Assessment of Rural Infrastructural Development Projects in Ondo State: Case Study of Ondo State Community and Social Development Agency

Abstract

This study was conducted to assess the impact of rural infrastructural projects in Ondo State using the bottom-up approach (Community Drive Development) through the Ondo State Community and Social Development Agency (ODCSDA). A multi-stage sampling technique was used. In the three(3) senatorial districts that constitute Ondo State, six (6) local government areas (LGAs) were randomly selected from existing eighteen (18) LGAs on the basis of two (2) LGAs from each of the senatorial district, and six (6) Communities were purposively selected from each of the selected LGAs based on the presence of fully completed and functional projects. Ten (10) respondents were randomly selected in each of the communities making a total sample size of sixty (60) respondents. A likert scale perception tool was used to investigate respondents’ level of project identification, project planning and implementation, socio-economic impacts of projects and its sustainability. Descriptive statistic, Pearson correlation and Relative Importance Index (RII) were used for analysis. Results showed that more than eighty percent (80%) of the respondents were fully involved in project identification, planning and implementation in their respective communities. Level of community contribution and participation project identification, planning and implementation, location of project, standard of project implemented were found to have positively affected their perception of project sustainability. Study also showed that community participation and sustainability of infrastructural projects were significantly related.