ABSTRACT

This study is based on Youth Employment, empowerment and poverty alleviation in Ogun state.

The study critically looks into the background of the study, statement of problem, significance of the study, scope and delimitation of the study and definition of terms.

In the course of these research works both primary and secondary sources of data gathering were employed.

The study found out that youth empowerment program, policies are the best for the eradication of youth unemployment and poverty in Ogun state and the nation at large.

However, on the basis of the findings the study recommends that vocational skills training centre should be provided for unemployed school leavers and graduate of tertiary institution and providing counseling and extension services to youth on “start your own business”. Also qualified personnel should be allowed to anchor the youth empowerment programs.

CHAPTER ONE

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

One of the major problem that confronted  the third world countries is increasing in the poverty rate, which led to many social vices that prevented our environment nowadays which is due to increase in poverty level.

However, what is really responsible for the increment was no any other thing than the unemployment rate that aggravates everyday, many able youths who are viable and competent to work cannot find good job to do.

Also, some youth believed that the only way to change their formal education up to university/polytechnic level. Not minding the exorbitant fees being paid couple with the strenuous task they went through in the process with the hope that they will get easy job whenever they finished their various higher institutions of learning. But, alas the story is different, they end up working 24 hours on the street working for jobs which uncertain.

However, the rate at which the poverty levels increases as shown by experts called for policies that have been design by the Federal, State and Local government to correct the situation. Meanwhile Ogun state government under the present administration, which is headed by Otunba Gbenga Daniel is not left behind in the process. The present dispensation thinks that the only way to ameliorate the lives of our people and mostly the youths is by empowering them and bring them to be creative rather them depending on the white collar job which is not certain. To this end since the introduction of the policy, how far does it gives to reduce the rate of poverty in Ogun State? This is the purpose of our research work. We want to carry out our findings to analyze the “Youths employment, empowerment and Alleviation/ Eradication of poverty in Ogun State.

1.2       STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

These are numbers of problem that contributes to increased poverty in Nigeria.

These problems are summarized as Macro-Economic distortion,  Effect of Globalization, Poor Governance, Corruption and Low Productivity etc.

1.3   RESEARCH QUESTION

These are the various questions that come up in the process of the research and it includes:

-      Is there any need for the youth empowerment?

-      Can the youth empowerment programme reduce the level of poverty in Ogun State?

-      Is government really assisting and finding the programme?

-      Can the youth empowerment programme be regarded as the best programme to alleviate youth suffering in Ogun State?

1.4   RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

These are the assumption, which are made about the characteristics of one or more population. These are three types of hypothesis namely.

(1)  Alternative Hypothesis

(2)  Null Hypothesis

(3)  Formation of the hypothesis

FORMATION OF THE HYPOTHESIS

Ho:   That youth empowerment policy is not the best policy for alleviation of poverty.

Hi:    That youth empowerment policy is the policy for alleviation of poverty

Ho2: That the system of youth empowerment policy for the alleviation of policy is not evenly distributed among the people of Ogun State.

Hi2:  That the system of youth empowerment or empowerment policy for the alleviation of poverty is evenly distributed among the people of the State.

Ho:   That those anchoring the programme are not qualified for the task.

Hi:    That those anchoring the programme are qualified for the task.

1.5   SIGNIFICANTS OF THE STUDY

This project or work will be very crucial or important and useful for those undergraduate students who are writing their project on this topic and for government officials, lectures and those who intend to know more about poverty in Ogun State.

1.6   SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The research work will be design to cover the youth employment, empowerment and alleviation eradication of poverty in Ogun State using Ogun State employment generation programme as a case study.

Generally speaking, all areas of human endeavours are characterized by some limitation factors and a research work of this nature is therefore not accepted, by this the study does not intend to look into the detail of the poverty alleviation in Ogun State due to the following limited factors

Time: The paucity or smallest of available time for conducting the study constitutes one of the limitation for the scope of the study and also because of our fast approaching examination.

Cost: - The amount to be expended on this project is very large and due to non- availability of enough fund we’re restricting our writing to this extent.

1.7   DEFINATION OF TERMS

These are the terms that we would be using in the course of writing our project or research work and it includes:

POVERTY: According to Asolo Adewale Adeleye poverty in a plan language can be defined as the condition when the income level of individual is grossing insufficient toward achieving a satisfactory level of welfare. It is a situation or level when the poor lacked basic necessities of life and resources to meet their standard of living.

ALLEVIATION:        These are the various measure put in place for eliminating the poverty level of an individual or society. The alleviation strategies adopted by the Ogun State government include (OGEGEP) activities that will ensure job creation, food for the citizens and the development of agro bases industries.

YOUTH:   This is person aged from 15years to 30years who are strong to work effectively and efficiently with the use of physical and mental ability to gained through education

EMPLOYMENT: According to Oxford Advance learner dictionary of current English, the word empowerment mean preparing and inculcating in our youth sense of belonging that will enable them to assume leadership position with a view contributing effectively to the national development when the need rises.

REFERENCES

Asika, N (1991) Research Methodology in the Behaviour Science, Lagos: Longman Nigeria Plc

Kotler, P (200) Marketing Management 10th Ed Upper Saddle, River, New Jersy: Prentice – Hall Inc.

Osuagwu, L (2001) Small Business & Entrepreneurship Management, Lagos: Grey Resource Ltd.                          

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