www.idosr.org Ndukwe and Nwokwu International Digital Organization for Scientific Research ISSN: 2550-7974 IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 3(1): 74-87, 2018.

Rethinking Best Strategies towards Developing Local Government Areas: Local Government Area of in Focus

Ndukwe Chinyere and Nwokwu Paul Monday

Department of Public Administration, Ebonyi State University, , Email: [email protected], [email protected]; Tel:+2348033513542

ABSTRACT This study was carried out to examine best strategies to enthrone all round development in the local government areas with Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State as a point of reference. To achieve the lofty objective of the study, data were collected from secondary source. Content analysis was adopted to analyze the data collected. The study was anchored on integrated development model propounded by World Bank (1975). After critical analysis of data in the course of this research, the following findings were made – that the local government council‟s investment in real sectors of the rural economy such as agriculture and quarry industry will create employment opportunities to rural populace across the council area; that the leadership of the council should allocate enough resources to education so as to empower the rural dwellers and that lack of political will on the part of the council‟s leadership is one of the factors envisaged to affect rural development drive of the local government area. Based on the foregoing findings, the following recommendations were proffered –that the council leadership should intensify her internal revenue drive in order to raise sufficient revenues necessary to undertake developmental programmes; that the council‟s leadership should partner with non-governmental as well as international organizations to address critical areas of the rural economy and that the council leadership should sustain its efforts in the construction and re-grading of feeder roads in order to open up the rural areas for robust socio-economic activities among others. It is believed that these measures are strategic in advancing rural development that could stand the test of time. Keywords: Strategies, Development, Rural development, Local government

INTRODUCTION Every society yearns for development to to change the landscape of the urban improve on the living conditions of its centres. This situation has been implicated people. In most cases collective actions are in most cases to be the major push factor taken which are usually directed towards that induces mass exodus of able bodied that end. Issues about development are not youths from the rural areas to urban areas restricted to the societies alone; they have with its attendant pressure on available continued to agitate the minds of scholars, infrastructural facilities and other sundry policy makers, development experts. The social vices that have become synonymous reason is not farfetched; development is with our urban centres. The ugly situation continuous and dynamic in nature. What is has however made Nigerian government to seen to be fashionable today might perhaps shift attention to rural development so as become obsolete in the nearest future. to arrest the anomaly. Rural development Development by way of definition is seen implies improvement in the standard of as a process through which man increases living of the mass of low-income or maximizes his control and use of the population who live in the rural areas while material resources with which nature has ensuring that the process of development endowed him and his environment [1]. is self-sustainable. Overtime efforts expended to advance In Nigeria just like every other country that development in Nigeria have been directed practices federal system of government, towards improving on the living conditions the local government is often seen as an of urban dwellers at the expense of the instrument to step down development to army of rural dwellers. In specific terms, the doorsteps of rural dwellers. It is government policies and programmes have noteworthy that local government was been initiated and implemented purposely accorded recognition as the third tier of 74 IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 3(1): 74-87, 2018.

www.idosr.org Ndukwe and Nwokwu government in Nigeria following its the high side. Illiteracy has continued to provisions in the 1979 Constitution of the rise even as rural dwellers still die from Federal Republic of Nigeria. To [2] local preventable diseases. Agriculture, which government is “a political authority which has remained the mainstay of the people, is purposely created by law or constitution has since been neglected even as critical for local communities by which they social amenities are still lacking in the rural manage their local public affairs within the domains thereby leading to poor standard limits of the law/constitution”. It is the of living of the people with its attendant government purposely established to bring mass exodus of young able bodied men development to nooks and crannies of rural from the council area to urban areas. In areas. It is generally believed that the view of the foregoing, it became imperative nearness of local government to the to rethink best development strategies that grassroots makes it the most suitable body could usher in all round development in to perform functions of local Ezza North L.G.A. interests/concerns far more efficiently and Conceptual Analysis in the most cost-effective manner than Development – There are so many remote governments at the higher levels. definitions of development as there are Ezza North Local Government Area is one many scholars who have shown interest in of the 774 local government areas in the concept. The meaning of development Nigeria. It was created in 1996 following has not been static; it has continued to the creation of Ebonyi State in the same change from time to time. It is noteworthy year. It is one of the thirteen (13) local that development was initially seen from government areas in Ebonyi State. As an the restricted viewpoint; hence it was seen institution for rural development, it has as the level of economic growth expressed continued to grapple with the challenges of in aggregate economic indicators such as engendering enduring development across GNP, Per capita income, ability of a nation all the nooks and crannies of the council to expand its output at a faster rate than area. In addition, it has remained a vehicle the growth of its population, etc. It is along for implementation of all the federally this perspective that [3], views designed rural development policies and development as synonymous with programmes whose influence cut across economic growth measured in aggregate the federation. It has also engaged in joint terms. During this period, some countries state-local government projects and witnessed high level of aggregate economic programmes fashioned in most cases to growth but with poor standard of living of better the lots of rural dwellers. Apart from vast majority of the people. This the local government sponsored phenomenon was best described as development programmes, rural dwellers “growth without development” [4]. have on their own accord initiated and However, a more broad based definition of subsequently implemented some rural the concept has been advanced which development programmes. In specific perceives development as a multi- terms, rural people have engaged dimensional process. In this perspective, themselves in various forms of community development is seen as the process that self-help projects such as construction of involves changes in structures, attitudes village squares, markets, clearing of and institutions as well as acceleration of pathways, ensuring regular sanitation economic growth, the reduction of exercise, construction of shrines and inequality and the eradication of absolute maintenance of pathways through filling of poverty [5]. To [6], development consists of potholes and construction of drainage on five main ingredients: increasing material the roads. Some community based wealth for the use of individuals and the organizations have entered into nation; eliminating unemployment; partnership with the local government eliminating poverty and want; eliminating council to attract life-touching projects inequality and increasing the general particularly from the Ebonyi State Social availability of labour-saving devices. It is and Community Development Agency perceived as qualitative improvement in all (EBSCDA). societies and in all groups of individuals Notwithstanding these measures, it is within societies. From the foregoing, we worrisome that almost all the indicators of could understand that development is man- development seem not to have shown some centred. It is concerned with the continual signs of improvement. The level of poverty improvement in all aspects of human life among the rural dwellers has remained on such as health, security, education, 75 IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 3(1): 74-87, 2018.

www.idosr.org Ndukwe and Nwokwu employment, housing, etc. It is directed government that steps down development towards the attainment of both quantitative to the nooks and crannies of rural areas. In and qualitative standard of living of man in other words, it exists to minister to the any social setting. dynamic and peculiar developmental Rural Development –Rural development challenges of rural dwellers. The Guideline has been variously defined by scholars for Local Government Reforms (1976) cited based on their respective disciplines, in Ahmad, [9] defines local government as ideological orientations and social milieus Government at local level [7]. [8], views rural development as a exercised through broad-based re-organization and representative councils mobilization of the rural masses so as to established by law to cope effectively with the daily tasks of exercise specific powers in their lives and with changes consequent defined areas. These powers upon this. To [9], rural development is a should give the council multi-dimensional process by means of substantial control over which the productivity, income and local affairs as well as the welfare, relating to health, nutrition, staff and institutional and education, transportation, employment and financial power to initiate other features of better living conditions of and direct the provision of rural people can be improved or services and to determine transformed. For rural development efforts and implement projects so to be successful, it must ensure effective as to complement the participation of the people beginning from activities of the state and the stage of initiation, planning, execution, federal government in their monitoring to evaluation stage. Under this areas, and to ensure, circumstance, the rural people perceive the through devolution of whole process as theirs and do everything functions to these councils humanly possible to make the development and through the active strategies succeed. In short, rural participation of the people development involves the transformation and their traditional of all segments of the rural areas in order institutions, that local to enhance the quality of life of rural initiatives and responses to dwellers that constitute the bulk of the local needs and conditions population. are maximized. Local Government – This is seen as the The establishment of local government is institutional framework composed mainly predicated on the philosophy of bringing of elected, selected or appointed the instrument of governance closer to the representatives who ensure that matters communities in order to harness the affecting rural dwellers are adequately interests and aspirations of the local attended to in order to improve on their communities as input-output analysis in living conditions. It is the third tier of governance. METHODOLOGY Data for the study were obtained through among others – that effort made by the the secondary source such as articles in Nigerian government through several reputable journals, official publications, strategies like the national development textbooks, etc. The data obtained were plans did not bring about meaningful analyzed using content analysis. development; that both international Empirical Review organizational organizations and regional [10], carried out a study titled “Rural and strategies have not led to any significant Community Development in Nigeria: An improvement in the living conditions of Assessment”. The study was carried out to rural dwellers. It was also found that a examine rural and community development number of issues such as corruption and in Nigeria with emphasis on the mismanagement, faulty planning from institutions, policies and strategies above affect rural development efforts. On employed to bring about the much needed the basis of the foregoing, the following rural development in the country. Content recommendations were proffered – that for analytical method was adopted as data rapid development to occur, the lopsided were obtained from the secondary sources. and urban based development process After the careful analysis of the data, the must be reversed to rural-based and study came up with the following findings bottom-up approach; that government 76 IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 3(1): 74-87, 2018.

www.idosr.org Ndukwe and Nwokwu should continue to create conducive articulating relevant rural development environment for rural development to programmes and that the local government thrive and that there should be change of should focus on their activities towards attitudes and orientation by all and sundry. carrying out their statutory role of These measures are very critical to initiating and executing rural development attainment of realistic and enduring rural projects and programmes. development. Theoretical Anchorage [11] in a study entitled “Challenges of Local This study is anchored on the Integrated Government Administration in Nigeria and Rural Development model as espoused by the way forward” examined the growth of the [13]. This model emerged against the local government, the challenges and the backdrop that all past efforts towards rural way forward. The study was a qualitative development have contributed little to research with heavy reliance on secondary enhance the quality of life of the people at data such as textbooks, journal and official the grassroots. The model emphasizes that publications. The study went eclectical by economic base in the rural areas be using both human needs and efficiency widened through efforts directed towards theories to explain the work. It was found mobilizing and better utilization of human that undue interference by the state and natural resources; creating motivation governments in the management of local and purchasing power by means of better government, corruption, bogus distribution of income and employment expectations for personal gains by opportunities; establishing closer links godfathers and political gladiators, between the agricultural, industrial and indiscipline, etc are basic challenges to service sectors in the rural areas and effective local government administration improving the living standards of the in Nigeria. Based on the revelations above, people in terms of housing, potable water the study recommended that Section 7(7) of supply, good road networks etc through the 1999 Constitution of the Federal self-help [14]. It is noteworthy that Republic of Nigeria should be amended to integrated rural development model places forestall undue interference by the state much premium on mobilization and government. Also, there should be development of human resource potentials strengthening of institutional mechanisms as well as achieving a more equitable to curb corruption and that the access to resources and fair distribution of Independent National Electoral Commission income. should conduct local government elections. With respect to planning, integrated rural [12] carried out a study titled “Enhancing development goes beyond agriculture to Rural Development in Nigeria: Periscoping embrace all policies and programmes the Impediments and Exploring Imperative necessary to achieve socio-economic Measures.” The study was undertaken to advancement of the rural dwellers. It also ascertain the factors that impede rural relies heavily on the concept of regional development as well as to explore self-reliance and collective efforts. measures to address the anomalies. According to [15], this model recognizes Content analysis was adopted as secondary that the local leaders and their people are data were used for the study. The findings more familiar with their local environments of the study reveal the following among than experts. It went further to perceive the others – that there is no significant creative potentials, knowledge and energies emphasis on pro rural development of the rural people as very indispensable policies; that the few formulated rural ingredient for self-reliant development. In policies are not being effectively view of the above, the model emphasizes implemented; that there is ineffective the participation of both the local leaders political representation of the rural areas and their people in the identification of as it concerns articulating and attracting needs, selection and location of projects, development projects and programmes. On mobilization of resources and the sharing the basis of the foregoing findings, the of benefits and burdens arising from these following recommendations were made – projects [16]. there is need for government to pay serious The relevance of the model to the study is attention to developing and ensuring that integrated rural development is central effective implementation of rural to achieving all round development in rural development projects and programmes; areas. This is because it facilitates the that the political representatives of the participation of rural people in the rural people should be involved in identification of their dynamic and peculiar 77 IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 3(1): 74-87, 2018.

www.idosr.org Ndukwe and Nwokwu development needs and aspirations. The good road networks to link farm lands to appreciation of these avalanches of needs the markets where the farm produce could motivates people both the political leaders be profitably disposed. In addition, storage and rural dwellers to demonstrate serious facilities necessary to preserve some commitment in fashioning strategies and perishable farm produce are non-existent. techniques aimed at enhancing the lots of Agricultural extension services are still not rural dwellers in all ramifications. It is provided for the farmers so as to be important to emphasize that any abreast with current development in the development strategy should be field of agriculture. The local farmers comprehensive and inclusive as they are solely rely on old method of farming critical ingredients needed to actualize all thereby leading to low productivity. round development. Moreso, improved farm inputs such as Ezza North Local Government Area at a diseases resistant seedlings, herbicides, Glance pesticides, etc are not usually made readily As pointed out earlier, Ezza North Local available to them even as fertilizers which Government Area is one of the thirteen (13) are sold to them though at subsidized rate local government areas in Ebonyi State of usually get to them after the farming Nigeria. It was established in 1996 sequel season. It is important to stress that all the to the creation of Ebonyi State on 1st eleven communities in Ezza North Local October 1996. It should be noted that Ezza Government Area engage in farming North Local Government Area was initially activities. The farmers cultivate staple food part of the old Ezza Local Government Area crops such as rice, yams, cassava. Among prior to the creation of Ebonyi State. Ezza the crops aforementioned, the communities North has its headquarters situated at will most likely have comparative Ebiaji town. The local government has an advantage in rice production over other area of 305km2 and a population of communities in other local government 145,619 according to the 2006 National areas in Ebonyi State if the council Population Census. It is a predominant Igbo leadership muster the needed courage to area inhabited by Ezza people. make necessary investments in the sector. The local government is composed of However, Umuoghara Community eleven (11) communities with several (Umuoghara and Okposi Umuoghara villages. They include: Amuda/Amawula Autonomous Community) are blessed by Community, Ekka Community, Inyere nature with large supply of rocks. There is Community, Umuoghara Community, availability of igneous rock, metamorphic Nkomoro Community, Ogboji Community, rock and sedimentary rock. Quarries are Okposi Umuoghara Autonomous generally used for extracting building Community, Omege Umuezeokoha materials, such as dimension stones, Community, Oriuzor Community, Oshiegbe construction aggregate, riprap, sand and Umuezeokoha Community and Umuezeoka gravel. Fortunately, the Ebonyi State Community. The local government falls government under the administration of under the central senatorial district of then governor, Chief Martin Nwancho Ebonyi State otherwise known as the Ebonyi Elechi approved the establishment of Central Senatorial District alongside Ezza quarry industrial cluster in the community South, and Local Government known as „Umuoghara Quarry Cluster‟ so Areas. that stone lumps gathered from other The Ezza North local government council is mining sites across the state are conveyed charged with the function of good to the quarry cluster for crushing. Various governance in the local government area. crushing machines are installed and put The council is led by a chairman who into use as government of the state serves as the chief executive of the local generate revenues from the quarry cluster. government. The local government has a Unfortunately, it is still worrisome that the legislative council which makes bye-laws indigenes of the community had little or no for peace, order and good governance of stake in the quarry business. They always the area. The legislative council is made up engage in menial jobs in the quarry site of eleven (11) ward councillors without protective gadgets which expose representing the eleven (11) electoral wards them to all sorts of industrial hazards. Both of the local government area. the employees and residents have been In Ezza North Local Government Area, it is exposed to such negative effects as: worrisome that majority of the rural areas pollution, various degrees of occupational are still lacking essential amenities such as accidents and other physical accidents 78 IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 3(1): 74-87, 2018.

www.idosr.org Ndukwe and Nwokwu posed by blast stones flying in the air, government. In those days, Ezza North physiological risks and psychological Local Government council which was under trauma [17]. The successive council the leadership of Chief Paulinus Igwe leaderships have not taken advantage of Nwagumade some giant strides in opening the economic benefits inherent in the up the rural areas in the local council area. industrial cluster by assisting the quarry This was made possible through the workers and indigenes of other regime's grading/lateriting of rural roads, communities in the council to form construction of bridges and culverts to themselves into co-operative societies for improve accessibility for the rural dwellers purpose of getting assistance from as well as enhance evacuation of appropriate quarters to take the driver‟s agricultural produce to the markets. This seat in the core quarry businesses in the was followed by expansion and industrial cluster. establishment of more primary schools to Other indices of development in the local ensure that the children of school going government area have not been positive. age benefit from the free and compulsory There is still widespread poverty, growing basic education policy of the state inequality, rapid population growth and government. The free education policy was rising unemployment. The pitiable responsible for the high enrolment conditions of the local government stem recorded in both primary and secondary from not only low income but also schools in the local government area. The illiteracy, ill-health, ignorance and various major challenge of the state wide policy on kinds of deprivations. There is still near education was that there was no provision absence of life-enhancing infrastructures for investment in school infrastructure and like electricity, qualitative and quantitative instructional materials to match the health care facilities, etc. In short, the upsurge in the number of registered standard of living has remained abysmally pupils/students. This undoubtedly led to poor. This state of development has been poor quality teaching and learning as the the core push factors that trigger the young classes were overpopulated with some and able bodied youths to migrate to urban pupils/students standing up while areas which are adjudged to possess receiving lessons. Sometimes, teaching- reasonable supply of such essential learning took place under unconducive amenities. Today, the bulk of the council‟s environment (under the trees). These youthful population with little or no situations made it a near impossibility for education is found in major cities in effective teaching and learning to take Nigeria hawking some wares, ridding place. commercial motorcycles and tricycles, The administration of Barr. Ikeuwa Omebe touting in parks as well as engaging in all in Ezza North Local Government Area sorts of menial jobs just to make ends recorded some remarkable achievements meet. such as its regular road maintenance and Past Efforts of the Ezza North Local grading of over 400km roads. According to Government Administrations towards [18], Ogboji Community, Ekka Community, Rural Development: A Review Nkomoro Community and Inyere There is no doubt that local government is Community in the Imoha axis had actually established purposely to bring government benefited immensely from the new roads presence to the grassroots. It is an that the administration created even as it institution set up to bring about rural tarred some of the roads that had remained development at the door steps of rural in bad shape. He added that the regime of dwellers. As we noted earlier, rural Barr. Ikeuwa Omebe discovered that the development is a strategy designed to hand-pump boreholes that were provided improve the economic and social in several communities needed some conditions of the people at the grassroots. maintenance. The administration took the The concern of rural development bull by the horn by rehabilitating all the programme is to facilitate progressive damaged boreholes across all the eleven transformation of the entire sectors of the communities and put them into proper use. rural economy. In addition, over 46 culverts bridges were It is important to note that prior to the built among which are Onunwitecha and introduction of state-local government Iyor Bridges. joint account, the local government council The local government council equally was privileged to receive her statutory embarked on rapid rehabilitation of the allocation directly from the central local government residential quarters that 79 IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 3(1): 74-87, 2018.

www.idosr.org Ndukwe and Nwokwu has remained in a deplorable state. This chairmen relegated unnecessary was in line with the then state government bureaucracy to the background and pulled stance that all chairmen should reside at resources together in order to improve the the council headquarters. There was also aesthetic beauty of the ancestral market of procurement and installation of a 200KVA the Ezza people. transformer in the council headquarters to Currently, the administration of Dr. Nora boost power supply in and around the area. Oluchi Alo is not resting on her oars in The chairman had intentions of embarking bringing succour to door steps of rural on rural electrification to light up all the dwellers. However, the administration‟s communities that do not have power developmental efforts may be adjudged supply. The administration did not achieve superficial as the council has concentrated much success in this regard. its efforts on the aesthetic beautification of In areas of agriculture, the Ikeuwa Omebe‟s the local government headquarters – administration provided over nine million fencing of the council headquarters Naira cash incentives to one thousand rural premises and planting of ornamental trees farmers. This is to encourage growth in the around the same area. agricultural sector, which is one of the real There has also been grading and re-grading sectors of the economy. of rural roads across the communities in Educational sector was not left behind by the council. The council chairman in line the administration. It built five classroom with the directive of the state governor has blocks each at Odeligbo Primary School and erected street light covering about 15km Community Primary School Omege. The from the council‟s headquarters to light up administration awarded scholarship to over the council‟s major road. The local 20 indigenes of Ezza North Local government council has attracted Government Area at the University of construction of concrete pavement road Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozalla. covering about 11km, which transverse Similarly, the chairman paid the sum of two Achiegu, Ebiaji and Umuoghara axis of the hundred thousand and one hundred and council. The council chairman has fifty thousand Naira each to over twenty- organized skill acquisition programmes for eight (28) female and male students the youth so as to make them useful studying in the Nigerian Law School with a members of their respective communities donation of a laptop computer to each of and society at large. them to aid their learning. A critical peep into the performances of the In the security sector, the administration various council administrations will no donated a Hilux van to Achiegu Divisional doubt reveal that their efforts could be best Police Headquarters. Over thirty motor described as a scratch on the surface of the bikes were procured for vigilante service core problems of the members of the group, Civil Defence Corps, Police Criminal communities in terms of development. The Investigation Department (CID), council leaderships appeared to have failed Department of State Security Services (DSS) to realize that development is people- Ezza North Local Government chapter and oriented and that people who are built an ultra modern police viewing centre beneficiaries of the projects must be at Achiegu Police Headquarters coupled involved from the start to finish of such with other incentives to security agencies development projects. This has not been in order to boost their morale for effective the case in the local government area. The and efficient service delivery within the rural dwellers have not been consulted to local government council. ascertain what their developmental needs The regime of Engr. Jeff Ogbu equally tried are. As a result, the rural dwellers in Ezza its best as it concerns rural development. North particularly in the various Some feeder roads were re-graded just as communities have been receiving some new ones were opened up. Some development projects and programmes, other sectors of the economy received which have not been able to significantly some degrees of attention from the address their peculiar problems. The administration. It is on record that one of successive council leaderships had lacked the outstanding achievements of the the courage to take the bull by the horn by council‟s leadership was its collaborative investing in the real sectors of the rural efforts with the Local economy such as agriculture and Government Council chairman in clearing establishment of cottage industries that are the age-long refuse at the popular Eke important to drive rural socio-economic Imeoha Market Square. The two council development. As we pointed out earlier on, 80 IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 3(1): 74-87, 2018.

www.idosr.org Ndukwe and Nwokwu the inhabitants of the eleven communities Development Programmes to be pursued that make up Ezza North Local Government in the Local Government Area Area are farmers who cultivate variety of The local government leadership should staple crops such as rice, yam and cassava. embark on integrated rural development However, Umuoghara Community is programme which has the capacity to endowed with large supply of rocks which address critical areas of development are suitable for construction works. Hence, needs of the rural dwellers. The mining and quarrying activities take place development programmes should cover the in the community. Even with the location of following areas: Quarry industrial cluster by the state 1. Employment and Income government in the community Generation – It is important to state (Umuoghara), the employees in the that the creation of employment industry are mainly indigenes who are opportunities in the rural areas is untrained, illiterate and unskilled workers most likely to discourage intending comprising men and women with women emigrants wishing to escape to forming about 70 per cent of the work urban cities for greener pastures as force in the quarry cluster [19]. The well as boost the rural economy. employees particularly women undergo This is so because the juicy excruciating hardship, which takes employment which serves as bet to physical, economic and social undertones. people in the urban areas could now Best Strategies towards Developing Ezza be made readily available for the North L.G.A: An In-depth Analysis people in their localities. It is At the onset, development strategies noteworthy that provision of directed towards rural development were employment increases potentials for hinged on agriculture. The central income improvements through government has experimented on so many salaries. This could be achieved agricultural programmes aimed at rural through making agriculture very development but all to no avail in terms of attractive to the youths as well as achieving all round development. The the elderly people. In Ezza North reason may not be far-fetched. Rural Local Government Area, Amawula dwellers are not always involved in the and Umuezeoka communities have process of the so called „rural development comparative advantage in rice programmes‟. In other words, top-down production. It is expected that the approach has been the model driving both leadership of the council should the federal and state stance on concentrate more on modalities to development programmes at the add value to the agricultural grassroots. produce particularly rice so as to At this point, it becomes imperative to meet best international standards. advance best development strategy to The chief executive is to partner facilitate overall rural development. This with any international donor strategy is principally based on the multi- agencies interested in rice dimensional character of development. As production such as FADAM III, IFAD a multi-dimensional concept, development etc to attract funding necessary to is seen by [20] as a change or improvement set up at least one modern rice mill in the political, economic, social and industry with ultra modern milling cultural institutions as well as machines in either of the advancement in the living standards of the communities. The communities will people. In this kind of development, therefore serve as the sources of participation of rural dwellers is of high raw materials to the proposed essence; they are to positively participate industry. There should be ensured to effect the desired change. Development full capacity utilization of the in this sense is based on the integrated machines in the milling, de-stoning rural development model. and packaging of the rice for sale. For sustainable development to take place The management of the proposed in Ezza North Local Government Area, the rice mill industry should then chief executive of the local government embark on the search for the market council should consider and possibly adopt for the products through adverts in the measures as itemized and discussed various media such as radio, here under: television as well as social media. This will make for high patronage of 81 IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 3(1): 74-87, 2018.

www.idosr.org Ndukwe and Nwokwu the product which in turn will create indigenes of the local government is employment opportunities for our the Umuoghara Quarry Cluster. The teeming youthful and elderly council leadership should see the population. It will also enhance food location of the quarry cluster in the sufficiency in the area and rewrite area as a good omen which must be the history of the local government fully exploited to the greater good as the food basket of Ebonyi State. of the people. It is expected that the In an interview granted by Mr. local government council should Christian Nwoba, a stakeholder in invest in the quarry business by the local government area, he procuring crushing machines and argued that if government of the other vital equipment to establish council could partner necessary its own quarry firm in the cluster. agencies both local and This firm is believed to add to the international that have interest in source of internally generated the rice value chain, Ezza North revenue available to the council. In Local Government Area will no addition, it could employ some doubt have its own brand of rice members of the rural communities that can favourably compete with who will oversee its day-to-day „the Ebonyi Rice World‟ (owned and operations. As we know that the managed by the state government in council leadership may not have the partnership with private investors). financial muscle to invest in the Some stakeholders in the concerned quarry sector, we suggest that it communities have submitted that could approach a commercial bank with appropriate investment in the with a well prepared proposal on the rice cultivation and processing, the business to secure loan facility. This council will definitely take its source will provide a pool of rightful position as a major resources that could assist the producer of rice in Ebonyi State. In council to kick start the quarry addition, farm inputs should always business. Apart from that, the be made readily available to farmers council leadership as well as non- in the local government area. Such governmental organizations could inputs should include educate the indigenes of Umuoghara improved/disease resistant Community on the need for them to seedlings, fertilizers, insecticides, form various co-operative societies, herbicides, etc. Agricultural which should be registered with the extension workers should be Corporate Affairs Commission. regularly deployed to the rural areas These societies could serve as to educate rural farmers on the new platforms through which they could trends in farming practices secure micro credit facilities from particularly in rice, yam and cassava either the commercial banks or production. The postgraduate micro finance banks to invest in the students of Faculty of Agriculture of quarry business. This measure is the Ebonyi State University could capable of encouraging self- equally assist agricultural extension employment and reliance among workers in moving into the members of the Umuoghara hinterlands especially in Amawula Community in particular and other and Umuezeoka Communities to indigenes of the local government educate rice farmers on new trends council in general. In an interview in that aspect of agriculture. In granted by a stakeholder in the addition, storage facilities such as community, Mr. Solomon Usulor, he silos should be set up to store up opined that investment of the the rice grains which could be council in the quarry business is a produced in high quantity. As part sure means to create employment of effort to ensure speedy opportunities to some members of evacuation of agricultural produce the community. He added that to markets, good road networks formation of co-operative societies should be constructed, maintained among indigenous quarry workers and put into effective use. will go a long way to making the Another critical area to create members of the societies self- employment opportunities for employed as well as employers of 82 IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 3(1): 74-87, 2018.

www.idosr.org Ndukwe and Nwokwu labour. He insisted that government 3. Accessibility – This is the ease with should think very deeply towards which people get to places, ideas that direction. and people [21]; [22]. Accessibility 2. Population Quality- This implies could be enhanced in our rural areas increasing the level of efficiency in through the quality and intensity of the aspects of the health, education, transportation and communication skill and the general standard of networks within the nooks and living of the people. Population crannies of the council area. There quality is the outcome of the should be massive investment in people‟s awareness of the need for our rural roads to link all and their readiness to avail communities and villages. The themselves of those services as well access roads should be designed in as opportunities that help to a manner to link the farmlands to enhance their quality as people. markets for purpose of evacuation This could be achieved through of bumper harvest to areas of need. attainment of some level of To achieve this, the local educational standards to acquire government council should partner knowledge and skill. These are with the state government to build offered in schools. Therefore, the more access roads to enhance council leadership should ensure transportation in the council area. provision of educational facilities by In areas of communication, the means of expanding the already council‟s leadership should make existing schools as well as provision for conducive establishing new ones to educate environment for telecommunication the rural dwellers. The schools giants such as MTN, Airtel, should be adequately equipped and Globacom, etc to erect their masts staffed with well qualified teachers in strategic locations to ensure total to ensure quality teaching and network coverage. This will learning in the local government definitely resolve communication area. It is our expectation that this issue that has become the hallmark measure will significantly stem the of the rural areas in the local mass exodus of our people to urban government. areas in search of qualitative 4. Social Amenities/Infrastructural education. facilities – These add to the comfort For the council to fund those of the inhabitants of the local aforementioned projects in schools, government area and reduce the it is suggested that the local tendency to drift from place to place government leadership should to achieve such comforts. Social through the Local Education amenities include the basic needs Authority carryout baseline study and facilities such as healthcare, on all the existing schools in the food supply, potable water, council area. The findings of the education, housing and electricity. study as it concerns the quantity There should be provision of and quality of school system in the hospitals or health centres, markets, area should be communicated to boreholes, good residential and appropriate authorities such as public buildings. The leadership of Ebonyi State Universal Basic the local government should be very Education Board (UBEB) and Ebonyi frugal in the management of public State Secondary Education Board resources so as to deploy available (SEB) for necessary actions. It is financial resources at her disposal believed that with follow up actions, to provision of such amenities. the schools in deplorable conditions These amenities if adequately could receive face lift. The council provided have the magic wand to on its own part should allocate reduce to the barest minimum the enough votes to educational sector rate of rural-urban drift among the in its annual estimate for youths and make rural economy to procurement of instructional be very robust. materials and other school 5. Social Interactions – Opportunities infrastructure. for people to interact and cooperate or share information or ideas should 83 IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 3(1): 74-87, 2018.

www.idosr.org Ndukwe and Nwokwu be provided for rural dwellers. This The following challenges always work is a function of education, against the concerted efforts towards rural information field and accessibility. development in Ezza North Local Fora for such fruitful interactions Government Area. The challenges are as include – social media, markets, follows: churches, schools, clubs, socio- 1. Inadequate Fund –As we noted economic associations, community earlier on, the local government development unions, community councils in Nigeria no longer receive based associations, etc. These fora their statutory allocations directly provide opportunities for exchange from the federation account. Their of information necessary to federal allocations are trapped in revolutionalize rural areas. the so called “State-Local 6. Encouraging Community Based Government Joint Account.” This Organization – Voluntary account has since been hijacked by community based organizations are some state governors to the extent essential to harness local initiatives that some local government councils for rural development. The are starved of financial resources to members of such associations or perform their constitutional roles at organizations should be encouraged the rural areas. This singular to effectively engage in rural problem is believed to hamper the development through training on Ezza North Local Government programme and project planning. Council because the undercurrent [23], argued that such capacity noticeable in the operations of the building programmes will enable Joint Account might significantly them expand some range of projects reduce the amount that it would which will have direct bearing on stand to benefit. It is a well known the lives of rural dwellers. The fact that the proposed measure for chairman of Ezza North Local overall rural development might not Government Area should ensure that be effectively achieved without this kind of training is regular in adequate funds at the disposal of order to create room for members of the council leadership. the organization to be exposed to 2. Corruption –This has become a current trends in programme and cankerworm that has eaten deep project planning. into the fabrics of our national 7. Mobilization of Women Group – economy. The menace has spread [24], maintained that to reach all the like a wild fire across all the levels people, one has to reach the women. of governments. The local As soon as the women have been government is not immuned to its reached, children have been shades of manifestations. There is reached, the family would be no doubt that the available reached and the nation would resources such as human, material, ultimately be reached. To that end, financial, technological, etc at the education for women both formal disposal of the council are and non-formal should be taken fraudulently embezzled, seriously. This kind of education misappropriated or abused by the should not only aim at enlightening leadership of the council. them but should also help to Apart from the leadership, some liberate them from the yoke of staff of the council particularly superstition, ignorance, inferiority revenue collection officers have complex, indifference or any other been in the habit of collecting rates factor that makes them think that and other local taxes while issuing they are endowed with a lesser the unsuspecting tax payers with degree of competence than their fake receipts thereby frustrating male counterparts. Any barrier to efforts directed towards giving a full mobilization of the rural women facelift to the council‟s internally should be dismantled by the Ezza generated revenues. North Local Government Chairman. 3. Lack of political will by the council Challenges that Impede Rural leadership – One of the major Development Efforts in the Nigerian problems that has continued to Local Government System affect good governance at all levels 84 IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 3(1): 74-87, 2018.

www.idosr.org Ndukwe and Nwokwu of government in Nigeria is the with them to initiate and implement unwillingness of the leadership to rural development programmes, take the bull by the horn. It is no they usually ignore such calls with longer news that most of our the wave of hands because they council chairmen lack the political have been consistently deceived by will to stand by the people through politicians. This stereotype about initiation and implementation of deception on the part of people-oriented projects with government leadership particularly capacity to enhance their living at the local level, usually make them conditions. Most of them would (local experts, chiefs, community rather be loyal to the state governor leaders, interest groups, cooperative to the extent that what is societies) to be indifferent to efforts implemented at the rural areas is directed towards rural development perceived by the people as in their respective areas. imposition as the people were never 5. Lack of comprehensive template involved from the stage of initiation for rural development –Even with to evaluation. The projects of this the proposed development nature are bound to be at variance strategies, the leadership of Ezza with the yearnings and aspirations North Local Government may not be of the rural dwellers. able to formulate rural development 4. Inadequate Community policies. Lack or absence of this Participation – It is unarguable that policy will definitely lead to rural dwellers have lost confidence fragment of policy statements or in government at all levels in programmes by different regimes Nigeria including local government. which of course are bound to die Whenever they are informed that with the regime that adopted them local government desires to partner [25]. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Rural development is key to national UNESCO, etc. These international agencies development. Therefore, governments at all have capacity to intervene in various levels should work together to enhance the sectors of the rural economy to alleviate living conditions of rural dwellers. This is rural people from the doldrums of poverty because absence of development at the and deprivations. rural areas could trigger rural-urban drift The leadership of the council should as well as poor standard of living among severely punish any council revenue the rural dwellers. It is against the officers convicted of financial crimes so as foregoing revelations that the following to discourage others from embarking on recommendations are put forward: the same misadventure. Likewise, the The council leadership should intensify council chairman should sustain its effort efforts in the internally generated revenue in rural roads construction and regular drive to make enough financial resources maintenance through grading and in some available for use in the local government cases tarring of some economically viable areas. This could be achieved through the roads in the area. This will help in local government council‟s investment in evacuating agricultural produce to markets modern rice mill industry and quarry for disposal. business in the area. Also, the local There should be participation of rural government council should ensure that its people in the process of development so as revenue officers collect all taxes and rates to secure their support to ensure success in due to the council and remit same to its rural development programmes, all of coffers. which should be based on a master plan for The local government council should seek the development of the council area. for additional funding from both the non- Moreso, the state government as well as the governmental and international central government should partner with the organizations who might have interest in council chairmen to bring development to rural development. Such donor agencies the door steps of the rural dwellers. include – IFAD, FADAMA III, USAID, UNICEF, REFERENCES 1. Ablu, G. O. I. (1982). Integrated rural Northern Nigeria. Journal of development administration: Agricultural Administration Applied Lessons from two experiments in Science Publisher London, 9(1). 85 IDOSR JOURNAL OF ARTS AND MANAGEMENT 3(1): 74-87, 2018.

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