ASSESSMENT OF RURAL AND COMMUNITY . DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: 1. A CASE STUDY OF COMMUNITIES IN ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL (AMAC) FCT-ABUJA
..
BY
lBllAI-IIM ELIZABET/1 P.
REG. NO. 04463322 ·
..
BEING A DESEllTATION SUBMITTED TO TI-lE I,OSTGRADUATE SCfiOOL, FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, ' DEPf\.RTMEN1' OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTEllNATIONAL RELATIONS, UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA,
. IN ·p ARl'IAL FULFILMEN1, OF TI-IE REQUIREMENT FOR TI-IE A WAl{D OF M.SC IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND POLICY ANALYSIS (PAPA).
SEPTEMBER, 2011.
.. CERTIFICATION
This DISSERTATION Assessment of Rural and Community Development in Niger·ia: A Case Study of Communities in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), FCT Abuja, carried out by IBRAHIM, Elizabeth Pasha Reg. No. 04463322 has been read, corrected and approved as meeting the requirements for the award of Masters of Science Degree (M.Sc) in Public Administration and Policy Analysis in the Department of Politic�.d elations, University of Abuja, Nigeria.
------, ---- Professor I.E.S. Amdii (Supervisor)
.• . oaka Date ( ead ofDepartment)
--t)_J-�:------rr::; �· ��---_· . I'!1 Dr. S.O. Ogbu Date (Ag. Dean, Fac ty a
------�� ------�------£-:�=�-1= Professor Haruna D. Dlakwa __ ,, (ExternalExaminer) Date
��------_hh�--��-==��-t - ---�------!?_ ifrofessor F.W. Abdulrahman Date (Dean, Postgraduate School)
-----·- DEDICATION
This dissertation is dedicated to my Late Father, Late Sister and late
Grandmother, Mr Ishaku I. Pasha, Mrs Gladys Murna M.K. Asso and Mrs
Elizabeth Ibrahim who never lived to see what have achieved today. 1
Ill ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, I give God Almighty the glory, thanks and praises for
giving me wisdom, grace and strength to accomplish this work.
I am very grateful to my Supervisor, Professor SAM Amdii for his useful
advices, comments, criticisms, suggestions and guidance in the course of
writing this thesis. He has been very thorough, and hard on me to see the
successful completion of this work. Equally, I obtain valuable contribution
on the work from my second Supervisor, Dr. Ekhator and other V.H.
members of the staff of the Department of political science and International
Relations.
I am most grateful to Prof. J.Y Maisamari who provided me with the
necessary encouragement and support to undertake postgraduate studies, also of Dr. Musa Muda, Jerry Vambe and Mal. Madugu Mohammed· for Mr helping me out with necessary materials.
I am indebted to the Management and staff of Gwagwalada Area Council and the Area CouncilService Commission for giving me the opportunity and approval to undergo the study while at the same time continuing with my normal work.
IV I give thanks to Hon. Nbako Ayuba, Hon. Zaphaniah B. Jisalo and Hon
Zakari Angulu Dobi for their moral and financials support throughout the
period of this programme and to my Mama in office Mrs. Rebecca S. Kure
(HOD Admin.) who now late for her patient and endurance throughout the
programme.
Now to my darling husband, Mr. Andrew Yemson and my beloved children,
Moses A. Yemson , Isaac A. Yemson and my little Joseph A. Yemson fo r tolerating me when I deprived them my usual attention in this study period. I also thank my beloved mother Mrs. Maryam I. Pasha for her patient and prayers.
Throughout the period of writing this thesis, I benefit from the wealth and encouragement of the following well-wishers; Mrs. Grace Yemson, Mrs.
Hannatu Gambo, Grace Maisamari, Mrs. Hanny Sylvanus, Mr.Peter Daniel
Mr. Ishaya Ibrahim and many more others. All of them contributed and waited patiently and fervently prayed for me to conclude the study.
Lastly I acknowledge Mrs. Mariam Enesi and Chinyere Onwukwe of 0. Gwagwalada Area Council fo r taking pains to typeset the hand written manuscript of this thesis.
IBRAHIM ELIZABETH P.
v LIST OF TABLES
TABLE PAGES
Table of Population Sample ...... 11
Summary of data presentation ...... 131
Education Development...... 7 14
Health Project...... 149
Rural road construction ...... 150
Rural Electrification ...... 151
Rural Water supply ...... 153
Agricultural project...... 7 14
Economic Empowerment...... 159
VI LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE PAGES
1. Map ofFCT showing the whole Area Councils ...... 108 ii. Map ofAbu ja Municipal Area Council (AMAC)
Showing the wards/constituency ...... 12 112
111. Organization structure of Abuj a Municipal
Area Council (AMAC) ...... 0 ••• 0. 0. 0.0. 0 ••• 0 0 0 0 ••0 0 0. 0 0 0 0 0. 0 0 0 0 0 •• 0 ••• I 24
Vll ABSTRACT
The major objective of this project is to identify the extent to Vvhich rural and community development has been implemented in order to transform the rural communities and bring development closer to the rural environment through the provision of basic services like Education; Health; Rural roads; Water supply; Rural electrification; Agriculture; e.t.c. to the rural people. The method adopted fo r this research study is primary data involving the use of questionnaires and interviews to be carried out among respondents fo r the purpose of providing solution to the preposition raised in the research and secondary data which basically deals with documents such as books, journals and other published and unpublished materials. The project therefore, reveals that effective performance of the local government in the area of service administration is not independent of such major fa ctors as the financial capacity, level of manpower training, adequate planning to cope with the current and future challenges among others. The implication of this finding is that local government administration can be managed smoothly, to become more effective and efficient. This can then result into sustainable development in the rural areas.
Vlll TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Title page: 1
.. Certification: 11
Dedication: lli
Acknowledgement: IV
List of Tables: VI
.. List of Figures: Vll
Abstract: Vlll
. Table of Contents: IX
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION PAGES
1.1 Background of study ...... 1
Research Problem ...... 1.2 4
1.3 Objective of the study ...... 6
1.4 Research Methodology ...... 7
1.5 Scope of the study ...... 13
1.6 Significance of the Study ...... 14
IX 1.7 Limitation of the Study ...... 14
1.8 Chapter Organization ...... 15
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL
FRAMEWORK
2.1 Introduction ...... 16
2.2 Conceptual Definition ...... 16
2.3 The Issue Rural Development ...... 22
Community Development. 0. 0 .. 0 ..... 0 ...... 0 ... 0 .. 204 35
The Role of Community Leaders as Instrument 2.5
For Social Mobilization...... 42
2.6 The Role of government in
Community Development...... 46
2.7 Theoretical Framework ...... 49
X CHA PTER THREE
RURAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT POLICY IN
NIGERIA
3.1 Introduction ...... 64
3.2 Pre-Independent Development Plan ...... 65
3.3 Post-Independence Planning in Nigeria ...... 67
3.4 Development Policy During Military Epoch ...... 74
3.5 Post Military Development Policy ...... 87
3.6 The Impact of the Development Plan on the Rural
Environment ...... 96
CHAPTER FOUR
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF ABUJA MUNICIPA L
AREA COUNCIL
4.1 Introduction ...... 1 05
4.2 Evolution of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ...... 1 06
4.3 The Development of Abuja Municipal Area
Council (AMAC) ...... 109
4.4 Structure and Function of (AMAC) ...... 117
. - ·-·--··----·- XI 4.5 Inter-Governmental Relation in (AMAC) ...... 127
CHAPTER FIVE
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
5.1 Data Presentation ...... 130
5.2 Data Analysis and Interpretation ...... 131
CHAPTER SIX
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
6.1 Summary ...... 176
Conclusion ...... 6.2 177
6.3 Recommendation ...... 181
Bibliography ...... 183
Appendix ...... 188
Xll CHAPTER ONE
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
The Local Government (Area Council) is the closest tier of goverrunent to
the people in Nigeria, since most people in the world have found
administering a country in a centralized form of govemment vety difficult or
cumbersome. However, delegating power to other level of govemment has
been a better measure of administration the society most especially in an in
heterogeneous society of Nigeria. Local Government administration (Area
CoWlcil) has been established for some reasons. These can be narrowed
down to four (4) basic ones; providing Local services, promoting local freedom (Autonomy), promoting national unity, via efficiency of administration and to enhancing efficient grass-root democracy for national growth and development.
In a country like Nigeria, Local government plays an important role in the pursuit of socio- economic and political objective of the nation. These include specifically,
a. Ensure Political Decentralization
b. Promotes social welfare
c. Increase efficiency of the people and
d. Secures cooperation of the citizens for the success of development
plans. The role of Local Government (Area Council) as a third tier has been made
known and stated in section 7 of the fourth schedule of the constitution. 1999
This function fmms the basis of the study. Viz;
Items, which are the responsibility of local government, except under
exceptional circumstances are;
1. Market and motor parks;
11. Sanitary inspection, refuse and night soil disposal;
111. Control of famines;
1v. Slaughter house, slaughter slabs, public conveniences;
v. Burial grounds;
v1. Registration of Births deaths and marriages;
vn. Provision of community and local recreation centers
vm. Parks, Garden and public spaces, licensing, regulations and control
of the sales of liquor;
1x. Licensing of bicycle, tmcks (other than mechanically propelled
trucks), canoes, wheel barrows and cruts;
x. Control and keeping of animals; and
x1. Control of hoardings, advertisement, use of loud speakers in or
near public places, dmmming, naming of roads and streets,
numbering of plots buildings.
Other items, which should be regarded as local govemment responsibilities although, state government and other organizations may also petform in patt Other items, which should be regarded as local govemment responsibilities
although, state govemment and other organizations may also petfotm in part
or whole of these functions because local govemments are not equipped to
perform them initially:
a. Health center, Matemity center, Dispensaries and Health clinics,
Ambulance service, leprosy clinics and preventive health services,
b. Abattoirs/meat inspection,
c. Nursery and primary and adult education,
d. Information and public enlightenment,
e. Provision of scholarship and bursaries,
Rural and semi urban water supply, f
g. Public housing programmes, h. Regulating and control of buildings and
1. Town and country planning (Guideline for Local Government
Reforms, 1976).
During the Colonial Administration, Local Govemment in Nigeria was localized and they served a limited local interest for the benefit of Colonial
Administration. The important of Local Government was made known in
1960. activities have grown increasingly, because they are responsible Their to the local people who continue to make demands.
3 The rising demand of the people for greater and better local public services
and development in the community area has become cmciaJ. Most of these
services include provisions and maintenance of public conveniences, and
refuse disposal, constmction and maintenance of roads, markets, motor
parks, shops and kiosks. Others also include the provision and maintenance
of primaty education, the development of Agricultural and natural resources
other thatl exploitation of minerals and the provision and maintenance of
health services.
Even with the function listed above Local Govemments have failed to meet
the needs of people because of various factors. It is on these basis that the
reseat·ch topic "in question" is being undertaken.
1.2 RESEARCH PROBLEM
The problem of this research is to identify the extent to which rural and
community development policy has been implemented in order to transform
the rural communities and bring development closer to the rural people.
In order to provide a concrete solution to national problems, it all depends on
the quality of services rendered at the grass-root. In a democratic state, there
are needs to administer welfare services at Local Government (Area
Council) level in order to increase the quality of life of the locality. But
report have shown that community functions expected of Local Govemment have not been effectively demonstrated for the community to be
4 transformed. This is because majority of the population in Federal Capital
Territory reside in the mral areas. These mral areas are characterized with
different types of problems such as poverty, diseases, lack of infiastmctural
facilities that would have improve the living standards of the rural resident.
This situation raises a lot doubts as to whether the area councils are living up
to their constitutional responsibilities. Thus, the thmst of this paper is to
assess the efforts of the Ahuja Municipal Area Council towards her mral
areas.
a. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
How has the Municipal Local Govemment Council translated policies 1.
into action in order to meet the communities' expectation?
2. Does the Area Council have the ability to correctly and timely respond
to community needs pruticularly as it affects socialization?
3. What has the Council done to increase communities' capacity
building?
4. How efficient and effective are the machinery established for the
administration of services at the local community areas.
5. Does community participation in the fonnulation and implementation
of developmental policies and programmes in AMAC influence their
effectiveness?
5 b. RESEARCH PROPOSTION
The research proposes that:
1. Policy implementation in AMAC brings about the realization of
communities' expectations.
u. Area Councils' capacity to respond promptly to community needs
has improved the socialization amongst the populace.
111. Effective implementation of Rural and community Development
policies in AMAC has led to capacity building among its
communities.
tv. The establishment of effective machineries at the local community
areas has brought about efficient service delivery.
v. Community participation in the formulation and implementation of
developmental policies and programmes in AMAC can enhance
their effectiveness.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 1.3
The objectives of this study are to:
1. assess the impact of Local Govemment Policy on Community
Development. That is to mean that, how Local govemment policy
has shaped the nature of community development
effotts/programmes.
6 11. identify the type of policies and services provided by the Area
Council, and the extent of efficient implementation. That is, the
nature of policies as well as services provided, alongside with the
level of implementation attached to the policies.
111. isolate the outlined development programme and the problem
hindering administration of the Area Council Services. Here, we
mean singling out the development programmes as well as its
attendant problems.
1v. assess Local Government Administration as it affects community
transf01mation. That is, the quality of Local government
administrative works in light of the community transformation.
v. examine the eff01ts made by the administration to improve
agricultural changes in the community transfonnation programmes
in AMAC and the success stories so far.
1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
In order to cany out an efficient and effective research, the scientific method is employed in canying out the research. In so doing the researcher ensured that infonnation on which conclusion and recommendation to be based were collected and analyzed systematically as well as objectively order to in satisfy the research doubts. doing this, the methodology took the In following dimensions:
7 Sources of Data
This research addressed the assessment of rural and community development
policy with emphasis placed on AMAC as case study. To provide solution to
the preposition raised in this research, both primruy and secondruy data were
employed.
Primary Data: This deals with first hand ways of generating undiluted data, generally through interviews, the use of questionnaires from the respondents. It offers the reseru·chers, the opportunity of dealing directly with the sources of his information. Thus;
Questionnaire: -The questionnaire was a combination of open and close style. It was structured in two basic parts consisting of a list of short questions most of which demanded short answers;
The first part consisted of preliminmy infmmation about the respondents where they are required to state their community name, sex, age, languages, education qualification and status. The second part consists of questions that demanded infmmation :fi"om respondents about extent of performances from the Area Council and Community themselves.
In a nutshell, the questionnaire was structured to assume a three questioning techniques as follows: -
i - in which a list of items were stated and respondents ( ) Checklist:
were requested to check those that apply to their situation.
8 (ii) - questions that had so many options Multiple-choice questions:
and respondents were supposed to choose the most approptiate.
(iii) - questions whose answers were unlimited, Open-ended-question:
and respondents were expected to express their options in the
spaces provided.
Interview:-On the other hand the interview method will enable the
researcher to acquire a deeper understanding of any infonnation through the
respondent's comments, facial expressions and emotional displays all of
which provide visual and auditmy clues to the problem in question.
The interview was carried among the staff in the various departments of the area council and also among the rural people in the eight selected wards of the council.
SecondaryData
The secondruy source basically deals with documented evidence such as books, journals and other publications both published and unpublished that offer some appreciable infmmation relating to the research topic.
Therefore, the propositions testing for the research was based on the responses and information gathered from the questionnaires and interview.
This is done under the following headings; research design, population sample and sample procedure, and procedure for analysis of data using the following
9 Research Design
It is worthwhile to explain what research design means here. According to
Anikpo ( 1986) research design is a plan or stmcture of any aspect of research
procedure. It is realized in the selection of the most appropriate concepts,
preposition, analytical parading, specific sampling techniques, instmment
and tools of data collection, tests for the preposition and also the most
effective format to present research repm1. Therefore, it is an outline or a
scheme that serves as a useful guide to the researcher in his effort to generate
data for his study.
Population sample and sample procedure; The subjects of study are the
staff of the Area Council drawn from various department /sections /units
the organization and also few people from each of the eight selected within
communities will be involved in the sample procedure
The sample size for this study is 460. This number consists of hundred (100) employee of the Area council drawn from the seven departments of the council and then few people (i.e. 45 each) from each of the selected communities
10 Table of population sample
Sample Area Number of questionnaire
1 Department in the co unci 1 I Administration 21 Ii Finance 15 Iii Health 20 Iv Agric 10 Works v 11 Vi Education 16 Vii Audit 7
2 Wards I Garki 45 Ii Gwagwa 45 Iii Gui 45 Iv Jiwa 45 Kabusa v 45 Vi Kruu 45 Vii Nyanya 45 Viii Orozo 45 TOTAL 460
Source: Field Survey May-October 2008
ll Sampling procedure
Sampling refers to taking a portion of the population as representative of the
population. The sample methods adopted here are purposive sampling and
the simple random sampling.
(a) Purposive sampling
This is a method where by the researcher handpicks the case( s)
considered to be typical or which are likely to possess the desired set of
information sought for
(b) Simple random sampling
While the simple random sampling is used to identify those that will be patt
of the study
Procedure for the Analysis of Data
The analysis of data this study will involve the use of quantitative and in qualitative techniques in the processing of data gathered from interviews and questionnaires to examine the proposition of the research to enable a meaningful interpretation to be made and reasonable conclusion drawn therefore we used the following method of data analysis:
Though a simple statistic, its power cannot be underestimated in a study of this nature. Percentages are used in the presentation, description and comparison of data for easier analysis. Also Tables have been employed in the presentation and analysis of the data gathered from the questionnaire.
12 This helped the researcher to have a clearer view of the responses of the
respondents and the issue in question.
1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
Federal Capital Tenitmy dates back to Februru.y 1976. With the
promulgation of decree No.6 entitled "Federal Capital Territmy Decree
1976" from then on, the ru.·ea measuring 8000 square kilometers cru.ved out
from the three contributing states of Niger State, Plateau and Kwru.·a States.
On of October 1984, Abuja Municipal Area Council was created along 1st side with Gwagwalada Area Council. Ahuja Municipal Area Council is located on the Eastern wing of Federal Capital Tenitmy. It is bounded in the east by Nasru.·awa State, in the West by Kuje Area Council, Northwest by
Gwagwalada Area Council and in the N01th by Bwari Area Council.
For the purpose of efficient study and avoiding complexity of work, the analysis only covers the petiod between the year 2004 to the yeru.· 2008 respectively, during the tenure of Jisalo administration and examine at the success stories and challenges in executing this transformation in Ahuja
Municipal Area Council (AMAC). doing this Eight (8) selected wards out In of twelve (12) ward have been chosen at random to represent the entire communities of Ahuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC); They include
Garki Ward, Gwagwa Ward, Gui Ward, Jiwa Ward, Kabusa Wru.·d, Kam
Ward, Nyanya Ward and Orozo Wru.·d
13 1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study is of immense contribution to the people of Ahuja Municipal Area
Council (AMAC) in particular, because it will enable them to examine their
community development policies and identifyarea of shmtcomings and then
make recommendation on how to improve both in planning and execution.
The study is also helpful to the community to defme their factors which will
be identified and also improve their level of participation. That is, the study
enables the community to identifY its stTength as in resources as well as its
constraint i.e. obstacles and problems. This goes a long way at improving or
rather increasing their level of involvement in community driven
programmes for development.
The study is also of great value to students who are interested at this similar research.
1.7 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This study is limited by the subjective responses and biases from the respondents. Because of this, there were gaps but the information from the secondary sources have been used to fill the gaps and helped to balance the discussion.
Another limitation is the inability to cover all the communities to make an in-depth research. The study is also limited in terms of funds to finance the various stages of the project such as collection of questionnaire, movement to all the communities
14 1.8 CHAPTER ORGANIZATION
This project is organized into six separate and related chapters for the ease of work; Chapter one captures the general background to the study; chapter two reviews the related literatures to achieve the objectives stated in chapter one; chapter three reviews the related issues and practice of mral development in Nigeria; while the fourth chapter focuses on the unit of analysis which is
AMAC; the fifth chapter analyzes the data gathered from the field; the fmal chapter is the general summruy, conclusion and recommendations drawn fi:om the fmdings of the study.
15 CHAPTERTWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAME
WORK
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Rural and Cormnunity Development Policy m AMAC and Nigeria as a
whole, has been one of the cardinal factors employed in order to bring about
capacity building of the communities. It is primatily concemed with the
development of the local area through community efforts. One of the 1976
aims was to integrate community development into local Govemment. As
both Local Govenunent and Community Development ru·e ptimarily stated
responsibilities in Nigeria Federal arrangement. Some concept will be
analyzed critically.
2.2 CONCEPTUAL DEFINITIONS
A meaningful discussion of assessment of rural and community development
can only be seen after some defmitional hurdles have been cleru·ed since
social sciences is not mathematics in which, symbols acquired universal applicability. Put simply, social sciences concepts take contextual meaning, the use of such concepts has to be defmed;
Community
Community is a group of people residing in one place who share common characteristics, culture e. t. c.
16 Social Mobilization
Social Mobilization is the act of reaching out to a target audience/group in
respect of sensitizing and orienting such group, depending on the nature of
the massage you want to convey. Social mobilization can come in fmm of
personal contact or through the media (Olisa and Obiukun 1992)
Development
A process concerned with people's capacity in a defmed area over a defined
period to manage and induce change. That is to plan, understand and monitor
change and reduce or eliminate unwarranted change. Thus the more people
develop themselves, the more they would become instruments for fwther
change (Obananjo and Molagunje ( 1991)
Todaro (1977) sees development as many-sided process involving changes
in stmcttrres, institutions and attitudes, as well as the acceleration of
economic growth, the reduction of inequality and eradication of hunger and
poverty in a given society. Development involves positive changes in the
institution, stmctw·es and functions of the society in terms of social, political,
economic, cultural and technological dimensions.
Community Development
A process of social action m which people of a community orgamze
themselves for identification of their needs for planning and for action to meet these needs with maximum reliance on their own initiative and
17 resources, supplemented with assistance in any fr om government and non
governmental organization.
Rural Development
Rural development is a strategy designed to improve the economic and
social life of a specific group of people. It involves extending the benefit of
development to the poorest. among those who seek a livelihood in the rural
areas. These groups include small-scale farmers, tenants, and the landless
women (World Bank 1975)
Administration
Administration is an activity that takes place m all human societies be it
public or private. In summary, administration is an activity that concerns the
integration of human beings and material (through cooperative) for the
purpose of accomplishing some specific task.
Policy
A policy is simply actions taken or to be taken and actions not taken or not to
be taken by government or private organization. It is a statement of what an
organization wants to do, what it is doing, what it is not doing and what
would not be done. It can also be regarded as general rules, regu lations,
guiding, practices or action in a particular activity or problem area. It
specifies the line of action or proposed line of action in relation to certain activity area (lkelegbe 1996).
18 Change
Change means to make the fo rm, nature. content, future. etc of something or
phenomenon diffe rent from what it vvould be if left alone.
Change in a simple parlance means to transform or convert one thing into
another or to transform phenomenon (i.e. community society, state, or nation
e.t.c) fr om one form to another. (Dictionaty.reference.com/browse/change)
Above all, change stands for modification, alteration, and transformation of
something
Local Government
Local government IS "Government at local level exercised through
representatives councils established by law to exercise specificpower within
defined areas. These powers should give the council substantial control over
local affairs as well as the staff and institutional and financial powers to
initiate and direct the provision of services and to determine activities of the
State and Federal Government in their area and to ensure through devolution of functions to the councils and through active participation of the people and traditional institutions that local initiative and response to local needs and conditions are maximized".
Growth
"Growth 1s a long-term nse m capacity to supply increasingly divers economic goods to its population; this growing capacity IS based on
19 advancing technology, and their institutional and ideological adjustments
that it demands". (Kuznet 1971 ). In its simple terms growth is the
quantitative rise in the Gross National Product.
Leadership
"Leadership is the art or process of influencing people so that they will strive
willingly toward the achievement of group goals" this simply means that
leaders act to help a group achieve objectives with the maximum application
of its capabilities (Koontz 1980)
Government
"Government is the system of polity of a state that sees to the exercise of
authority, control, regulation and restraint. In most cases, there are two ways to look at the issue of government, namely; looking at a state as a unitary being and the organism concept". (Uremadu 2000).
Organization
"An organization 1s a special kind of social system with a system being defined as an entity consisting of interacting and interdependent parts, with a boundary separating the entity fr om its ability to acquire and process the energy required to maintain itself' (Bozeman 1979). Abuja Municipal Area
Council is a social system, interacting, in order to achieve a stated objective.
20 Efficiency
"Efficiency is a ratio between input and out, efforts and results, expenditure
and income, cost and the resulting pleasure" (Encyclopedia of Social
Science). No matter how it is looked at, it is still an ideal state, condition of
optimization in position terms that something tries to attain but is inhabited
by one or several factors, initially unidentified or efficiency is the ability to
maintain lasting effectiveness
Effectiveness
Effectiveness is measure of the ability of a programme, or task to produce a
specificdesired effect or result that can be qualitatively measured.
Or is also a measure of the quality of attainment in meeting objective.
(http://ww. visitask.com/)
This means that, the objective of provision of social welfare services in a
community can be achieved only if it is effective enough leading to their
development
Social Welfare
Social welfare is a formerly organized and socially sponsored institution, agencies and programmes to maintain or improve the economic conditions, health or personal competence of some parts or all of a population. The goals and objectives of such organization constitute social policy (Naidu 1996).
21 2.3 THE ISSUE OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Since the past three decades, notably in the 1980's there has been a growing
recognition of the importance of Rural Development as a fa ctor in the overall
socio-economic development of the third world countries. The post - World
War II economic theories, occasioned this shift and aid programmes which
fo cused on growth and development through national economic development
plans and the multiple effects of massive capital investment.
The import of rural development has evolved over time in line with the
continually unfolding meanmg of development. The meanmg of
development has evolved from its earlier narrow conceptualization with
economic growth expressed in aggregate economic indicator of Gross
National Product (GNP) to a more broad - based conceptualization as a
multi-dimensional process involving changes in structures, attitudes and
institutions as well as the acceleration of economic growth the reduction of
inequality and eradication of absolute poverty (Todaro 1979). In this sense,
development has economic growth component, a modernization or human development component, an equity or social justice component, and socio economic transformational component, all on self-sustaining basis.
22 As in the development process. the creation of false surfaces of rural
development stems primarily from the varied definitions to the g1ven
concept. To many people rural development meant agricultural development;
to some it is primarily concerned with welfare. These are myopic, because
rural development has more to do with the development of rural people, than
with any isolated sectorial consideration within society. It is true that the
economic base of the rural area is agriculture, but it is wrong to put it at the
center of rural planning. Rural people need food, employment, decent
housing, education, health care, electricity; means of communication,
entertainment, facilities for social interaction e.t.c. (Okafor 1981)
Rural development has often been confused with rural transformation. The
two are not the same because transformation implies a change in form,
appearance, nature, condition or character, development implies'' a gradual
growth or advancement through progressive change; while both concepts
connote change of some sort, development connotes change with rate and
direction.
Given the foregoing discussion as well as owmg to the antropo-centric
nature of development, a recent UNDP study defines or rather characterizes
rural development as a process of socio-economic change, involving the
transformation of agrarian society in order to reach a common set of development goals based on the capacities and needs of the people.
23 Rural development according to World Bank (1974) "is a group strategy fo r
a particular target population - the rural poor. It involves extending the
benefits of development to those whose future lies in the pursuit of a
livelihood in rural area." In other words, it is a strategy designed to improve
the economic and social life of the people in the rural areas. It under scores
the desirability of extricating the rural dwellers fr om the firm grip of
crippling poverty, acute, social and political deprivations, monumental
ignorance, disease and misery.
Lele (1975) regrets that the desperate meanings of rural development has
given rise to efforts, to articulate ways of establishing priorities and time
phasing between and among both productive and social services activities.
These are further complicated by problems arising from financial. manpower and institutional resources in rural development. We can define rural development as a broad-based re-organization and mobilization of the rural masses so as to enhance their capacity to cope effectively with the daily tasks of their lives and with changes consequent upon this. It is concerned with the improvement of the living standards of the low-income population living in the rural areas on a self-sustaining basis, through transforming the socio-spatial structures of their productive activities. Lele ( 1975) argues that this definitionhas three (3) important features:-
24 (a) Improving the living standards of the subsistence population which
involves the mobilization and allocation of resources so as to reach
a desirable balance over time between the welfare and productive
services available to the rural subsistence population.
(b) Mass participation requires that resources be allocated to low - income
regions and classes and that the productive services actually reach
them, and
(c) Making the process self sustaining requires the development of
appropriate skills and implementing capacity and the presence of
institutions at the local, regional/state and national/federal levels to
ensure effective use of existing resources and to ensure the effective
mobilization of additional financial and human resources fo r
continued development of the subsistence sector. (Lele 1975)
The major objective of rural development encompasses improved productive, increased employment and thus higher income fo r the target groups as well as improved qualities in the basic needs of life which include fo od, shelter, job opportunities, health services, education, improved attitudes like political behaviour etc.
Rural development is a means of ensuring that the poorer section of the population has some share in the fru its of economic activity. It is the means by which provision of social services for the rural population should be
25 combined with the promotion of economic growth. The pre-condition for realizing this pattern of development as pointed out by Aziz include ( 1980)
"the equitable distribution of land and other resources, a reorganization of the rural population along new co-operative or collective production lines, the diversification of the rural economy through the promotion of rural minorities and other non- agricultural activities, an active production of balanced social development as well as a political capacity to integrate the rural community into economic and political life of the nation without negatively affecting its living condition".
On the whole, Lele, (1975) calls attention to the fo llowing three (3) issues which impact significantly on the design and performance of individual programmes tailored to bringing about rural development-
The articulation of national policies on issues such as marketing
system, commodity pricing Land tenure, Wages, Interest rate
structures;
The administrative systems need in terms of the degree of
centralization - decentralization in government structure and
Scope of institutional pluralism that is the distribution of
development responsibility among the normal government
structure, sem1 autonomous government structure, private,
commercial, and traditional institutions and elective bodies.
26 RURAL DEVELOPMENT APPROACH
Some programmes and project were instituted as measurers. which are overtly political response to problem or are urban-centred in their perceptions of developmental needs. They nevertheless represent signification steps in history of rural development. Here method shall be used interchangeably with approaches or model or theories.
1. Integrated Rural Development Technique
Integrated rural development has been defined as a consciously
fo rmulated, systematic, multi sectional programme to attain the
integration of the people in the mainstream of income group in a
country. It is based on the assumption that economic and social
progress are mutually reinforcing, requiring that all natural technical,
economic. social and institutional inter-relationships and their changes
be taken into account and that should they be a way as to serve the
well-being of man and social integration as the ultimate goal
(Olatunnbosun 1976 Onokerhoraye 1978). In other words, integrated
rural development means "multipurpose approaches as contrasted with
single purpose approaches such as land tenure reform, application of
technology and rural extension programmes of agricultural
development as well as those of education and training, health and
nutrition, co-operative and the like must be conceived in isolation". It
27 is recognized in this approach that all of its components are important
appreciated for the part they play both individually and collectively
Wiliams, (1978) the fo od and Agricultural Organization of the UN
identities the fe atures of integrated rural development as fo llows:
to improve levels of living and participation in the development
process for all rural people;
by the creation of conducive commitment with comprehensive and
phased programmes for Agricultural production and
complementary Rural Development;
through the mobilization of Human Resources and provision for
appropriate services with greater emphasis on the active
involvement of Rural people of various stages implementation of
and level of decision- making (Uj o 1994)
11. The Mobilization Technique
Mobilization is the process of pooling together, harnessing, activating, actualizing and utilizing potential human and material resources for the purpose of development. It is a process where by human beings are made aware of the resources at their disposal and also motivated and energized to collectively utilize such resources fo r the improvement of their spiritual and material well being (Obanure 1988). Example of the mobilization techniques are Operation Feed the Nation (OPN)
28 launched by Obasanjo Administration in 1976; and Green Revolution
programme by Alhaji Shehu Shagari.
111. Modernization method This approach is a total transformation of a traditional society into the
types of technology and associated social organization that
characterizes the advanced economically prosperous and relatively
politically stable nations of the Western World. Moore ( 1963) one of
the supporters of the modernization approaches Smelser (1963)
developed a model of modernization based on the structural
differentiation of institutions. For Smelser (1977) quoted by Long,
( 1977) argues that
a developed economy and society is characterized as a highly differentiated structure and an underdeveloped one as relatively lacking in differentiation hence change centres on the process of differentiating it self By differentiation Smelser means the process by which more specialized and more autonomous social units are established Th is he sees occurring in several different spheres,· in the economy, the fa mily, the political system and the religious institutions.
Smelser's model IS concerned with the social transformation accompanymg econom1c development. Economic development takes place through:
(a) Modernization oftechnology.
(b) Commercialization of agricultural
29 (c) The industrialization process and
(d) Urbanization.
The second strand in the modernization school is that of the personal pattern variable analysis pattern. Variable analysis was developed by Talcotte
Parson and applied to the study of rural development by Hoselitz and quoted in Long, ( 1977) states that;
that developed countries are characterized by universalism, achievement orientation and fu nctional specificity and underdevelopment countries by the opposite variable of particularism, ascription and fu nctional diffuseness. Like Smalser, Hoselitz conceptualizes the changes fr om a traditional to a modern society as entailing the eventual modification or elimination of traditional pattern variable. Hence modernization involves the shift fr om fu nctionally diffuse economic roles to fu nctionally specific roles that operate irrespective of the category of persons with whom one interacts. The transformation is conceived by parsons and Hoselitz as curing by means of the differentiation process described by Smelser. Variations in the development of nations can then be explained by reference to the presence or absence of these structural elements and indices constructed to measure the degree of modernization attained.
1v. Transformation Technique
Uj o ( 1994) talked on this method as a method aimed at transforming
the rural area through the introduction of programmes. The Gezira
30 Scheme in Sudan as an example of this method. The scheme is based
on the fo llowing:
large scale irrigation from the Blue Nile
the mechanization of production of long staple cotton for export.
the scheme covers two million acres operated by the Sudan Gezira
Board.
there are 70,000 tenants and the board employs 10,000 staff of all
grades
the scheme was geared towards a market economy other example
of the transformation method is the Chinese communes.
As observed by Aziz (1978): "under the traditional feudal system, 10 percent
of the rural population owned 70-75 percent of the land. During the
revolution of 1949, the rich landowners were liquidated and all their land
redistributed to peasant with small holding and the landless". Initially the
experiment on land distribution did not succeed due to the smallness of the
communes. small agricultural units were in 1958 grouped into large The people's Agricultural communes.
The Features ofthe Chines communes include:
Equitable distribution of resources.
Production is organized on collective or cooperative basis.
Diversification of the rural economy.
31 An active policy of social development through the provision of
basic needs;
Political and Administrative capacity fo r the planning and
implementation of an integrated rural development strategy. As
opined by Aziz (1978) the communes are multi purpose political
administrative and organizational units covering the fu ll range of
economic and social activities. It has tackled the problem of
unemployment by mobilizing labour for improving the
infrastructure and cultivating land more intensively.
v. Improvement Technique
This method is aimed at a progressive improvement of agriculture
through various fo rms of assistance. It does not involve changes in the
land ownership or a revelation transformation or agriculture. The
World Bank is actively involved in the type of approach throughout
developing countries. Example in 1974/75 three experimental projects
were established in Funtua (Katsine State). Gombe (Bauchi State),
Bida (Niger State) and Ilorin (Kwara State). (World Bank)
These proj ects were aimed at providing rural agricultural inputs and
infrastructural services necessary to raise the quality of life in the rural
area. This was designed not to radically transform, but to provide essential supporting services and inputs required fo r the productive
32 fu nctioning of the existing system. The projects of ADPs have had
some impact on agricultural land acquisition: provision of services,
construction of roads and dams, but very little impact on social
transformation and human development. (Ujo 1994 ).
VI. The Comprehensive Technique
The comprehensive approach "involves detailed planning based on a
carefu l definition of the needs and resources of target population, the
setting up of appropriate institution fo r implementation of rural
development".
Project based on this approach is the puebla project in Mexico the
Lilongwe Land Development programme in Malawi and the Camilla
project (Ujo 1994) in Bangladesh
vii. Command-Compliance Technique
This method uses fo rce to compel the people to participate in rural
development. It was common during the colonial period when forced
labour was legitimate way of getting people to participate in public works. This strategy was used in the programme of War Against
Indiscipline. It is currently being used in the Environmental Sanitation
Programme in Nigeria (Ujo 1994)
33 viii. Demonstration Technique
Demonstration or Inducement is a technique through which people are
educated on new methods of rural development. The intension is to get
the rural people to adopt the technique. This method is often employed
by Agricultural institutions, especially all departments of Agricultural
Extension and Liaison, Services A.B. U and Ministries of Agriculture.
Extension workers are sent out to demonstrate the use of high yielding
varieties of seeds, fe rtilizers, agricultural mechanization techniques
(Ujo 1994).
ix. Community Development Technique
This is also another method of rural development, brought into the
national planning arena in 1975-80. Third National Development Plan.
According to the Third plan ( : 318), this is the first attempt to bring
Community Development activities within the fr amework of the
National Development plan. The main policy thrust of the plan was to
raise the quality of life in rural communities by harnessing voluntary
private effort to supplement government effort.
The objectives of community development programmes according to
Uj o (1994) are:
(a) Provision of educational facilities.
34 (b) Provision of essential amenities such as feeder roads, culverts
bridges, market stalls.
(c) Provision of cooperative organizations
(d) Participation in environmental sanitation.
(e) Construction of dams and sinking of well to provide water for
both human beings and animals.
(f) Provision of health fa cilities such as dispensaries, maternity and
leprosy clinics.
Also community development is based on three principles;
1. Self-help
11. Attention to people's needs and
iii. Attention to the development of the community as an integrated
whole.
2.4 THE FACTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community Development which the concepts convey various meanings to
diffe rent scholars or even to the same people depending on the circumstance
and issues under treatment. Community development was originally brought
into the national planning arena only during the 1975 - 80 Third National
Development plan. Each scholar's definition depends on his educational background and profession. Despite those variations in meaning certain distinctive characteristics seem to have reoccurred or feature most of the
35 definition and in the literature on the concepts. However, they all emphasize
that it involves the movement of the people designed to promote better
living fo r the whole communities concerned.
According to ILO Report (1979); Community Development involves the modernization of agriculture development of agro based industries and the provision of both physical and social infrastructure, it should involve construction of roads, providing or fa cilitating technical assistance to agricultural labourers and small scale fa rmers. All the above should be accompanied by provision of basic health, housing potable water supp ly, electricity and educational services.
According to this scholars above, that if these are carried out they will
improve the quality of life of the local people and also enhance productivity.
Not in suppoti of this view above, Dunham (1970) opined that;
Community Development is not concerned with any one aspect of life such as agriculture, business, health or education; it is concerned with total community life and needs. Ideally, it involves all the members of the community, and requires their fu llest participation in first making and implementation decisions. People work together to shape their own fu ture.
The basic characteristics involved in this definition, is the fu ll participation of the community, members in the implementation of their decisions. Since it is the communities that need the services, then, they must also participate to ensure what they want. This scholar has clearly criticized the definition or the International Local Organization (ILO) which is of the view that
36 improvement of life in the community people is only through modernized
agricultural and availability of infrastructures.
To other scholars, community development involves both the people in the
community and the government. As in the word of Williams ( 1978) opined
that:
Communitydevelo pment entails that the people themselves exert their own effo rt, joined with government authorities to improve their economic, social and cultural conditions.
Also in the same vain Anyanwu ( 1981) sees community development as: the concerted effo rt of the government and other interested agencies such as voluntary, educational researcher uniting with those of the local communities to tackle co-operatively community de velopment problems in order to improve and increase per capital income and the welfare of the people. It is the process through which people in their small communityfirst thoroughly discuss and define their wants, plan and act together to satisfy them. It is also the promotion of better living condition through the project that local people support.
These are more effective when the community itself initiate the project.
However if the initiative is not fo rth coming from members of the community concerned, then the government can stimulate their interest through various strategies, including enlightenment, campaigns, the initiation of project and financial aid for specific project (Okafor 1984).
37 Two important elements of these scholars' ideas above are people·s efforts
and governmental or non-governmental assistance. People·s effo rts here:
include their participation in initiating, planning and execution of projects
with as much reliance as possible on their own initiative and resources.
Governmental and other services.
For yet others, Community Development makes meaning only when seen as
a programme or a method. According to Kano State Development plan
(1985)
Conununity development is a programe designed to bring about an all-round improvement in the economic, social and cultural levels of the population through self-help" techniques. The aim is to translate to the people the basic meaning of community development and to seek ways and means of evoking the spontaneous co-operation and co-ordinate of the people 's ef fo rt to get together in solving their common problems.
Based on this plan, the basic policy engulf with the programme include:
1. Self help
11. Attention to people's self needs and
111. Attention to the development of the community as an integrated
whole
Also supporting this view of Community Development as a programme or method. United Nations Documents (E/CN5 1291).
38 Community Development designates the utilization under one single programme of approaches and techniques which rely upon Local Communities as units of action and which attempt to combine outside assistance with organized local self determination and efforts, and which correspondingly seek to stimulate local initiative and leadership as the primary instrument of change.
These two definitions above, characterize community development as a
programme or method as an approach designed to enhance community
development. In agricultural countries in the economically under-developed areas, major emphases is placed upon these activities which aim at promoting the improvement of the basic living conditions of the community including the satisfaction of some of its non-national needs.
Williams ( 1978) has identified fo ur fu nctions in the complex process of community development, by stating that it:
a. encourages analysis of local problems with a view to
improving the level of living and as much as possible on the
initiative of those concerned.
b. provides technical and other services in ways which encourage
initiative and cooperation;
c. considers the Local Community, the basic unit for planning and
development; and
39 d. diffuses the decision-making power by emphasizing the
principle that those affected by community change should
themselves select and manage such change.
APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The programme of community development is designed to bring about an all-round improvement in the economic, social and cultural levels of the population through self- help techniques in community people. The aim is to translate to those people the basic meaning of community development and to seek ways and means to evoking the spontaneous co-operation and co-ordination of the people's effort to get together in solving the common problems. This is made up of three approaches:
i. The Directive Method
Here agencies like government or local government department or
philanthropic organization, tries to identifY the needs of a community,
plan for action, organizes and provides resources to meet the needs. All
that the people do is to participate either actively or passively in project
execution through direct labour. The main aim is to allow them learnand
be in position to do things by themselves. Also provision of needs their by the external body will stimulate them to take action in fu ture for other
needs. The situation where this approach comes in is where
40 Community lack technical know how in certain services and also in
use of sophisticated equipment.
Community lacks the human and material resources to identify,
plan for action and provide certain needs.
Introduction of new methods of can·ying out some occupation such
as farming, fishingand carving (Olisa and Obiukwu 1997)
This approach is expected to be temporary
ii. The Non-Directive method
In this method the people of the community is expected to be able to
identify their felt - needs, plan fo r action, provide their own resources
and execute projects or provide services all in their own. All they may
require from the external body is technical advice in designing and
planning in some projects like roads. Here the main purpose is fo r the
community to identify and take action in respect of their need problem.
(Oiisa and Obiukwu 1997)
m. The Mid-way Method
With this method, an agent or agents of an external body collaborate with
the people of a community try to identify, plan, organize and provide
resources to meet their fe lt - need. But emphasis is more on the initiative
and will of the people to help themselves. All that the agent does is to
41 guide and provide a fraction of the resources required to meet some
needs. (Olisa and Obiukwu 1997)
It is apparent that the three methods discussed above are not mutually
exclusive. They may merge in a single or some cases with planning and
action.
2.5 THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY LEADERS AS INSTRUMENT
FOR SOCIAL MOBILIZATION.
Community has been defined as "a social group of any size whose numbers
reside in a specific locality, share government and have cultural and
historical heritage". It is pointed out that in Nigeria it is traditional for most
communities to exemplify consciousness by making collective efforts, for
instance to build a community center, a road or school for social and
economic purpose. A leader heads this social group. The members of this
social group pay allegiance to their leader.
Against this backdrop, rural and community development has assumed a
renewed dimension in most third world countries. This renewed emphasis is based on the welfare and economic content of the rural and community development. Economically, the increasing debt burden of developing countries in the face of diminishing fo reign exchange receipts has brought the reality of self-reliance in fo od, basic industrial raw material and consumer goods to the fo cus in the public policy making and planning. The
42 realization of these to a large measure depends on rural and community
development. (Olisa, 1992)
In welfare terms as elements of class and regional disparities become
increasingly more apparent, it becomes necessary to progressively achieve a
better spread of the benefits of development not only to all parts of the
country, but also to diminish the welfare gap between urban and rural areas
(Olisa1992). Unfortunately rural and community deveiopment cannot be
achieved unless the vast national in general and community/rural resources
in particular are effectively mobilized. These resources are diverse, but
apparently the most important is the people themselves and so social
mobilization become a first step in community/ rural development
It must be emphasized that a major aspect of mass mobilization concerns
social mobilization that is bringing people into the development process.
People participation should be willing and not induced for this is not
participation. At the moment coercive or extra-ordinary methods used to
fo rce payment towards community projects weighs heavily on the already
impoverished poor peasants especially in the fa ce of fu nd mismanagement or embezzlement. Levies bear no relationship to the income of community/rural people. One way to minimize this application is to use community leaders in educating the community/rural people against gigantism in project selection, through the community leaders brings communities together fo r large project
43 in which the government should participate with tangible assistance. Such
projects as community electrification, water supply e.t.c. At the moment
community people pay simultaneously fo r a new market, a secondary school
e.t.c all in various stages of execution. Thus, effo rt should be directed to
income yielding community/rural proj ects to relieve the community/rural
poor of incessant levies (Olisa 1992).
Given the fo regoing discussion, it can be said that community leaders really
serve as agent or instrument for social mobilization, that is they bring the
community people together for developmental purpose through the media, or
age grades, village assemblies and town unions e.t.c. They (community
leaders) also inspire and organize their subjects into the fo rmation of some
social mobilization programmes at the community/ward level such as
community Development Associations Co-operative fa rmers Association,
market women, labour Unions e.t.c. All these will be energized to participate
in social mobilization. (Olisal992)
It can be said from the fo regoing that community leaders can be seen as
instruments fo r social mobilization by virtue of the perceived functions performed by some of the community leaders: they
a. establish an appropriate framework fo r the positive mobilization and
education of all community people towards economic, social and
political development.
44 b. awaken the consciousness of all categories of people to their rights
and obligation as members of the community in particular, and
citizens of Nigeria in general;
c. inculcate in all community members the value and spirit of civil
responsibility, commitment to social justice and economic self
reliance through mobilization and harnessing of their energies and
natural resources into use. productive d. re-orientate all community people to shun waste and vanity and to
shed all pretence of affluence in our life styles.
e. propagate the virtues of hard work, honesty, self-reliance,
commitment and social integration.
propagate the need to eschew all v1ces m public life, including f.
corruption, dishonesty, electoral and census malpractices, ethnic and
religious bigoting.
g. create consciousness about power and its use, and about the proper
role of government in serving the collective interest of all and
sundry.
To sum it up, community leaders serve as instrument fo r social mobilization for development. That is, given their status in the community, they have capacity of bringing the community people together for development purpose.
45 2.6 THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT
In the first premise, community development compnse of strategies,
intervention or co-coordinated activities at the community level aimed at
bringing about social and economic development. It is at this level that self
help programmes are most apparent, though recent trends in Imo and
Anambra State have elevated self-help programmes to involve activities at
the state level of societal aggregation. Note should be taken of such
grandiose programmes as the Anambra State Education and Technology
fund (ASET Fund) Imo state, Airport fu nd; and the Oba - Onitsha Airport
fu nd raising programmes aimed at collectively on self-help frame work to
provide facilities for tertiary education in Anambra state and transportation
facilities for Imo and Anambra States.
However, community self-help development IS aimed at improving
conditions in the rural communities. It has variously been referred to as
social development; people's development and or mass education. For the
United Nations " it is the process by which the efforts of the people
themselves are united with those of the governmental authorities to improve the economic, social and cultural conditions of the communities to integrate these communities into the life of the nation and enable them to contribute fully to national progress" (UNO 1956).
46 Community self-help development should be both an object (what) and a
process (how). As an object. it should be an induced change for the
achievement of community improvement. As a process, it should be a well
articulated programme and effo rt to assist individual to acquire attitudes,
skills and concepts required fo r their democratic participation in effective
solution of as wide a range of community improvement problems as possible
in order of priority determined by their increasing level of competence
(Olisa1992).
Having explained the concept of community development, the government,
being the ruling or rather governing authority plays a supporting or rather
helping role in bringing about community development projects in the hope
that if every rural community is developed the whole nation can then be said
to be developed and opportunities fo r discord and wrangling within the
national system will be averted (Olisa 1992).
The government does render the assistance through provision of technical,
financial, logistics social and other services. The government provides
technical services to community self-help projects particularly, those
projects that are highly technically intensives in nature. Such technical
services could be inform of provision of machinery, technical advice,
imparting of skills/methods or creating of an institutional machinery that will facilitate self-help.
47 It also provides financial assistance to community self-help programme
meant fo r improving economic. social and cultural conditions of communities. For instance, in Anambra State from 1975-1980 only W1.2m
or 1.36% of total project spending came from the state and local government,
mostly from the latter. Between 1969/70 and 1974/75 the defunct Western
State Government financial assistance rose fr om W23, 110 to W669,850 on
corresponding projects numbering 224 and 2,087 respectively. In the
1970/74 development plan period, 9 out of the 12 states of the Federal grand
aided self-help projects to the tune of W2, 51 1,289 with River State alone
accounting fo r WI, 800.000 or 70% of the total sum. This also embraces
under writing or offering of loans, writing off of overhead costs, offering of
matching grants. (Onibokun 1992)
The government plays a role m community development v1a the
establishment of Directorate of Foods, Roads, and Rural Infrastructure
(DFRRI). By virtue of this Directorate, the government makes available the
social services such as" pipe borne water, health centers, electricity, good roads, education and host of others". These amenities fo ster the community self-help programmes targeted at improving the lots of the rural communities that is, improving their well beings Olisa (1992). The role of government via local government in community development especially in that aspect dealing with social and political mobilization cannot be over emphasized. It
48 Is m recognition of this that the directorate organized a semmar fo r the
chairmen of local governments. The potentialities the local governments of
fo r community development are enormous. First is the nearest level of it
government to the majority of Nigerians, second, it is psychologically more
disposed theoretically fo r massive community development; third, it has a
ready made institutional arrangement fo r social and political mobilization of
the people fo r any governmental measure including self-help programmes
that are community driven fo urth, in developed countries it is the most
efficient provider, compared to other level of development of certain
infrastructure facilities.
Finally, government role or rather government aid goes to some extent in
determine the success or rather contribution of community development
programmes to the overall development; that is for self-help to contribute to
the overall development answers have to be found to how communities
select their projects, the nature of governmental aid, and spatial spread, how
government decides on which community to assist and the magnitude of aid
to such community and so on.
2.7 THEORETICAL FRAME WORK
In the parlance of decision-making, Herbert Alexander Simon's (1957)
"Administrative Behaviour" is a pioneering contribution. According to
Simon (1957), "decision-making is the most significant activity of
49 administration. He argued that the decision-making should be studied
carefully since the deciding comes before the doing". Simon criticized the
traditionalists (scholars in the classical school of thought) and said that their
"principles" are "proverbs". He also critized the idea of laying emphasis on
fo rmal organizational structure of authority and allocation of fu nctions. He
prescribed an empirical approach in administration to replace the so called
"arm-chair speculations'·
Majority of the scholars of the decision-making school of thought fo cus on
rational approach to decision- the selection from among possible alternatives
of a course of action or of an idea. Obviously, this view is an outgrowth of
the theory of consumer's choice with which economists have been
concerned. It lays emphasis on the study of human psychology and
behavioural patterns. This approach also underscores "empiricist studies'·
and the study of informal structure of organization.
Herbert Alexander Simon disagrees with the assumption that man is
completely rational while making decisional choices. He argued further that
as a result of his bounded rationality, man is "extendedly rational" and therefore, is generally unable to achieve the maximum utility out of his decisions. Furthermore, man is only a "satisfying" man and not a
"maximizing" man - he stops deciding at a point when a particular action or choice seems to satisfy him. Therefore, not only a man is capable of
50 1 '
explori'ng nil possible alte tive solutions to a problem but also he is also rna ,' ' ' . 11ot keen to explore such/alternatives According to Simon. al decisiona nil . l l
J' .. ·• process has three stages, nai11ely; Intelligence, design and choice.
' .J "Intelligence�· refers to identity or locating the problem, which requires ' . decision to be n1ade; "design" is the proc.ess of listing out vario s u
alternatives to he problern; and "choice" is choosing the alternatives, which t '
\·vould "sat y'' the decision-maker. After a d ci i is implemented, its isf · e s on . . � .
fe edback can t out to be a source of new ·problem that calls for a fresh urn
decision. In this manner, the vicious circle of decision-making continuous in
an endless-direction.
ljght of the above e pl i a-tion as well as subject of discussion, the act of I11 _ x c ; ' aclministt:a.t�on involves the fo rmulation and implementation of policies. This
activity requires many administrators to make decisions defining the --. f • • I objectives C:rf ci s and choosing appropriate means fo r achieving them. 1joli e ' The beauty of any policy is its real!zation, \.vhich could be ach ieved by
embarkipg o·,f?:eries or variety of decision-niaking; therefore, admi iist ator I ' I ( . r r s
make decisions 111 order to ch ieve multiple goals of administrative a
' -::.:"1 ffi ciei1cy, social r ices and � elfa re of various sections of society . e se v v
. De isi on-making is germane to this study, fo r it is through decisions that one c i � . " 1.' .. . ,. can appreciate \vhat is happ�1�ing in the ru1�al as well as com uni ty r '' \ � in areas. In ., � ... ·.
othe wo ds, the nature and goals of societal actions depend upon the kinds r r
I .j
51
. . . of decisions taken by its leaders (managers/administrators). Since decision
making is the central factor in administration, it has been described as the
"heart of administration". It is indeed, what administration is basically all
about? Thus, Herbert Simon in his "Administrative Behaviour" argues that
every aspect of administration revolves around decision-making.
Theories of Decision-making
Theories on decision can be organised into two groups. These are normative
and behavioral theories. "Normative decision theories implies the way a completely rational decision maker would analyze a problem and arrive at the best possible solution, given the circumstance and information at his disposal. The main problem is to select the strategy, which gives the greatest possible chance of maximizing a specific value, like profit" (Brown and
Steel 1979). The nom1ative models can also be classifiedinto fo ur:
1. Rational comprehensive Model (RCM)
2. Disjoint Incremental Model (D.I.M).
3. Mixed Scanning Model (M.S.M)
Optional Model (O.M) 4.
These models as Egonmwan are essentially normative; they claim to serve both Normative and Behavioural/ explanatory purposes. According to the rational Comprehensive model a decision is termed rational when it is most efficient, that is if the ration between the values achieved and the values
52 sacrifice is positive and Higher than any other policy alternative. That can be
expressed to mean=
Efficiency (E)=Output.
Input
Egonmwan (1984) opined that 'the idea of efficiency here transcends mere
Naira calculation of all social, political and economic values scarified or
achieved by a Public policy.
(i) Finding occasions for making a decision;
(ii) Finding possible courses of action;
(iii) Choosing among courses of action;
(iv) Evaluating best choices. Egonmwan (1984)
The four phases of decision-making can be fu rther expressed as thus:
Decision Needed > Assess Courses of> Choose > Evaluate Action
Rational decision-making is a process requiring sequential action, in which decision might be made to take the fo llowing steps:
(i) Recognizing the problem/investigating the situation; this means
that problem-solving process begins when the problem has been
identifiedfo r action, which means that the first tasks is to search
all the fa ctors that may have created the problem or may be
incorporated into the eventual solution.
53 (ii) Developing Alternatives; developing a number of alternatives
allows one resisting the temptation at problem too quickly and
makes reaching an effective decision more likely.
(iii) Evaluating Alternative; meaning that alternatives must be
evaluated as to see how effective each would be. Effectiveness
can be measured by two criteria:
a how realistic the alternative is m terms the of goals and
resources of the organization; and
b how will the alternative will help solve the problem
(iv) Selecting or choosing the best one; the selected alternative will
be based on the amount of information available to the decision
makers and their imperfect judgments more likely than not, the
selected alternativewill also represent a compromise among the
various factors that have been considered.
(v) Implementing and evaluating; this is the last phase of rational
problem-solving process, after a decision makers have taken
whatever steps are possible to deal with adverse consequence if
they arise actual implementation can begin. Ultimately, decision
is no better than the actions taken to make it a reality. A
frequent error of one is to assume that once they make a
decision, action on it will automatically fo llow. If the decision
54 is a good one. but subordinates are unwilling or unable to carry
it out, then that decision will not be effective. Decision-making
is a continual process and a continual challenge Stoner and
Wankel (1978).
The second category of normative theory is the ' Disjoined incrementalism
as theorized by Charles E. Lind blom (1968), and Others. The model seeks to
adopt decision-making strategies to be limited cognitive capacities of decision makers and to reduce the scope and cost of information, collation and computation. Lind blom (1968) summarized the (six primary) requirements of the models as fo llows:
1. Rather than attempting a comprehensive survey and evaluation of all
alternatives, the decision maker fo cuses only on these policies, which
differ incrementally from existing policies.
2. Only a relatively small number of policy Alternatives are considered
3. For each policy alternative, only a restricted Number of 'important'
consequences are evaluated.
4. The problem confronting the decision maker is Continually redefined.
Incrementalism allows fo r countless ends-means and means-ends
adjustments, which, in effect make the problem on one manageable.
55 5. Thus, there is no one decision or right solution that a Never-endings
series of attacks' on the issues at hand and through serial analysis and
evaluation.
6. As such, incremental decision-making is described as Remedial,
geared more to the allocation of present, concrete social imperfection
than to the promotion of future social goals. Liend holm (1968)
Th e mixed Scanning Mo del on the other hand " would include element of
both approaches by employing both cameras' a broad-angle cameras that would cover all parts of the sky but not in great details, and a second one which would zero in on those areas revealed by the first camera to require a more in -depth examination, while mixed scanning might miss area in which only detailed camera could reveal trouble, it is less likely then, for incrementalism to miss obvious trouble spots in unfamiliar area Amitai,.
(1967) Observed that;
Each of the two elements of 1nixed- scanning helps to reduce the effects of the particular short comings of the other incrementalism reduces the unrealistic aspects of rationalism by limited the details required in fu ndamental decisions and contextualising rationalism helps to overcome the conservative slant of incrementalism by exploring longer alternatives. " This model undoubtedly provides an evaluative strategy fo r decision making. This approach is especially relevant in view of its varying degree of environmental changes. Similarly, it will also serve as a strategy fo r actors with "varying control and consensus building capacities.
56 The fo urth categories of normative theories is the Op tional model, this model
debunks the position of the first three models as irrelevant, and identified the
fo llowing shortcoming against rational comprehensive model:
(a) Lack of manpower to carry out the comprehensive rationality
inherent in the model;
(b) Lack of time at the disposal of decision-makers, especially the
incessant change of government and socio-economic and political
instability.
(c) Lack of information and relevant data.
(d) Rational comprehensive model is based on quantitative assumption
and calculation of alternative consequences. Thus goals are not
concrete and operational.
(e) Limited resources for generating and gathering data.
(f) Economic and political calculation symbiosis.
In short, the model considered the imponderables in a decision-making scene
and seeks to minimize the risk of uncertainty through the use of extra
rational processes for the decision maker-hunches, tact knowledge gained
from experience, common sense, creativity and initiative judgment. This model which is also referred to as "normative optimization models, it is more realistic, it emphasizes that which is possible in reality as opposed to
57 maximization which is the highest level of theoretically possible as
characterized by rational comprehensive model.
Optimization is fe asible in sense of using the available knowledge fr om
physical and social sciences fo r the improvement of model policy making. It
is worthwhile to note that Optional model is based on the principles of game
theory, which assumed decision-making under uncertainty.
The Behavioural or explanatory model in contrast to the normative seeks to
foster understanding of the decision making process. This model is also
divided into; political system model, group equilibrium model, bureaucratic
and elites preference models.
The political preference models conceive policy making as a productive
process in which there exist inputs and outputs being demanded and pressure
are to be converted into goods (that is goods and services) through the
political process. The main criticism against this model is, its static in nature.
The group equilibrium model points to the existence of different groups in
developing countries with diverse reason of grouping i.e. ethnic, religions
affinities, social-economic interlocking relationship, birth etc. These groups
have unequal access to policy decision-making process and the success of
any group to a large extent depends on factors like cohesion, skill possessed by the group. Resources mobilization, organizational ability and having the
58 right connection or attachment to a patron who has access to policy decision
makers.
Whereas the bureaucratic politics model in policy decision-making is the
outcome of bargaining among political office holders. This is characterized
of highly democratic societies. Egonmwan(1984) has argued that "In
developing countries, political office holders sitting at the top of Ministries
have quite diffe rent orientations. The factors impinging on them; and thus
affecting the perception they bring to bear on policy making derive fr om particularistic demands- pressures from fa mily, fr iends, greed and avarice, need to provide for the raining day in a situation of little social security and to satisfy religious and sectional desires". Undoubtedly, this manifest, itself in decision-making process in local government.
Lastly the elite preference models; decision-making is seen as a preference of the elites and not that of the masses because the people as a whole will not have access or rather allow to input in the process of decision-making nor do they (masses) have adequate knowledge of what goes on in their vicinity. As such decision-making act is the onus of the elites. Thus, decision made reflect the preference of a governing elite. In the developing countries, these groups constitute the chieftains and whose indirect impact in decision making is significant through their firm hold on the majority illiterate rural masses. Sometimes, these people are also the compradors, the business elite
59 and the opinion leaders outside the government. It is not uncommon that the
role and tense competition have great influence decision-making and can
have its destabilizing and disruptive effect on policy decision-making.
Theory of mixed scanning model decision-making were adopted for this
study, because in my opinion, it best explains the concept of policies
formulation and implementation fo r which this study is basically aimed at
looking at rural and community policy in Nigeria. This can go a long way in
facilitating the exploration of this study. As analyzed above, these theories
seem to be more fitted in explicating the subject of discussion. In that it aids
in delineating the process of rural and community development policy that
is, how rural and community development policies evolved. These theories
also tell us the actors involved as well as various methods used in evolving policies for the purpose of developing the lots of rural and community
development. As such an assessment of rural and community development policy cannot be achieved without knowing the actors, context and methodology involved in policy making. This goes to show the connectivity of the theory with the study in question (i.e. subject of discussion). It is against this backdrop, this research work entitled "Assessment of rural and community development policy in Nigeria": A case study of Municipal Area
Council" is being weighed. That is in a bid to realize rural and community development policies in Nigeria, decision-making must come into play. That
60 is, that act that defines the objectives of the policies as well as enables the
choice of appropriate means of attending them must be embarked upon.
Hence, administrators must take correct and timely decisions in order to
realize societal goods on time and thus, promote public good.
Thus, we are going to observe the relevance of this theory to the subject of
discussion in the fo llowing ways:
Government decides to fashion rural and community development policy,
evidence of governments' concern fo r rural development abounds in
National development plan and policies documents. This is a typical decision
made by the government in order to bring about development at the doorstep
of the grassroots or rather rural populace. In the 1945-56 development plan government hoped to achieve rural and regional development through the provision of potable water, roads construction, provision of dispensaries e.t.c along with simultaneous organization of layouts for the reconstruction of villages and towns. In the first and second national development plan ( 1962-
68 and 1970-74) periods emphasis was placed on agricultural development and the encouragement and sustenance of community self-help efforts to achieve rural development (RD). The second plan, particularly, placed premium on the dual economy and export led growth model and by so doing assigns a very restricted meaning to rural development (RD).
61 The third plan marked a point of departure in recogmzmg that rural
development is more than agricultural development. The plan policy was
dominated by the high input pay-off model, which attributes improved
productive capacity to a package of high yielding, and profitable new inputs
on which farmers can invest.
In the fo urth plan period (1981-85) it had dawned on the government that an
emphasis is on agricultural development was just not enough. The isolated fo urth plan document contains the epilogue on agriculture.
In a nutshell, the discussion of the decision making premises is useful because government has in a bid to make decision and policies in order to improve the lots of rural populace taken a lot of decisions or rather make policies that particularly hinge on the provision of social amenities such as education, health centers pipe-borne water, roads, electricity, e.t.c. This is so because if rural population can enjoy sufficient amenities just enjoyed by its urban counterparts, they (rural population) will be seen to be developed and the yawning gap between them (rural urban) in terms of development will be bridged. Consequently, rural-urban drift-will cease.
Government establishes structure/framework for the purpose of bringing development to the rural populace such as health facilities, mass education, water supply, rural electrification, roads and general physical planning and
62 development of community and public facilities so that an individual should
be able to enj oy what such individual can not.
However, for the realization of rural development, it must involve
implementation. Implementation is anything done to carry out an adopted
rural development plan. To achieve this, government established structure or
framework within which strategies and options fit in the implementation
process. areas, we have structure such as town unions, age, grades In rural
and village improvement unions though historically noted fo r their roles in
the development of rural areas have become of tremendous importance with government supports of development..
63 CHAPTER THREE
RURAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT POLICY IN 3.0
NIGERIA
INTRODUCTION 3.1 The development of the rural areas of the country is now being stressed by
the Federal, State and Local Governments of the country because of the
realization that the previous urban-based development from above strategies
adopted in Nigeria so far have proved counter productive. The urban and rural areas in systemic symbiotic relationships and any meaningful development strategy must take fu ll cognizance of the fact that the unwholesome phenomenon of rural-urban dichotomy in the national landscape connotes under-development; moreover, it is no longer argued that many of the problems of the urban areas are traceable to the inadequacies in the rural areas.
The primary goal of economic development planning in Nigeria is the achievement of rapid increase in the nation's productive capacity with a view to improving the standards of living of the people (FRN 1981 ). Nigerians planning experience dates back to 1940 that is during the colonial era. Since
1960, Nigeria has formulated, launched and executed four successive national development plans addressed towards achieving this goal. These include the 1962-68 plan, 1970-74, 1975-80 1981-85 and the Rolling plans.
64 In spite of the bold planning efforts geared towards developing the nation,
the rural areas of the country are still largely under-developed, neglected and
derived of essential amenities and opportunities fo r decent living, self
development and self-actualization.
PRE-INDEPENDENCE DEVELOPMENT PLANS 3.2 The first development planning exercise in Nigeria dates back to 1945 when
the British Colonial Office requested the colonies to prepare development
plans which would assist in disbursing the Colonial Development and
Welfare Funds. In response to this request, the administration in Nigeria
prepared the Ten-Year Plan of Development and Welfare covering the
period 1945-1955 (Sessional No. 24 of 1945). The plan, however, did not
run its fu ll term because by 1950 the inappropriateness of charting development over a period as long as ten years in a country experiencing rapid structural changes had become evident. Hence, a decision was taken to break the plan period into two 5-year sub-periods and to formulate a new plan for the sub-period 195 1-1956 (World Bank, 1974).
The introduction of a Federal system of government in Nigeria in October
1954, led to the drawing up of special development plans by each of the three regional governments (including Southern Cameroons) and the Federal
Government. The plan was known as the 1955-60 Economic Development
Plan, which in 1958 was revised and extended to 1962, was launched in
65 April 1955 (Adeniyi, 1977). The plans were drawn up and implemented
mainly by colonial civil servants and was thus seen by Nigerians as having
no properly defined objectives relevant and meaningful to Nigerians.
Nevertheless, they laid the fo undation for the pre-independence economy of
Nigeria. Under the plans, motorable roads were constructed, the production
and expansion of export crops were promoted, ambitious agricultural
projects such as, Nigeria Agricultural Project at Mokwa the in Kwara State, irrigation projects in Rivers, Niger and Benue, etc. were embarked upon.
Many fe asibility studies of proj ects carried out in subsequent development
plans were undertaken (Adeniyi, 1977).
During this period also the Industrial Revolution had created a high demand
fo r the cheap industrial raw materials and basic tropical fo odstuffs obtainable from the colonies. Development policies in the colonies (rural and urban) were therefore geared towards opening up the bulk of the rural Nigeria where the needed raw materials, fo odstuffs and minerals were. Rural development was therefore seen in the light of encouraging rural fa rmers to undertake substantial changes in their production systems (Baba, 1984).
Cash cropping in particular, became a salient fe ature of the rural economy as smallholder peasant fa rmers undertook substantial changes in their production systems in response to effective external demand and local incentives (Eicher and Liendholm, 1970).
66 Export crop production, fo r example, cocoa growmg m Southwestern
Nigeria, the groundnut trade in the North stimulated the construction of the
first modern infrastructure (railway). Later, the palm-belt of Southeastern
Nigeria and the coal mining areas of the Udi Hills (Enugu) were linked up to
fac ilitate the exploitation of these resources. In effect, during the period the
idea of rural development as applicable to Nigeria was characterised by:
(i) production orientedness (especially agricultural) with a view to
achieving growth;
(ii) lack of fo cus on the well-being of the rural people since most
infrastructural installations were made with the ultimate aim of
facilitating the exploitation of the rural and regional resources; and
(iii) compartmentalization of investments through government
ministries and departments between which there were very little
co-ordination (Baba, 1984).
POST -INDEPENDENCE PLAN IN NIGERIA 3.3 It covers the First and Second National Development Plans (1962-68, 1970-
74) and the Country's Rural Sector. The 1962-68 National Development
Plan was the first comprehensive development in Nigeria. Among the goal set in the 1962-68 plan were:
(a) average growth rate of 4% or more fo r the country,
(b) a rise in the per capita consumption by 1% per year,
67 (c) achievement of self-sustaining growth not later than the end of
the Fourth National Development Plan Period. and
(d) attaining modernised economy consistent with the democratic
political and social aspirations of the people
An objective which includes the achievement of a more equitable
distribution of income both among people and among regions, and the
creation more jobs and opportunities in the non-agricultural occupations of
(FRN, 1961). The plan provided fo r a capital expenditure ofW2.2 billion and
because of the Nigerian Civil War (1967-70), the implementation of the plan
was extended to 1967-70 (FRN, 1980).
The highest priorities were accorded to agriculture (a rural pursuit), industry
and the training of high and manpower. measured in lerms intermediate But of actual allocation of funds, transport, electricity, primary production, trade
and industry and education in that descending order dominated investments
in the public sector (Adeniyi, op. cit). Considering the limitations of resources, planning experience and administrative capacities, as well as, the diversionary nature of the national crises, the plan was, on the balance, a success and a number of important projects such as Kainji Dam, the Niger
Bridge, the Oil Refinery and a number of roads and industries were completed during the plan period. In addition, the plan period provided a lot
68 of lessons to be learnt in the conception and implementation of development
planning (Adeniyi, op. cit).
The Second National Development Plan (1970-74) was launched in
September 1970, nine months after the end of the Civil War. The
implementation was however, extended to cover the year 1974-75. The plan
had fiveprincipal national objectives, which were to establish Nigeria firmly
as (i) a united, self-reliant nation, (ii) a great and dynamic economy, (iii) a
just and egalitarian society, (iv) a land of bright and full opportunities for all
citizens, and (v) a free and democratic society (FRN, 1970).
The designers of the plan stressed the need for both governments and the
people of Nigeria to seek to give concrete meaning to the objectives and
ensure their fu ll realisation at all times. They also stressed the need for the promotion of balanced development between one part of the country and another, especially, between the urban and rural areas (Adeniyi, op. cit). The plan provided for a capital expenditure ofW3 billion during the period. This was considerably reviewed upwards to W5.7 billion in view of the resources derived from petroleum production and projected fo r the achievement of a rate of growth sufficientlyhigh to bring about a doubling of real income per head before 1985. As a beginning, an average growth rate of 4% per annum in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was set as a minimum target fo r the
1970-74 period.
69 The highest orders of priorities were accorded to agriculture, industry,
transportation and manpower development. This meant in effect that
government would allocate a great part of resources to these sectors of
economy in order to generate the necessary impetus fo r growth. In the
second order of priority rating are social services and utilities such as
electricity, communication and water supplies where investment resources
would be channelled to sensitive points in order to maximize the utilization
plants and eliminate excessive waste. Other services were regarded as
belonging to the third order of priority while Defence and Security were said
to be in a class by themselves, and in principle, their rating was regarded as
being among the first order.
A major fe ature of the plan was the issue of the government seeking to
acquire by law, if necessary, equity participation in a number of strategic
industries with a view to ensuring that the economic destiny of Nigeria was determined by Nigerians themselves. This the government did by promulgation and implementation of the Indigenisation Decree of 1972. By this measure the government sought to ensure that all businesses and enterprises taking place in Nigeria were incorporated in the country and that
Nigerians undertake the management of such businesses. In addition, the governmentintensified its positive participation in industrial development by
70 joint participation and technical partnership with private concerns etc. The
exercise was particularly noticeable in banking, insurance, the petroleum
industry etc.
On the whole, the plan succeeded in the areas of reconstruction and
rehabilitation of the infrastructural facilities in the war affected areas of
Eastern Nigeria, road construction, port development, the construction of the
National Stadium and the Arts Theatre, educational expansion (primary,
secondary and tertiary), manpower development at all levels. However, the
plan's achievements in the fields of manufacturing and agriculture fe ll below
expectation in spite of the ample investible capital available to the government during the period as a result of the oil boom. Foremost among the problems ofthe manufacturing sector during the period (1970-74) were:
(a) difficulties in getting feasibility studies completed on time, (b) scarcity of willing and competent technical partners, and (c) infrastructural constraints
(FRN, 1975).
In the agricultural sector, the abandoned farms and plantations in the war affected areas were rehabilitated and brought back into production, extension services and supply of inputs to farmers were intensified and the Marketing
Board System was reformed to ensure that farmers received higher prices fo r their produce. To ensure that the nation was able to feed itself government established fo od production companies, which brought more than 60,000
71 acres 18,000 hectares) into cultivation fo r the production of substantial (
quantities of fo od items such as rice, maize, cassava, etc. In the 1972. National Accelerated Food Production Programme (NAFPP) was launched
to boost fo od production. Major strides were taken in the provision of
irrigation facilities; a notable example was the construction of the Tiga Dam
by the Kano State Government\ (FRN), 1975).
But in spite of these bold efforts the agricultural sector performed below
expectation during the period as its percentage contribution to the GDP
which stood at 19.8% in 1960 steadily declined from 16.0% in 1970 to
15.7% in 1971. In 1972 it nose-dived to 7.8, still fu rther down to 5.3% in
1973 and moved up slightly to 8.3% in 1974 (Olayide, 1976).
With regard to the rural sector, the period 1962- 1 974, covering the First and
Second National Development Plan saw no significant policy changes towards rural development. After the country's independence in 1960 the responses of the first civilian government to the challenges of national development as summarized in the two plan documents, especially with regard to the rural areas, were a carry over from the colonial period. Guided by the Export-led Growth Model (Myint, 1958) and the Dual Economy
Models (Lewis, 1954, Ranis and Fei, 196), rural development was equated with agricultural development aimed not at improving the lot of the rural population but increasing output of export products, supplying needed raw
72 materials to the rapidly expanding western industrial base and fe eding the
rapidly growing local urban population. Within the context of these goals.
the rural population were not considered relevant. They were considered
nothing more than a resource component that needed to be mixed with other
resources to achieve desirable production goals. The manipulators or mixers
of these resources had however changed from West European colonizers to a
new brand of nationalist leaders. These leaders still used the old channels of
governmentmin istries and departments to achieve their goals.
Consequently, during this period even though there was political
independence development policies still remained basically couched in a
system of priorities which was in the main a replica of the colonial times.
This fa ct implied that the strategies fo r resource mobilisation in colonial the Nigeria were transferred into independent Nigeria, as there were no much differences in the agro-rural sector afterindependence.
Perhaps the only significant diffe rence was that a the Second Plan ( 1970-74) was fo rmulated and executed within a diffe rent socio-political - economic climate, a devastating civil war had just ended creating a need for rehabilitation measures in parts of rural Nigeria particularly in the Eastern
States and Bendel; the oil industry was experiencing a boom implying the existence of ample investible development capital and the twelve states
73 structure of the country implying the presence of a more conducive regional
context fo r the planning of rural development. These opportunities were,
however, not adequately seized. Thus up to 1974, there was no radical
departure from the colonial conception of rural development. The primary
goal of the process still remained the increase in agricultural output fo r
export rather than the welfare of the rural procedure - the main fo cus of any
meaningful rural development programme.
The collective impact of these factors was the significant move towards
capital-intensive agricultural and infrastructural projects in diffe rent parts of
rural Nigeria as a means of maximizing growth and development. Thus, in the northern states large-scale irrigation projects began to gain attention while in the south programmes of fo od and export crop production, through research, credit and direct government participation were given the highest priority (FRN, 1970).
DEVELOPMENT POLICY DURING MILITARY EPOCH 3.3 This covers the Third and Fourth National Development Plans (1975-80,
1981-85). The Third National Development Plan (1975-80) was launched on
291h March, 1975. The five national objectives enunciated in the Second
National Development Plan (1970- 1 974) were reaffirmed as they were long term in nature (Adeniyi, 1977 op. cit). The specific short-term objectives aimed at fa cilitating the ultimate realisation of the five national objectives
74 under the Third Plan were: (a) increase in per capita income, (b) more even
distribution of income, (c) reduction in the level of unemployment, (d)
increase in the supply of high level manpower, (e) diversification of
economic, (f) balanced development, and (g) indigenisation of economy
activity (FRN, 1975).
During the plan period the GOP of Nigeria at the current level then was
expected to grow W13.962 million in 1974/75 to W24.235 million in fr om 1979/80 indicating an average compound rate of growth of 11.7% per annum, per capital income estimated at W205 was expected to grow at about
6.5% per year. A total capital investment of about W30,000 million (W3 billion) was projected fo r the five years (Adeniyi, 1977, op. cit).
Shortly after the change of government in July 1975 and particularly after the creation of new states early in 1976, the Federal Military Government that the 1975-80 Development Plan be revised to take account of the realities in the country gave instructions. Projects of prestige nature were to be deleted while those that promote the well-being of the average Nigerian in such sectors as agriculture, housing, roads, industries etc. were to be given greater attention. Both the Federal and State Governments accordingly revised their plans but it appeared that even though the project content of the plan had been altered somewhat, the magnitude of the expenditure after the revision was N43,314,009 million (N43.3 billion) (FRN, 1980).
75 The Third Plan began in April 1975 and was expected to terminate in March
1980. However. the expected life of the plan was extended by nine months to
December 1980 in order to provide more time for the completion of work on
the preparation of the Fourth Plan and to take account of the decision to
change the financial year to cover January to December. In terms of sheer
magnitude, the Third Plan presented a major departure from its predecessors
and constituted a reai watershed in the country's planning experience (FRN,
1980). the preceding plan the highest order of national priority was Like accorded to agriculture, industry, power supply, transport, education, defence, labour, social welfare, information and regional development.
The Third Plan immensely raised the expectations of the generality of the people as a result of the optimism g�nerated by the usually favourable financial circumstances in which the country fo und itself on the even of the plan period. Although the execution of the Plan recorded a number of significant achievements in various fields of the economy, it was not altogether smooth sailing for a number of reasons.
First, there was the oil boom on the eve of the Third Plan but the picture soon turned gloomy. Because of global depression in the economies of the
Western nations demand for oil plummeted with adverse consequences on price. Oil producers were therefore fo rced to cut down output. Consequently,
Nigeria's production dropped by 35% to 1.5 million barrels per day barely
76 five months after the plan was launched. Simultaneously, too, the price of
crude oil fe ll by as much as The combined effe ct of these 12%. developments was the decline of the oil sector contributing to the Gross
Domestic Product. Even though the situation slightly improved between
1976 and 1977 another round of decline surfaced in 1978 when the
production fe ll because of a fa ll in demand. It was not until 1979 that the
1974 level of was again reached. The unexpected production development
greatly distorted the expected flow of financial resources, making it
necessary fo r the government to engage in massive borrowing from the
Euro-dollar market and from multi-lateral institutions such as the World
Bank (FRN, 1981).
Second, the unsettled political atmosphere in the first two years of the plan
also prevented smooth take off of the plan. Barely four months afterthe plan
was launched there was change of government, which brought with it a pause in the implementation of the plan, which was then gathering momentum. The plan implementation was halted for the Federal
Government to take stock. The plan was then reviewed and its project content and priority were seriously over-hauled. Third, the creation of seven new states early in 1976 out of the existing twelve led to a substantial time being devoted to the sharing of assets among the newly created states and massive relocation of officials and offices. It took some time for the new
77 states to settle down fo r meaningful development programme to be evolved
fo r them to cover the remaining part of the plan period. The creation of
additional States also helped to increase the pressure on financial resources
fo r the plan, for the need to equip the new States with necessary staff and
administrative infrastructure led to a significant increase in the level of
recurrent expenditure of the nation and a corresponding reduction m
resources available capital fo r investment.
Fourth, the abortive coup of February 1976 led to the imposition of curfews
and such other security controls, which fo r a while imposed restrictions on
personal movements. Organizations both in the private and public sectors
which were earlier operating two to three shifts per day were forced to
operate only one shift. Fifth, there were other difficulties such as the
notorious port congestion associate with the 'Cement Amada', unabated
inflationary pressure and the serious shortages of materials and skilled manpower. Finally, towards the end of the plan period the country returned to an expensive civil presidential democracy. Apart from the fa ct that the priorities of the professional soldiers differed markedly from those of the professional politicians there was a substantial diversion of resources towards the establishment of the expensive infrastructures and personnel needed for the running of a presidential system.
78 Nevertheless, the plan recorded some significant achievements in some
sectors. Those are education (primary, secondary and tertiary), health,
transport and communications etc. The GDP at 1977-789 factor cost grew
from a level of W27,364. 7 million in 1975-76 to W35, 196.4 million in 1979-
1980. This represented an average growth rate of only 5.0% per annum
compared with the planned average growth rate of 9.5% per annum (FRN,
) . 1981
The Fourth National Development Plan launched in 1981 marked the
beginning of the third decade of Nigeria's existence as an independent
country. The overriding aim of the country's development efforts remained
that of bringing about an improvement in the living conditions of the people.
Consequently, a number of specific objectives were woven around this goal.
The specific objectives set fo r the Fourth Plan were (a) increase in the real
income of the average citizens, (b) more even distribution of income among
individuals and socio-economic groups, (c) reduction in the level of unemployment and underemployment, (d) increase in the supply of skilled manpower, (e) reduction of the dependence of the economy on a narrow range of activities, (f)bala nced development - that is, the achievement of a balance in the development of the different sectors of the economy and the various geographical areas of the country; (g) increased participation by the citizens in the ownership and management of productive enterprises, (h)
79 greater self-reliance, that is, increased dependence on our own resources in
seeking to achieve the various objectives of society. This also implies
increased efforts to achieve optimum utilization of our human material
resources, (i) development of technology, (ii) increased productivity, and
(iii) the promotion of a new national priorities conducive to greater
discipline, better attitude to work and cleaner environment (FRN, 1981) .
In the context of the Fourth Plan agricultural production and processing
enjoyed the highest priority in order to feed the rapidly growing population
without massive importation of food and to produce the basic raw materials
needed for our agro-based industries, and as a strategy fo r hastening the
development of the rural areas so as to stem the driftof population from rural
to urban areas. The other priority areas are education, manpower
development, economic infrastructures, particularly, power, water supply
and telecommunications, housing, health and the implementation of the
major industrial projects such as steel and petro-chemicals and increasing the
incentives to the private sector to invest more in manufacturing (FRN, 1981).
Although the plan was launched at a time when the country's production of crude oil, the main sources of government revenue and fo reign exchange earnings had stabilized, the operation of an expensive multi-party civil presidential democracy hampered greatly the implementation of the plan.
The system ushered in an era of unprecedented corruption and embezzlement
80 of pub! ic fu nds icians and their agents. Moreover, the plan priorities by pol il
were chnnged to sui! priorities of the party in power whose main aim was the
how to slay in povvcr :md not necessarily development per se. For instance,
the pJ:;q's first was agricultural production and processing but the prio: during period \\·::�.; As a result thousands units houses of the 11ousing. of of variow: description� :n e ms of size and quality were littered here and there, t r in moc::t rases in !''·'mess, where they have remained unoccupied till date. wi the other hand. mushroom party contractors seized the opportunity On J":my to collect large sun�'; money as contract mobilization fe es and brazenly nf abanclnr:��d the as long as they enjoyed party patronage and prt).· ··cts proter' ;"il. The with which the Abuja project was prosecuted and the spec l monu:",'lltal fraud in it as it were, affected the resources for the i·iV')Ivecl imple•"r:'ntation l)IJn. oft!·· ' AlthOt:: :1 he plan cl : .. not run its fu ll course before the Military intervened t again �Jwards 1983, and the economy turned very bad, the i..T .i of nevert: . '. · :css, some v1. notable achievements of the plan are the progress ::1e in the ��eel c : .-,>: lem c l projects, education and skilled manpower and p i i a product'·� 11, housing : . : : 1 infrastructural development. With J\.:gard to 1 sector the period 1975-85, that is, the period the �.raJ coveri11� the � . L:ourth National Development Plans marked a major Third .-.�: 81 shift of pla1m ing emphasis with respect to rural Nigeria. It was during the Third Plan (1975-80) that for the first time a regional development policy was introduced in the country and rural development objectives were clearly stipulated as: (i) increasing rural productivity and income; and (ii) diversifying the rural economy generally and enhancing the quality or rural life through the provision of basic social amenities, such as, health centres, pipe borne water, all season roads and electricity (F�"'J, 1975). The combined effects of these measures, it was believed, would help narrow the disparities in living standards between the urban and rural areas of the country. The policy still retained emphasis on agricultural production and related activities, as exemplified by the various agrarian revolution programmes, namely, the Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) of 1976 which replaced the earlier one, the National Accelerated Food Production Programme (NAFPP), the Green Revolution of 1980 and the River Basin Development Programme. But fo r the first time the rural areas was seen as an entity having peculiar problems, which required a package of well co-ordinated changes. Rural development was related to the basic needs of the population, that is, the provision of basic infrastructural fa cilities in the rural areas. The period also saw some major changes in rural development approach. Those changes are themselves attributable to the fresh reconceptualisation of 82 rural development by such agencies as the World International Labour Organization and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) (UN, 1977, FAO, 1978 Ward, 1973; Mbithi, 1977). The redefinition was largely accountable for fo ur major approaches to the mobilisation of resources for rural development in Nigeria since 1975. These approaches are: (a)Integrated Rural Development, (b) River Basin Development Approach (c) The Basic Needs Approach, and (d) The Instrument of Local Government. (a) In contrast to the sectoral approach, which characterized Nigeria's rural development process up to 1974, the multi-sectoral change strategy - the Integrated Rural Development Approach - has been pursued in Nigeria since towards the end of 1974. Two programmes were designed to achieve the objective of the strategy. These are the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) and the Accelerated Development Areas (ADA). Both programmes have as their primary concernsthe facilitation of rural economic activity, the ADP, by combining agricultural productivity with the provision of economic and social infrastructures, such as, roads, schools, hospitals, housing, etc and the ADA by constructing fe eder roads and generally laying a solid foundation for the take-off of the ADP where it is yet to start (FRN, 1981). Championed by the World Bank in collaboration with the Federal and State Governments, the first projects started in Funtua and Gusau in 83 November, but was subsequently replicated in Gombe, Lafia, Ayangba, 1974 Ilorin, Uzo-Uwani and so on. (b) The division ofNigeria into eleven River Basins and the establishment of Rivers Basin and Rural Development Authorities (RBRDAs) similar to the Tennessee Valley Authority in the United States in 1976, could be seen as a new dimension in the strategy of capital concentration within the agricultural sector iargely because of the preoccupation of these Authorities with large scale modern irrigation. In another sense, this socio-spatial rearrangement could be seen as an important orientation of rural and regional development strategy because a new national fr amework has become available fo r co ordinating regional planning in which rural development can be accorded its due importance. The functions ofthese authorities are: (a) water resources development-dams surface and underground water development, (b) agricultural activities through farm-based projects, and (c) rural development. Over the five-year period 1979/80 to 1983, the financial allocations to the Authorities were as fo llows: 1979/80 - W203,615 million; 1980 - W454,255 million; 1981 - W620,006 million; 1982 - W4 19,148 million; and 1983 - W427,281 million (Momoh, Obi, Badry and Duru, 1985). (c) The Basic Needs Strategy has risen in recent years from a rejection of the primacy of accumulation or the maximisation of the rate of growth of 84 productive fo rces in the development process (Green 1978). Rather it emphasises the need to meet the primary needs of communities and individuals. Such needs include universal health basic services such as water, preventive and curative health programmes; habit (environmental sanitation, urban and rural infrastructure) and communication' (Green 1978). Conceptually therefore, this strategy seeks to relate development to the socio-cultural and economic realities prevalent among a given people. the task of the strategy on the other hand, is the empirical identification of the relevant socio-cultural and economic constraints to identification of the relevant socio-cultural and economic constraints to societal welfare, as well as, the fo rmulation and execution of package plans towards either eliminating or relaxing the constraints. The basic problems of successful implementation of this strategy are: (i) how to generate enough resources to achieve the noble objectives of the approach; (ii) the issue of appropriate mechanism for effective allocation and location of these resources to attain the desired goals, (iii) coordinating the efforts of government, communities and individuals in the process of implementation, (iv) lack of socio-spatial and ideological frameworks for effective provision of the basic needs of the rural population, and (v) the issue of the political stability and lack of dedicated leadership with sense of mission and vision. 85 (d) The 1976 Local Government Reform was a policy measure aimed at evolving a third-tier sizeable, efficient and fu nctional administrative and resource mobilization and allocation units within the States that would make for rapid growth and modernizations of the rural areas of the country. As a rural development strategy, the Local Government mechanism currently provides one of the very potent avenues for the mobilization of human, material and institutional resources fo r rural development in Nigeria. As a result of the Reform 301 Local Government Areas were created in the country and additional 301 third-tier rural growth centers (headquarters) added to the exiting growth nodes in the country. The attempt to utilize grassroots instruments of government fo r purpose of achieving development is, again, not unconnected with the changing perceptions about the whole process of rural development. These perceptual changes, within international circles, have brought about such new ideas as 'development from below' (Stohr and Taylor, 1981), mass participation and self-reliance (F AO, op. cit). The main thrust of all these notions is the 'maximum mobilization of an area·s natural, human and institutional resources with the primary objective being the satisfaction of the areas basic needs' (Stohr and Taylor, 1981) The 1976 Reform was aimed at achieving the triple objectives of promoting political participation, delivering efficient services and mobilizing local resources (Umoh, 1986). The Local 86 Governments being closest to the people thus provide the socio-spatial and institutional frameworks for the proper mobilization of the human, material and institutional resources of the people fo r the transformation of their areas. POST- MILITARY DEVELOPMENT POLICY 3.4 The adoption of the Rolling Plan approach vvas a bold effo rt to avoid the inherent lapses of fixed, medium-term development plans in a monocultural economy that depended virtually solely on proceeds fr om the sale of crude oil in a volatile international market. One of the lapses was the very poor performance of the Fourth National Development Plan (1981-85) as a result of the huge revenue shortfalls arising fr om the collapse of the international oil market in 1982, barely one year after the launching of the plan. The Rolling Plan approach was, therefore, adopted to make provision for adjustments of revenue projections and programme size on an annual basis. The new approach, which involved the preparation of shifting three-year plans on an annual basis, was also intended to forge a closer link between the medium-term plan and the annual budget. There have been several rolling plans to date, covering the periods 1990-92, 1991-93, 1992-94, 1993-95, 1994-96, and 1995-97. A fifteen-year Perspective Plan approach was adopted in 1997, together with a vision document, which mapped out a long-term trajectory for the economy. With the new arrangement, the annual plan or annual budget was 87 to take a cue fr om the three -year Rolling Plan, the latter being regarded as the instrument fo r the implementation of the Perspective Plan. Through the Development and Rolling Plans, successive governments have also implemented a number of key projects aimed at accelerating the pace of development in the productive sectors of the economy. These include the Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) in all the states of the fe deration; the prograrr1mes of the 18 River Basin Development Authorities and the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA); the two steel plants at Aladj a and Aj aokuta and the inland steel rolling mills at Oshogbo, los and Katsina; the pulp and paper plants at Jebba, Iwopin and Oku-Iboku; the Oshogbo Machine Tools Plant; the fe rtiliser and superphosphate plants at Onne and Kaduna; sugar projects at Bacita, Numan, Sunti and Lafiaji; and power generating stations at Egbin, Sapele Kainji, Shiroro, Ughelli, Ijora, Afam, and Jebba, to mention a few. The inadequacies of many ofthese projects notwithstanding, the country was able to derive quite an appreciable measure of benefits on account of the development plan projects that were successfully completed. The level of adult literacy improved considerably from about 25% at independence in 1960 to about 52% percent in 1996. Mortality rate declined from 24 per thousand to 15 per thousand over the same period, and life expectancy was on the increase fr om 41 to 52 years. Despite the rapid population growth rate 88 · (about 2.8% per ammm), and the large increase in the population of the non agricultural labour fo rce, the country was. to an appreciable extent able to locally meet its food requirements, thanks largely to the priority accorded to agricultural development by successive federal governments and the successes of the agricultural development programme, the fertiliser procurement programme, and the programme of the research institutes and the river basin development authorities. While government intervention in the manufacturing and steel sectors, through the establishment of paper mills, cement factories, fertiliser plants, the steel plants and steel rolling mills, has achieved only limited success in promoting industrialisation, it has nonetheless succeeded in laying a strong enough foundation for the future development of the economy. The electrification and road development programmes have provided key infrastructures, which over the years, have constituted the basis for the development of other sectors of the economy. Overall, therefore, the country, as a result of the implementation of these projects, has come a long way from a purely agrarian economy of the pre-independent era to an emerging, modern economy that seems poised to take on the challenges of the twenty first century. 89 Th e Perspective Plan (1 997-2010) and the Vis ion 2010 Document The frustrated plans, and unfulfilled expectations of the medium-term including the Development Plans, the Structural Adjustment Programmes and the three-year Rolling Plans, led to the adoption of the Perspective Plan approach. The latter approach is borne out of the conviction that the short and medium-term plans have fa iled to address the nation's fu ndamental development issues, including a more equitable mcome distribution, technological advancement, economic self-reliance, a balanced development, gainful employment for all Nigerians, and environmental quality, among others. It was also argued that the policies and programmes of the successive annual budgets, and the development and rolling plans, were based on short term vision not derived from the desirable, long-term traj ector1 for the economy and society. As a result, it was further argued, most of the programmes and projects failed to deliver the expected economic prosperity and sustainable growth. The premise for a new approach to development planning seemed, then, to have been laid. Based on the foregoing argument, the Perspective Plan, 1997-2010, had the fo llowing objectives: a. attainment of rapid economic growth and a balance development; b. alleviation of overty; p 90 c. achievement of economic self-reliance; d. regeneration and improvement of environmental quality: and e. fullemployment for all Nigerians. Rapid economic growth the balanced development would be achieved through the Production-Oriented Small Holder Strategy (POSH) which would harness the potentials of both the rural and urban components of the informal sector of the economy. The informal sector would be integrated into all aspects of economic activity through technological diffusion and the adaptation of other inputs for production. Self-reliance would be pursued through diversification of the economy - a deliberate departure from the monocultural economy that had been heavily dependent on the oil sector. Agriculture would be developed to meet the requirements for food and industrial raw materials while at the same time exploiting the potentials in the solid minerals sub-sector to boost export. Furthermore, priority would be given to the promotion of indigenous technology, adaptation of imported technology, and human resource development. Through the povertyalleviation strategy, the conditions and quality of life of those that are below the poverty line (about 60% of the population) would be substantially improved with enhanced accessibility to education, health care 91 delivery, potable water, fo od, shelter and a qualitative environment. By the end of the Perspective Plan in 2010. the fo llowing specific targets should have been met: (i) a fall in the infant mortality rate from the current 120 pre thousand to 45 per thousand; (ii) an improvement in life expectancy, a key indicator of the standard of living, from today's 52 to years; 63 (iii) adult literacy to increase from 52% to 66%; (iv) access to safe drinking water should improve fr om 50% to 80% of the population; (v) GDP to growth at 6.1 per annum, and GDP pre capita fr om $150 to $1,500 per annum and the growth in non-oil exports from 7.3% per annum to 50% pre annum; and (vi) a decline in the share of the petroleum sector in the GDO fr om 37.3% to 30%. The Vision 2010 Document was prepared in 1997 in an effort to enlist the support of the main stokeholds of society in mapping out an appropriate vision for the country. This was radical departure fr om the Perspective Plan, which had been prepared by the National Planning Commission in collaboration with the various organs of government. The main objective of the Vision was the attainment of a united, industrious, caring, God-fearing 92 and democratic society, which would be committed to making the basic needs of life affordable to everyone and leading to Africa's fo remost economy. Based on this broad objective, the Vision went beyond the remit of economic planning to include the socio-cultural, ecological and environmental dimensions of development, as well as improvements in sports and Nigeria's external image, among others. From the Vision's standpoint, economic success factors would have to be built on the fo llowing principles: (a) government would need to fo cus on creating an enabling environment that stimulates private sector savings and investments. This would involve the provision of infrastructure, building human capital (i.e., education, healthcare and technology know-how), govemmg effectively in the public interest, and moving the economy towards a diversified, export-oriented development, by exploring areas in which the nation has comparative advantage; (b)the private sector, in a truly progressive partnership with government, would become the engine of growth of the national economy through: 1. undertaking a significantlyhigher level of investment that hitherto, 11. concentration on best global practices and quality standards, 93 111. penetration of the West Africa and global markets, and IV. the utilisation of domestic natural resources, local skills and inherent competitive advantage; and (c) the provision of a macroeconomic framework and economic institutions which would be similarly outward-oriented, based on the fr ee market and global competition principle, and fo stering high domestic savings and investment. This strategy would be supported by stable and consistent economic policies geared towards achieving low inflationrates and a strong fiscal/monetary discipline. A fundamental difference between the Perspective Plans (1997-20 1 0) and the Vision 2010 document is that while the fo rmer placed emphasis on the role of government in achieving identified objectives, the latter regards the private sector as the main engine of growth. The Perspective Plan, with its emphasis on income distribution, self-reliance, a production-oriented small holder strategy (POSH) and a qualitative environment, tends to be essentially inward-looking, while the Vision 2010 document, on the other hand, appears to be more concerned with Nigeria's global positioning and international competitiveness. In an ideal situation, the Vision 2010 document should have preceded the Perspective Plan and, indeed, provided the framework for it. The present challenges, thus, is to review and harmonise the old Perspective Plan and the 94 Vision 2010 document with a view to mapping out a new Perspective Plan for the country. In fashioning out a new Perspective Plan, due cognisance should be taken of the need to provide an enduring base fo r the long-term development of the economy. The experience of several of today's emerging economies would be very useful in this regard. In Malaysia, for instance, the planning strategy of the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s placed emphasis on developing the real sectors of the economy, including agriculture, manufacturing and key infrastructures. The result was a well developed agricultural sector, culminating in Malaysia becoming the world's leading palm oil producer, as well as producer of manufactured goods that have become quite competitive in the world market. In the circumstance, the country was well positioned to join the globalisation train in the late 1980s and 1990s. Nigeria is still at the initial phase of development and needs to place emphasis on the development of the basic sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, and infrastructural facilities. Despite the ongomg privatisation drive, therefore, government still needs to retain a significant degree of ownership in some of the key areas of the economy that offer high prospects for long-term development, but which may not be readily attractive for private investment. These include: certain aspects of the agricultural sector, steel development, power generation, distribution and 95 transmission, and the railway system, among others. Rapid development in these areas will appropriate position the country for the globalisation drive. THE IMPACT OF THE PLANNING EFFORTS OF THE 3.5 NIGERIAN RURAL-ENVIRONMENT What has been the impact of the national development planning efforts on the country's rural environment and what are the fa ctors responsible fo r the continued blight and other forms of deprivation in the rural areas of the country after four decades of nationhood? These questions are appropriate here because of the discrepancy, which exists between ideas and concepts on the one hand, and action or experience on the other, in our national planning. From the colonial era up to 1974 rural development in Nigeria was equated to agricultural development or modernisation. The agricultural development strategy has not fared well. During the colonial era (1900-1 960) it was basically export-oriented agricultural modernisation emphasis which had no relevance to the welfare of the rural dwellers. As such, the results of the agro-based rural development schemes, in terms of their contribution to raising the levels of living of the rural people have not been satisfactory. Attention was focused on the development of export crops without considering the welfare of the rural producers. 96 On the other hand, in terms of the indirect benefits of these schemes, various studies have shown that no significant success had been achieved by way of influencing the peasant farmers surrounding them (Adegboye, 1969). The projects appear to be location-specific and with very limited spatial impact. The collective impact of the strategies during this period, however was the significant move towards a capital intensive agricultural and infrastructural projects in different parts of rurai Nigeria as a means of maximising growth and development. Thus, in the Northern States large-scale irrigation projects began to gain attention, while in the South, programmes of fo od and export crop production through research, credit and direct governmentparticipation, were given the highest priority (FRN, 1970). In terms of feeding the rapidly expanding local population and providing the basic raw materials for the agro-based industries and preventing massive food importation the agricultural strategy did not fare better. Although agriculture had generated considerable capital during the initial stages of nation building, events in the last two decades or so have shown a move towards rapid decline of agriculturalproduction and subsequent lowering of the living standards of rural dwellers. For instance, while in 1964 Nigeria's food import bill was W4 1.24 million and 8.12% of the total volume of imports in 1980 it had climbed to W1.091.00 million comprising 11.30% of 97 the total imports. The import includes millions of tons of rice for which Nigeria was previously self-sufficient. These declines may have been attributed in the past to drought experienced during the early seventies. But this could not provide the whole answer. Fundamentally, this was the fa ilure of the development strategies which left the rural/agricultural sector ill-equipped to cope with emergencies. The drought affected only the extreme northern portions of the country, but the fa ilure of agriculture is known to be a country-wide phenomenon arising from factors other than the ecological ones. For instance, the oil palm, one of the major foreign exchange earners for the country in the sixties had been abandoned, the groundnut pyramids have disappeared and the rubber plantations have grown wild because of the euphoria of the oil boom. In addition, because of the existing price disincentives to the fa rmer, able bodied men have left the farms for more rewarding urban jobs (Udo, 1979). There are glaring evidences of rural poverty and great income inequalities between the rural and urban dwellers of the country. The results of the other rural development strategies have not been satisfactory. In terms of their contribution to raising the levels of living of the rural people and their access to basic infrastructures and services such as primary and adult education, pure water supply, preventive and curative health facilities, environmental sanitation and communication, they have 98 proved largely unsuccessful. This is because many of these schemes are location-specific and have turned out to be merely grandiose central agency plans lacking sufficient information about local needs. For instance, the success of the Integrated Rural Development Approach championed by the World Bank has been appraised by D'silva and Razo (1980), Wallace (1980) and Williams (1980). Suffice to note that the efficiency and effectiveness of the location-specific project implementation strategy, as a means of eliminating rural poverty and inequalities, and enhancing self-reliance and mass participation within the affected communities, have been minimal and spatially limited. The River Basin and Rural Development Authorities have failed to achieve the goals for which they were set in spite of the huge financial resources committed to them largely because of intervening variables such as political instability, political interference with the management of the Authorities, greed, mismanagement, inflationof contracts and outright embezzlement of project finances. The Basic Needs Strategy is still largely at the level of debate both at the global and national levels (Streeton and Burki, 1978; Green, 1978; Chai 1978; Lee, 1981). But the fact notwithstanding, it has also been shown that rural development in Nigeria since the Third National Development Plan, has at least, from declared intentions, been conceived from the point of 99 view of the basic human needs, even if implementation may have been quite another issue. Finally, the Local Government Reform undoubtedly created third order development centres or nodes at the grassroots and has so far helped to spread and even out development across the nation's landscape. Moreover, it provides the socio-spatial fr amework for the mobilisation of the abundant rural human, institutional and material resources fo r the transformation of these areas. On the other hand, the reasons fo r the very limited impact of the national development planning efforts on the rural environment of Nigeria are many and varied. The first is the divergence between planned and actual expenditure and the resultant distortion of the capital programme. For instance, the First Plan (1982-68) made provision for a total capital expenditure of Wl,353.66 million distributed among the economic, social and administrative and financial sectors in proportions of 67.8%, 24.4%, 7.2% and 0.6% respectively. Over the plan period, actual public expenditure amounted to Wl.073.0 million, of which the economic, social and administrative and financialsectors accounted for 58.3%, 19.8%, 19.5% and 2.4% respectively (FRN, 1970). Thus, not only was there an overall shortfall of about one-fifth in actual expenditure but also the allocation was tilted in favour of the administrative sector. The shortfall between planned and actual 100 expenditure amounted to 42.8% and 47.3% in primary production (in the rural areas) and trade and industry respectively while general administration recorded an overspending of 115 .3% (Tomari, S. and F. Fajan). The 0. distribution of actual expenditure by sectors over the period 1970-74 also reveals a high degree of distortion in the implementation of the Second National Development Plan. Second, one of the most potent impediments of effective plan implementation m Nigeria has been the inadequacy of the executive capacity. With the mcrease m the scope and capital expenditure of successive plans, the executive capacity constraints on plan implementation has become more serious. The limitation of executive capacity has accounted for not only the general under-expenditure on plans but also for the distortion of the actual expenditure towards non-priority areas. Thus, distortion stems from the fact that inadequacy of executive capacity does not affect all sectors proportionally. The third factor is resource constraint which had hindered plan implementation in the country. The restrictive effects of this factor was particularly strong during the 1962-68 plan period when several projects had to be abandoned for lack of funds. Again during the Third Development Plan period (1975-80) the vagaries in the oil sector seriously hampered the implementation of the Plan. 101 Fourth, the maj or shortcoming of the nation's rural development strategies all these years was that they had been largely sporadic and uncoordinated in nature, being in most cases, emergency reactions to crisis situations and thus lacked meaningful spatial impact. For instance, the National Accelerated Food Production Programme (NAFPPO, the Operation Feed the Nation and the Green Revolution were all the same in terms of objectives. None of them was given enough time to mature and be appraised before being discarded. Fifth, there is lack of appropriate ideological framework for the total mobilisation of the neglected rural majority, their resources and institutions for the purpose of transforming the rural environment. The experiences of the Soviet Union, Communist China and Tanzania show that the process of moving the society from one level to another requires a radical ideology. Ideologically, Nigeria is a capitalist peasant-based economy with a laissez faire approach to development planning. Such a non-interventionist approach to development planning in a capitalist peasant-based economy perpetuates continued exploitation and impoverisation of the rural peasantry. The sixth is the perception of development by Nigerian leaders and development policy makers and planners as a colonial legacy. Consequent upon this is the obsession of this class of people (mostly Western trained) with Western bourgeois status theories and models of development, quo which are alien to our historical antecedents, cultural background and present 102 economic realities. As such, Nigeria has unknowingly but painfully adopted Western under-development models and strategies for developing her economy. Seventh, the Nigerian political system and its occasional upheavals have very often constituted an impediment to effective plan implementation. For instance, the implementation of the steel mill project, which is crucial to the country's development, had Political instability and lack to be location. of dedicated leadership are serious factors hindering plan implementation and general development. Since the country's independence in 1960 the nation has had eight diffe rent governments, six military and only two civilian. Political instability has therefore hindered the evolution of a political culture for the nation and aborted midstream meaningful development programmes. Added to this is the continued domination of the country's political scene by soldier statesmen, who, by training and orientation, are not schooled in the intricate art of government and planning. The result is that development programmes are introduced with military zeal and precision only to be discarded shortly after their inception with the same military dispatch with which they were introduced and we were back to square one in each case. Finally, another major problem of planning and plan implementation m Nigeria arises from the paucity and poor quality of information, which could be used for the exercise. This inadequacy of relevant information coupled with that of inadequate executive capacity has made it difficultto work out feasible and viable projects that could fu lly absorb sectoral fund allocation. 103 In most cases, the rural sector has borne the brunt of these shortcomings in the process of national development plaill1ing and implementation. CONCLUSION Looking at these developmental policies from the colonial period to date are appraised generally and with particular reference to the rural sector of the economy. The fa ctors accounting for the continued under-development of the country's rurai areas are highlighted and analyzed and the planning and policy implications of the trend discussed. Suggestions for improving the situation are also proffered. Finally, for the rural sector of the country 's economy to benefit from the nation's developmental plaill1ing policies, there is the urgent need for a change of the strategy of planning and implementation. 104 CHAPTER FOUR HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF ABUJA MUNICIPAL 4.0 AREA COUNCIL INTRODUCTION 4. 1 Having reviewed rural and community development in Nigeria in chapter three, chapter fo ur dwells on the evolution of AMAC and community development policies that have been fo rm ulated and implemented in the '1 COUnCil. Before the advent of the "White man" there had been a traditional system of Local Government in Nigeria. But the present fo rm of Local Government system in Nigeria has a long episode or history of trial and error in the desperate attempt by Government to reconcile the participation at the grass root with the desire fo r and effective delivery of essential services efficient to the people (Adesina 1987). Deriving fr om the initial effo rts at indirect rule, Local Government attempted to democratize the system as a basis fo r social and economic development (Ademolekun 1985). With this shift of rationale fr om being primarily a law - and - order agency to one engaged in local economic development, the objectives of Local Government came to be defined as comprising, bringing government closer to the people, involving people at the grass-root in the progress of their areas in the context of the overall development of the region to which they belonged and enhancing indigenous institutions fo r the purpose of coordinating and maXII11 IZ111g 105 development effort at that level (Ademolekun 1985). It was against this background that Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) was also created. 4.2EVOLUTION OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY(F.C.T) Following the acceptance of the report of the justice Aguda panel on the desirability of a new Federal Capital for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Federal Military Government in 1976 enacted decree NQ 6, which brought into being a new Federal Capital Territory for the country measuring 8000 square kilometers. The 1979 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in section 261 authenticated this law with the boundaries as defined in part II of the first schedule to the constitution. The president on coming to office directed that the Federal Government should take over the Administrations of the Territory, to ensure the presence of the Federal Government should be felt in the territory. He also directed that the services that were being offered to the people by the government of Niger, Plateau and kwara states should be taken over by the Federal Government. A committee was setup by the Federal Government to study the issue of offering services to territory. The result of that committee study gave birth to the Federal Capital Territory Administration. The administration of Local Government in the Federal Capital Territory commenced in 1981 under the auspices of Alh. Shehu Shagari 106 Administration. The objective of this third tier government was to bring the government nearer to the people. This period \Yitnessed the creation of seven development area units namely Abaji, Bwari, Karshi, Kuje, Kwali, Rubbochi and Yaba in 1984, Abuja and Gwagwalada development units were created bringing the number to nine and all were upgraded to Local Government Status. The local government structures referred to as Area Council in the Federal 9 Capital Territory (FCT) metamorphosed into fo ur local government councils in 1988. The re-organization was necessitated by the need to enhance effective administration and equitable distribution of social services to the inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory, Hitherto, these fo ur Area Council namely Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Gwagwalada and Kuje maintain their status as autonomous local government with statutory powers to discharge identical responsibilities. However, at the last quarter of 1989 Fiscal year, the phrase "Local Government" was replaced with "Area Council" in conformity with the provision of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Abuja the Federal Capital Territory. Another two more Area Councils were created in 1996 vis, Bwari Area Council and Kwali Area Council; respectively. As a whole now Federal Capital Territory is having up to Six Area Councils as fo llows: Abaji Area Council Abuja Municipal Area Council Kuje Area Council Bwari Area Council Gwagwalada Area Council - Kwali Area Council 107 - MAP OF FCT SHOWING THE WHOLE AREA COUNCILS KADUNA STATE NIGER STATE BWARI AREA COUNCIL I ·, 6�� ) * New Karu ABUJA u GWAGWALADA Li5 AREA COUNCIL MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL * New Karshi a::: < ...., < * New Gudun co < Karya * New Kula KWALI AREA COUNCIL * New Rubochi KUJE AREA COUNCIL * NewGwargwada * New Ukya . .�...... _... ______NASARAWA STATE KOGJ STATE Source: Information Unit (Education Department) Abuja Municipal Area Council 108 THE DEVELOPMENT OF ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL 4.3 (AMAC) Tracing from the Historical origin of Federal Capital Territory, which explain the various developmental stages of "Area council" one can simply see that Ahuja Municipal Area Council was created in 1984 along side with Gwagwalada Area Council. The status of original Seven Development Area viz, Abaji, Bwari, Karshi, Kuje, Kwali, Rubhochi and Yaba was also changed to Local Government. In 1987, on the recommendation of the Ahmadu Bello University consultancy Group, the nine Local Government were later reconstituted into four local government namely: Abaji, Gwagwalada, Kuj e and Ahuja Municipal. The remaining Local Government were then subsumed under the substantive Local Government as Administrative Tributaries known as 'Development Areas' fo llowing the control controversies surrounding the status of Ahuja at the debate of the 1989 constitution, the local government were re-designated Area Council. This was to maintain the neutral status of Abuja as an entity diffe rent from other states of Federation. In 1996, in order to keep pace with the growth of the Federal Capital Territory, two more Area Councils of Bwari and Kwali were carved out, each from the Abuja Municipal and Gwagwalada area council. This, Ahuja Municipal Area Councils was in effect on the 1 st of October 1984 with landmark measuring 1,200sq km (approximately). 109 LOCATION AND POPULATIONS The Abuja municipal area council is located on the Eastern wing of the Federal Capital Territory. It is bounded on the East by Nasarawa State, on the West, by Kuje area Council, North - West by Gwagwalada and on the North, by Bwari Area Council. The last demographic report by the National population commission projects the population of the Area Council as 309,306. The 2006 population figure may double this number going by the daily influx of people into the city. PEOPLE The Abuja Municipal Area Council comprises of the fo llowing ethnic groups: Gbagyi, Gwandara, Koro, and Gade spread across other ethnic groups. The main Gbagyi settlement in the AMAC include the fo llowing: Karu, Nyanya, Durumi, Garki, Ketti, Kabusa, Mabushi, Jabi, Lugbe, Ido, Toge, Hulumi, Pyakasa, Jikwoyi, Kurudu, Orozo, Maitama and Asokoro areas. The Gwandaras are commonly fo und in Karshi, Nyanya, Sheretti, Gwagwa and Karmo area. The rest of the populations are distributed among these communities in pockets of settlement. The Area Council besides the cites caters fo r the needs of over 49 communities each presided over by a village head. The city satellite towns and local communities are delineated into twelve number electoral wards as fo llows: City Center constituency Gwagwa Constituency 110 Wuse Constituency Karshi Constituency Gwarinpa Constituency Orozo Constituency Garki Constituency Karu Constituency Kabusa Constituency Nyanya Constituency Gui Constituency Jiwa Constituency Each of these wards is represented by a councilor in the council 111 ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL SOCIAL MAP l ...••"l· �< st'a ,,.�='"· ..��=�' -'"";.:::�"�'� I I ! ! ' I I i1 .,.;.,.,· ; "' i .c .,., · i l i i" . N •"''"�- i i I I \ N '! ,...... ·v:-· ��' :-. · . i ! . ,•" ,. i ' i .,--.• "· ... �;�, ." .. i i .. ,,.. , ' t. i ! .. I' -:; :..A.'·· . . : I- - --;" -� j- l l i'"'-" ' ll I. '"":: �\ ·:. ,:;....!_;. :. ' ,. "� i . ' � \ i ',' .. .vlo._•, '-, o�"; ,.- - I :. .- �-- ,...... - �� \..., \; � :. - l i :::· -- · -·· - - -- t • .:.:. ,: -....;._ _..... · _. -____- --.. -· . · - · L: . -- - ":! �·. '"- • ··-.. 1 : . - l _-_ ;:- ;.:· .. t= p- - u li "7t'";�: 1 M I· n ,.( ;;::,�;·_...,..,,,,, ,;_, •,�-l r;:· ·;-.) I ��\:.- ·" ...... ;;: ,. ·.:.. :t . ·r. -�- I u 1-·· . . • cr;T� "L Source:Information Unit (Educatio � - !... '--\ · � --- 'I">:._.��� - �...:. · ' �'·:-;.- - e.. ,_ t 1 rIf� -;:.. - Den�rtment)Ahni� Mnnicin::�Are::l C:o11ncil ' i f- . ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL (AMAC) AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Generally, Local Government refers to the governmental organization and administration of an area of limited jurisdiction and function and in scope and functions to issue of the locality. Abuja municipal Area Council as a local government therefore, exists largely for management of local affairs and ensuring the speedy and efficient delivery of basic services of all kinds, which area concil have fa iled to meet with the needs of a particular community or village. Such services include among others, portable water, rural roads, schools, and health care centres etc. The above implies, therefore that, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) is one of the viable grassroots structures used fo r the administration of development. It is also, the third tier of government carrying out residual functions while the Federal Government and State Government perform Exclusive and concurrent functions respectively. The basic objectives of the existence of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) is to get government closerto the grassroots, ensuring participations by the people for the purpose of achieving national development. 112 The identified priority needs and services by the community and local situation analysis informed policies fo rmulated by the Area Council to address development challenges. These policies will be stated in order of preference based on what the Area Council deems it necessary by the people. Thus; The first priority of the Council is on Education, which believes strongly that the youth as the nation's future leaders must be provided with sound, and qualitative education to prepare them effectively fo r future challenges. As the bedrock of education, primary education has received the attention of this administration. The priority interest was aimed at the implementation of primary education through the procurement of instructional materials, purchase of classroom furniture, construction and renovation of new classrooms, payment of staff pending salary and procurement of busses for the teachers Association. The second priority of the council was on the issue of Health care since as they say health is wealth. The health care effort of the Area Council usually centers on primary health care in line with the National health policy. For the council to ensure adequate and qualitative health-care delivery for the people of AMAC, the council took the need to construct a number of modern prototype health centers which will be distributed across the various wards that need them, there was also the need to equip this centers with medical fa cilities for maximum fu nctioning. The council also planned to embark on the fight against six childhood diseases and 113 administering of oral polio vaccines via routine immunization exercises and the vaccinators allowances was decided to be improved upon by o. 100° Still on health care, the Council planned to join the global campaign against the dreaded HIVI AIDS through forming a committee to enlighten the people in the council, especially the youth and school children on the need to reduce or stop out rightly the spread of the disease among others. Since over 70% of people in the Area Council survive on Agriculture, this makes the next important priority of the council policy. The council policy objective is to increase agricultural productivity/output and improved livelihood in the Area Council by exposing residents to modem farming methods, like procurement of fertilizers, providing insecticide and herbicide, provision of tractors, provision of hectare of land and linking the rural people farm to the maj or roads, building of veterinary clinics, and establishment of slaughter house. One of the major policies also of the council is on water, which a popular adage states that water is life. The water supply situation in some wards of Abuja Municipal Area Council is clearly one of the biggest challenges. Based on this the council in order to increase access to safe drinking water for residents in all these wards of the Area Council, is through the rehabilitation of those broken down 12 borehole, provision of meters of pipes, sinking and equipping of new motorized boreholes, provision of hand pumps, setting up a water management committees in 114 � each community going to benefitand advocating the FCT water board to link some wards in the Area Council to water supply from Jabi Dam and reticulation of water scheme. The next policy is that of the roads in the Area Council, which demand critical attention. Most of the roads even leading to some ward headquarters are not tan-ed, but there is the additional problem of access roads within the wards especially during the raining season, in which a lot of food crops waste in the hinterland because of lack of access roads to bring them to the urban areas. In order to improve on the roads issue, the council policy objective is to tar the existing roads and open up Federal rural roads within the wards of the Area council for development and improvement in the livelihood of residents, and also construction of bridges, culverts and roads. In the area of Electricity, the council objective was to provide electricity to residents of the Area Council through the provision of transformers and distribution lines, installation and supply of high-powered transformers in each of the 12 wards, Developing mechanisms for and monitor quality of power supply. The seventh policy of the Area Council is in the area of enhancing the quality of life of the residents by providing micro-credit fa cilities to individuals and co- 115 - operative societies as well as micro enterprise facilities fo r individuals, upgrading of Garki market and motor parks and building of mini markets in the Area Council. And lastly, is the sanitation policy, which will help, in promoting clean environment and enhancing quality of life for the Area Council residents in the 12 wards. To achieve this, the council objective is to set a pioneer environmental sanitation scheme code called the "Operation Doti Dey Kill " which is aimed at getting rid of all the satellite towns of AMAC of refuse, also the Council determine to provide refuse disposal vans and provision of additional dustbins in most of the areas in the various wards. Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) as a local government is however not sovereign, but is a public organization authorized to decides and administer a limited range of public polices. It is subordinated to both Federal and State authorities. It is supposed to posses a considerable amount of responsibility and discretionary power over a variety of functions or services. In addition, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) is a provider of services and acts as an agent for higher levels of governmentthat is the Federal Governmentand State Government. In this sense, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) can be seen as an agency- providing framework for vanous activities geared towards "National Development". 116 4.4 STRUCTURES AND FUNCTION OF ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL (AMAC) For the actual concept and relationship in organizational structure to be realistically envisioned, the informal organization must be included in the discussion of organization structure. Nonetheless for the purpose of this research emphasis will be merely placed on the formal structure of the organization which according to French (1985) is the establishment pattern of relationships among the parts of the organization. It reflects the way in which the tasks of the organization are divided (differentiated) and activities coordinated (integration) In the word of Riggings ( 1979), the primary formal structure dimensions include: Roles as required by plans successive dimensions of labour The delegation of authority to the various roles and groupings of roles as a continue fromcentralization to substantive decentralization Others include: The manager's span of control The grouping of roles and spans of control into departments on a functional,pro ject or geographic division basis, The formulation of process as revealed in records and reports, The existence of written polices, procedure and rules govemmg behaviour 117 Written communication and the number of levels of authority m the organization. The formal structure is typically the results of explicit decision-making and is prescriptive in nature. It is a blue print of the way activities should be accomplished. Typically it is represented by a printed chart and is set fo rth in organizational manuals, policies, position, descriptions and other formalized documents. This set fo rth a general framework and delineates certain prescribed functions and relationships among activities. Implicit in the organizational structure as mentioned elsewhere are the concepts of differentiation, integration, authority and responsibility relationships and the development of an administrative system. The history of structure of Local Government in Nigeria had been that of heterogeneity unit since 1976 when a functional oriented structure was instituted in all local government in the country to serve as a uniform framework for the running of governmental machinery at the local level. This is designed to cope with the problems impeding administration of governmentprogrammes at the local level owing to lack of uniformity in structure. Subsequent reforms also reinforced the idea of having a uniform structure of Local Government in Nigeria and today, 118 local government in Nigeria including Abuja Municipal Area council of Federal Capital Tenitory operates a uniform structure of administration. Structurally, Abuja Municipal Area Council has Seven (7) departments for effective provision of services to the population in its area of jurisdiction. These departments include: Agricultural and Natural Resources department; Education and Social Development Department; Works and Housing Department; Health Department; finance and Supply Department; Audit Department and Lastly Personnel Department. Under this anangement, the chairman of the Area Council as the Head and Chief Executive of the Local Government is responsible for the efficient and effective administration and coordination of all the departments, assisted by the Head of Administration as the Chief Civil Services Administrator who performs the fo llowing functions; (i) The accounting officer of the local Government (ii) Advising the council on policy matters and implementating council decisions (iii) Administrative management and control of staff of local govetnment (iv) Co-ordination of activities of Heads of Department of the local government (v) Liaising with the local government service commissiOn and other government agencies on matters affecting the career progression, 119 discipline, promotion, transfer, welfare and other matters affecting the local government staff. (vi) Attending council meetings. (vii) Any other duties that may be assigned from time to time by the council, finance and general purpose committee (FGPC) and the chairman The chairman of the Area Council appoints supervisors to head or man the operational department units of the Area council who eventually fo rm the executive arm of the council with a council secretary who is equally appointed by the chairman. The secretary tenure ship is at the mercy of the chairman who appointed him. Basically, Abuja Municipal Area Council consists of two arms of government merely, the executive arm and the legislative arm. THE EXECUTIVE ARM The executive arm is made up of the chairman who is the chief executive of the local government the deputy chairman and supervisors who together are separate and distinct from the local government council. The meeting of the executive arm is serviced by the secretary to the local government. In accordance with the guidelines and spirits of the civil service reforms as applied to the local government, the secretary to the local government, is appointed by the chairman. 120 The secretary therefore holds his appointment at the pleasure of the chairman who appomted him and will be deemed to have leftof fice at the aspiration of the tenure of the chairman (Ohiagbaoso 1995). DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHAIRMAN The Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area council is the chief executive and accounting Area Council, power flows within the area council comes officer of the from his as all correspondences are to be done in his name even in his absence. He documents all issues relating public funds especially in terms of expenditures. He establishes and maintains an Audit unit to provide a complete and continuous audit of accounts and records of revenue, expenditure allocated and unallocated stores. He also ensures observance of all applicable laws and regulations govemmg receipts and disbursement of public funds and other assets entrusted to his care. He makes project one fort the income and expenditure of the council m consultation with the various heads of departments of the council. This is usually articulated in the budget to be presented by the council chairman for the year. He appoints supervisor from within or outside the council in consultation with the legislative arm of the Area council. 121 He performs ceremonial duties such as representing the state government of the local government level and performing such function on special days like youth Day celebration, National Day celebration e.t.c. He is also to receive and welcome any important visitor to the local government area lay foundation of some projects, commission certain categories of projects and issue instrument of office to newly installed traditional rulers on behalf of the minister of state DEPUTY CHAIRl\fAN The deputy chairman deputizes for the chairman and act on his behalf while he is away and performs other functionsas may be assigned to him by the chairman. SECRETARY He is politically appointed by the chairman of the council who serves as the chief administrative adviser to the executive arm of the Area council He co-ordinates the affairs of village council. Meaning that all the village heads are under his jurisdiction, and any appointment of a new chief must be of his knowledge He is also an overseer of community conflictresolu tion. Which means that all the peace and security affairs involving the various Para-military, the chiefs, village 122 heads, district heads e.t.c, he head the meeting. And always settle disputes in any of the community. And performs such other duties as may be assigned to him by the chairman. SUPERVISORS Supervisors represent a mini-cabinet for the Area council. They with the chairman indeed constitute the executive council for the ...rea Council statutorily. The .-ti supervisors are expected to be appointed within days of taking oaths of office 30 from outside or among the staff of the council, each of who will head the operational departments mentioned earlier in this analysis. 123 ABUJA MUNICIPA AREA COUNCIL ORGANISATONAL CHART HON. CHAIRMAN I I COUNCIL HIADMIN HON. V/CH/M & SUP. POLITICAL SECRETARY COUNCILLOR ADVISERS TO CHM I J I LEGAL LOGJST WOMEN HOD DIVISION cs DEY. INTERNA DIVISIONJ AUDIT I I I I HOD HOD HOD HOD HOD HOD HOD PERSON FINANCE & WORKS HEALTH AGRIC EDUCATI INTERNAL NEL SUPPLY ON AUDIT ES co P.R TRAI EX RE FIN STOR MKT BUILD ME PLAN QTV TR FAMI HEAL ENVI VET HIE FO AGRI co cu so TOU SPOR TA RP. s. NING PE VE AL E DIV ADM! lNG CH NING SURV AN LY TH co RE c. MM LT c. RISM TS BLI AF Dt WEL N NU AC OIV. CIVIL EL SUR. EY MT HEAL SYST DIY N ST DIV. DEY UR WE DIV. DIV. SH F v F. 01 E CT. ENG. EC DIV, DIV. H« TH EM Dl 01 E I. no no nov v no nov T o v nov v v NV no no I I I I I I I I I I I I J l _j 1 l -- PR TRA PL CHE� REVE PU BUt MEC PL P.H N.P.I. HE VE H. FO RE CD PE RF soc AGRIC. GA).IES INSPEC REVENUEJ 00 NS AN SE)II�.\ lNG N · RC MKT LDI H AN ESfi\H .c COD AL PLIBLIC T ECO ST M ABTS WEL co�o., u MGR. TION OTH R E N UTILI Nl SUPR H NG ENG. Nl IE su TH HEALT SE N EXT. EXT. M f l:):IT �IT WOR DIV CHARCiES UN TY NG UN SEC. NG E\Al P. ED H c EAT DE DEV DIV OT II... IT ""' K OT « SEC "r v -'..lhiJI_ Source: Information Unit (Education Department) Abuja Municipal Area Council 124 They are expected to be members of the Finance and General-Purpose committee, which effect is the cabinet of the Area Council. Other dut1es in include being responsible for policy issue of their department undertaking political responsibilities for the day-to-day functions of their department on policy issues only. This is to say that; they are expected to supervise the execution of Council Area proj ects within their respective department. They are indeed expected to represent the council in those departments and be its eyes and ears. While they give orders to the administrative head of their various departments on policy issues only, they are not to interfere in the internal management of these departments. They are also expected to undertake any other duties allocated to them from time-time by the chairman of the Area Council THE LEGISLATIVE ARM OF ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL (AMAC) The legislative arm of the Area Council is composed of elected councilors with a leader of the house who chairs all the council meeting. He is elected from among the councilors; his position is similar to that of the speaker of the house of Assembly at the state level. The chairman of the Area Council is not a member of the legislative council. The responsibilities of the legislative council includes: 125 Examining and debating monthly statements of income and expenditure rendered to it by the executive arm of the area council Vetting and monitoring the implementation of project and programmes in the Area Councils annual budgets. Law -making, debating and passing Area Council Legislation. Impeaching the Area council Chairman if he has committed an impeachable offence in accordance with the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria. Performing such other functions as may be assigned to it from time to time, by the House of Assembly of the state in which it is situated Debating, approving and possibly amending Area council annual budget, subject to the Chairman's veto, which could be overridden by two third majority of the council Finally, advising, consulting and liaising with the Area Council Chairman, who is the head of the executive arm of the Area Council. Councilors are part-time legislators however the council is expected to meet at least once a month. 126 DUTIES OF COUNCIL CLERK A senior officer is normally appointed by the executive chairman to be the council clerk. He is designated as the council clerk in addition to his other normal duties. The council clerk in addition to providing secretarial services to the Area Council keeps proper records of proceedings of the council meetings, he liaise with the secretary to the council for smooth running of the administration of the Area Council. Hierarchically, structure of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Administration can be seen in this diagram or chart as shown on page 124. 4.5 INTER-GOVERNMENTAL RELATION IN ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL (AMAC) Abuja Municipal Area Council occupies a strategic position m the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) through which various industrial and commercial activities are being undertaken by both governmental and non-govemmental organizations. Most of these activities are collaborated activities as they are under taken in-order to supplement efforts of the Area Council in providing certain basic services such as potable water, roads, electricity, health care centre schools etc. 127 As already known that all the Area Councils in the Federal Capital Territory mteract directly With the Federal Government since Abuja is the Federal Capital so with no exception of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). So the in Federal Government- Local Government relation, some of the governmental organizations involved in the aforementioned services include Garki water Board, Directorate For Food and Rural Infrastructure (DFFRJ); United Nation Development Proj ect UNDP); Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) e.t.c. While the Federal Capital Territory water Board is involved in the supply of water to various communities in the Area Council; directorate fo r fo od and rural infrastructure involved in procurement of food items and provision of infrastructures; involved in assisting the Universal Basic Education Board are communities to undertake self-help projects school building, and the United Nation. Development Project assists in the area of water, health, and clinics e.t.c And lastly Federal Government allocates funds of 20% fr om the Federal Accounts as in the constitution. In the case of inter-local relationships, Abuja Municipal Area Council interacts, co-operates and relate in a manner mutually beneficial to them in the performance of the functions allocated to them in the fourth schedule of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Basically Abuja Municipal Area 128 Council (AMAC) relate with other local Government through such statutory fora as: 1. The monthly state Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) 11. The Area Council services commission. 111. Bureau fo r Local Government - Chieftaincy affairs at the Minister's office. In addition, however, there are essentially voluntary or mutual associations and/or interactions of council officials through such fora as: the National Conference of Area Councils Chairman; the monthly meeting of secretaries to area council; the regular meeting of the executive secretaries of Area Council Education Authority; seminars and workshops organized by the Federal/State Government ministries, agencies and parastatals. There is no doubt that these voluntary Formal Avenue of interaction among council's officials are useful as the statutory fo ra. Some notable fo r a designed to fo ster this relation is the National Association of Local Government of Nigeria (NALGON) and Nigeria union of Local Government Employees (NULGE). 129 CHAPTER FIVE DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION 5.1 DATA PRESENTAION Data presentation involves the arrangement and simplification of the data collected into various components, sectional or tabular form in conjunction with comprehensive percentage calculations performed so as to arrive at the answer that will justifythe result of the research. In this chapter, data collected in the course of the study is presented, the interpreted and analyzed. In presenting the data, data are tabulated and put in percentage (%) for proper analysis and interpretation thereby providing a clear picture of the nature of data collected which is eventually used to test the preposition of the study. The use of tables and percentages in presenting the data is significant to the effect that it has prevented certain variable that are difficult to explain from becoming unwidely with unnecessary details and comprehensiveness. As stated in chapter one, a total of 460 respondents, that is to say that 1 00 respondents fromAbu ja Municipal Area Council and 60 respondent from each of the six communities. But as the case will be, only400 questionnaire were collected with adequate responses made there to. This means that 60 questionnaires were lost. Below is the true presentation of the data gotten (in tabular fo rm) at the categories of demography and socio-economic characteristics such as name of person's community, Educational qualification, Marital status and some other questions. 130 . 5.2 Data Analysis and Interpretation Table 1 Responses on names of their Communities Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o ) Garki 90 22.5 Gwagwa 45 11.25 Gui 28 7 Jiwa 42 10.5 Kabusa 40 10 Karu 75 18.75 Nyanya 50 12.5 Orozo 30 7.5 Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 The above table represents responses of respondents to question one that is the name of their communities in the questionnaire. The tables shows that 22.5% are from Garki Ward, 11.25% are from Gwagwa Ward, 7% are from Gui Ward, 10,5% are fr om Jiwa Ward, 10% also from Kabusa ward, 18.75% from Karu Ward, 12.5% are from Nyanya ward, and lastly 7.5% of the population are from Orozo ward. Going by this, this means that majority of the population are from Garki Ward, then followed by Karu Communities and the least is Gui communities. 131 Table 2 Responses by sex Alternative Frequency Percentage (o/o) Male 240 60 Female 160 40 Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 In the above table it shows that the male respondents 240 ( 60%) of the sample population, while 160 ( 40%) of the population is fe male. The remarkable difference in the number of the low ration of female staff and the community, to make staff and community members in the Area Council. In other wards the male form the dominant sex in the council . Table 3 Responses by Age Alternative Frequency Percentage (%>) 18-38 100 25 39 -59 250 62.5 60 above 50 12.5 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 Table 3 above presents the ages of respondents. As shown in the table, 250 (62.5%) respondents said they are ages thirty - nine to fifty - nine, and this is the 132 widest opinion 100 (25%) said they are at the age of Eighteen to thirty-nine, while 50 (12.5%) said they are of ages sixty and above. It can be concluded that the staff and the community people are matured enough to be able to answers the questionnaire since they will have more knowledge in the community issues. Table 4 Respondents by Language of Individuals Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o ) Gbagyi/Gwari 200 50 Gwandara 80 20 Gade 50 1205 Koro 20 5 Others 50 12.5 Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 In table 4 above, respondents who are Gbagyi/Gwari in tribe constitute the highest number of 250 (50%, Respondents of Gwandara make up 80 (20%) followed by Gade and other tribe, 50 (12.5%) and the lowest tribe is Koro with 20 (5%). By implication, it means that, most of the people in the Area Council are mostly Gbagyi/Gwari by tribe. But never the less, there exist cooperation among the people of the Area Council. 133 Table 5 Educational Qualification Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o ) GCE/SSCE 150 37.5 Diploma/NCB 200 50 B.SC/HND and 50 12.5 above Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 In table 5 above, respondents Diploma/NCB have the highest number of 200% (50%), respondents with GCE/SSCE constitute 150 (3.7.5%) and the B.SCIHND and above have the lowest number of 50 (12.5%) respondents. By inference, most of the staff and other community people have the educational qualification of Diploma/NCB and below just as there is a dearth of staff and other community numbers with postgraduate qualification. This can be a serious threat to policy decision of the council and the entire community at large that need the kind of exposure and experience that can easily be achieved by people with higher levels of education qualification. 134 Table 6 Material Status of Respondents Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o ) Single 120 30 Married 250 62.5 Divorced/widow 30 7.5 Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 Table 6 is a representation of the marital status of respondents in the sample population of employees and community members of the Area Council. Out of 400 respondents 250 (62.5%) are married and this constitute the widest percentage 120 (30%) are single while 30 (7.5%) are Divorced/Widow. This infers that most of the people in the Area Council are married. SECTION B Table 7 Responses on how significant has rural and community development policy effected communities in AMAC ? Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o ) Very significant 280 70 Insignificant 60 15 Not significant 40 10 Indiffe rent 20 5 Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 135 Table 7 above represents the opinion of respondent on the second section of the questionnaire. As can be seen in the table 280 (70%) respondents agreed on the fa ct that Rural and Community Development policy has a very great significant in Nigeria 60 (I 5%) respondents said, it is merely significant, 40 (1 0%) expresses indiffe rent in that policy. It can be inferred that Rural and Community development policy has a great role to play in Nigeria as to center fo r the grass - root development. Meaning that if the grassroots is developed, it simply means that, the nation will be developed nation. The implication is that if rural and community development policy is well implemented the resultant effe ct would yield to rapid development in the rural section of AMAC. Table 8 Responses on how the people rate the performance of community development in their community area? Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o) Very Good 20 5 Good 50 12.5 Fairly Good 300 75.5 Indifferent 30 7.5 Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 136 Tables 8 above represent the opinion of respondents on question eight in the questionnaire. As shown in the table 300 (75.5%) agreed that performance of community development in their area is fairly good, 50 (12.5%) responded good performances in their area, 30 (7.5%) said the performance is indiffe rent while 20(5%) agreed that the performance is very good. It therefore concludes that the rate at which performance of community development in many communities is not good enough because majority of the respondents who constitute the highest percentage of 300 (75.5%) attest to this. This implies that community development policies in AMAChave not been effe ctively implemented. Here the indifference of the respondents suggests lack of involvement of target beneficiaries of community development programmes in the various stages of decision-making and implementation. Table 9 How effective is AMAC in playing a crucial role at ensuring a good rural and community development policy? Alternative Frequency Percentage {0/o ) Very effective 10 2.5 Effective 30 7.5 Not effective 355 88.75 Indiffe rent 5 1.25 Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 137 This table above represents opmwn of respondents on the effectiveness of AMAC at playing a crucial role at ensuring a good rural and Community Development policy 10 (2.5%) respondents agreed that AMAC has been very effective, 30 (7.5%) respondents experienced effectiveness, 355 (88.75%) respondents experienced not effective enough while 5 (1.25%) respondent express indifferent of AMAC effectiveness. It can be concluded that AMAC has not been able to play an effective role at ensuring a good rural and community development since majority of respondents who constituted the highest percentage of355 (88.75%) attest to this fact. This implies from the above that majority of the respondents agreed that AMAC is not playing any crucial role towards the development of its rural communities. Hence the development of these areas will be at a slow pace. Table 10 How would you rate the performance of AMAC in bringing about development in the various wards? Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o ) High 40 10 Medium 80 20 Small 280 70 Indifferent -- -- Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 138 Table 10 is a representation of respondents in question 10 of section B of the questionnaire out of 40 (1 0%) are of the opinion that the performance of AMAC towards bringing development to the various wards is high, 80 (20%) suggested an average performance, while 280(70%) suggested a fair perfonnance. Based on the interview had with some of the community people and also the staff of the community development unit of AMAC, the fo llowing were some of the achievements made to support the data generated through questionnaire; KABU SA WARD: Building a primary school at Chika in which W206,000:00 was spent, but still in need of about W 354,000:00 Building a police post at Chika, spent W271,600:00 but still in need of 78,500 to complete. Renovation of primary health Clinic (Source: Education and Social Development Department) JIWA WARD Building ofWomen Development Centre Building of Town Hall for the purpose of community meeting at fi lling DaboDedei Building of a primary school 139 Building of Youth Development Center, this was supported by prominent people of that community Purchasing electricity poles (Source: Education and social Development Department) GWAGWA WARD Building of Women Center and equipping it with sewing machines, knittingmachines. Etc. Embark on primary school project, with the chief donating 500 cement blocks at the take off stage Building of Town Hall building of chief palace. Building of Chief palace GARKI WARD Building ofDurumi 1 & 2 police post in which 500,000 was spent Three (3) classrooms constructed through communal effo rt, but later completed by the Area Council assistant. KARU WARD Building of community primary school at Jikwoyi Building of women center and equipping them with materials Construction of borehole at karu town Renovation of primary health center at Jikwoyi 140 Repairs of Transformer at Anka/Aj aja Building of chief palace which has been recently completed Purchasing Electricity Poles NYANYA WARD Construction of chief palace at Nyanya town, but was completed by the Area Council assistance Purchasing and equipping the only existing primary school with sitting materials Embarked on 2 rooms building and putting in grinding machines for their women fo r rice, Garri and Cassava. A house-to-house sanitation is being carried out every Friday's and the women are thought hygiene and knitting exercise. The communities have seriously engaged themselves in moulding of blocks for their school. GUI WARD Repairs of dilapidated boreholes with the communities contributing Wl 000.00 each. Embarked on two(2) rooms building and putting in grinding machines for their women for rice, garri and cassava. 141 A house- to -house sanitation is been carried out every Friday's and the women are thought hygiene and knitting exercise. Working on a house a member of the community donated for the take off of the approved community primary school. Already they have contributed the sum ofW58,500 only at Gbessa. OROZO WARD Completion of three (3) classrooms at Gugugu Embarking of feeder road at Gidan Aj i known as Orozo but II, requesting for assistance from the Area Council for sitting and writing materials for an effective learning. Moulding of blocks at the UNTCEF initiated site inorder to contribute their quota for that project at Gidan mangoro Building of head masters office in which the community taxed themselves the sum ofW500.00 each. Looking at the people's efforts towards community development and the responses made on table 10 above, one can say that the people themselves have put in much resources towards their development. It can be infer that AMAC needs to put in more efforts at discharging its duties. From the above, it implies that AMAC is yet to live up to the expectation of the rural dwellers in terms of development. 142 Table 11 Opinion of Respondents on how adequate bas AMAC implemented the Rural and Community development policy to the latter? Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o) Very Adequate 12 3 Adequate 80 20 Not adequate 308 77 Indiffe rent -- -- Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 In table above, 308 (77%) respondents said AMAC is not adequate at 11 implementing the rural and community development policy to the latter, 80 (20%) said it is adequate, while 12 (3%) respondent said AMAC is very adequate towards the implementation of rural and community development policy. It can be concluded that the council is not competent at implementing or discharging its duties to the local people. It implies that because the implementation of the policy is not adequate, it will distort and stunt the growth and development of the various localities. 143 Table 12 Which of these services has the Area Council provided to people in their area (ward)? Alternative Frequency Percentage (%>) Primary education 50 12.5 Health services 13 3.3 Rural roads 10 2.5 Electrification 30 7.5 Water supply 20 5 Agricultural 8 2 Economic empowerment 7 1.8 Sanitation 5 1.25 All of the above 243 60.8 None of the above 14 3.5 Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 Table 12 above represents respondents in question 12 of section B of the questionnaire it can be seen that 243 (60.8%) out of 400 (100%) respondents disagree the fact that most of this services the Area Council claims to provide for the people are being provided to most of the communities (that is roads, health, primary school, electricity, water, agricultural, economic empowerment and sanitation), 50(12.5%) attest that, its only primary education that is provided to them, 30 (7.5%) responded that its only Electricity that is provided, 20 (5%) accepted water supply as the only services provided, 10 (2.5%) chose only rural 144 roads, 14(3.5%) accepted that none of this services are provided for them, 8(2%) accepted only Agriculture, 7( 1 .8%) agreed only Economic Empowerment Services, while 5(1.25%) accepted only sanitation. The above responses as to the services provided to the people in their areas or wards, is corroborate by the fo llowing analysis, which diagnose the sectors individually; a. EDUCATION: Believing strongly in youths as the nation 's future leaders who must be provided with sound and qualitative education to prepare them effectively for future challenges, so many strategies were implemented to achieve this. As the bedrock of education, the priority interest was aimed at the implementation of primary education through the procurement of instructional materials, purchase of classrooms furniture, construction and renovation of new classrooms. During this period, there was the aborted primary school teachers strike orchestrated by the un- paid salary arrears for the past years to the tune of over N50 million. The administration made a promise to pay up the arrears firm install-mentally and brokered a genuine truce with the teachers by mobilizing them back to duties. This alone has brought a great credit as all the arrears have since been paid.(source: MAC Development Update) 145 It· constructed and equipped a modem library in Garki Model primary school (Garki ward) in order to inculcate reading habit into primary school pupils It has donated 2 No buses to the conference of Head Teachers Association (COPSPHON) and FCT Zonal inspectorate of Education, AMAC to fac ilitate routine operation Also to boost the morals of teachers there has been the disbursement of 2,500 motorcycles to primary school personnel on loan as an incentive to encourage them work harder (source from inquiry at the council) . All the projects is represented in the table below; 146 EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT SINO. PROJECT DESCRIPTION LOCATION ! WARD Construction of a Block of 2 Jikwoyi pri. Sch 1 classrooms with Headmasters Karu office "" ,,, "" ,,, 2 Zaudna pri. Sch Gwagwa "" "" "" "" 3 Duste pri. Sch Garki "" ,, "" "" ..,.A "" "" "" "" Karu pri. Sch Karu ,,, ,, ,,, "" 5 Gbararape pri. Sch Nyanya ,, "" ,, ,,, Ketti pri. Sch Kabusa 6 Renovation of a Block of Jiwa pri. Sch Jiwa 7 classroom 8 Provision of furniture '"' "" "" "" Gosa pri. Sch Gui ,, "" "" '"' Kuchi-goro pr. Sch ,, ,, ,,, '"' Jiwa 9 Aleita pri. Sch. Kabusa 10 Fencing ofpri. Sch. Karu pri. Sch. 11 Karu Orozo pri. Sch. 12 Kabusa '"' "" ,,, 13 Nyanya Source: Community Development Unit (E ducation Department)Abuja Municpali Area Council 147 b. HEALTH: Considering the fact that health is wealth, during this period of five years, there was a construction of a number of modem prototype health centers distributed across the council such as Kagini Kanno/Idu (Gwagwa ward);Kobi Madaki (Garki Ward); Burum (kabusa Ward); and Tunga Madaki Uiwa ward). Most of these centres have been equipped with medical facilities for maximum functioning. The administration has also embarked on the fight against six childhood diseases and administered oral polio vaccines via routine immunization exercises. As a result of the high tempo the administration places in providing qualitative Primary Health Care services, vaccinators' allowances were improved upon by 100%. Apart from timely release of funds for immunization exercise, it also increases the number of sweep groups so as to reach every eligible child within the council. Due to seriousness placed in this regards the federal government NGO's (Donor Agencies) and other state holders assist in collaborating with the council in carrying out routine immunization on women and children. To join the global campaign against the dreaded HIV/AIDS in AMAC the administration has constituted HIV/AIDS committee to enlighten the people in the council, especially, the youths and school children on the need to reduce or stop out rightly the spread of the disease among others. 148 In the case of personnel there has been employment of qualifiedhealth personnel even up to this present period so as to attend to patients effect1 vely. HEALTH PROJECT SINO PROJECT DESCRIPTION LOCATION WARD 1 Construction and fencing of new Health center Kagini Gwagwa 2 ,,, ,, ,,, ,,, Kobi-madaki Garki 3 "" "'' ,, ,, Burum Kabusa Tungan-madaki Jiwa 4 Renovation of Health center Jikwoyi phase III Karu 5 Evacuation of Waste Gui Gui 6 Supply of Hospital equipment Nyanya Nyanya 7 Fencing of Cemetry Source: Planning Research and Statistics Unit (A dmin Department) Ahuja Municipal Area Council C. RURAL ROADS The Area Council has tarred the existing roads and opened up some fe eder/rural road within the wards of the Area Council fo r development and improvement in the livelihood of residents. In spite of not impressive financial position of the council, the Area council spared no effort in opening up 16:6 kilometers of access roads within Karasana farm (Gwagwa ward) and also went ahead to construct a single cell box culverts, four ( 4) ring culverts and grade the 6. 5 kilometers roads, linking Dustse Alhaj i 149 (Garki ward), Karasana and Tasha communities as well as construction of Gwagwa, Jiwa bridge. (Source works Department). Several kilometer of rural fe eder roads have also been constructed in Durumi, Kabusa access road, Katampe, Gishri road,. Kuruduma Kobi Madaki road (Garki ward), Nyanya -Abagara road, Lugbe market road (Kabusa ward), Karmo road (Jiwa ward) e.t.c. RURAL ROADS CONSTRUCTION SINO PROJECT DESCRIPTION LOCATION WARD 1 Construction of 16.6 kilometers access road Karasana Gwagwa 2 Construction of single cell box culverts and ring culverts " " 3 "" "" '"' "" Kurudu Orozo , , 4 "" "" , "" " " 5 Grading of 6.5 kilometers road Dutse Alhaji 6 '"' "" "" "" Karas ana Gwagwa 7 Construction of Bridge Gwagwa " 8 "" "" "" "" Jiwa Jiwa Construction of feeder roads Garki 9 10 "" "" "" ,,, Kuruduma Jiwa , 11 "" "" "" , , Nyanya Nyanya 12 "" "" "" "" Lugbe market Kabusa Source: Community Development Un it (E ducation Department) Ahuja MunicipalAr ea Council 150 d. ELECTRICITY Provision of electricity to its wards having problem with light issue is also being the area that the Area Council has touched. It has done this through provision of electricity to residents of the Area Council. It increased access to electricity through the provision of more transformer and distribution lines to connect several communities in all the twelve ( 12) wards of the Council. Area In order to make the local communities more attractive to prospective settlers the council has strived to provide electricity across the electoral wards of the council through comprehensive rural electrification project, purchase of transformer to more than 20 communities, as well as reticulation. Developed mechanisms and monitoring quality of power supply. Project work fo r can be seen in a table below; RURAL ELECTRIFICATION SINO PROJECT LOCATION WAR D DESCRIPTION Comprehensive Rural Kuruduvillage Orozo 1 2 Electrification project Kabusa Kabusa 3 "" "" "" ,, Sheretti village " 4 "" '"' "" ,, Garki village Garki 5 Installation and Reticulation of Electrification AMAC " 6 Installation of Transformer 151 Secretariat 7 "" '"' "" "" Aleita village Kabusa 8 "" "" ,, "" Durumi village Garki ,, ,,, ,,, ,, Toge village Gui 9 1 0 supply of 300/3 3/0.45 Transformer Nyanya phase IV Nyanya 1 1 Supply of 1no. 500KVA/33/0.45 Garki Transformer Duste Garki village 12 "" "" "" "" Tasha II village Gwagwa 13 '"' ,, ,, ,, Kubgo Nyanya 14 Supply and installation of Dei-dei opp. Jiwa 300KVA/ 11/0.415 Timba shed 15 ,,, "" '"' "" Area 7 UTC Garki Garki Source: Community Development Un it {Education Department)A buja Municipal Area Council e. WATER SUPPLY The Council has also tried to provide safe drinking water for residents in the twelve (12) wards through rehabilitation and provision of submersible pumps (without machines and generators). 152 Realizing the need to tackle the usual water born diseases problem in the rural communities, the council embarked on the provision of comprehensive water scheme across the wards of Kabusa, Nyanya, Jiwa, Karu and Gwagwa, through the rehabilitation of various water projects construction of boreholes and the rehabilitation of the existing dilapidated ones in many villages (Works Department Report). Sunked and equipped four (4) new motorized boreholes. Set up a water management committee in each benefiting community (2 men and 3 Women) Advocate/lobby FCT water Board to link almost six ( 6) wards in the Area Council to water supply from lower Usman Dam (e.g Nyanya, Karu, Garki e.t.c). (Source: Works Department) RURAL WATER SUPPLY SINO PROJECT DESCRIPTION LOCATION WARD 1 Reticulation of mini type II Kurachigoro village Kabusa Borehole Takushara 2 '"' "" '"' "" " Gossa 3 "" "" "" "" " Guzape 4 "" "" "" '"' " Nyanya , '"' 5 ,, "" '"' Nyanya Jikwoyi 6 "" ,, "" "" Karu , Kyeyegyi 7 "" "" "" ,, Kabusa 153 8 Construction of Borehole Idu-Gbagyi Jiwa "" "" "" "" Orozo 9 Orozo 10 Repairs of Borehole Karu Karu 11 "" '"' "" '"' Kabusa Kabusa 12 "" ,, ,, ,, Pyakasa " 13 Reticulation ofwater scheme Karu Karu Construction of mono hand 14 pump Borehole Waru Kabusa Source: Community Development Unit (Education Department) Ahuja Municpali Area Council c. AGRICULTURE Most of the Area Council is made up of rural communities and they survive on agricultural produce. Over 70% of the rural populace in AMAC composed of is farmers earning their living through subsistence farming. The farmers adopt traditional methods thus making agricultural productivity low. Maj or crops grown include; yam, maize, cowpea, soyabean, cassava e.t.c several fa rmers in AMAC rear livestock for household consumption. These animals include cattle, sheep, goat, poultry e.t.c Also there are a number of commercial fa rms within the Area 1 Council producing poultry, fish, cattle, sheep e.t.c There was the urgent need fo r farmers to access tractors to ensure mechanized farming in order to improve yield and alleviate the suffe ring of the rural fo lks, fe rtilizer was another factor. In the whole of 2007 farming season only few hundred bags of fe rtilizer 154 were officially available to the whole Area Council. There was need for improvement in view of the critical nature of this sector. To increase agricultural productivity/output and improve livelihood in the Area Council by exposing residents to modem fanning methods. In order to bring the revitalization of agricultural programme a deliberate policy there was need to cultivate two (2) hectares of land each planting and for production of cowpea and soyabean. It also cultivated three (3) hectares of cassava farmland, four (4) hectare of maize and one (1) hectares of guinea com farmland, all at Karasana Farm (Gwagwa ward) (source fr om AMAC Development update Diary). Poultry farm accommodating 600 chicks and the establishment of fishpond all at Karasana farm was initiated for sale to the public at a reasonable price. Also, to support agricultural services and assist peasant farmers in the Area Council, a total of 460 metric tones of assorted fertilizer were produced and sold to fanners at an affordable and subsidized cost that have launched the farmers into a new dawn of agricultural era (Agric and Natural Resource Department) As part of concerted effo rt to encourage an effective mechanized farming, the council has also rehabilitated one tractor to be hired out to interested local 155 farmers at a competitive cost and also sank borehole at Karasana farm project to cater fo r both fa rming and animal need (Agric Department). Others are production of oil palm, Banana and Plantain Plantation. Also establishment of veterinary clinic at Karshi e.t.c. It is also pertinent to note that staff of the agric department of the council are being sent on seminars regularly to acquaint them with the latest development in the sector. 156 AGRICULTURE SINO PROJECT LOCATION WARD DESCRIPTION 1 Cultivation of 2 hectares of land for Cowpea and soyabean plantation and production Karasana village Gwagwa 2 Cultivation of 3 hectares Cassava farmland. " " 3 Cultivation of 4 hectares of maize farmland. " " 4 Establishment of cattle ranch " " 5 Establishment of poultry and fishpond. " " 6 Establishment of Veterinary clinic Karshi Karshi 7 Sinking of borehole Toge Gui Source: Community Development Un it (E ducation Department) Ahuja MunicipalAr ea Council g. ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT The fact that unemployment fe atured very little in most of the wards does not mean the problem does not exist. As a poverty reduction strategy, employment must be given priority. More so, it is axiomatic that unemployment could promote other vices like crime and immorality. 157 Economic empowennent especially among women is tied to existence of markets. Most of the wards lacked any standard market thereby making those who patronized such markets to be exposed to the vagaries of weather. Enhance the quality of life of the residents through providing employment, credit and building up micro enterprises, across the 12 wards. Enhance the quality of life of the resident by providing micro-credit facilities to individuals and co-operative societies as well as micro enterprise fa cilities and establishment of micro enterprise centres. Upgrade Area 1 Lugbe, and Garki ultra modem market. The Area Council has taken a giant stride in empowering women who oftentimes are sidelined due to cultural and religious factors through various programmes embarked by the chairman's wife. The Area Council has renovated and rehabilitated some existing women development centres. Where skill acquisition such as knitting, weaving, sewing, baking is being provided. Example at Jiwa ward. More of these centres could be established across the various wards of the council to enable the women acquire skills that will make them self- sustaining (which is already in the pipe line) (women development units Education Department). 158 In line with the on-going Urban Renewal Policy of the Government and with the seriousness to the course of making the FCT a model, the council pulled down the Area shopping complex and is been replaced with Ultra-modern storey 1 building consisting of about 250 shops and will have a lot of fa cilities like bank, police post e.t.c and so is applicable to Lugbe international market and Garki 2 Ultra - modernmarket. (Works Department) ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT SINO PROJECT LOCATIO# WARD DESCRIPTION 1 Renovation and rehabilitation of existing Women Development Jiwa Jiwa 2 Centers Building of Ultra-Modem Area 1 Garki 3 market Lubge Kabusa "" ,,, "" "" Source: Community Development Un it (E ducation Department)Abuja Municipal Area Co uncil h. SANITATION Most Urban settlements in the Area Council were eyesores and a clear and imminent danger to health as a result of heaps of refuse that littered the environment. Most communities also defecate in open spaces and this is washed 159 back to the only sources of water supply to the resident. If the situation was not checked, an epidemic could have not been ruled out. To promote clean environment and enhance quality of life for Area Council residents in the 12 wards As part of effo ti to create a conducive healthy environment, the Area Council formed the pioneer environmental sanitation scheme code at the very inception named "Operation Doti Dey kill" which was commissioned by former PDP Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbe. The aim and essence of the scheme which provided jobs for about 200 ad hoc staff was to rid all the satellite towns of AMAC of refuse.The council in its foresight has since upgraded the scheme by appointing a substantive waste management co-coordinator to add stimulus into operations its by evolving cogent ideas that would extend the service of the environmental sanitation and public enlightenment to general waste management. From the above analysis, this shows that there is a gap between what the Area Council claims they have done fo r the rural people and that of what is obtained from the views (i.e. questionnaire) of the rural people. This shows that AMAC is not performing as it is expected by its people to do. This implies that since the rural people are not developed it definitely means that the nation cannot be developed; hence this will make the rural people to migrate to the city, and living the rural area undeveloped. 160 Table 13 Opinion of Respondents on how efficient is the provision of these services provided above? Alternative Frequency Percentage (%) Very efficient 7 1.75 Effi cient 40 10 Not efficient 353 88.25 Indifferent -- -- Tota l 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 From table 13 above represent the opinion of respondents on question thirteen in the questionnaire. As shown in the table, 353 (88.25%) respondents are of the opinion that provision of the services above are not efficient, 40 ( 1 0%) respondents agree to the fact that, the services provided are efficient, while 7 (1.75%) respondent, very efficient of the services provided. This shows that AMAC has not contributed enough towards development of its people. By implication, there is need for AMAC to put in much effort as to be able to bring out that efficiency in them, this will bring about the general development of the communities. Or otherwise there will be problem ahead. 161 Table 14 If not efficientwhat is responsible? Alternative Frequency Percentage (%,) Untrained unqualifiedstaff 10 2.5 Over dependent on Federal and Sate 50 12.5 Government Inadequate machines fo r revenue generation 140 35 Corruption 200 50 Specifyother ------ Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 The table above represents responses in question fourteen in the questionnaire of section B. As shown in the table 200 (50%) ofthe respondents out of400 (100%) are of the view that corruption is responsible for the little efficiency of performance in the area of services administered as regards to Rural Roads, Health, Primary Schools e.t.c, this forms the widest view. 140 (35%) of respondents attributes the little efficiency of the Area Council of the problem of inadequate source of revenue generation, 50 (12.5%) respondents attributed on the problem of over-department on Federal and State governments, while 10 (2.5%) of the respondents attributed the little efficiency as result of a untrained/unqualified staff working with the Area Council. 162 As explained above, the result of unstructured interview held with chief executive of the area council as well as personal observation by the researcher confirmed that all the factors mentioned in the above table and others urunentioned retard the effective performance of the area council. The importance is that if the money meant for the development of these rural areas is judiciously utilized for the purpose, which it is meant fo r, there will be tremendous development. But unfortunately the allocations meant for this people are diverted into personal purse. Very close to corruption is the inadequacy of viable source of revenue to these areas, if they have and they are well tapped, it will boost the effort of the goverrunent in bringing about development in these rural areas. Table 15 Responses on the number of staff in the council as a civil servant S/no. Department No. Of Staff 1 Administration 273 2 Agriculture 75 3 Education and social Development 70 4 Health and Human Resources 115 5 Works and Housing 72 6 Audit 14 7 Finance and Supply 196 Total Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 163 . From table 15 above represents the opinion of staff on question fifteen of the questionnaire is that majority of staff are about in Admin department, then 273 followed by Finance and Supplies having up to 196 staff in that department, then Health and Human Service is the third ranking having 115 staff in that department, this is followed by Agric department having 75 staff, Works and Housing having about 72 staff, Education department having staff and the last 70 and the least department is the Audit department. From the above view, it can be seen that the number of staff in each department differs; this means that there is a wide gap of differences. This implies that the level of efficiency and effectiveness of work in this Council will diffe r in the sense that the quality and the speed of work will vary due to the fa ct that some staff are more in a department than the other department. Table 16 Response on measures that can be introduced m the Area Council to improve its Administrative of welfare services Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o ) Effective mobilization of revenue 15 3.75 generation machinery Prudent management of available resources 15 3.75 Adequate staff training 11 2.75 All of the above 359 89.75 Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 164 In table 16 above, 15 (3.75%) out of 400 (100%) respondents are of the view that effective mobilization of revenue generation machineries can improve the administration of welfare services, and also 15 (3. 75%) respondents only agree that prudent management of available resources can only improve the administration of welfare services, 11 (2.75% respondents are of the view that only adequate staff training can only improve the administration of welfare services and lastly 359 (89.75%) constituting the highest, are of the view that AMAC can improve on its efficiency and effectiveness in administration of welfare services if all the factors highlighted in the alternative column if the table are fulfilled. It is therefore possible to assert that, the welfare services of rural roads, health etc. are not efficiently and effectively provided in the Area Council because there is no fit between their administration and the conditions mentioned above since is been attested by the majority of respondents that is 359 (89.70%) of respondents, thus, the prospects of service administration in AMAC can only be achieved if these conditions are taken into consideration. 165 Table 17 Reponses on the satisfaction of the people with the Area Council activities in the provision and management of services. Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o ) Very satisfied - - Satisfied 41 10.25 Not satisfied 359 89.75 Indifferent - - j Total 1400 1 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 Table 17 above represents opinion of the respondents on question 17 of section B of the questionnaire as can be seen in the table, 359 (88.75%) expressed no satisfaction towards provision and management of the Area Council services, while 41 (10.25%) respondents are satisfied with the services provided and its management. It can be concluded that, the Area Council are yet to bring satisfaction to the doorstep of the rural people. This is because from the interview and observation conducted, from all indication so many communities have tried to put in self-effort to bring about development in their rural areas. This therefore implies that except AMAC put in more effo rt towards provision of more services expected by the rural people, and then the first step of development cannot be achieved, because developed community leads to a developed nation. 166 Table 18 Responses on the services provided in conjunction with other organizations or bodies. Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o ) Self- help community development 388 97 Inter-Goven1ment agencies like 12 3 UNDP; ADP All of the above -- -- Outside these above -- -- Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 In table 18 above, 388 (97%) out of 400 (100%) respondents agreed that the services provided by the Area Council is with the effort of the community members, 12 (3%) respondents are of the view that, the service provided in the Area Council is in conj unction with the other government agencies, that is UNDP ADP etc. this implies that the services are not only provided by the Area Council, but with communal efforts and little from other agencies, who also help to see that the services provided are effective and efficient. It is mostly the effort of the people themselves and the AMAC that have been experienced in the area of rural development. However, it has been noted that the effo rt from these people is yet to materialized to something tangible, because of their financial incapacitation. 167 - Table 19 Reponses on how active is the community 111 terms of community development efforts projects Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o ) Strong active -- -- Very active 27 6.75 Fairly active 363 90.75 Indiffe rent 10 2.5 Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 In table 19 above, the opinion of respondents are; 363 (90.75%) of the respondents expressed the fact that, the activeness of the community itself in terms of community development efforts projects is fairly good, 27 (6.75%) respondents agreed that, the community itself are active towards community development efforts, while 10 (2.5) respondents are indiffe rent concerning the community efforts project. This conclude that, the community people itself have no capability to carryout certain projects especially the capital project which involves a lot of money. And as usual, most communities are not financially buoyant especially in the remote rural communities. The implication here, is that since majority says that it is fairly active, it then means that if more efforts is not added by the government, it will have an adverse effect on the living standard of the community. 168 - Table 20 Reponses on the effo rts of the community leaders at initiating community project/programmes Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o ) High -- -- Low 370 92.5 No idea 30 7.5 Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October2008 In table 20 above, 370 (92.5%) of the respondents are of the view that there is low effort of the community leaders at initiating projects, and this constitute the highest number of370 (92.5%), while 30 (7.5%) respondents said there is no idea about that issue. It could appear that, may be the community leaders are not educated or have little knowledge of the type of projects/programmes they need in their communities. And also most of the leaders are self centered, meaning that, they don't initiate projects that will be for the benefit of every one within the community, but only on projects/programmes that of their interest. As a result it implies that, development of this areas will continue to be at low ebb. 169 Table 21 Reponses on how important is the Rural and Community Development policy to the overall socio-economic growth and development in various wards Alternative Frequency Percentage {0/o ) Very important 138 34.5 Important 262 65.5 Not important -- - - Indifferent -- -- Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 Table 21 above shows the responses of the responds in which 362 (65%) respondents agreed to the fact that rural and community development policy is important for the over all socio-economic growth and development, while 138 (34.5%) respondents are of the high opinion that rural and community development policy is very important for the overall socio-economic growth and development at least to the fact that these policy is highly recommended by the people for their own development, since they are far from Federal and State Governments. This implies that the rural development policies are part and parcel of the development of any rural community. However, the reverse will be the case if poorly implemented in the rural areas. 170 Table 22 Reponses on how involved are members of community in community driven programmes/project Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o ) High 6 1.5 Medium 90 22.5 Low 304 76 Indifferent - -- Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 Table 22 above represents responses in question 22 of the questionnaires, 304 (76%) out of 400 (I 00%) of respondents express involvement of member towards community driven programmes/project is low 90 (22.5%) said the involvement is medium towards community driven programmes/project, while 6 (1.5%) respondents express High involvement of members in community driven progrmmes/project. It concludes that members of community are not usually involved in their community driven progammes/project. This is because based on the interview and observation carried out, shows fe w people initiative (that is self interest bases.) 171 Table 23 Reponses on the obstacle preventing the implementation of rural and community development policy. Obstacles Frequency Percentage (0/o ) Lack of fund 120 30 Corruption/ self interest 180 45 Inadequate implementing structures 62 15.5 Conflicting intergovernmental relation (IGR) 38 9.5 Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 Table 23 above represents opinion of the respondents on question 23 in the second section of the questionnaire. This is an open-ended type which required the respondents to express their views in the obstacles preventing the implementation of rural and community development policy in AMAC. As shown in the table, lack of fund is the major cause preventing rural and community development policy in AMAC. 180 (45%) is the widest view saying that corruption is the major obstacle, 120 (30%) respondents say it is lack of fund as the source, 62 (15.5) say it is inadequate implementing structure, while 38 (9.5%) say it is conflicting IGR. It can be concluded that all the obstacles listed in table 23 above constitute sources preventing implementation of rural and community development policy in AMAC. The implication is that without proper utilization of the money meant fo r the rural development, the areas will not 172 develop and apart from that, lack of fund also will stunt the growth and development of the area. Table 24 Reponses on how adequate is the financial resources of AMAC to fa cilitate Rural Development policy Alternative Frequency Percentage (0/o ) Very Adequate -- -- Adequate 11 2.75 Inadequate 389 92.25 Indifferent -- -- Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 Table 25 shows the responses of respondent in question 25 of the questionnaire 389 (92.25%) of the respondents are of the view that, there is inadequate financial resources in AMAC to facilitate rural development, while 11 (2.75%) respondents agreed that there is adequate financial resources. It concludes that, from the fonner (i.e. 389 (92.25%) constitute the highest opinions so fa r, which means that, the little finance is not enough for the policy even from the in view carried out, respondents said their finance is derived from Federal Account; state total revenue and internal generated revenue. And this little money is not always enough to carry out many capital proj ects, and also the revenue to the Area Council fall short of its expenditure requirement. Their source of revenue is not adequate, because they do not have the capacity to generate the available revenue source in their areas. And even the allocation that 173 co-mes down from the Federal government is not used for the purpose they are meant fo r. The readily implication is that these areas would continue to sink into perpetual state of under-development Table 25 Reponses on how effective is the inter - government relationship (IGR) in AMAC AI tern a tive Frequency Percentage (0/o ) Very effective -- -- Effective 19 4.75 Not effective 381 95.25 Indifferent -- -- Total 400 100 Source: Field Survey May-October 2008 In table 26 represents the opmwns of respondents in question 26 of the questionnaire. As shown above 381 (95.25%) of the responds are of the view that there is no effective inter-governmental relationship (IGR) in AMAC with this number of responds, it constituted the highest respondents. While 19(4.75%) says that, there is effectiveness of inter government relationship (IGR) in AMAC either from indication, there is much gap between effectiveness and none effectiveness of the role-played by these inter-governmental bodies. Even with the interview carried out, it was still complained by the respondents, that most of 174 the services provided by them are not always enough, fo r example FCT Water, most at times, they don't always brmg water often and even m some area none at all. They relate with Federal Capital Territory Administration and with Federal Government. In the relationship certain amount of money is released from government as statutory allocation. The Federal Capital Administration also releases some money for the up-keep of the various rural areas existing within her vicinity. 175 CHAPTER SIX 6.0 SUMMARRY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION. 6.1 SUMMARY Having looked at the research work on the topic; Assessment of rural and community development policy in Nigeria in the light of Abuja Municipal Area Council, the outcome of the study shows; The findings show rural and community development policy has a great role to play in Nigeria body polity, in that this caters for the grassroots development. These are so because grass-root developments translate into national development. The study confirmed that the rate of performance of rural and community development is not good enough because the communities have been fa ced with some difficulty in mobilizing the local labour fo rce/personnel as well as resources in this regard that is community leaders encounter problems m mobilizing their subjects to carry out projects or programmes that will better their lots or existence. The outcome of the study indicates that Communities in spite of the hurdles have brought development to their people through their involvement in self-help programming. Their programmes are self-driven initiation and execution is the 176 function of the community itself. The community fe lt the need that its people desire or need particular services or goods. It has been found that there are numbers of factors hindering the effective as well as efficient implementation of rural and community development policy such as paucity of fund, corruption, poor institutional structures e.t.c. Lastly the study confirmed that Abuja Municipal Area Council being the case study has only achieved a little towards developing its rural community and this can be said to be applicable to other local government in Nigeria. In design, this policy is meant to bring about development in various communities across the nation but it has succeeded in yielding a minimal result by our research. This calls fo r more viable and vibrant policies as well as effective implementation machine to be put in place in order to bring about pervasive rural and community development. 6.2 CONCLUSION In the light of the foregoing analysis, the fo llowing findings have emerged Through this study, an attempt has been made to assess both theoretically and empirically the extent to which Abuja Municipal Area Council incorporated the rural communities in her developmental policies. 177 Tfierefore, based on the theoretical and empirical facts gathered in this research, the research deduced that Abuja municipal Area Council has contributed enormously towards the development of its rural communities even as it still have some lapses. However, in the period under review (2004 - 2008) AMAC in the area of education has succeeded in building more classrooms in the rural communities as well as putting a better shape to the existing structures and tearing facilities. The council as part of her effort to create sense of belonging and develop the rural communities made a firm promise to pay up the arears owned the teachers fo r the past years. Again the council among other things constructed and equipped a modem library in Garki model primary school (Garki - ward) in order to inculcate reading habit into primary school pupils. Consequently in the side of health, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has empowered the quality of health care delivery to the residents in each of the twelve (12) wards. Still in the period under review, the research discovered at the end of the findings that there was construction of numbers of modem prototype health centre in the rural community like Kagini, (Gwagwa ward); Burum (Kabuse ward) e.t.c. The administration also embarked on the fight against six childhood diseases and administered oral polio vaccines via routine immunization exercises. Also, to join 178 � the global campaign against the dreaded HIV (Aids in AMAC, the administration has constructed HIV Aids committee to enlighten the people in the council, especially the youths and school children on the need to reduce or stop out rightly the spread of the disease among others. In the sphere of agriculture, it has equally been found from the findings that AMAC has introduced modem farming methods to residents in rural communities thereby increasing the fo od production in the council. Above all, drinkable water supply, roads, electricity, economic empowerment scheme and sanitation were not left behind in the period under review. In the light of the above therefore, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) can be seen as 'agency providing framework' for various activities geared towards 'national development'. The research study has revealed that rural and community development policy has a great role to play in Nigerian body polity, in that this caters fo r the grass root devolvement. Thus are so because grass root development translates into national development. It has equally, been established that the rate of performance of rural and community development is not good enough because the communities have been faced with some difficulty in mobilizing the local labour force/personnel as well 179 as resources in this regard. That is community leaders encounter problem in mobilizing their subjects to carryout projects or programmes that will better their lots or existence Communities in spite of the hurdles have brought development to their people through their involvement in self-help programmes. These programmes are self driven that is, programmes whose initiation and execution is the function of the community itself. The community fe lt the need that its people desire or need particular services or goods. It has been discerned that AMAC being the chosen case study to this research work has contributed or rather played a role in evolving a rural and community development policy through the evolution of rural and community development policy in the function of national or fe deral government. This could be seen in National Development Planning. Although, policy development particularly those of rural and community development is beyond the capacity of one rural area or community, but AMAC has contributed in evolving a rural and community development policy via its activities in bettering the lives of its populace (i.e. thorough implementation and maintenance of rural and community development policy in its area council). It has been found that there are numbers of factors hindering the effective as well as efficient implementation of rural and community development policy such as 180 paucity of fund, corruption, poor institutional structures, poor inter-government relation (IGR) etc In design, this policy is meant to bring about development in vanous communities across the nation but it has succeeded in yielding a minimal result by this research. This calls for more viable and vibrant policies as well as effective implementation machinery to be put place order to bring about in in pervasive rural and community development. Above all, the study showed that AMAC as the third tier of governmenthas done just little to improve the living standard of the area council via the provision of social services such as pipe borne water, electricity, health care centers, good roads etc. 6.2 RECOMMENDATIONS Having analyzed the foregoing, the ways proffer for Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) to overcome the challenges encounter during, implementation and execution of the policies as enunciated in the policy formulation processes. (i) The funding to the Area Council should be increased. This could be achieved through increasing the grants and statutory allocation to the local government as well as creating the opportunity for them to borrow fr om the capital market. 181 (ii) Anti-corruption crusade should be strongly noted at the Area Council to checkmate the activities of those who are involved in diverting public fu nd meant fo r rural development into their own personal account (iii) When initiating any proj ect for the development of the rural areas, the government party should collaborate with the inhabitants of the rural areas. will certainly boost the morale and increase their participation. This (iv) The need to recruit experts who have the teclmical know-how in the execution of rural development projects is imperative. This is very important to avoid the scenario where proj ects would be started and abandoned halfway. (v) For the purpose of planning for the rural development, the council should approve a development committee. 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Abuja Municipal Area Council. 187 APPENDIX QUESTIONNAIRE SCHEDULE DEAR RESPONDENT, The researcher is a postgraduate student of Abuja University, in the Department of Political iences and International Relations. Sc I am carrying out the research for Assessment of Rural and Community Development. A case communities Abt�ja Municipal Area study of in Council (FCT), in partial fulfilJment of the requirement for the award of Administration Policy analysis. The of the 1\A.sc in Public and aim - questionnaire is to obtain information, which could help in the· completion of . are assured that any information supplied will be strictly used the work You for academics purpose handled with confidence. and SECTION A (PERSONAL DATA) - - ommunit ? ··- ·--·- ----··------1. Name of your c y 2. sex? What is your (a) . Male (b) .Female 3. Your Age? (a) 18-38 (b) 39-59 (c) above 60 4. Language of individua] (a) Gbagyi (b) Gwandara (c) Koro (d) Gade (e) Others specify 5. qualifjcation Education (a) GCE/SSCE (b) Diploma/NCE B.sc!HND and above © Marital Status? 6. (a) Single (b) Married Divorced/Widow © SEC110N (GENERAL QUESTlONS) B: How significant has rural and community development pol]cy effected 7. in communities AivlAC (a) Very significant (b) Significant Not significant © (d) J11different How would you rate the performance of community development in 8. your commuuity at�ea? (a) Vety good (b) Good Fairly good © (d) Indifferent 9. How effective is AMAC in playing a crucial role at ensuring a good rural and community policy? (a) · Very effective (b) Effective Not effective © (d) Indiffe rent 1 0. How will you rate the performance of AMAC in bringing about in development yom ward? (a) High (b) Jvledi urn Small co (d) Indiffereut AJ\1ACim plemented the rural and community 11. Hov.' adequate has to development policy the latter? (a) Very adequate (b) Adequate adequate © Not (d) Indifferent 12. Which of these services has the Area Cmmcil provided in your area ��? � (a) Primary education (b) Health services © Rural roads (d) Electrification (e) Water supply (f) Agriculture (g) Economic empowerment (h) Sanitation (i) t\!1ofthe above U) None of the above How efficient provision these services provided above? 13. is the of (a) Very efficient (b) Efficient © Not efficient (d) lndi1rt!renl 14. If not effic]ent, what is responsible? (a) Untrained/unqualified staff (b) · Overdependence on Federal and State government © Inadequate machines tor revenue generation (d) Co!Tuptiou (f) SpecifY others ------15. How many number of staff are in your department (that is, if you're a staff) ? ------·· ------··------··------____ .. ___ ------__ of 16. \Vhich these measures can be introduced in the Ar ea Council to improve its adm inistration of we1 fa re services? (a Effective revenue generation ) mobilization of machinery (b) Prudent management of available resources © Adequate staff training (d) AH of the above 17. How satisfied are you with the Area Councils' activities i11 the provision and management of services? (a) Very satisfied (b) Satisfied (c) Not satisfied (d) Indifferent The. service(s) is provided in conjunction 18. with (a) Self-help (community development) ·' Inter-governmental agencies UNDP; ADP c.t.c (b) like (c) All of the above ( <.1) Outside these above, specify------19. How active has your community been in terms of community development efforts projects? (a) Strongly active (b) Active (c) Fairly active (d) lndiffe rent ' How is the effort of community leaders at initiating communi y 20. t projeer/progra mmes? (a) High (b) Low (c) No idea is rural h) 21. How imporlanl U1e anti community development policy the overall socio-economic growth and development in your ward and Nigeria at large? (a) Very important (b) Important (c) Not important (d) Indifferent 22. invo!v�d are your community in community driven How members of progtammes/projecl? (a) High (b) urn J\!I cdi (c) Low (d) Indifferent 23. In the implementation of rural community development policy, and what do you consider to he the ohst:'ldes? (a) ------ (b) ----�w�------ (c) ------�------ (cl) . ------24. How adequate are the financial resources of AMAC to facilitate rural development policy? 1r (a) Very adequate (b) Adequate (c) lnadeq uate (d) Indifferent How effective is the .i nter�governmental Relationship (IGR) in - 25. AMAC? (a) Vcty effective (b) Effective (c) Not effective (d\, ...T nut.rl 'f.�1erent