THE ROLE OF NON GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-PROFIT MULTINATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE ALLEVIATION OF RURAL POVERTY: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE

 THE ROLE OF NON GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-PROFIT MULTINATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE ALLEVIATION OF RURAL POVERTY: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE

ABSTRACT

This research project is a comprehensive study of the Role of Non Governmental and Non-Profit Multinational Organization in the Alleviation of Rural Poverty: the Nigerian Experience, the appraisal of the implementation of the various poverty alleviation programmes in Nigeria and its implications for Development. Five categories of variables that relate to the poverty alleviation programmes were studied. These are why non-governmental and non profit multinational organizations, the meaning and measurement of poverty, approaches for sustainable livelihoods for the rural poor, overcoming human poverty, human development, government and non-governmental efforts towards poverty alleviation into five chapters. Chapter one deals with the introduction of the study, pointing out the statement of the problem, the purpose of the study, statement of hypothesis, objective of the study and the significance of the study with the definition of some common and uncommon terms for our easy understand. Chapter two extensively dwell on the literature reviews and works, frame the conceptual, theoretical and empirical frameworks, the phases adopted, it constraints and problems and list of enterprises sold. Chapter three has to do with the methodology used to ascertain true and relevant information. Here, we make our research design, sources of data, sampling design and procedures, the sample size and our data collection instruments. I also made test of validity and reliability of the study. In chapter four, I presented and analyzed the collected data and the test of hypotheses. Finally, in chapter five, I summarized my findings to the research work, drew some useful conclusions based on my findings and made good recommendations and suggestions that when applied or employed in subsequent policy formulation will enhance the actualization of set targets to the alleviation of rural poverty programme in Nigeria, which will positively, effectively, efficiently and ultimately alleviate rural poverty in Nigeria.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

This research project was conceived as a contribution to battle against poverty, a scourge that has assumed a disgraceful dimension in the world’s most populous and potentially, most powerful black nation. The 2009 Human Development Index (HDI) recently released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) paints a gloomy picture of Nigeria. The HDI ranks nations of the world according to the human conditions that exists in each nation.

According to UNDP’s report, adult literacy in Nigeria stands at 28% and only 47.7% of the country’s children have access to immunization against preventable disease. The report goes on to add that just 30% of Nigerians has access to safe drinking water while a mere 33% percent of the country’s population has access to electricity. Drawing its conclusion from the above quoted figures, the UNDP ranks Nigeria 146th out of the 174 countries mentioned in the report. This means that only 28 countries of the world are poorer than Nigeria, the world’s sixth largest oil producer. In other words, Nigeria is one of the 30 poorest countries in the world. Although the UNDP report is not flawless, it fairly captures the reality. Any person who lives  in this country need not be a seer to know that the country is in dire straits.

Given the important contributions these organizations have made, one would understand why this project concentrates on their role in the battle against poverty, especially rural poverty, in Nigeria. The last two decades of the twentieth century were economically traumatic for Nigeria. That period naturally witnessed an upsurge in interest in poverty alleviation. This interest goes beyond Nigeria for the problem of poverty transcends national boundaries. Since the literature of an, era reflects the signs of the time it should not be surprising that the period between 1980 and 1999 saw the emergence of numerous academic works devoted to the problem of poverty in Nigeria and other parts of the world. Coincidentally, the period in question witnessed an increase in interest in women affairs and consequently, a deluge of literature on the contribution of women to rural poverty alleviation and nation building. This review shall focus on the available literature relevant to our research.

Maxwell Simon in ―The Meaning and Measurement of Poverty‖ an article published by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) argues that the concept, poverty has no Universal accepted definition. Simon argues that despite the difficulty in conceptualizing poverty, efforts have been made to use income as one of the measure of poverty. The cities the World Bank attempt at choosing an income level of $1 15 (One American Dollar) per day as the benchmark for absolute poverty. According to the World Bank, ―any person that earns not more than considering the assertion earlier made in this chapter to the effect that income may not be an adequate measure of poverty. For example there are differences and ten Naira) at the current (July 2000) exchange rate may not buy in the United States what it can buy in Nigeria. To buttress the point that income is not an adequate measure of poverty, Maxwell avails the reader of a more versatile definition of poverty given by the European Union which goes thus. ―The poor shall be taken to mean person, families and groups of person whose resources (materials, cultural social) are so limited as to exclude them from the minimum acceptable way of life in the member state in which they live‖. In the penultimate segment of his article, Maxwell gives the following measures of poverty as called from the UNDP Human Development Report (HDR) of 2009.

1.2   STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Most social research efforts are motivated by the desire to combat one negative the phenomenon or another. Within the contact of this proposed research, the negative social phenomenon in question is poverty, a problem that has assumed alarming dimension in Nigeria. The problem with Nigeria is not lack of human and material resources; indeed, the country is one of the most naturally endowed countries in the world.

The problem of poverty in the midst of plenty is primarily caused by the skewed nature of inadequate and poor income distribution in Nigeria. The system in this country enables the rich to get richer while the poor get poorer. How can we ensure that the disposable income in the hands of the poor, particularly the rural poor, is enhanced? Another problem that exacerbates poverty is misplacement of priorities on the part of successive governments of the country. Neglect of rural infrastructure only helps to compound the problem of poverty in Nigeria. Rural-Urban migration which has seen to the loss of vibrant rural youths to cities would not have been as acute if priority had been given to rural infrastructure.  Apart from the aforementioned, other problems such as limited access to credit facilities, high cost of farm inputs and inclement geography all combine to compound the problem for rural poverty in Nigeria. These problems shall be identified and solutions to them proffered in the documentation of research findings.

1.3   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

As the title implies, this research effort is primarily aimed at assessing the contributions of Non-Governmental and Non-profit multi-national organizations in the alleviation of rural poverty in Nigeria. The objectives of the study are:

1. To assess the contributions of Non-Governmental and Non-Profit multi-national organisaitons in the alleviation of rural poverty in Nigeria.

2. To ascertain the possible benefits that the rural populace may achieve through the assistance of the Non-governmental and non-profit multinational organistion’s.  
3. To determine the impacts of the NGO’s and its sustainability with governmental support.

4. To highlight the necessary areas where the voluntary services of the NGO’s are most needed in the alleviation of rural poverty in Nigeria.

5. To bring out the possible ways of alleviating rural poverty

 To point out the key areas where the voluntary services of the NGO’s are preferentially needed and areas of utmost priority, (health, education, water and sanitation etc).

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What have been the contributions of the Non- governmental and non-profit multinational organizations to alleviation of rural poverty in Nigeria?
2. Have the Rural people benefited from the non-governmental and non- profit multinational organizations especially in terms of poverty alleviation?
3. Can the non-governmental organizations support be used to assess the sustainability of governments support?
4. How would government identify the most needed areas of attention in the rural poverty alleviation programme?
5. To what extent has the government identified the possible ways of alleviating the rural poverty?
6. What are the key areas where the voluntary services of the NGO’s are preferentially needed, (health, education, water and sanitation etc)?

1.6   SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

This research is certainly not the first to be conducted on poverty alleviation in Nigeria. However, it is significant in it emphasis on rural poverty. Similarly, the proposed use of research assistants to reach out to rural areas is a remarkable departure from the practice of ―arm-chair research‖ which entails conducting researches only on the pages of books. Similarly, this research effort, being one of the way first conducted in the new century shall serve as a reference point for future researches on the thorny issues of rural poverty in particularly and poverty in general.

1.7   SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This proposed research shall cover six non governmental and non-profit multinational national organizations. These include the Fredrich Eberth Foundation, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Ford Foundation, British Council, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Global 2000. The Nigerian offices of these organizations shall be visited for information. Research assistants shall also be sent to some selected rural areas. The number of these rural areas would depend on the financial resources available to the researcher.