COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN RURAL WATER SUPPLY IN AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT Majority of rural Nigerian households do not have access to improved water supply despite several policies and programmes by successive administrations. This study is an attempt to assess the level of community participation in rural water supply in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The research focused on the rural participation approaches, and the influence of socio-economic factors of rural dwellers in rural water supply. The study adopted combination of survey and cross – sectional research methods in the collection of data in the study area. Ninety – three rural communities were randomly selected using the quadrat sampling technique. The questionnaire was statistically administered to four targeted population: the household – heads, village heads, Local Government Council Officials and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) on issues bordering on participation in rural water supply projects in the study area. Tables and percentages were used to analysed data at univariate level while multiple regression and factor analysis were used for the testing of the two research hypotheses at the bivariate levels. The result of the study showed that technical assistance factor (X3) contributed the highest in predicting the approaches of rural participation with (0.961) factor score loading while labour interaction factor (X8) contributed the least (0.484) factor score loading in the explanation of the rural participation approaches in rural water supply in the study area. On the socio-economic influence; formally educated and married youth factor (X2) contributed the highest factor of (0. 531) while religious income factor (X6) contributed the least factor (0.450) in the explanation of the socio -economic factors influencing rural water supply in the study area. The study, therefore, recommends that the social-economic status of the people should be alleviated by enforcing compulsory education at the junior secondary level and encouraging entrepreneurial skills acquisition among the youths. This would make them to effectively participate in rural water projects and also the labour interaction approach should be strengthened to ensure effective participation in rural of rural water projects. Keywords: Community Participation, Rural Water, Sustainability, Rural Dwellers, Nigeria.