1.0 Introduction
Community participation has long been associated with rural development. Regional planners/developers believe that for projects to succeed, individuals/groups in the community need to actively partake in designing, implementing, monitoring and sustaining the projects that affects their condition of living.
Community participation is a process by which community mobilizes its resources, initiates and take responsibility for its own developmental activities and share in the decision making and implementation of all other developmental programs for the overall improvement of its health, social and economic status. Participation of community members in local projects, therefore have has the potential to challenge, influence, modify and local village economy for the benefit of all. For instance, if projects targeting to enhance the local poor are appropriately planned and effectively managed, the local poor are likely to benefit and move from the level of dependency to that of self-reliance with the resultant effect of scaling down rural poverty. For this to be achieved, proper participation of the local people in terms of needs identification is required.
Although participation is focused on the active involvement of all stakeholders in the content of the program .Bryant and White (1982) state that there are number of levels of participation. They singled out what they called “extractionist participation”, this type of participation emphasizes more on the role of government in the planning and implementation of developments, projects and activities. This kind of project has been argued to have failed even in as much as it it’s a national development; people are not allowed to either partake or criticize the content of the project. This approach creates room for abuse of power because the people are disregarded in the decision making process of their well being. But there is a remedy to it which is through the application of “Authentic Participation”. This kind of participation empowers the powerless and allows them to assume full responsibilities over whatever that is happening within the cultural and socio-economic spheres.
There is no better person to handle/manage a community project or development other than persons from the community. The more community members are allowed to partake in the development planning of their community, the easier it becomes for developments to come into the community based on the community’s immediate need. This project is geared towards assessing the role of community participation in development planning and project.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Development has been an incessant act in recent years yet most rural areas are been left out with little or no development. Having seen the negligence by the government, most communities have decided to come together in planning of the community’s development and management of projects in the said community, be it community inspired projects or not.
This research work is aimed at finding out how community members in the planning process and project management within the community of Abiriba in Ohafia local government area of Abia state. This research work will as well ascertain whether there are other spheres of influence that can lead to community participation which may include?
- Lack of good road network.
- Poor infrastructural development
- Inadequate health facilities
- Inadequate educational facilities.
- Curbing of rural urban migration and other community related issues.
1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study
1.3.1 Aim of the Study
This research examines the role of community members in the development planning process and project management of Abiriba in Ohafia local government area of Abia state.
1.3.2 Objectives of the Study
For the aim or goal of this study will be achieved, certain objectives are set, as stated below:
- To ascertain who develops project in the community
- To identify project undertaken by the community
- Examine the status of projects implemented by the community
- To identify the problems militating against community participation in project development
- To profer solutions to the problems that hinders effective community participation
1.4 Scope of the Study
The scope of the study will cover the role of community members in development planning and project management in Abiriba. It will as well look into the spheres of influence of projects done in the community by the community members. Finally, it will look into the pattern of constituting projects in the community if it is bottom up approach or not.
1.5 The Study Area
Abiriba (ancient Enuda kingdom) is an Igbo speaking town in Ohafia local government area of Abia state, southern part of Nigeria. Abiriba community is made up of three (3) clans namely; Amaeke, Agboji and Amaogudu. Amaeke has 11 traditional villages while Agboji and Amaogudu have 2 and 4 villages respectively. These villages make up the 72 Ezi (compounds) which spread across the three principal clan’s of Abiriba.
1.5.1 Location of the Study Area
Abiriba has a relative location of 5degree42N and 7degree44E. it is bounded the North by Ohafia community, South by Item community and East and West by Igbere and Nkporo communities respectively.
1.5.2 Population and Size
Abiriba kingdom is composed of several autonomous communities with a population of about 130,931 at the 2006 census. The communities share a common cultural heritage under the leadership of Mr. Kalu Kalu Ogbu (Enachioken in council) preceded over by the Enachioken of Abriba the highest traditional ruler.
1.5.3 Topography and Soil
The topography of Abiriba has variations in elevation. It has maximum elevation change of 801 feet and an average elevation above sea level of 339 feet. The land is predominantly an arid region; therefore it does not encourage agricultural activities.
1.5.4 Climate and Vegetation
Nigeria being one of the countries that falls within the tropic of cancer and Capricorn of latitude 0-23112 north and south of the equator has the same climate. Hence Abiriba is in Nigeria, it is not exceptional. The weather is always hot and cold, they also experience a rainy and a dry season within a year. The rainy season usually starts from April through October and the dry season from November to March.
WIND DIRECTION
The speed in hours in which the mean wind direction is from each of the four cardinal wind directions (north, east, south, and west), excluding hours in which the mean wind speed is less than 1 mph.
HUMIDITY
We base the humidity comfort level on the dew point, as it determines whether perspiration will evaporate from the skin, thereby cooling the body. Lower dew points feel drier and higher dew points feel more humid. Unlike temperature, which typically varies significantly between night and day, dew point tends to change more slowly, so while the temperature may drop at night, a muggy day is typically followed by a muggy night. Abiriba experiences extreme seasonal variation in the perceived humidity.
The muggier period of the year lasts for 11 months, from January 28 to December 18, during which time the comfort level is muggy, Oppressive or miserable at least 61% of the time. The muggiest day of the year is July 16, with muggy conditions 100% of the time. The least muggy day of the year is January 2, with muggy conditions 47% of the time.
RAIN FALL
To show variation within the months and not just the monthly totals, we show the rainfall accumulated over a sliding 31-day period centered on each day of the year. Abiriba experience extreme seasonal variation in monthly rainfall.
The rainy period of the year lasts for 6 months, from April to October The most rain falls during the 31 days centered on September 23, with an average total accumulation of 10.3 inches. The periods with less rain for the year last for 3 months, from November to February.
The least rain falls around December 30, with an average total accumulation of 0.2 inches.
1.5.5 Economic Activities
The people of Abiriba are known to be industrious in both crafts and trading. This is so because their land is mostly an arid and rocky region that does not encourage farming. These ancient occupations of the Abiriba people later on metamorphosed into what is today the trademark of the people trading (or better merchandise) popularly known among the Abriba people.
1.1.5 Tradition and Culture
Cultural rights are rituals observed at various periods of life or season to communicate achievements of developmental tasks or changes in the environment as required by the community’s philosophy of life.
The Abiriba community has a culture that defined their way of life. Some of these cultures include;
- Igu Afa: this entails the naming of a new born baby.
- Igba Nnunnu: it consists of parading a life bird shot by a young boy between the age of 5 and 7years throughout the nooks and crannies of the community where his relatives live.
- Izara Afa: This is a maturity rite that symbolizes the transition from youth to adulthood.
- Igwa Mang: this is a ceremony performed by an age grade to mark the end of four years of formal military cum civil service to the community.
- Uche: Uche is the last cultural ceremony conducted by age grade members between sixty and seventy years of age to mark their retirement from community service.
1.6 Research Questions / Hypothesis
1.6.1 Research Questions
- What factors that can lead to community participation in development planning in Abiriba
- Who are involved in project development and management
- What are the projects that are being executed in your community?
- What is the status of project being executed in your community
- What are the major problems militating against community participation in your community
- How could the problems be solved?
1.6.2 Hypothesis
Hypothesis tests the assumptions made by the researcher in the initial stage of the research such assumptions are proved wrong or right. In this case a hypothesis could be Null (Ho) or alternative hypothesis.
HO: finance is not a major problem militating against community participation in rural projects.
Hi: finance is a major problem militating against community participation in rural projects.
HO: local government has not played a significant role in community development in Abiriba.
HI: local government has played a significant role in community development in Abiriba.
1.7 Plan of the Study Area
The research work is organized into five (5) chapters. The first chapter focuses on the background to the study, the research problem, aims and objectives of the study, the scope of the study, significance of the study, research question, and research methodology etc
The second dwells on the literature review. While the third chapter entails the research methodology, data requirement/sources, data collection techniques. Chapter four deals with data presentation and analysis, in chapter five summaries of findings, conclusion and recommendations are discussed.
1.8 Significance of the Study
The development of the rural areas mostly in Nigeria seems to be an unachievable task. Many a times, rural are projects are abandoned halfway by the government which in turn has adverse effect in the rural region. This be a cause of bad governance, lack of project materials or change in administration.
This research work is geared towards educating the rural populace on how to initiate projects, complete the project and manage the completed projects so as to enhance development in their immediate.
