Factors Affecting Community Participation in Community Development Programmes in Gombe State, Nigeria
CHAPTER ONE
Objectives of the Study Broad Objective
The broad objective of the study was to examine factors affecting community participation in the management of development projects through LASDAP in Dukku constituency.
General Objectives
- To examine the Institutional and Regulatory framework of LASDAP in relation to community participation in the management of development projects in Dukku
- To investigate the extent to which socio-economic factors affect participation of Dukku community in LASDAP projects.
- To establish political cultural factors affecting citizen participation in LASDAP
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
In this chapter, literature that is related to and consistent with community participation is reviewed. An attempt is made to define participation. Models and theories of participation are given and a conceptual framework of the study is outlined. Also presented is the literature on challenges that face local authorities in ensuring citizen participation in development programs. The chapter further gives a summary and the gaps to be filled.
Theoretical Perspectives
Theories of community participation have received considerable academic attention particularly since the early 1990s but have been a source of debate since 1960s.This study will seek to borrow from some of the theories in an attempt to explain the dynamics of community participation of LASDAP.
Arnstein’s Ladder of Participation
The seminal work on the subject of community participation was by Arnstein(1969).The importance of Arnstein‟s work stems from the recognition that there are different levels of participation from manipulation or therapy to what can be viewed as genuine participation. In the theory, he explains that there are eight ranks in the ladder and each of the ranks represents the type of participation and degree of citizen control over development.
In rank one and two participation takes the form of manipulation, in rank one and therapy in runk two. Three and four represent participation by informing and consulting respectively. These levels of tokenism allow have-nots hear and have a voice but hardly offer power to ensure that the powerful heed to their voices .There is neither follow through or assurance of changing status. The fifth is a graduation of participation from tokenism to placation.
Placation allows the have-nots to advice the powerful continue to retain the right to decide. The sixth, partnership, the seventh, delegated, power and the eighth citizen control. These runks stand for genres of participation that provide citizens with increasing degrees of decision –making power. The ladder promotes the idea that participation should allow for, redistribution of power that enables the have not citizens presently excluded from the political and economic processes to be deliberately included in the future .Participation is the means by which citizens can include significant social reform which enables them to share in the benefits of the affluent society.
A ladder of citizen power
Burns et al (1994), modified Arnstein‟s ladder of participation a ladder of citizen power. This was a shift towards understanding participation in terms of the empowerment of individuals and communities. This stemmed from the growing prominence of the idea of the citizen as a consumer, where choice among alternatives is seen as a means of accessing power.
This is more elaborate than Arnsteins ladder with further qualitative breakdown of some of the different levels. For example, a distribution is drawn between cynical and genuine consultation and between entrusted and independent citizen control. The phenomenon of civic hype, increasingly recognized during the1990s is incorporated at the bottom of the ladder. This essentially treats community participation as a marketing exercise in which the desired result is sold to the community.
Robert Chambers: Participatory Rural Appraisal
Chambers, (1994) argues that to promote the development of the disadvantaged people, change agents must transform into learners .They must abandon their top- down attitudes, professional expertise and institutional behaviors. They must constantly reflect on the extent to which their actions inhibit development on their subjects. Chambers assumes that personal changes in the behavior and attitudes of development practitioners lead to professional changes. Drawing from chambers, Mwanzia et al (2010) explains that participation is a method, a process and outcome of development, research and empowerment. They explain that participatory methods are important to get information from the marginalized because most policy-makers are unaware of the needs of the rural poor as most of them live in the urban centers and do not share the social circumstances, or class origins of those they profess to help.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This Chapter deals with the methods and all the procedures that were applied in conducting this study. It explains the research design , the target population, sampling frame, design and size, the data collection methods and the procedures of analyzing the data that was collected from the field.
Research design
This study employed the survey design of research. It was the most appropriate to gather as much information as possible to enable valid conclusions, Mwachiro et al (2011); used similar design in an earlier study. In order to have first-hand information on the dynamics and complexities of the community participation in Local Governance, Primary investigations were conducted through interviews. Selective quantitative assessments, using structured questionnaires were administered to the targeted respondents in Dukku constituency in a span of two weeks.
Questions related to community members‟ opinions about their participation in LASDAP process were addressed by the collection of survey data from households in the language of the respondent‟s choice. Two hundred respondents were randomly selected to represent the Adult population within Dukku constituency. A qualitative component of analyzing detailed issues was considered. In this light formal and informal interview with key government, officials and CSOs stakeholders were conducted.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSISIONS
Introduction
This chapter presents an analysis, interpretation and presentation of data obtained from the field. The information collected from the field study was aimed at achieving the objective of the study which was to examine Factors Affecting Community Participation in the Management of Projects through LASDAP. This chapter will clearly outline the results of the research conducted in Dukku Constituency based on field interviews conducted with the community members of the State.
Research Findings and Data Analysis
This Constituency analysis draws from interviews held with members of the Dukku Constituency. The respondents interviewed in the research were identified through door-to-door visits in the community and participation was based on the willingness and availability of the respondents in the randomly selected households. Given the qualitative nature of the research, all findings are indicative.
Nevertheless, the information collected through interviews gives a good insight into the factors affecting community participation in the management of development projects in Dukku constituency. This case study is organized into four sections. The first part describes the profile of interviewed respondents in the Constituency, detailing their socio-economic background; education level, gender, marital status and ethnicity assessing the correlation between these variables levels and participation in LASDAP in the constituency.
The second section focuses on the perceptions of the community on the issue of community participation in the planning and implementation of development projects through LASDAP. This will form the basis for the discussions that follow which explore the importance of community participation in managing development projects through LASDAP.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
This chapter provides a summary and conclusion of the study. The chapter also highlights the recommendation of the researcher on effective community participation in managing community development projects through LASDAP.
Summary of the Findings
Beneficiary participation in project planning, particularly in early stages of planning, has been shown to improve project performance at every stage of the process, from implementation to project maintenance (Isham et.al 1995). The correlation between citizen participation and project performance seems to be more qualified in the case of LASDAP in Dukku Constituency.
In addition to participation in LASDAP project planning, the researcher found that participation is equally critical during the monitoring and ownership stages of LASDAP project implementation. Participation in early stages of planning does not, as Isham et. Al(2005) would predict, correlate strongly with positive project performance during later stages of the implementation process if participation does not also occur during monitoring and maintenance stages.
Lack of local government transparency, poor positive feedback loops ( for example discouragement with the LASDAP process because of slow progress or stalled projects), limited collaboration between citizens and their elected councilors, and local elite capture of the LASDAP process may explain the weak correlation between participation in planning stages only and project success. Thus, the data from this current research suggests that the critical link between participation and project success occurs at both the early planning stage and later implementation and maintenance stages.
The factors that most positively correlate with LASDAP project success are community participation in LASDAP projects and councilor-the people synergy during the LASDAP process. Conducting follow-up on LASDAP project proposals and monitoring project implementation are essential for efficient delivery of LASDAP services. The local authority will not automatically work for its constituents or use constituent tax money accountably.
It is incumbent upon citizens to act as vigilant political agitators to realize successful LASDAP project implementation (NTA, 2013). Since the implementation of LASDAP, there have been little or no manifest improvements in the transparency at the Council and information flow between the LA and citizens. The LASDAP process, while creating formal avenues for enhancing community participation by way of consultation and consensus meetings, has not created institutional changes at the local authority to best facilitate stakeholder participation in LASDAP projects.
Correspondingly, the participatory framework, as currently employed, is a superficial one: the representative-stakeholder approach is employed, but the representatives‟ capacity is not adequately built to perform their role in LASDAP, and the LA has not institutionalized any changes to facilitate full participation in this approach (for example mainstreaming monitoring efforts).
While overall citizen participation is low, women and youth are particularly underrepresented in participatory processes in local governance. The review shows that many women have less knowledge of, and interest in, political procedures, rules, or their rights. While 42% of men have represented their households at public assemblies, only 4% of women surveyed had done so. More than half of the respondents (52%) believe that men have a greater ability than women to influence local government decisions, with only 2% stating that women have a greater ability than men to do so.
Results from the research indicated that citizens are alienated from development issues of their communities and they see this process as a role that the government independently plays while they remain at the receiving end. Many people have not fully appreciated their participation in LASDAP process since they view this as a function of the government and the few elite who have the advantage to contribute to societal development. The youth are subsequently left out and they view civic participation as an aspect of the old in society just as the old days of chief‟s barazas. The LA is not fully taking advantage of opportunities for effective citizen participation in management and monitoring of LASDAP, and its management of the LASDAP process seems to indicate that the LA views LASDAP more as a funding condition for the LATF grant from the central government rather than a tool for enhancing stakeholder participation and improving service delivery.
Conclusions
The incumbency placed on citizens to participate in the management of LASDAP projects indicates that citizens must compensate for the Local Council‟s own lack of routinely accountable governance. What does this say on more systemic level about democratization and devolution? Devolution is supposed to bring greater decision- making power closer to the ground and empower local institutions to manage their resources and provide services to their areas.
LATF only partly accomplished this objective. The LATF provided local authorities with more funds from the central government, but it did not make any systemic improvements in the management of those funds. This study concludes that devolution of power to the counties in and of itself does not promote community participation, and significant awareness creation and capacity building of the local community with regards to the development process is required to ensure proper participation of the people at the grass root level in planning, managing and implementing development programs.
Despite this major shortcoming, the LASDAP process had been successful in affording citizens the opportunity to participate in managing service delivery, albeit with persisting friction between citizens and the local council. Moreover, LASDAP had forced the LA to spend more of its budget on service delivery, which is a positive step in the trajectory of accountable governance.
Recommendations
Key recommendations to improve the participatory framework of LASDAP include legally delineating councilors‟ role in LASDAP to improve the channels of community participation in managing and monitoring the LASDAP projects in their respective wards. Correspondingly, the participation group‟s functions should be included in the annual budget for the State governments in order to begin institutionalizing citizen-monitoring structures. Part of this budgetary allocation for the monitoring group should support citizen training on social auditing procedures.
The State governments and members of the assembly should take a more active role in not only advertising consultation meetings, but in sensitizing community members on their role in the participatory development process. Additionally, the elected MCAS should use their leadership roles to foster citizen collaboration and planning between wards in order to plan for larger projects such as health clinics through inter- ward, combined allocations. Vigorous awareness creation and sensitization of community to participate in the development process will play a key role in changing the perception of citizens with regards to their participation in community development projects.
Government needs to modernize its Information and Technology (IT). Local governments should provide LASDAP proposals; project plans etc and request forms, and should allow citizens to use an online system to schedule meetings with municipal service employees in service departments. More information and government procedures should be put online. There should be a modern, multifunctional “one-stop shop” with modern IT. This will play a key role in bringing in the youth to this crucial role of civic participation.
Local government needs to be more inclusive. Local government should define concrete and realistic development plans and discuss these with all who are interested (for example, business, agriculture, and youth). Local governments and CSOs should make efforts to educate civil servants and reorganize municipal departments, as well as apply new approaches to relations between civil servants and citizens.
Conclusions from public hearings should be respected. Ward representatives should be present at all discussions related to the municipal budget. In addition, representatives of different municipal departments and services should present planned activities in each ward and specifically address citizens‟ needs in those wards.
Local governments should be more transparent and responsive to citizens‟ demands. An office for citizens‟ inquiries and complaints should be established, and the time required for responding to citizens‟ requests should be reduced. Corruption should be publicly debated and discussed. There should be transparency in revenue collection and expenditures. Internet presentations of the government‟s activities should be available. A system for citizens to evaluate the work of local government should be initiated. There should be external, independent auditing of local government activities
Finally, consideration should be given to the efficiency and effectiveness gains that may arise from decentralizing project money directly to the community at the ward level. Each ward would manage its own allocation of funds rather than centralizing the money at the State headquarters to ensure that all project money is directed towards funding community-prioritized projects. As Nigeria devolves, LASDAP will definitely be a good reference point of how paper processes can yield near naught in practical terms, if not well implemented or checks and balances are not in place. Is Nigeria going to repeat these same mistakes at the State level? The shortcomings of LASDAP bring to the fore an important aspect of citizen participation, overall institutional and government support, coupled with political goodwill. This cannot be overlooked if transparency, efficiency and effectiveness in public service is to be achieved at the State level (NTA,2013).
Further research should be conducted to determine the most effective participatory structures in order to optimize the representativeness of LASDAP service delivery needs. The current representative-stakeholder approach to LASDAP participation and the preference for CBOs and NGOs to participate, rather than eliciting individual citizen participation, may present a bias toward representing the needs of the more organized poor, rather than the absolute poor who may remain marginalized by the LASDAP structures.
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