Poverty Schemes Not Useful to Maiduguri Women - Study

from All Africa

Daily Trust (Abuja)

By Isa Umar Gusau
Maiduguri

Poverty alleviation programmes embarked by governments, NGOs and international organizations in Borno State do not appear to offer direct benefits to women in Maiduguri metropolis, a study has shown.

The study was contained in a paper titled: Some Aspects of Poverty Among Women of Maiduguri Metropolis, jointly packaged by Abba Kagu, Asheikh A. Maidugu and Babagana Abba Gambo from the Departments of Geography, Economics, and Crop Production respectively, in the University of Maiduguri. The three researchers presented yesterday at the ongoing five day international colloquium taking place in Maidugri to commemorate 1,000 years of the Kanem Borno empire.

According to the researchers, poverty alleviation programmes in the area has not yielded positive results on women living across various places, noting that their research shows that many of the women were not aware of various poverty alleviation agencies despite the talk on efforts to curb poverty in the state.

"The study was conducted in Maiduguri metropolis which consists of 15 residential wards categorised as high, medium and low density residential areas.

The sampled respondents were randomly selected from five wards of Shehuri north, Shehuri south, Limanti, Fezzan and Bolori I. From each ward 72 households were interviewed with the aid of an interview schedule. A wide range of information was obtained on various relevant issues which were analysed using descriptive statistical technique. The study also revealed that the activities of poverty alleviation agencies have not been felt by most of the women in the the area. This is demonstrated by the large percentage of respondents who had no information on the existence of these agencies, hence could not benefit from any of their packages," the paper noted.

The researchers gave different suggestions to stakeholders on how to reverse the trend.

"Government should target policies that are directed at alleviating the poverty situation of women by properly channelling in extra resources to the poor urban areas in order to help break the cycle of transmitted deprivation. Neighbourhood-based action to work with the local people, especially the women should be vigorously pursued. "The few educated women in such neighbourhoods or their immediate environments should be actively involved in such programs. Government should also encourage self-help projects among women. This could be done through formation of cooperative societies among women with the main objective of empowering them in economic spheres. "Educational and skill acquisition centres should also be established in the neighbourhoods. Such centres should take care of the sensitivities of the local population and adequate working tools and materials should be provided at subsidized rates to women groups, while marketing outlets be provided to easily dispose the output of such centres at favourable prices." the three researchers urged.