1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Considering the factors associated to the less developed nations, economically, politically and socially and the fact that any country that cannot provide sufficiently the basic needs of its citizenry, is not a developed nation and therefore is said to be operating under poverty.
Most countries of the world today in one way or the other have been faced with poverty of which Isiala Mbano Local Government Area is a part. Hence, the provision of the basic needs of the people is limited. When a country is self reliant and minimized its economic dependency and her citizens lives above the subsistent level, the country is said to have improved in its standard of living and the people oriented.
Therefore, any grassroots government who desires development must strive to get her citizens ridden of the state of hunger, starvation, illiteracy, immorality, laziness, demography and high rate of school dropout, etc. in this study, the researcher shall look into the historical background of the Isiala Mbano L.G.A to highlight the importance of poverty alleviation in economic development and situation of the council.
Mbano began as Mbano country council with the headquarter at Umuelemai in 1956, later in 1970, became division. It is made of four (4) clans Ugiri, Mbano and Ehime. In 1976, it became Mbano Local Government Area. Following the local government reform of 1976, Mbano local government was split into Isiala and Ehime L.G.A. was left with Osu, Ugiri and Mbano clans with its headquarters at Umuelemai. Since the creation 1989, Isiala Mbano L.G.A. has been administered by sixteen (16) different chief executives. out of these number, only three (3) were elected namely: Chief Augustine Nwaigwe (1991 — 1993) Chief Zik Nwachukwu (1999 — 2004) and High Chief Simeon Iwunze (2004 — 2007).
The rest functioned either as transition, caretaker or sole administrator. As at 1989, fourteen (14) autonomous communities with twelve (12) recognized traditional rulers but as at 31st December, 2007, there exist twenty seven (27) autonomous communities with twenty two (22) recognized traditional rulers.
The total INEC wards stands at (12) while ISEC wards is twenty four (24) as at 31st December, 2007. Isiala Mbano L.G.A. is located at a distance of about 44KM from the state capital. The total area is estimated at about 1.48KM with the population of about 128,013 in 1963. But as at 2006 National Census, the population is estimated at about 198,736103,832 male and female.
The council is bounded in the North by Onuimo L.G.A. in the South, it is bounded by Mbaitoli and Ikeduru L.G.A. All the autonomous communities have their markets. Majority of the residents are subsistence farmers, small percentage are engaged in tradition. Most of the households in all the communities rear and produces livestock at commercial level e.g. poultry, local birds and exotic birds like turkey. Many rear sheep and goats, some rabbits. The people are mostly peasant farmers because of the farmland is limited and so produces food and livestock for family consumption with little storage for future use or sale.
Storage facilities are limited, most of the individual farmers have small stores attached to their individual houses for temporary storage of their products before use or sales. Farmers usually record waste and losses during ripening period.
In the area of water resources available, most communities like Amaraku, Anara, Umunkwo, parts of Amauzari etc do not have natural water sources and so have no water. Agricultural facilities; most of them established by the government are presently abandoned e.g. local government poultry project at Umuelemai, local government oil mill at Umunkwo, government fish pond inside the Secretariat Umuelemai, state government veterinary clinic, under staffed and funded etc. these no longer functions (abandoned). Even most of the communities that can produce food in large quantity have no good roads to transport their farm products for sales. E.g. Obollo, Umuneke, Umuaro in Isiala Mbano L.G.A. And etc, support services are really lacking in these areas.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Considering the challenges facing Isiala Mbano Local Government Area. Therefore, this study tends to answer the following questions or has the following questions.
Farm work which is presently in the hands of ageing fathers and mothers needs a revise. Very few youths are involved in farming, making farm labour scare and very costly because those who accept to do it charge exorbitantly to meet up with the present needs of the society.
Leaching preventant in communities with sandy soil like Amauzari, Umunkwo, Anara, Amaraku, Oko, Umuozo and Ibeme has impoverished soil more which has led to low crop yield. Both erosion and leaching led to high acidity and or alkalinity of the soil involved making good yield impossible.
In communities like Obollo, Osuachara etc, erosion and flood have devastated the farm and crops in them. In some cases both farm road and commercial roads, are blocked especially within July, August and September, each year.
Owing to these, youths from the twenty seven (27) communities in Isiala Mbano migrate in greater number to other neigbouring communities and urban areas in search of greener pastures. The question and concern is “what should be done?”
1.3 Objective of the Study
The purpose of this work is to examine poverty alleviation as a strategy in economic development.
- To know how poverty alleviation will contribute positively to the economic growth in Isiala Mbano Local Government.
- To analyze the impact of the programme towards the standard of living of the people.
- To know the contribution of the government to sustain the programme.
1.4 Research Questions
The questions presented by the researcher are to see how far the scheme ‘Poverty Alleviation Programme' has been able to improve the living condition of the general people in Isiala Mbano Local Government of the area in Imo State and its contribution to the development of the area.
What are to be done to stabilize the programme and its purpose?
1.5 Statement of Hypothesis
- Hi: Poverty Alleviation has direct positive influence on the economic development of Isiala Mbano L.G.A.
- Ho: Poverty Alleviation has no direct positive influence on the economic development of Isiala Mbano L.G.A.
- Hi: More efforts should be directed to poverty alleviation programmes because the already established has significant impact.
- Ho: More efforts should not be directed to poverty alleviation programme because the already established has no impact.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The importance of this study is to examine how poverty alleviation can help in the economic growth of Isiala Mbano L.G.A.
1.7 The Scope of the Study
The study focuses on the impact of poverty alleviation program for the growth in the economic development in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
A lot of things tried to discourage this work, the work was so hectic. The area of study is wide. Sourcing out information was not easy, there was a situation where the researcher had to wait for too long before the relevant authority is seen for attendance. In some situations, the researcher had to visit for more than two times before meeting with the authorities.
Many heads of departments, out of ignorance were reluctant in releasing some vital information. Another is finance, the work really cost a lot of money.
