Utilization of Community Mobilization Strategies in the Implementation of Community Development Projects In South-East States, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
The study was aimed at assessing the extent of the utilization of community mobilization strategies in the implementation of community development projects in South-East States, Nigeria.
To guide the study, five research questions were formulated with the intention of ascertaining the extent of utilization of capacity building for stakeholders, formation of community coalitions, direct engagement of community members.
Creation of partnership with organizations as community mobilization strategies in the implementation of community development projects in South-East States, and the challenges affecting the effective utilization of community mobilization strategies in the implementation of community development projects in South-East States, Nigeria.
Also, four null hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance and used to guide the study. Descriptive survey research design was used.
The population of the study was 1,747 community development officers and local government executive members of town unions in South-East States from where a sample of 1, 073 was drawn using stratified random sampling technique.
The instrument used for the study was a 48-item self-designed questionnaire called Utilization of Community Mobilization Strategies Questionnaire (UCOMSQ). The instrument was face validated by three experts and its reliability was ensured using Cronbach alpha estimate.
Reliability co- efficient of .92 was obtained. Weighted mean and standard deviation were used in analyzing the collected data. Copies of the instrument were administered to the respondents through direct delivery technique.
Findings of the study revealed that capacity building for stakeholders, formation of community coalitions and direct engagement of community members were utilized to a moderate extent as community mobilization strategies in the implementation community development projects, while the creation of partnership with organizations was utilized to a little extent.
Two out of the four null hypotheses were rejected showing that there were significant differences in the mean ratings of community development officers and members of town union executives on the extent to which capacity building for stakeholders and formation of community coalitions were utilized in the implementation of community development projects in South-East States.
Based on the findings of the study, recommendations were proffered which included that state governments should effectively strengthen communities’ ownership of development projects in the various communities, both urban and rural, and that state governments should encourage communities to form partnerships with federal, state and local governments, and even international agencies.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
TITLE PAGE i
APPROVAL PAGE ii
CERTIFICATION iii
DEDICATION iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v
TABLE OF CONTENTS vi
LIST OF TABLES ix
ABSTRACT x
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1
Background to the Study 1
Statement of the Problem 12
Purpose of the Study 14
Significance of the Study 14
Research Questions 17
Hypotheses 17
Scope of the Study 18
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 20
Conceptual Framework 21
Concept of utilization 21
Concept of implementation 22
Concept of community development 25
Concept of community mobilization 32
Theoretical Framework 62
Management By Objectives (MBO) Model 63
General Systems Theory 64
Theory of Organizational Change 68
Review of Related Empirical Studies 73
Studies relating to capacity building as a strategy for community Mobilization 73
Studies relating to formation of community coalition as a strategy for
community mobilization 95
Studies relating to direct engagement of community members as a strategy for community mobilization 77
Studies relating to creation of partnership with organization as a strategy for community mobilization 81
Challenges affecting the effective utilization of community mobilization strategies 83
Summary of the Reviewed Literature 87
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD 90
Design of the Study 90
Area of the Study 90
Population of the Study 91
Sample and Sampling Technique 92
Instrument for Data Collection 92
Validation of the Instrument 93
Reliability of the Instrument 94
Procedure for Data Collection 94
Method of Data Analysis 95
CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS 96
Research Question One 96
Research Question Two 100
Research Question Three 104
Research Question Four 108
Research Question Five 112
Summary of Major Findings 114
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF THE FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 117
Discussion of the Findings 117
Educational Implications of the Study 130
Conclusion 133
Recommendations 135
Limitations of the Study 137
Suggestions for Further Research 137
REFERENCES 139CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Community development covers all forms of developmental activities in a community. It is aimed at the improvement of persons either as individuals, groups or society at large and their living situation.
It is also aimed at securing the active participation and co-operation of the people in every community programme that is designed to raise their standard of living and promote their development in every form.
Omoruyi (2001) noted that community development was first used in 1948 at the Cambridge Conference on African Administration that was organized by the British Colonial Office. Then, community development was taken to mean the same thing as mass education.
Community development was therefore regarded as a movement designed to promote better living for the whole community with the active participation and if possible on the initiative of the community (Obetta, 2014).
Universally, community development is accepted to mean the process by which the efforts of the people themselves are united with those of governmental authorities to improve the economic, social and cultural conditions of communities to integrate these communities into the life of the nation and to enable them to contribute fully to national progress (Hyman in Obetta, 2004).
Community development is therefore a process which seeks to empower individuals and groups of people by providing these groups with the skills needed to affect change in their own communities.
These skills are often concentrated around building political power through the formation of large social groups working for a common agenda.
REFERENCES
Abari, O. L. (2005). Factors associated with abandonment of community development projects in Oju Local Government Area of Benue State. Unpublished M. Ed. Thesis. Department of Adult Education and Extra-Mural Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Abiona, I. A. (2006). Learning from the animal kingdom: an approach to community mobilization and citizen participation in community development. Adult Education and Development. Journal of the Institute for the International Co-operation of German Adult Education Association. (66); 275 – 282.
Agarwal, A. & Narain, S. (1991). Towards Green Villages: A strategy For Environmentally Sound and Participatory Rural Development. New Delhi: Centre for Science and Environment.
Agbo, E. U. (2012). The contributions of co-operative societies in capacity building for community development in Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area of Enugu State. Unpublished B. Ed. Thesis. Department of Adult Education and Extra-Mural Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Agubata, N. O., Ugwuoke, T. T. and Ezema, C. N. C. (2005). Mobilization of citizen for community participation in rural electrification project (a case study of Obukpa Community of Nsukka Local Government Area, Enugu State). Unpublished B. Ed. Thesis. Department of Adult Education and Extra-Mural Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
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