POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND POVERTY ERADICATION IN BENUE STATE: A FOCUS ON THE BENUE STATE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY PROGRAMME, 1999 – 2007.

BY

MICHAEL ANARIOCHI CALISTA

PG/M.Sc/09/52121

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

FACULTY OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA

MARCH, 2011

DEDICATION

To

Almighty God

And

My dear husband

Pastor Barr. Onyebuchi Emmanuel Azuh

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am grateful to the Almighty God who has shown me great love throughout the period of this study. I want to sincerely appreciate my dear husband Pastor Barr. Onyebuchi Emmanuel Azuh who has no dublicate in all remifications from his earnest contributions, encouragement, prayer, and concern towards adding value to my life.

My humble appreciation goes to my hardworking supervisor, Dr. Ken Ifesinachi who makes himself available to attend to my work without prejudice, directing me on how to write a good work, correcting me without complains and special encouragement within this period.

I wish to thank all the lecturers of Political Science Department of University of Nigeria,

Nsukka, for their kindness and receptive attitudes which encourages me throughout this study. I also appreciate my parents Mr. and Dr. Michael Iroegbu who laid a good foundation for me.

Finally, I acknowledge all my family members, my brothers, sisters, inlaw and for standing by me within this studying time.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page ------Certification ------Dedication ------Acknowledgement ------Table of contents ------Abstract ------CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction ------1.2 statement of Problem ------1.3 objective of Study ------1.4 significance of Study ------1.5 literature Review ------1.6 theoretical Framework ------1.7 hypotheses ------1.8 method of Data Collection and Method of Data Analysis - - -

CHAPTER TWO: BENUE STATE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AND POVERTY LEVEL IN BENUE STATE. 2.1 Poverty Eradication Programme in Benue State - - - - 2.2 The Degree of Performance ------

CHAPTER THREE: SHIFT IN POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND PERFORMANCE OF POVERTY ERADICATION PROGRAMME IN BENUE STATE 3.1 Benseeds and Popular Participation In Benue State - - - - 3.2 The Failure of Benseed in Benue State ------CHAPTER FOUR: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

4.1 Summary ------

4.2 Conclusion ------

4.3 Recommendations ------

ABSTRACT

This work examined Political leadership and poverty eradication in Benue State with a focus on Benue State economic empowerment development strategy programme between 1999 and 2007. The research questions pertinent to this study were: Did the Benue State Economic Empowernment Development Strategy impact positively on poverty level in Benue State between 1999 and 2007? Did shifts in political leadership affect the performance of the poverty eradication programme in Benue State between 1999 and 2007? The Marxist Political economy approach was adopted as our theoretical framework of analysis and we also relied on the qualitative method of data collection as well as the ex-post facto research design and the descriptive qualitative method of data analysis. These provided the basis for validating our hypotheses that the Benue State Economic Development Strategy did not impact positively on poverty level in Benue State between 1999 and 2007. The shift in Political leadership did not affect positively the performance of poverty eradication programme in Benue State between 1999 and 2007.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Political leadership and poverty eradication programme in Benue State: A focus on

BENSEEDS is the topic understudy. This work seeks to establish the role political leadership has played in eradicating poverty in Benue State, because it is generally known to be among the poorer state in Nigeria, irrespective of her human and natural resources.

Benue State is blessed with population of 5,181,642 with 23 local government areas.

Namely, Ado, Katsinala, Oju, Agutu, Konshisha, Okpokwu, Apa, Kwande, Otukpo, Buruku,

Logo, Tarka, Gboko, Ukwum, Obi, Guma, Ushongo, Gwer-East, Gwer-West, Ogbadigbo,

Vandikya, Ohimi and Markudi as the headquarters. Total mass 509 million hectares.

The state is predominantly rural with an estimated 75 percent population engaged in rain- fed subsistence Agriculture commonly grown crops in 2004 were yam, cassava, sweet potato, maize, guinea corn, millet, groundnuts, soyabeans and beansead (Mosley and Verschoor

2003:10). This is mostly concerned on the contributions of political leadership to eradicating poverty in the state ingression, between 1999 – 2007 using the implementation of Benue State economic empowerment development strategy (BENSEEDS) as a focus for poverty eradication programme as the time under study.

BENSEEDS was launched immediately the then Governor George Akume took the mantle of political leadership in Benue State, which ushered in the return of democracy in Nigeria. The people of Benue had high expectations on their political leader (Governor). The chief driver of

Benue state democratic voyage (Akume) mustard the relevant political muscles amidst every odds in a bid to match expectations with reality. He was committed to liberate the people from the clutches of poverty and was able to contain the reconciliation let loose by the military hegemony.

Akume’s political leadership in Benue State suddenly went adrift as the state economic structure for rising expected woefully inadequate, and tragically fragile. Consequently, demagogue was substituted for development and electricity for leadership. Whether 1999 – 2007.

Regime was a success or failure is a matter of examining the contributions of political leadership.

On this note this work is aimed at examine the contributions of political leadership in eradicating poverty in Benue state from 1999-2007. The word poverty will be used in all ramifications, using

BENSEEDS programme. (Benue state Economic empowerment Development strategy)

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The researcher is cut to investigate the success or failure of Benue state Economic

Empowerment Development Strategy (BENSEEDS) in Benue state. The following questions will be properly articulate and will be used to articulate the ability and inability of political leadership in Benue to implement the programeme which is aimed at eradicating poverty in Benue state.

1. Did the Benue State Economic Empowernment Development Strategy impact positively on poverty level in Benue State between 1999 and 2007?

2. Did shifts in political leadership affect the performance of the poverty eradication programme in Benue State between 1999 and 2007?

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The broad objective of this study is to examine the role of the political leadership in the implementation of Benue State Economic Empowerment Strategy in poverty eradication in Benue

State and the performance of the programme.

The specific objectives are to determine: 1. If the Benue State Economic Empowerment Development Strategy on poverty eradication imparted positively on poverty level in Benue State between 1999 and 2007. 2. To find out if the shift in political leadership affected the performance of poverty eradication programme in Benue State.

1.4. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of this research work exists at both the theoretical and practical levels. In theoretical dimension, the significance of this study can be appreciated in the light of the contribution it will make to existing literature (knowledge) in the Area of poverty eradication programmes in Benue state. It will be very beneficial to the students and academics, who will be interested in carrying out further research on related topics. The work will also serve as a good literature work for research in political science and other related disciplines.

As regards to the practical dimension, this work is expected to guide the policy makers in

Benue state government and other government policy makers in their formulation of policies and the implementation.

This work is also expected to inspire and motivate the indigenes of Benue state to rise up to the development challenges facing them and approach issues practically by participating actively in governance and policy making implementation of such policies or programmes.

1.5 LITERATURE REVIEW

The primary purpose of this study was to employ the predictive ability criterion to empirically investigate the role of political leadership and eradication in Benue state.

In this review, we shall consider the key issues addressed have. We shall look into the pertinent literature relating to these issues to view by other writers based on the following research questions. 1. Did the Benue State Economic Empowernment Development Strategy impact positively on poverty level in Benue State between 1999 and 2007?

2. Did shifts in political leadership affect the performance of the poverty eradication programme in Benue State between 1999 and 2007?

Did the Benue State Economic Empowerment Development Strategy impact positively on poverty level in Benue State between 1999 and 2007?

Benue state is endowed with immense agricultural potential and is rightly christened the

“Food Basket of the Nation” with comparatively weak infrastructural base and near assent private sector, any development reform place itself on the path of turbulence with attendant negative consequences. In this regard, BENSEEDS having drawn heavily from the Benue Advance Plan

(BAP) and Benue Reform Action Plan (BRAP) is a local development menu, which consciously addresses the local peculiarities

The main objective is poverty eradication, employment generation, wealth creation, improved access to justice and enhanced well being of our people through agriculture, education, and rural infrastructural development BENSEEDS was seen as the last word on the states development goals, rather the spontaneous and sustained enthusiasm of stakeholders in a clear indication that the document will be under continuous transformation.

For the purpose of clarity and operational reasons, some of the negative values that made this programme to fail were as follows; the political leadership as at the time understudy was unable to implement the programme base on the following reasons according to (World Bank

Report 2002)

1. Incompetence 2. Inefficiency 3. Professional Misconduct 4. Indolence 5. Negligence 6. Mismanagement 7. Misappropriation of Funds 8. Embezzlement of Funds 9. Fraud 10. Favoritism 11. Abase of office for personal gains 12. Nepotism 13. Corruption and general indiscipline.

With the above factors, it was established that the programme failed to eradicate poverty in the lives of the Benuenite as it was on the blue print of policy agenda of BENSEEDS. Some imperial indicators that show that present poverty eradication programme failed will be discussed on the following headings

1. Dependency Ratio 2. Household Welfare 3. Household Infrastructure 4. Employment 5. Education 6. Medical Services 7. Gender

Obandan (2002:40) defines poverty in its absolute sense, as a situation where population or a section in able to meet only its bare subsistence .of food, clothing and shelter in order to maintain minimum standard of living. In order to understand the concept well we shall set a yardstick which can be used to assess living standards so as to determine who is poor and who is not, using the above variables.

THE DEPENDENCY RATIO

The dependency ratio in Benue state was 0.7 which implies that more than one person is depending on an economically active person. The dependency ratio in rural and urban areas 0.8 and 0.4 respectively. At the senatorial districts both North, South, East and West respectively. Household Welfare about 25 percent of the sampled households in the state felt that their economic situation was better, while 70 percent they were worse off now compared with the past years before this programme was introduced to them. (2004 core welfare indicator questionnaire)

Difficulty in satisfying household needs: 70 percent of the sampled household, have difficulty satisfying their food needs in the state.

Self-classified poverty situation, more than (603 percent) of the sampled households classified themselves as poor

HOUSEHOLD INFRASTRUCTURE .

More than 88.0 percent of the sampled households have no access to household infrastructure in the state both in the urban and rural dwellers.

EMPLOYMENT:

More than 75 percent of Benuenites have no good employment. Unemployment is higher according to (Benue core Report 2006) for Benue state employment is as follows 75 percent peasant farmers, 10 percent traders, 6 percent civil servants and 9 percent other occupations. In the rural areas, peasant agriculture in dominant occupation, although trading, hunting, fishing, carving and weaving also engage a good percentage of people. A handful of people are now exploring precious stone

EDUCATION:

UNDP (2004:2) defines education as the ability to read and write in any language.

According to their report, Benue state has two thirds of her population as illiterates that are 67.0 percent of adults in the state were reported illiterate for female 70 percent for male 7.0 percent. Female reported higher rate than men. The rate of people that completed primary education was 17.4 percent while secondary education was 19.2 percent and those completed their secondary education 10.7 percent are satisfied at that level, those who were not satisfied at secondary level are insignificant, especially rural areas. Education services in Benue state are generally very weak with an impoverished infrastructure, lack of staffing and low morale of teachers (DFID 2000).

According to the report of the above document, three out of the communities are located 5 to 15 km away from the nearest small town. Inhabitants of the remaining six communities live in more isolated areas, meaning that inhabitants have to travel much further to get to markets, schools, hospitals, and so forth. For seven communities, the quality of roads in a serious problem, with two communities being entirely cut-off during rainy seasons. The two most isolated communities have no primary education facilities and those who do attend must walk to neighbouring communities or live away from home.

HEALTH AND POVERTY

Good health is clearly preconditions for well-being. About one third of Benue population had access to a health facility (define as being less than 30 minutes away by transportation commonly used by the household), but only a quarter in rural areas. The principal providers are private hospitals (32 percent) public hospitals (23 percent) and traditional healers (20 percent).

Significantly, community health centres are used by only 5 percent of patients, all from rural areas and many are dissatisfied with the treatment which the received (main reasons given are high cost, unsuccessful treatment, long waiting times, facilities not clean, and absence of professional staff). (BENSEEDS Document 2004) Four communities had no health clinic at all. Clinics in the communities were all LGA sponsored are other health centres are built by churches or communities and many of them lack adequate supplies.

The CWIQ (2004) survey showed high levels of stunting, wasting and underweight among children. These figures are higher among the children of women with no education.

GENDER DIMENSIONS OF POVERTY :

Poverty has a marked gender dimension. Women are socially and economically disadvantaged. While more are likely to be engaged in crop production than men, women rarely own or control farmland.

POVERTY AND VULNERABLE GROUPS :

Social and economic indicators are universally worse in rural than urban areas.

Particularly vulnerable groups include widows, orphan and the aged. The prevalence if the epidemic in the state means that those directly and indirectly affected by HIV/AIDS will become a growing group.

DID SHIFTS IN POLITICAL LEADERSHIP IN BENUE STATE BETWEEN 1999-2007 AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE IN POVERTY ERADICATION PROGRAMME. Benue state was created in 1976 during Olesugun obasanjo regime as the then head of states.1976 saw revolutionary changes in the socio-economic sectors, which improved the general well being of people significantly. In Benue state then, the military administrator was

AbdulahiShelleng who administered Benue state upon creation on 3 rd February 1976-July 20 th 1978. Before diving into the topic understudy, let us first review some of the political leaders that have ever led Benue state before 1999-2007, and the types of programmes they had embarked on and establish their successess and otherwise.

The Murtala/Obasanjo administration, 1976-1979 saw revolutionary changes in the public service and the socio-economic sectors, which improved the general well being of the people significantly. Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) was the deliberate policy that came to tackle poverty through agriculture and improve the standard of living of the people. It helped to refocus peoples’ attention on agriculture. Loans in forms of cash and farming inputs were distributed to farmers and significantly improve the agricultural sector. Although, the undemocratic posture of the military government greatly obstructed the success of these policies in alleviating poverty. the military administration, by name Group capt.Bayolawal who assumed office from 20 th July 1978-

30 th September 1979.(Obadan 2002:27)

President ShehuShagari Administration 1979-1983

The ShehuShagari administration assumed leadership completely dissatisfied with the level of poverty and social development. In Benue state then it was the time of executive governor by name AperAku. It quickly swung into action by adopting strategies that saw the introduction of a multifaceted approach to agro-based policies and programmes that would better the lot of the

Nigerian citizens. Thus, the establishments of the River Basin Development Programme, the development of Fadama Farming. Dams and irrigation in the northern parts of the country and generally dry season farming was greatly encouraged and promoted, all aimed at development and poverty reduction. Other sector specific poverty reduction schemes that came on board during the same period such as the Green Revolution Programme and the Low Cost Housing Scheme, even though they had a little impact on the lives of the people, lack of political will and commitment occasioned by policy instability and other deficiencies killed the initiative. Hence, Obadan concluded that during that period:

Nigeria’senormous oil wealth was not invested to build a viable industrial base for the country and for launching an agrarian revolution to liquidate mass poverty Obadan (2002:27) These programmes however, became short-lived due to the change of government in 1983.

General MuhammeduBuhari Era 1983-1985

General MuhammaduBuhari’s philosophy was largely aimed at radical transformation of the entire socio-economic and political orientation of Nigeria.This was time of of Brigadier John

Atom Akpera. He wanted to inculcate into the polity, a disciplined culture, prudence in the management of resource and above all, the eradication of corruption with his War Against

Indiscipline (WAI), National Orientation Movement. There was rather massive retrenchment; and an aggressive drive towards agriculture, the people further considered the stand on these issues rather harsh as these policies rather impoverished many people with his economic austerity measures.

For all the harshness of the Buhari Regime’s economic austerity and the framework of political repression which it embraced, not only did economic crisis deepen and persists, the government was unable to win friends abroad primarily because of its refusal to embrace the IMF,

World Bank Sanctioned market reform programme. The Buhari regime entered into dialogue with the IMF for an Extended Finance Facility (EFF) loan of between 1.9 billion and 2.4 billion buy the fund felt that the loan would only be made available, if the government accepted the adoption of a structural adjustment programme with an ‘appropriate’ exchange rate at its center. The refusal of the Buhari regime to accept some of the agreement could not hold. The stalemate with her international friends coupled with the rejection of the regime internally against the backdrop of its repressive postures and the worsening economic fortunes made an easy ride for General

Ibrahim Babandida to take over on 27 th August, 1985.(Dzugba2003:104)

General Ibrahim I. Babangida Era 1985-1993

General Ibrahim Babangida’s rise to power saw a shift from the state intervention crisis management approach earlier adopted by Shagari and Buhari towards the IMF/World Bank favoured market-led framework necessary to enhance broad based economic recovery. This was the birth of the IMF/World Bank Adjustment Programmed, in spite of popular opinion to the contrary. It was essentially an IMF Coup because the humanitarian sentiment upon which

Babangida used to rise to power was soon thrown overboard to the shocking embrace of the unpopular of the IMF/World Bank. Through, the draconian policies and laws of Buhari, like the notorious Decree No. 4 were abrogated, but its policies did not favour public opinion and acceptability. Though, a national debate to decide whether or not to accept the conditions of the

IMF, a rather unpopular, state of national economic emergency to last 16 months from 1 October,

1988. This emergency spelt that, a general pay cut civilian and military personnel was introduced.

These monies were deposited into the newly established National Economic Recovery Fund

(NERFUND) in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Clearly, the public rejected this policy as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) contested its unilateral origins and the hardship it’s imposed on the working class, whose purchasing power had already been badly eroded by the inflationary spiral in the crisis-ridden economy. This was clearly an exacerbation in the poverty condition of the populace as any reduction in the income of the working class largely affects the economic fortunes of the ordinary people on the streets. In its bid to caution the effects of the SAP other programmes were introduced to directly, improve the various sectors of the Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI), National Directorate of

Employment (NDE), the peoples’ Banks, the Community Banks, Mass Programme, National

Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), Better Life Prgramme. In fact, the

Babangida regime saw more policies and programmes that were targeted directly at the people, but most of these programmmes could not really eradicate poverty.

This action on the part of the government was sequel to the role of human resources development in economic development. Along with the introduction of the structural adjustment programme (SAP) additional effort have been made by the government towards human resources development. The national policy on education, which had the major aim of making education meet the requirement for economic growth and development to meet the needs of Nigerians, has remained basically unchanged since 1971. The main goal of Nigeria’s health policy is the provision of affordable health services to a large proportion of Nigerians. Obadan, (2002:26). All these goals have only enjoyed lip services, as they are far from being realized due obviously to poor leadership that is committed to nothing except self-aggrandizement.

The structural Adjustment Programme was adopted to check save economic crisis, which engulfed the country in the early 1980s that deteriorated the quality of life of Nigerians. The implementation of this porgramme further worsened the living conditions of the people, especially the poor who were the most vulnerable group. SAP undertook a sector by sector approach, which covered: agriculture sector porgramme, such as strategic grain reserves,

NALDA, which was essentially to enhance food production’ the health sector in the primary health care, where the rural were most targeted; educational sector programmes, saw the coming on board of Nomadic and Girl Child Education, transport sector was improved through the Urban

Mass transit Scheme, housing sector programme the Federal Mortgage Bank came on board to manage the national housing fund, financial sector and Multi-sectoralprogrammes were the

National Economic Reconstruction Fund, for long term loans at concessionary interest rates to promote investment (especially in small and medium scale).

The implementation of SAP further aggravated the plight of the average Nigeria. The failure of these programmes was basically due to the inability of the political leadership to ensure its effective implementation,during that time Benue state experienced six military administrators such administrators were: Group Capt. Jonah Jang (1985-1986), Col.Yohana Madaki (1986),

Col.Ishaya Bakuti (1986-1987), Col.Idris Garba (1986-1988), Lt Col. Fidelis Makka (1988-1992),

Rev.Fr.Moses Adasu (1992-1993) and later in (1993) Group Capt.Joshua Obademi, which we shall discuss later.

The government’s response to those worsening conditions saw the designing and implementation of many other poverty alleviation programmes. Government’s efforts during the period were mainly directed towards the rural sector. The establishment of DFRRI-Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure marked a significant step in reducing poverty especially at the rural level.

It was mainly established to provide infrastructure like water, roads and increase agricultural output as well as mobilizing the rural dwellers into cooperatives and enhancing their productivity.

In his 1985 budget speech, President Ibrahim B. Babangida emphasized that DFFRI was established to move rural development policy “away from the past, narrow, sectored preoccupation with generation of food and fibres to overall formulation of national rural development strategy with focus on alleviating of rural poverty”. However, DFFRI could not successfully realize many of its objectives due to several factors such as lack of standards for project harmonization and no effective political harmonization machinery between the three tiers of government and DFFRI. DFFRI could not in the end live up to the task, as the particular circumstances of the political inefficiency worked against it and it, and it became defunct Obadan, (2002:27).

Many other progrmmes and strategies such as National Agricultural Land Development

Authority- NALDA, which had its tentacles spread through 36 states encouraged small holder farmers to bring more land under cultivation and thereby, improve agricultural output which, all things being equal should reduce household expenditure on food and poverty generally. It did not attain the desired result Egware, (1997). These failed due to poor conceptualization of most of the programmes. Ineffective targeting of the rural poor, and the basic fact that most of the programmes did not focus directly on the poor worked against its success. And we have all seen in this chapter now that poverty is most prevalent in the rural areas so any poverty eradication strategy that does not acknowledge this fact takes it into proper consideration would fail. This often leads to high leakage incidence of the programme benefits to unintended beneficiaries due to high stake corruption and lack of accountability by the stakeholders, which in this case is the political and as well as bureaucratic leaders. Most of these programmes ended up as conduit pipes for the draining of national treasury for primitive accumulation.

SAP particularly failed in many important respects, as it became a part and parcel of the dynamics of the Nigeria crisis, complicating existing problems and creating new difficulties.

Beyond the economic terrain where adjustment measures fuelled inflation, worsened unemployment, accelerated industrial decline, exacerbated the decline in living standard, and failed to check the balance of payment problems of the state, the programmes also contributed in worsening of the anti-democratic political culture which many of Africa’s ruling classes attempted to foster in the face of diminishing governmental legitimacy and growing popular democratic opposition. Other external pressure policies like the IMF were adopted without domestic public debate, or even debating within the context of policy making bureaucratic machinery. The Nigeria government, from the onset became accountable to the international financiers often represented by the IMF, World Bank, London or Paris Clubs.

GENERAL SANI ABACHA/ABDULSALAMI 1993-1999

The General SaniAbacha regime saw the introduction of its policies and programmes which include the Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP), Family Support

Programme, the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF) and later the vision 2010 Blue Print. In

1995, the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) was established to use gains from the increase in domestic prices of petroleum products to complete abandoned projects, rehabilitate decaying infrastructure and other services across the nation in support of general economic activity. The Family

Economic Advancement Programmes established to give out soft loans to the people for investment in agriculture and small-scale business, which the bottom line was to enhance the conditions of living of the populace. The Family Support Programme, a pet-project of Mrs.

Maryam SaniAbacha, but sponsored by the Federal Government, targeted women and children in the aspects of healthcare delivery and social welfare. Maternal and children clinics were established nationwide to alleviate the stress of women. The vision 2010 was socio-economic cum political programmes, which laid a clear agenda of development of the country. The plan proposed strategies and programme that terminated in the year 2010 when it was expected that

Nigeria would have been reasonably advanced economically and others Ukpong. (1999:4).

Though, Abacha’s economic development policy was generally adjudged stable, with low inflation rate reasonable exchange rate regime, it was criticized for its rigid fiscal policies which strangulated the public service thereby encouraging massive brain drain. The take home pay was too poor; there was general poverty while macro-economic stability was maintained, making the whole thing unrealistic. It can rightly be concluded that the Abacha’s regime could not really address the issues of poverty by way of making policies that could eradicate it. This period witnessed the coming of Col.Aminu Isa kontagora as a military administrator in Benue state

1996-1997.

Absence of prudence and the problem of overlapping functions. This leads to inefficient use of limited resources. Commenting on the causes of failure of these programmes Varvar

(2001:82) has this to say:

These later programmes failed even more woefully than the earlier ones because they came at a time when corruption became institutionalized in the Nigerian administrative system. Such programmes both in their planning and execution became avenues for the enrichment of few individuals who had the patronage to manage them. General A. Abubakar mainly continued with the economic policies of Abacha because he lacked the time to really initiate new programmes in the face of a serious clamour for democracy. He however succeeded in leaving a legacy that tremendously and positively impacted on the lives of the erstwhile-deprived public servants. The introduction of a new living wage for all categories of workers seriously reduced poverty in the country as wages and salaries of public servants are a significant factor in the economic well being of any nation.

President OlusegunObasanjo 1999-2007

There is a current attempt by the present democratic leadership to tackle the incidence of poverty, which is worsening dayby the day. It is the thinking that if the trend were not checked, the future of the nation would be doomed. It is in the light of this that a number of programmes were initiated in 1999 to make a dent on poverty. Consequently, the launching of the Universal

Basic Education Programme, UBE, Poverty Alleviation Programme-PAP and the constitution of some panels namely; the Ahmed Joda Panel is 1999 and the AngoAbdullahi Committee in

2000. The aim was essentially to harmonize and streamline existing poverty eradication/alleviation institutions/programmes among other goals with a view to refocusing government attention on the povertycrisis.Hence the birth of Benue state Economic

Empowerment and Development Strategy (BENSEEDS)by the Executive Governor of Benue state in 1999-2007 Dr George Akume.

SUMMARY/GAP IN LITERATURE

From the above review it is clear that no literature was able to assess the failure of this programme and establish the degree of BENSEEDS programme in the lives of the Benuenites.It is also clear that the programme only existed in the paper not on the ground. We are able to discover that, nobody has ever linked the Benue poverty level with lack of political will to implement good policies and programme such as BENSEEDS which contains what it takes to transform lives. We are able to discover that another gap in the literature, is that Benuenites lack the patriotic attitude towards developmental policies.

1.6 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Political Economy approach has been adopted as a framework of analysis for this study.

This is because political economy which is use as a theory of analysis of a social phenomenon, which treats social, and material issues in their relatedness in the explanation of economic social phenomena. Lenin has shown that “political economy is the science dealing with the developing historical system of social production (Aja 1998). On the other hand, political economy in its widest sense is the science of the laws governing the production and exchange of the material means of subsistence. It emphasizes the primary of the economy, mode of production and relationship in the society-political, financial, religious, cultural, national security and ideological inclination. That is why all analyses with Marxist approach start with an examination of the existing mode of production in a given historical epoch as an important basis for an objective understanding of the phenomenon in question. It becomes suggestive that this research work will consider the nature and character of the mode of production and distribution in the county; this is the process of economic growth to a halt meaning that as a basis for poverty reduction in any society, the fall of agriculture as the main stabilizing force in an economy that depends largely on it, will definitely not enhance poverty reduction strategies. So for any poverty eradication programme to be successful the agricultural sector, among others should be firmly established.

The classical economists conclude that a laissez faire system which ensures competition tends to create the optimum condition for economic growth, thereby enhancing the success of poverty reduction policies.

Closely following the classical economics were Karl Marx (1867) and Frederick Engels who dwelled extensively on society and the economy, and the dynamics of the relations between production and the state. Marx was the first to show that social development, like natural development follows internal laws. However, unlike the laws of development of human society are realized, not independently of the will and acts of man, but, on the contrary, through the action of the broad human masses. Marx showed that an economy lies at the basis of social development and that the mainspring of social development is the class struggle. The struggle of the oppressed people against their oppressors – this is the fundamental motive force in history. This exposition is particularly important to this work because classes differ according to the place they occupy in a given system of social will greatly reduce the problems of failure of poverty alleviation programmes. Theoretically, there is a dialectical relationship of interaction and determination, which connects the economic and political levels of society. Therefore, a study on poverty can hardly escape the search light employed by the political economy method of analysis,if ,we are to understand how to search for clues at taming its menace.

The seeming superiority of the Marxist political economy approach, which has been greatly and expansively developed upon Claude Ake (1981) and others in explaining the problem of leadership and its inability to eradicate poverty (as examined above); ensuring sustainable human development in many developing countries including Nigeria stems from the fact that while the other conventional approaches such as the development approach which essentially looks at the direct consequences of leadership failure to explain the basis of poverty, without delving into the materialistic conception of history indicates the gross weakness of these approaches in this discourse. The acceptance of these approaches to explain leadership and poverty question in the country by the state shows that the reasons proffered by the approach as causes of poverty and underdevelopment are in fact symptoms of poverty whish are dependent upon poor leadership. Issues such as religious bigotry, tribal and ethnic biases have be beclouded the choice of reduction in any society, the fall of agriculture as the main stabilizing force in an economy that depends largely on it, will definitely not enhance poverty reduction strategies. So for any poverty eradication programme to be successful the agricultural sector, among others should be firmly established. The classical economists conclude that a laissez faire system which ensures competition tends to create the optimum conditions for economic growth, thereby enhancing the success of poverty reduction policies.

Closely following the classical economics were Marx Weber (1867) and Frederick Engels who dwelled extensively on society and the economy, and the dynamics of the relations between production and the state. Marx was the first to show that social development, like natural development follows internal laws. However,unlike the law of development of human society are realized, not independently of the will and act of man ,but, on the contrary, through the action of the broad human masses.Marx showed that economies lies at the basis of social development and that the mainspring of social development is the class stuggle.The struggle of the oppressed people against their oppressors- this is the fundamental motive force in history. This exposition is particularly important to this work because classes differ according to the place they occupy in a given system of social production thus,as a background to an understanding of poverty, one has to relate the Marxist law which clarifies the relation of this class to the means of production.Therefore,all their activities as captains of state power are to corner the resources for themselves thereby rendering the proletariat class impoverished. The scientific and eclectic approach to the study of human life therefore marked the development of the political economy perspective as a theory and a method of analyses of social phenomena.

The main problem in political economy is to determine the laws, which regulate this distribution. Marx’s political economy profoundly and significantly impacted early western social science-economics, sociology and social history. The expansion and consolidation of socialist countries in the post-war period and the rise of the anti-colonial and anti-imperialist movements in the third world created favorable condition for an unprecedented upsurge of Marxist inspired political economy studies in 1960s and 1970.

Essentially, these radical studies, in their class analysis became improved and eclectic, and were brought under more serious theoretical and empirical scholarship, which was more concerned with exploring and advancing Marxist theory and method of application to contemporary issues.

The seeming superiority of the Marxist political economy approach, which has been greatly and expansively developed upon by claude Ake(1981) and others in explaining the problem of leadership and its inability to eradicate poverty(as examined above );ensuring sustainable human development in many developing countries including Nigeria stems from the fact that while the other conventional approaches such as the development approach which essentially looks at the direct consequences of leadership failure to explain the basis of poverty, without delving into the materialistic conception of history indicates the gross weakness of these approaches in this discourse. The acceptance of these approaches to explain leadership and poverty question in the country by the stare shows that the reasons proffered by the approach as causes of poverty and underdevelopment are in fact symptoms of poverty which are dependent upon poor leadership. Issues such as religious bigotry, tribal and ethnic biases have be beclouded the choice of good leadership that will promote effective governance and development. Such approaches have also tended to deceive the leaders into false beliefs about the strength of their countries thus de-emphasing their potentials and permanently mortgaging their future to the western imperialist forces.

The political economy approach has demonstrated that economic needs are man’s most fundamental needs. This implies that the student of society must pay due attention to the economic structure and indeed use them as a point of departure of studying other aspects of society, particularly the political aspect. for instance, it has been shown that economic structure and indeed set the tune of politics and defines the role of leadership development of political democracy and gives rise to political polarization around economic power Jega,(1996:96).it is important here to state that the consideration of social phenomena in a related approach by the political economy perspective has really added a major plank in our quest to adopt framework to this work. Its superiority and all embracing disposition towards the study of social phenomenon seems to have won our confidence. Jega’s (1996:96) view on this fact dovetails with position of this researcher, as maintains:

My preferences are with a political Economy, as a subject and as a method of Study that deals with the dynamics of the Inter-related of political and economic Process in a social formation.

Deriving from the above, it is observable the implicit implication of the political economy perspective on the study of leadership and how it exposes us to the fundamental issues affecting their quest for poverty eradication in Nigeria. Whereas other theories and approaches tend to analyze social phenomenon without really considering the important aspects and processes, especially the economic structure, as a point of departure for studying the key component of society. The second aspect is that Ake describes as the primacy of material conditions and the dynamic character of reality. This in a nutshell explains that the inherent contradictions that cause it to be full of movement and dynamism which encourage us to view the dialectically.

Thirdly, the inter-relatedness of the different elements of society- this is to say that there is relatedness of the structure and of all aspects of social life. But central to all these is the economy, which regulate and determines the shape of the political social, belief system and others. Clearly, therefore the, ‘connectedness of the structure, social structure belief system and political system demands an interdisciplinary approach to the study of society’. Leadership and poverty, being more of less social issues that demands integrated approach which will consider the economic connection as they determine what kind of political leadership that emerges and operate within a social formation, and whose leadership is able to manage issues relating to development and particularly poverty eradication.

The adoption of this approach implies that poverty eradication strategies must be viewed in an integrated perspective, which is to say that the economy, especially the mode of production must be critically analyzed before deciding the suitable approach for any poverty eradication strategy in a social-political milieu. That apart, the role of political leadership including the issues that becloud their efforts at ensuring effective leadership, and proper implementation of development and poverty eradication agenda is critically analysed. This means that the economic forces that underpin the emergence and performance of the political leadership and how the society is constrained by the nature of the economy to nature and sustain bad leaders are clearly brought into perspective.

In a nutshell, the integrative perspective of this approach avails us the opportunity to view all issues in its entire ramification thereby not leaving to chance the opportunity of one-sided analysis. Thus, with the strength of this theory, we can argue that poverty being directly associated with the process or level of social production in a given formation therefore, any poverty reduction policies of programmes that do not seek to address the people’s productive base is bound only to succeed in alleviating poverty, but will fail eradicating it.

1.7 HYPOTHESES

Proceeding from our literature review and our theoretical frame work, we shall test the following hypothesis:

1. The Benue State Economic Develeoptment Strategy did not impact positively on poverty level in Benue State between 1999 and 2007. 2. The shift in Political leadership did not affect positively the performance of poverty eradication programme in Benue State between 1999 and 2007.

1.8 METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION

This study is based on qualitative method of data collection. This implies that, in the course of this research, data shall be gathered through secondary sources like materials from the internet, relevant textbooks, magazines, newspapers, conference papers, seminar papers, and statements of commentators as concerns the issue at hand. Equally, government documents, white papers, a report of panels of enquire will also be of importance to this research.

This method of data collection as adopted in this research will enable us to understand the comparative opinions of scholars and commentators concerning the operations of the poverty and the incidence of political leadership in Nigeria. However, in view of limited reliability of this method, serious efforts will be made to ensure that scientific objectivity override the research process. The use of documentaries forms our empirical source of data. This is because the use of documents allows the researcher on areas where he cannot have access to the respondents and this cannot study what is concerned with decisions and dispositions among government officials. This goes on to rule out the possibilities of using survey methods like questionnaire and interview methods. Irrespective of the above argument, interview and questionnaire would have been conducted, but the actors may decline to respond. Reliable and expressible documents are capable of bringing the important information which cannot be gotten through other methods. The issue is that where reliable documents exist, generations appear more reliable than those emanating from limited data from the primary source.

Finally, another justification is that this method will assist to collect data stored in files, government archives, libraries, bookshops and other international documents.

RESEARCH DESIGN

Asika(2010) Research design means the structuring of investigation aimed at identifying variables and their relationships to one another. This is used for the purpose of obtaining hypothesis or answer research questions.

Obasi(2007:383)Research design on the other hand, a systematic enquiry to discover phenomena, the laws governing them and diverse means of the application of knowledge to methodological and related process employed in research especially with regards to the theoretical framework and the collection of data. This study is based on the single case ex-post factor design the test of hypotheses.

Fred N. Kerlinger(1977)defines the ex-post factor design as a form of descriptive research in which an independent variable has already occurred and in which an investigator starts with the observation of dependent variable, then studies the independent variable in retrospect for its possible relationship to and affect on, the dependent variable.

Cohen and Mario(1980) defines the ex-post factor design as those studies which investigate possible cause and effect relationship by observing an existing condition and searching back in time for plausible causal factors. The single case ex-post factor design assumes the form of a quasi-experimental design where an existing case is observed for some time in order to “study or evaluate” it.

Method of Data Collection

We adopted the descriptive qualitative method of data collection for this study since it’s majorly a documentary research. This entails given narrative description to documented evnts. CHAPTER TWO

BENUE STATE ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AND POVERTY LEVEL IN BENUE STATE. 2.1 POVERTY ERADICATION PROGRAMME IN BENUE STATE In line with the national Economic empowerment and development strategy, Benue state of

Nigeria sets for herself a state reform plan titled Benue state Economic Empowerment and

Development Strategy (BENSEEDS). This reform is derived from a long-term goal of social and economic transformation of the state in to a sustainable modern competitive and prosperous economy with the ultimate objectives of poverty eradication, employment generation and wealth creation.

Benue state is one of the least urbanized states in Nigeria with a large rural agricultural population. The 2006 population is estimated to be 4.780.389 million people, with an annual growth rate of 2.6%.The state is categorized as one of the poorest states in the country, with more people living in extreme poverty than the average for Nigeria. Benue state is made up of twenty three Local government areas (LGAs) grouped into 3 zones. Fourteen of these local government areas correspond with the ethnic territory of the tiv people, while seven correspond with ethnic territory of the idoma and two igede(2006 census).

The state has two traditional councils each headed by a first class chief. The Tiv traditional council is headed by the Tor Tiv and Idoma the Idoma Traditional council is headed by the ochi-Idoma. The population of the Benue state is overwhelming agrarian .Over 75% of the population lives in rural areas.

After the implementation of the BENSEEDS,the state as a whole employment is as follows:75% are farmers, 10% traders,6% civil servants,9% other occupations. In the rural areas, peasant agriculture is the dominant occupation, although trading, hunting, fishing, carving and weaving also engage a good percentage of people. A handful of people are now exploring for precious stones in the rural areas. In the urban areas, the civil service is the predominant employment followed by petty trading and handcraft or vocational jobs.

Private initiatives in commerce and industry: particularly by indigenes is as also low and is limited to carpentry, shoe repairs and manufacturing, small scale rice mills,weaving,printing,catering,block making e.t.c.Industry and commerce have been greatly retarded by the absence of capital funds, basic infrastructure and the absence of the frequent political changes.

TRANSPORTATION: The road network is extensive, with most major roads connecting to

Makurditown. Once off the main roads however, the quality deteriorates quickly and access to some of the rural communities can be difficult.

The use of the information system (IS/IT) in government is relatively low compared to other public administrations worldwide, although during the last 3 years the at which computer equipment is being installed has increased significantly as yet, management and development of information system and the underlying technology has not been recognized as requiring formal structures and the deployment of professional IT managers and systems developers. Thus losing the opportunity to align information system (IS) provision with important business needs. The lack of sufficient information Technology (IT) professionals is a serious concern and creates a government dependency on the local private IT supply sector. That the private sector IT is growing in both size and professionalism cannot meet government requirements which might emerge from development of an information system strategy. The inadequacies and unreliability of power and information technology infrastructure represent major barrier.

A national policy for information technology (IT) was published in 2000 under the auspices of federal ministry if science and Technology and must be regarded as a key document for Benue state in its future strategy to take forward its reform programme in line with the federal direction and positioning itself to receive direct federal assistance, to harnessing information system (IS) to support the state’s reform objective (CWIQ 2004)

The issue of Agriculture: There are a number of major issues facing the Benue government; the following is a preliminary list;

AGRICULTURE:

‹ Food insecurity

‹ Inadequate processing and storage facilitates

‹ Reliance on rain fed agriculture

‹ Menace of pest and weeds

‹ Soil degradation

FINANCE:

‹ Unpredictable revenue flows lead to lack of faith in the budgeting process

‹ Uncoordinated planning and budgeting

‹ Expenditures exceeding revenue flows

‹ Limited capital funds result in unfinished projects

STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL RELATIONS:

‹ Lack of understanding about roles and responsibilities

‹ Uncoordinated planning between state and LGC initiatives

‹ General lack of faith in LGC capabilities and management

HUMAN RESOURCES :

‹ Overstaffing in some grades and understaffing in others

‹ Lack of proper training for some jobs

‹ No computerized central staff registry

‹ Poorly developed performance measurement systems

TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING :

‹ Training courses do not reflect current needs

‹ No systematic on-the-job training

INFRASTUCTURE AND SERVICES :

‹ Low percentage of population receives safe portable water

‹ Deteriorating infrastructure

‹ Haphazard waste management

‹ Public service costs not covered by user fees.

POLICY DEVELOPMENT:

‹ No state specific policy aside from BENSEEDS

‹ General policy instability EDUCATION:

‹ Deteriorating physical infrastructures

‹ Limited placement for higher levels and universities

‹ High and growing prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS

POVERTY:

‹ High incidence of poverty

‹ Mutually reinforcing downward spiraling poverty environment linkages

HEALTH:

‹ Declining expenditure on health services

‹ Declining faith in ability of government to deliver adequate health services

‹ Nutrition (31% children stunted, while 11%bweighted with 17% underweight) imbalance

in protein/caloric intake.

EMPOLYMENT:

‹ High level of underemployment

‹ Few opportunities in formal sector for recent graduates

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCTIVITY:

‹ Limited formal economic development

‹ A number of government enterprises poorly managed

‹ Large unorganized private sector

‹ Apathy on the part of the organized private sector to government affairs. PLANNING:

‹ Non implementation of regional and urban development plans.

‹ No budgetary adherence to plan

‹ No comprehensive overall planning body in place.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION:

‹ No state M & E systems: no coordinated routine monitoring

‹ Activities not monitored in terms of inputs

ENVIRONMENT:

‹ Comprehensive environmental policy emerging

‹ Poor awareness of environmental issues by the general public.

The information gathered here revealed that the implementation of BENSEEDS did not change the fortunes of the Benuenites for better (CWIQ 2005).

2.2 THE DEGREE OF PERFORMANCE:

In Benue today, the atmosphere is that of a weakened public service system, persistent deficits financed by domestic and external borrowing, creating a high debt service burden; the negligence of the traditional instruments of control, leading to corruption; poor costing of program and projects large portfolio of ongoing projects; and the mushroom of institutions especially inefficient and wasting public enterprises. The system has accumulated pension arrears and arrears to contractors and suppliers.

Health Sector: We are able to interviewed people to ascertain the level of BENSEEDS performance in health sector, food security access to services, family size, health, children’s eradication; capacity to save or borrow, size of field, and investment e.t.c. Their responses are as follows:

Support systems for the sick : Support to ill people seems less generalized and more erratic, although many will send from time to time, some cooked food, firewood, or send their children to do chores for the affected household. Support from others, however, tends to decline when a disease becomes more chronic. Furthermore, when the condition is regarded as fatal, or suspected to be HIV/AIDS, people may be less willing to give support financially. Several respondents stated, for example, that in cases of diseases that have no cure, people sympathize but are not willing to help financially because they feel that the situation is hopeless. Then again, many people will contribute to the funeral and attend it. Contribution to funeral costs and support to the bereaved is a social obligation but reciprocity is underlined too. Some added that respecting obligations and rites is also important to avoid bad luck.

Table 2.: Affected households receiving support for various activities Familyy Neighbours Community groups Care for the ill 93% 5% 4% Food for the ill/ household 89% 11% 3% Transportation to clinic/healer 81% 5% 4% Field labour during illness 62% 6% 21% Field labour after death 63% 7% 18% Other jobs during illness 77% 8% 5% Other jobs after death 64% 4% 10% Financial support for medication 82% 5% 26% Financial support for funeral 69% 7% 29% Financial support to pay for labour 73% 2% 10% Financial support for school fees 71% 2% 5% Non-specified financial support 53% 3% 4% Care for orphans 57% _ 1%

By far the strongest safely net form of social support is given mostly by the mostly by the spouse, parents, children or siblings. There are social conventions that regulate how requests and receives assistance. When one level of the social network can no longer cope, the next level is called upon for help. An ill person may first try to cover medical expenses using his/her own resources. The immediate family is looked upon for emotional support. When the ill person can no longer cope, the closest relatives (spouse, parents, children) are asked to provide material and financial assistance. Support from the community and from friends can be called upon at different stages depending on the type of assistance needed and the relationship that the person in need has with his/her community.

The first requests for further assistance go to the head of household where the ill person lives (step 1) and will involve the husband, wife, or parents. A husband’s other wives will only offer assistance upon his request, but food and assistance with the fieldwork is given readily. After that, assistance is requested of siblings with the same father and mother. It is only when all of these parts of the support network have been exhausted that the head of the extended family is called upon (step 2). If the problem is also beyond him, he summons a meeting of extended family members. If this fails to resolve the problems, the community elders are brought in (step 3).

Community-based groups to which the ill person or household belongs (age groups, church fellows), friends and neighbours will be called upon around the time that the extended family is contacted. Although the sequence is the same for both the poor and the wealthy, the better-off families are generally better able to handle these problems using their own resources. Figure 2.2 below shows the relationship between the different layers of the social network.

If a community member becomes ill in town, elders may visit the patient to decide on the type of care needed, including whether to turn to orthodox medicine or traditional healers.

An example of how the various levels of support are enlisted is presented below:

The head of an extended family recalled the support received when two of his brother’s sons died one after another. One had been sick for 8 months and the other for over a year. One son had the financial means to pay for his own care and although the immediate family did not help financially, they did visit him in hospital. The other could not pay for his own medical costs, so his father paid the hospital bills, while his wife took care of him. Relatives brought food and visited him in hospital. The church contributed some funds to help pay the hospital expenses. When both of them died, the extended family rallied around the father and the widows and helped arrange the funeral. Social capital is founded on reciprocity and needs to be built up, which requires a capacity to invest cash, time and labour. Respondents were clear that those who have been contributing in past could expect help when they needed it(support given is like a seed sown today to be harvested later). Poor people have more difficulty meeting these obligations and may therefore have less social capital to draw upon.As one widow said: I don’t have any money so I do not belong to any group. I have withdrawn from social activities. Another widow said that she did not have the money to pay the entry fee (a goat and drinks) to become member of her late husband’s age group, which would have given her access to labour and other support.

Although respondents emphasized that ‘’There is always some kind of help’’, support has to be requested and is not given to everybody. The strength of the relationship is essential too. People who are not on good terms with relatives and neighbours will receive less support. Some expressed reluctance to assist relatives whom they regarded as lazy or ‘’bad’’. There was one example of a man, who had never been on good terms with his brothers, being ostracized when he fell ill. This neglect was extended to his widow and child after he died.

Households under long-term stress (psychologically or financial), and also ill people, may start to withdraw from social networks because they are depressed, do not want to upset others, or can no longer afford to participate. Fourteen percent of all affected households in the household survey felt that illness and death have driven them into social isolation. This was significantly more so for the AIDS-affected households (27%) than for the non-AIDS affected households (9%). Households cultivating less than 3 hectares of land felt significantly more isolated (20%) from their social relations than those with a larger parcel of land under cultivation (3%). The difference between the number of Idoma households (18%) and Tiv households (8%) that reported social isolation was not statistically significant.

Support is still provided to households in need, but is reported to be on the decline. In the PRA, nobody stated that the family could no longer cope but some households were complaining that the numbers of requests were increasing fast and they were wondering if it would still be possible to continue responding positively to all of them. Others said that, regardless of the number of requests, they would help wherever they can. Availability of such ‘outside’ support to affected households depends on changes in levels of poverty, the number of requests and whether solidarity is sustained. Mobility and migration

In Benue there is much movement of people between households. It is also a state where migration to other parts of Nigeria, both rural and urban, in an important livelihood strategy, which involves both men and women. The next table 2.3 is based on household survey data (N=508) and gives an indication of the number of people that joined or left the household as well as their reasons for joining or leaving. Children where most often joining a household, either for schooling or because they became orphaned. These are also reasons why children left households, although mentioned less frequently. Bereavement was an important reason for leaving households, and to a lesser extent for joining, and involves mostly women. Marriage and divorce are other reasons, again mostly involving women. Many people left in search of work, others joined. Intra-household conflict is another reason resulting in people leaving. Finally, illness was a reason to leave or join a household, but not that often. These movements are partly linked to localities having facilities for higher education, certain types of work and possibly medical facilities.

Table 2: Reasons for joining or leaving households Reasons for joining Reasons for leaving Frequency % Frequency % Illness 14 3,4% 27 8,1% Bereaved 25 6,0% 61 18,4% Schooling 129 30,9% 52 15,7% Orphan 124 29,7% 36 10,8% Conflict 31 7,4% 63 19,0% Work 10 2,4% 51 15,4% Marriage 10 2,4% 26 7,8% Separated 34 8,2% 16 4,8% Other 40 9,6% 0 0,0% Total 417 332

Idoma and Igede people used to regularly migrate to work on the cocoa plantations in the south. Some remained behind and now have their own plantations. This type of migration is on the decline, however. Some elders noted that young people are staying in school longer. The crises in the cocoa sector and the replacement of hired labour with family labour in the cocoa producing areas may be other factors (Mustapha, 1999). Migration to other rural areas is still reported by leaders in seven out of the twelve communities, six mentioned migration to urban areas and only rural communities claimed that there was no out-migration.

Three rural communities have accommodated refuges in the last few years. The state has witnessed a number of recent conflicts between ethnic groups (the latest in 2000) that have led to large numbers of civilian deaths and the displacement of many of its people. The peri-urban sites and larger rural communities received migrants who come to work as traders or students.

Migrating to a city is a livelihood strategy often undertaken by young people who are seeking a better life and an escape from farming. Their parents support them, hoping that remittances will eventually be received in return to improve their own livelihoods. Education, particularly secondary education, is seen as a way of securing better-paid employment, which may explain why both parents and pupils work hard to gather the necessary school fees.

Around half of the households reported receiving remittances in cash (49%) or kind (54%) from relatives. Sons, daughters or siblings who have migrated or married into another community mostly send these. There are significant differences (p=0.03) between the remittances (in cash or in kind) received by households headed by males (47%) or females (61).

A remittance can be used for consumption or invested in farming or commerce, while siblings may help to pay for the education of their younger brothers and sisters too. The average amount of a remittance is reported to be decreasing. Relatives in town are saving less because of increases in unemployment and the rising cost of living. The death of the remitter may be another cause, and armed conflicts in Kaduna and Kano also affected the livelihood of relatives and the sending of remittances.

Wealth ranking of the study population

The household survey wealth was defined using three variables: asset possession, total size of cultivated land, and cash crops cultivation. Table 2.3 presents the distribution of the households over these three variables for the three ethnic zones. From this table it can be concluded that more Idoma and Igede households possess assets, mainly in the form of means of transportation. However, looking at land size cultivated and cash crop cultivation, the Tiv households cultivate larger fields and more cash crops. There resources are important when coping with the impact of illness and death, but are being used in different ways.

Differences in wealth ranking are also found between male-headed and female-headed households, with female headed households being poorer on average (see table 2.4). Forty percent of the households headed by males surveyed and 67% of the female-headed households did not own any means of transportation. There are also a higher percentage of female-headed households than male-headed households with a total land size under cultivation of less than 1 hectare and without any cash crops.

Affected and non-affected households were also compared for the wealth indicators, but no significant differences in wealth ranking were found.

Table 3: Wealth ranking of households in the three ethnic zones Idoma Igede Tiv (n=127) (n=42) (n=339) Asset possession* . No assets 25% 17% 53% . Bicycle 42% 29% 20% . Motorbike 28% 43% 17% . Car or mill 5% 12% 9%

Cultivated land size* . <1 ha 33% 40% 13% . 1-2.99 ha 47% 43% 40% . 3-4.99 ha 8% 5% 26% . 5 ha and more 12% 12% 21%

Cash crops* . No cash crops 48% 100% 17% . Limited number or size of 48% _ 53% land for cash crops . Larger number of size of land 4% _ 30% * statistically significant differences between the three zones exist for all variables (p=0.000)

Table 4: Wealth ranking by sex of head of household Male headed Female headed (n=438) (n=70) Asset possession* . No assets (n=220) 40% 67% . Bicycle (n=134) 29% 11% . Motorcycle (n=111) 23% 13% . Car or mill (n=43) 8% 9%

Cultivated land size* . < 1 ha (n=102) 17% 39% . 1-2.99 ha (n=213) 43% 36% . 3-4.99 ha (n=100) 20% 17% . 5 ha or more (n=93) 20% 9%

Cash crop cultivation* . None 30% 43% .limited number or size of 47% 46% land for cash crops . Larger number of size of 23% 11% land for cash crops * statistically significant differences between male and female headed households exist for all variables (p<0.000)

CHAPTER THREE

SHIFT IN POLITICAL LEADERSHIP AND PERFORMANCE OF POVERTY ERADICATION PROGRAMME IN BENUE STATE 3.1 BENSEEDS AND POPULAR PARTICIPATION IN BENUE STATE

BENSEEDS was launched immediately the then Governor George Akume took the mantle of political leadership in Benue state, which ushered in the return of democracy in Nigeria. The people of Benue had high expectations on their political leader (Governor). The chief driver of

Benue state democratic voyage (Akume) mustard the relevant political muscles amidst every odds in a bid to match expectations with reality. He was committed to liberate the people from the clutches of poverty and was able to contain the reconciliation let loose by the military hegemony.

Akume’s political leadership in Benue state suddenly went adrift as the state’s economic structure for the rising expected proved woefully inadequate and tragically fragile. Consequently, demagogue was substituted for development and eccentricity for leadership. Whether the people embrace the programme is judged by their expectation which shows what they embrace the programme with high expectations, because the BENSEEDS programme document was able to address the problems and the expectations of the Benuenites. In the agenda of the programme, it addresses such issues like:

i. Public finance/service reforms, which would lead to medium term expenditure framework

(MTEF). The intermediate outcome should be sustainable public finance based on

transparency and accountability.

ii. Agriculture and small/medium scale enterprises(SMES) iii. Infrastructure, particularly roads rehabilitation and maintenance and electricity supply.

iv. Basic social services e.g. Health, education, environment e.t.c.

HIV/AIDS, environment and gender mainstreaming, by the content of policy agenda;it was

embraced by all Benuenites

3.2 THE FAILURE OF BENSEED IN BENUE STATE

Generally, poverty has increased and has impacted most on certain vulnerable groups, few specific budget or other resources mechanism exist to deal with this. The very poor seem to have a limited voice in the affairs of the state and institutional structures are limited. What needs to be done therefore, is to develop and revise budgets to ensure pro-poor poverty lines are developed and maintained, develop appropriate policies and programmes to focus on the poor, develop comprehensive media and public awareness programmes and ensure civil society and both a voice and a role.

There remain substantial gaps in the information available on poverty. Some of the main ones are:

∑ Social and cultural dimension of poverty, including gender/household issues.

∑ Local perceptions of poverty

∑ The distribution of various aspects of poverty through the state and the needs and

problems of specific LGCS.

∑ The relationship between poverty and the environment.

∑ The special needs of vulnerable groups.

∑ The poverty alleviation activities of civil society organisation. What really show failure of BENSEEDS is the issue of wealth ranking of their level of riches after the implementation of BENSEEDS revealed that most household in the state is still very poor. In several communities, the wealth ranking opted for was not founded on reality but seemed more inspired by what people hoped to achieve in life and what they feared. The better-off, for example, were defined as those with a foothold in town and a large house in the village. The poor were those in rags and completely dependent on others. As a result, most households were classified as poor (DFID Document 2005).

Livelihood activities in Benue state. Most people in Benue state are farmers, although the Igede community also has a relatively high number of civil servants. Other important activities include petty trade, crafts and fishing but very few heads of households were only engaged in one activity. Some specific ecological conditions such as the presence of fisheries, which differ between communities but are found in both Tiv and Idoma land. Many also work as casual labourers and process agricultural produce (DFID document 2006)

Occupation differences mostly emerge in the area of secondary occupations. Some are related to specific ecological conditions such as the presence of fisheries, which differ between communities but are found in both Tiv and Idoma land. Many also work as casual labourers and process agricultural produce, activities which are possibly underreported because they are important for women and young people. Households headed by females tend to focus on activities requiring limited capital outlays or access to fields, such as agricultural product processing, firewood collection, or petty trade.

Table 5: Occupations of heads of households in Idoma, Igede and Tiv land

Primary occupations of heads of households Idoma Igede (n=127) n=42 Tiv (n=339) Total (n=508) None _ _ _ Farming 89% 67% 81% 81% Fishing 1% _ 0% _ Hunting _ _ _ Livestock 1% _ Craftsmen 2% 2% 1% 1% Petty trade 2% 5% 4% 4% Big business _ 2% 3% 2% Civil servant 3% 14% 9% 8% Other 2% 10% 2% 3%

Secondary occupations of heads of households

Idoma (n=127) Igede (n=42) Tiv (n=339) Total (n=508) None 7% 10% Farming 13% 74% 27% 27% Fishing 25% _ 5% 10% Hunting 9% _ 6% 7% Livestock 3% _ 3% 3% Craftsmen 15% 11% 12% 13% Petty trade 32% 16% 37% 34% Big business _ 1% 1% Civil sevant 3% _ 1% 1% Other _ _ _ _

CHAPTER FOUR

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

4.1 SUMMARY

This work attempts to (i) ascertain if the BENSEEED programme in any way eradicate poverty in the lives of the Benuenites. (ii) To establish, if political leadership within these period perform in poverty eradication. (iii) To find out the success or failure of this programme.

The study tried to address the research questions (i) Does the present poverty eradication programme(BENSEED) in any way eradicate poverty in the lives of the poor masses in the Benue state? (ii)Did shift in political leadership in Benue state between 1999- 2007 affect the performances in poverty eradication programme? (iii) Is there any reason for the success and failure of this programme?

Proceeding from our research problem, the study tested the following hypothesis (i) poverty eradication programme impacted positively in the lives of Benuenites(ii)The political leadership commitment to implement programmes for the benefits of all. (iii) The success of political leadership.

The study relied on the political economy approach of analysis specifically as a perspective to the study of political stability, development as well as other social phenomena within the context of the prevailing economic configuration, for proper analysis of any problem in a society. This method also assumes on the premise that the various elements of the society- economic structure, social structure, political structure and belief system are all related. It is the economic factor which is the most decisive of all these elements of society and which largely determines the character of the others. Ake, Sorkaa, Hergher and Kofoworola served as our guide. 4.2 CONCLUSION

The study reviewed that (i) the poverty eradication programme impacted positively or otherwise in the lives of Benuenites. (ii) The political leadership commitment to implement programmes for the benefits of all. To determine the success or failure of political leadership.

4.3 RECOMMENDATIONS

In the light of the research finding, we have discovered that, there is a significant relationship between leadership and poverty, since only the political leadership success will help in reducing poverty level in the state; we shall make the following recommendations, based on the results of our findings.

‹ Political leaders in the state must acknowledge the fact that that, Benue state is among the

poorest state in the country, and must fight to liberate the citizens of the state from the grip

of poverty.

‹ The political leaders in the state must be ready to make sacrifice for the general good of

the citizenry.

‹ The leaders must see that all the programmes introduced to fight and conquer poverty

must be fully implemented not existing only on paper.

‹ There must be attitudinal change among the citizens in order to escape poverty, that is

individual efforts must be put in place to assist the leaders to achieve maximum result in

the implementation of programmes.

‹ Development of educational sector, establishing of technical education both primary and

post primary school level. Building of more schools in rural communities for greater, access to educational facilities, more citizens in Benue state receiving character training.

Improve school infrastructure and management of educational system. Establishment and

promotion of family life education, and increase enrolment into tertiary institutions for

students annually. Recruitment of more qualified teachers and campaign to encourage

everybody on the importance of education.

‹ Development of health sector, by expanding, strengthen primary health care and

secondary health care services in the Benue state. Benue must eradicate, eliminate and

control childhood illness and other preventable diseases. The leadership of the state must

enhance quality of health services, through health human resources training, post the

trained staff or personnel to all the areas of the state and establish primary health care

where necessary.

‹ Development water supply and sanitation, state should increase access to affordable

portable water supply and sanitation. To improve quality of lives through rural water

infrastructure. Expansion, rehabilitation and maintenance of old and broken down water

schemes. The leaders should construct dams, promotion of local government and

community participation in counterpart funding of water and sanitation.

‹ Development of infrastructure

To improve the infrastructural base for accelerated integrated development of the state. To

improve the quality of life of the citizens through provision of basic facilities such as,

good roads, electricity, housing and urban renewed infrastructures. To provide effective

and efficient transportation facilities which are crucial in poverty reduction and creation

which BENSEEDS failed to achieve.

‹ Development of micro small and medium enterprises. To introduce rapid sustainable industrialization, poverty reduction through employment generation, rural development and wealth creation. To support the development of skills acquisition centres and business management and training for MSMES. Attention should be given to the support community level enterprises development initiatives for sustainable livelihood.

Development of rich agricultural mineral and human resources of the state for accelerated economic development of Benue state. Benue leaders should encourage indigenous entrepreneurship, support the creation and nurturing of an organized private sector for increase participation in the development process. There should be establishment of industries with high local content, high employment potential and rich upstream and downstream economic activities.

Finally, Benue state generally should be re-oriented on the importance of development and attitudinal change in the areas of discipline and self-reliance not relaying on government but contribute to the development of the state.

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OFFICIAL PUBLICATIONS

Benue Core Report (2006) Poverty Profile for Nigeria, Questionnaire Survey, Benue State, main Report. Federal Office of Statistics, in collaboration with Benue State Statistics, Agency, ministry of finance and economic planning Makurdi, Benue State.

Benue State Action for AIDS (2006) “A technical Report on the National HIV/Syphilis sentinel survey among pregnant women Attending Ante-Natal clinics in Nigeria”, in collaboration with NACA, NTLCP and DFID.

BENSEEDS Document (2004) Fundamental objective and Directive principles of Benue State Economic empowerment strategy policy phase 11.

BENSEEDS document (199) Fundamental objectives and Directive Principles of Benue State Economic empowerment strategy policy. Phase 1.

BENSEEDS Documents (2005) Report on Government Policy performance Makurdi Benue State. Census (2006) National Population Commission Report.

Core Welfare Indicators Questionnaires (2004) Mitigating the Impact of HIV/AIDS on Food Security and Rural Poverty.

Core Welfare Indicators Questionnaire (2007) Poverty in the Midst of Plenty – The Scale of Small Scale Farmers in Nigeria CEC Makurdi.

Core warfare indicators questionnaire (2005) Benue Health Fund, Sex, Shame and Poverty: Report on a Rapid Appraisal of Adolescent Sexual Health needs in Rural Benue, Abuja, Nigeria.

Core Welfare Indicators Questionnaire (2006) Poverty and Growth: Evidence from a Household Impact Study, conducted in states and province. Paper presented at annual conference of the centre for the study of African Economic, St. Catherine collect Oxford U.K.

Core Welfare Indicator Questionnaire (2011) Survey, Benue State, Main Report, Federal Office of Statistics, Abuja, Nigeria, in collaboration with Statistical Agency, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Makurdi, Benue State.

Directorate for International Development (2007) Sustaining Rural Livelihoods: What Contribution Can We Make? DFID, Mission to Benue.

Directorate for International Development (2006) Report of Benue Health Fund Qualitative Baseline Survey in Otobi Community: University of Jos, Benue Health fund, DFID, Hospital of Jos, Benue Health Fund, DFID, Hospital Management Board.

Department for International Development (2002) State Disaster, Causes, Consequences and Policy Lessons from Nigeria. Action Aid Report Abuja.

Department for International Development (2004) HIV Readiness Assessment Report DFID focus State Benue, Ekiti, Jigawa FHI, Abuja.

State Local Government Programme (2006) Assessment on the Impact of HIV/AIDS on the Rural Dwellers Benue State. UNDP (2004) United Nations Development Programme: Nigeria Development Profile March 2004. World Bank Report (2002) Collaborative study on Nigeria Perspective: Poverty Assessment and Alleviation.