Road Asset Management System and Operation and Maintenance of World Bank-Funded Roads in Lira City, Uganda

Abstract

Purpose: This study examined the contribution of road asset management to the operations and maintenance of World Bank funded roads in Lira City East division. Specifically, the study focussed on the effect of data collection, data management; and data analysis on operation and maintenance of World Bank funded roads in Lira City East division.

Methodology: The study adopted a cross-sectional study design, which employed a mixed methods approach of both quantitative and qualitative methods. The study population consisted of 82 respondents, which involved political leaders, technical staff and city development forum (CDF) members of Lira City East division. Both the Simple random sampling technique and purposive sampling technique were used to select a sample of 71 participants. The researcher adopted Self-Administered Questionnaires to collect quantitative data and an interview guide to collect qualitative data. Both descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics were used to analyse numerical data. Content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data.

Findings: The findings revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between road asset management and the operation and maintenance of World Bank funded roads. Further, it was revealed that data collection, data management and data analysis yield a significant effect on operation and maintenance of World Bank funded roads in Lira City East division.

Unique contribution to theory, policy and practice: The study concluded that road asset management significantly affects operation and maintenance of World Bank funded roads in Lira City East division. It is encouraged that, for proper functionality and operations of world bank funded roads in Lira City division, the authorities of Lira City east division should do periodic inspection of all the roads, engage knowledgeable personnel in the collection of data on the conditions of all the road assets so that it can be used as a basis of decision making during the development of work plan and budgets for road maintenance. This study contributes an original and empirical-evidence of the contribution of road asset management on the operation and maintenance of roads in Lira City East division.