ABSTRACT
Management in all
ramification has been as a critical and indispensable element in all
organizations. Nevertheless, public enterprises are in dilemma of some
management constraints, which tend to hinder their goals and objectives of the
management. Against the background of the above explanation this research work
empirically explored into the management of conflict in public enterprise with
a particular references to (EBOTRANS) Ebonyi state Transport Corporation
Abakaliki. The purpose of which it is to investigate the effect of solution.
However, in order to investigate this, relevant data were collected through
both primary and secondary sources such as direct interview and well-structured
questionnaire distributed to 203 respondents in the various department of the
organization. Also other information was gathered from books. Journals,
newspaper and internet to complete the primary data. The finding show that are
factors constitute conflict in management. Among the critical factors are
managerial inefficiency, poor staff relationship and effectiveness was
recommended among the staff in the organization in order to achieve peace and
harmony in Ebonyi Transport Corporation Abakaliki (EBOTRANS).
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Over
two decades after independence, unemployment and poverty were not a natural
concern in Nigeria as it is today. Agriculture, industries and public sector
were able to absorb most of the labour forces. The agricultural sector, for
instance generated about 70% of the growth of the GDP (The comet March 23rd,
2000). The advent of petroleum in the mid-70s further strengthened the economy,
government during this period was to achieve much through oil revenue. The
ensuring political instability and in consistencies in the socio-economic
politics of the successive government emerged as a factor that led to the
manifestation of high level poverty in Nigeria. Consequently, the challenges
facing the Nigeria Government is that of reducing or eradicating poverty and
the income disparity between the rich and the poor in the society. Against this
background successive government in Nigeria, Federal State and Local Government
have demonstrated their commitment in improving the socio-economic well-being
of the Urban and rural people through various efforts and poverty eradication
programmes. Nigeria is still one of the poorest countries in Africa. Various
national and international bodies have documented this high incidence of
poverty. The federal office statistics (FOS, 1999) and the United Development
Programmes (UNDP, 1999) observed that despite a remarkable decrease in poverty
in the 1980s, the drastic increase of poverty in the 1990s was discouraging.
Over two decades ago, the country enjoyed relative prosperity but prosperity
progressively saw 40% of the population slide into poverty (Adegbite and
Akintola, 2002). Ordinarily, poverty is a condition of having little or no
money or other endowments and not being able to get the necessary things of
life (Fabiyi and Idowu, 1999). The concept of poverty is derived from the long
and protracted inability to generate productive resources for the proposed of
training a desired level of output to enhance the realization of an appreciable
income and well-being. According to Nguyet (2003), poverty refers to this state
of a part of the population, which is not provided with the basic human needs
that is in accordance with the socio-economic development level and local habits
of the state of being deprived of those opportunities and choice that are
essential to human development for a long healthy, creative life; for a
reasonable standard of living; for freedom, dignity, self-respect and respect
from others. Poverty according to Ani, (1997) can be considered as a condition
of life characterized by malnutrition, diseases, illiteracy, low life
expectancy and high infant mortality beyond expectation of human decency. It is
a state of want, needs, deprivation, low esteem and lack of actualization for
self-development. Poverty also represents a condition of deprivations, lack of
economic resources, and loose of capabilities, resulting in the inability of
individual, to secure a minimum standard of living for his community or reference
group. Various international and national estimates have shown that Nigeria is
one of the poorest countries of the world. Her human poverty index (H.P.I) was
41.6% implying that one out of every two Nigerians was poor. Life expectancy
has gradually declined to a little above 50 years (F.O.S, 1999); whereas
U.N.D.P (1998) put it at 52 years. The percentage of adult literates is 55% and
45% had access to portable water and health services. The Gini coefficient of
poverty increases from 0.38 to 43 at the same time and because worse at 0.52 by
the end of the 1990s (U.N.D.P, 1999). Reducing poverty has been a priority of
most governments since the industrial revolution (Lipton and Rovallion, 1995).
Government should effectively identify the methods through which absolute
poverty can be reduced in order to spare many the unfavourable consequences of
persisted and deliberating poverty. Local governments are critical institutions
in the fight against poverty because they are the government nearest to the
people. Some of the problems, which limited the efforts, and effectiveness of
the local government system towards rural development and poverty reduction
include corruption, lack of accountability, lack of consultation with community
leaders etc. in spite of all the orchestrated policies and programmes of
successive governments at the local level, the problem of rural backwardness
and under-development has remained. This is evidenced by the persistence of
agricultural facilities, among others (Tamuno, 2000). Past administration in
Nigeria have adopted measures to complement the efforts of local government in
rural development and poverty alleviation. Such efforts include: -
a.
The
national accelerated food production programmes (N.A.F.P.P) under General
Gowon‟s administration.
b.
Operation
feed the nation (O.F.N.) program under General Obasanjo‟s administration.
c.
Agricultural
development project (A.D.P.)
d.
River
Basin and Rural Development Authorities (R.B.D.A)
These projects and programmes were
established to reduce poverty significantly at the local level. These efforts
failed because the local government as well as these efforts were conceived and
inspired by the elite class with no consideration for participation at the
local level. They were also designed to benefit the rich as the programmes
guarantee and stabilize the pro-dominant economic and political power of the
rich people. In all the programmes, both loans, contracts, and other benefits
meant for the rural dwellers were taken by top notches of the political party
who directed them to their personal uses to the detriment of the rural
dwellers. The above views were amplified by Nzimiro, (1985) who stated that
“the ideas of the ruling class are antagonistic to the idea of the-the
peasants” who constitute the main residents of the rural areas.
1.2 Statement
of the Problem
One of the factors that constitute
setback to high standard of living in Nigeria and Ebonyi State in particular is
poverty. Poverty has been described as impediment to socio-economic
intellectual and faster development in any nation. The continued presence of
any nation will affect development objectives and distracts attempt to move and
build the citizenry and the nation. The problems of rural Nigeria have been of
concern to scholars and policy makers since the 60s. Ebong (1991) confirmed
these concerns when he listed the challenges of rural Nigeria to include, lack
of basic infrastructures; poor access roads; a dirge of educational facilities;
lack of pipe borne water; inequality; low per capita income; high unemployment;
and what have you. Esema (2007) added that they are usually characterized by
poor health; lack of basic nutrition; inadequate housing; social discrimination
and inadequate/ineffective channels through which concerns can be voiced. To
transform the vast rural areas of Nigeria into the mainstream of national
development, governments at various levels (federal, state and local) have come
up with a number of policies and programmes. One of these policy measures is
the National Poverty Eradication Programme, set up in 1999 by the Obasanjo
administration (Anam, 2011).
In spite of the policy measure, the
poverty level has remained unchanged, particularly in the rural areas. In Cross
River State, investigation shows most rural communities lack basic social and
economic amenities which, impact negatively on the well-being of the people.
The study will investigate the impact of rural development policies on the
socio-economic lives of the people, with specific attention to the National
Poverty Eradication Programme policy framework, 2007-2009 in the State.
1.3 Research Questions
This study posed the following questions:
i.
What are the
poverty reduction programmes introduced in Ezza South L.G.A?
ii.
In what way
have these programmes contributed in reducing poverty in the study area?
iii.
Are there
problems facing these programmes?
iv.
In what way
can these problems be solved?
1.4 Objectives
of the Study
The main objective of the study is to
identify the impact of poverty reduction programmes on the socio-economic
development in Nigeria. Specifically, the study is aimed at:
i.
Finding
out the major poverty reduction programmes in Ezza South.
ii.
Identifying
the contributions of these programmes in the study area.
iii.
Identify
the problems facing these programmes.
iv.
Find
out possible ways of solving the problems
1.5 Significance of the Study
This
study will be of practical and theoretical significance. It will determine the
extent to which local government administration importance knowledge in the
area of poverty alleviation. Secondly, finding of this study is expected to be
of immense importance to strategic planners, policy formulators, national
directorate of employment and other stakeholders involved in policy
formulations and recommendations, from this it will help in the formulation of
policies concerning poverty alleviation. Moreover, student and researchers will
find this work useful; concepts, issues, definitions and references contained
in this work help them to update their work. This work serves as a bank of
information to them. Finally, the study will benefit the general public.
Recommendations from this work if adopted by the government and implemented
will help in tackling and reducing poverty to the barest minimum in the study
area particularly and in Nigeria at large.
1.6 Scope
of the Study
The
study on the impact of poverty reduction programme on the socio-economic
development in Nigeria is focused on Ezza South L.G.A, Ebonyi State as the only
study area.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
The
researcher encountered constraint by time as time frame for the submission of
this research is short for an expansive research.
The
researcher equally encountered financial limitation as lack of sponsorship from
corporate bodies thus; the researcher’s little resources could not cover more
areas. The willingness of most local government staff to supply the needed data
was also major problem.
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