CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1Background of the Study
The concept of community and Rural Development (CRD) as an alternative strategy to overall development of the economy, have become a world-wide acceptable phenomena in both developed and developing countries. Particularly during the last three decades, there is hardly any state policy or programmes that does not touch or have a direct bearing on the rural sector.
In Nigerian, present and past governments (central, state and local) level formulated a good numbers of policies and programes with rural focus and implications for improving rural life and the participation for rural people in National development and progress. Some examples will be mentioned and in chapter two of this research.
As noted by Abah (2000: 152) the dichotomy between urban and rural areas in terms of development can be traced back to the colonial days when Government Reservation Areas (GRAs) where established at various stations. When the urban Acts were used to seize local lands for white settlement and when the introduction of the capitalist mode of production ted to the designation of some settlements.
Like the rest of developing countries a bulk of the Nigerian wealth is derived from agriculture and oil which lies in abound quantity in rural communities. The percentage contribution of agriculture to gross domestic product steadily declined from 1972 due to the less attention paid to the rural sectoral development. (16% in 1970, to 15.7% in 1971 it becomes clear that despite our high level of urbanization, Nigeria remains largely rural. Thus, there is the realization that a dangerous gap exists in the development levels of both the urban and rural areas threatens the political and social stability of the country. Hence, the development of a country cannot be completed with the singular act of developing the urban areas at the detriment of the rural area, which supplies to the urban areas with food and labour.
Contemporarily, rural community development has become a national impetrative in Nigeria./ thus, the importance of rural community development in contemporary Nigeria society cannot be overemphasized, as much as it cannot be relegated to the background: as it’s significance stems from its recognized role in the process of achieving the improvement of economic, political, social and cultural conditions of the communities. Finally, rural community development is one of the major plank upon which national development policies and their implementation are hinged.
1.2State of the Problems
The goal of development planning in Nigeria is the achievement of rapid increase in the nations productive capacity with a view to improving the standards of living of the people. As it relates to rural areas, promotion of economic growth and the provision of social amenities to enhance the standards of living of the rural people (Abah, 2000:152).
Despite the efforts made in the past to effect development at the rural areas, the conditions of the rural dwellers have not improved, rather they have further deteriorated. As Idike A.A. citied in Abah (2000: 152) noted the rural areas, are areas of depression, degradation and deprivation, children with distended tummies and spindly legs are a common sight and both these children, their siblings and their parents are often oblivious of a better miler.
“The rural population constitutes the Nigeria peasantry, the Nigerian poor and the country’s largest illiterate groups. Their typology that Frautz Fanon referred to as “the wretched of the earth”, whose endless striving for survival has not been helped by low incomes, inadequate infrastructure, lack of industry and lack of innovations.
The major problems of rural community development in Nigerian are:
– Non-implementation of projects
– Leadership factors
– Insufficiency of financial resources
– Intra-and inter-communal Disputes
– Corruption
1.3Objectives of the Study
The main objective of this study is to find out the problems affecting effective development of Ukehe community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area. Specifically, the research is aimed at finding out:
1) To find out who plans community development projects in Ukehe
2) To find out the extent to which the projects being implemented in are in Ukehe line with the felt needs of the community members
3) To find out how the community development projects are financed in Ukehe.
4) To find out the major challenges affecting smooth implementation of community development projects in Ukehe
5) To Recommend ways and means of encouraging effective participation in community development.
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