A History of British Aid In Health And Social Development In Benue State, 1992-2003

Abstract

Since 1992 the British Government, through its aid agency, the Overseas Development Administration (ODA), later known as the Department for International Development (DFID), began to provide development assistance to Benue State mainly, but not exclusively, in the area of health and social development. This assistance was (and still is) in line with Britain’s bilateral policy to implement key principles of internationally accepted sustainable development. With the acceptance of Benue State as one of its foci for health and social development aid in Nigeria, the British Government funded the Family xx i Planning Situation Analysis Study in 1992; the Oju and Obi Water and Sanitation Project from 1996 to 2002; the Benue Health Fund Project from 1997 to 2002; and the STD/HIV Management Project from 1997 to 2003. The main objectives of this research were to determine the volume of British assistance to Benue State, bringing out the impact of the projects on Benue’s rural poor. The research also sought to know the sustainability status of the projects. It also tried to discover possible undertones for this assistance to Benue State, and by extension, Nigeria. The research has generated a body of knowledge that will be useful for rural development assistance and has contributed to aid policy for both the donor and the recipient. A rigorous and critical examination of secondary and primary sources, as well as semi-structured interviews, and visits to project sites and to beneficiaries were methods used for achieving these objectives. This historical study has also brought into focus two crucial issues, among others, that have formed the fulcrum of the research. Firstly, the thesis argues that contrary to radical views held by some scholars that foreign aid in whatever guise be rejected, it was our discovery that if well managed, aid which come as a direct response to international development targets and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), agreed upon by member nations of the UN, are not only desirable but imperative for poverty alleviation, especially in nations that are experiencing failed governments. For instance, from the DFID-assisted projects studied, it was discovered that in spite of some observable lapses in projects implementation, the three major projects executed in some selected target communities at the cost of N 1,135,641,376.85 impacted, positively, the lives of the Benue rural poor and vulnerable groups. Thus, the British Government has demonstrated that poverty alleviation in Nigeria is feasible, if only all the tiers of government would muster political will to respond to the cry of the poor for help; and if they would introduce some measure of transparency and accountability in public finance xx ii management. It was also discovered that partnership and community participation strategy, which is central in development project efforts, is equally achievable and could be adopted by our governments. The three major projects studied revealed some health and social development models which, if replicated in other places outside the project areas, could equally produce positive effects. The second issue in focus in the research was an attempt to answer the question: what does the British Government stand to gain for her aid to Nigeria? It was discovered that apart from the purpose of friendship, prestige, the spirit of globalization and humanitarian concern, British aid to Nigeria serves the former’s national interest of strengthening Nigeria’s economy and socio-political structures so that “success will spread benefits” to the donor also. It is, therefore, part of our thesis that the four focal states (including Benue) for British assistance were actually ‘pilot sites’ to test how far the British Government could succeed in her strategy for achieving her development targets in Nigeria. Finally, our research concludes with summary and recommendations that, if implemented, would inform future policy thrust for both developoment partners and recipients of development assistance in 21st century Nigeria. All the lessons learnt from this research shall be shared, in due course.