MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA 

MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA 

(A Case Study of Millennium Development Goals Plateau State)

ABSTRACT

A detail study was carried out to determine the role of Millennium Development Goals and the socio-economic development of Nigeria. Choosing Millennium Development Goal office, Jos was a deliberate attempt aimed at achieving more solutions to the studies undertaken. From field observation and findings, it was ascertained that the study focuses on the efficiency and effectiveness of the Millennium Development Goals and how it has improved the socio-economic development of Nigeria. For the research to achieve its aim and objectives of this study, the research work is divided into four chapters with chapter one giving an in-depth introduction of the research topic and the research question. Chapter two deals extensively with the literature of the past works done on the subject matter by different authors; this reviewed cover wholly the impact of Millennium Development Goals and the socio-economic development of Nigeria. This is followed with chapter three which provide the detailed procedures regarding the methodology in achieving a result and reaching a reliable conclusion. Finally, chapter four provide a summary of the findings and a reliable conclusion and recommendations based on the research findings.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime had to grapple with the huge debt profile of the country which had retouched a near suffocating level in an effort to reposition the Nigerian economy.

However, in 2005, the country was able to secure some debt reliefs from a rigorous and tedious process of negotiations with the Paris and London clubs.  

Therefore the history of the Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria is closely linked to the gains that were made from debt relief. The strategy here is simply that such debt gains should be channelled to specific area of development that would count towards the attainment of the global development agenda defined by the United Nations System.

Nigeria then developed what has come to be known as the Conditional Grant Scheme (CGS) as a framework that will guide the Federal and State Governments in the planning, implementation, evaluation and finding of projects to be sponsored.

The states in consultation with their local government and other stakeholders would identify priority projects that fall within the global Millennium Development Goals for which they also have evidence of commitment through the instrumentality of their strategic plans, budgets, development agenda and so on within these frame work. If those projects are identified, the federal government release only 50% of the total cost expected to match such payments with the balance of 50% in favour of the project chosen for implementation.

Thought the Conditional Grants Scheme (CGS) strategy commenced in 2006, Plateau State did not benefit until 2008, when the state got about N470,000,000 (four hundred and seventy million naira only) as counterparts funding, funds for Millennium Development Goals projects. It’s objectives is to provide a reliable source of evidence that will show the value that the state has ripped in terms of transformational imports and services being provided with the inception of the Millennium Development Goals Conditional Grants Scheme in the state under the Jang led administration.

1. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study tries to find out the various problems faced by Millennium Development Goals in socio-economic development. The Millennium Development Goals policy thrust is an issue that affects the poor, majority of whom are in the rural areas, with reference to the project “Millennium Development Goals and Socio-economic development of Nigeria”.

• High rate of poverty and hunger: The local governments and states are bedevilled with high rate of poverty and hunger as such the Millennium Development Goals is targeted at providing relief and support to this effect.
• Lack of universal primary education: The problem Millennium Development Goals is battling with is the operation of large amounts of children almost 25% aged between 5 and 15 are not given basic primary education which has hindered achievement of 100% enrolment rates.
• High rate of child and maternal mortality: On the successive term, another major problem of the socio-economic development could be counted not only on the above but also on the inability to pay for healthcare, inadequate nutrition, lack of skilled Doctors, Nurses, Midwives and other heals personnel that are available. This as result, led to high rate of child and maternal mortality.
• Furthermore with reference to this project “Millennium Development Goals and the socio-economic Development of Nigeria” access to market in the country remains a challenge, the manufacturing sectors need to be significantly improved in areas such as production. Psychical and technology capacity. Also the socio-economic development cannot be successful since the problem of housing remains a challenge to Millennium Development Goals, large number of people still resides in slums, oil spillage continue to cause pollution to rivers and streams as well as damage to the eco-system. The lack of drinking water for about 40% of the population and low access to sanitation has hindered progress in some areas.         

1. RESEARCH QUESTION    

The following are research questions related to the study:

1. What is the possibility that the millennium development goals will help in achieving the socio-economic development of Nigeria by 2015?
2. Is there any scheme on training and development of midwives in rural areas?
3. Does water supply schemes for towns and villages carried out by Millennium Development Goals?
4. Is there any significant relationship between the Millennium Development Goals and Socio-Economic Development?
5. Does the training of 5,000 science and mathematics teachers carried out nationwide?

1. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objectives of this study are:

1. To know the role of Millennium Development Goals in the Socio-Economic Development of Nigeria.
2. To examine why Nigeria try to achieve all of the Millennium Development Goals and why not just invest heavily on one or two?
3. To make recommendations in areas of problems.
4. The study focus on the efficiency and effectiveness of the Millennium Development Goals and how it improves the socio-economic development in Nigeria.  

1. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study is relevant in several ways aspects. First, it is aimed at providing the government with useful information to effectively address the issue if rapid socio-economic development in the society.

Secondly, if creates awareness to the people or the general public who are both the entrepreneurs and beneficiaries of socio-economic development of the relevance of the Millennium Development Goals in socio-economic development.

Thirdly, it will assist and offer interest groups with information to find new groups for engaging the government on socio-economic development related issues.

Also, the study will expose areas of opportunity to be explored by community developers, non-governmental development organizations and international development partners towards rapid socio-economic development.

Lastly, the student of administration and development related studies will find the study useful for further research.    

1. SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The research work is only confined to Millennium Development Goals and Socio-Economic Development in Nigeria with the Millennium Development Goals Office of Jos, Plateau State as a case study.

1. LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This research work is constrained by a number of factors which includes:

1. Time Constraint: This is due to the limited time which does not give the researcher enough opportunity to carry a proper research on the research topic.
2. Financial Constraint: Finance has been one of the major impediments to this research work, in adequate financial resources to enable the researcher move round, stood as an obstacle to the richness of the research work.
3. Inaccessibility to some Strategic Information: This is lack of up to date and adequate date on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the Jos office, has made it impossible for the researcher to get recent project done by MDGs office.

1. DEFINITION OF TERMS

These are some phrases that have peculiar usage in the study:

MDGs: Millennium Development Goals.

Development: Todaro (1989:482) says, “Development is a multi-dimensional process that includes major changes in social structures, popular attitudes and natural institutions as well as the acceleration of economic growth, the reduction of inequality and the eradication of absolute poverty”.

Goals: The objectives of one’s efforts, a target.Socio-Economic Development: Socio-economic development has to do with the total re-organization and re-orientation of the society which involves radical changes in institutional, political, social, economic and administrative structure as well as popular attitude and pcepu customs and beliefs.