DEVELOPMENTAL CHALLENGES IN NIGERIA

Development is a normative word which tends to prescribe what ought to be achieved from one stage of life. It is a process of improvement with respect to a set of values that exist before while to many scholars; it is a comparative state of affairs.

Some other scholars also see development in terms of economic growth accompanied by social, political, cultural and institutional changes and each change is regarded as positive change.

In essence, a critical look at various sectors of Nigerian e

conomy gives a better picture of the state of affairs in Nigeria whether the country is actually developing, developed or stagnated.

Prior to Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the British Colonial Government came up with her development plan to the then colonized territory in order to suit her exploration and colonization objectives in the country.

Upon gaining independence, the nationalists saw the need to ensure a far-reaching development plan that would put Nigeria on the path of growth through its development aspirations.

It is on record that the First National Development Plan of 1962 to 1968 which later extended to 1970 as a result of the military intervention of 1966 and civil war recorded a notable achievements which included the execution of projects like the Port Harcourt Refinery, Jebba Paper Mill, Sugar Mill in Bacita, Niger Dam, Niger Bridge, Ports extension and construction of a number of trunk ‘A’ roads.

Interestingly, the first generation universities which included the University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Nigeria, Nsukka and University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) were established by both the Federal and regional governments.

In 1970, General Yakubu Gowon launched the Second National Development Plan on behalf of the Federal and the then twelve State Governments. The plan was primarily designed to focus on the reconstruction of a war-battered economy and the promotion of economic and social development in the new Nigeria.

Notable among the achievements of the Second Development Plan were the successful construction of many federal roads, take off of the National Youth Service Corps, introduction of Federal Scholarship and loan schemes for Nigerian students.

Equally, the Third National Development Plan was launched in April, 1975 with pleasant objectives of increase in per capital income, more even distribution of income, reduction in the level of unemployment, diversification of the economy, indigenization of economic activities among others. However, all these objectives could not see the light of the day as a result of the incursion of another Military Government in July, 1975, barely three moths after the Plan was launched.

For the first in the history of the country, democratically elected government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari launched the Fourth National Development Plan in 1981, expected to last till 1985. Unlike the previous Development Plans, the Fourth Plan was the first in which the Local Governments were made to participate at the levels of preparation and they were also allowed to have their own separate progrmmes under the Plan.

The Fourth Development Plan was again affected by the change of government in 1983 and by yet another change in 1985. Indeed, the performance of the economy during the Fourth Plan was generally poor and the period eventually saw an end to major National Development.

No doubt, the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) introduced in 1986 by General Ibrahim Babangida and Vision 2010 Plan of General Sani Abacha have both negative and positive effects on the social, economic and political spheres of Nigeria. In fact, the two regimes left scars of wound in Nigerian economy which hitherto remain unhealed.

Since the return of democracy in 1999, government at all levels, particularly at the Federal levels have embarked on series of reforms, short, medium and long term plans which include the National Economic Empowerment Development Strategies (NEEDS) National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), Seven Point Agenda, Vision 20: 2020, the United Nations adopted Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) among others without appreciable result.

A Development Economist, George Leiser once opined that before you can say that one country is making progress; one must provide answers to what has been happening to poverty? What has been happening to unemployment? And what has been happening to inequality between the poor and the rich?

Hence, the accentuated inequality, pervasive poverty and increasing unemployment rate should be addressed to bring about the accelerated development in social, economic and political landscapes of the country.

Government at all levels must shun policy somersault, corruption, favouritism and nepotism, bad governance and stem the rising spate of insecurity with a view to returning Nigeria to the path of progress.