Problems and Prospects of Community Development in Ebonyi State

ABSTRACT This study examined the problems and prospects of community development in Ebonyi State. Community development is a positive improvement in socio-cultural, economic, political and physical structures within the environments, which enhances man’s standard of living. It is a process of education by which people of all ages and all interests in the community, learn to share their thoughts, their ideals, their participation, their joys and their sorrows and in a large measure to mould and shape the communal destiny for themselves; it is a process of self discovery by which the people of a community learn to identify and solve their community problems. The instrument used for the study included primary research, secondary research method, interviews and use of questionnaires. The validity and reliability of the instrument was tested using test and re-test techniques. The theoretical framework used in the study was system and management theory. While the data collected was analyzed using simple percentage and weighted mean formula, and the result generated from the data was tested with Chi-Square formula for the purpose of ascertaining its validity. However, the study reviewed that historical antecedent, lack of fund, lack of patriotic spirit, undue political crises, ‘the Ebonyi Standard Syndrome’, over-dependency on the Federal Allocation, unclear plan goals, etc., were the problems working against the rapid development of Ebonyi State, in particular and Nigeria in general. The paper recommended that attitudinal change in our work environment and human development are the basis or panacea for the community development of Ebonyi State. This is because the greatest discovery of our generation is that, human beings can improve their living standard by altering the attitude of their minds. All hands must be on deck in order to fight underdevelopment. This is because development is for man, by man and of man. The gem cannot shine without friction; nor man perfected without trials.