ABSTRACT

The study assessed performance of National Directorate of Employment on empowerment of its beneficiaries in South-east zone, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: determine types of skills transferred to the beneficiaries; examine the level of participation in NDE programme; ascertain factors affecting participation of beneficiaries; assess the performance status of NDE; determine benefit of NDE programme to the beneficiaries; assess the perceived effectiveness and ascertain constraints affecting performance of NDE scheme in the study area. Two hundred and ninety one beneficiaries of NDE programme were proportionately and randomly selected from the 4 core programme department of NDE in South-east zone comprising of Imo, Anambra and Enugu States. Data for the study were obtained from structured questionnaire and secondary sources. The secondary sources were collected from NDE report from headquarter and State offices. Data collected were analyzed with frequency distributions, percentages, mean, Analysis of Variance, Tobit Regression analysis and Students’ T Test. Skills were transferred under Small Scale Enterprises (13%), Vocational Skills department (10%), Rural Employment Promotion (4.2%) and SPW (3.8%).  The beneficiaries participated in 12 NDE programmes namely; Basic National Open Apprentice Scheme, School On Wheel, training for vulnerable people, Special Micro Enterprise Empowerment Scheme, Start Your Own Business, Basic Business Training, Women Employment Programme, Environmental Beautification Training, Graduate Coaching Scheme, Graduate Attachment Programme, Solar Energy Training Scheme and Rural Agricultural Development Training Scheme. The study revealed that type of skills transferred is marketable ( =2.67), mode of operation of scheme is easy ( =2.51), friendly attitude of the training personnel ( =2.61) and timing of the training programme is convenient ( =2.42), lack of formal or paid employment ( =2.53) and inadequate awareness ( =2.24) affected participation. Mean performance status (2.13) of NDE showed that it performed its functions. The participants benefited from the NDE programme through learning how to start/run their enterprise, attract finance, write business plan. A grand mean of 2.0 indicated that NDE was ineffective. Constraints affecting performance of NDE include: inadequate resettlement of beneficiaries, programmes are politically motivated, limited support from government, inadequate funding, poor policy, unnecessary bureaucracy, corruption and poor administration. ANOVA test of difference revealed that mean of factors affecting participation of beneficiaries and effectiveness of NDE were significantly different at 5% probability level while there was no significant difference on their performance status. Tobit regression analysis revealed that the coefficient for inadequate resettlement to beneficiaries and inadequate availability of operational logistics were negatively related to performance of NDE at 1% level of significance, while coefficient of limited support from government, poor policy, unnecessary bureaucracy inadequate funding and corruption were significant at 5% level of probability. Participation level of NDE beneficiaries differed significantly at 5% level of probability from the Students’ T-test result. The study recommended that the types of skills transferred to beneficiaries should be reviewed and in tune with market trend. Government should make more funds readily available to the scheme in order to help it perform optimally. The scheme should create stronger relationship with other institutions in order to link unemployed persons to existing vacancies.