Rural youth participation in infrastructural development in Isin local government area of Kwara state, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the level of youth participation in infrastructural development in Isin local government area of Kwara State, Nigeria. One hundred and five youths were randomly selected from seven rural communities, fifteen youths from each village. Data were collected with the aid of a questionnaire, which was analysed using frequency count and percentages. Chi-square analysis was used to test the hypothesis of significance between the socio-economic characteristics and the level of participation in infrastructural development. Findings revealed that 56.2% of respondents were within the age category of 21-30 years, 62.9% were male, and 60% were single, while 56.2% of the respondents had secondary school level education. The study revealed the various roles played by youths in participating in infrastructural development as well as the associated constraints which include finance, availability of materials, technical knowledge and time. Age, marital status, educational level and years of residence were found to be significantly related to the level of participation of youths in infrastructural development. The study recommended the adequate budget allocation to rural areas as well as intensive training and educative programmes for effective participative development.Ovaj rad se bavi istrazivanjem nivoa ucesca omladine u razvoju infrastrukture u oblasti lokalne uprave Isin, drzave Kvara u Nigeriji. Stotinu i pet mladih osoba je izabrano metodom slucajnog uzorka iz sedam seoskih zajednica, po petnaest mladih osoba iz svakog sela. Podaci su prikupljeni uz pomoc upitnika, koji je analiziran koriscenjem ucestalosti i procenata. Hi-kvadrat analiza je koriscena za testiranje hipoteze o znacajnosti koja postoji izmedju drustveno-ekonomskih karakteristika i nivoa ucesca u razvoju infrastrukture. Rezultati su pokazali da su 56,2% ispitanika unutar starosne kategorije 21?30 godina, 62,9% su muskarci, a 60% su cinili neudate i neozenjene osobe, dok je 56,2% ispitanika imalo srednjoskolsko obrazovanje. Istrazivanje je ukazalo na razlicite uloge koje omladina ima prilikom ucesca u razvoju infrastrukture kao i na prateca ogranicenja koja ukljucuju finansije, dostupnost materijala, strucno znanje i vreme. Utvrdjeno je da su starost, bracni status, nivo obrazovanja i godine boravka znacajno povezani sa nivoom ucesca omladine u razvoju infrastrukture. Preporucuje se adekvatna raspodela budzeta seoskim podrucjima kao i intenzivna obuka i obrazovni programi za efikasno ucesce u razvoju.