Insecurity and Performance of Business Activities in Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract

Insecurity constitutes nuisance to human lives and properties, impedes business activities, inculcate phobia in both local and foreign investors. Consequent upon this, human security has been encroached due to incessant insecurity menace besetting the peaceful co-existence of individuals residing within and outside the vicinity of Anambra State, Nigeria. This scenario has consistently created vacuum for chaos and disorderliness. In the light of the above, this paper focuses attention on insecurity and performance of business activities in Anambra State, Nigeria. Specifically, the study sought to ascertain the factors militating against the successful operation of business activities in Anambra State, and also to determine the type of relationship that exists between the independent variable (human security) and dependent variable (market share). The study adopted both qualitative and quantitative research design method (triangulation) with sixty eight participants randomly selected. The participants comprised of experienced entrepreneurs from Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka with not less than ten years of experience in their diverse businesses. Structured questionnaire and in-depth interview were simultaneously utilized to elicit reliable, timely and valuable information from the respondents respectively. The structured questionnaire was administered to sixty two (62) respondents while six respondents were orally interviewed. Data generated from structured questionnaire was analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient which is an inferential statistical tool while data elicited from in-depth interview was thematically analyzed. The results revealed that human security had a statistically positive significant relationship with market share. This implies that a proportionate increase in human security will attract commensurate increase in market share and vice versa. The in-depth interview conducted disclosed that family responsibilities, difficulties in raising children, sit-at-home syndrome, insecurity, high cost of goods, low turnover, forced migration, and insufficient capital are the major factors besetting the performance of business activities in Anambra State, Nigeria. In view of the findings above, we recommended serious government intervention to cushion the effect of human insecurity by adopting a regulatory framework that will usher defaulters to befitting penalty in order to inculcate sustainable virtues in them. That is why, unequivocally speaking, protection of human rights, dignity, and integrity need to be the greatest concern of government at all levels because life has no duplicate. Also, government at all levels need to pay close attention to sit-at-home syndrome and high cost of goods in the market as majority of the entrepreneurs in Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi respectively lean on daily income for the provision of  basic necessities of life.