ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the effects of National Directorate of Employment (NDE) programmes on youth empowerment in Imo State, Nigeria. Specifically the study described the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, ascertained the level of participation, determined the extent of regularity of conduct of the programme, ascertained the extent of empowerment and engagement in livelihood strategies, assessed perceived organizational factors influencing youth participation and factors militating against effective operation. A multistage random sampling technique was employed to select a sample size of 240 respondents from the programme area. Where 60 respondents each were selected from each NDE programmes via; National and Vocational skill, small scale and graduate enterprise, rural and agricultural and special public works development programme). Data collection was through the use of structured questionnaire and analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The finding showed that the respondant had a mean age of 32 years, mean household size of 4 persons, 58.33% were females, 61.25% of them were married, while 43.75% had tertiary education. The result of the regularity of conduct was positive with grand mean of score of 2.5. The result also showed low level of participation of youths in National vocational skill development program me ( = 2.61), and showed low level in; small scale enterprise development programme ( =2.36), Rural and Agricultural development programme ( =2.42) and Special public works development programme ( =2.02) because they fall below the cut-off point of 2.5. The perception of youths towards NDE programme had grand mean of 3.0. The livelihood strategies gained includes; employment opportunity for household members ( =3.75), improved standard of living ( =3.55), training on modern farming techniques ( =3.37), loan/credits acquired ( =3.53), availability of food for household ( =3.49), self-employed ( =3.16). The multiple regression result showed that the coefficient of linkage to relevant partners, product-market linkage, and assets/equipment were significant at 1%, while improvement in technical knowledge was significant at 5%. Skill acquired and transport allowance influenced respondents’ empowerment strategies at 10% level of significant. A significant difference existed between the income of the respondents before NDE programme intervention and their income after NDE programme intervention at 5% level of significance with the mean difference of 38325. Furthermore, the Probit regression result showed that age was negative and at 5% significant level, educational level was positive at 5%, household size and transportation were negative and significant 10% levels of probability and influenced participation in the NDE programmes in the study area. Lack of fund was the highest problem that affects the youth’s participation and effective operations of the programme. The study concluded that NDE programmes have significant effects on youth empowerment in Imo state. The study recommends among others that youth should participate in NDE programmes and sensitization of different trade/skills under each NDE programme be made and the adequate fund be given to National Directorate of Employment Programme in Imo state