PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

ABSTRACT

This project work was geared towards examining and ascertaining the public administration and community development in Anambra State, with particular reference to selected communities in Aguata Local government Area of Anambra. In the bid to achieve this aim or target, primary or secondary sources were used in data collection. The primary source include questionnaire, while the secondary source include text books. A sample size of 500 persons out of the total population of 58.998 persons in the communities under study, comprising both indigenes and non-indigenes from all works of life, was drawn using sample random sampling techniques in view of the sample size, 500 questionnaires were drafted and personally distributed to the sample size, out of which 350 were retrieved and presented accordingly, using frequency distribution tables with research questions, number of respondents, responses and percentages simple enough to understand from the findings, it was discovered that there were some inherent problems in the community of which a greater percentage were aware of it. Government have however in recent past intervened by putting up strategies but the performance of these strategies were not worth the salt, and as a result, able bodied men of the communities have fled to other communities in search for a better life thereby, leaving the communities static and under developed. It was however suggested by the people that the urgent intervention of government of government through the instrumentality of public administration was expedient and necessary and that such intervention should be in all the sectors of the polity or Economy such as economy, agriculture polities, education, health, power and energy infrastructure, etc, since the role of government was considered in evitable, however in reaction to these problems, the research found-out and in response to the findings, the researcher recommended some possible solutions which include: that government should intervene by setting up strategies to curb the problems and bring the situation to its barest minimum, people should shun all acts of corruption a cordial relationship should be maintained by government with the members of the community and finally, the monitoring agencies should be established to monitor projects and implementers to ensure strict compliance to laid-down procedures as well as curb the incidence of corruption, by officers. Finally and conclusively some constraints were encountered in the course of writing his work, such as response to questionnaires, etc. suggestions for further research were also made by the researcher.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

During the colonial period in Nigeria the government performed very limited functions such as the maintenance of law and order, defense and collection of revenue. But after attaining independence, the government has totally changed. The government has gone beyond the traditional function of maintaining law and order, defense and revenue collection. Their functions now include both development and national building activities. Investigations carried out proved that in community development in Nigeria, with particular reference to selected communities in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, the people especially the poor, expect many things from the set of public Administration or the government. The poor expect many things from government. The poor and weaker sections look up to government to improve their lot and alleviate their misery. Thus, in response to the rising expectations of the people, governments of these communities in Aguata Local Government have assumed enormous responsibilities in order to improve the social and economic conditions of the people, thus bringing community development through the instrumentality of Public Administration.

Consequently, since developing societies are engaged in rapid socio-economic transformation under the leadership of government, public administration necessarily has a very crucial and fundamental impact in the society. Thus, this work is designed and set to find out public administration and community development with particular reference to selected communities in Aguata Local government Area of Anambra State, as well as make recommendations.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

From the background of the study, it is evidenced that some problems actually necessitated the changing of government in these communities after independence, prominent among them include: 1.  Lack of social amenities in these communities.