TABLE
OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
1.1
Background
Of The Study
1.2
Statement
Of The Problem
1.3
Objective
Of The Study
1.4
Significance
Of The Study
1.5
Research
Questions
1.6
Statement
Of Hypothesis
1.7
Scope Of
The Study
1.8
Organization
Of The Study
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1
Conceptual Clarification
2.2 Review of Literature
2.2 Strategies for
Poverty Alleviation Programmes
2.3 Outstanding Problems and
Challenges of Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria/Lagos State
2.5 Policy Measure
2.6 Theoretical Framework
CHAPTER
THREE
RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
3.1
Research Design
3.2 Area of
the Study
3.3 Population
of the Study
3.4 Sampling Techniques
3.5 Sample
3.6 Instrumentation
3.7 Data
Collection Techniques
3.8
Method Of
Data Analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF
FINDINGS
4.1
Presentation of Data
4.2
Test of Hypotheses
4.3 Summary
of Findings
4.4
Discussion of Findings
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary
of the Study
5.2
Conclusion
5.3
Recommendations
REFERENCE
APPENDIX
CHAPTER
ONE
1.0
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The emphasis on development is geared more towards actualizing
the goal of a viable economy and the ends of development equitable
redistribution of incomes and effective utilization of resources for purposes
of securing a good quality of life for the citizens. The need for improvement
in living standards and the quality of life is thus considered against the
phenomenal increase in poverty levels in the less advanced countries where
resources and basic amenities are lacking or have not been properly utilized.
The inadequacies are revealed by the problems of lack of food, shelter,
adequate health facilities, access to education, low employment opportunities
and other social services which are symptomatic of the prevalence of poverty in
the society. The social disarticulations arising therefore are evidence by the
phenomenon of rural-urban drift with its attendant problems and effects on the
economy. Apart from the problem of unemployment, crimes, social ills. Poverty
is exhibited by deprivations on basic food items, poor eating habits, low
social values and its sanitary living conditions. The effect of poverty is that
it takes away the tools to build the blocks for the future life ‘chances’. Kanbur
(1987), assets that, it steals away the opportunity to have a life unmarked by
sickness, a decent education, a secure home and a long retirement.
The focus on poverty alleviation programmes applied
in this context relates to efforts made to reduce poverty and to stimulate
economic growth. Nigeria has over the years initiated several poverty
alleviation programmes at various levels of government but the contention is
that neither the programmes nor the strategies adopted so far to pursue them
have been fruitful but rather poverty remains pervasive.
A major interest of most researchers/writers on
development is to find out why the third world countries Asian, Latin American
and African Countries are still facing the problem of eradicating poverty despite
numerous poverty Alleviation Strategies that have been adopted to combat
poverty. In Nigeria and indeed Lagos State a number of programmes and
institutional organs have been established among which are NEPAD, NEEDS, SEEDS
and specialized credit institutions with a view to tackle the problem of
poverty within the economy. The difficulties encountered in the process of
implementation of Poverty Alleviation Strategies that have been adopted so far
has partially been responsible for low performance. There are regarded as being
more of remedial than providing terminal solutions to the problem. The
resultant effect is that the rural areas continue to contend with acute lack of
basic amenities such as good drinking water, electricity, motorable roads,
communication facilities enough educational and health institutions and other
infrastructural facilities. Increased poverty in urban and rural areas
encouraged the phenomenon of rural migration. The cities are now being
inundated with new comers without accommodations, work or employment who end up
living in squalid conditions. The circumstances of their living conditions
further increase tendencies to poverty, ill health, congestion and social ills.
Policy Analysts usually associate this migratory
tendency to factors of non availability of modern infrastructures such as
electricity, housing, efficient communication network, pipe-borne water and
other facilities which can attract young people from the rural to urban areas.
For this study poverty alleviation as a strategy for economic development is
seen as a process of improving the people with the necessity of life which
leads to the improvement of economic activities, social, political condition
and to raise standard of living and reduce poverty. The interest of this
research work is to make a carefully study of some strategies adopted by
successive government in Nigeria and to find out if these strategies has
contributed to the reduction of poverty and increase economic development in
Nigeria and particularly in Lagos State.
1.1
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The Nigerian economy began to experience severe
recession from the early 1980’s and as a result of which she degenerated from a
middle level income and expanding industrial base to become one of the poorest
nations in the world (CBN, 2001). This has caused various governments in the
past to adopt various poverty alleviation strategies to tackle the problem of
poverty, such strategies include among others, Better Life for Rural Dwellers
Programmes (BLP) Family Support Programme (FSP) Family Economy Advancement
Programme (FEAP) etc. Despite the core poverty alleviation programmes and other
programmes with mandate for poverty pervasive, the rural areas are still
confronted with problem of poverty, malnutrition, diseases, ignorance,
illiteracy, low employment, lack of basic infrastructure, exodus movement of
people from rural areas to urban cities. This appear to cast doubt as to
whether these poverty alleviation strategies have been properly implemented or
has make any significant impact on the poor and enhance economic development.
The failure of these strategies to achieve their
goals for individuals and the society at large in Nigeria and indeed Lagos
State has continued to plague the minds of policy makers. The evidence is in
the poor conditions of roads, lack of electricity, water supply, living in
slums, poor households face food security before harvest time and are limited
to starch-based diets, state food and left over. The consequences of this
conditions is that it has militated against the rapid development of the rural
areas, as most of the able body men who could have stayed to develop the rural
areas, now move to the urban cities in search of jobs, good education, good
health facilities. This in turn has caused the urban areas, to be more densely
populated and devoid of much need to meet the requirement of the new entrance.
This undue influx of immigrants has contributed to the growing economic strain
on the city as evidence by inflationary trends, unemployment and high cost of
living, in some cases, this congestion has led to out break of epidermis, high
mortality rate, poor sanitary conditions, increase crime rate and other social
ills.
Studies conducted in different countries have tried
to identify the poor, for instance, most studies conclude that about 90% of the
poor people in Third World today are to be found in Brazil, Central America,
China, Indo-China, Mongolla, South Asia and Sub-Sahara Africa. But poverty is
not a phenomenon exclusive to Third World Countries. In a comparative study of
some advanced industrialized countries, Atkinson (1975) concludes that in the
United States, the poor include the aged (over 65 years) minority racial groups
and those living in urban slums.
The growing incidence and the dynamics of poverty
in Nigeria have stratified and polarized Nigerian society between the haves and
the have not, between the north and south, between the educated and the
uneducated, poor parents beget poor children creating a kind of dynasty of the
poor. The resulting tensions and social conflicts have eroded the fabric that
held society together.
It is against this background that this research
study is being carried out in order to find out the extent to which these
strategies have enhanced economic development and improved standard of living.
Using some rural development indices such as poverty reduction, employment
opportunities etc.
The interest of this research is to find out if
these strategies have actually solved problems like poverty, lack of employment
and economic development of the rural people.
1.2
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
This research is being undertaken for several
reasons. The general objective of the study is to determine the impact of
poverty alleviation programmes as a strategy for economic development with
particular reference to Lagos State more specifically, the objectives are;
(1)
To
highlight the essence of the poverty alleviation with economic growth strategy
and the rationality of investing in people.
(2)
To provide
background information and assess the effectiveness of the various strategies
adopted for poverty alleviation.
(3)
To assess
policy implications as well as challenges militating against poverty
strategies.
1.3 SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
The findings of this study will be very useful to
governments, individual, non-governmental organization (NGO’s).
The study has the potential of providing effective
relief from the immediate deprivation suffered by poor households in respect of
basic necessities such as nutrition, healthcare, schooling, housing and
portable water.
The study is also intended to integrate the poor
more fully into the development process so that they can continue to improve
their situations. Also, an identifying premium will be placed on labour –
intensive projects and those that enhance productivity performance and improve
the earning capacity of the poor.
Lastly the study is primarily to encourage NGO’s to
participate in all stages of the development process in their chosen field from
designing policy and decision making to implementation and evaluation.
1.4
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following questions have been raised to address the problems of this
research work:
i.
Does
poverty alleviation programmes have any influence on economic development in
Lagos State?
ii.
To what
extent has credit facilities and skill acquisition trainings reduce poverty?
iii.
How does
the strategy for poverty alleviation programme affect availability of
employment opportunity?
1.5 STATEMENT
OF HYPOTHESIS
The following hypotheses are formulated and would be tested in the
study:
v Hypothesis
One:
H0: There is no significant relationship between the degree of poverty
alleviation programmes and economic development.
H1: There is a significant relationship between the degree of poverty
alleviation programmes and economic development.
v Hypothesis
Two:
H0: There is no significant relationship between the provision of credit
facilities to micro-enterprises and skill acquisition trainings and poverty
alleviation.
H1: There is a significant relationship between the provision of credit
facilities to micro-enterprises and skill acquisition trainings and poverty
alleviation.
v Hypothesis
Three:
H0: There is no significant relationship between the degree of poverty
alleviation programme and the availability of employment opportunities.
H1: There is a significant relationship between the degree of poverty
alleviation programme and the availability of employment opportunities.
1.6 SCOPE
OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study is limited to three local
government areas in Lagos State. These LGA’s include , Mushin, Ikorodu and Epe
Local Government Areas. Those LGA were chosen because of the cost implication
of carrying out a study on poverty alleviation programme that will cover the
entire state. Therefore findings from the sample LGA’s will allow for a wider
generalization due to their peculiarity of under-development in the State.
The study is limited to the role of poverty
alleviation programmes as a strategy for economic development.
1.7 ORGANIZATION
OF THE STUDY
The following is the
brief outline of what the study will look like. Chapter one will be the general introduction of the study; its
background, statement of problem, objective, significance and scope of the
study. It also contains the research questions and research hypothesis as well
as conceptual clarification. Chapter two
will be the review or related literature and theoretical framework of the study
while chapter three will focuses on
research design and methodology, sampling techniques or procedure, research
instrumentation and techniques of data analysis. Presentation of data, tests of
hypotheses and discussion of findings will be covered in chapter four while chapter
five will concludes the study with
summary of findings, recommendations and conclusion.
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