Abstract
The study examined the effects of insecurity on community development projects in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and Ahoada East Local Government Areas of Rivers State, Nigeria. The study was guided by two research questions and one null hypothesis. The study adopted a descriptive survey design with a population of 3,211 members of various Community Based Organizations in the study areas. A sample of 682 members of various CBOs was selected using the random and proportionate-stratified sampling techniques. Data for this study were collected with the use of a self-designed questionnaire titled “Effects of Insecurity on Community Development Projects Questionnaire (EICDPQ). A correlation index of 0.81 was obtained to determine the reliability of the instrument. Responses to the questionnaire items were analysed with the mean statistics and the hypothesis were tested using the chi square statistics at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the analysed data revealed that the causes of insecurity in the study areas are cult clashes, conflicting political factions, poor distribution of resources, violent resistance to exploitation by government and corporate organizations and neglect of the people. The study therefore, recommended that Government in collaboration with companies operating in this crisis prone areas should engage stakeholders (community leaders, youth leaders and other leaders of Community Based Organizations) in town hall meetings and collectively come up with lasting solutions to these insecurity issues that impede their development.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND
OF STUDY
No nation can develop when there is high level of
insecurity in the society. The far reaching effects of insecurity are evident
in most communities in Nigeria. Most of the communities in Nigeria and
especially in Rivers State are less developed and backward. This is because
insecurity in recent times has been one of the major issues bedeviling majority
of the Nigeria communities as evidenced in communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni
Local Government Area and Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The 2014 Global Report on security indicated that Nigeria is one of the crime
ravaging countries in the world. The report rated Nigeria high on the following
critical variables: unlawful possession of arms, forgery, receiving stolen
properties, false pretences, burglary, theft, Boko Haram, armed robbery,
kidnapping, attempted murder cases, manslaughter etc. (Amirize, 2009).
In the words of Garga (2015), socio-political and
economic landscape in Nigeria has been blighted by the endemic twin evil of
crime and violence. The abysmal failure of successive administrations in
Nigeria to address challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequitable
distribution of wealth among ethnic nationalities, ultimately resulted to
anger, agitation and violent crimes against the Nigerian state by some
individuals and groups. Such crimes include militancy, kidnapping, bombing,
armed robbery, destruction of government properties, among others. These
activities of various militia groups consequently resulted in low income for
government from oil revenue, moderating the Gross Domestic Product growth rate,
low participation of local and foreign investors in economic development and
insecurity of lives and properties of the citizens.
Objectives of the Study
The objectives of this study are to:
1.
Find out the causes of insecurity in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and
Ahoada East Local Government Areas.
2.
Ascertain the extent to which insecurity has promoted disunity
among community members in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and Ahoada East Local Government
Areas.
Research
Questions
The following research questions guided this study:
1.
What are the causes of insecurity in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and
Ahoada East LGAs?
2.
To what extent has insecurity promote disunity among
community members in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and Ahoada East LGAs?
Hypothesis
The null hypothesis below was tested at 0.05 level of
significance:
Ho1: There is no significant relationship between the causes
of insecurity and the promotion of disunity among community members in
Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni and Ahoada East Local Government Areas.