THE IMPACT OF EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES IN SOLVING UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM IN NIGERIA (A CASE STUDY OF IGBO-EZE SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ENUGU STATE  

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION 

        Unemployment can be defined as the situation where by some people leaving in a specific given area, who are capable and willing to work but are not gainfully employed. For an example, in developing countries, like Nigeria, unemployment is a serious social evil that have seriously eating up Nigeria economy and have affects growth and development.

        The production sector of the economy is one of the most important in terms of providing access to basic societal needs such as employment, income and services. Management is the act of controlling or running a business or an organization with the aim of making profit by an individual, firm or government. The implementation of effective management of available resources can be a remedy to the problem of unemployment in Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area in Enugu State as a case study.

        Evidently, most of the developing Asian economic have sincerely realized the need to turn some attention to the development of resources which will generate employment at Local Level (Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area in Enugu) as well as provide cheaper goods at affordable prices to the vast majority of rural areas. Federal government in it 1997 national budget laid more emphasis on the establishment of cottage industries as a measure of curtailing the influx of people from the rural to the urban centres in search of what they term better job (employment). This led to the establishment of the family economic advancement (FAP) whose sole aim is to exploit the potential of the rural communities so as to facilitaties the setting up of productive cottage industries that will use local labour, locally available raw materials and fabricated equipment in the rural areas. With the presence of enormous raw materials exist in almost all parts of the country (i.e. Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area in Enugu State) and therefore, effective resource management should be carried out and sited areas where there is labour availability in the aim of salvaging the problem of unemployment in the given area. The family economic advancement programs which encompasses cottage industries and other relevant production is designed, among other things to promotes local designed and fabrication of plant and machinery and equipment by engaging other youths of Igbo-Eze South L.G.A. as a way of reducing unemployment. Provide facility for the procurement for machinery/equipment for Nigerians to set up and run cottage and effective managed industries, utilize all available local resources for the benefit of all Nigerians through improved production, preservation and provide an enabling environment for private sector and UN agencies participation in the program.

        It is expected that this will initial the much needed technological development and effective management of resources in the given area as a case study.

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area in one of the Local Governments in Enugu State. Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area was established in the year 1991 under the governorship of Dr. Okwudili Nwodo and Felix Agada as the First Chairman.

        Formally, she was under Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, but because people from the community were not receiving government attention, they were denied social amenities like electricity, pipe born water, health facilities etc. the community started to agitate for establishment of local government in their community since they have attained constitutional requirement, then after much deliberation, she was established in 1991.

        Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area lies approximately at latitude of 0.4C° east, some fifteen kilometers (15kms) South of Nsukka.

        Igbo-Eze South is made up of eight communities such as Itchi, Unadu, Alor-Agu, Nkalagu Obukpa, Iheakpu-Awka, Iheaka, Ovoko, Ihunowere and Ibagwa-Aka which is the headquarter of Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area.

        The population of Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area accommodated about thousands of people including the immigrants that formed fifteen percent (15%) of the total population. She shares the same common boundary with such Local Government Areas as Udenu Local Government Area to the East, Nsukka Local Government Area to the South, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area as the North while the Kogi State to the West.

        Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area was blessed by God with natural endowments which include: the rain forest trees such as palm trees, Iroko trees, Mango trees and other economic trees which occupied the lower part of her headquarter.

        This Local Government has affected the communities positively through the achievement of the followings.

1)           Adequate provision of educational opportunities

2)           Industrialization

3)           Job opportunities

4)           Good and adequate health care facilities

5)           Clean environment

6)           Application of modern technology for production.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

        The problem of how unemployment can be solved by the effective management of resources is the core of the study, the researcher intend to find out what effect, effectively managed resources will have in the reduction of unemployment rate in Igbo-Eze South Local Government. The population on which the study will be based the researcher intend to look at the operations of the establishment within the area and hope effective the manager of these business/ establishment will contribute in the study area.

1.3  PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

        The purpose of the study is to elicit the jobs, which with the changing economic trend and high labour cost becomes very expensive for the employer who will proffer to improve the skill of his staff or computerize his company thereby cutting labour cost and maximizing his profit. When this becomes unemployment with little or no hope of getting employment because of the changing trends; modernization and technological development of labour management based on this short fall in employment becomes a problem. One way to improve unemployment is through the effective management of resources in an establishment.

        Effective management of resources in an establishment in Igbo-Eze South encourages specialization and division of labour which means that more people will be needed to perform the certain function and more and more will also be encouraged to exhibit dexterity in certain skill so as to perform the certain task more effectively at a higher rate of output so as to meet the demand of their customers by this specialization is encouraged as opposed to the use of computers which needs few people to feel information into them.

        Effective management of source resources in Igbo-Eze South will reduce unemployment and the dependence on government corporate bodies as the last hope of job seekers for engaging in income generating ventures. As a matter of fact, this will put smile on use of effective management of source resources as a means of reducing unemployment problem within Igbo-Eze South Local Government.      

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of the study states who should benefits from the research and how the study will go a long way in helping to achieve the strong impression. The effective management of resources will create in solving unemployment problem in Igbo-Eze South Local Government and Nigeria in general. It will also reduce the mismanagement of resources that leads to termination of worker in an establishment thereby create unemployment in the local government.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS.

1.     To what extent can employment be created by effective managed resources positively affect the unemployment situation in Igbo-Eze South Local government Are?

2.     In what ways can effective management of resources be used as a tool for reducing unemployment in Igbo-Eze South Local government area?

3.     Can it be said that effective management of resources creates enough employment to reduce the mass drift from rural to urban centers of the local governments?

4.     Can it create employment opportunities in Igbo-Eze South Local government?

5. Its there anyway(s) to improve on the present mode of operations of resources through effective management?

1.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS.

1.     HO: Unemployment situation in local government area cannot be reduced through effective resources management.

HI:  Unemployment in Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area can be reduced through effective resources management.

2.     HO: Effective resource management cannot create enough employment to reduce drift from rural to urban area.

HI:    Effective resources management can create enough employment to reduce drift from rural to urban area.

3.   HO: There is no way to improve the present mode of operation through effectives resources management.

HI: the present mode of operation can be improved through effective resources management.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study is to find out how unemployment problem can be solved through the proper use of scarce resources in establishment the study will be limited to Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area, which will be used as the study population for the basis of study.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS.

It is good to give operational meaning to words misinterpretation by readers the terms associated with the study will be clearly detained and provisions will be made for the other definitions as they occur while the study is in progress.

UNEMPLOYMENT

        This according to R.T Byreness and G.N stones (1981) is the amount of the unused labour involving skilled or unskilled people who are willing to work but could not secure employment with result from the bulk of dependent people in the society.

  ESTABLISHMENT

The basic structure and facilities necessary for a country or organization of functions efficiently.

MANAGEMENT

Management form a Layman’s view is getting this done through and with people aimed at achieving ones personal goals or in contest with the goals of the organization.