THE ROLE OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT IN POVERTY ERADICATION: A STUDY OF IGBO-EZE NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ENUGU STATE

Abstract
The problem associated with poverty has become topical issue overtime. Poverty seems to be on the increase despite all government efforts towards its eradication. Poverty increase is alarming as its effect. This trend has attracted the attentions of not only the governments at all levels but scholars as well. This equally firms the basis for this research which is: The role of Human Resource Development in Poverty Eradication: A case of Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State. What formed our opinion to embark on this project development is to see if poverty problem can be tackled from the right angle and charnel as other efforts by successive governments seem not to have yielded much divided. The study concentrated on Igbo- Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State in the year 2011. The descriptive research method was applied in carrying out the study. Two basic sources of data collection were applied- primary and secondary sources. Structured interviews was applied in gathering necessary information. The structural functionist theory was used in the course of the study . This theory emphasizes certain functions that must be fulfilled in a given social system if such system must survive. The primary assignment of the government is to alleviate poverty among the  masses as a way of enhancing its economic base. In the course of this study, we discovered that poverty eradication has been wrongly pursued in Igbo –Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State in particular and Nigeria as a whole due to wrong approach to this monster. This is because Human Resource Development seems to have  been over looked. No wonder every effort seems to b e unproductive. Based on the above problem and findings a new dimension is imperative if poverty eradication should make sense. To that effect, a number of recommendations were made. Some of them include:
Nigerian government taking a cue from the western world on measures adopted to reduce poverty. The need for political stability is another vital tool towards the achievement of poverty eradication . Change of Nigeria’s attitude and orientation to life and business should be addressed. Provision of more welfare programmes is paramount-more job creation for more employment is indispensable in the direction of poverty eradication issue in Nigeria. More attention in poverty eradication programmes will be directed to human resource development as that in turn will bring desired goal of poverty reduction even if absolute eradication is impossible. Conclusively, therefore, to fight poverty is to develop human resource that will in turn handle poverty eradication programmes which will invariably reduce poverty to its  bearest minimum if complete eradication is impossible.