UTILIZATION OF COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT STRATEGY IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN ENUGU STATE, NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
The study was aimed at assessing the extent to which community projects management committees utilize the community management strategy in the development of community projects in Enugu State, Nigeria. To guide the study, six research questions were formulated with the intention of assessing the types of managed community projects, the extent of utilization of the community management strategy in the planning, financing, implementation, operations and maintenance of community projects, and the extent to which problems are encountered in the utilization of the community management strategy in the development of community projects in Enugu State. Also, five null hypotheses were tested at .05 level of significance and used to guide the study. Descriptive survey research design was used. Multi-stage sampling technique was employed to compose a sample of 810 respondents from a population of 1320 members of the registered community projects management committees in Enugu State. The instrument used for the study was a 65-item COMSCODEPROQ structured questionnaire. The instrument was face validated by three experts; two in measurement and evaluation and one in community development, all from University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Its reliability was ensured using Cronbach alpha estimate. Reliability co-efficient of .92 was obtained. Frequencies and percentages, weighted mean prand standard deviation were used in analysing the collected data. A criterion mean of 2.50 was used in judging the responses as to whether they were accepted or not. Copies of the instrument were administered to the respondents through direct delivery technique. Findings of the study revealed that community management strategy was utilized to a moderate extent in the stages of project development, except in the planning stage where it was utilized to a very great extent. Four out of the five null hypotheses were accepted showing that there were no significant differences in the mean ratings of community projects management committee members in urban communities and their counterparts in rural communities on the extent to which community management strategy is utilized in the planning, financing, implementation and operations and maintenance of community development projects in Enugu State. Based on the findings of the study, recommendations were proffered which included that Enugu State Government under the auspices of Community and Social Development Projects Initiatives should assist communities in establishing community projects management committees in the various communities in the state with carefully selected representatives for the adult males, the adult females, and the youths of the community, and that community projects management committees in the various communities should hold meetings on a regular basis for the interested public, and according to a schedule.