ABSTRACT
The study was carried out in Old Akpabuyo Local Government Area which comprises of Bakassi Local Government Area and New Akpabuyo Local Government Area in Cross River State. The Study assessed the participation of youths in community development projects in the area. The objectives of the study were to identify the personal and socio – economic characteristics of the youths in the study area; identify the types of rural development projects that youths were involved in the study area; assess the extent to participation of youths in rural development projects in the study area, ascertain the perception of youths towards rural development projects in the study area, and to ascertain the constraints the youths encounter in rural development projects in the study area. Youths between the ages of 15 and 35 were randomly selected from 12 rural towns and 2 villages each were purposively selected from the villages. Data were collected with structured questionnaire and were analysed using descriptive statistics, and 3 and 4 likert-type scale. 5 respondents were randomly selected from each of the 24 villages given a total of 120. The study revealed that youths that are single participated fully in rural development (65.83%). Development activities mostly found was maternity centres (52%). The major rural development activity which youths participate in was transportation (64.7%). The perception of youths towards rural development was that it empowers rural people (29.17%). Major constraint was lack of capacity building for youths (50.83%). It was recommended that government and NGO‟s should build the capacity of the youths and empower them to participate in rural development activities.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title
Page…………………………………………………………………………… i-ii
Certification……………………………………………………………………….. iii
Declaration
……………………………………………………………………….. iv
Dedication
………………………………………………………………………… v
Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………….vi-
vii
Table of
Contents…………………………………………………………………viii-ix
List of Tables
………………………………………………………………………x
Abstract
……………………………………………………………………………..xi
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
Introduction…………………………………………………………………..
1
1.1 Background
Information………………………………………………….1-3
1.2 Statement of
Problems…………………………………………………….4
1.3 Objective of the
Study……………………………………………………..4-5
1.4 Justification of the
Study………………………………………………….5
CHAPTER TWO
2.0
Literature Review…………………………………………………………… 6
2.1
Concept of Youths Participation in Rural Development……….6-8
2.2
Factors affecting Participation
Youths in Rural
Development…………………………………………8-10
2.3
Importance of Youths Participation
in Rural
Development………………………………………………… 10-11
2.4 Contributions of Youths to community
development and types of
contributions………………………………………
11-12
2.4.1
Educational Project……………………………………………
12
2.4.2
Water Project…………………………………………………………………13
2.5 Types of Rural Development
………………………………………… 13
2.5.1
Community development…………………………………………… 13
2.5.2
Agric Extension strategy …………………………………………… 13-14
2.5.3
Integrated Rural Community Development……………………… 14 Others – Health and electrification
projects…………………………….. 14
2.6 Influence of socio – economic
characteristics
On
participation in rural development……………………………
14-15
2.7 Theoretical
Concept…………………………………………………… 16
2.7.1 Functional Perspective
theory…………………………………… 16-17
2.7.2
Social change and social problem theory……………………… 17-18
Chapter Three
3.0
Methodology…………………………………………………………………… 19
3.1 Area of
Study………………………………………………………………. 19
3.2 Population
…………………………………………………………………… 19
3.3 Sampling and Sampling
Techniques……………………………… 19-21
Chapter Four
4.0 Results and
Discussions………………………………………………… 22
4.1 Personal Characteristics of the
respondents…………………… 22-24
4.2 Types of Rural Development
activities in the study area…. 25-27
4.3 Level of
Participation…………………………………………………… 28-
31
4.4 Youths perception in the study
area……………………………… 32-34
4.5 Constraints/Problems of youths in
the study area…………… 35-37
4.6 Levels of
contributions………………………………………………… 37-38
Chapter Five
5.0
Summary, Conclusion and Recommendation ………………….. 39
5.1
Summary……………………………………………………………………… 39
5.2
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………39-40
5.3 Recommendation
……………………………………………………… 40-41
References
……………………………………………………………….. 42-43
LIST OF
TABLES
4.1 Personal characteristics of
respondents………………………… 22-23
4.2 Types of rural development activities in
the study area…… 25-26
4.3 Level of participation of the youths in
the study area……… 29
4.4 Results of youths‟ perception in the
study area……………… 33-34
4.5 Constraints/problems of the youths in
the study area………36-37
4.5.1 Level of contributions/participation of youths in rural development in the study
area………………39
4.5.2 Types of contributions made to rural
development
project…………………………………………………39-40
CHAPTER
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
In the present scenario, youth has to play a prominent
role to provide leadership for the future and also in the implementation of the
developmental programmes. In order to create awareness among the youths about
their roles to be played in the society thereby enhancing their capabilities in
leading society towards development; National Reconstruction Corps (NRC) was
launched by the government of India as a pilot project in two phases covering
120 districts all over the country (Reddy,2004).
Youths are one of the greatest assets that any nation
can have (Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999), not only are they legitimately
regarded as future leaders; they are potential and actually the greatest
investment for a country‟s development. (Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999)
Around the world, greater engagements of youths and
communities are becoming feature to many governments both public and private
organization. Young people are expected to be involved and to have a say in the
business of government and the decisions of organization that affect their
interests. Many are concerned with two levels of development and youth
participation in planning and implementation of development activities in our
communities which have contributed to reduction in the trust in public and
private institutions. (Daily Trust October 2008).
Odebode (2000) reported that rural youths also
constitute a strong and very important labour force on development activities
of rural communities. Therefore, the youths participation in rural development
project is geared towards bringing an improvement in the standard of living of
the people and change in their attitudes, knowledge, behaviors and skills.
In recognition to all these, therefore drastic step
need to be taken to integrate the physically and mentally-active individuals
(youths) into developmental programmes or projects that take place in our rural
areas.
According to Nigeria‟s National Youth Developmental
Policy (2001), the youths comprises of all young persons of ages 18 to 35 who
are citizens of Federal Republic of Nigeria. This category represents, the most
active, the most volatile and yet the most vulnerable segment of the population.
The youth has also been viewed as a concept defined in an individual‟s life
which runs between the end of childhood and entry into world of work (Onuekwusi
and Effiong, 2002). People in this age bracket definitely constitute a sizeable
thick of the nation‟s population in which the burden of nation‟s building
falls. Any country that wants to embark on any meaningful rural development has
the youths as their resource base. Lagun (2002), observed that investment in
the youth is the only way to ensure the future growth and development of any
country. He also declares that increasing number of young people must be
trained and as quickly as possible to provide leadership in so many areas like
industries, government and rural development, agriculture etc. So many aspects
of their development should be put into consideration. It is required of these
youths to develop intellectually, morally, socially and with relevant skills to
face rapidly advancing technological world.
Youth‟s participation in rural development is very
essential as they have potential to contribute actively and productively in all
significant aspect of rural development including agriculture.
Therefore, youth participation in rural development must be enhanced
and further sustained as a necessary tool for ensuring rural and socioeconomic
development.
On the other hand, Ekong (2003) defined development as
a process of socio-economic changes involving the transformation of agrarian
society so as to reach a common set of development and goals which are based on
the capacity and needs of rural populace. In order words, rural development can
be said to mean results of conglomerate changes that occur when the living
standards of a given rural populace is improved.
1.2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Development of the rural areas has a lot of hitches as
it is not sustained. This has been as a result of bureaucracy in government
policies and sometimes not being committed to programme implementation. It is a
general observation that many of the youths in the rural areas, prior to their
youthful life tend to be satisfied with their earnings from agriculture in the
rural areas because there is little or no socio-economic pressure on them. They
however became less satisfied as more demand placed on their meager earnings
from agricultural activities could no longer sustain their livelihood.
(Torimiro and Oluborode 2006). This now will no doubt make the youths to pull
action from the urban centers where they could earn more and enjoy better
social infrastructure which are not available in the rural areas. The aged and
the unproductive ones in the rural areas will not face challenges of carrying
out this assignment (development) that are meant for the youths. This will now
bring out inefficiency and unproductiveness and, therefore, constitute a bane
to rural development project. (Torimiro and Oluborode, 2006)
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The broad objective of the study was to assess the
participation of youths in rural development projects in Old Akpabuyo Local
Government Area of Cross River State.
The specific objectives were to;
1.
identify the personal and socio-economic
characteristics of youths in the study area;
2.
identify the types of rural development projects
that youths are involved in the study area.
3.
assess the extent to participation of youths in
rural development projects in the study
area.
4.
ascertain the perception of youths towards rural
development projects in the study area and
5.
ascertain the constraints the youths encounter
in rural development projects in the study area.
1.4 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY
The justification of this research seeks to provide
pragmatic way of curbing youths ill-feeling towards participating in rural
development.
This research is also aimed at challenging the youths
in the study area on their inability to participate fully in harnessing the
resources in their locality not only to develop their area, but to live a
worthy life.
It will also offer practicable solutions to problems
youths encounter while participating in rural development. The study will
equally look at how to restore dignity not only in agriculture but in all other
aspects of rural development through youths‟ participation in the study
area.
There may be existing information in this research.
More will be added to that after this study. The Federal government, Cross
River State government, Non – Governmental Organizations (NGO) youth activists,
policy makers may also find it useful as a working guide.
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