UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF ACHIEVEMENT IN NIGERIA
BY
TORKA BARILOEMOM DUMKA
IAUE/2017/POL/MSC/0059
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL, IGNATIUS AJURU UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, P.M.B. 5047, RUMUOLUMENI, PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE.
APRIL, 2019
UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF ACHIEVEMENT IN NIGERIA
BY
TORKA BARILOEMOM DUMKA
IAUE/2017/POL/MSC/0059
A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL, DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, IGNATIUS AJURU UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, RUMUOLUMENI PORT HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE.
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.Sc) DEGREE IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
SUPERVISOR: PROF. LYSIAS D. GILBERT
APRIL, 2019
DECLARATION
I, Torka Bariloemom Dumka with registration number IAUE/2017/POL/MSC/0059 declare that this dissertation titled “United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Problems and Prospects of Achievement on Nigeria” was carried out by me; that this is my original research work and that it has not been submitted wholly or in part for the award of a degree in any institution.
TORKA BARILOEMOM DUMKA ………………… …………..
(Student) Signature Date
CONFIRMATION BY SUPERVISOR:
PROF. LYSIAS D. GILBERT ………………… …………..
(Supervisor) Signature Date
CERTIFICATION
IGNATIUS AJURU UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION
POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL
UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF ACHIEVEMENT IN NIGERIA
BY
TORKA BARILOEMOM DUMKA
IAUE/2017/POL/MSC/0059
The board of examiners certifies that this is the original work of the candidate. That the dissertation is accepted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the Master of Science (M.Sc) Degree in Political Science (International Relations), Faculty Social Science.
PROF. LYSIAS D. GILBERT ………………….. …………
(Supervisor) Signature Date
DR. B. N. OLUWENE ……………….. …………
(Ag Head of Department) Signature Date
PROF. LYSIAS D. GILBERT ….…….…… …………
(Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences) Signature Date
DR. VINCENT NYEWUSIRA ….…….…… …………
(Chairman Departmental Signature Date
Graduate Studies Committee)
PROF. DANIEL N. OGUM ….…….…… …………
(Dean of PG School) Signature Date
….…….…… …………
(External Examiner) Signature Date
DEDICATION
This work is dedicated to God Almighty who sent His only begotten son Jesus Christ to rule the whole world without winning an election and has given me peace throughout the period of this programme.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I, wish to express my profound gratitude to the Almighty God through which I received strength, wisdom, courage, protection and favour to undergo this programme successfully.
I’m especially grateful to my supervisor Prof. Lysias D. Gilbert, a world class professor whose modus of teaching and constructive criticism did not only improved the quality of this work but reshaped my academic potentials, Kudos to the Vice Chancellor of IAUE Prof. Ozo-Mecury Ndimele for initiating this programme in the school. I’m indebted to Prof. Alafuru Epelle, whose words of encouragement and special teaching techniques has reawaken my reasoning; and to all my lecturers who have laid the foundation in me, such as Dr. B. N. Oluwene – the Head of Department of Political Science, Dr. Eze Christian Akani, Dr. Vincent Nyewusira who doubles as the Chairman Departmental Postgraduate Studies Committee; Dr. Vincent T. Eremie, Dr. Lemmue Owugha, Dr. Vincent Elemaya, Dr. Kenneth Nweke, and Dr. Sunny Pepple.
I’m sincerely grateful to my loving and caring mother Mrs. Torka Bieh Roselyn Sirah, whose support, prayers, encouragement and endurance for not getting married early cannot be over emphasize. Thanks to my step mother Mrs. Virginia Nunumaa. I would not fail to acknowledge my anticipated son Master Dumka Barry Dumka Junior, my Wife to be Mrs. Dumka Barry My Uncle Mr. Richard Deegbara, my senior brother Mr. Torka Bright and the wife Mrs. Torka Ruth.
I, will not fail to appreciate the financial contributions of my course mates especially Comrade (Mrs.) Opakiriba Erekosima, Pst. COC and Princess Mark, Mr. Zubi Duba, Mrs. Obenuchem Bernice Justice Kpakool and Glade Ibinabo. My good friend Mr. Bariesia Siasia Nwipenu and the wife Mrs. Siasia Blessing Nwipenu who always called me my love. Thanks to Mr. Stanley S. E., Mr. Barineka Nwibani, Mr. Briggs Augustine, Mr. Cletus Kanee and Mr. Barimene Famaa for their encouragements and supports to embark on this programme. I specially appreciate my able typist, Miss Jane Inibehe S. Pepple for her patience and diligence in typesetting this work.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page - - - - - - - - i
Declaration - - - - - - - - - ii
Certification - - - - - - - - - iii
Dedication - - - - - - - - - iv
Acknowledgements - - - - - - - - v
Table of Contents - - - - - - - - vi
List of Abbreviation - - - - - - - - ix
Abstract - - - - - - - - - x
Chapter One: Introduction
1.1 Background to the Study - - - - - - - 1
1.2 Statement of Problems - - - - - - - 4
1.3 Objectives of the study - - - - - - 7
1.4 Research Questions - - - - - - - - 7
1.5 Significance of the study - - - - - - - 7
1.6 Limitations of the study- - - - - - - 8
Chapter Two : Literature Review and Theoretical Framework
2.1 Conceptual Review - - - - - - -- 9
2.1.1 Approaches to Development- - - - - - 9
2.1.2 The Traditional Economist Perspective of Development - - 10
2.1.3 The Radical or Neo–Classical Marxist Perspective of Development - 10
2.1.4 A Comparative Analysis of this Thought - - - - - 12
2.1.5 The Nature of Sustainable Development - - - - - 12
2.1.6 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - - - - 14
2.1.7 New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) - - - 18
2.2 Empirical Review - - - - - - - - 25
2.3 Theoretical Framework - - - - - - - 28
2.4 Appraisal of Review Literature - - - - - - 31
Chapter Three: Methodology
3.1 Research Design - - - - - - - - 33
3.2 Nature and Sources of data - - - - - - - 34
3.3 Methods of Data collection and Instrument- - - - - 34
3.4 Methods of Data Analysis- - - - - - - 35
3.5 The Historical Overview of SDGs in Nigeria- - - - 36
3.5.1 Three Years Implementation of UN-SDGs in Nigeria - - 39
Chapter Four: Data Presentation and Analysis
4.1 Research Question One: Problems affecting the planned
implementation of SDGs in Nigeria - - - - - 43
4.1.1 Economic Problems - - - - - - - 44
4.1.2 Environmental Problems - - - - - - 44
4.1.3 Socio–Political Problems - - - - - - 45
4.1.4 The Aged Long Issues of Corruption - - - - - 45
4.1.5 The Controversial Policy Declaration - - - - - 47
4.1.6 Security Challenges - - - - - - 47
4.1.7 Poor Levels of Infrastructure - - - - - 48
4.1.8 The Issue of Inadequate Funding - - - - - 48
4.1.9 Ethnics and Regional Challenges - - - - - 49
4.2 Research Question Two: Prospects of achieving SDGs in Nigeria - 50
4.2.1 Human Capital Development - - - - - - 51
4.2.2 Environmental Management - - - - - - 51
4.2.3 Provision of Ecological Funds - - - - - 52
4.2.4 Political Development - - - - - - - 53
4.2.5 Green Economy Development - - - - - 55
4.2.6 Effective and Regular Communication - - - - 57
4.3 Discussion and Findings - - - - - - 58
Chapter Five: Summary, Conclusion, Recommendation and Contribution to Scholarship
5.1 Summary - - - - - - - - 61
5.2 Conclusion - - - - - - - - 62
5.3 Recommendations - - - - - - - 62
5.4 Contribution to Scholarship - - - - - - 63
Bibliography - - - - - - - 65
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
UN – United Nations
SDG – Sustainable Development Goals
MDG – Millennium Development Goals
NEPAD – New Partnership for African Development
NAPEP – National Poverty Eradication Programme
SAP – Structural Adjustment Programme
UNDP – United Nations Development Programme
WB – World Bank
IMF – International Monetary Fund
APPER – African Plan Programme for Economic Recovery
UNPPAAERD – United Nations Plan Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development
NBS – National Bureau of Statistics
AU – African Union
WTO – World Trade Organization
ECOWAS – Economic Community of West African State
ACP – EU – EPA – African Caribbean Pacific – European Economic Partnership Agreement.
APRM – African Peer Review Mechanism
WHO – World Health Organization
OPEC – Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
CP – Paris Club
UNEP – United Nations Environmental Program
UNCED – United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
MAP – African Recovery Programme
OP – Omega Planned
IDP – International Development Plan
APRM – African Peer Review Mechanism
GNP – Gross National Product
GDP – Gross Domestic Product
NEST – Nigerian Environmental Study/Action Team
PAP – Poverty Alleviation Programme
CAP – Capacity Acquisition Programme
MAP – Mandatory Acquisition Programme
ITU _ International Tele- Communication Union
ODA - Official Development Aid
G8 - Group of Eight
TNC - Transnational Cooperation
MNC - Multi-National Cooperation
TN - Transparency International
ABSTRACT
Nigeria is the most populated African Country with relative political influence emanating from its population and natural mineral resources but in spite of this available wealth and resources still suffered incredible and declining levels of development leading to wide spread absolute poverty, unemployment, inequality, inefficient health care and a system characterize by fraud. However the birth of SDGs in Nigeria reawakens the hope of addressing these growing issues. Thus, in order to identify the problem responsible for the Nigeria development challenges and earmark appropriate measures of achieving the prospects of SDGs, this study adopted basic UN-SDGs’ basic research methods with emphasis on secondary data using qualitative approach of analysis to buttress that United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; is an over view of the global development campaign aim at alleviating poverty and ensure a decent condition of human life globally which is traceable to the 1987 Brundtland Commission Report that gave birth to the agenda 21 of the 1992 UNCED, and admitted as MDGs to bridged the gap between developed, developing and underdeveloped countries with 8 point development planned in 2000 to 2015 as deadline and later reframe as SDGs, in 2015 with 17 point agenda as adopted by world leaders in New York to ensure total overhauled of human existence, the entire eco-system and promotion of development on a global scale by 2030. This paper seek to evaluate the antecedent of MDGs, in Nigeria, and its offspring’s NEPAD and NAPEP, in order to identified measurable solution towards a decent implementation and the achievement of SDGs prospects because the ultimate success of SDGs in developing countries will speak volume if they can succeed in Nigeria were poverty, unemployment, poor health system and social vices is on the increase. The paper therefore recommends that SDGs projects should focus more on human capital development and fine-tune new measures of dealing with government mercenaries in order to ex-pouch corrupt practice in projects implementation. The study explicitly viewed that the failure of MDGs, NEPAD and NAPEP in Nigeria was due to corruption, insecurity, tribal sentiment, consistency in government policy declaration and inadequate funding, which has also affected the three years existence of SDGs. Ensure adequate provision for environmental management, political development for good governance, regular and effective communication between the institution of government, SDGs and the citizens on the benefit and nature of ideal project since development cannot be achieved through importation of goods through cultivated structures.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
The quest by the United Nations to meet the basic needs of people around the world at a sustainable rate motivated her to launch several global development campaigns that finally gave birth to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 1987 through the Bundtland Commission Report. The Commission emphasized that SDGs is “meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations” (Abraham, 2010:40). This implies that the benefits of SDGs should not decrease and must not be limited to one particular generation, rather it’s should continue to improve on the provisions of human basic needs around the world and no Nation should be left behind. Thus, there is absolutely no gain in the achievement of any development policy if it is not sustained through periodic evaluation to meet the needs of other generations. Ezeanyika, (2006:81) posits that for Development to be meaningful, it has to be sustainable, the common expectation and purpose of any development is that, it must be geared towards serving the primary needs of the people both at the present and the future to come. Meaning that sustainable development is one that is most likely going to achieve an enduring satisfaction of human needs and the improvement of the quality of life.
However, any development plan whose life span do not or cannot be sustained to meet the needs of both the present and future generation is meaningless, it means that such development plan was instituted with undiluted structures that lacks future hope. Therefore, if the Nigerian government and its machineries can build a structural foundation for development with sound governmental policies, protecting and promoting its improvement and maintenance at all levels, the goals of sustainability will be realize especially with the wave of (SDGs) that is more concerned about the material condition of the poorest Nations of the world. Barbier, (1987:14) agree to this fact when particularly referring to the undeveloped and developing Nations of the South that Sustainable Development is concerned with their material standards of living of the poor at the grassroots level, which can be quantitatively measured in terms of increasing food production and its consumption, real income, education, services, health care, sanitation and portable water supply etc and only indirectly concerned with economic growth at the aggregate, commonly national level. On general note, Sustainable Development primary objectives is to reduce the absolute poverty levels of the world’s poorest Nations through the provision of lasting and secure livelihoods that minimize resource depletion, environmental degradation, cultural disruption and social instability.
Sustainable Development is not limited to any aspect of development but assume a total transformation of human life and the entire ecosystem. It focuses on the possibility of creating a sustainable improvement in the quality of life of all people through increase in real income per capita, education, health and natural environmental resources (Jhingan, 2004:35). The analysis of Sustainable Development therefore propel a link between sustainable development, economic development and the concept development itself while the Linear perspective on the other hand viewed development as the capacity of a national economy whose initial economic condition has been more or less static for a long time to generate and sustain an annual increase in its Gross National product (GNP) at rates of perhaps 5% to 7% or more (Todaro, & Smith, 2004:77). This further confirm the fact that sustainable development is the instrument that nurture the prospects of development as outline in the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development UNCED 21 Agenda and the 1987 General Assembly Resolution of United Nations, thus, UNCED 21 Agenda stipulate the need to change from old sector-centred ways of doing business to new approaches that involved cross sectoral, co-ordination and the integration of environmental and social concerns to all development process (Linus, 2009:273).
Therefore the central objectives of Sustainable Development is the eradication of extreme poverty in its entirety through a refined procedure as demonstrated in its agenda, however poverty is completely the absent of food and other basic inert needs of man in the society. Just as Ezeanyika, (2005:92) rightly posited that the issues on poverty are important because we recognized the existence of a vital link between poverty alleviation and the attainment of sustainable economic, social and political development in the world, particularly in the majority of the underdeveloped and developing Nations. He further maintained that poverty is the absent or lack of basic entitlement, which means that when people within a community or a Nation lacks the absent of basic or fundamental entitlement, they are set to be deprive and therefore poor. These entitlements includes economic, political and social cultural. Therefore, absolute poverty is the absent or lack of all of these entitlements and disproportionate poverty is the absent of one or two of these entitlement but not all of them. Thus poverty does not fall from the sky rather it is a situation caused by an individual against the individuals through greed, hatred, terrible societal and individual differences as well as inequality.
Though Prince, (2006:84) believed that, poverty emerges from the lack or absent of financial, human and physical necessities for creating a suitable environment for sustainable living standard and from disparities and inequalities in access to control of benefit from economic, social and political resources. Hence in a globalized and interdependence international system, disparities and inequalities fostered through poverty in the under-develop and developing nations of the periphery, considerably affects the economic, social and political well-being of the industrialize nations of the centre or the core. In all ramification poverty is known to cause serious international problems such as environmental degradation, economic, social and political instability, this invariably suggest that any increase rate of poverty in country “A” is capable of affecting the environment of its immediate neighbour country “B” and by extension threaten world peace and stability. It is this world peace and stability the SDGs takes into consideration in its global campaign against poverty, hence, “poverty alleviation or reduction is a complex and very difficult projects that has been a serious challenge to mankind” therefore, to address this global disease especially in the underdevelop and developing nations, a pragmatic and decent approach need to be deploy in accordance with the contemporary global development campaign of SDGs.
This study is actually limited to the Nigerian milieu but extended to Africa at large hence Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa, with the inspiration that Africa and Nigeria in particular will rise and change from her old traditional methods of development to a modern and conventional ways of development that accommodate and preach sustainability of both climate change, environmental deforestation, food production, health, education, good road network and people oriented governmental policies of international standards etc. Nigeria should look beyond tribal sentiment which manifest mostly in ethnic strife, inequality and economic strangulation of the minority or less privilege in the country and join the western moving train that guarantee hope for the future with practical interest in wealth creation, wealth distribution, industrial revolution and investment with guarantee security network because any measure adopted to achieve development in Nigeria is an attempt to set Africa free from poverty due to her strategy, location, size and political influence in the region. Therefore achieving 89% if not 100% of (SDGs) in Nigeria is a victory for the continent of Africa, thus, there is tremendous hope that the full implementation and achievement of SDGs in Nigeria will in all ramification re-awaken the zeal of regional and sub regional development programmes such as NEPADs and NAPEP etc, if only there is strict compliance to the rules of the programme.
1.2 Statement of Problems
United Nations is instrumental in the global campaign for Sustainable Development in order to address the issue of poverty, inequality, unemployment and environmental management at all levels this was launched in 2000 as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that produce other regional development programmes such as New Partnership for African Development NEPADs and National Poverty Eradication Programme NAPEP etc MDGs was later modified to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, to serve as a link between develop and developing countries with the aim of improving and sustaining the living condition of people around the world, Africa’s and Nigeria inclusive. It is on this premise that the study is overtly identified contemporal problems and the poverty nature of the Nigerian State in anticipation that full implementation of SDGs will greatly ameliorate these problems accordingly.
National and human capital development: Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with enormous natural resources but suffer incredible setback in terms of development that cut across all spheres, leading to lack of sustainable development plan, therefore the birth of SDGs can be directed towards reshaping the structures and institutions of development in Nigeria. Hence, the various institutions of government in Nigeria should do more in terms of human capital development which is one of the central problems responsible for poverty of man in the society, thus the hope in the existence of SDGs to tackle this problems as expressly stated in goal 4 of its agenda becomes very necessary for the Nigerian State at this critical moment since the development of man is the leading approach to all round societal development. Kalagbor, (2004:191) True development has to be people oriented. It must seek to realize the creative potentials of man, enabling him to improve his material conditions of living through the use of resources available to him, a process by which his personality is enhanced. And it is this enhanced personality, which is creative, organized and disciplined, that is the driving force behind the socio-economic transformation of society. If due attention is not accorded to the issues of human development through the SDGs programme, it will further compound the question of national development in Nigeria.
Poverty, unemployment and inequality: The alarming rate of poverty in Nigeria on yearly basis, poses serious threat to international peace and security. It is obvious that over the years young Nigerian youths in search of greener pastures were caught across different borders in and outside Africa committing various degree of crime against humanity. Thus, poverty is identified to be responsible for this illegal border movement of inhuman activities. Thus, poverty is widely connected to inequitable distribution of national resources, lack of unemployment and lack of quality education as at when due, and inequality as a result of terrible and unnecessary indifference between the citizens e.g. the elite`s and the non elite`s. According to the National Bureau of statistics (NBS), Nigerian poverty rose from 68.7 million in 2004 to 112.5 million in 2010 (Kale, Cited in Muhammad, 2017:85). While the 2007 UNDP Mid–Point Assessment Report indicate that amongst every ten Nigerians in that year five were still living in poverty and unemployment rate in the country rose from about 12% of every 100 working age people in 1999 to 18 % in 2005. Currently, the situation above has doubled and deteriorated to an alarming level hence no successive government has demonstrated any cogent effort aimed at solving this problems from the time this report was declared till date. To attain food security, good educational system, decent environmental management and the preservation of our ecosystem, good health care system and economic stability, SDGs has a role to play inline with goal two and eight provision to achieve development in Nigeria. Therefore government at all levels should support and encourage the full implementation of this programme in order to address these growing issues of poverty, unemployment and inequality, hence the adverse effect of periodic increase in poverty and unemployment is dangerous to national peace and development.
Human right abuses: The presence of SDGs as the world global development institution will help to stamp out the growing rate of human right abuses, randomly committed against man by man in Nigeria, especially the ruling class against the led, redefine the activities and practice of the state security apparatus to international best practice, were all the citizens will be treated equal and crime rate reduce to a bearest minimum, since crime itself is a disease that destroy national image and affects national growth. Human right abuse is regular occurrences on the street of Nigeria that require immediate attention and support from the international institutions like SDGs to address before it will eventually metamorphosize to anarchy.
Environment and Democratic stability: Over the years Nigeria`s society had suffered serious environmental pollution and degradation as a result of lack of viable policy to periodically checkmate the operation of the multi-national that continually flare gas in the environment without remedies as it is done elsewhere in the world, on the other hand Nigerian democracy has been faced with several indecent practice, that if not properly check and regulated to global best practice, will leads to another round of authoritarian government and increase in the indignity of man and development etc. Therefore the provision of people oriented and sustainable policies that take cognizance to international best practice on environment and democratic protection is absolutely necessary in accordance with the SDGs goal 15 on protections and sustainably use terrestrial ecosystem, because any action that undermine environmental and democratic protection pose serious threat to national growth and sustainable development. These and many more will hope that the conclusion of this study will redirect the attention of SDGs and other collaborating agencies to address accordingly.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The broad objective of this study is to examine the dimensional approach to development, the nature and origin of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its planned implementation framework in Nigeria through the antecedent of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other regional and sub-regional development institutions. However, following specific objectives will suffice to:
i. Ascertain the problems of SDGs in Nigeria:
ii. Access the prospects of SDGs in Nigeria:
iii. Recommend appropriate measures towards the achievement of SDGs in Nigeria.
1.4 Research Questions
This research will be guided by the following questions;
i. What are the problems affecting the planned implementation of SDGs in Nigeria?
ii. What are the prospects of achieving SDGs in Nigeria?
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study will ameliorate the problems plaguing Nigerian development and its laxity in sustainability, hence it is perceived that the concept development is relatively new to Africans, particularly Nigerians, and as a result found it very difficult to imbibe the culture of development and sustainability. Thus the inability of the Nigerian state to measure her development policies towards the development of man and environmental sustainability gave rise to periodic increase in the rate of poverty in the country and by extension affects the entire Africa. The confirmation of this situation was further declare in the 2007 UNDP Report, that Nigeria remain amongst the 22 highly burden countries of the world and first in Africa. In order to address the above analysis, this study has been designed to effect positive change and advance Nigerian economy development and social engineering to – meet – up with contemporary world standards.
This study will unravel the secret and impediment responsible for Nigeria, lacking behind development plans among the committee of nations in the phase of equal opportunities, it will also serve as a parameter of political socialization and political education for Nigerians to be acquainted with modern global development strategies and the benefit of sustainability. The investigation will be beneficial to the institution of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, on new methods and ideas of instituting projects, and dealing with Nigerians who serve has agents of government, through a profitable medium of ensuring that projects are completed according to specification. The study will further improve and advance the quality of academic work especially in development studies in the discipline of social science, either as a field of study or a science of good governance. Finally the study will open the mind of the readers to the antecedent of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria and will also serve as a reference document for acquiring knowledge.
1.6 Limitations of Study
This study on United Nations and sustainable development goals, problems and prospects of achievement in Nigeria posed serious challenges to the researcher as a result of the difficulties encounter in obtaining up to date information on various development agencies created by the United Nations and the origin of the SDGs. The issue of inadequate funding, poor electricity supply and lack of personal modern electronic devices for network navigation in order to secure appropriate and immediate information are some of the silent adversity confronted by the researcher, however the researcher was able to sort for loan and temporarily relocate to where he enjoy regular access to electricity supply and electronic devices in order to arrive at a valid conclusion of the study.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1 Conceptual Review
2.1.1 Approach to Development
The concept Development means different thing to different people at different time, places and events, this is because what is development to you cannot be development to your next door neighbour. For instance what development is to Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia cannot be the same to Germany, France and United State of America, because they are already developed and no longer discussing development but growth while the Developing countries are still struggling with development. However the three basic component or core values of development are sustenance, self – esteem and freedom (Linus, 2009:270). Kalagbor, (2004:191) posit that the end purpose of development is the development of man; it has to be directed at the fulfilment of human potentials and the improvement of other social and economic well being of the people.
The people are the centrepiece of any development attempt. While Nnoli, (1981:47) Argued that development has to do with continuing improvement in the capacity of a society to control and manipulate the physical environment, development in this regards is that all societal obstacles that confront personal development should be dethrone entirely. However it is worthy of note that development is the complete absent of poverty, free access to legal needs, free access to quality health, security, absence of inequality and unemployment. This idea is necessarily following the postulation of Seers (1972:3). Three basic questions countries should answer about development which according to him are what has been happening to poverty? What has been happening to unemployment? And what has been happening to inequality. No nation can comfortably pronounce itself to be developed when the above condition have not been absolutely achieved, hence meeting these conditions is quite different from mere statement from government officials. Thus scholars have argued differently about the various dimensions of development, though based on our study the dimensions of development in the contemporary world has expand to includes human, economic, security, environmental and democratic development. Therefore if development in 21 century can be tilted towards this circle as stated above newly independent nations experienced speedy development alongside its populations. However due consideration is accorded here to some of the scholarly dimensions of development through the age long school of thought as follows:
2.1.2 The Traditional Economist Perspective of Development
This school of thought is of the belief that development is purely seen as the basis of economic index and or economic performance of a nation, they maintained that economic growth is the major determinant of development. Todaro, & Smith, (2009:49) in this school viewed development as the capacity of a national economy whose initial economic conditions had been static but have grown and sustain an annual increase in its Gross National Product (GNP). This economic view laid emphasis on per capita growth of GNP, which means more jobs and other economics benefits to the members of that state or nation. Its then means that the level and rate of growth of per capita Gross National Product (GNP) of a Nation should explicitly move at a faster rate than the growth of the population. (Linus, 2009:5). Thus there is relative connection between the school and the objectives of United Nations in the first development decade which issued a mandate and target on development “to accelerate the economy of the individual, nations and their social advancement so as to attain in each underdeveloped countries a substantial increase in the rate of growth, with each country setting its own target, taking as the objective a minimum rate of growth of aggregate national income of 5 percent at the end of decade (Offiong, 1980:72).
2.1.3 The Radical or Neo–Classical Marxist Perspective of Development
The view of this school, calls for a total dethronement of Gross National Product (GNP) and promotion of direct attack on widespread absolute poverty, increasingly inequitable income distribution and the rising unemployment generated by the economist school, after most third world countries failed to achieve the overall United Nations target in 1962. This was because the United Nations growth target was achieved, but the standards of living of the masses remained unchanged, meaning that development as postulated by the economist approach is narrowed and parochial (Linus, 2009:7). It was against this back-drop that development was seen as a multi-dimensional process which involves major changes in social structures, population attitudes and a national condition of life from unsatisfactory to satisfactory. This view decently focuses on human beings to be the centre of attraction and the pilot where other variables revolve. The Marxist concept further conceived that development of men should be at three broad stages: At individual level, social group level and mode of production level
At this point of Marx argument, Development was no longer confined to economic growth but involved a total reduction or elimination of poverty, inequality and unemployment within the context of growing economy. Based on the above analysis the radical Marxist belief that development comes when there is a holistic positive change in the social amenities of the people, however in specific terms and in another attempt to support the postulation of Marx in this context. Walter Rodney states that Development in human society is a many – sided process. At the level of individual, it implies increased skill and capacity, greater freedom, creativity, self-discipline, responsibility and material well- being... At the level of social groups, it implies an increasing captivity to regulate both internal and external relations... In the past development was meant to be increase in the ability to guard the independence of the social group (Rodney, 1972:37). The suggestion here is not far from the fact that development will be meaningless if there is no indices separating the needs of all the categories involves in development, such as meeting the individuals needs in the order of its hope and aspiration necessary for it levels of advancement, meeting the needs of the social group leading to production through enabling and a decent regulated environment that accommodate mutual cooperation.
2.1.4 A Comparative Analysis of this Thought
In order to arrive at a definite position, a comparative analysis of the contending schools of thought needs to be established, for instance the idea of development being tied to economic index or growth as postulated by the traditional economic theorist falls under serious criticism by the recent development ideologies on the basis that its narrowed and devoid the multi-dimensional approach of development, hence economic growth alone does not adequately determined the development of a country. It must be accompanied by other efficient and effective social policies which strengthen the linkages with changing production patterns in order to increase the social benefits to the populace (Linus, 2009:9). However, in the opinion of Todaro, (1997:49) “growth or development is only an integral part of development but not the only one”. Therefore development comprises of more than material and financial side of people’s lives. It includes re-organization and re-orientation of the entire economic and social system. Hence the radical Marxist model is a shift to modern ways of life and attitude that is all embracing as well as a transformative society that is free from the cleavages of orthodox or traditional relations, thinking and methods of production.
2.1.5 The Nature of Sustainable Development
This concept was first use in 1987, through the Brundtland Report to the Governing Council of the United Nations Environmental Programme UNEP; it was these reports that capture the first definition of sustainable development “as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of the future generation”. These definitions has stand tall through ages and gave birth to other definitions from renounced scholars, thus according to Jonathan, (2000:31) Sustainable Development is defined as “the development which meets the need of the present without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs with particular interest in the three areas of sustainable development which are economic, environmental and social issues. While Prince (2006:81) posits that Sustainable Development is the improvement of people’s lifestyles through an improvement of capabilities that include education, incomes, skills and employment. Though according to the direct government website of the United Kingdom refer to “Sustainable Development as a better quality of life now and for generations to come. The above foregoing definitions are interrelated by taken cognizance of the present and future generation as a merging of consideration in sustainable development. However Sustainable Development is the ability to afford the desire needs of all in the present generation without doubting or compromising about the desire needs of the future generation and environmental sustainability.
Though it is a theoretical concept determined to improve the quality of human life and environmental existence, but in a practical terms its takes the shape of global development campaigned or globalization in nature, however some scholars see globalization of today as a modified or reformed model of colonialism. Linus, (2009:243). There seems to be no distinction between the two; however the only major area of difference is acquisition of territory in the case of colonialism and probably direct exploitation. Apart from that, both bear similar characteristic of compulsion and imposition. The global trained for Sustainable Development is inevitable just like colonialism was to the developing countries of the world. It is worthy of note that the highly developed countries has sworn not to leave the developing countries to manage their own affairs with their strategies to reap their economic profit, no matter how little. Hence the end of colonialism gave rise to another tactful domination termed globalization which was another concise word that came into existence immediately after World War II, which also contributed to the birth of SDGs. According to the Nigeria Environmental Study/Action Team (NEST) (1991:282), Sustainable development is a notion, a movement and an approach that has developed into global waves of concerns, study, political mobilization and organization around the twin issues of environmental protection and economic development. The approach embodies the notion and ideal of a development process that is equitable and socially responsive, recognizing the extensive nature of poverty, deprivation and inequality between and within nations, class and communities. It also seriously advocates that the economic development process should include ecological and environmental issues as an essential component. Thus Sustainable Development is everlasting; it does not decrease or allowed nation natural resources to deteriorate. It emphasizes the past un-admitted contributions of environmental quality and its inputs in the process of raising real income, and quality improvement of life. The Global Campaign for Sustainable Development which is a brained child of the industrialize Western economy that appear to marshal out support to improve the environment and the life’s of peoples in the developing countries, but its silent aim is to maintain an unequal relationship which does not encouraged growth and development. Though its implementation in respective countries is a shares responsibility between the host country and the institutions of SDGs. However, any discussion on SDGs in Nigeria must necessarily create a link with the antecedents of MDGs that has earlier existed in the region, which will be explored in the course of this study accordingly.
2.1.6 Development Intervention Agency (Millennium Development Goals) (MDGs)
The ultimate aim of MDGs in the 21 century was to reduce by half, the number of people living on less than $1 Dollar a day by the year 2015. These overtly confirm the fact that a cross section of people around the world barely consume or does not even consume materials worth a Dollar per day. Therefore any reduction from 28% in 1990 to 12.7% in 2015 will reduce the number of persons in absolute acute, extreme and sever poverty by 363 million (Prince 2006:126). To achieve these MDGs was spelled out as a road-map to attain the global needs of the poorest populations in the New Millennium with encouraging support from developed societies that has attained the height of development even if human needs are insatiable.
The Concept Millennium Development Goals was built to function as a link between developed and developing countries with the aimed of reducing the population living in poverty by half, however MDGs as a platform that the SDGs ride on has made minor achievement in Nigeria over the years in-line with it eighth point mandate and eighteen target of analysis as inspired by the United Nations in the year 2000. Thus United Nations, is the world government body that sustain and regulate world peace and development through international laws between and among various Nations of the world, she came into existence sequel to the inability of the League of Nations to prevent the outbreak of World War II, United Nations was form immediately after the war by the allied powers such as Britain, China, USSR, USA and France on April 15, 1945 at the San – Francisco Conference (Obi, & Nwokoye, 2008:31). The formation of the union also accommodates members of the axis power which includes Germany, Italy and Japan that were defeated by the allied forces.
United Nations is originally structured on basic principles and organs with specific functions, these include the General Assembly, Security Council and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as well as other specialize agencies. The institution has been able to maintain world peace and global development since inception even if there are relative crisis in some regions and territories but has not created another major world war. Hence MDGs is one among the numerous United Nations Specialize Agencies on Development whose named was coined to suit the cross over to a New Millennium in 2000, that marks the end and beginning of another mile stone in the journey of human development and design a new proforma as well for the journey ahead, Its was on this note the principles and responsibilities of the Millennium Development Goals MDGs adopted her agenda in order to meet-up human needs of the Millennium as display on table I, below:
Table 1: Display Millennium Development Goals Eight Point Inspired Target.
|
Goal 1:Eradicateextreme poverty and hunger |
a. Have, between 1990 and 2015, the population whose income is less than $1U.S dollar per day b. Have, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger. |
|
Goal 2:Achieve universal primary education |
Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike will be able to complete full course of primary school. |
|
Goal 3:Promote gender equality and empower women |
To eliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary education at all levels not later than 2015. |
|
Goal 4:Reduce child mortality |
Reduce child mortality rate by two thirds 2015. |
|
Goal 5:Improve maternal health |
Reduce the maternal mortality ratio by three quarters between 1990 and 2015. |
|
Goal 6:Combat HIV/AIDs, malaria and other diseases |
Have halted by 2015 and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDs |
|
Goal 7:Ensure environmental sustainability |
a. Integrate the principle of sustainable development into countries policies and programmes and reverse the loss governmental resources. b. Have by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to self-drinking water and sanitation. c. By 2020, achieve a significant improvement in the levels of at least 100 million slum dwellers. |
|
Goal 8:Promote global partnership for development |
a. Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measure in order to make debt sustainable in the long term. b. Address the special needs of the least developed countries including through more generous official development aid (ODA) for countries committed to poverty reduction. c. In Cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially for information and communication. |
Source: Adapted from UNDP, 2006 (Cited in Muhammed, 2017).
The targeted date of achievement of the above agenda was between 1990 and 2015, exception of goal seven that emphasize on achieving a significant improvement in the levels of at least 100 million slum dwellers by 2020. Thus MDGs was able to implement its goals and objectives accordingly in order to address the issues of extreme growing poverty and environmental challenges around the world but could not effectively implement it in some areas as a result of some unforeseen circumstances, which will be carefully identify in the course. Chapter four of this study. Hence the laxity in full implementation of MDGs in some countries created serious development vacuum, which resulted to the Global Monitoring Report (2014) that nowadays the Worlds extreme poor concentrated in five countries, mainly in China, India, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria. Even when frantic effort was deployed by the collaborating agencies and the host government of different countries towards the success and achievement of the goals projects. However on the other hand the MDGs Report of 2014 pointed out that despite recorded progress over the years more than 700 million adults and 125 million youths globally do not have basic skills in reading, writing and numeric values which was one of the principal objectives of the programme as explicitly declared in goal two of the MDGs target.
Following these analysis Nigeria is one of the poorly concentrated country that has low performance of MDGs targets in virtually all the goals as a result of the unfaithful nature of the government, its mercenaries and the inimical mind of the elite's towards instituting quality projects that will benefit the common man or majority. Though Muhammad, (2017:88) confirm the Report of the UNDP (2007). That Nigeria was able to make reasonable progress in goal eighth, hence the country was able to promote global partnership for development by involving in most regional programmes, bilateral and multilateral trade pact such as African Union AU, New partnership for African Development NEPAD, World Trade Organization WTO, Economic Community West African State ECOWAS, and the African Caribbean Pacific-European Economic Partnership Agreement ACP-EU-EPA etc.
The report further states that Nigeria make tremendous records in ICT usage beyond the benchmark of the International Tele-Communication Union (ITU) which is 1.100%, to the tune of 0.73% in 2001, 15.72% in 2005 and 28.41% in 2007 while in the area of internet usage increase rapidly from 0.68% in every 100 persons in 2000 to 38.1% in 2005, though still very low compared to the provision and free access to internet usage in other countries, however the report of UNDP was contested by the Nigerian government in her usual ways of defending itself through making beautiful statement in the media as a means of development by proclaiming what has not been achieved, that Nigeria has recorded major progress in MDGs in accordance with its goals (The Guardian, October, 2016 in Muhammad, 2017:90). It is sad to say that Nigerian achievement of goal eighth in the area of ICT and Internet usage as justified by the UNDP report did not speak good about the country as every double percentage increase in ICT and Internet usage is for a negative purpose by the yahoo-boys, who used it to commit internet fraud, crime and illegal transaction capable of destroying the image of Nigeria globally.
2.1.7 New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD)
NEPADs, is an African own development initiative establish and package by African leaders on 2nd July 2001, at the Lusaka( AU) Summit in Zambia to promote good governance and revenue diversification, leadership and responsibility, efficient and effective bureaucracy and African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). The partnership resulted from joining together the Millennium Partnership for the African Recovery Programme (MAP) and Omega Plan (OP) through the request of (AU) leaders. The major initiators of the programme were five African heads of state such as the former Southern African President Thabo Mbeki, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade`s.
According to Ezeanyika, (2007:186) NEPADs is perceived and branded as an African home grown political product designed to pull the continent out of its past developmental limbo by setting it on the part to democracy, good political and corporate governance, and respect for the rule of law. NEPAD is envisioned as an internally generated inward looking strategy by which Africa claims ownership to its own development agenda. The initiative is therefore perceived as the bridge that will link the continent and its development partners mainly the highly industrialized nations, multilateral institutions, the private sector and the civil society in a cooperative effort to achieve development, base on mutual responsibilities and reciprocal. Bukarambe, (2004:13) states that, one can say that NEPADs is an embodiment of Africanist doctrine and a development strategy position that targets to position Africa, positively, in the global community. This could be adequately expressed through four component parts emerging from the NEPADs document as follows:
Pledge one
According to the NEPAD document, it is a pledge by African leaders, based on common vision and a firm and shared conviction, which they have a pressing duty to eradicate poverty and to place their nations, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development and at the same time participate actively in the world economic and body politics... (NEPAD, 2001, para.1)
Pledge two
The statement of the African problems, The problems of the African continent was accentuated primarily by the legacy of colonialism, the cold war, the working of the international economic system and the inadequacies of and shortcomings in the policies pursued by many nations by the post-independence era...Colonialism subverted hitherto traditional structures. Institutions and values and made them subservient to the economic and political needs of the imperial powers. It also retarded the development of an entrepreneurial class, as well as middle class with skills and managerial capacity...
In Africa over 340 million people or half the population, lives on less than US$1 per day. The mortality rate of children under five years of age is 140 per 1000, and live expectancy at birth is only 54 years. Only 58 percent of the population has access to safe water. The rate of illiteracy for people over 15 is 41 percent. There are only 18 mainline telephones per one 1000 people in Africa compared with 146 for the world as a whole... (NEPAD, 2002, para 4.)
Pledge three
The Development Strategy, NEPAD, “calls for the reversal of this abnormal situation by changing the relationship that under print it. African are appealing neither for the further entrenchment of dependency through aid, nor for marginal concessions...
To achieve these objectives, African leaders will take joint responsibility for the following: strengthening mechanisms for conflict prevention, management and resolution,.. promotion and protecting democracy and human rights...restoring and macroeconomic stability...instituting transparent legal and regulatory framework for financial market and auditing of private companies and public sector...revitalizing and extending the provision of education, technical training and health services... and promoting the role of women and social economic development... (NEPAD,2001,para 49).
Pledge Four
To achieve and sustain an average gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of above 7 percent per annum for the next 15 years; to ensure that the continent achieves the agree international development goals (IDG). Which is clearly stated in the analysis of Millennium Development Goals MDGs... (NEPAD, 2001, para. 68, Cited in Prince 2006:151).
On the other hand African leaders perceive NEPADs as an instrument for weaving together many of their multidimensional national problems such as absolute and disproportionate poverty, lack of investment capital, political instability, corruption and general economic downturn. The global dilemmas facing Africa, such as limited access to international markets and globalization, compel member’s states to adopt strategies that will contrive the realization of economic growth and sustainable development. Thus African nations and their government through NEPAD, targets to eradicate absolute, acute, disproportionate and extreme poverty, hunger and disease as part of the Millennium Development Goals MDGs, to restrategize National Development; accelerate the pace of Economic Growth; place Africa and individual African countries solidly in the global arena; halt the marginalization of the continent in the world social and economic orders; empower women and other socially disadvantaged groups and build the requisite infrastructure for Sustainable Development (Obasanjo, 2004). However, African leaders were energise and encourage to championed the course of African Development that best suit her culture, continent and according to the needs of the African people, by creating a regional Development Institution through the marshal plan of MDGs. Hence the stated goals and principles of NEPAD according to President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa (2002) includes the following.
Table 2: Display the Thirteen Refined Objectives and Principles of NEPAD
|
Step 1: |
Eradicate wide spread and earning rate of poverty |
|
Step 2: |
To ensure African ownership, responsibility and leadership |
|
Step 3: |
To promote accelerated growth and sustainable development |
|
Step 4: |
To halt the marginalisation of African in the globalization process |
|
Step 5: |
To promote effective and efficient bureaucracy |
|
Step 6: |
To unleash the vast economic potentials of the continent |
|
Step 7:
|
To achieve and sustain an average Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of over 7% for the next 15years. |
|
Step 8: |
To ensure achievement of the agreed international development plan (IDP) |
|
Step 9: |
To promote sub – regional and continental economic integration |
|
Step 10: |
To promote investment increase in human resources development |
|
Step 11: |
To develop a new partnership with industrialize countries to improve coordination with development partners |
|
Step 12: |
To strengthen African capacity to lead her own development |
|
Step 13: |
To strengthen African capacity to mobilize additional external resources for its development |
Source: Benjamin, & Lillian, (2009:395).
To press on the attainment of this Goals NEPAD was structured into powerful organs headed by the same leaders who doctor the idea of instituting the project which was one of the reasons responsible for its failure. Nwanolue, (2005:47) display the organs as follows;
(1) The Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee: African leaders in their quest to delegate power, appointed a 16 member Heads of State Committee headed by formal President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo, and deputize by the President of Algeria Bouteflika, and another 13 members Heads of States Committee as follows:
(i) Central Africa- Gabon, Sao Tome and Principi
(ii) North Africa- Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia
(iii) South Africa- Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa
(iv) West Africa- Nigeria, Mali, Cameroun and Senegal.
(2) The Steering Committee: This committee include only the personal representative of the five initiating countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Algeria and Egypt. Their duties include development of programmes, identified and over sees the affairs of the secretariat.
(3) The Secretariat: This is composed of full time administrative staff who coordinate global and continental activities including control of other secretariat functions.
However NEPADs has not done much for about eighteen years of its existence due to lack of good political will on the part of African leaders to pursuit its goals sincerely, though little progress claimed to have been achieved by NEPAD in the areas such as agriculture, infrastructure, environment and African Peer Review Mechanism APRM. But the implementations and achievement was not physically realized and sustained in accordance with the programme objectives, however at the inception of NEPADs, African leaders were conscious to the extent that most governments in Africa were not responsive especially to issues of great concern to the generality of the people and so the principles establishing NEPAD was tilted towards the direction of addressing this laxity and lukewarmness in Africans especially amongst the leaders.
On the other hand APRM which was basically form as the instrument to police the implementation of NEPADS policies for good governance and economic recovery, also failed due to its nature of establishment which was voluntarily and moral review mechanism adopted by African leaders with the aims of improving the standards of living, human right, economic management, conflict resolution and democratic process (ADB, 2003). The practical responsibility of APRM was strictly base on periodic review, country request review and crisis induced review. APRM was not compulsory for all African countries rather a voluntary exercise which automatically cripple it aims.
Though no records has physically in any way display the achievement of NEPAD since inception till date and no other development institution has being created to reshape its laxity as the case of MDGS and SDGs. It is on this note that African scholars concealed the fact that NEPAD has failed since there`s no physical reference to its achievement on the African continent and to the firm believed that NEPADs has failed to lead African continent into the land of paradise as speculated in 2001. The circumstances responsible for its failure according to Benjamin, & Esiagu, (2009:395) can be viewed as follows;
(a) Citizen’s ignorance of NEPADs: the institution of NEPADs did not carry – out effective campaign to create the awareness for citizen’s participation.
(b) Poor value system: NEPADs was unable to change the poor value orientation system of Africans such as incivility, militarization, criminality, immorality and poor attitudes to hard work.
(c) Poor financial Status: African countries have not been able to generate the much needed finance towards the implementation of NEPADs programmes.
(d) In ability to eradicate poverty: NEPADs was unable to reduce the poverty rate of Africans to a bearest minimum.
(e) Lack of good political will: Lack of political will to pursue NEPAD goals and morality to apportion blames to counterpart when necessary.
(f) African Economy not Diversified: The fundamental failure of NEPAD is rooted in its inability to diversify and redeems African economy from dependency, etc.
However, NEPADs failure to changed the future of Africa as it was instituted to address correlated to mirage of issues which is traceable to the disconnection between the indigenous Africans and the nature of the programme, NEPAD was only know for few leaders who initiated the idea, there were no basic means of communication that update the people about the periodic achievement of the programme, NEPAD goals were not clearly placed in an orderly manner as in the case of MDGs. Ezeanyika, (2007:202) The top-down design and implementation strategy of NEPAD is still not acceptable to the civil society whose contributions at the inception of NEPAD were erroneously disregarded. The impasse between NEPAD operatives and the civil society is further worsened by the aloof attitude created in the implementation process as well as limited knowledge, if any leaks out on the initiative`s progress and prospects of delivering Africa from it perennial state of underdevelopment.
There`s hope that the dreams of NEPAD can be revitalize and achievable in due course if new immediate step of all inclusive policy of the programme is redesign to accommodate men, women, youth, the elite in government and the non elite in the goals and implementation of NEPAD projects across the continent, periodic review or quarterly anniversary of the programme should be organised in the local communities were those that lives in extreme poverty that need the programme most reside and not in the city where the cabals and government functionaries reside.
2.2 Empirical Review
Thus, too many arguments have sprung out amongst scholars at different time as regards development; similar situation is currently on amongst the political elite who control state power. Some believed in the fact that development is worth imported while others believes that development is cultivated, through laying a structural foundation were development can be sustain and comfortably nurture to stand the taste of time. The Nigerian state is critical in this discussion due to her regular experience on various development challenges over the years some of which is connected to the ideology stated above. However Ake, (1981:141). The idea of development is relatively recent in Africa; that it started coming into vogue after the early 1960s when many African countries had become politically independent. He notice that since then, African leaders have had obsession for development and the obsession among African leaders has been on the conviction that there is a link between the underdevelopment countries and most of the fundamental problems plaguing their states, such as poverty, ignorance, technological backwardness, cultural deprivation, short life expectancy, social disorganization and high incident of political instability. This implies that Africa and Nigeria in particular is facing serious development challenges not because they don’t want to develop but because the concept and its related ingredients is relatively new to what the indigenous African government and its people know, therefore pay little attention to development values that has in all measures affected the hope of sustainability. Therefore to address the issue of development and sustainability in Nigeria the concept of SDGs becomes necessary not just as a partnership venture but a guide to attain development target, hence development is the complete absent of lack and want to availability of desire needs amongst multiple choices. Though, Seers, (1972:3) Proposed three basic decent condition that can overtly explained what could be considered as development such as
- What has been happening to poverty?
- What has been happening to unemployment?
- What has been happening to inequality?
If the above three have declined from high levels, then beyond doubt, this has been a period of development for the country concerned, but if two of the above especially if the three has increase over a period of time then it cannot be consider as development. Todaro, & Smith, (2009:24) Posited that it is possible then to conceptualized development as “the sustained elevation of an entire society and social system towards a “better” or “more human life” conceding that what constitutes the good life varies with time environment and society, even as it is a question as old as philosophy and human kind. The scholars when further to identified and advanced three core values that should serve as a conceptual basis and practical guideline for understanding the inner meaning of development. These values are sustenance, the ability to meet the basic needs such as food, health, shelter and protection, self –esteem, to be a person, a sense of worth and self-respect of not being used as a tool by others for their own ends and freedom from servitude, the sense of emancipation from alienating material conditions of life, misery, institutions, and dogmatic beliefs. Judging from the above the problems of development in Nigeria cannot be connected to it nature of been a new concept to the African region were Nigeria is highly populated but lack of settling measurable prospects of achievement inline with conventional indices of development that has been achieved elsewhere in the world.
On the other hand Tuwotamuno, ( 2013: 9) states that, Development is not only a means of increasing the basic life sustaining factors, better education, provision of jobs, higher income, humanistic values and national self – esteem, but is also a means of increasing internal and international relationship as well as environmental preservation. He went further to discussed the three aspects of development as: political, social and economic development. Therefore, featuring development plans on this three independents aspect of development simultaneously will structure a unique face of development that can survive ages of sustainability hence the indices of development located in the three are inter – connected and inter- related towards the provision of answers to the same questions.
Sustainable Development is therefore directly concerned with an increment in the material standards of living of the people at the grassroots level, which can be quantitatively measured in terms of increasing food production and its consumption, real income, educational services, health care, sanitation and portable water supply etc which is indirectly concerned with economic growth at the aggregate, commonly national level. In general terms, the primary objective of sustainable development is reducing the absolute poverty of the world’s poorest through the provision of lasting and secure livelihoods that minimize resources, depletion, environmental degradation, cultural disruption and social instability (Barbier, 1987:77). On the other hand, Jhingan, (2002:69) believes that sustainable development implies that development should be a “continuum”. It emphasizes the creation of sustainable improvements in the quality of life of all people through increase in real income per capita, improvement in education, health and general quality of life and improvements in quality of natural and environmental resources.
Thus “Sustainable Development is closely linked to economic development; and it is a situation in which economic development does not decrease overtime. Sustainable Development further describes a process in which a nation’s natural resources base is not allowed to deteriorate. It emphasizes the previously unrecognized contribution of environmental quality and its inputs in the process of raising real income and the quality of life”. The implication of the above assertion is that it is one thing to cultivate structures for the actualization and institution of development, it takes another measures to sustain its life sperm in providing quality service in line with its purpose. Ezeanyika (2006:84), Sustainable Development targets the maximization of net benefits accruing to economic development and the simultaneous maintenance of the stock of all environmental and natural resources assets physical and human economist and separating the concepts of strong and weak sustainability. Strong sustainability requires that the natural capital stocks should not decrease while weak sustainability requires that the total value of physical, human and natural capital stock should not decrease.
Development is a relevant and vast instrument or principles that is absolutely necessary for sustainability hence the formation of SDGs serve as an overt attempt to reinvigorate into various nations of the world the structures and principles of sustainable development. Thus, Nigeria been the leading populated country in Africa need the full implementation of SDGs taking cognizance to what constitute development and sustainable development respectively as differently postulated by various scholars and recorded in this work and inline with the rules of the 21 century sustainable development prospects which is the subject of this study.
2.3 Theoretical Framework
For the purpose of this study, modernization theory (Development model) in the discipline of social science was chosen to give holistic explanation to the study. The theory was doctored into existence through the influence of some group of scholars such as Rostow, (1961:15), Lewis, (1984:28), Talcott, (1964:53). Their interest was tilted towards the needs that the rest of the world should focused on the western model of modernity and pattern their society like that of the west in order to progress. Meaning that development can be realized through emulation, appreciation and acceptability of a better way of life from those that have achieved or attained the height of development. Modernization theory is one major theory that has been reliably used to address the process of change and growth of development in the history of development literature and was successful in structuring solid foundation that has produce other intellectual development models such as economist, sociologist, psychologist and political scientists, these new models of dimension has positively influenced the activities of modernization today in various approached. However, Linus, (2009:94) states that the origin of modernization theory is traceable to three basic elements such as:
(a) The Emergence of United States as the world’s super-power: The end of World War II saw United States of America assumed the centre of the world as the super power. She emerged triumphantly, with a position of economic and military pre-eminence. The axes power had collapsed. Britain and European allies were left with devastated tools of the war. Hence United States became the rallying point were the instrument of development was generated to other parts of the world through the implementation of the “Marshall plan”. Marshall Plan is a policy by the developed countries caring at reconstructing the divested and war torn area.
(b) The Communist Movement: This explained the over extension of influence of the former soviet union to China, Korea and Eastern Europe. It was a season of economics and political rivalries between capitalism and communism from two world powers, their influence on smaller Nations has both negative and positive impact but the end point was the emancipation of newly independent Nations even though these influences still exist but nominal.
(c) The collapse of the Colonial Empires: Due to the random disintegration of the formal Colonial Empire, Third World countries emerged and pursuit a model of development vigorously that will facilitate and enthrone economic and political independence. These include countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The needs to developed internal structures that will measure development to the point of growth as it is achieved in the developed economies reawaken the mind of the new Nations through the disintegration and disengagement of colonial supremacy.
However, the leading proponents of modernization are mostly notice through their closed interest to the concept modern and its related features such as “institutional differentiation development” Nation building, “economic growth” advanced, “industrial societies” Westernized societies and so on. In agreement with the above, Offiong, (1980:48) the emphasis on modernization theories lies with ethnocentrism, westernization, Americanization or Europeanization. They consistently admonished the poor countries to imitate the pattern of the West in other to have a sudden leap to the 20th century. They also belief that modern societies are more productive, organically integrated better educated and highly differentiated. On the other hand, Coleman, (1961:32) was able to identify politically the features of modern societies to include:
- Differentiation of political structure
- Secularization of political culture – with ethos of equality
- Enhancing the capacity of a society’s political system
The applicability of this theories to the context of our discussion as it concerned Nigeria will be more accommodating, hence Nigeria a primitive and traditional societies got involve in the wave of modern development through interest, likeness and imitation of a decent, well plan societies and environment mostly from the highly developed Nations, who by their position, power both economic, military and technologies became the strength and structures to the operations of United Nations, which served as a vehicle or instrument that intensified the campaigned and implementation of “Marshall plan” to the developing Nations, where Nigeria’s faith is found. Nigeria should embrace and measure her development plans in line with the methods adopted by the Western societies that has overtly succeeded in building and designing a decent environment for all. Therefore, it is the view of this –study that Nigeria can achieve Sustainable Development through the existence of SDGs if only its government policies and public characters is tilted towards emulating and imitating the best from those that had attain the height of development as it is clearly enunciated by the theory stated above.
2.4 Appraisal of Reviewed Literature
Literature review is the key to research building, it is the foundation of any outstanding empirical research because of its tenacity to trace and release encomium on views of various authors on the subject matter, exactly what the investigator of this study on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals problems and prospects of achievement in Nigeria has designed in this section.
The compilation of literature in this study is drawn from the ideas and thoughts of growth and development scholars beginning from the traditional economics approach, that see development as increase in economic performance of nations, meaning that economic growth is the major determinant of development while the Radical or Neo – Classical Marxist Approach, reject the idea of the traditional economic approach on growth and performance which centre on Gross National Product GNP, and promote direct attack on widespread absolute poverty, increasingly inequitable income distribution and the rising unemployment generated by the traditionalist. The Marxist view open our mind that development is much more than economics growth to a multi-dimensional process involving changes in social structures, population, attitudes and a national condition of life from unsatisfactory to satisfactory. The comparative analysis of the two approach on the other hand criticize the traditional economics of been narrowedly minded while the Marxist perspective is a shift towards modern ways of life and attitude that is all embracing.
The study emphatically captures the structures and foundation of development as postulated by Dudly, (1972:3) and Todara, and Smith, (2009:77), respectively in the order of what has been happening to poverty, unemployment, and inequality? As well as provision of food, good health facilities, shelter and security, before moving on to address the issue of Sustainability which is the process of maintaining a good cultivated development structures. It is the comprehensive views of scholars from the traditionalist, Marxist perspectives and the concept of development that inspired our motivation to subscribe higher to Sustainability “Sustainable” which is the core concept of our discussion. Using the institution of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals UN-SDGs as it affects Nigeria. To enrich the literature gap of this study that there is absolutely no empirical measures to address about Sustainability or Sustainable development in the absent of basic structures, institutions, leadership and people oriented policies that can engineer development, hence Sustainable development is equal to growing the indices of Development. Therefore the foundation of development must be cultivated and not imported before the dreams of Sustainability can be relatively achieved. Thus, all government institutions and development agencies in Nigeria should be tilted towards the achievement and realization of relative structures and instrument necessary to design the foundation for sustainable development. It is against these background that will conceived the various ideas collated in the literature of this study useful to the economic, political, and social – cultural and well- being of the citizens and environment of Nigeria, Africa and the World of large.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
There are basically different types of research methodology in the discipline of social science with persistent argument amongst researchers about which one is the most appropriate to be adopted. Asika, (2010:12) There has been a confusing array types of research arising from the fact that researchers have not agreed on any one classified system of research. Thus based on the nature of this study, basic or applied research methodology which is also refer to as explanatory or expository research was used for this investigation. This method was considered most appropriate because of its tenacity to discovered problems and answers to certain existing questions which is the hope of this very research as it was carefully structure along the scientific pattern of inquiry in order to give strength and direction to a positive outcome. Therefore, the study adopted descriptive approach of research design while the nature and source of data laid emphasis toward secondary methods taking into account inference of distinguished scholars. In the other hand, the method and instrument of data collection was tied to various literature publication at our disposal through frequent use of the national, state school and UNDP libraries and finally content and qualitative analysis was explored without our biase.
3.1 Research Design
It is the structuring of investigation aimed at identifying variables and their existing relationships, its functions in the capacity of obtaining data to enable the researcher test hypotheses or answer research question accordingly. Amara, & Amaechi, (2010:27) Research design are therefore used by researchers as a scheme or blue print for data collection prior to the actual study. It is based on these templates that consideration will be accorded to a well structure historical research in a measure that guarantee academic and outstanding success. Hence, the design of this study was strictly build on descriptive approach where the investigator collated quantum of data on various variables as regards the role of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the establishment and Maintenance of development in Africa with focus on Nigeria. Data was also sorted on the aged long Millennium Development Goals and other regional and Sub-regional development institutions and all data were accorded equitable explanation accordingly and the integrity of data collated for the investigation was manifest in a critical analysis and interpretation devoid of bias and unnecessary preference.
3.2 Nature and Sources of Data
Basically, data are quantitative set of information use to fined and examine a real situation in order to arrived at a just conclusion, and data are broadly classified into two main categories primary and secondary data. However, for the purpose of this study on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals problems and prospect of achievement in Nigeria, secondary data was carefully and adequately explored in order to realize the aims and target of this research. Therefore, the strength of this research was explicitly on the approach of data collection that takes into account inference of distinguished scholars. The study reviewed and analysed relevant literatures as its source of data collection, such as textbooks, journal articles, internet, published and unpublished materials. These methods are necessarily following the availability of useful materials on this topic in the public domain, in both international organization, private and public organization, government institutions and department etc. Thus, the historical significance of this investigation is structure to review the impact created by the period of Millennium Development Goals and the possible impediment affecting the progress of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria respectively.
3.3 Methods of Data Collection and Instrument
This is a classified source of information gathering for effective and accurate research, with two main categories, primaries and secondary methods of data classification, and there are available instrument of data collection which includes attitudes scale, questionnaire, inventory, interview, observation and psychological test etc. However, this study on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals problems and prospects of achievement in Nigeria, laid emphasis towards the secondary measure of data collections which is a product of already generated classified and refined information. Hence, the methods and instrument of data which was adopted in this study was tied to various literatures as a result of the availability of numerous scholarly works at our reached. We therefore made effective use of adequate and properly consulted volume of published and unpublished materials through the school library, national and state libraries as well as the UNDP resources centre.
3.4 Methods of Data Analysis
Its involves the breaking down to details the ideas and techniques use in analysing information gathered accordingly, hence the analysis of this study was carefully observe through relevant academic frequency. In order to secure the success and quality interpretation of this investigation adequate room was created for critical engagement of contents and qualitative analysis of data base on various academics publication, agencies and public institutions reactions on the subject matter. Data were properly and without bias explored against available evidence from other relevant sources to confirm their true nature and existence within the confines of our discussion.
Effort was displayed to address and inter-connect the contemporary situation of Sustainable Development Goals and the defunct Millennium Development Goals. The outcome of this proxy analysis was give credit and fortified our position that commitment, honesty, security, planning, human and social engineering as well as sound governmental and people oriented policies is the bedrock that sustained development particular in Nigeria, Africa and the World at large. Therefore, the authenticity of this scholarly production will invariably qualify its historical age proven beyond reasonable doubt and would serve as a future reference document for academics, government policies, development administration and human capital development.
3.5 The Historical Overview of SDGs in Nigeria
The concept has been introduced earlier before now but gain popularization through the world conservation strategy, of International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 1980. According to Linus (2009:95), initially the practice was limited to the sustainability of ecological maintenance, resources management and genetic diversity. This implies that the interest of Sustainable Development at it early age was strictly on ecological terms rather than economic development however the later concept was incorporated into the practice of the commission through the 1987 Brundtland Commission Report to the Governing council of United Nations Environmental programme (UNEP). Brundtland was the then prime minister of Norway. The newly added concept which centre on economic growth gave birth to the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), in Riode Janrio, Brazil were world leaders gathered to chart a new course especially on environmental management which produce the Agenda 21, that recognize information, integration and broad public participation as ingredient that will encourage mutual inter-dependence. Thus the United Nations Summit on 25th December, 2015 outline 17 point agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a new global concept of improving peoples living condition around the world with the aims to end poverty, inequality, unemployment and conservation of the entire ecosystem by 2030. Though SDGs was established on the foundation of MDGs which has hitherto made progress in some countries, the formal now served as an institution of actualizing the agenda of the later.
Ironically, Sustainable Development was fundamentally designed to create sustainable improvement in the quality of life for all people as the principal goals of development policy (Abraham, 2010:42). Sustainable Development was tilted toward giving meaning to human dignity and the environment in a fair mode of operation. Beyond increase in economic growth and meeting basic needs, the concept also target at improving human living standards to a measure of specific goals including “bettering people’s health and education opportunities, giving every one the chance to participate in public life, helping to ensure a clean environment and promoting intergenerational equity”. The aim further concentrate above environmental maintenance, to protection and provision of the dignity of man, encouragement of various governments to embark on a decent government policies and stability of economy. Therefore the existence of any government at both Local, State, National and International is partly the fulfilment of SDGs, because government exist for the purpose of development and SDGs is centrally concern about development, hence its campaign on global development capture all spheres of human needs and the environment. Thus, SDGs has specific aims of adopting and promoting a decent economic development plans towards the realization of a clean and sustain environment, human consumptions, natural resources and physical capital without compromising the future. The prospects of SDGs as adopted by world leaders of 189 Nations in New – York are hereby display in the table below.
Table 4: Display the Sustainable Development Goals, (SDGs) 17 Point Agenda
|
Goal1: Poverty |
End poverty in all its forms everywhere |
|
Goal 2: Food |
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. |
|
Goal 3: Health |
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all levels. |
|
Goal 4: Education |
Ensure inclusive and equitable equality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. |
|
Goal 5: Women |
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. |
|
Goals 6: Water |
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all |
|
Goals 7: Energy |
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. |
|
Goals 8: Economy |
Promote sustained inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work. |
|
Goals 9: Infrastructure |
Build resident infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. |
|
Goals 10: Inequality |
Reduce inequality within and among countries |
|
Goals 11: Habitation |
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. |
|
Goals 12: Consumption |
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. |
|
Goals 13: Climate |
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact. |
|
Goals 14: Marine |
Ecosystem conserved and sustainably uses the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. |
|
Goals 15: Ecosystem |
Protect, restore and sustainably use of terrestrial, ecosystem, sustainably manage forest, combat desertification and half and revere land degradation. |
|
Goal 16: Institution |
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. |
|
Goal 17: Sustainability |
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalized the global partnership for sustainable development. |
Source: Mohammed (2017:95)
With the global attention now focused on achieving SDGs, Nigeria’s vision through the multi-stakeholder collaboration. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, Victoria Orelope – Adefulire, declared in a documentary interviewed with Premium Times’ Bassey Velo. She further maintained that this calls for the public and private sectors working together to achieve inclusive economic growth. Since the 2030 Agenda commits all signatory countries to work together to promote sustain and inclusive economic growth, social development and environmental protection, ensure that every person fulfilled his or her potentials in dignity and equality in a healthy environment.
Making beautiful and encouraging statement on the media is not the achievement but critically looking at the core problems of poverty, unemployment, inequality, security and shelter etc. Nigeria needs the full implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) more than Ghana, South Africa, Benin and even Togo etc. Because we have Nigerians living on the street of almost all the countries in Africa, Asia, America and Europe without shelter, no jobs and no hopes of survival even in Nigeria survival is relatively very difficult, hence development is key to Nigeria economy especially with the wave of vision 2030 SDGs campaign, is a direct and marketable opportunity for Nigerian government and other collaborating agencies to wipe away poverty and inequality etc. in all forms.
3.5.1 Three Years Implementation of UN-SDGs in Nigeria
The 17 goals, also referred to as global goals are further broken down into 169 specific targets which fundamentally lean on three crucial domains of environment, economy and society. Each of the goals has a stake in one of these domains with the ultimate goal of ensuring inclusive development for everyone in every city of the world through the mitigation and subsequent eradication of poverty, reduction of hunger and food waste, creation of enabling environments for growth and development, protection of the planet and so on (Oyindamola, 2017).
According to Adefulire (2017: 48), these goals capture the essence of development in any nations and have a slogan “leave no one behind.” The global vision is to improve livelihood and protect the planet for future generations and to realize the future we want, while in Nigeria, the SDGs will be pursued in an inclusive and people centre manner, it will also focus on institutional and policy stretching. The Nigerian road map to the SDGs is designed to focus on six thematic areas namely: policies, data management, institutions, partnership, communication and finance. The implementation is designed to be carried out in three phases and according to specific needs of each zone of the country. Phase 1: 2016 – 2020 Phase 2: 2020 = 2016 Phase 3: 2026 – 2030. In the hope to succeed in this task, the need for all hands to be on deck cannot be over emphasize. The Federal, States and Local Governments, Civil Societies, Academia, Religious and Political Leaders, media and all relevant stakeholders must work hard to bring about the sustainable development that we need. All necessary cooperation should be given to sustain and increase the development activities in all its ramifications where peace, justice and strong institution are built at all levels and revitalize global partnership to have a world of our dreams.
However, one major challenge to the attainment of SDGs in many countries is lack of awareness and inadequate sensitization of the public of the goals, what they entail and how their implementation impacts the quality of life of the average citizens. In Nigeria, studies have shown that more than 50% of the population is unaware of Sustainable Development Programmes. How then can these goals be achieved if people did not know about them or how they fit into the implementation of the goals? About three years of adoption of the SDGs goals in Nigeria, there is still more to be done in terms of sensitizing people about each of the goals and how they fit into citizens daily lives, the question to ask ourselves and governments is if the goals are achievable, because most issues arising from the SDGs implementation in Nigeria put many citizens in offensive position while government on the defensive.
In the words of Liu Zhenmin, Under Secretary – General of United Nations and heads of Department of Economic and Social Affairs, “the successful implementation of the SDGs is predicted on people knowing about them, if people are aware of the bold commitments their leaders made in 2015, then the citizens can hold their leaders accountable”. Government have the prerogative to ensure that people understand that they play a large and crucial role in taking up actions especially regarding identifying one particular good which speaks to them the most, connecting it all on how best the other goals can be achieved. There is relative hope in realizing the prospect of SDGs in Nigeria if adequate measure is employ to ensure citizens awareness of the forms and nature of the programme, therefore the desire needs of the individuals or group in the society should be accommodated to stare up the three wasted years of SDGs in Nigeria.
The morality behind the plan propose $4bn US dollar implementation of SDGs in Nigeria as further reviewed the thrust of Afrocentric Scholars that Western developed economies has sworn an oath not to leave Africa alone by giving unfair gesture that will keep the continent connected to their evil deeds. The United Nations through its Resident Humanitarian Coordinator and the UNDP Resident Representative, as earlier pronounce the UN 4bn dollar propose plan implementation of SDGs in Nigeria. Kallon, (2017:55) posit that the United Nations Day Celebration is a scheme designed for the “concrete action for SDGs” with the aim of demonstrating the UN commitment to the implementation of SDGs in the country, thought it is a joint development and humanitarian framework for the over 20 UN Agencies and Organizations in Nigeria, focusing on Governance, Human Right, Peace and Security.
According to the UNDP, the scheme also target equitable and quality basic services and sustainable inclusive economic growth and development though not limited to UN partnership but direct commitment to the realization of development agenda towards economic recovery and growth programme. Therefore the summary achievement of the purpose and target of the scheme and the figure depends on a committed sincere and honest government and the citizens involved in the process, to avoid any break in implementation, transparency and public campaigns awareness will aid the process immensely.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
Every academic research generates data subject to analysis, which usually takes the shape of breaking down and ordering large volume of information gathered. The presentation and analysis of the data collected in the course of this investigation is the basic foundation that propelled the study as a future reference document, the researcher employed adequate and extensive used of content and qualitative method in order to attain a valid conclusion, information gathered were obtained from the feelings and reactions of scholars, nongovernmental organization NGOs and the general public on their scholarly publications in seminar, journals, articles and textbooks in order to examine the effects of the two outstanding global campaign for development between 2000-2015 till date in Nigeria respectively, the available data at our disposal proof that there were conflicting report between the Nigerian government and the UNDP, over the achievement of MDGs performance in Nigeria.
However our conviction is centred on the UNDP report which posit that Nigeria is one of the countries with low performance of MDGs target, with minor achievement in goal eight 8 that preached promotion of global partnership for development, hence Nigeria was able to partner the creation of regional development programmes with other countries, this includes NEPAD, APRM, AU, ECOWAS, ACP-EU-EPA and NAPEP (UNDP, 2007). The creation of the above global development partnership at both regional and sub regional levels did not also achieved the desire expectation of its purpose due to the issues of corruption and poor leadership. Though there is hope that SDGs in Nigeria will make measurable progress in line with its principles if there is mutual co-operation, relative peace devoid of political violence, anarchy and ethnic crisis as well as preventive measure to eliminate corruption in all faces and install good leadership.
Oputa, (1995) “leadership implies a purposeful direction of the affairs of those being led; it implies movement towards a definite and defined goals which will be for the benefit of the society. To lead therefore, etymologically means to direct by going in front. Leadership in whatever field involves certain qualities such as honesty, humility, commitment, to hard work, fairness, visionary, patriotism, integrity, ability to conceive programmes of permanent value and firmness”.. (Obasanjo,& Mabogunji, 1991:1).
The propensity of the data collected give credence to the fact that Nigeria will benefit from the prospect of SDGs if all hands is on deck to ensure all the mercenaries of government are committed in discharging their respective duties equitably without bias rather than making beautiful statement of development on the media without proof, hence development is not media talk rather development is physical realities in the provision of citizens inert needs to the levels of individual choices out of availability.
4.1 Research Question One
Problems Affecting the Planned Implementation of SDGs in Nigeria
The long anticipated progress of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing countries especially the case of Nigeria which form the basis of this investigation has been hampered by series of unscrupulous elements or factors created by the natural man, its counterparts and the immediate environment, in most cases some of this element are either visible or invisible, this is because, the character`s responsible for the collapse of development in Nigeria are directly or indirectly involve in government policies making machineries or unidentified cabals, on the other hand the unguided and unequal relationship between the North and South as well as the unnecessary ethnics and tribal cleavage tide to Nigerian democracy as it was doctored in to the system through the first and second Republic formation of political parties on tribal lines are some of the problems responsible for lack of development in Nigeria, this includes;
4.1.1 Economic Problems
Nigeria’s economy is still characterized by high level decline with large budget deficit unacceptable level of unemployment and inflation. The economy had critical problems of dependence as well as undue reliance on a single commodity, which is oil, weak industrial base and private sector, low level of agricultural production and high debt overhang and inefficient public utilities.
It is out rightly difficult for development to strife in a fluctuating and single economy that lacks the motivation of diversification and equitable resource distribution. Akintoye, & Opeyemi, (2014:18) The economic challenges inherent in the Nigerian economy include issues such as poverty, low per capita income, inequitable distribution of homes, low capital formation and inefficiency in the mobilization of resources over dependency on a single commodity oil as a major source of income, unemployment, inflation to mention a few. It will be difficult to achieve the goals of development if the key issue of inequality that overtly affects, if not destroy the principles of redistribution of national cake on equal basis, because development must strike a balance that is not one sided, hence a credible management of human beings towards the attainment of their inert needs and satisfaction without discrimination is equal to management of the economy therefore more concerted effort should be focus on economic advancement in relations to human improvement.
4.1.2 Environmental Problems
The direct environmental hazards faced by different ecological regions of the country are many and varies from one place to the other. These factors of increasing environmental stress include increasing pressure on natural resources due to large population that is increasing in high rate, unsustainable agricultural practices, the imperative of industrialization and economic growth as well as rapid urbanization due to unplanned and uncontrolled rural – urban migration. All these have combined to produce a critical environmental problems and challenges which are capable of frustrating the national path of sustainable human development if not properly and immediately check. Hence Nigeria is a member of International and Global Community and as such shared in the effects of technological advancement specifically environmental management which is particularly necessary and its major aim should be to avoid stressing a valued ecosystem beyond the limit of it residence stability and capacity (Oyeshola, 2008:28).
4.1.3 Socio–Political Problems
The general consensus that a country viable and stable democracy does not evolve overnight but endure maturity over years of modification and improvement, hence democracy cannot strife in a situation where it is periodically truncated or terminated on the pretext that political actors are not getting things right or performing to expectation. Bureaucratic institutions of government and the civil society should ensure that political actors are held responsible to account for their involvement in cases that are capable of ridiculing our democracy. So that adequate measure will be geared towards addressing political challenges that will accommodate a fair environment of global development campaigns. Akintoye, & Opeyemi, (2014:37) Maintained that if Nigeria will achieve any meaningful development she must take care of social services of basic education, functional health care, employment for youths, clean water, security of life and properties and access to quality infrastructures. In the midst of multi-cultural, ethnics and religious loyalty political conflict cannot be avoided, Nigeria is a practical example of this type of situation but the citizens can swallow their political ethnics and religious differences and accommodate fare objective policies that place societal development and appointment of government functionaries on equality.
4.1.4 The Aged Long Issues of Corruption
Corruption is a communicable endemic disease that has eating deep into the lives of Nigerians especially government officials at various levels, who randomly divert public and development funds to private pocket for selfish enrichment at the detriment of the poor Nigerians. According to World Bank Report, corruption is the misuse of public office for private gain while Transparency International on the other hand viewed corruption as the misuse of entrusted power for private gain. Transparency International, further designed a distinction between two broad types of corruption such as to rule corruption which implies a situation where bribe is offered to receive preferential treatment for what the bribe receiver is required to do by law while against the rule corruption on the other hand is a situation where bribe is offered to receive service in which the bribe receiver is not permitted to do by law. Habu, Moses, Aminu, (2012:5) Corruption is the breach or pervasion of legal rules, established procedure, code of conduct or social norms in the service of unethical or illegitimate ends.
Similarly, Njoku (2010:333) postulates that corruption is any action/inaction by omission or commission by someone, which either compromise or set aside established laws, rule and regulations etc. guiding people behaviours (conduct) especially position of authority, whether in public affairs or private establishment. It is this action of misuse of power for unethical practice that creates development laxity where incomes are less unequally distributed. According to Aluko (2008:12) “There seems to be a correlation between the level of economic development and the incident of corruption”. He explained further that developed economies are less corrupt than the less develop economies. In agreement with the above postulation, Tanzi, states that beyond the fact that corruption is generally less frequent in richer countries, there is a negative correlation between the rate of growth and the incidence of corruption, more corrupt countries tend to be powerful and grow at a slower rate, meaning that development cannot strife equitably in the face of maximal corruption and is mostly peculiar to developing countries of the world. The various successive government in Nigeria from the first, second, third and fourth Republic as attempted differently to fight corruption especially the current civilian administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari who has been courageous enough to take the fight against corruption to the judiciary, where there was untouchable high volume of corruption, however more still need to be done to stamp out corruption in Nigerian public space.
4.1.5 The Controversial Policy Declaration
Bad and poor policy implementation which is a function of weak institutions and lack of policies and programmes continuation as a result of changes in government machineries through tenurship are major factors confronting Nigerian expectation in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “The problems of the contemporary world are that the people and government do not have a good policy for life”. They commit and do pursue many unspeakable and abominable things in the name of policy (Njoku, 2010:28). While Leman, (2001:9) Believed that, public policy refers to the decisions made by government on a purposeful course or action taken by governmental actors in pursuing solutions to perceived problems. It means that both positive and negative decisions and actions of government are public policies. In most cases, public policies in Africa particularly Nigeria, suffer because of the unethical behaviour of policy makers, and the tune that government is not build around the institutions but around the individuals and the general will of the people is not consulted in the formulation of policies these and others hampered the course of development to a large extent thus Nigeria is still struggling with development because most of its declarative and operative policies is a product of one single individual and does not conformed to the generality of the people.
4.1.6 Security Challenges
The primary responsibility of any government is the defence of its territorial integrity and citizens. National security is very essential for the preservation of peace, promotion of political and economic development of any country (Thom-Otuya, 2016:2). The security challenge witness in Nigeria from Niger Delta militancy and kidnapping crisis and the North East Boko-Haram extremist are overtly responsible for development decadence in Nigeria SDGs. Political crisis, ethnic conflict, and community crisis cannot welcome any meaningful development hence it existence in Nigeria drive away SDGs projects from communities. Political instability and the unfaithful behaviours of political leaders to the tenets of democracy also restrict the spread of development. Therefore the focus of any responsive government on security cannot be over emphasize because security challenges to the state can virtually comes from anywhere either through internal individual disagreement, religious or ethnics conflicts or on foreign policies disagreement between Nations hence the mental and physical preparedness of any government on security usually give hope to development and when there is development there would be relative peace and stability.
4.1.7 Poor Levels of Infrastructure
Realizing these goals in third world countries including Nigeria would be relatively difficult due to bad road net-work and railways, poor information and technologies; poor electricity supply and sanitation, according to Ezedinma, (2016:47). About 2.6 billion people in the developing world are facing difficulties in accessing electricity full time. A contemporal situation where citizens cannot make relative choice in the consumption of desire needs create serious psychological war on the individuals and their environs and does not accords good meaning to development which is mostly common in the case study of this investigation. From the period of Independence till date Nigerian government has not done much in the provisions of basic infrastructural amenities especially the current democratic structures that has lasted for more than 18 years in the face of global and equal competition, without good road, electricity and health care, citizens cannot make meaningful progress let alone be link to development.
4.1.8 The Issue of Inadequate Funding
Poor funding and outright starvation of the goals materials by government, relevant agencies and individual donor, indiscipline on the part of representative of the agencies and inaccurate identification of resource persons for specific duties etc are some of the factors responsible for its failure in Nigeria (Njoku, 2010:7). Distributive policy drives the system towards programme and projects that will ensure equitable and fair allocation of national or common resources to all sections of government and categories of people at all levels. Thus, if government funds and the funds of others donor agencies are equitably distributed and implemented to address the nature and issues of development, it will ensure political stability, national integration and reduce ethnic strife, or consciousness. The absent or delayed to allocate funds towards the implementation of development usually cripple the taste of good life to the people and as such drive away environmental decency. Most time starvation of funds is not the problems, thus all the collaborating agencies mostly international and local are always conscious about the release of funds as at when due, but the problems lies with the machineries on the filled who may not deploy the use of this funds appropriately, on the other hand more is associated with were to site a particular projects, why do will site it there, who are those residing there and what is there contribution to the economic or political activities.
4.1.9 Ethnics and Regional Challenges
Regional disparities in development are not an uncommon phenomenon in countries around the world. The issues with regional development in Nigeria include low access to infrastructure, high poverty levels, unplanned urban development, intermittent religious, ethnic conflicts and environmental degradation. The disparities in regional development are due to a number of factors, which include history, culture, natural endowment and the factor of politics. These are issues that contribute to peculiar developmental problems in the different regions of the country. For example, the general environmental degradation that occurs in the Niger Delta due to petroleum extraction from the area, the Northern part of Nigeria experiences desert encroachment, while some Southern parts of the country are devastated with gully erosion. In addition to these are other cross-cutting issues like rural-urban drift which affect all the regions. All these constitute major challenges to sustainable development in the country.
Due to the peculiar history of the Niger Delta and its unique geographical features as well as being the region from which the oil and gas resources of the country are mined, the development of the region has remained a major challenge for the Nigerian state. In the effort to resist this long time environmental neglects militants struck in the region to draw national government attention to the increasing rate of environmental degradation as a result of oil exploration and exploitation which further caused more harm than ameliorates the existing problems despite its contribution to the Nigerian economic national growth. NDHR, (2006:56) The Niger Delta is rated far below countries or regions with similar oil and gas resources e.g. United Arab Emirate, Kuwait, Libya and Venezuela. These are Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) members, were Nigeria is also a faithful member but cannot imitate home marshal plans from its counterparts across the globe.
4.2 Research Question Two
The Prospects of Achieving SDGs in Nigeria
To achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria to a level of fulfilling the condition of eradicating poverty, unemployment, inequality and insecurity etc. to the satisfaction of the present generation without contradicting the future generation, would require a design and well conceived short time and long-time plan that would be subjected to periodic review, in an all inclusive policy plan and implementation, taking cognizance of the immediate, inert and cultural needs of the indigenous people. The expectation of importing these ideal development from the western and highly developed economies should be jettison in its entirety, though there is room for emulation and material assistance but the other ingredient necessary for take up plans must be cultivated by the indigenous home government hence you cannot sow something on nothing, there must be concerted effort demonstrated internally.
4.2.1 Human Capital Development
The concept of development in these categories is centre on people, any nation that want to succeed in development and growth should not hesitate to invest heavily in human development, because the people are the end and means of development. The future of Nigerian development and economy growth depend on the readiness and commitment on the part of government to impact on human investment. Development of human resources provides a good ground for quality education, improve health care, food security and improve life expectancy (Linus, 2007:274). Therefore, the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nigeria can be gear towards training and re–training of citizens through qualitative and functional education system aim at encouraging and empowering the youths to acquire skills that will leads to self reliance, with a take up mobility funds through the creation of a micro-finance bank under strong government supervision in order to avoid unnecessary miss-management and undue favoritism.
4.2.2 Environmental Management
The most critical issue in our contemporary society is environmental sustainability which is one of the road map to development. Most countries in Africa paid leap service to environmental management and by so doing undermines human welfare efforts and growth. Environment in this respect according to World Bank, (1989) consist of ecological system, the trees, and grasses, which provide fuel and fodder, and which prevent erosion, provide water catchments, ameliorate climate changes and provide wildlife habitats.
To prevent the incessant environmental abuse in Nigeria from loss of arable land, wildlife, water supplies and climate changes, government at all levels should design a policy towards the preservation of the environment for the purpose of sustainable development and management, there should be a periodic enlightens campaign or information on the courses of environmental abuse, therefore environmental protection should be the sole responsibility of the government (Linus, 2009:276). Observable standard should be put in place on land use and soil conservation water resources management, forestry preservation and protection of wildlife, as well as marine and coastal areas should be develop to a functioning capacity.
The multi–national and other individual organization whose operation and production causes hazardous environment should be engage in this education in order to maintained a high level sanitation and waste management processing of toxic and hazardous substances, the occupational health and safety energy production and use mining and exploitation of mineral resources Acts should be carefully observe as well as public participation and institutional management for environmental protection and improvement (FEPA, 1991:14).
4.2.3 Provision of Ecological Funds
The realization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be restore through the maintenance of environmental conditions, involving government physical commitment, honesty and desire to set aside as well as making judicious use of ecological funds to address national disaster such as flooding, earthquake, inland and coasted erosions, which would require extra – budgetary allocations to address them in event of occurrence.
However the Federal Government of Nigeria has since 1981 earmark to set aside a monthly 1 percent of the federation account for tackling ecological problems, while the National Committee on Ecological problems is charge and trusted with the utilization and management of the funds. Records have shown that about N1.4billion as at 1985 had been disbursed to Federal, State and Local Government Agencies, for the control and improvement of environmental degradation in these areas (Linus, 2009:278). The outstanding enabling laws should be strictly adhered to, in order to make provision and other relative assistance to victims of disaster. To strengthen the achievement of this law a medium of supervision should also be employ to monitor the activities and level of compliance of the people by the national committee on ecological problems on cases of disasters by other agencies of government more especially the law making body.
4.2.4 Political Development
The end point of any development strategy is sustainability, most of the unsustainable development plans ever embark on in Nigeria, lacks certain basic ingredients, and it becomes necessary to transit from the traditional political system to a modern political system that will embrace the western political ideologies for the purpose and realization of sustainable growth. However political progress which forms the basis of development must involve popular participation of various organs and structures of government interdependently. According to Linus (2009:280), the success of political development and sustainability must carefully and effectively observe certain criteria such as:
(i) Political Sovereignty: To achieve sustainable development growth, a country must have the capacity and capability to protect its territorial sovereignty, because any relative threat to the corporate existence of a country can hamper development hence development cannot strife in the face of both internal and external threat on boundaries encroachment or otherwise etc.
(ii) Political Legitimacy: These simply refer to the support and approval of those in position of authority, meaning that political leaders require the support of citizens for policies implementation in a decent political atmosphere, without the people no policies can actually strife except in a cruel political system. A progressive legitimate political power can only be realize through effective public participation and integration, were the various views, opinion and interest of groups must have to be recognized and promoted. More importantly the political leaders are anticipated by the citizens to have intellectual capacities and political will to positively change the society on the part of progressive growth and sustainability. Hence according to Charturvedi, (1978:34). The public keeps watch and mount pressure on the political actors to make them honest and less arrogant.
(iii) Good Governance: The birth of positive development is the absent of corruption, which is a communicable endemic disease that has eaten deep in to the lives of leaders mostly in Developing Countries. Linus, (2009:273) believe that corruption is a societal Cankerworm that destroy any forms of development endeavour, there should be a complete mental – revolution in the area of administration and management of the public funds. The interest here is on political leaders to possibly aspired for political position on the basis of honor and dignity rather than for amassment of fraudulent activities, therefore citizens base governance through peoples oriented policies facilitates sustainable development and growth, possibly because if various views and opinions are recognize and respected the citizens we be willing at all cost to play their part towards supporting the administration.
(iv) International Co-operation: No nations of the world is an highland, or can survive alone without relating with other nations in the aspect of economic, political and even in socio – cultural development, the end point of these relationship manifest in sustainable growth and development, provided by the bilateral and multilateral relations amongst nations. Through the process of healthy co-operation countries exchange goods and services, which in turn boost the world output and balance the system of international co-operation, these becomes necessary to solve the problem of comparative disadvantage between different countries. Example of the trade relations between Nigerian and United States which involve exportation of unprocessed petroleum products to US and importation of finished goods such as automobiles, industrial machines etc. to Nigeria (Linus, 2009:281). On the other hand international co-operation is equal to been a member of international organization whose ultimate aim is to offer protection and assistance to members in areas of political, economic and military assistance etc, some of these International Organizations are the United nations (UN), African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS), Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Paris Club (CP), Group of Eight (G8) and World Health organization (WHO), etc.
4.2.5 Green Economy Development
Green economy involves a strategy of attaining sustainable growth and development through reduction in pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing waste and inefficient use of natural resources, maintaining biodiversity and strengthening energy security. According to Dahlin (2010:64), green growth is the means by which the current economy can make the transition to a sustainable economy to avoid the cost of in action”. It means total commitment and honesty to environmental maintenance which result in growth, greening consumption and production patterns while reducing poverty, improving health, job creation and encouraging investment. According to UNEP (2011), green economy is “an economy that results in the improvement of human well–being and social equity, while significantly, reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities”, However at the levels of operation green economy is referred to as the growth in income and employment which is driven by investment.
There is considerable concerned that “green economy” might be a useful condition for aids, loans, and debt rescheduling or debt relief on developing countries. Which may possibly propel the affected developing countries to take on one – dimensional measures rather than sustainable development policies that take economic, social development and equity goals into proper consideration. While others believes that “green economy” concept has the potential to drive sustainable development, however in order for it to be meaningful and relevant to the immediate environment of the developing economies facing the challenges of over-coming poverty, unemployment, inequalities, good health facilities, security and environmental issues. Operational and actualization of the concept must be guided through the following principles and techniques, according to Stoddart et. Al, (2011);
· Equitable distribution of wealth within and amongst nations, to ensure reduction in the disparities between the rich and poor nations in order to achieve social and economic justice within the sustainability and fair share of the world’s economics resources.
· Intergenerational equity in which environmental resources and ecosystems are carefully managed and safeguarded so as to enhance the value of environmental assets for future generations, thereby equitably meeting their needs and allowing them to flourish.
· The right to development in which human development in harmony with the environment is fundamental to the achievement of sustainable development, so that individuals and societies are empowered to realize positive social and environmental outcome.
· Economic equity and fairness guided by the principle of common but various responsibilities create economic partnerships that would transfer substantial financial and technological, minimize the gap between the developed and developing world and maintained periodic support of all.
· Sustainable consumption and production with sustainable and equitable resources use to reduce and terminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption.
· The technological approach in which science is utilized to enhance social and environmental outcomes through the identification of environmental risk and scientific measures of environmental impacts not to deteriorate and to prevent environmental degradation.
· International cooperation, to look beyond unfair protectionism and ensure trade supports sustainable resources used for environmental protection and progressive labour standards, promoting a “race to the top” rather than the bottom.
· To safeguard biodiversity and prevent pollution of any part of the environment as an important part of development and human wellbeing within a system of government with ultimate desire to protect the ecosystem and constant prevention of any eventual damages.
However, the critical issue with the achievement of green economy as its concerned developing economy particularly Nigeria is the believe that the good intention of the policy towards sustainable development, might be negatively hijack out of context by some unscrupulous element, whose promotion may give rise to unhealthy or negative developments. It is against this backdrop that will opted for a principal instrument of government that will honestly, in humility, commitment and patriotism checkmate the activities of mercenaries, agencies and parastatals of government to responds in their various assignment in lined with international standard towards the realization of common goals and aim at sustaining a decent environment. Thus, if there are no people there will be no government, the essence of government is because there are people to address and there are people to develop therefore government must at all levels live up to its responsibilities to eradicate any unusual unscrupulous element attempting to discredit any meaningful development plan.
4.2.6 Effective and Regular Communication
communication is one key ingredients that abstract development at all cost and no nations can confidently survive without engaging the citizens in a constant communication on the nature of government policies as regards development, when majority of the citizens are held incommunicado from government policies that concerned them, how then will they be able to fit into it? Lack of proper education and information about the nature and purpose of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals SDGs (SDGs) reduce its range of achievement, therefore the local people should be consulted by the agencies of these institution to ascertain amongst the numerous projects which one could positively affects them most at that point. The periodic anniversary of SDGs should now be held in the local communities where there is timely high increase in extreme poverty and lack of basic infrastructural needs this will amount to direct communication between the citizens, government and agencies of SDGs rather than concentrating such exercise in the major cities were the physical features around is quite deceiving. In agreement with this, Janda, Berry, & Goldman, (2008:159) posit that communication is the process of transmitting information from one individual or group to another, while mass communication is the process by which information is transmitted to a large heterogeneous widely disperse audiences. Thus, any communication break between couples can cause serious problems leading to divorce, the same applicable between the citizens and government. The importance of communication to get along with family affairs, government and the citizens to get along on contemporal issues cannot be over emphasize, hence communication is a two ways exercise involving two different persons the receiver and the giver.
Therefore the role of the media in promoting communication from government to its citizens and from citizens to the government in a democratic state is so vital and special towards the promotion of development because they serve as agents of socialization in performing their civic responsibility to the society which includes to educate, entertain and inform. However the media is not the only medium of communication, there are other means of effective communication between government, the citizens and development agencies such as school, political gathering, social functions, church and the market place.
Communication serve a better purpose in promoting not just development but security, preservation of human right and respects for all, it is based on this background that will preach for the Nigerian state to ensure there is Constance and effective communication between the citizens and government on daily administrative policies in all aspects, the institutions of global development campaign should re-arrange its blue-print and give measurable credence to communication in order to ensure maximum implementation and achievement of SDGs in Nigeria which in turn will re-awaken the dreams of New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), and National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) etc created by the regional, and national government to take development to the door step in its respective territories but failed earlier due to lack of proper and continues sensitization of the people about the programmes hence most of the people was not aware of the nature of this institutions and how they fit into its exercise.
4.3 Discussions of Findings
Having explored all the data available in the course of this investigation, the researcher discovered that sustainable development is one accurate measure of meeting regular provisions of human and environmental needs. However, to achieve Sustainable Development in Nigeria, there must be the existence of development potentials that serve as pillars of sustainability because crops in the farm cannot germinate without a seed, therefore the seed now serve as pillars through which the crops germinate. The same way development potentials serve as seed or pillars of sustainable development. Potential in this context is refer to those ingredients that is absolutely necessary to be in place in order for development to strife in a society, this includes; development policies that is human focus, because the first and immediate measures of development is the development of man, quality education for all categories of people in the society, absence of inequality and insecurity etc.
However the Nigerian Society had always undermined these potentials with the believed that development or sustainable development can be imported at will, rather than cultivating this necessary potential, thus this dogmatic believe is one principal action responsible for the Nigerian state lacking behind development plan in the face of equal opportunity and in a globalizing world. Therefore we hope that Nigeria can still achieve development and sustainability through the existence of SDGs, which is the brain idea of those that have achieved both development and Sustainable Development, if the following can be carefully observe.
Re-investing embezzled public funds by public officials and not investing it in Swiss foreign account. Government policies should be directed at encouraging the anti-graft agencies to exonerate public officials that have succeeded in re-investing about 89% of the embezzled public funds in the country, which has great and positive impacts on the economy.
Human capital development plan and training for employment should be the watchdog of the 21st century government policies. Because training without a decent plan to engage the trainees to develop more on its ability and to have a sense of belonging and responsibility is an exercise in futility. On the other hand security issues should be accorded equal and maximum attention, because no meaningful development policies can survive in the face of insecurity. For instance the incessant killing and destruction by Boko-Haram in the North East and the increasing rate of related cultism activities in the country especially in Rivers state do not and cannot mean well for Development and Sustainability.
The growing rate of inequality and corruption in Nigerian public institutions should be sincerely eradicated at all courses because corruption and inequality among the leaders and the led has great emphasis towards the development decadence suffered in the country over the years. Therefore a conscious effort is necessary to deal with this growing disease in all aspects and in all public or private institutions that the citizens are serving or expected to serve. The spirit of unity, mutual corporation and good governance should be reinvigorated amongst the citizens and attention be accorded to address the problems of insecurity, political violence, ethnic crisis and anarchy. Hence they were responsible for the failure of MDGs NEPAD and NAPEP respectively. Thus if the Nigerian government can overcome all these social vices and sincerely partner with the full implementation of SDGs, development will be achieve and generational needs will be meet accordingly.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONTRIBUTION TO SCHOLARSHIP
5.1 Summary
This study on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); problems and prospects of achievement in Nigeria, commence with a details explanation of the concepts, development and sustainability according to reportable authorities in the field of development. The purpose of this study is predicated on the need for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the achievement and failures of the Defunct Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria and other regional or sub – regional development institutions such as New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), and National Poverty Eradication Programme NAPEP, which are the offspring’s of the MDGS. The study further brings into limelight the prospects of SDGs, its three years existence and the United Nations $4bn plan implementation framework in Nigeria 2018. The study expressed the problems and recommends the best strategies of achieving SDGs in Nigeria.
In the course of this study, modernization theory (the development model) that originated from the American emergence as world super power, communist movement and collapse of the colonial empires was used to buttress the literature gap in order to fortify the foundation of this research. Also different literatures related to the study from different authors were adequately reviewed, based on the foundational structures of traditional economics approach and the neo – classical Marxist approach of development. In collecting data for this research, the investigator make extensive use of library materials as well as journals and articles, in order to give a detailed background to the research topic. The summary and the analysis stated in this research indicate that the Defunct Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) did not make any meaningful impact in Nigeria as well as the three years existence of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), however there is still hope for the later to make positive and meaningful impacts in Nigeria before the expiration of its 2030 deadlines, to the questions of poverty, unemployment, inequality, security, health and environmental degradation, etc. which are the bedrock of political, economic and socio-cultural development.
5.2 Conclusion
In relation to the data collected in the analysis of this investigation. It is pertinent to conclude that development does not come through importation of goods rather development is cultivated and development is imitations of ideas through the concept of modernization, therefore Nigerian leadership should look inward and fabricate better structures and policies that will strengthen development and pave the way for sustainability, because one cannot sustain what you don’t have. It is virtually these structures that the success of global development campaigned will relied on, through the institution of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN–SDGs). Regional and Sub–regional development institutions e.g., NEPAD and NAPEP, should be revitalize and strengthen to pursue similar goals with the SDGs at the local levels, hence the global development institution cannot afford to implement and achieve its policies in all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria without a honest, patriotic and committed host government through the involvement of popular citizens participation.
5.3 Recommendations
Having understood the hurdles experience facing Nigerian development through ages and the subsequent failure of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as well as other local development outfit, thus for us to have development breakthrough gear towards sustainability through the wave or prospects of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN–SDGs, the research has decided to make the following recommendations.
1. Public awareness and sensitization campaign about SDGs implementation framework.
2. Leadership should focus more on the people and not for self or tribe.
3. The anti corruption war should extend to all the sectors and in all forms
4. Leaders who embezzle public funds should be encouraged through policies to re-invest in Nigeria.
5. The law should be appraise to exonerate those who re-invest embezzle funds in Nigeria.
6. Employment age in should be place at 25-35 and 40.
7. Security issues should be taken to all the nooks and crannies of Nigeria.
8. There should be a paradigm shift from oil to other economy measures.
9. Hazardous operation of the oil multinational on the environment should be regulated by government.
10. Honesty and sincerity in the implementation of UNEP report on Ogoni.
11. Development should be human focus through training and re-engagement.
12. Government policies should be people oriented.
13. National unity and mutual co-operation be encouraged.
14. Nepotism, tribalism, undue favouritism, ethnicity and political violence be expounch from all public lives.
15. SDGs annual conference should be held in remote areas and not in urban cities.
16. SDGs projects implementation and evaluation should be objectively reviewed and focus more on remote areas.
If these necessary recommendations are taken into consideration United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (UN–SDGs) will leave an indelible foot – print on Nigerian soil with a new wave of development leading to growth and sustainability and Nigerian citizens both the elite and non elite will experience equal taste of life in a better environment.
5.4 Contribution to Scholarship
This study on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Problems and Prospects of Achievement in Nigeria will benefit and improve academic progress, development institutions and government at both national and international levels in the following areas;
It will promote the culture of human capital development through training and re-engagement by government and development agencies.
It will reshape the conciseness of cultivating development potentials that will lead to sustainable development and jettison the hope of importing development.
The spirit of patriotism, mutual co-operation and good governance will be encouraged and jettison all forms of corruption nepotism, tribalism and favouritism from all public institutions.
Government policies on security, education and development will be directed to focus on human centre approach.
The policy of encouraging and exonerating citizens
who re-invest looted funds back to the economy will be re-invigorated.
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