ABSTRACT
This study is
aimed at identifying the problems of development-policy making in Obudu local
government area of Cross River state. The theoretical framework adopted in this
study is the planning theory propounded by Fainstein (2000). This research adopted the survey method given
the nature of data. The population of the study consists of the staff of Obudu
local government of Cross River state which is one hundred and eight seven
(187) respondents. The sample technique adopted in the study is the simple
random sampling technique. Data was analyzed using tables and frequencies to
analyze the demographic characteristics of the respondents and Chi-Square (X2)
was used to test the hypotheses. Findings of the study reveal that there are
problems affecting development policy making and implementation in Obudu local
government area of Cross River state namely; there is lack of platform for
periodic interaction between political actors and citizens in the local council
to ascertain the needs of the citizenry, Bureaucratic ineffectiveness and lack
of development planning, second; development policy making and its
implementation is of paramount importance in the Obudu local government area,
third, there are significant ideas from the grassroots that could help the
local government bureaucracy in Obudu to formulate policies for development. It
is therefore the recommendation of this study that Obudu local government
officials should engage rural development experts to assist them with problems
of development-policy making. This will go a long way in facilitating growth
and development in the area.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background to the Study
Every local government
desires growth and development. The elected officials and career administrators
of any given local government in Nigeria crave to be credited with carrying out
projects that is geared towards the development of the local government area
within their jurisdiction. This has led them into engaging in projects,
investments and policies to achieve optimum growth and development. However, no
community or nation can achieve development without generating development
oriented policies and backing them up with effective policy implementation or
action.
Policy implementation
as perceived by Adamolekun (1983) refers to the activities that are carried out
in the light of executing policies. It is the act of converting inputs into
outputs. Edwards (1980) further asserts that policy implementation is a stage
of policy making between the establishment of a policy and the consequences of
the policy for the people whom it affects. It also involves a wide variety of
actions such as issuing and enforcing directives, disbursing funds, making
loans, assigning and hiring personnel, to mention a few.
However, it has been
observed that development policy implementation at the local/grassroot level is
one of the major problems confronting local governments in Nigeria. The focus
of this study will be on Obudu local government area of Cross River state,
Nigeria.
Without proper and
effective development policy making and implementation in any local government
area, the attainment of development in such a local government jurisdiction
remains a mirage. However, many local government administrators may have
outstanding development policies but the problem is always one of effective
implementation. Development policy implementation problem occurs when the
desired and projected outcome is not achieved. Wherever and whenever the basic
critical factors that are very crucial to implementing public policy are
missing, there is bound to be implementation problem.
In the light of the
foregoing, this study is aimed at identifying the problems of
development-policy making in Obudu local government area of Cross River state.
1.2
Statement of the Problem
The importance of
development policy making and implementation to achieve development in the
local level cannot be overemphasized. However, it is empirically proven that
most local governments in Nigeria face problems in the area of development
policy making. Most of the major problems faced by them include; lack of
visionary political leadership at the local level, ineffective local councils
which is not interested in community needs assessment, lack of development
culture, lack of executive capacity to undertake policy research in the local
government’s Department of Planning, Research and Statistics, community apathy
and citizens indifference to interest articulation and aggregation at the local
level capable of raising issues into the institutional agenda of the local
government (Onyinye, 2015). This state of affairs calls for an empirical study
into the problems of development policy-making and implementation in Obudu
local government area of Cross River State.
1.3
Objectives of the Study
The general objective
of this research is to empirically identify the problems of development-policy
making in the Obudu local government of Cross River state. Specifically, the
study seeks:
i.
To identify the specific problems
affecting development policy making and implementation in Obudu local
government area of Cross River state.
ii.
To evaluate from the standpoint of
stakeholders and actors the importance of development policy making and its
implementation in the Obudu local government area.
iii.
To empirically elicit ideas from the
grassroots that could help the local government bureaucracy in Obudu to
formulate policies for development.
iv.
To make recommendations based on our
findings to help officials at the management levels develop policies for the
development of the Obudu local government area.
1.4
Scope of the Study
The geographical scope
of this study was restricted to Obudu local government area of Cross River
state and the scope of the study was to identify the problems of
development-policy making within that local format bureaucracy.
1.5
Significance of the Study
The significance of a research lies in its
usefulness. This investigation will be of use to the government at both the
state and local government levels. The study will provide a picture of the
existing problems in development policy making and implementation for the
development of Obudu local government area of Cross River State. The study has
the potential to generate reforms in policy making and implementation for rural
development in the other local government area in the state. Furthermore, this
investigation will also be useful to researchers as this research will provide
them with relevant empirical data and insights on policy making for rural and
urban development. Finally, the findings
of this research will add to the existing stock of knowledge in development
public policy making and implementation for development at the grassroots
level.
1.6
Research Hypotheses
The following
hypotheses were generated to guide the study:
Ho:
There are no problems affecting development policy making and implementation in
Obudu local government area of Cross River state.
H1: There are problems affecting development
policy making and implementation in Obudu local government area of Cross River
state.
Ho:
Development policy making and its implementation is not of paramount importance
in the Obudu local government area.
Hi:
Ho: Development policy making and its implementation is of paramount importance
in the Obudu local government area.
Ho:
There are no significant ideas from the grassroots that could help the local government
bureaucracy in Obudu to formulate policies for development.
Hi:
There are significant ideas from the grassroots that could help the local
government bureaucracy in Obudu to formulate policies for development.
1.7
Research Questions.
The following research
questions guided the study:
1. What
are the problems affecting development policy making and implementation in
Obudu local government area of Cross River state?
2. To
what extent is development policy making and implementation important in the
Obudu local government area.
3. What
ideas from the grassroots could help the local government bureaucracy in Obudu
to formulate policies for development?
1.8
Methodology
The descriptive survey research method was used to
generate data for the study. Data collection instruments used in this study
included structured questionnaire, interviews and personal observation. Data
collected were presented in tables and percentages.
1.9
Limitations of the Study
There were
constraints in the course of carrying out this study.
This study adopted Obudu local government area of
Cross River state as the case study. This is an obvious challenge to the
researcher given that the distance between cross river state and the
researcher’s school of residence is enormous.
Secondly; money by nature is relatively scare,
thusCarrying out a study of this nature requires enormous financial demands.
This was really a challenge to the researcher. To overcome this, the researcher
adopted a cost minimization strategy by engaging in optimal expenditures
concerning the project and also soliciting for financial assistance from
friends and family.
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