Effect of Rivers Entrepreneurs and Investors Forum on Poverty Reduction and Income Distribution in Rivers State

International Journal of Economics and Management Studies

© 2019 by SSRG - IJEMS Journal

Volume 6 Issue 1

Year of Publication : 2019

Authors : Ewubare, Dennis Brown and Bobmanuel, Ibiene Ibifiri

10.14445/23939125/IJEMS-V6I1P101

How to Cite?

Ewubare, Dennis Brown and Bobmanuel, Ibiene Ibifiri, "Effect of Rivers Entrepreneurs and Investors Forum on Poverty Reduction and Income Distribution in Rivers State," SSRG International Journal of Economics and Management Studies, vol. 6,  no. 1, pp. 1-9, 2019. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23939125/IJEMS-V6I1P101

Abstract:

This study examined the role of Rivers State Entrepreneurship and Investors Forum (REIF) in the socio-economic advancement of Rivers State. The objectives were to determine the contributions of REIF on poverty reduction and addressing the problem of income inequality. The instruments used for eliciting the data required for the analysis were questionnaire and personal interview. Descriptive statistics were employed in analyzing the data. The findings indicate that the activities of REIF substantially contributed in reducing the population of the poor in Nigeria. It was evident from the results that the intervention of REIF increased the population of those living above the poverty line from 69 (19.44%) in the pre-intervention period to 197 (58.81%) in the post-intervention period. It was further discovered that REIF helped in improving the income of 256 (76.42%) members of the affiliated groups. These findings suggest that REIF have substantially contributed in taking majority of its affiliated group members out of the poverty line and improved their income level, thus leading to the conclusion that REIF is an important agent of economic development. From the findings, it was recommended that entrepreneurship development that offers enabling environment for the success of businesses and self-reliance should be given adequate attention in the programmes of REIF in order to ensure that its affiliated group members are empowered economically.

Keywords:

Poverty Reduction, Income Inequality, REIF, Economic Development

References:

[1] Brown, L. D., and Korten, D. C. (1991). “Working More Effectively with Nongovernmental Organizations.” In S. Paul and A. Israel (eds.), Nongovernmental Organizations and the World Bank. Washington D.C.: World Bank.
[2] Carter, M. R. (2007). What we can learn from asset-based approaches to poverty. Reducing global poverty: The case for asset accumulation, 51-61.
[3] Chen, S., & Ravallion, M. (2010). The developing world is poorer than we thought, but no less successful in the fight against poverty. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 125(4), 1577-1625.
[4] Davis, P. and Sanchez-Martinez, S. (2014). A review of the economic theories of poverty. National Institute of Economic and Social Research, Discussion Paper, 435(1),1-63.
[5] El Akkad, N. (2016). Transformational leadership in action: A case study on the role of NGOs in reducing poverty and
catalyzing social change in Egypt. An unpublished Master’s thesis in Public Policy and Administration Department, The American University in Cairo.
[6] Emmanuel, A. A. (2012). Poverty Alleviation Strategies by Non-Profit Organisations: Benefactors’ Experience in the Riverine Area of Ondo State, Nigeria. International Journal of Developing Societies, 1(2), 43-52.
[7] Esping-Andersen, G. (1990). The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
[8] .Khan, A. U., Iqbal, T., & Rehman, Z. U. (2016). Impact of Human Capital on Poverty Alleviation in District Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Dialogue (Pakistan), 11(2),229-241.
[9] Mategeko, B. and Sanni, T. (2010). Contribution of Non-Governmental Organizations on Poverty Reduction in Kabale District: A Case study of Buhara Sub-County. Educational Research, 1(11) ,672-680.
[10] Mkhwanazi, L. V. (2012). Assessing the role of non-governmental organizations in poverty alleviation through the creation of sustainable livelihoods in uThungulu District (Doctoral dissertation, University of Zululand).
[11] Okoh, N.R. (1998). “The Concept of Poverty and its Measurement”. Nigerian Journal of Economic and Social Studies, 39(2),18-27.
[12] Onugu, C. U., &Onuoha, O. C. (2015). Non-Government Organizations as Agents of Poverty Eradication: The Case of Lapo in Niger-Delta Communities of Nigeria. Nigerian Chapter of Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, 62(2159), 1-14.
[13] Pearce, J. (2010). Is Social Change Fundable? NGOs and Theories and Practices of
[14] Ranadive, K. R. (1978). Income Distribution: The Unsolved Puzzle. Bombay: Oxford University Press
[15] Rank, M. R., Yoon, H. S., & Hirschl, T. A. (2003). American poverty as a structural failing: Evidence and arguments. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 30(4),3-18.
[16] Salamon, L. M. (1994). “The Rise of the Nonprofit Sector.” Foreign Affairs, 73 (4), 109–12.
[17] Social Change. Development in Practice Journal, 20 (6) 621-632.
[18] Wakili, F., (2013). Impact Assessment of Local Empowerment and Environmental Management Programme (LEEMP) Projects in Adamawa State. An Unpublished Ph.D Dissertation, Geography Department, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, MAUTECH, Yola.
[19] Yusuf, I. D., Abbas, B., Husain, M. A., and Mohammed, R. I. (2017). Appraisal of the Contributions of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to Poverty Alleviation and Community Development in Gombe State, Nigeria. American Journal of Engineering Research (AJER), 6(8), 275-285.