Poverty Alleviation Programme And Youth Empowerment In Nigeria: A Case Study of Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State

Abstract

This research work assesses poverty alleviation programme and youth empowerment in Nigeria with reference to Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State), the objectives were to identify the challenges facing Youth Empowerment Scheme, examine the impact of Youth Empowerment Scheme and evaluate the effectiveness of National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) in monitoring Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES). 400 questionnaires were administered to 400 respondents out of which 375 were retrieved for the analysis. The survey method was used to analyse data obtained from respondents through the use of Likert rating scale in form of simple percentage. The analysis found that, youths in Sardauna Local Government are educationally poor and lazy coupled with diversion of funds by government officials provided for Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES), that there is a significance relationship between poverty alleviation programme and youth empowerment, despite that Youth Empowerment Scheme has not reduced the rate of unemployment, but it has reduced the level of poverty, and Youth Empowerment Scheme has also increased the level of economy despite the fact that there was no much jobs creation through the skills. In line with the findings, the research recommends that Government should encourage individuals, philanthropists and philanthropic organizations to set up poverty alleviation related NGOs to supplement their efforts in fighting the scourge of poverty in Sardauna Local Government and Nigeria at large.