ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the effects of National Directorate of Employment (NDE) programmes on youth empowerment in Imo State, Nigeria. Specifically the study described the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, ascertained the level of participation, determined the extent of regularity of conduct of the programme, ascertained the extent of empowerment and engagement in livelihood strategies, assessed perceived organizational factors influencing youth participation and factors militating against effective operation. A multistage random sampling technique was employed to select a sample size of 240 respondents from the programme area. Where 60 respondents each were selected from each NDE programmes via; National and Vocational skill, small scale and graduate enterprise, rural and agricultural and special public works development programme). Data collection was through the use of structured questionnaire and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The finding showed that the respondant had a mean age of 32 years, mean household size of 4 persons, 58.33% were females, 61.25% of them were married, while 43.75% had tertiary education. The result of the regularity of conduct was positive with grand mean of score of 2.5. The result also showed low level of participation of youths in National vocational skill development program me ( = 2.61), and showed low level in; small scale enterprise development programme ( =2.36), Rural and Agricultural development programme ( =2.42) and Special public works development programme ( =2.02) because they fall below the cut-off point of 2.5. The perception of youths towards NDE programme had grand mean of 3.0. The livelihood strategies gained includes; employment opportunity for household members ( =3.75), improved standard of living ( =3.55), training on modern farming techniques ( =3.37), loan/credits acquired ( =3.53), availability of food for household ( =3.49), self-employed ( =3.16). The multiple regression result showed that the coefficient of linkage to relevant partners, product-market linkage, and assets/equipment were significant at 1%, while improvement in technical knowledge was significant at 5%. Skill acquired and transport allowance influenced respondents’ empowerment strategies at 10% level of significant. A significant difference existed between the income of the respondents before NDE programme intervention and their income after NDE programme intervention at 5% level of significance with the mean difference of 38325. Furthermore, the Probit regression result showed that age was negative and at 5% significant level, educational level was positive at 5%, household size and transportation were negative and significant 10% levels of probability and influenced participation in the NDE programmes in the study area. Lack of fund was the highest problem that affects the youth’s participation and effective operations of the programme. The study concluded that NDE programmes have significant effects on youth empowerment in Imo state. The study recommends among others that youth should participate in NDE programmes and sensitization of different trade/skills under each NDE programme be made and the adequate fund be given to National Directorate of Employment Programme in Imo state.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Declaration ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of Contents vii
List of Tables xi
List of Figure xii
Abstract xiii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Background
Information 1
1.2 Statement
of the Problem 4
1.3 Research
Questions 6
1.4 Objectives
of the Study 7
1.5 Hypotheses
of the Study 7
1.6 Justification
of the Study 8
1.7 Scope
of the Study 9
1.8 Operational Definition of Terms 9
CHAPTER 2:
LITERATURE REVIEW 11
2.1 The
Concept of Evaluation 12
2.1.1 Types of
evaluation 13
2.1.2 Stages
of evaluation 14
2.1.3 Element
of evaluation 15
2.1.5 Evaluation
framework 16
2.1.6 Evaluation
question 16
2.1.7 Focus of
evaluation 17
2.1.8 Evaluation
scope 18
2.1.9 Evaluation
from the unemployed youth’s point of view 19
2.1.10 Models
of programme evaluation 19
2.2 Concept of National Directorate of Employment
(NDE) Programmes 20
2.2.1 Origin
of national directorate of employment 20
2.2.2 Pattern
of historical development 22
2.2.3 The
objectives and mandate of the NDE 22
2.2.4 Organizational
structures of NDE 23
2.2.5 National
directorate of employment programmes 26
2.2.5.1
National youth empowerment and vocational skills development
programme.
26
2.2.5.2 Small scale enterprises and graduate
employment programme 28
2.2.5.3 Rural development and agricultural training
programme 30
2.2.6 National
directorate of employment and job creation 31
2.2.7 The NDE
maintenance of data bank on employment and vacancies 35
2.2.8 Funding
of national directorate of employment 38
2.3 The
Concept of Youth 40
2.3.1 Conceptualizing
unemployment and youths unemployment 42
2.3.1.1 Unemployment 42
2.3.1.2 Types of unemployment 42
2.3.2 The
State of youth unemployment in Nigeria 43
2.3.3 Causes of youths unemployment in Nigeria 44
2.3.4
The concept of empowerment and youth
empowerment 45
2.3.5 Elements of empowerment 46
2.3.6
Youth empowerment 47
2.4 Theoretical
Framework 47
2.4.1 Modernization
theory 48
2.4.2 Social
development theory 50
2.4.3 Economic
theory of social change 51
2.4.4 Sustainable
livelihood approach 52
2.5 Conceptual Framework for the Study 53
CHAPTER 3:
METHODOLOGY 56
3.0 Research
Methodology 56
3.1 Study
Area 57
3.2 Study
Population 59
3.3 Sample
and Sampling Procedure 59
3.4 Method
of Data Collection 59
3.4.1 Validity
of instrument 59
3.4.2 Reliability
of variables 60
3.5 Measurement of Variables 60
3.6 Data
Analysis 61
3.7 Model
Specification 62
3.8 Hypotheses
Testing 63
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS
AND DISCUSSION 66
4.1 Socio-Economic
Characteristics of the Respondents 66
4.1.1 Age of
respondents 68
4.1.2 Sex of
respondents 68
4.1.3 Marital
status 69
4.1.4 Educational
qualification 69
4.1.5 Household
size 70
4.1.6 Occupation 70
4.1.7 Estimated monthly income from NDE programme
intervention 71
4.2
Level of Participation of Youth in
the Different Trades/Skills of
the
NDE
Programme 72
4.2.1 National vocational skills development
programme (NVSDP) 73
4.2.2 Small scale enterprise development programme 73
4.2.3
Rural and agricultural development
programme 74
4.2.4 Special public works development programme 75
4.3 Extent of Regularity of Conduct of NDE
Different
Skills/Trades and Programmes 77
4.3.1
Extent of regularity of conduct of
different trades/skills under SSEDP 78
4.3.2
Extent of regularity of conduct of
different trades/skills under NSVDP 78
4.3.3
Extent of regularity of conduct of
different trades/skills under RADP 79
4.3.4 Extent of regularity of conduct of different trades/skills under
SPWDP 79
4.4 Youths’
Perception in NDE Programme 80
4.5 The Extent of Youths Empowerment by
the NDE Pogramme 82
4.6 Youths’
Engagement in Livelihood Activities/Strategies Based on
the
NDE Programmes they Participated in. 84
4
4.6
4.7 Perceived Organizational Factors Influencing Effective Operations by
NDE Programme Facilitators and Factors
Affecting Participation of
the Youths. 85
4.7.1 Perceived Factors Influencing Participation by the Youths. 85
4.7.2 Perceived
organizational related factors influencing effective
operations
of NDE activities by the facilitators 87
4.8. Hypotheses testing 89
4.8.1 Hypothesis 1 89
4.8.2 Hypothesis 2 91
4.8.3 Hypothesis 3 92
CHAPTER 5:
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary 95
5.2 Conclusion 98
5.3 Recommendations 99
References
Appendices
LIST
OF TABLES
4.1:
Distribution of respondents according
to their socio-economic
characteristics 67
4.2: Distribution according to the level of
participation of youths in the
selected NDE programmes 72
4.3: Results
of the extent at which the different skills/trades offered under
NDE programme were carried out in
Imo state. 77
4.4: Distribution according to the extent NDE
programmes empowered the
youths. 80
4.5:
Distribution
according to the extent NDE programmes empowered the youths. 82
4.6: Youths
engagement in livelihood activities/strategies based on the
NDE programmes intervention 84
4.7:
Distribution according to the factors
influencing
participation in NDE programmes 85
4.8: Distribution
according to the factors militating against the effective
operation of NDE programmes 87
4.9: Result
of the multiple regression analysis of the relationship between
income in the NDE programmes and the empowerment of
the youths
in
the study area 89
4.10:
Test of significant difference between the income level of NDE programme
beneficiaries before and after
intervention. 91
4.11: Probit
regression analysis showing the relationship between the level
of participation in the NDE
programme and some factors influencing
participation .93
LIST
OF FIGURES
1: Affiliation between the four major
elements of evaluation by
Ajayi,
(2005). 15
2: Organogram
of National Directorate of Employment. 25
3: Schematic presentation of the
evaluative framework for the study. 53
4: Map
of Imo state showing the 27 Local Government
Area in the State 58
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
The Nigeria economy has undergone critical
structural variations which resulted to structural alterations without any
significant sustainable economic growth and progress to ensure adequate
employment and empowerment opportunity for her youths. This led to the introduction
of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in 1986. The main objective of the
economic structural reform was a total restructuring of the Nigerian economy in
the face of population increase (National Population Commission, 2011) .
Okafor (2010),
noted that youth unemployment across the world has gotten excessive pinnacle
and is on the increase. International Labour Organization (ILO), (2013), stated
that in Sub-Sahara Africa, youth population was appraised at 138 million in
2002-2003, with 28.9 million or 21 percent of them unemployed. Moreover, youth
unemployment in Africa has a geographical dimension as it is generally higher
in the urban areas than in rural area with several factors such as low economic
growth, low investment, low economic activity and lack of credible jobs, accounting
for high youth unemployment rate in Africa. These related factors contribute to
low job creation and because of continued population growth the small labour
market is incompetent to absorb the resulting crowd of job seekers in Nigeria
(Onuekwusi, 2011).
Furthermore, in
developing countries such as Nigeria, governments and policy makers are
increasingly finding it challenging to grapple successfully with youth unemployment.
This high rate of youth unemployment can be censured on the lack of adequate
provision for job creation in the National development plans, the ever
expanding educational growth and the desperate desire on the part of youths to
acquire university education irrespective of course and course contents. As a
result, a number of skills acquired from the university appear dysfunctional
and irrelevant (Okafor, 2011).
The author also
noted that, today’s youth will in some decades become parents, future leaders,
rce, etc. unfortunately, these Nigerian youths are said to be confronted
with lack of empowerments, poverty, lack
of capacity and skills needed to move the economy forward. This is because the
youths faces unemployment and lacked necessary productive skills to participate
in national development and economic growth.
A national survey jointly sponsored by National
University Commission (NUC) and the Education Trust Fund(ETF) in 2004 which sought to determine the labour
market needs, revealed that 44 percent of the 20 organizations rated Nigerian
science graduates as average in competence, 56 percent rated them as average in
innovation, and 50 percent rated them average in rational judgment. Also 63
percent was rated as average in leadership skills and 44 percent as average in
creativity. But in skills like literacy, oral communication, information
technology, entrepreneurship, analytical problem-solving and decision making
had 60 percent which was rated as being poor. By any standard, the above
statistics reflect the poor state of Nigerian university graduates and further
buttress the argument that Nigerian university graduates are unemployable and
lack necessary empowerment strategies (Okafor, 2011).
As a result of this, the lack of
employment potential makes crime a more attractive option for some Nigerian
university graduates. This is because in Nigeria it is common to find some
graduates still roaming the streets, five years after graduating in search of
jobs hence, lending force to crimes such as armed robbery, car snatching,
pipeline vandalization, oil bunkering, and prostitution among the youths. This
situation poses great challenges to the very existence of individuals in
Nigeria thus the need for calling for the training and empowerment of men and
women who can function effectively in the society in which they live in (Okafor,
2010).
Youth development and empowerment have
been recognized as vital stages in life for building the human capital that
allows young people to avoid poverty and live better, and possibly have a more
fulfilling life. The human capital formed in youth is thus an important
determinant of long term growth that a nation can invest and rely on. Effiong
and Onuekwusi, (2002) confirmed that well preparation of youths for future is
enormously important to the course of poverty reduction and growth. However,
with the onset of global recession and consequent economic difficulties in the
1980s, the magnitude and structure of unemployment changed fundamentally in
Nigeria. In 1985, for instance the national employment rate was 8.5%, a
situation which raised alarming signal. This development was extremely
disturbing for the government, considering the socio-political implication as
well as economic wastage that would result (Federal Bureau of Statistics, 2008).
In order to reduce unemployment, poverty
and hunger in Nigeria, the Federal Government of Nigeria, adopted a
multi-sectoral approach as an initiative through the implementation of the
Nigeria Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) as well as Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) targeted at reducing extreme hunger and poverty by 50
percent by the year 2015 (NEEDS,2005). This is because comparatively,
unemployment rates in Nigeria for the decades of the 60s and 70s were averagely
about 2% and 4.5% respectively. These rates were considered both physically and
economically sustainable and a characteristic of full employment (NEEDS, 2005).
It is worthy of note that the Federal Government
of Nigeria has made efforts towards curbing this high rate of youth lack of empowerment.
For instance, in March 1986, the Federal Government constituted a committee
headed by Mrs. S. O. Chukwuma to work
out strategies for dealing with the problem of unemployment especially among
youths. The acceptance of the committee’s report by the Federal Government led
to the establishment of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) and based
on it, the NDE was inaugurated in November 1986. Then, its initial core
programmes were formally launched in January 1987. NDE is presently found in all
the states in Nigeria including the federal capital, Abuja (National Directorate
of Employment 2005).
In view of the
above issues, this study is designed to evaluate the effects of the four core
programmes designed by NDE for youths’ empowerment and job creation. The
programmes are;
1. National
Youth Employment and Vocational Skills Development Programme,
2. Small
Scale Industries and Graduate Employment Programme
3. Agricultural
Sector and Rural Development Employment
Programme
4. Special
Public Works Development Programme
.
1.2 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
Despite Nigeria’s rich endowment with
abundant natural, physical, and human resources, the incidence of youth
unempowerment and unemployment is increasingly very high (Adebisi &Oni,
2012). The Nigeria Government has implemented various programmes and strategies
to help cope and eradicate unempowerment especially among the teaming youths in
Nigeria (Anyadike, 2012). Nwosu and Okringbo, (2016) opined that many human capacity development
programmes in Nigeria, such as National Directorate of Employment (NDE),
Operation Feed the Nation (OFN), Family Support Program (FSP), have failed as a
result of the failure to effectively involve the youths in the programme,
whether at the conceptualization, planning or implementation stage. The
authors further stated that the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has
continued to reform and amend its programmes in order to create solution to its
problems, in consideration of job creations, and empowerment in Nigeria,
particularly among the teaming youths which is yet to be achieved because of their inability to effectively involve the
target audience “youths” at various stages of such programmes.
However, Akande, (2005) revealed that in
the area of youth empowerment, NDE has shown dearth of information on the
effect of the NDE programmes in Nigeria (Imo state inclusive). Hence, evaluation
of the effect of NDE programmes on youth empowerment in Imo state, therefore,
is a means to improve the quality and relevance of the programmes, their
implementation and to identify reorientation to the programmes that may be
needed to ensure the achievement of the original goals.
Empowerment especially among youths helps
to promote the concept of self –help, community capitals that enable the
development of community-led service provision that can be more sensitive and
responsive to community needs (Adeyemi, 2005). Youth unemployment in Nigeria
has become pertinent and difficult and this have prevented youths from complete
realization of their full potentials (Akunde, 2006).
Agbarevo and Age (2013), revealed that the
greatest impediment to youth empowerment and alleviation of rural poverty
appear to be lack of credits, poor or absence of infrastructure, lack of
entrepreneurial and technical skills. This explains why Nwosu and Okringbo (2016), referred to
developmental programmes as a critical factor for youth empowerment. For National Directorate of Employment
Programmes on youth empowerment in Imo State, Nigeria, it is expected that the
programme will serve as a catalyst towards empowering, sensitizing, and
mobilizing the rural and urban youths toward active participation if given the
opportunity and also improve their standard of living.
Onuekwusi (2006), in his study stressed that
lack of empowerment among youths in Nigeria is awful and have increased the
poverty and unemployment level among youths in Nigeria. This bad situation has been attributed to the
annual mass production of graduates from tertiary institutions, colleges and
secondary without commensurate creation of jobs and empowerment strategies for
them (Aina and Olabisi, 2013).
Evaluating the effects of the NDE
programmes also tend to ascertain the effects the programmes had made on youths
(beneficiaries); the level of participations of youths on each of the NDE
programmes and the livelihood opportunities created by NDE programmes in
regards to its empowerments and development programmes with a view to improve
the standard of living of youths in Imo state.
However, what remained un-answered are; the
reasons for the failure of these programmes?, which of these programmes and
strategies have addressed the situation and why is the rate of lack of empowerment
among youths still high? The answer to these questions were ascertained
through proper evaluation of the effects of these programmes on the target
audience or the beneficiaries, hence this research critically evaluated the
effects of the NDE programmes on youth empowerment in Imo state, Nigeria.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In addressing the problem of evaluating
the effect of NDE programmes in Imo state, this research work poses and seeks
answer to the following questions;
1. what
are the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents?
2. what
is the level of participation of the youth in each programme?
3. To
what extent were the regularity of conduct of NDE programmes executed in the
study area?
4. what
are the perceptions of the respondents towards NDE programmes in the area?
5. To
what extent has the NDE programmes empowered the youths in the area
6. To
what extent were the youth engaged in livelihood activities /strategies
acquired as a result of NDE programme intervention?
7.
what are the perceived
factors influencing participation and the effective operation of NDE proramme
in Imo State?
1.4 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This study evaluated the effects of
National Directorate of Employment (NDE) programmes on youth empowerment in Imo
state, Nigeria.
The specific objectives of the study were
to;
i.
describe the
socio-economic characteristics of youths participating in NDE programmes in the study
area,
ii.
ascertain the level of
participation of youths in NDE programme in the study area,
iii.
ascertain the extent of
the regularity of conduct ofNDE skill/trades and programmes executed in the
study area,
iv.
ascertain the perception
of youths towards the NDE programmes in the study area,
v.
access the extent NDE
programmes empowered the youths in the study area.
vi.
ascertain the extent of
youths engagement in livelihood activities/strategies of NDE programme
interventions; and
vii.
access perceived
organisational factors influencing the
effective operations of the programme and factors affecting participation
of NDE programmes by the youths in the
study area.
1.5 HYPOTHESES OF THE STUDY
The following hypotheses were tested.
H01: Selected empowerment
strategies of NDE did not significantly influence the income of the
beneficiaries.
H02:
There is no significant difference between the income level of NDE programme
beneficiaries before and after NDE programme intervention.
H03:
There is no significant relationship between level of participation in the NDE
programmes and some factors influencing participation.
1.6 JUSTIFICATION FOR THE STUDY
National Directorate of Employment since
its onset in Imo state had trained and still training youths in different
skills/trades under the four core programmes of the directorate across the
state. The major aim of the numerous training is to equip the youths and as
well empower the youths to be self-reliance, create job opportunities, reduce
unemployment and improve their living standard but to ascertain if these
aims/objectives had been achieved justified the need for critical evaluation of
the effects of the NDE programme on youth empowerment in Imo state.
Evaluation studies justify or debunk the
criticism of a programme and show the true view of the programme. Since the
establishment of NDE in Imo state, they have trained and is still training
youths in different skills/trades under their four core programmes across the
state. The major aim of these numerous trainings is to equip the youths to be
self-reliance, reduce unemployment by job creations and thus, improve their
standard of living. But the need to ascertain whether these aims/objectives of
the NDE had been achieved, justifies this study. This study was able to identify possible
areas of weaknesses and strength of NDE programme, adduced reasons why the
weaknesses exist and suggested proven recommendations for dealing with the
problems.
From the empirical perspective, this study
provides a thorough review of the performance of the beneficiaries of the NDE
programmes and its constituents with emphasis on capturing the effects that
have been achieved in terms of economic and improvement of the living standard
of the beneficiaries.
This evaluation also captured the
followings; need for improve monitoring
for better results, identify strength and weakness to strengthen the NDE
programme, help to improve effectiveness of the programme in terms of changes
or differences made in the lives of the beneficiaries, generate information for
planning of activities and management of the programme
Apart from providing empirical evidence,
this study could be of immense assistance to government and its agencies, rural
development workers, extension workers, community developers, leaders, NGOs,
multi-national oil companies, volunteers, international organisations and all
other bodies/persons directly and indirectly interested with the research
topic. From the theoretical perspectives, the study provides relevant
quantitative and qualitative data and support existing literature. As such, it
is a reliable reference material to students, scholars and researchers involved
in similar or related research works.
1.7 SCOPE
OF THE STUDY
The
scope of this study was limited to Imo State, Nigeria due to the researchers’
interest to ascertain empirical data on youth empowerment in the state. The
study focused on the evaluation of the effects of National Directorate of
Employment Programmes on youth empowerment in Imo state. This was achieved
through sampling the youths that participated in different trades offered by
NDE programmes, identifying their awareness of the NDE packages, ascertain the
extent the programmes were carried out, level of participations of the youths, perception
of the youths towards the programmes, livelihood strategies as a result of NDE
intervention, etc. The study equally assessed the effects of the programme on
youth empowerment in Imo state, Nigeria.
1.8 OPERATIONAL
DEFINITION OF VARIABLES
For
clarity, the meaning of the key variables in this study were operationalized as
follows;
Participation:
this means the involvement or engagement of the youths in the NDE programme.
Effects: this is the
immediate outcome of the NDE programme on empowerment of the participants.
Youths: refers to young male and female within the
age bracket of eighteen and thirty-five (NBS, 2010) but the context of youths
in this work covers the age bracket between 18 to 45years, this is because NDE
trains and empower people up to this age.
Empowerment:
is the establishment of livelihood strategy and development of capacities to participate in,
practice in, negotiate with, influence, control and hold a tangible job or be
employed such that the persons’ earning improves standard of living.
Livelihood:
means assets, activities, work one
is doing, skill, knowledge or trade gained or acquired which one depend on for
sustaining ones living.
Employment:
refers to work done to earn money for a living or be enrolled in a paid job.
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