Government Intervention Programs Linking with Poverty Alleviation: An Empirical Investigation, the Case of Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed the significant relationship between government anti-poverty intervention programs (Youth empowerment scheme and conditional cash transfer) and poverty alleviation in Niger state-Nigeria, in order to evaluate their impact on the target beneficiaries in the nine local government areas within the three senatorial districts selected for the study. The paper adopts a quantitative method using PLS path modeling to establish the statistical relationship between the two anti-poverty government intervention programs and poverty alleviation in Niger state-Nigeria. The findings revealed that both youth empowerment scheme and conditional cash transfer programs are significant to poverty alleviation and made a beneficial impact to the target beneficiaries. The socio-economic assessment of the respondents further justified the above assumption. It was also observed that government intervention programs on poverty alleviation have made a successive effect on poverty reduction in Nigeria. The study recommends for concerted efforts of all stakeholders on a strategic framework capable of enhancing transparency and accountability in order to enhance effective policy implementations and appropriate execution of a well-planned policy framework of those programs. In addition, adequate provision of budgetary allocation is necessary for the fight against poverty alleviation in Nigeria.