CHAPTER ONE
- INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The background of the study is the development of rural areas in Imo State.
World Bank in its policy paper (1975:3-5), sees rural development as a strategy designed to improve the economic and social life of the rural people”. It also sees rural development as an economic issue which is based on “raising the low level of rural income through agricultural modernization”. Thus, the World Bank is of the view that economic increased productivity and production would lead to increase income and subsequently entire rural development.
According to Olayide (1981:203), rural development can be defined as a process whereby concerted efforts are made in order to facilitates significant increase in rural resources productivity with the central objectives of enhancing rural income.
Umebali (2002:182) in his own definition sees rural development as a process of planned changes for which one approach or the other is adopted for improvement and or transformation of rural populace”. It is also concern with improvement of life living standards of the low income population living in the rural areas on a self sustaining basis through transformation of the socio-economic, socio-spatial structures of their productive activities.
In the view of Richard (1984:116), the plight of the rural sector is an indictment of decades of neglect especially under the colonial rule. The officials emphasis being on the promotions of metropolitan commercial interest notably export production and evaluation. It involves the rational mobilization of the locally available human and material resources for socio-economic development, special change and growth within a specified space.
Moreso, rural development is considered as an integral part and driving force of the entire development process. It basically connotes qualitative improvement of the rural masses. It involves the rational mobilization of the locally available human and material resources for socio-economic development, spatial change and growth within a specified space seen in totality rural development embraces, social, cultural, economic, physical and political aspects of the ruralities.
Large-scale manufacturing has been the main thrust of Imo State development program over time. However is being wisely acknowledged that rural development should be the center piece for effective short and long run development of any country such as Imo State. Both the federal and state government on one hand and general public on the other hand attest to the fact through their efforts towards the development of Imo state.
From the fore-going, therefore it is clear that the government and people of the country now attach much importance to rural development. It is therefore, the need to achieve integrated rural development Visa-Visa national development that prompted the study with the objective of determining the role of the establishment of Imo state Oil producing Area and development commission (ISOPADEC) in the rural areas can play in this regards.
- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It becomes imperative that Imo State oil producing area and development commission programs be given a tares trial in over search for a “messiah strategy”. Thus the study aims as addressing the problems of searching to the best development plan by finding out and analyzing the benefit of ISOPADEC with view of determining their relevance in rural development and ultimately natural development
These problems are:
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