is need for maintenance  culture in Nipost. This culture being the ability of this organization to maintain in their efficiency all their valuable so as to be in greatest use.

1.2    STATEMENT OF  PROBLEM

In spite of the existence of maintenance culture in NIPOST. There have been an increase in the rate of abaudon offices building vehicles and equipment all over. The objective of maintenance culture is to  ensure consistent repairs  for the survival of the organization since the management cannot afford new grand lose  projects even the wasteful life style of the past. During the era of all boom, purchases were made any how because the cash backing was more than available .now, it is no longer so, there are a lot of abodon equipment, vehicles, uncompleted projects here and there, most of the buildings are noe in a dilapidated from with leakages all over which could not be maintained. Conseqnuently, it becomes very imperatille, moreso as NIPOS is hiching to be commercialized also being a social service oriented, whose operational efficiency and effectiveness depend on the trust and confidence of the general public. Maintenance is very vital to avoid break it will also involve a critical study of the organization of NIPOST, the nature of business ethics a detail study an investigation to ascertain:

The extent of maintenance

consistency in the application of maintenance culture NIPOST.

to identify and elaborate the extent of maintenance culture in NIPOST is general .

to evaluate the strength and weakness of this measure in this organization .

to find out the level of staff and corporate awareness of the existence of maintenance culture constitute a   continuous corporate culture.

To identify possible loop hole (if any) and corrective measure where appropriate.

To analyse the way and means of carrying out this culture.

To analyse the way and means of carrying out the culture.

To make recommendation based on the findings with respect to the need for the existence of culture in Nipost and to the masses.

1.3   PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

it has been asserted from a glance through the introduction that maintenance cultures is a componanet of every living organsiation, the absence of which will create a lot of problem in the organizations socio- economic life. This is the ability of organization or people, their way of lie to constantly maintain in their highest efficiency all their valuables so as to be greatest use. In view of this country’s present economic and social situation, NIPOST must emphasize and stress the advantage of maintenance.

1.5    SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF STUDY

this research study is limited tonigeriapostal service (NIPOST),Enugu. However, an  empirical generalize view is limited to NIPOST Enugu. Maintenance is the broadcast area in the field of learning. This study was some how hindered a great deal due to the sensitive natiure of the subject and for security reason. The pressure of work also contributed a great deal considering it veritable nature in the field of technology. Further consideration was made based on time financial evaliability to the researcher. 

1.6    DIFINITION OF TERMS

BUILDING: A structure used with a roaf and wall, Generally intended for use as a working or dwelling place. This means that houses, school, churches, hotels, factories and  sheds arte all building.

PLANT: all engineering machinery apparatus equipment mobile or stationary.

MAINTENANCE: keeping in good repair or working order.

CULTURE:  it is the way of life a people , their traditions, behaviour in a borad sense, including their ideas, arts and infact, it is the social heritage which an individual acquire from his group.

FOUNDATION: these are strong base of building usually below the group level in which it is built up. It could be natural or artificial. The soil or rock which is immediately in contact with the bear wall column or partition bases is called natural foundation.

This supports the natural foundation.

SCRAP:  small unwanted pieces of material waste ro unwanted. 

APPURTENANCE: things that goes with another.

REFERNCES

Stapleton Tim (1981) :   Estate management practice.  Estate Gazette, London Macmillan Company.

The post Magazine. West W.A (1963):  the law of dilapidating estate eazethe,  London. Mill publishing Limited.

O.E. Byidan:  An edifice new websters Dictionary of the  English language.

Readers Digest Repair Manual. Rensis Likert: New pattern of managementNew York. Bed  minister press.  

E.B.Jailor: An Estate new websters Dictionary of the English Language.

J.B.Syke:  Oxford dictionary of current   English. Mac Graw Hiu.