Assessment of Capacity Acquisition Programmes on Poverty Reduction in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria
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Date
2019-06-14
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Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin
Abstract
Poverty remains one of the most daunting challenges facing Nigeria and has continually remained an issue of public concern. The Federal Government of Nigeria established the National Poverty Eradication Programme to fight poverty. Despite this, poverty is still on the increase. This paper assessed Capacity Acquisition Programme (CAP) of National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) on poverty reduction in Okpokwu local government area of Benue State from 2008-2014. Specifically, the paper aimed to ascertain the extent to which the implementation of CAP has led to poverty reduction in the area. Both primary and secondary data were sourced. Data collected through questionnaire were analysed using descriptive statistics while qualitative data from interview as well as International Monetary Fund (IMF) report, National Bureau of Statistics, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report and World Bank report were analysed using content analysis. The hypothesis postulated was tested using the Chi-square. The paper revealed that CAP of NAPEP has not effectively reduced poverty in Okpokwu local government area of Benue state. The study concluded that CAP of NAPEP in Okpokwu local government area of Benue state is constrained by poor coordination of material resources, inadequate investment inducement seminars, inadequate micro-credit loans, lack of transparency and accountability, poor participation of beneficiaries and inadequate funding. The paper recommended that there should be effective implementation of CAP of NAPEP through adequate investment inducement seminars, access to micro-credit loans, and proper coordination of resources. The paper also recommends that, there should be adequate funding by government in order to ensure success. It is only then that effective and sustainable implementation of CAP of NAPEP in Okpokwu Local Government Area of Benue State can be achieved.
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Keywords
NAPEP, Capacity acquisition programme, Poverty, Poverty reduction