CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                          INTRODUCTION

1.1            BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Nigeria has one of the greatest development potentials in Africa given the vastness of her resources and above all her rich human resource endowment. But regardless of these potentials Nigeria is still among the poorest countries of the world. The economy is mired by multiple difficulties. On the basis of widespread economic crisis, and the recent global economic meltdown, the country is unable to raise the standard of living of its citizens to an appreciable height. Thus poverty, in both absolute and relative terms, constitutes one of the most serious problems confronting Nigeria. Statistically, between 1960 and 1980, the poverty level covered about 28.0 percent of the population; by 1996 it rose alarmingly to about 66 percent of the population (Aliju, 2001).According to the United Nation Development Program Human Development Report (2008-2009) which combined such components as; level of inequality, life expectancy at birth, standard of living and access to knowledge, and education, between 2004 and 2009 poverty in Nigeria has worsened from 0.43 to 0.49. This shows that despite its vast resources, Nigeria ranks among the 25 poorest countries of the world. In fact, poverty has been a serious challenge to governments in Nigeria. Its effect, which includes lack and deprivation in the basic necessities of life, is worrisome. Poverty humiliates and dehumanizes its victim Ukpong (1996). To this end government and people in authority almost always strive to ensure that adequate structural programs are enshrined to see that poverty if not eradicated, is reduced to the barest minimum. Poverty alleviation strategies ranging from Operation Feed the Nation of 1978, the Green Revolution of 1982, the Directorate of Foods Roads and Rural Infrastructures DFFRI, the National Directorate for Employment NDE, Poverty Alleviation Program PAP, the National Poverty Eradication Program, NAPEP up to the Seven – Point Agenda were all attempts made by various governments in the country in order to curb the menace of poverty. Therefore, given this background analysis, the paper critically examines the problems and prospects of achieving a remarkable reduction in Nigeria’s poverty profile through policy harmonization of all poverty alleviation programs in Nigeria for effective implementation.

Outright poverty is a condition when a person does not have the minimum amount of income needed to meet the minimum requirement for one or more basic living needs over an extended period of time. This include: toilet facility, health care, food, shelter, education etc. (study.com 2018).

Similarly, relative poverty is the condition where household income is a certain percentage below median incomes. For example the threshold for relative poverty could be set at 50% of median incomes (60%).  Nigeria is a blessed country, but ironically, it thrive in a state of abject poverty. Its citizens are actually hungry and struggling to make ends meet in the midst of plenty. The country has created a narrow and fragile economic base due to its over dependence on the export of crude oil; which has left the government unable to cater for its people.

A couple of factors have caused poverty in Nigeria, whereby both the government and citizens are guilty of these, they are; low performance of economic growth, violence and crime, poor governance, disease and ill health, debt burden, etc. (Nigeria finders, 2015).

According to the National Bureau of Statistics in 2004, 54.7% of Nigerians were living in poverty and as at 2010, 60.9% of Nigerians were living in absolute poverty. A rising in this trend was also predicted. Even though Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil producer, the sector has been destroyed by accusations of corruption (BBC News, 2012).

Despite Nigeria’s numerous resources, it ranks among the most unequal countries in the world, according to the United Nations. There is a stark contrast of poverty in the north to the more developed southern state but in the south-south, the wealth they generate flows up the pipeline to Abuja and Lagos.

 1.2      STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The Nigerian State had been hit by the twin problems of poverty and under-development. This may be attributed to a number of factors, some of which are mismanagement of human and material resources, indiscipline, the lack of political will by the government of the country, beginning from the post-independence and present day Nigeria. Rather than tackle development and poverty alleviation in the society, our policy makers or if you like, politicians have appeared to have converted leadership positions and public offices into avenues of squander mania, embezzlement, corruption, money laundering abroad, to the neglect of the suffering people and development. As a result of these underdevelopment and poverty in the land, the country has woken up to witness such anti-social activities and vices like armed robbery, cultism, drug trafficking, prostitution, child labor and trafficking, ritual killings, political thugery and assassinations, etc. This phenomenon has left the country highly underdeveloped socially, economically and technologically. This has created a situation of mass graduate unemployment and other social vices articulated from the foregoing. Highly skilled trained manpower and infrastructure facilities are either under-utilized or non-existent. The various government programs aimed at eradicating or alleviating poverty have not stood the test of time, as they have not actually impacted positively on the people.

1.3     OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of this studies is to critically analyze the role of the government towards poverty alleviation in the country. The objectives are:

1        To find out the various poverty alleviation programs of government made on the lives of rural dwellers since the 1970s?

2        To discover the alleviation program package that would best be suited and easily implementable at the rural level, where the majority of Nigerians live?

3        To find out linkage between poverty alleviation program, living conditions of the people and rural development?

4        To investigate the factors that affect rural development and rural/urban poverty?

1.4RESEARCH QUESTIONS

5        What impact has the various poverty alleviation programs of government made on the lives of rural dwellers since the 1970s?

6        What poverty alleviation program package would best be suited and easily implementable at the rural level, where the majority of Nigerians live?

7        What is the linkage between poverty alleviation program, living conditions of the people and rural development?

8        What other factors affect rural development and rural/urban poverty?

1.5     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY        

This investigation will look critically at the effect of poverty on the citizens and the function of the government on mitigation. Other researchers will find the work useful as it is a base for future research work.

Finally it will also contribute positively to the field of knowledge, especially the field which this research is directed.