1.0 Introduction
1.1 General Overview Of The Study
In any organization no matter how big or small, the management must make out time and provision for the storage and supplies of materials in the organization. Storage comprises of the management storehouse, stockyards the operation of handling and storage equipment, and the safe custody of protection of stock in the store.
All stocks, stored in the store must be received and stored property for future use when required storage of materials help in the steady supply of materials to the user department. Without supply of adequate materials, there will be no storage of materials and no activity will take place within the organization. Storage and supply of materials help an organization in achieving its objectives within the organization.
There are many types of storage method used in every store and within an organization. This helps to preserve the materials for presents and future use. Some of these methods are associated with handling, the task of handling and that of storage must be taken together. In a small firm, the stores functions may be operated a single office, run by one store keeper, but in large firm or organization, it is necessary to apportion the various duties to separate sections, example includes;
- Identification or vocabulary section
- Standardization of storehouse and stockyard
- Stock control records an account stocks section
This division of store function brings about efficiency in the storage in the store, support steady flow of stores to the user department users the proper identification and classification of store materials.
Thus, a brief historical background of this establishment is therefore necessary at this point the Ebonyi state agricultural development programme (ESADP) was establishment in 1996. This was done because Ebonyi state was created by bringing part of Abia and Enugu indigene together.
The Ebonyi state ADP has 15 local government areas with two agricultural zones namely the Afikpo zone and the Abakaliki zone presently there are three zonal officers with nineteen blocks. The zonal officers includes; the Ebonyi North, Ebonyi central and South zonal officers.
Ebonyi lies within the decision forest belt of Nigeria. It has annual rainfall and temperature of about 14mm and 30.50c respectively the land is highly fertile and so favors cultivation of wide range of crops particularly tubers and cereals.
1.2 Statement Of The Problems
There is need for efficient stores and supplies department in every organization. This is due to important role it plays to keep other departments functioning. Having gone through the stores department recordings of the Ebonyi state Agricultural Development Programme. Te records were well organized as there is store ledger book were all existing stocks will be dedicated by the store keeper in charge. The administration set up was identified with some problems that affect the organization.
The problems include the following
- That they were a lot of damages pilferage and supply system due to lack of materials handling equipment.
- No proper co-ordination the entire users department, it will affect sometimes, because the materials for workman may not be available as at when required.
- There is poor identification and improper location of materials and no standard method of issues are operated in the store.
- The major problems facing the organization are lack of efficient and effective purchasing department to perform purchasing functions.
- The stores department was small and cannot contain much or there stored materials like fertilizer, chemicals stationeries, etc. these lead to damage, deterioration and pilferage of materials.
1.3 Objective Of The Study
The study is undertaken in order to explore academic relationship between classroom work and what is obtained in the establishment. It is aimed at highlighting an efficient storage system within the organization. There storage supply of materials is set up to assist in the production distribution and disposition of goods and service of needed materials within the organization as at when required. No unit or public undertaking of any size can be efficiently managed without these two (2) functions, that is storage and supply of materials.
As result of thus, the researcher will then want to find out;
- Whether the existing storage system suit the type of materials being handled.
- Whether the storage and supply of materials should ne decentralized or centralized.
- The cause of damages, pilferage and deterioration of materials.
- Whether it is proper for the account department to control the storage department.
- Whether the standardized method issues n the stores will increase the efficiency if identification process and materials location.
1.4 Significance Of The Study
It is expected that this work will be a benefit to all agricultural development programmes within the state with regard to the storage and supply of materials to its branches within the state.
The stores department in the organization will appreciate important of good storage and supply of materials as if help to reduce the problem of materials damages, shortages, deterioration, surplus or pilferage.
The knowledge of this work will help the store department store good quality materials and equipment if the needed department within the organization.
This work on storage and supplies of materials will also be of important of scholars and other researchers who wish to study more about materials storage and supplies. The study will equally be of importance of all farmers who buy equipments and materials.
1.5 Research Questions
From the research findings, it was discovered that a well organized stored for storage and supplies of goods and services help an organization to achieved its aims effectively, when there is a well trained staff employed in the department, the store activities will be smooth, but if unqualified and untrained staff works in the store, the organization will not achieve its aim effectively. Stores officers or any attendant in the stores has to be alert.
Therefore, to notify any discrepancies in the store departments, as this help to avoid damages, deterioration, pilferage etc. in the stores.
Hence it is in this view that the following research questions are formulated.
- Is ignorance of the benefits and importance of materials storage an obstruction in the management of materials storage and supplies in an organization?
- Can inadequate storage and supplies of materials be sufficiently avoided by adopting strategies planning as control plus preventive maintenance respectively?
- Can effectively and efficient materials storage shortages, deterioration, pilferage and obsolescence in the store room.
- Does inadequate facilities and lack of frequent and regular flow of supplies affect the objectives of the organization?
- Can there be any improvement with the use of mechanized handling and storage equipment and facilities?
1.6 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: Materials shortage, deterioration damages and obsolescence cannot be reduce with effective and efficient management of shortage facilities.
- H1: Materials shortage, deterioration, damages and obsolescence can be reduced without effective and efficient management of storage facilities.
Hypothesis Two
- H0: Efficient and effective storage of materials cannot reduce theft and pilferage n the storage.
- H1: Efficient and effective storage of materials can reduce theft and pilferage in the store.
1.7 Scope Of The Study
The storage and the supplies of materials in Ebonyi State Agricultural Development Programme Has been the concern of the organization state and the farmers in the state.
The study deals with storage and supplies of agricultural equipment and used for the operation within the state from the findings at have made, the researcher can therefore use same to generalize for all other agricultural development programme within the country.
This exists as the organization helps in supplying needed materials for farm use in the state. This study has been serious taken into consideration by the director and staff of the organization as it might help them in the achievement of the organizational goals as a whole.
The researcher will examine and evaluate the extent to which the international bodies as well as the contribution of stores and individuals participation in storage and supplies of materials in the establishment had helped the state agricultural development programme.
1.8 Limitation Of The Study
Every research project has fair share of limitation and in this case, the researcher was bagged with the following problems.
- Time constraint
- Finance
- Insufficient literature materials
- Attitude of Nigerians to research project (ie apathy)
Time Constraint
Because there is no time to carry out much research, less information were gathered due to academic and extra curriculum activities, the needed information were not collected as research project needs for data collections, analysis, and summarizing, gathering can conclusion of data information.
Finance
Some research projects are funded poorly from putting allowance or grants given by parents or guardians; this naturally is inadequate to find a research of this nature. The problem of finance was as a result of the depressed economy in the country; materials prices were too high.
Insufficient Literature Materials
Another hindrance to this project work is the unavailability of sufficient literature materials for the work to be effectively carried out, there must be sufficient materials for the project to be easily carried out; because there new few books from which to draw references and particularly the absence to indigenous textbooks or magazines websites and journals, the researcher found it difficult to gather information needed for the project.
Attitude Of Nigerians To Research Project
Many of the respondents were very reluctant in completing the questionnaire given to them. The researcher was faced with the ht problems of information gathering as some documents needed were classified as “secret documents” and therefore, were not meant for other persons consumption to the respondents attitude towards the research were not positive to the researcher.
1.9 Definition Of Terms
Store:
This is a place or building that is prepared to accommodation, safe-keep, and prevent materials from damage, pilferage and obsolescence until they are required.
Stocks:
These are items of the store.
Storage:
This is the stocking and safekeeping of materials for future use.
Supplies:
These are goods or materials that aid production.
Supply:
This is the flowing of materials or inputs from where they are stored to the place where they are used.
Materials:
These are input into production i.e items used for production of goods and services.
Government Establishment:
These are government owned organization and understanding run in the interest of the people than for profit.
G.R.N:
Goods receive note
S.I.V:
Stores issues voucher
A.D.P:
Agricultural Development Programme
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