History and Development Associations in Infrastructure Development in Nigeria: (The Ilawe Society Experience)

Abstract

Infrastructure is refers to those basic services without which primary, secondary and tertiary productive activities cannot function, this includes schools, water supply, electricity supply, roads and town halls among others. The purpose of the study was to highlight the history and urbanization process of Ilawe-Ekiti as well as the Development Associations in infrastructure development in Nigeria. The research survey method was adopted for use in this study. Questionnaire was used in collecting relevant information from the authority of the Ekiti South-West LGC officials and the developments associations. The findings revealed that problems encounter by the development associations ranges from low level of participations, economics and political crisis, funding and logistics problems. Finally the paper calls on encouragement of peoples/community participation toward the development of communities as well as locating cooperative banks which should be directed to give loan to the development associations. However, the two tiers of government, (local and state) particularly the LG that supposed to be grassroots-based, should identify these DAs, streamline their activities and provide adequate supervision, motivation, monitoring, coordination, and evaluation of their projects to support development.

Keywords: Development Associations, Infrastructure Development, Participation, Ilawe-Ekiti, Nigeria.