Effect of Rivers Entrepreneurs and Investors Forum on Poverty Reduction and Income Distribution in Rivers State

International Journal of Economics and Management Studies
© 2019 by SSRG - IJEMS Journal
Volume 6 Issue 1
Year of Publication : 2019
Authors : Ewubare, Dennis Brown and Bobmanuel, Ibiene Ibifiri
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Ewubare, Dennis Brown and Bobmanuel, Ibiene Ibifiri, "Effect of Rivers Entrepreneurs and Investors Forum on Poverty Reduction and Income Distribution in Rivers State," SSRG International Journal of Economics and Management Studies, vol. 6,  no. 1, pp. 1-9, 2019. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23939125/IJEMS-V6I1P101

Abstract:

This study examined the role of Rivers State Entrepreneurship and Investors Forum (REIF) in the socio-economic advancement of Rivers State. The objectives were to determine the contributions of REIF on poverty reduction and addressing the problem of income inequality. The instruments used for eliciting the data required for the analysis were questionnaire and personal interview. Descriptive statistics were employed in analyzing the data. The findings indicate that the activities of REIF substantially contributed in reducing the population of the poor in Nigeria. It was evident from the results that the intervention of REIF increased the population of those living above the poverty line from 69 (19.44%) in the pre-intervention period to 197 (58.81%) in the post-intervention period. It was further discovered that REIF helped in improving the income of 256 (76.42%) members of the affiliated groups. These findings suggest that REIF have substantially contributed in taking majority of its affiliated group members out of the poverty line and improved their income level, thus leading to the conclusion that REIF is an important agent of economic development. From the findings, it was recommended that entrepreneurship development that offers enabling environment for the success of businesses and self-reliance should be given adequate attention in the programmes of REIF in order to ensure that its affiliated group members are empowered economically.

Keywords:

Poverty Reduction, Income Inequality, REIF, Economic Development

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