Factors militating the transformation of Nkweme local Government
ABSTRACT
The research topic Local Government as an agent of Rural Development is centered on the strategy to improve the economic and social well-being to the people who are mostly poor. The man aim of this research work is to examine and evaluate the challenges of rural development which are enormous ranging from poor leadership, illiteracy, and unemployment adequate health facilities etc. this project formulated hypothesis that were tested an funding analyzed, recommendations made to tackled these challenges. This project work was carried out in Nkwerre Local Government Area of Imo State, the researcher found out that in spite of the concentration of the people living in this Local Government, in some parts. People are still living in high rate of poverty; low standard of living etc. earlier noted that bad leadership coming from the local government Authority has been the major problem and hindrance of the growth of rural development.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Descriptive Background of study
One of the greatest challenge that Nigeria has had since independence is developing her rural sector. This has become so crucial that it became a prominent feature on the development agenda of successive government in Nigeria emphasis in developing the rural sector are triggered for two important reason.
(1) Over 80% of Nigerians love on the rural environment.
(2) Majority of these people are poor and live in a rather tombie conditions (Ekpo 1991) Rural development is often perceived by the federal government as a strategy design not only to improve the socio economic life of the rural people but also as a first step towards developing the nation. At least on the level of meteoric, the pursuit of rural development programmes has received priority attention of the various post colonial governments. These programmes have had the common goal of ostensibly aim at the transformation and modernization of areas. Nigeria has so far experimental wit various rural development programmes including.
i) Farm settlement scheme for school leavers.
ii) Plantation agricultural development by various development boards.
iii) Operation feed the Nation
iv) River Basin and Rural Development Authorities.
v) National Green Revolutions
vi) The World Bank Assisted Agricultural Development Programmes.
vii) Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural infrastructures.
viii) Better life for Rural Women
ix) Family support programmes etc.
Although these programmes testify to the priority attention that rural development has received in Nigeria, experience so far demonstrate that rather transform and modernize rural areas in a significant manner, the various programmes have contrary to their objectives, continued to impoverish and underdeveloped the rural areas, leaving the silent majority (over 80% of total population) who reside there as victim of neglect, deprivations and exploitation. Local Government as a third tier of government is saddled with the responsibility of transforming rural areas into comfortable and habitable hamlets in the rural dwellers on Nigeria. Hence, local Government have undergone several reforms on order to make them development oriented. It is an incontestable fact that poverty, diseases, hunger, illiteracy, insufficiency infrastructural amenities etc. characterize rural areas in Nigeria. It is against this background that local growing recognition of the significance of local government as an agent of rural development and contributes in no little measure to the overall economics, social and political development of a nation.
In Nigeria, history has shown that our rural communities had for generations succeeded in organizing themselves to provide food shelter, build roads, schools, medical centers for local government to participate activity in rural development, it’s imperative for it to bring itself down to the level of rural dwellers in order to identify itself with the problems and aspirations of the people with the aim of finding lasting solutions to their problems. Despite the (1976) local Government Reforms and its objectives to bring about development which have prove abortive. Babangida regime was even wise enough to introduce DFRRI so as to effect development of the grassroots, but despite all its objectives and aims, it failure out –numbered it achievements. Development in Nigeria, particularly rural development is always, hindered by lack of comprehensive development planning, constant changes in government and a lack of acceptable and decent revenue allocation and sharing formula. All these have hindered the efficient and effective development programmes various administrations. The local government in Nigeria is aimed at extending development to the grassroots by improving the quality of life of the rural dwellers by providing the people with good roads, portable water, electricity improved agricultural facilities and community banking. Such provisions would not only raise the standard of living of the rural people but will also check rural – urban migration.
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