DEMOCRACY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN RIVERS STATE, 2015–2023
Keywords:
Democracy, socio-economic, development, accountability, equality, transparency, fundamental human rightAbstract
The study examined the effect of democracy on socio-economic development in Rivers State, 2015-2023. The study used three objectives and research questions. Structural functionalism theory was adopted as theoretical framework of analysis. The study distributed four hundred (400) questionnaires to three (3) local government areas from three (3) senatorial districts of Rivers State, while three hundred and eighty-six (386) questionnaires were retrieved and used for our analysis. Primary and secondary data was used for the study. The study findings revealed that there is absence of principle of democracy such accountability, equality, transparency, fundamental human right, free and fair election, rule of law, and political tolerance in Rivers State. It was also observed that democracy has failed to enhance the socio-economic development of Rivers State such as reduction in unemployment and poverty, lower inflation, lower political instability, increases economic freedom, increase economic GDP of the state, provision of adequate infrastructure, and improving the overall welfare of the people of Rivers State. This failure can be attributed to high level of corruption among political office holders, godfatherism, electoral fraud and violence, and weak institutions in Rivers State. The study concludes that democracy failures are the bane of underdevelopment and political instability in Rivers State. The study recommended that the people of Rivers State should elect effective leaders that possess vision and know the immediate needs of the people in the next general election in the state. These effective leaders will help to know the best development needed by the people of the state. Finally, Rivers State Government should provide adequate security to its people by equipping the security agencies to fight crime and insecurity in the state. Adequate security will provide good democratic environment for development to flourish in the state.
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