SUBSIDY RE-INVESTMENT AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME (SURE-P) AS A STRATEGY FOR POVERTY REDUCTION IN SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF TARABA STATE (2012-2014)

SUBSIDY RE-INVESTMENT AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME (SURE-P) AS A STRATEGY FOR POVERTY REDUCTION IN SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF TARABA STATE (2012-2014)

Abstract:

Taraba State is characterized with alarming poverty/unemployment rate where 65.8% in every 4-6 persons and 81.5% in over 7 persons is said to be poor in 2009-2010, unemployment was at 26.8% in 2009, 24.7% in 2010 and 12.7 in 2011 respectively considering its high level of natural and human endowments. In many parts of the state most especially the selected local government areas, people cannot be able to provide for themselves foods, shelter, clothing which are the basic needs. They lack skills and self-esteem, have no access to social issues, economic infrastructure such as education, health, good water and sanitation etc; there is high level of illiteracy, crime rates, communal clashes leading to crisis and lack employment opportunities. The study aims at analyzing SURE-P in order to ascertain the contribution of the programme to the people of Taraba State as it affects their wellbeing in improving their standard of living vis-à-vis poverty reduction. It is to examine the efficacy of the Programme with the main objective to examine how it becomes an effective policy for empowerment leading to Poverty Reduction in Taraba State. Purposive and stratified random sampling was used to sample 240 respondents in the study area. Data were collected both from primary and secondary sources using structured questionnaire, structured and unstructured interview/focus group discussions guide and checklist of issues for observation. A total of 178 questionnaires were used for the analysis using both descriptive and inferential statistics, while Pearson‟s Product moment correlation (r) was used to test the hypotheses using IBM SPSS version 20. The study revealed that there is a positive relationship between Community Services Scheme at 95% level of significance as well as Vocational Skills Training Scheme, Graduate Internship Scheme of SURE-P and the beneficiaries‟ poverty level. This study further found that policy inconsistencies in regards to the scrapping of the programme due to the change in government have affected the last quarter of the programme. Cases of corruption and embezzlement in some LGs such as Karim-lamido, Ibi, Ardo-Kola and Wukari were found whereby the funds allocated for the programme were diverted for other purposes like renovation/fencing of their LG secretariat, buying of buses etc other than what is in the SURE-P project document. The study recommended for more Community Services Scheme, Vocational Skills Training Scheme and Graduate internship to be implemented by SURE-P in the state to improve the general welfare of the people. That government (present administration) should revamp the SURE-P programme since the beneficiaries were passionate, committed and much eager to continue with the programme implementation in the state, cases of corruption and embezzlement in some LGs should be dealt with; and also recommended for good policy atmosphere by the government to avoid policy inconsistencie.

SUBSIDY RE-INVESTMENT AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME (SURE-P) AS A STRATEGY FOR POVERTY REDUCTION IN SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF TARABA STATE (2012-2014)