Poverty and Unemployment in Nigeria Causes, Effects and Remedy
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The fundamental aim of this project is to construct an applied and evident relationship between poverty and unemployment and determine the causes effects and remedies in Nigeria
The specific objectives of the study therefore include the following
- To examine the relationship between poverty and unemployment
- To examine the impact of poverty and unemployment on economic growth and development if a nation.
- To identify and analyze the major causes of poverty and unemployment in Nigeria.
- To provide workable recommendations that can be useful to assist the reduction and elimination of poverty and in employment by policy makers.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
POVERTY
Numerous scholars in Nigeria and beyond have over the years posited their views on the concept of poverty. As a multi-dimensional concept, Aboyade (1975:24) stated that it is relatively difficult to demarcate poverty by given it a specific definition. This is due to the impression of the concept and the difficulty of its measurement as a socioeconomic phenomenon, Aboyade Concluded. The Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, fifth edition submitted that poverty is “the state of being poor; the state of existing in amounts that are too small; lack”. Ekong (1991:42) maintained that poverty is ones inability to attain or enjoy given social, cultural or economic benefits. Some sources in UNDP (1994:4) define poverty as: What forced him to leave school at the age of 15 and work in the central market. Another says poverty means that children are crying and their parents have no food to feed them. Another source maintained that poverty is the denial of all human rights. It is not created by the poor; it is created and sustained by the system built around us. While Olayemi, (1995:9), view the poor as people who lack skill and gainful employment, have few if any, economic assets and sometimes lack self esteem; some Nigerians, as reported in the UNDP Human Development Report of 1996, expressed their perception of poverty in Nigeria as Follows: Poverty is an abject state of being in which an individual is incapable of utilizing resources around him to improve himself economically, socially, politically or otherwise. It could be due to lack of opportunity for education which is basic to human development. Poverty entails the absence of the basic requirements essential for the survival, and to an extent the comfort of man. Poverty is hunger and starvation. It is squalor and it is the non-availability of basic Medicare. Poverty ordinarily stands for a situation whereby one cannot meet average requirements. In fact any situation under which one cannot afford a good meal at any given time is real poverty. Worse still of all, one is poor when one cannot plan for tomorrow because one has failed today. Poverty means a man’s in ability to afford decent food, shelter, clothing and recreation. Poverty is the state of the mind. This state psychologically places the person in question in want, materially or spiritually. Material wants involves the want of food, clothing and shelter. Spiritually it involves want of peace of mind, the spirit and the inner man. However, in a strict economic term, Obadan (1997:2) explains that the poor are those whose standard of living are measured in terms of income or consumption and is below the poverty line, which separates the poor from the rich. Englama and Bamidele (1997:2) sees poverty as a state of individual not being able to cater adequately for his/her basic needs of food, clothing and shelter, meeting social and economic objectives, lack gainful employment, skills, assets and self esteem, education and social amenities. It is on that note that Achor (2001:35) posits that the poor lack cash income that is sufficient to cover their minimum standard of living. UNDP conference report (2001), describes poverty as a form of political, social and economic oppressions. While Olayemi, (2001:57), views the poor as people who lack skill and gainful employment, have few, if any, economic assets and sometimes lack self-esteem. Khan (2002:29), on his own said that the poor are usually illiterates and are more in the rural areas, hence they are vulnerable to serious risk owing to changes in wealth, health, markets, investment, macro-economic and public policy. Poverty is a kind of deprivation from something which every human being has the right to have (Brumen, 2002:212). Obadan (2002:2) explained that the poor are those whose standard of living are measured in terms of income or consumption and is below the poverty line, which separates the poor from the rich. He maintained that the poor earn below the international measurement of one US Dollar per day which affects their purchasing power to acquire their basic needs.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to poverty and unemployment in Nigeria: causes, effects and remedies
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
Primary source and Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain poverty and unemployment in Nigeria: causes, effects and remedies
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of poverty and unemployment in Nigeria: causes, effects and remedies
Summary
This study was on poverty and unemployment in Nigeria: causes, effects and remedies. Four objectives were raised which included: To examine the relationship between poverty and unemployment, to examine the impact of poverty and unemployment on economic growth and development if a nation, to identify and analyze the major causes of poverty and unemployment in Nigeria, to provide workable recommendations that can be useful to assist the reduction and elimination of poverty and in employment by policy makers. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 staff of National Directorate of Employment Abuja. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made up logistics analysts, quality inspectors, supervisors and technicians were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies.
Conclusion
Certain findings in the study have conspicuously reviewed that the issue of poverty and unemployment transcends all ages and respects no one. This can be seen in this study where the majority of the respondents are within the age bracket of 25-35. This range falls within the active segment of any population and thus goes to show the extent of the effects of poverty and unemployment in Nigeria. Explicitly, poverty and unemployment poses a big threat towards the development of Nigeria. Thus the poor unemployed state of the masses makes them vulnerable to any developmental project. Also, there is a strong notion among the people that government failure to fully implement projects and programmes on poverty and unemployment has made it remain persistently high in the state. Finally, there is a correlation between poverty and unemployment on one hand and social vices on the other hand in Nigeria. An idle mind they say is the devils workshop. There is a strong belief among the people that poverty and unemployment are responsible for the alarming rate of crimes in the society. Prostitution, vandalization of lives and property among the youths, armed robbery, juvenile delinquency among others anchors on poverty and unemployment. Without any iota of doubt, a greater percentage of the people without hesitation, nodded their heads in agreement that poverty and unemployment thrives social vices in Nigeria
Recommendation
The fundamental issues to be addressed in order to reduce/alleviate poverty and unemployment in Nigeria lies basically in tackling the causes of poverty and unemployment through policy initiative. This includes:
- The agricultural sector should be revitalized to provide employment opportunities like it did in the sixties and seventies.
- The fight against corruption should be intensified as this would reduce mismanagement and misappropriation of resources that would have been used for effective poverty and unemployment reduction.
- There is need to have a population policy which will limit population growth to a level that is compatible with the expansion and employment generation capacity of the economy.
- Emphasis should be laid on skill acquisition in the educational system so as to produce graduates that are providers of employment or labour than seekers of employment.
- A stable macroeconomic policy formulation and honest implementation by government is essential for effective poverty and unemployment reduction.
- An enabling environment should be created for private sector investment to thrive as this will go a long way in reducing unemployment instead of leaving the unemployed at the mercy of the public sector which does not provide enough employment opportunities.
REFERENCES
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- Afolabi, A.O. et.al (2002) “Deregulation as an Antidote to Poverty: A theoretical Perspective”, in Akpotor A. S et.al (2005): Deregulation and Globalization in Nigeria: Issues and Perspectives. Epkoma: Abrose Alli University Publishing House.
- Agbebaku, C.A. et.al (2005) “The Eradication of Poverty in the Era of Deregulation in the Downstream Sector of the Nigerian Oil Industries”, in Akpotor A. S et. al (2005): Deregulation and Globalization in Nigeria: Issues and perspectives. Epkoma: Abrose Alli University Publishing House.
- Akpotor, A.S. et.al (2005): Deregulation and Globalization in Nigeria: Issues and perspective. Epkoma: Abrose Alli University Publishing House.
- Amuguo, A (2003): The Poverty Problem: Will Nigeria Ever Get it Right. London: Libertarian Alliance.
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- Ekong, E. (1991): Rural Development and the Persistence of Poverty in Nigeria. Uyo: University of Cross River State Press.
