Unethical Professional Practices and Poor Craftsmanship of Construction Projects Performance in Nigeria: Consequences and the Way Forward

Construction professionals and craftsmen are expected to exhibit high level of professionalism by adhering to their professional ethics when discharging their duties. This study observed that unethical professional practices and poor craftsmanship on construction projects consequences are evident in the Nigerian Construction Industry (NCI). This negative trend affects performance of construction projects and the role of the industry in enhancing the economic growth of the country. Hence, the study sought to identify these effects to provide remedies for curbing them. Explorative studies and questionnaire survey methods were used to obtained data from interviews and interactions with construction professionals and craftsmen. Data obtained were analysed using SPSS for reliability, correlation tests, signifi cance test, and descriptive statistics. Result reveals identified effects of unethical professional practices and poor or unskilled craftsmanship to be severed on projects performance. Amongst them are: vulnerability to frequent maintenance work, delays, cost overruns and lack of adequate training for craftsmen are the extremely severe effects. Adherence to professional ethics, transparency and accountability in contract administration, the use of approved construction designs from certified professionals, training and retraining of both professionals and craftsmen is considered highly effective for curbing unethical professional practices and poor craftsmanship. The research recommends construction professional bodies, regulatory bodies and the government to adopt the research findings on the remedies and these organizations should be synergized in implementing the remedies. The research result will assist in curbing unethical practices and poor craftsmanship, thus, facilitates professionalism in the NCI to meet international best practice.