Assessment Of Youth Organization’s Participation In The Planning And Implementation Of Community Development Projects In Abia State, Nigeria

Planning is the process of deciding what to do and how to do it (Onyeozu, 2007). Planning guides performance since it is directed towards achieving set goals.  In  community development project, planning forms the framework upon which  achievement is checked through proper monitoring, co-ordination, directions and evaluations which are the indicators of implementation. In the words of Babu (2015), planning involves the preparation of several specific plans which may broadly be classified into standing plans and single-use plans. Examples of standing plans are mission, objectives, policies, procedures, rules and strategies among others. They are formulated by the managers at different levels and are meant for repeated use as and when the occasion demands.  They  are also used over a long period of time. Single-use plans include programmes, projects, schedules, budgets and standards and they are used only for specific periods. Hence, the focus of this work in the area of the components of planning  would  be  on  single-use plans, as they are used only for specific  periods and  it is believed that it should  address  the planning process of community development activities of youth organizations in Abia State. They are;

I. Programme which is a single-use comprehensive plan designed to implement the policies and accomplish the objectives of the youth organizations in Abia State, should be specified, in line with the required capital and operating budgets.

II. Project which is a single step in a programme should be separately  appraised through cost-benefit analysis with regard to the  distinct mission  of the youth organizations and the clear termination point of the project. It   is a non-recurring plan and the activity is definable in terms of specific objective.

III. Budget remains the expression of a single-use plan in quantitative or numerical terms. To this end, budgets should be prepared in terms of time, money, materials or other units required to perform the activity of the organization and accomplish specified result etc.

A well designed project implementation schedule clarifies and describes what the project should deliver and within what time-frames (Eric, 2011). In other words, it shows how to create a time-related framework that helps project planners to deal with the “on time” part of the project objectives and what needs to be outlined to produce deliverables and achieve goals on schedule, within budget and according to expectations. Hence, in the implementation of projects in Abia State by youth organizations, the key components of implementation stated below, should be provided in a clear and easy-to-read format.

I. Number and brief description of project: The manageable portion of work should be accurately defined and measured by deliverable and time frame.

II. The deliverables set being achieved within each project: The implementation schedule should specify a specific set of deliverables being achieved after successful completion of every project phase.

III. Major activities for each deliverable: During implementation of each project phase, the major activities should be outlined in order to achieve each deliverable, within the defined time frame of that phase.

IV. Key milestones: The checkpoints (key milestones) to be conducted  on  a  regular basis during the implementation process should be defined.

V. Responsibilities and assignments: There should be  allocation  of  responsibilities and assignments in each phase of the project,  in  order  to  ensure the delivery of the major activities within each project phase (Ezema, 2007).

However, the major factors that affect the participation of youth  organizations (male and female members) in the planning and implementation of community  development projects according to Obuh (2005), include citing of  projects,  poor leadership, lack of cooperation among youths, inadequate funds, inadequate  monitoring  and evaluation, lack of skills and opportunity, lack of empowerment and participation, insufficient training, among others. Similarly, Sherrod, Flanagan and Younsis (2002) identified some influencing factors that motivate youth participation in planning and implementation of community development projects, as feeling of efficacy, the need to be valued and taken seriously by others in the community, increasing their own self-esteem  and having a responsibility towards society by performing a public duty.

Furthermore, the key strategies that would bring about the needed improvement in the participation of youth organizations in planning and implementation of community development projects include the need for youth organizations  to  be  financially, politically, socially and morally empowered,  to enable  them contribute meaningfully to  the development of their various communities. Youths and their organizations also, need    to be equipped with education and leadership skills for effective participation in all levels  of decision-making and governance in their various communities.  They must  be  guided  by the understanding that the principal purpose of the organization has to bring about desirable changes for better living among the youths.

Community development therefore, is not real until there is individual’s participation which includes the youths. However, Ojokheta and Oladeji (2004) viewed community development as movement designed to promote better living for the whole community with the active participation of people. In the same vein, Chukwuezi (2005) maintained that community development is one of the engines  of  growth  and  development of any nation. There is need for popular participation, which ensures that the people participate actively in taking decisions, formulating policies, implementing and evaluation of community development projects to enhance their living standards. As the vital and significant agents for community development, youths are influenced by  a  number of factors which is in line with their needs, interest and aspirations. Additionally, Eya (2002) expounded that some major characteristics  which  influence  youth  participation in planning and implementation of community development projects are innovation of knowledge or access to educational training and health care, acquisition propensity, social propensity, less fear of failure, adequate motivation from the  environment and meaningful employment. All these will enable them to have dignity and participate fully in project initiation and development in their communities  (Pittman,  2002). The researcher discovered some ongoing projects in the course of conducting the research study, like bridges/culverts, rural water projects, cottage industries etc, that  stopped for a very long time in the study area due to inadequate planning, poor decision making, poor coordination, lack of monitoring and evaluation, insufficient  fund,  inadequate motivation from the government and the environment,  and  insufficient  training. These problems faced by youths limit them from implementing most of their   plans and this spurred the researcher to assess the participation of youth organizations in planning and implementation of community development projects in the study area. Thus, the youths can make significant contributions to project effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability if they are given primary responsibilities for management (Ogundipe, 2003). It has been identified that youths must be fully engaged in change effort at the community level if they learn how to function as effective members of society. According to Ogundiya and Baba (2005), Governments in Nigeria have designed  programmes  to make life more meaningful in the communities but, there seems to be no  legacy in  terms  of community life improvement arising from all the efforts.  For  instance,  Former Governor of Abia State, Governor Orji (2013), established Abia Youth Empowerment Scheme to eradicate or reduce poverty in the state, even the seven point Agenda and the re-branding of Nigeria project as well as National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (NEEDS) introduced under late president Musa Yar’dua, all these programmes have no impact in the improvement of community life due to sustainability problem,  such as the continuity of the programmes by the successive  governments, lack of political will  to undertake such programmes or sabotage of the programmes  by  the  authorities  involved. Akinloye (2005) argued that many of these government programmes both at federal and state levels had little or no impact on the recipients because the beneficiaries were not involved at the initial stage of  planning nor fully carried along at the final stage   of execution. According to Itari (2002), lack of power at the local level, absence  of effective local development, oriented institutional structures, lack of  funds, mismanagement of resources and overdependence on outside models hinder development programmes in Nigeria. Ekom (2002), maintained that development initiatives take the top-down approach where by planning and implementation is done at  the  government circle without the involvement of the target population in decision making process of the needs identification and project design.

The youths both male and female constitute clear assets to development when they are positively empowered to be active citizens of their  communities.  In  many  communities in the study area, youths ( male and female ) make up the majority of the population with organizations that always initiate well articulated projects such as rural water projects, building of feeder roads, building of bridges/culverts,  and  cottage industries, among others. Hence, youth voices can be crucial expressions of overall community needs, and regardless of their current status, youths are the future custodians    of their environments and leaders of tomorrow. A failure to promote youth development  and functions will negatively affect the community as a whole, whereas engaging them in civil society encourages them to learn peaceful means of impacting their communities (Abuh, 2005). As stated earlier,  some  ongoing projects in the  study area stopped for a  very long time. And this can be traceable to basically ineffective or inefficient planning   and implementation of those community development projects. Meanwhile, no extensive and involving study has been carried out on these issues in the study area,   in order to   close this envisaged gap, this study assesses youth  organizations’  participation  in  planning and implementation of community development projects  with  particular  reference to Abia State, Nigeria.

Statement of the Problem Community development objectives have not been fully achieved, the economic hardship experienced in our society today has made poverty, crime and other negative influences especially in Abia State to deeply penetrate the youths. Youths are passing through terrible experiences such as low self-esteem, depressions, increased risk  of  sexually transmitted diseases, homelessness, unsafe environments, insufficient skill acquisition training, and lack of fund, inadequate motivation from the leaders and the environment as well as other mental health issues. There is also lack of participation in decision making by the youths with little or no concern by the government. There is tendency for high rate of crimes such as intake of hard drugs, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping and prostitution, among others which can be a  hindrance  to  youth  participation in community development activities in Abia State. History also have it that youths engage in street violence, mainly during general elections and traditional ceremonies of their communities due to unemployment and idleness, especially in the communities in Abia State, which are of interest to this research study.

Sequel to the aforementioned problems, it  becomes difficult  or almost impossible to set up youth organizations and their corresponding  community  development programmes and projects in Abia State. Given the fact that some projects such as building of bridges/culverts, construction of feeder roads and cottage industries, among others, that are meant to better the lives of the people in the communities of interest to the study, stopped half way, which is occasioned by ineffective or inefficient planning and implementation of the community development projects, it becomes imperative  with the  aid of this research study to assess the youth organizations’ participation in planning and implementation of community development projects in selected local  government  areas and communities in Abia State.  This is to provide more information that would enhance  the achievement of youth organizations’ community development objectives in the study area.