The Challenges of Poverty Implementation Policy and Programmes in Nigeria

Poverty alleviation has been a recurrent decimal in the anals of development planning in Nigeria since post-colonial era. The various interventions of successive governments have unanimously been agreed and observed to be a monumental failure in respect of the objectives for which they were focused. Consequently, this paper examines the challenges confronting the implementation of these programmes with a view to proffer recommendations for effective and efficient implementation. A total of 720 respondents consisting of men and women between the ages of 20 and 60 years above were drawn from two local governments areas in Lagos and Ogun states, Nigeria respectively; using simple random and convenient sampling. Questionnaires were administered and responses collated and analysed. The chi-square statistical techniques and percentages were used in testing the hypothesis and in analyzing the collated data. Results revealed that the implementation of alleviation policy and programmes of Nigerian successive governments since independence faced the challenges of corruption, lack of transparency and political will on the part of government to make the programme a success. The findings also revealed that the rural dwellers which formed the original focus of the programmes benefited less due to wrong focus. The study therefore concluded by recommending that government should enthrone high levels of transparency, accountability and political will in the implementation process. It also recommended that the community which constituted the highest percentage of poverty ridden people should be the focus of government and government should therefore adhere to faithful implementation of these policies and programmes as a means of achieving reults.