Consumers' views of the strategies for promoting peace and sustainable development in the Niger Delta Region

Abstract

This study focused on the consumers' views of the strategies for promoting peace and sustainable development in the Niger Delta region. Stratified proportional random sampling technique was used to select one thousand four hundred and seventy (1470) respondents from nine communities in Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers State constituted the sample used for the study. A questionnaire was developed by the researchers and used for the collection of data. The analysis was done using frequency count, simple percentages and mean scores for ranking. The results revealed that the respondents were of the views that peace and sustainable development can be achieved in the Niger Delta Region through the following ways: Community people should be involved in the planning and execution of projects, there should be effective communication among stakeholders, employment creation, youth empowerment through acquisition of skills and massive infrastructural development. Based on the findings, it was recommended among other things that part of the 13% derivation fund should be used solely to develop the region and also that youths be empowered through skill acquisition to curb youth restiveness in the region. To ensure sustainable development, community people should be involved in initiating, planning and execution of community development projects.