ASSESSMENT OF NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF EMPLOYMENT (NDE) IN POVERTY REDUCTION IN EBONYI STATE A STUDY OF AFIKPO NORTH L.G. AREA

ASSESSMENT OF NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF EMPLOYMENT (NDE) IN POVERTY REDUCTION IN EBONYI STATE A STUDY OF AFIKPO NORTH L.G. AREA

​​​​​​​BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

There is empirical data to imply that poverty and unemployment are a major worry for policymakers in many developing nations. This is crucial in light of the World Bank's prediction that Sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) economic growth rate will barely outpace population increase during the 1990s. In comparison to Asia and Latin America, her economic growth rate has not improved in recent years (World Bank 2017).

Recent poverty indices in Sub-Saharan Africa, which include illiteracy, unemployment, access to health facilities, education, and the number of impoverished people, have not seen any major progress (Gething, & Vasco, 2015). Nigeria is regarded as one of the world's most underdeveloped nations, therefore the country's status is quite terrible (World Bank 2017; United Nations 2018). It is also highlighted that Nigeria's per capita Gross National Product (GNP) is smaller, while its buying power continues to erode due to rising inflation and economic disparity (Federal Office of Statistics, 1996). According to (DFID, 2007 as referenced by Gething, & Vasco, (2015) disaggregated statistics show the multiple elements of poverty: one in five children die before the age of five; three million people are HIV/AIDS victims; and seven million children are not in school.

The eradication of poverty has become a global concern for governments. The international concern dates back to 1944, when the International Labor Organization (ILO) declared in its Philadelphia proclamation that "poverty everywhere constitutes a threat to progress" (Bak, & Larsen, 2015). This assertion led to a crossroads in global relief, particularly in the United States of America, where large portions of the population were categorised as low, healthy, and undernourished. However, defining a precise and widely accepted definition of poverty has historically been challenging because the concept of poverty and unemployment means different things to various persons and groups (Stafford-Smith, Griggs & Gaffney, 2016).

The percentage of individuals living in poverty increased from 27% in 1980, to 46% in 1985, to 67% in 1996, and then to over 70% in 1999. Even though the Nigeria economic report published by the World Bank in July 2014 indicated a poverty rate of 33.1% for a country with huge resources and a large population to support trade. The research appears to contradict the facts. From 2004 to 2009, the income inequality ratio rose from 0.43 to 0.49. The report also suggests that rural areas have higher rates of debt and poverty than metropolitan ones (Leach, 2015).

In Nigeria, poverty alleviation measures enable policymakers to restructure and reconstruct the economy. Due to the high levels of poverty in the country, poverty reduction measures currently influence government policies, with varying results. Operation Feed the Nation in 1978, the Green Revolution in 1982, the Directorate of Foods, Roads, and Rural Infrastructures (DFRI), the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), the Better Life Programme (BLP), the Family Support Programme (FSP), the Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP), the Poverty Alleviation Programme (PAP), and the National Poverty Eradication Programme (PAP) are examples of approaches to alleviate poverty (Arisi-Nwagballa, Elom, & Onyeizugbe, 2016).

This participation deficiency not only explains the severe shortcomings of the programmes, but also the perceived apathy of the Nigerian populace toward government poverty reduction measures. Poverty is a product of economic, social, and political forces that interact and reinforce one another in ways that can either alleviate or exacerbate the state of deprivation in which the poor live. In addition, eradicating poverty requires concerted actions at the local, state, national, and international levels to boost people's possibilities, motivation, and safety (Arisi-Nwagballa, Elom, & Onyeizugbe, 2016).

​​​​​​​STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Poverty is a worldwide epidemic that impacts numerous continents, nations, and individuals. No nation is fully devoid of poverty. The most distinguishing characteristic is the severity and prevalence of social insecurity, criminality, social instability, and a generally unacceptably poor level of living. Thus, poverty is defined as a condition in which a person lacks or is deprived of the basics for a minimal level of existence. Poverty is defined as the inability to attain a minimal standard of living (Molini, Vasco & PierellaPaci, 2015). However, it did not stem from a careless attitude and a failure to recognise the issue at hand. It has also not resulted from a lack of responsiveness to the poor people's desire to be liberated from their awful and nearly hopeless condition.

As a developing economy, it lacked the capacity and resources to address growth and foreign relations concerns, and its political leaders were overwhelmed by the severity of the hunger, sickness, illiteracy, and poverty suffering the country's citizens. Aside from this, the existing world order prioritises effective government, economic stability, and social justice. Without a doubt, this is the fundamental motivation for political leaders to become more concerned with the well-being of their people, particularly in the area of poverty reduction (Buba, 2015).

Despite the existence of numerous government policies and programmes, such as the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Agricultural Development Program (ADP), Directorate of Food, Roads, and Rural Infrastructures (DFRRI), and River Basin Development Authorities (RBDA), some of these programmes continue to produce few positive outcomes. Poverty continues to dominate every aspect of the lives of the majority of Nigerians, particularly in the Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

​​​​​​​OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The primary objective of this study is to assess the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Poverty Reduction in Ebonyi State a Study of Afikpo North L.G. Area. Specific objectives of this study are:

1. To determine whether the poverty rate in Afikpo North L.G. Area of Ebonyi State is high.
2. To determine whether the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has a role to play in Poverty Reduction in Afikpo North L.G. Area of Ebonyi State.
3. To determine whether the programmes of the National Directorate of Employment helps in the reduction of  poverty and unemployment alleviation in Afikpo North L.G. Area of Ebonyi State.
4. To examine the challenges of the National Directorate of Employment in Poverty Reduction in Afikpo North L.G. Area of Ebonyi State.

RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

To determine the effectiveness of this study, the following research hypotheses will be formulated to guide the study and it will be tested at 0.05% levels of significance.:

H01: The poverty rate in Afikpo North L.G. Area of Ebonyi State is low.

H02: The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has a role to play in Poverty Reduction in Afikpo North L.G. Area of Ebonyi State.

H03: The programmes of the National Directorate of Employment does not help in the reduction of  poverty and unemployment alleviation in Afikpo North L.G. Area of Ebonyi State.

​​​​​​​SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings of this research will be of the utmost importance to the decision-makers and administrators in the government of Nigeria. Since the research intends to investigate the influence that the National Directorate of Employment plays in the reduction of poverty indicators, it will be useful in the formulation of policies that will aid in the fight against and reduction of poverty.

Additionally, it will be used as a literature review by researchers who come after them. This implies that, other students who may desire to undertake research in this field will have the option to utilize this work as accessible material that may be exposed to critical assessment. Inevitably, the findings of the research provide a major contribution to the existing body of economic knowledge on the influence of a nation's growing growth on the alleviation of poverty in that nation. In this case, the research was conducted in Nigeria.

​​​​​​​SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study is delimited to the assessment of National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Poverty Reduction in Ebonyi State a Study of Afikpo North L.G. Area. The objectives of this study is further delimited to determining whether the poverty rate in Afikpo North L.G. Area of Ebonyi State is high, determining whether the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has a role to play in Poverty Reduction in Afikpo North L.G. Area of Ebonyi State, determining whether the programmes of the National Directorate of Employment helps in the reduction of  poverty and unemployment alleviation in Afikpo North L.G. Area of Ebonyi State and examining the challenges of the National Directorate of Employment in Poverty Reduction in Afikpo North L.G. Area of Ebonyi State.

Employees of the National Directorate of Employment in Afikpo North L.G. Area of Ebonyi State will serve as the enrolled participants for the survey of this study.

​​​​​​​THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

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