FACTORS AFFECTING COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES IN GOMBE STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

A survey research design was adopted for this study on factors affecting participation in community development in Gombe state, Nigeria. Four research questions guided the study and four hypotheses were formulated tested at (0.05) level of significance. The study was conducted in all eleven local government area of Gombe state. The population 2103 and sample for the study was made up of 330 registered members of community development association in Gombe state. A questionnaire titled factors affecting community participation in community development programmes in Gombe state, (FACPCDP) Nigeria consisting of 40 items was structured based on the factors affecting community participation, Respondents reaction range from very high extant, high extant, low extant and very low extant. The internal consistency of the instrument has a reliability coefficient of 0.92 cronbach alpha  308 questionnaires  were returned for analysis, which was  98% return rate Data collected were analyzed using means of 2.50 of high extent acceptability  and t –test statistics, (0.05) level of significance. The study has implications for creating awareness on questioner form and poor road network, therefore recommendations were made about community participation and also regular workshops and seminars were to be made on the importance of community participation.

Community Development is the way of enabling communities to identify their needs, to make use of their resources and put into action programmes for the improvement of the social, economic, political, and environmental conditions. Community Development process involves the collective participation of the members of the community, government departments, NGOs, and other agencies in solving problems faced like poverty, defunct infrastructure unemployment lack of good health and educational services. Community Development demands a lot more than financial and material resources but also the ability of the people to participate actively in the process of problem identification, setting priorities, implementation of projects and maintaining the achievements.

Participation is the active involvement of people and groups in decisions and activities affecting their well-being. It can be expressed in many ways such as community meetings and forums, financial, or material support, local knowledge contribution, project planning, programme implementation monitoring operation and maintenance of facilities once constructed. Participation is more meaningful in contexts where people have a significant degree of control over decision making, instead of them simply being "delivery agents" of externally formulated programmes.. This is because, where development projects are consistent with the interests of the local community, they are bound to have greater public acceptance, ownership, and functionality even after the withdrawal of external aid. According to Veta (2021) who studied community development micro-projects in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria, there are some considerations that need to be taken into account in relation to community participation in development activities.

Community development projects in Nigeria can be implemented in various ways depending on how federal, state, and local governments; traditional institutions; community development organizations; NGOs; and development partners are involved in the process. Such projects can be designed for purposes like providing rural roads, provision of water and sanitation, provision of healthcare services, construction of learning institutions, agricultural development, skills development, and poverty reduction. Even though such projects aim at improving the livelihoods of people, their success may be influenced by the degree to which participants of such projects take part in planning and implementing them. When people in the community are actively involved in the process, they are able to express their needs, provide local expertise, highlight any problems and set up mechanisms of accountability..

Participation is linked with concepts of inclusive governance and local empowerment. Communities know their context, social networks, resources, and development needs. Getting them involved in programme decisions can enable agencies to develop appropriate interventions. But it cannot mean just volunteers or families giving unpaid work or cash. It must provide avenues for marginalised groups - mainly women, young people, low-income, and disabled people - to voice their concerns and influence decision-making. So, the quality of participation depends on if community members have access to the right information, if marginalised groups are represented and if they believe their voice will count..

The subject matter regarding participation in development projects of the community may be discussed in relation to Gombe State, located in the northeast region of Nigeria. Gombe State has eleven local government areas, which consists of urban and rural communities with various socioeconomic status. Developmental requirements of the communities may differ depending upon various factors such as availability of roads, clean water supply, schooling, health facilities, agriculture, employment, and other infrastructures. Therefore, it becomes important to find out what makes people participate in developmental projects..

Empirical studies carried out in Gombe State show that participation by communities is a key factor in rural development. According to Adegboye (2021), a study was carried out to determine the extent of the participation of rural residents in community-based agriculture and rural development projects in the state. The study used a sample size of 71 participants from three rural village locations and found out that 70.4 percent participated at a high level. Relationships were established between participation and various socio-economic factors, which include age, marital status, education, occupation, family size, and income level. The study further concluded that education and information could facilitate participation in community-based projects.

Same here, Adegboye and Oyesola (2023) investigated the nature of limitations to community participation in rural development projects in Gombe State. The study found that delayed project implementation, unfulfilled promises, and financial constraints were the challenges that needed to be addressed. The researchers also found associations between participation and some socioeconomic variables. This shows that community participation is not solely dependent on the community members' willingness to contribute, but also the attractiveness, accessibility, and performance of institutions responsible for implementing development projects. Communities can become discouraged to attend meetings, provide resources, and participate in implementation if a project is not executed or promised successfully..

One key factor influencing community participation is awareness and access to information. Community members are more likely to take part when they understand the goals, expected benefits, implementation processes, and requirements of a development program. Insufficient publicity, unclear communication, and restricted access to information can prevent residents from knowing when meetings occur or how they can get involved.. In areas where information is conveyed through written messages or digital mediums, people who lack literacy or computer access will be disadvantaged. This means that it becomes vital to use methods such as community meetings, radio broadcasts, religious groups, traditional rulers, and community organizations to ensure that development information is accessible. It is clear from the study conducted by Adegboye (2021) that information plays a key role in rural development participation..

The socioeconomic background of the people in the community is another consideration. One’s income level, occupation, education level, domestic chores and availability of resources will decide how involved one is with the development programs. Poor people may be willing to help in community projects, but owing to their economic situation, may be unable to afford any financial contribution or give up on working hours. Similarly, farmers, traders, craftsmen, and employees may have little time for attending meetings due to clash with their earning activities. Educating the people may enable them to comprehend project details and communicate their needs in decision making. However, being poorly educated does not necessarily mean that people lack the interest or ability to contribute.

Leadership and institutional structures also affect the participation of communities. Traditional leaders, community development association officers, religious figures, elected leaders, and government officials could rally communities to act and cooperate. Transparency in leadership could lead to the creation of trust through open communication of decision-making processes, financing, and outcomes. On the other hand, favoritism, lack of accountability, politics, and exclusion of certain groups might prevent community participation. Community members will lack trust if they think that there is unequal distribution of development dividends and the decision-making process is limited to certain individuals or groups. Veta (2021) explored participation in development micro-projects in the Niger Delta, which offers a relevant Nigerian view on the problems of community participation in development projects.

Another factor that affects community participation is culture, gender issues and social relations. In some instances, social norms beliefs cultures and values of the community contribute to or boost collective action, cooperation, and voluntary contributions towards social goals. Gender dynamics and social ranking may though have a negative influence on community participation; for example, preventing women, youth, and vulnerable groups from participating in community meetings and taking part in leadership roles. Focus on persons of influence during decision-making may marginalise the contribution of the less powerful groups. There is a need to choose suitable participation methods that can create the space for various social groups in communities to contribute and express their opinions. A lot still needs to be known about the social-cultural setting of Gombe State communities to identify practices that promote or hinder community responsibility.

Additionally, the nature of government assistance and benefits associated with development programmes can influence the attitude of people towards participation. People could become more eager to work on their community development projects if they see the benefits of such projects, the pace at which it is moving forward, and the trustworthiness of the implementing organisation. Delayed assistance, failed initiatives, broken promises, lack of maintenance arrangements could lower the level of confidence of the community members. Adegboye and Oyesola (2023) mentioned delayed implementation, broken promises, and financial problems as issues linked to community participation in Gombe State..

Community decision-making and participation another often overlooked element of planning is whether or not the local community should have any say in choosing who benefits from or Yes whether a project is choose to begin with. Providing residents with input in the needs assessment, project planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation often means more appropriate development.. Residents may also recommend sites for projects, available local materials, maintenance, and feasible sites for implementation. On the other hand, participation in meetings or labour might limit the participation of the community in important decision making processes. Complete participation requires transparency and accountability to be part of the projects.

The influence of this mentioned factors on community participation might vary from community to community and from development programme to development programme. Al-though there has been research on community participation in agricultural and rural development projects in Gombe State, more information is needed on the relationship between and among the level of awareness, socio-economic factors culture leadership planning support institutions and community development programme (CDP). This would help in identifying factors that deter residents from participating in community development programme and those that promote community participation..

In light of the foregoing issues, this study attempts to explore the determinants of community participation in community development programs in Gombe State, Nigeria. This study is necessary because knowing the determinants would give valuable information to the government authorities, community leaders, NGOs, policymakers, and development workers. An insight into the determinants of community participation would be helpful in the design of participatory programs, effective communication, accountability, ownership, and sustainable utilization of development facilities. Ultimately, community participation would facilitate the realization of development programs according to the needs of the local community.