Assessment of the Contributions of Direct Labour Agency in the provision of

infrastructural facilities to Socio-Economic Development of Selected LGAs in

Plateau State, Nigeria.

Being a Seminar presentation Submitted to the

Department of Public Administration
Faculty of Administration
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
By
Muhammad Haruna MAITALA (P17ADPA8008)

Abstract

The study assessed the contribution of Direct Labour Agency in the provision of infrastructural
facilities on socio-economic development of selected local government of Plateau State.
Low investment in the rural area as well as problem of financing rural development programmes
are among the major challenges hindering the people at the rural areas to become productive
and possibly create job opportunity in the agricultural sector and other production activities. In
an effort to address the challenges at the rural level, the Direct Labour Agency was established
by the Plateau State government to provide infrastructural facilities to the people at the rural
area in order to make them productive. In spite the effort, the living conditions of the people at
the rural areas have not really improved. The objective of this study is to examine the
contribution of the Direct Labour Agency in the provision of infrastructural facilities to enhance
socio-economic development in Plateau State, Nigeria. The study employed survey research
design and data were collected through structured questionnaire administered to a sample of
384 respondents in Bokkos, Bassa and Mikang LGAs of Plateau State, of which 356
questionnaire were correctly filled and returned. A simple linear regression analysis was used to
analyse the data. The results reveal that provision of infrastructural facilities by Direct Labour
Agency has positive and statistically significant contributed to socio-economic development in
the study areas. Based on the findings of this study, the study recommended among others that
the Direct Labour Agency in Plateau state should be properly funded and given free hand to
operate in order to avoid the spate of abandoned projects.

1
Keywords: Infrastructural facilities, socio-economic development, Plateau State, Government
and Programme.
1.1 Introduction

There is a global concern on issues of rural development by state governments and the United
Nations. Any attempt to improve the rural condition is a welcome development. Part of the
reasons for interest in rural development study is because of the increase in social and economic
differentiation between the rural and urban areas. The dwindling quality of rural life had
encouraged many rural producers to escape from the suffering of rural life to urban misery.
Infrastructural facilities refer to those basic services without which primary, secondary and
tertiary productive activities cannot be performed. In its wider sense, social and economic
facilities embrace all public services from law and order through feeder road and public health to
transportation, communications and water supply (Mabogunje, 2012). In other words,
Infrastructural facilities are elements in the package of basic needs, which a community would
like to procure for better living. Kahn (2014) asserts that rural infrastructure facilities can be
classified into three main types; namely, physical infrastructure such as roads, water, rural
electrification, storage and processing facilities; social infrastructure namely, health and
educational facilities, community centres, fire and security services; institutional infrastructure
which include credit, financial institutions and agricultural research facilities, among others.
These facilities contribute to school safety, quality teaching and learning, high staff and student
academic performances, and behavioural changes towards school activities. Good educational
facilities stimulate active staff and students’ involvement in teaching and learning processes.
Similarly, Idachaba (2016) classified rural basic needs into physical infrastructure i,e. roads,
storage facilities, irrigation facilities and agro-service centres; social infrastructure namely
medical facilities, water supply, electricity supply and educational institutions; and lastly,
institutional infrastructure which includes cooperative societies, postal services, market facilities,
banking services and agricultural extension services. Social infrastructure such as health,
education and recreation have both direct and indirect impacts on the quality of life. Budlender
(2015) also subscribed to Idachaba’s claim by stating that basic infrastructure directly supports
production and trade; indirectly, it leads to improved productivity which in turn leads to higher
real incomes.

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Direct Labour Agency (study agency) created in 2001 with the following objectives among
others the provision of community-based health care for health education, voluntary health
works, traditional birth attendants, HIV/AIDS prevention awareness campaigns, VIP toilets
construction; provision and development of infrastructural needs in the areas of transport, water,
energy and communication especially in rural areas of the state; improvement of water supply
and sanitation coverage in the rural communities in Plateau State etc. (DLA Document, 20014).
Notwithstanding the rural development efforts in the state, there is visible rural neglect, poverty
and backwardness seen in the rural areas of Plateau State.
In Plateau State, efforts towards rural development include Direct Labour Agency (DLA), Social
Welfare Service Scheme (SOWESS) of the agency and other programmes to complement Direct
Labour Agency such as the Plateau Agricultural Development Programme (PADP), Rural
Infrastructure Development Programme (RIDP) among others. All these programmes are to
ensure the development of rural area in Plateau State. Despite several attempts by the state
government through the introduction of rural development programmes, the rural condition has
not changed as rural dwellers in plateau state live in deprived condition. “There is evidence that
the key health indicators have either stagnated or worsened. Life expectancy in the state has
dropped from 53.8 years for females and 52.6 for males in 2012 to 40.2 years and 46.8 years for
both females and males in 2018 respectively”. The agency also went further to state that infant
immortality rate (IMR) rose from 87.2 per 1,000 live births in 2005 to 105 in 2007 and about
52% of deaths are associated with malnutrition. The maternal mortality rate (MMR) of 800 per
100,000 live births is one of the highest in the world. This is indeed very alarming WHO, (2014).
As most of the rural community in the state lives in total darkness dilapidated road and bridges
that make it difficult to transport and preserve farm produce for farmers in the state.
It was as a result of the existence of this disparity in living standards of rural people in Plateau
state that necessitated the assessment of the contribution of Direct Labour Agency (DLA) on
socio-economic development in the state imperative. Only through such an assessment can a
major cause of the imbalance in rural development be understood. In view of these, the research
seek to answer the question below:
To what extent has the provision of infrastructural facilities by Direct Labour Agency
contributed to socio-economic development in plateau state?

3
1.2 Objective of the Study
The objective of the study is to examine the extent to which the provision of infrastructural
facilities by Direct Labour Agency contributed to socio-economic development in plateau state.

1.3 Research Hypothesis

The hypothesis to be tested by this study is in null form as follows:
H01: There is no significant relationship between the provisions of infrastructural facilities by
Direct Labour Agency and socio-economic development in plateau state.

2. Literature Review
2.1 Concept of Socio-economic Development
Socio-economic development is seen as a process of improvement in a variety of ways. It has to
influence all aspects of human life in a county. These varieties of ways are: level of agriculture
development; level of industrial development; level of urbanization; occupational structure; level
of educational development; health status; transport and communication etc. (Sandole & Hugo,
2003). This to a large extent is dependent on the social aspect of development (social relationship
within a community) because, the characteristics of social relationships – within and among
groups and organizations influence the content, goals, and implementation of development
programmes. The quality of people’s social relationships influences their sense of well-being.
And social relationships and networks are resources that help people pursue their livelihood and
solve development problems. Of course, the importance of social relationships in affecting
socioeconomic outcomes was recognized long before the notion of social capital emerged World
Bank (2004).
2.2 Concept of Infrastructure
Torrance (2009) splits infrastructure in three different categories: “(1) transport infrastructure,
such as roads, rail tracks, and airports with users fees; (2) regulated infrastructure, such as
water-, electricity- and gas distribution networks with regulated service contracts with
availability fees; and (3) social infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals, for which
governments pay an availability fee over a 20- to 30-year term” Torrance (2009). Thus Torrance

4
explicitly includes services and even specific contract types as well as social infrastructure in his
definition. He therefore see infrastructure as the sum of material, institutional and personal
facilities and data which are available to the economic agents and which contribute to realizing
the equalization of the remuneration of comparable inputs in the case of a suitable allocation of
resources, that is complete integration and maximum level of economic activities.

2.3 Empirical Studies

Ezeh and Nwachukwu (2014) examined the impact of Selected Rural Development Programmes
on Socio-economic Development of Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State. The study
adopted survey design and the hypothesis of the study was tested using Chi-square statistical
tool. The study adopted top down approach to rural development and the study revealed that
beneficiary farmers’ performance are not better off in terms of income and output therefore, the
project was not statistically significant. However, the study adopted top down approach while the
current study adopted down top approach which gives the beneficiaries the opportunity to
participate.

Onibukun (1988) assessed the role of Directorate for Food and Rural Infrastructure (DFFRI), on
socio-economic development in Benue and Imo State, Nigeria. The study adopted survey
research design. The study revealed that poor agricultural sector performance was resulted from
lack of provision of rural infrastructure, this is because of the fact that top-down approach was
used in the state, simple high mean score as a statistical tool was used which did not actually
provide the researcher with accuracy of the data, the findings showed that due to lack of the
beneficiaries participation especially at the project initiation monitoring and as well
implementation that lead to it failure.

Idiaye & Omonona (2014) assessed the contribution of rural infrastructural Development
programme and agricultural development project in Oyo State. The study make use of regression
analysis on alleviation of poverty among participated farmers on socio-economic development in
Oyo State. The study showed marginal poverty reduction among beneficiaries of the programme.
Be it as it may, benefits of agriculture embraces infrastructural provision, self-employment, rural
income generation, and sustained availability of farm outputs as rural development indicators.

5
The studies reviewed so far have exposed us to the contributions of agriculture as an approach to
rural development.
Franklin (2006) The Impact of National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) on socio-
economic development of rural area in delta north LGA. The study assessed the extent to which
(NAPEP) has impacted on the socio-economic wellbeing or progress of the rural area of Delta
North LGA, questionnaire and interview method were used to collect data from respondent, pie
and bar chart were used in analyzing data obtained from the field. The study found that (NAPEP)
has not made significant impact on the socio-economic wellbeing of the rural dwellers under
study, with regard to the provision of social infrastructure; such as healthcare delivery, potable
water, and rural feeder road. Based on the findings, the study recommended that the poor, who
are claimed to be the beneficiaries of the programme are properly identified, targeted and be
coordinated especially in the project initiation and implementation. The study actually fails
because of the approach adopted which is the top-down approach to rural development because
the people are not properly involved as to what CDD suggested.

2.4 Theoretical Framework

In analysing the phenomenon of rural development and it effect on socio-economic development,

we will adopt the Theory of Change as a framework for analysis in this research. Other theories

may explain this phenomenon but the theory of change appears the most suitable and hence the

desire to adopt it. However, effort shall be made to justify the adoption of this theory and the link

created intermittently.

The theory of change was propounded by Connell and Kubisch (1998), and the theory was used

by Torero (2014) and Julian. (2015), titled ‘assessment of the role of rural solar home system in

poverty alleviation: case study of Rukungiri district in western Ugamda.

The “Theory of change” is a theoretical framework/tool often used to analyze and evaluate

activities, policies, initiatives, or interventions. Connell and Kubisch(1998) define the theory of

6
change as “a theory of how and why an initiative works.” Theories of change are believed to

provide solutions to a number of complex socio-economic problems and they have been widely

used in a number of initiatives to solve community problems (INSP, 2005).

Relevance of the Theory to the Study

The relevance of this theory ‘‘Theory of Change’’ as a theoretical framework for this

development process is essential because it will provide a more detail analysis of the impact of

infrastructural facilities to socio-economic development in the study area. The theory presents a

pathway of change, from the inputs to the final expected impact of development. This pathway

of change can be separated into an implementation side and a results side. The former groups the

inputs (including financial and human resources) and the activities (infrastructural facilities to

socio-economic development in the rural areas) aimed at delivering the target output. The output

can be water supply, education and infrastructural facilities. Access and usage of these facilities

is expected to produce both outcomes and impacts. The major outcome is the increased access to

modern to infrastructural facilities the expected impacts will lead to improvement in standard of

living of people rural areas of Plateau state.

Criticism of theory of change.

1. The theory is a top bottom approach to rural development, this is because it sees people

as a subject of development rather than object of development.

2. The lack of an explicit strategy of change which articulates how the specific activities and

inputs would lead to the desired outcomes.

7
 3. The pathway of change have not shown clear relationship between the different outcomes

and the beneficiaries of the interventions.

3. Research Methodology

3.1 Research Design

The study employed survey research design. This involves collecting quantitative data from a
sampled population using structured questionnaire. The population of the study constitutes
farmers, civil servants, business men and students. There are seventeen local governments. One
local government will represent each zone, given a total of three local governments. The local
governments were selected purposively to cover the senatorial district in order to ensure the
wider utility of the study.
3.2 Population, Sample Size and Sampling Technique
The total population of the study is 465,772 for the three local government, while sample size
was 384 respondents using Krejcie and Morgan's sample size determination table. This study
adopted purposive sampling technique for the selection of the local government area while the
study adopted Cluster sampling technique on the sampled respondents. This is because the small
geographical area are used (local government) which was later broken-down into ward and
villages.
Table 1 Selected Local Government Area

S/N Senatorial District Local Gov’t Area Population Sample Size

1. Plateau North Bassa 189,834 189,834x384/465,772=1

57
2. Plateau Central Bokkos 179,550 179,550x384/465,772=1

48
3. Plateau South Mikang 96,388 96,388x384/465,772=79
Tota 3 3 465,772 384

l
Source: Federal Republic of Nigeria official Gazette No. 2 Feb, 2009 Vol. 96.

8
3.3 Instrument of Data Collection

The main instrument used for collecting the primary data is questionnaire. Questionnaire was
designed and administered to respondents with necessary instructions on how it should be
completed. The questionnaire was structured using 5point Likert scale to sample the perception
of respondents on how the provision of infrastructural facilities by Direct Labour Agency (DLA)
contributed to socio-economic development in Plateau State.

3.4 Method of Data Analysis

Descriptive statistical tool employed is frequency table while the inferential statistical tool
employed to test the hypothesis is Simple Linear Regression (SLR). The choice of this statistical
tool is based on it suitability for the data as the preliminary test conducted shows that the data are
normally distributed, no sign of heteroscedasticity and no sign of serial autocorrelation. This
shows that the data complies with regression assumptions. The simple linear regression can be
specified as below as:

SED= β0+β1ID+μ...........................................................1
Where:

SED= Socio-Economic Development

ID= Infratructural Development
β0= Constant
β1= Coefficient
μ= Error Term (Signifying variables not included in the model)
4. Data Presentation and Discussion of the Findings

This section present the data collected on the basis of the questionnaire administered to the
respondents in the three Local Government Area (LGA) on how the provision of infrastructural
facilities by Direct Labour Agency (DLA) contributed to socio-economic development in Plateau
State. It covers the rate of return, rate of response, decision rule of the statistical tool for testing
the hypothesis and discussion of result.

9
4.1 Rate of Return of Questionnaire
Three hundred and eighty four (384) questionnaires were distributed hand to hand by the
researcher and his assistants to respondents. This was presented in Table 2 below:

Table 2:
Summary of Responses and Percentage
S/ L.G.A Population Sample Questionna Questionn Valid Percentage
N size ire aire valid
distributed returned
1 Bassa 189,834 157 157 146 144 91.7
2 Bokkos 179,550 148 148 142 141 95.9
3 Mikang 96,388 79 79 74 71 89.9
Total 465,772 384 384 362 356 92.7
Source: Researcher’s Computation

The response rate and the valid questionnaire for the study is 92.7 percent out of 100 percent;
This size is considered adequate for analysis in the current study.

Table 3: Respondents Response to Research Question (Section A)

S/ Question Response Total/Percentage

N
1 Local Gov’t Bassa Bokkos Mikang 356(100%)
Area 144(40.5 141(29.6%) 71(19.9)
%)

2 Gender Male Female 356(100%)

219(62.0 137(38.0%)
%)
3 Occupation Farmers Civil Servants Trader Students 356(100%)
72(20.2%) 179(50.3%) 87(24.4%) 18(5.1%)

Source: Researcher’s Survey, 2019.

The Table 3 above (row 1) shows the analysis of data with respect to the local government of the
respondents. It reveals that 40.5% of the respondents are from Bassa, 29.6% of the respondents
10
are from Bokkos and 19.9% of the respondents are from Mikang LGA. Table 4.2 (row 2) shows
that 62.0% of the respondents are male while 38.0% are female. Table 4.2 (row 3) reveals that
20.2% of the respondents are farmers, 50.3% are civil servants. 24.4% are trader/business men
and 5.1% are students. Judging from the table, majority of the respondents are from Bassa LGA;
majority of the respondents are male and majority of the respondents are civil servants.
Table 4: Respondents Response to Research Question (Section B)

S/N Research question Options/Responses

SA A U DA SDA Total/Percent

4. DLA construct and 79(22.2%) 125(35.1%) 86(24.2%) 44(12.4%) 22(6.2%) 356(100%)

rehabilitate rural
feeder road.

5. Direct Labour Agency 147(41.3%) 99(27.8%) 77(21.6%) 22(6.2%) 11(3.1%) 356(100%)

provides rural
electricity in your
community
6. Direct Labour Agency 93(26.1%) 44(12.4%) 76(21.3%) 99(27.8%) 44(12.4%) 356(100%)
involves members in
implementation of
their activities
7. The infrastructure 72(20.2%) 33(9.3%) 59(16.6%) 52(14.6%) 140(39.3%) 356(100%)
provided by Direct
Labour Agency is
adequate in your
community
8. The activities of 140(39.3%) 110(30.9%) 59(16.6%) 22(6.2%) 25(7.0%) 356(100%)
Direct Labour Agency
improve economic
activities in your
community
9. Direct Labour 148(41.6%) 111(31.2%) 54(15.2%) 20(5.6%) 23(6.5%) 356(100%)
Agency improve
standard of living of
the people through
their activities
Source: Researcher’s survey 2019.

A critical look at the Table 4. above shows that the Direct Labour Agency (DLA) construct and
rehabilitate rural feeder road with a frequency of 79(22.2%) for strongly agree and 125(35.1%)
for agree, given a total of 204(57.3%) of respondents. For the provision of rural electricity in the
community 147(41.3%) respondents strongly agree and 99(27.8%) of respondents agree given a
total of 246(69.1%). But for involvement of community members in implementation 93(26.1%)
respondents strongly agree and 44(12.4%) of respondents agree given a total of 137(38.5%).
Also for the provision of adequate infrastructure by Direct Labour Agency in the community
72(20.2%) respondents strongly agree and 33(9.3%) of the respondents agree given a total of
105(29.5%). On whether the activities of Direct Labour Agency improve economic activities in

11
your community 140(39.3) respondents strongly agree and 110(30.9) of the respondents agree
given a total of 250(70.2%). Lastly, on whether Direct Labour Agency improve the standard of
living of the people through their activities 148(41.6%) and 111(31.2%) of the respondents agree
given a total of 259(72.8%) respondents. This shows that majority of the respondents agree and
strongly agree about the provision of both economic activities and improvement in standard of
living of the people in the communities. But on the provision of adequate infrastructure, majority
of the respondents disagree and strongly disagree. The frequency table shows that Direct Labour
Agency (DLA) plays a prominent role in socio-economic development of the people in the
community. This implies that majority of the respondents are in affirmation with the questions
asked and therefore, the Direct Labour Agency can be said to have improved the life of the
people in area of provision of infrastructural facilities to aid businesses and improve the living
standard of the people in the study area.
4.2 Analysis of Regression Test

The regression is used to test the hypothesis at 5% level of probability.

Decision Rule: Accept null hypothesis if the P-value is greater than 5% level of probability and

if otherwise, reject the null hypothesis.

The hypothesis of the study is stated in a null form as:

H01: There is no significant relationship between the provisions of infrastructural facilities by

Direct Labour Agency and socio-economic development in plateau state.

Table 5: Model Summary b

Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Durbin-Watson

Estimate
a
1 .465 .216 .214 1.55978 1.811

a. Predictors: (Constant), INFRASTRUCTURAL_FACILITIES

b. Dependent Variable: SOCIO_ECONOMIC_DEVELOPMENT
Source: SPSS 20 Output from study data, 2019

The Table 5 presents the model summary of the analysis. The R2 of 0.216 calculated points to the
fact that about 22 percent variation in socio-economic development in Bokkos, Bassa and
Mikang LGAs of Plateau State is explained by the regressor (Infrastructural facilities). That is,

12
22% variation in socio-economic development can be explained by changes in the infrastructural
facilities, while the other 78% variation can be explained by other factors outside this model.
This is not unconnected to the fact that only one regressor is used in the model.

Table 6 Coefficients a

Model Unstandardized Standardized T Sig.

Coefficients Coefficients

B Std. Error Beta

(Constant) 2.627 .339 7.752 .000

INFRASTRUCTURAL_FACILITIES .287 .029 .465 9.874 .000

a. Dependent Variable: SOCIO_ECONOMIC_DEVELOPMENT

Source: SPSS 20 Output from study data, 2019

Table 6 presents the coefficients of the explanatory variable and the probability value. The P-
value of 0.000 is less than 5% level of probability. This shows that the study does not have
enough statistical evidence to accept the null hypothesis and as such, the null hypothesis was
rejected in favour of the alternate hypothesis. The results show that the infrastructural facilities
shows a positive and statistically significant impact on socioeconomic development in the study
area. With a coefficient of 0.287, it implies that one percent increase in infrastructural facilities
will lead to 28% increase in socio-economic development in the study area. Increase in
infrastructural facilities will enable the people to expand their production, improve their standard
of living.

4.3 Summary of Findings

The provision of infrastructural facilities will lead to increase in socio-economic development.
This is because availability of infrastructure facilities and services as well as the efficiency of
such services to a large extent determine the success or otherwise of all other production
endeavourers. Investments in infrastructures such as feeder road, transportation and
communication technologies promote socio-economic development and help to alleviate poverty
thereby improve living conditions of the people.

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4.4 Recommendations

The Direct Labour Agency should do more especially with regards to ongoing feeder road
project as this will go a long way in bringing about economic development in the study area. The
provision of motorable roads will help farmers and other business owners in transporting their
produce to markets.
Also, the Direct Labour Agency in Plateau State should be properly funded and given free hand
to operate in order to avoid the spate of abandoned projects, the agency should be under first line
charge directly from the Governor’s office, considering the importance of rural development to
the overall national development.

14
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