CHAPTER ONE
BACKGROUND OF STUDY
1.1 Introduction
Development is a necessary aspect of societies, indeed any society without development could be said to be static. Hence all societies are dynamic. Development as a term has been defined by many writers with different views: – Ablu, (1982) viewed development as synonymous with economic growth measured in aggregate terms. Abubakar (1981), sees development as qualitative improvement in all societies and in all groups of individuals within societies. He asserts that all men must surely have enough goods in order to be men and to develop themselves. As defined by Forest (1981), development is creating the condition for the realization of human personality. He noted that development has to be marked with reduction in poverty, unemployment and inequality a high level of nutrition, high health standard, low infant mortality rate etc. From the above definitions of development, it can be deduced that development is virtually changing the life of an individual, group of people or community in terms of social amenities, such as good health, good road, adequate and clean water, education etc.
Rural development as an exercise is geared towards a specific field requiring thought and action on the government and the populace which its effect is a socially conditioned one, meaning that it brings about improved conscious relationship amongst individuals; groups and organizations. According to Ndangara (2005), rural development efforts must be derived from the needs and aspirations of the rural people and not necessarily in response to the needs of the urban political economy such as unemployment, food shortage, and rural urban migration. It entails a line up programme of actions targeted at increasing the efficiency of the rural population to the extent that there is rural steady power supply to the extent that standard of living and productivity are enhanced, and education and the environmental sanitation promotion are witnessed.
Basically therefore, rural development is concerned with raising the quality of life of the low-income population living in rural areas on a self-sustaining basis through a fundamental transformation of the rural mode of production (Gana, 1986). Central to this transformation, is the provision of rural infrastructure that are required to facilitate the production, distribution, and consumption activities as well as enhance the quality of rural life. Since the daily tasks of the rural people are carried out on space, land is therefore basic to the viability of rural life, and a comprehensive spatial reorganization of rural land through rural planning is of paramount importance for the attainment of rural development objectives.
According to Abah (2000), rural development in Nigeria dates as far back as the 1940s when projects known as Bamenda Cross River and the Niger Agricultural scheme Mokwa, 1954, were launched. Abah cited above says, since that period, successive impact of all the efforts are yet to be fully felt in the rural areas. Supportively Olayiwola and Adeleye (2005) asserts that, there is absence of infrastructure, which improves the quality of life like potable water, electricity and good feeder roads. However, this situation has made the rural settlement difficult for young school leavers.
In another development, rural development has been mono-cultural field to agriculture which is the occupation of the rural settlers thereby relegating other sectors of development needs of the rural people to the background. In the words of Ndangara (2005:139), the process of rural development is therefore synonymous with agricultural development but agriculture cannot develop unless other rural development amenities are present. On this note Abah (2005) succinctly put that: To many people, rural development simply means agricultural development; to some it is primarily concerned with welfare. These views are myopic because rural development should affect all aspect of the economics, social and political lives of the people who inhabit the rural areas and it should be relevant to the alleviation of all the conditions associated with the rural sector. It is true that economic base of the rural people is agriculture, but beyond food, they also need education, employment, decent housing, medical care, electricity, roads, other means of communication, entertainment, facilities for social interaction, etc.
Evaluation of rural development in Nigeria is incomplete without the contribution of international organizations such as food and agriculture organization (FAO) as the leading agency, international labour organization (ILO) United Nation Education, Social and Cultural organization (UNESCO), United Nations (UN) World health Organization (WHO) and World Bank. These organizations have enhanced Nigeria rural Rural development in Nigeria: problems and prospects for sustainable development through their technical expertise in the field of education, extension and training which have continued to strengthen the technical, physical and environmental bases to rural development in Nigeria. Specifically, FAO and World Bank have been the main sponsors and promoters of agricultural development formulation or irrigation development programme, River basin and other developmental projects. FAO in collaboration with UNESCO and United Nations Development programme (UNDP) have disseminated information and knowledge about soil erosion and method of controlling it, ILO and UNESCO have been in the area of training of the grass root level extension workers and general education. World Health Organization (WHO) has been active in the area of prorated of primary health care and designing special programme for the delivery of such services.
It is worthy to note therefore that Government at all times make attempts to develop the rural areas. These are seen in the lofty goals set for the development of the rural settlements. Every successive government will tends to explore new methods or ways to accelerate the development. Akwa Ibom State having benefitted from the democracy now operating in Nigeria also has to follow the laid down democratic procedures to get any programme operating. A change in the policy thrust or direction of previous government or administration implies that the administration will start afresh from the beginning. This involves thinking out the best policy and sending them to the State House of Assembly which will have to legislate on the said bill and having been passed by the House, will be sent back to the Governor for assent which will eventually becomes law and implementable. Thus, for such procedures to be completed, time consuming which characterized our legislative proceedings would have eaten deep into the live of the administration, thus leaving little or no time for its implementation (Gana, 1986). Either the new government that comes in will abandon such policies or where the government succeeds itself, it will no longer visit such policies.
This had always been a major feature of the Nigerian system be it at the national, state or local government levels. Lack of continuity of government programmes has been the major challenge of the Nigerian political development.
This paper is therefore set to explore the problem of implementation of rural development programmes with a view to highlighting its consequences on the rural inhabitants and also make useful suggestions on how to handle the programmes.
1.2 Statement of Problem
The need to catalyze balanced development, maximize citizens’ participation, and arouse government response necessitates the creation of the local government. The local government serves as a form of political and administrative structure facilitating decentralization, national integration, efficiency in governance, and a sense of belonging at the grassroots. The local government is a unit of administration all over the world (Agagu, 2004).
Local government has been the root of development in terms of dealings with the people which democracy is centred upon. Hence, local government is visibly seen as co-agent of rural development and as partners in progress with both states and federal governments in rural developments.
To this end, this study sets out to appraise rural development programmes in Nigeria from 1999-2009: with emphasis on Ikot Ekpene Local Government of Akwa Ibom State. Knowing the roles the government needs to play in development of any society and the obvious inability of the national and state governments in the task of rural areas, Local government has been created essentially to compliment the efforts of the states and national government in the task of rural development. Nevertheless, abject poverty and underdevelopment remains a common feature in these rural communities.
Thus, in pursuance of the central problem in this research a number of
questions have been raised (posed) for this research purpose. They are:
i) Has Ikot Ekpene local government Area contributed substantially to rural development?
ii) Does Inadequacy of Skilled Workers (like qualified engineers of all types, medical doctors etc) affect the ability Ikot Ekpene local government council in carrying out rural development programme?
iii) Does inadequate financing of the local government by the state and federal government affect the ability of Ikot Ekpene local government council to contribute to rural development?
1.3 Objectives of Study
The broad objective of this study is to appraise the performance of Ikot Ekpene local government council in the area of rural development.
The specific objectives of the study are as follows.
1. To ascertain whether Ikot Ekpene local government has contributed
substantially to rural development.
2. To find out if inadequacy of skilled workers (like qualified engineers all types, medical doctors, etc) affect the ability of Ikot Ekpene local government council in carrying out rural development programme.
3. To verify whether inadequate financing by both state and federal governments hinders the council in carrying out developmental programmes.
1.4 Hypothesis
In the light of the research question and of related literature, the following hypothesis will be tested:
|
H1: |
Ikot Ekpene local council has not contributed substantially to rural development in the local government area. |
|
H2: |
The inadequacy of skilled workers (like qualified engineers all types, medical doctors, etc) affects the ability of Ikot Ekpene local government council in carrying out rural development programmes. |
|
H3: |
Inadequate funding by both the Akwa Ibom State and the Federal Governments |
hinders Ikot Ekpene Local Government council’s ability to carrying out developmental programmes.
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study has both theoretical and practical significance. Theoretically, the study provides a theoretical framework for the understanding of the role of local government in rural development in Nigeria. Therefore considering the pivotal role of local government in development in general, such information will be of immense help for policy formulation on the development of grassroots. The result of the study will equally be of help to other researchers who may want to research on such topic or related topics on development in the academia in the future.
On the practical significance, the study will draw attention of, and enlighten both the stakeholders and those who implement policies on rural development in Nigeria who may not really understand the central role of rural development on the crucial and inescapable role of local government system. As a result, the rural dwellers will endeavour to participate full in grassroots democratization and development, while those who implement policy on development in Nigeria will become dedicated to policy formulation, recommendations and implementation.
1.6 Operational Definition of Concept
Grassroots/Rural development: The term grassroots development as used in this study refers to the act or process of developing and empowering the well-being of the vast majority of the rural dwellers through the provision of basic social and economic infrastructures. Hence, it is a development from below. According to Todaro (1985) grassroots development is an advancement that makes life more meaningful in all its entirety. Whether political, economic, socio-cultural and infrastructural.
Rural Dwellers
Rural dwellers are the people living in the remote areas of a country and lack basic infrastructure like good road network, pipe borne water, electricity, good health facility etc. The term refers to the ordinary people who are far from political decision making process at the centre. These groups includes small scale farmers, tenants, etc who seek livelihood in the rural areas.
Democracy/local government
The term democracy “literally signifies” the rule of the people: the term democracy as it is used in the study synchronizes with Abraham Lincoln’s definition of democracy. Gauba (1981:421) quoting Lincoln and it reads: Democracy is the government of the people by the people and for the people. It implies that ultimate authority of government is vested in the common people so that the public policy is made to conform to the will of the people and to serve the interests of the people.
From the foregoing, one can rightly say that democracy is all about “peoples” participation in government–and local government. Therefore, Democracy and local government are inseparable and are synonymous.