Lower Benue River Basin and Rural Development Authority and Poverty Alleviation

Abstract

The study is set out to assess how the lower Benue River Basin and Rural Development Authority (LBRBRDA) has achieved in alleviating poverty in its host communities. The objectives of the paper are to assess the impact of LBRBRDA on poverty alleviation, to identify the constraints of the agency on poverty alleviation and to make suggestions for improvement. It was hypothesized that LBRBRDA has not succeeded in alleviating poverty in its host communities.  Primary data obtained through questionnaire and interview, and secondary information gathered from text books, government documents and journals were used for the study. The primary data were presented in tables, frequencies and percentages using chi-square distribution to test the hypotheses. It was revealed that corruption, political interferences, inadequate funding and inadequate consultation with the rural poor in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of the agency’s programmes have marred its success in alleviating poverty. It was therefore, recommended that the agency should be adequately funded, corruption should be properly checked through anti-corruption agencies; and that the rural people should be adequately involved in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of poverty alleviation programmes.