Government Agencies Fail to Properly Maintain Assets

A recent review of official budgets and agency reports has revealed a shocking lack of maintenance planning and funding for government assets, leaving many at risk of deterioration. This article highlights the need for a more proactive and systematic approach to asset management in order to ensure the long-term integrity and sustainability of critical infrastructure.

Lack of Asset Management Planning

• Official budgets and agency reports reveal a shocking lack of maintenance planning and funding for government assets.
• No single unit is responsible for inspecting assets or enforcing asset management practices, with the closest approximation being the Internal Audit Unit at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MFED).

Poor Records Management

• The lack of a systematic approach to asset management has led to poor records management, resulting in unclear design specifications and required maintenance tasks.
• MISE staff highlighted the need for a transition program to alleviate this bottleneck.

Lack of Documentation and Guidance

• There is no documented process or guidance on evaluating and designing structures and fixed assets, such as water and power infrastructure.
• The lack of documentation archiving/file management systems means that initial design parameters of existing assets are often lost.

Agencies with Some Level of Asset Maintenance

• The Ministry of Environment (MoE), Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS), and the road network are among the few government entities with some level of asset maintenance in place.
• However, even these agencies face challenges, such as insufficient funding for longer-term structural risks.

Challenges in Road Maintenance

• The Highway Committee decides on course of action for roadworks and tasks MISE to carry out the works using MISE equipment and funding.
• However, this consolidated maintenance funding pool is woefully insufficient to address longer-term structural risks.
• The committee’s current priority is road safety, rather than addressing structural issues.

Conclusion

It is imperative that government agencies adopt a more proactive and systematic approach to asset management in order to ensure the long-term integrity and sustainability of critical infrastructure. The division of agency responsibilities may overcomplicate governance arrangements and reduce preventative measures. A holistic approach to maintenance is needed, rather than a piecemeal one.