CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Poverty, between 1960s and early 1970s was minimal as few people were below the poverty line in Nigeria (Ogwumike,2002). During this period, Nigeria enjoyed steady economic growth and relative stability. The economy and per capital income grew steady as agricultural industries and even public sector absorbed most of the labour force (Ogwumike,2002)
The poverty incidence started rising in the late 1970s and early 1980s when human race was aroused by picture on the TV screens, of starving children, homeless couples, women in lettered nakedness, dying old men and mostly from the third world. Consequent upon these a conference on poverty was held in Nairobi, Kenya on the United Nation Development programme (UNDP) to discuss the problem of poverty in all its ramifications and to come out with ideas and prescriptions to tackle the menace of poverty at the end it was agreed that poverty is relative (UNDP,2011).
In the mid 80s the poverty rate in Nigeria started rising for instance about 43% of the Nigerian population was living below poverty line between 1985 and 1986 (Ravallion and Badani, 1994). It rose to 53% and 61% in 1996 and 1997 respectively. By 1999, about 66% lived below poverty line, making Nigeria the 54th in the human poverty poorest nations in the world (CBN, 2003).
Over the years, Nigerian government had made different attempts at reducing the rate of poverty in the country. Different poverty alleviation programmes and projects were instituted to achieve this aim. Thus, directorate for roads and rural infrastructure (DFRRI) in 1986; Better life programme (BLP) in 1987; National directorate of employment (NDE) in 1987; family support programme (FSP) in 1993; family economic advancement programme (FEAP) in 1997, etc. were instituted (National Bureau of Statistics, 2010).
The Kano State government is among the states in the federation that
established poverty reduction agency as a deliberate strategy to mitigate poverty and facilitate sustainable entrepreneurship, the Kano State Government under Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has handed out N10,000 each as free capital to 88,000 women in the state, the government had also trained a number of 600 women on poultry production at Tukwui poultry institute in the state as part of its effort to make them more active players in the local economy as well as to eradicate poverty below its line. Besides, income generating activities that will enhance their living standard, literacy classes have also been initiated for uneducated women among them to enhance their intellectual potentials. The poultry training approach is an instrument of poverty alleviation and economic empowerment and poverty alleviation (Adeyemi, 2013).
In view of the state of affairs in the state made the civilian governor to place poverty in his agenda. The government introduced twenty four (24) skills acquisition institutes, which an impressive number of trainers graduated and were empowered with donation of take-off packages (in cash or in kind) to commence their various acquired trades skills. The administration indeed foresaw this and took a proactive measures among which was the establishment of Kiru reformatory institute and corporate security institute (C S I) Gabasawa. These two institutes have graduated over 2500 beneficiaries, which have been provided with government and private sector employment (Bullion, 2003).
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Over the years, poverty eradication programs and policies have evolved, including a succession of policies and plans by government, non-governmental organization and international donor agencies. The Nigerian government at different times introduced policies and plan with a view to addressing the problem of poverty.
Notable among these programs are: operation feed the nation (1976), green revolution (1980), Back to land (1983), Better life for rural women (1985), National Directorate of employment (1985) etc.
Kano state poverty reduction agency was establish in August 2003 and began its operation in the same year but as time goes on, problems disrupted the policy. Area of the major problems associated with programme in the implementation scheme was that, it was not fully planned such as who and who are entitled to benefit from the loan, how to disburse and recover the loans. These are disheartening which affect the future plan of the agency as the scheme is meant to be revolved so that it circulates to the rest of the beneficiaries who are in similar needs.
Against this background therefore, the project shall assess the impact of poverty alleviation programmes with particular reference to Kano women empowerment programme (KWEP) in Kano metropolis.
There are different effects of this plan, but one of the most predominant effects is corruption: There have been corruption and mismanagement of funds among these programmes. (Ogboru and Abimiku, 2012) explain that corruption which has been seen as a way of life in Nigeria is largely responsible for the persistent poverty situation. Corruption weakens the state and its ability to promote development and social justice.
Corruption and mismanagement of resources were obvious in the implementation of poverty by poverty alleviation programmes’ officials. It was discovered that poverty alleviation program officials used their influence to enrich themselves directly or through their cronies funds which they used with no intention to repay. It is established that cases of funds approved for certain beneficiaries were diverted to different beneficiaries. Thus making it impossible for such funds to be recovered (Adekoye, 2010).
1.3 Research Questions
The research answers the following questions:
1. What is the significant relationship between implementation of poverty alleviation programmes and persistence of poverty in Kano metropolis?
2. What is the significant impact of poverty alleviation programmes on quality of life of people in the study area?
1.4 Objectives of the Study
The broad objective of the study is to assess the impact of Kano women empowerment programme (KWEP) as a poverty alleviation strategy on the quality of life of people in the study area. Specifically the study aimed at:
1. Examining the measures taken by KWEP to reduce poverty in the study
2. Examining the impact of poverty alleviation programmes on quality of life of people in the study area.
1.5 Hypotheses
The study tests the following hypotheses as thus:
1. There is no significant relationship between persistent of poverty and poor implementation in the study areas
2. There is no relationship between KWEP and quality of life in the study area?
1.6 Significance of the Study
This research will contribute to the present body of knowledge and open up for developing another research to other researchers and policy makers mostly from Kano state for future programme.
It will also provide a good guidance and information to the people on how women empowerment and poverty alleviation programme assisted less privileged people in Kano.
1.7 Scope and Delimitation of the Study
The study covered the period of Nigeria’s return to democracy i.e. 1999-2014. The study is restricted to only Kano metropolis. Kano is a city in Nigeria and the capital of kano state in Northern Nigeria, in the Sahelian geographic region South of the Sahara. Its metropolitan population makes it the second largest city in Nigeria. The Kano urban area cover 137 km2 and comprises six local government area (LGAs)
– Kano municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni and Nassarawa, with a population of
2,163,225 as at the 2006 Nigeria’s population census. The metropolitan area covers 499 km2 and comprises eight LGAs, the six mentioned above plus Ungogo and
Kumbotso – with a population of 2,828,861 as at the 2006 Nigeria’s census (NBS, 2007). In carrying out this study several constraints were encountered and these include the following:
a. Funding: carrying out this research requires a lot of fund. This is because the research has no available or enough money to undertake a research on whole poverty alleviation programme in Nigeria hence the reasons for limiting, it only to Kano State which was located at home town of the researcher.
b. Effort: The effort needed in undertaking research work on poverty
programme alleviation in Nigeria is another limitation of this research work.
c. Respondents: attitude of respondents is another limitation of this research, this is because a researcher may not get all answer and necessary information especially where question are having confidential implications.
1.8 Operation Definition of Key Concepts
1.8.1 The Concept of Poverty
There is no standard definition of poverty because of its dynamic properties. Narayan et al, (2000) posit that poverty is humiliation, the sense of being dependent, and of being forced to accept rudeness, insults, and indifference when help is being sought. Sen (1985) defined poverty as “lack of capability to function in a given society”. Elumilade et al. (2006) view poverty as an economic condition in which a section of the society or a specific group of people lack sufficient income to obtain a minimum level of health services, food, housing, clothing, and education which are generally recognized as necessary to assume adequate standard of living.
The sociological definition of poverty refers to life environment of low income, inadequate work opportunities, poor housing, poor nutrition, poor sanitary and health conditions (Siro, 2014 cited in Dansabo, 2014). Poverty can be absolute and relative. Relative poverty is said to exist when the subject under consideration are poor in relation to others. In this case, poverty is comparative and subjective. Absolute poverty is however, a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs of food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information (Abdullahi, 2004 cited in Dansabo, 2014)
1.8.2 Poverty Eradication
Poverty eradication includes all formal activities geared towards lowering the prevalence and rate of poverty in a country. Poverty eradication programmes are aimed at raising people incomes and increasing the power of low power group so that it nearly equates that of the high-power group (Encarta, 2000).
1.8.3 Impact Assessment
In its broadest sense, impact assessment (IA) are formalized, knowledge and evidence based procedures to assess the intended and unintended, positive and negative impact of policy proposals on economic, social and environmental aspects, to inform policy development. Key types of impact assessment include global assessment (global level), policy impact assessment (policy level), strategic environmental assessment (programme and plan level). (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 2014).