COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN IMO STATE

Abstract

The rural Nigeria has the largest number of citizens with not less than 75% of the country’s total population living in the rural areas. It is the collective desire of this vast majority of the Nigerian population to access development irrespective of political, economic and social status. Community participation has been identified as an effective driver of rural development in emerging economies. The study aims at assessing the level of community participation in the provision of public infrastructure in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. In achieving this, multi-stage sampling technique was used to interview 150 respondents using structured questionnaire and interview. Analysis of the data utilized simple descriptive statistics while the results were presented as tables, figures and charts. The study found out among other things; that community participation helps in the sustainability of developmental projects ; there is a dearth of information and lack of synergy between government agencies charged with the responsibility of planning and implementation of  rural development programmes and the beneficiaries of such development. The study recommended that there should be an increased level of awareness and enlightenment about community participation through mass media, and regular meetings with traditional authorities. Also, involvement of rural people in project formulation, planning and implementation should be encouraged. Moreover, government should create enabling environment where the people at the grass-root will participate actively in decision-making process that affect their condition of living and by so doing, it could stimulate the relationship between government and rural people as partners in progress.