CONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAM AS A STRATEGY FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN KANO STATE NIGERIA

CONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAM AS A STRATEGY FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN KANO STATE NIGERIA

Abstract:

The study analyses the effect of Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program on poverty alleviation in Kano state with specific focus on school enrollment outcome, health attendance, poverty reduction and the challenges of the CCT program in the study area. The stratified sampling technique was used to determine the specific local government to be drawn from each senatorial zone. A total of 175 beneficiaries were selected out of 4500 beneficiaries using Yamane’s formula for determining sample size. The study used structured questionnaire techniques of data collection. The data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The result of the descriptive analysis was presented in frequency distribution tables and percentages; while the results of inferential analysis were estimated using chi-square test and probit regression model. The major findings of the study show; that CCT program has improved on school enrollment in the sampled communities as well as registration to health clinics. With respect to factors influencing parents attitudes to send their children to school such as parents educational background, occupation of the households heads, distance from dwellings to school, both the chi square and the probit model coefficients are not statically significant at 5%, meaning that those factors had no influence. Rather parents patronize the CCT because of the sensitization campaign of the program and awareness created by other agencies such as UNICEF,UNESCO on the importance of children education. It was also found that, the sampled household heads had strong perception that CCT program could serve as a strategy for poverty alleviation, because they believed that education of the child would expose the child to future better economic opportunities. Based on these findings, the major recommendations made by the study are, that the conditional cash transfer program should be replicated in other local governments in the state, since it has improved school enrollment and registration in health clinics. In addition, the program should be fully implemented as designed, since it is line with the MDGs program, it will achieve the desired objectives. Monitoring and evaluation of both the staff, beneficiaries and the schools and the primary clinic involved in the implementation of the program should be carried out from time to time for efficient outcome, and that the time frame of the beneficiaries should extend beyond the normal two years for more desirable outcome

CONDITIONAL CASH TRANSFER PROGRAM AS A STRATEGY FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN KANO STATE NIGERIA

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