Poverty Alleviation Programmes and Economic Development in Nigeria: A Comparative Assessment of Asa and Ilorin West Local Govt. Areas of Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates into the impact of government programmes towards poverty alleviation on the inhabitants of Nigeria with special reference to Asa and Ilorin West Local Government Areas of Kwara State. A focus group discussion (FGD) of 4 groups (2 males and 2 females) was conducted from whose scenario a questionnaire was raised. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were employed especially to see the impact of those policies on the inhabitants using household income as a proxy. The Sen's Gini coefficient revealed that agricultural sector is the highest income-contributing sector
and worst hit income inequality group with about 84percent of total
population in high poverty margin/region among the whole sectors studied. The study also acknowledged the existence of either one poverty alleviation program at one time or the other, but often the policy targets are at variance with the outcome. The study thus that suggests a kind of performance evaluation towards reappraising and adjusting the instruments employed by the programmes, refocus on the important sector(s) in the area of finance and credit facilities and organized buffer stock against agricultural s or bumper harvest in order to sustain price stability.