Administrative Barriers To Community Development Programmes In Nsukka Local Government Area
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Administrative Barriers To Community Development Programmes In Nsukka Local Government Area
ABSTRACT
This study is a survey. It has investigated the administrative hurdles to community development projects in the Nsukka Local Government Area. The study’s major goal was to identify difficulties caused by development agencies.
Major administrative barriers to community development programs include a communication gap, a top-down approach to community development programs, neglect for certain segments of the community, non-consultation with local leaders
insufficient awareness, inexperienced community development personnel, irrelevant projects, political instability/lack of program continuity, bureaucratic delays, insufficient funds, and so on.
The study’s population consists of 203 people. They are executive members of the Town Unions/Development Unions representing the sixteen (16) communities that comprise the Nsukka Local Government Area.
They were given a questionnaire to complete during their meetings. The data was examined using the mean and standard deviation. Almost all respondents are male. The respondents’ ages range from 41 to 50.
The majority of them are married. The number of Executive Committee members has increased. The majority of responses are HND/Degree and NCE/OND holders.
The findings have ramifications for adult education. Because Town Unions and Development Agencies are made up of adults, the adult educator can organise for their education in order to achieve the goals and objectives of community development programs.
1.1 Background of the Study.
Over the years, successive Nigerian authorities have initiated many community development programs and programmes. Each of these was anticipated to fulfil certain goals.
This means that every development plan or project attempts to achieve some goal(s) that will benefit people’s lives. To support this claim, Ogili (2004: 85) believes that the goals of community development can be summarised as follows:
Our goals are to improve life in local communities as quickly as possible, to develop all aspects of community living, to seek outside technical assistance, to showcase unique capabilities and resources, and to collaborate with state and national development plans.
Based on the foregoing, it is reasonable to conclude that Community Development projects and programmes are result-oriented and generally good. They are intended to make an impact on people’s lives. As a result, they are expected to be based on the actual requirements of those who would benefit from these projects/programmes.
Aside from the federal and state governments, municipal governments are also set up to carry out Community Development initiatives and programs. Therefore, Ibezim (1998:139) claims that “one of the features of the local authorities is that they were given wider range of functions to perform in order to complement those of the state and the federal governments in attempting to develop the country” . Nwankwo (1992: 155-156) defines the following aims and functions of local government:
They support national and state governments in carrying out vital responsibilities and roles at the grassroots level, such as rural development.
They connect the central government with rural communities while also preserving their culture and traditions.
Some of the community development programs and projects initiated by successive administrations in Nigeria that were identified by different writers include:- Rural Water (Agunwamba 1995); Directorate for Food, Roads, and Rural Infrastructure (DFFRI), (Akpan and Olaniyi); Rural Electrification, (Okonkwo 1995);
Better Life Programme for Rural Women (BLP), (Obasi and Oguche, 1995); Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP), (Iheduru, 2002); Rural Banking, (Okoye), It is regrettable that many of these efforts that were supposed to attain certain goals failed.
The people who are supposed to gain from these projects/programmes have not benefited greatly; rather, affluent politicians have benefited the most from such innovations (Khanye, 2005). According to Khanye (2005), the country’s poverty rate is increasing.
The majority of individuals were unaware of the existence of several of these programmes (Onyishi, 2005), hence they did not participate. It is common known that some projects are abandoned and vandalised.
For example, low-cost buildings near my community (Edem Ani) in the Nsukka Local Government Area have been abandoned and vandalised. These, the researcher says, can be attributed mostly to administrative impediments.
As a result, Esenjor (1992) states that a robust administrative framework is one of the most important prerequisites for successful Community Development initiatives. In other words, administrative impediments cause failures in community development programs/projects.
Setting up administration isn’t so bad. Problems arise when there are hurdles to administering and coordinating development programs (Esenjor, 1992). Such barriers include a lack of public participation (Farrant, 1992), insufficient publicity (awareness creation) (Onyishi, 2005), a lack of qualified/inadequate training for development professionals (Agunwamba, 1995), official procedure (Esenjor, 1992), insufficient funding (Onahd, 1999), and so on.
The researcher believes that a strong administrative structure plays an important role in overcoming these barriers and achieving the goals of the community development project.
According to Esenjor (1992), a robust administrative structure is required for development efforts since it not only coordinates activities but also provides the essential force, drive, and initiative to achieve the goals. As a result, the strength of the administrative structure is critical to the success of any community development programme/project.
Both the federal and state governments have extended numerous development plans and projects to the Nsukka Local Government Area. According to the researcher, such activities and projects aim to improve people’s lives. Unfortunately, many people’s lives are not positively influenced. Poverty levels are not decreasing as projected.
As a result, Khanye (2005: 18) indicates that it is well acknowledged that most efforts with good intentions to reduce poverty do not truly reach the poor who should benefit. The researcher believes that as a result, many people’s living standards have not improved.
Many people have not been empowered as a result of “over-centralization” of development initiatives, in which the government prescribes what it believes will benefit the people without consulting them (Qakley, 1991: 14).
Many development projects suffer from “lack of awareness” (Onyishi, 2005: 12), resulting in low participation. The researcher believes that administrative impediments are primarily responsible for all of these and other issues.
So far, the researcher is unaware of any research conducted to determine how administrative impediments impede Community Development projects/programmes in the Nsukka Local Government Area, which is why this study was conducted.
1.2 Statement of Problem
Nigeria is undoubtedly a country that is eager to improve its people and communities. Obasi (2002: 39) observes that “this has often been done with little or no emphasis on the basic needs of the people.”
The researcher argues that this will inevitably impede the complete realisation of the goals and objectives of any Community Development program.
Since independence, successive administrators have established one or more Community Development programmes/projects. There were several directorates, including the Directorate for Social Mobilisation (MAMSER), the Directorate for Food, Roads, and Rural Infrastructure (DFFRI), the Better Life Programme (BLP) for rural women, the Family Support Programme (FSP), and the National Directorate for Employment.
These institutions were established to empower and develop people, thereby improving their lives. However, despite these programs and many others established at various times, including the recent administration’s poverty alleviation program, the country’s level of poverty and marginalisation is increasing (Khanye, 2005: 71). Many people are finding life increasingly difficult and dangerous (Iheduru, 2002).
Paradoxically, many previous studies on the causes of the failure of Community Development projects in Nigeria in general, and Nsukka in particular, focused on the impact of low funding, corruption, community conflicts, and poor leadership as the sole causes of project and programme failure.
Many earlier studies overlooked aspects related to administrative constraints. Esenjor (1992) feels that a “strong administrative structure” can result in successful Community Development programs. He believes that a robust administrative structure is critical to giving the necessary energy, drive, and initiative for success.
Administrative impediments, on the other hand, have the potential to completely derail Community Development projects and programmes. This study aims to uncover administrative hurdles that contribute to the failure of Community Development projects in the Nsukka Local Government Area.
1.3 The purpose of the study
The primary goal of this study is to identify administrative hurdles to Community Development programmes in the Nsukka Local Government Area. The specific aims of the study are:
Determine the personal qualities of the responders.
Identify administrative hurdles that prevent effective identification of community needs.
To identify administrative hurdles that contribute to low levels of mobilisation for community development projects.
To identify administrative hurdles that impede the successful execution of Community Development projects.
To identify administrative hurdles that prevent efficient funding of Community Development projects.
Identify administrative hurdles that prevent effective oversight, monitoring, and evaluation of Community Development programs.
Research Questions
The following research questions are developed to lead the study:
What are the respondents’ personal characteristics?
What administrative hurdles prevent effective identification of community needs?
What administrative impediments prevent successful mobilisation of people to participate in community development programs?
What are the administrative constraints that impede the efficient execution of community development programmes?
What administrative impediments prevent efficient funding of community development programs?
What administrative hurdles prevent effective supervision, monitoring, and evaluation of community development programmes?
Significance of the Study
Identifying an issue solves half of it. Only after identifying the problem will a remedy be sought. According to Ugwuzor (2004:4), research in education is only beneficial if it provides a basis for problem solving in education as well as an empirical basis on which actions and decisions are made. The researcher’s goal is to identify administrative hurdles to Community Development projects.
The study will help to uncover the roles that administration is anticipated to perform in community development programs.
This study will determine how administrative impediments can prevent effective identification of community genuine needs.
The study will also highlight administrative hurdles to successful funding, mobilisation for people’s participation, effective supervision, monitoring and evaluation, implementation, and other aspects of community development programs.
The study’s findings will be valuable to both government and non-governmental organisations who finance Community Development initiatives as corrective solutions to the difficulties associated with administering and organising Community Development programmes.
When the government and/or non-governmental organisations who fund Community Development programmes apply the proposed solutions, the purposes and objectives of the Community Development programmes/projects will be significantly realised.
Realising the goals and objectives of Community Development will increase the well-being of those for whom development programs are intended.
Scope of the Study
This study focusses on the administrative impediments to Community Development projects. The study would be limited to the Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State.
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