POLITICS OF SITING PUBLIC PROJECTS AND ITS DEVELOPMENTAL EFFECT ON HOST COMMUNITIES IN NIGERIA 2012-2020

Abstract

 The siting of public project is a deliberate attempt by the state to allocate state resources to society. The Federal Government of Nigeria’s continued creation of more public projects like public universities in the country despite the challenges it faces in providing adequate funds and infrastructural facilities in the existing ones has been viewed through both lenses. The siting of such public project has tended to have noticeable developmental effects in the host communities. The failure of scholars in extant literature to systematically investigate the main rationale why the Government of Nigeria continues to create more universities and the impact of their siting on host communities informed this study. Essentially, this study examines the “politics of siting public project in Wukari and its developmental effect on the host community, between 2012 and 2020”. The study provides an answer to the research question formulated. It adopts both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Inferential statistics was employed as the method of data analysis. The study found out, among other things that the siting of Federal University Wukari was dictated by the political consideration of politically-connected persons in the area, but despite that, its establishment has had a positive impact on the development of the host community as there has been attraction of social amenities, service and producing industries. The study recommended that Federal governments should expedite the strategic siting of public universities in rural communities as a way of stimulating development of the host community.