RESOURCE UTILISATION AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN SAPELE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF DELTA STATE.

ABSTRACT

The study examined the effect of resource utilization on rural development in Sapele Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria. The specific objectives used for the were to identify the nature of resource utilized on the development of rural area; to examine the impact of resource utilization on the development of rural area; to find out the challenges associated with resource utilization on the development of rural area; and to proffer solution on the challenges associated with resource utilization on the development of rural area in Sapele. Sapele was the primarily focus on rural areas within the administrative boundaries. And which was conducted within Sapele Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria. The estimated population of Sapele Local Government Area, were two hundred and thirty-eight thousand, eight hundred (238,800) inhabitants with the majority of the area’s dwellers being members of the Uhrobo ethnic division. The sample of this research was calculated by using Taro Yamane (Yamane, 1973) formula with 95% confidence level. The sample size was 399.9 form the total population which is the lower number of responses from the respondents to maintain a 95% confident interval, it was approximated to 400. The primary data collected through the questionnaire, were analyzed with descriptive and chi square statistics. It was concluded that there is positive effect of resource utilization on rural development in Sapele. However, amidst this recognition of the benefits of resource utilization, the findings also unveiled significant obstacles that impede the realization of sustainable rural development.