DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF AN AUTOMATED STAFF HOUSE ALLOCATION (CASE STUDY OF AUDU BAKO COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE DAMBATTA)

This study focuses on the design and implementation of an automated staff housing allocation system for Audu Bako College of Agriculture (ABCOA), Kano State. Traditionally, the allocation of staff housing in the college has been carried out manually by the housing committee, a process characterized by delays, improper documentation, diversion of committee members from their primary duties, and occasional inappropriate allocations. These challenges created the need for a computerized system to improve efficiency, transparency, and accuracy. The main objective of the research was to develop a decision support–based automated system that can capture staff data, apply established allocation criteria, allocate houses appropriately, update housing records, manage waiting lists, and allow de-allocation when necessary due to retirement, resignation, or other valid reasons. The system was designed to deny allocation to unqualified applicants and to generate instant and accurate outputs. The study adopted a case study approach, with data collected from the ABCOA housing unit. System analysis and design were carried out using the systems development life cycle approach. The application was developed using Visual Basic 6.0 for the user interface and Microsoft Access for database management. System testing was conducted to ensure proper functionality, database connectivity, and reliability. Findings from the implementation indicate that the automated housing allocation system significantly reduces processing time, minimizes errors, improves record keeping, and enhances decision-making compared to the manual method. The study concludes that computerization of housing allocation in ABCOA is effective and recommends adequate training of housing administrators and increased sensitization of management on the benefits of automated systems.