ABSTRACT

There has been an increasing clamour for scraping of the Local Governments since they have failed in their duties as means of bringing development to the rural areas. As a result of negligence on the part of the local government in developing the community, the local people have resorted to self-help development. The study examined whether age-grades have fostered development in Nkanu East Local Government Area or whether lack of funds hinders them from contributing effectively to rural development. Moreover, the research adopted survey method using self-report technique like questionnaire while quantitative method of simple percentage system was used in analyzing the data. Structural Functional theory was used as our theoretical framework. Nevertheless, the work discovered the following: 1. that age-grades have fostered development in Nkanu East Local Government and 2. that lack of funds hindered the age-grades from contributing effectively to rural development. Based on the above findings, the work recommended that there should be adequate participation by the local people in community development.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Cover page – – – – – – – – – – i Title page – – – – – – – – – – – ii Approval page – – – – – – – – – iii Dedication – – – – – – – – – – iv Acknowledgements – – – – – – – – – v Abstract – – – – – – – – – – vi Table of contents – – – – – – – – – vii List of tables – – – – – – – – – – ix CHAPTER ONE: Introduction 1.1 Background of the Study – – – – – – – 1 1.2 Statement of the Study – – – – – – – – 8 1.3 Objective of the Study – – – – – – – – 10 1.4 Significance of the Study – – – – – – – 10 1.5 Hypotheses – – – – – – – – – 12 CHAPTER TWO: Literature Review and Theoretical Framework 2.1 Literature Review – – – – – – – – 13 2.2 Theoretical framework – – – – – – – – 25 CHAPTER THREE: Method of Research 3.1 Method of Data Collection – – – – – – – 29 3.2 Research Design- – – – – – – – – 30 3.3 Method of Data Analysis – – – – – – – 34 3.4 The Logical Data Framework – – – – – – – 35 CHAPTER FOUR: Age grade System and Contributions to Rural Development in Nkanu East Local Government Area. 4.1 Contributions of the Age grades through Water Projects – – 36 4.2 Community Development through Roads- – – – – 40 4.3 Community development through Training of Rural Youths – – 43 CHAPTER FIVE: Inadequate Finance as a Constraints to the effectiveness of the Age Grades towards Community Development 5.1 Inadequate Finance as a Constraint to effectiveness of the Age grades towards Community Development – – – – – – 46 5.2 Financial Mismanagement as a Constraint to the Effectiveness of the Age Grades Towards Community Development – – – – 51 CHAPTER SIX: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations 6.1 Summary – – – – – – – – – – 55 6.2 Conclusion – – – – – – – – – 56 6.3 Recommendations – – – – – – – – 56 Bibliography – – – – – – – – – – 58 Appendix I – – – – – – – – –