Evaluation of Construction Supervision Practices and Their Effect on Structural Quality in Akwa Ibom State

Effective construction supervision is essential for ensuring that structural elements are built in conformance with engineering drawings, specifications, and applicable standards. This study evaluates the quality and extent of construction supervision practices in the building industry in Akwa Ibom State in the South South geopolitical zone, and correlates supervision levels with observed structural quality outcomes in twenty-five recently completed buildings across Uyo, Eket, and Ikot Ekpene. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining structured questionnaire surveys of project stakeholders including engineers, contractors, and clients with physical structural quality assessments using cover meters, concrete rebound hammer testing, and visual inspections. Supervision quality was rated on a five-point scale encompassing full-time professional presence, periodic engineer visits, owner-supervised, contractor-only, and no supervision. Results reveal a strong positive correlation between supervision intensity and structural quality scores, with buildings under full-time professional supervision achieving average concrete compressive strengths thirty-one percent higher than those with contractor-only supervision. Column reinforcement misalignment, inadequate concrete cover, and improper curing were significantly more prevalent in the low-supervision category. Economic analysis indicates that the additional cost of professional supervision, averaging 2.8 percent of total construction cost, is more than offset by the reduction in post-construction remediation expenditure. The study recommends mandating professional engineer site presence at all critical construction stages as a condition for building permit approval in Akwa Ibom State. Keywords: construction supervision, structural quality, Akwa Ibom State, building control, reinforced concrete.