The Role Of An Accountant In The Poverty Alleviation Programme Of The Federal Government (a Case Study Of Enugu North Local Government).

THE ROLE OF AN ACCOUNTANT IN THE POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAMME OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (A CASE STUDY OF ENUGU NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT).

ABSTRACT

       This project work was on the role of the accountant in poverty alleviation programme of the federal government with particular note on Enugu North local government area.

       The objectives of the study among others were: To determine the role of the Accountant in the poverty alleviation programme of Enugu North local government area.

       To determine whether the role of the accountant is of relevant in the planning of programmes and policies of the poverty alleviation programme in Enugu North local government area.

       In view of this an indepth literature, review was carried of related materials, journals, and text books, Beside, data were elicited through the use of Questionnire and oral interview conducted.

       These data were analysed and presented using statistical technique such as tables and percentages.  The data was used to test the three hypothesis formulated.

       Based on the data analysed these findings were made:

It was discovered that the poverty alleviation programme was geared towards, providing food, security, reducing unemployment and increasing the standard of living of the citizens.

       Inspite of the rigorious effort by the three tiers government and the huge sum that has been spent so far, the impact is yet to be felt even in Enugu North Local Government Area.

       It was discovered that the local government authorities particularly the poverty alleviation committee have made contentious effort towards mobilization of savings by intermediating between those that have the needed resources (donors) and those that need then (grassroots).

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page                                                              ii

Dedication                                                             iii

Acknowledgement                                                   iv

Abstract                                                                v

Proposal                                                                vii

Table of contents                                                    ix

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Background of the study

1.1  Purpose of the problem                                    2

1.2      statement of the problem                                 4

1.3      objectives of the study                                     6

1.4      research hypothesis                                                7

1.5      scope / limitation of the study                                  8

1.6      significance of the study                                   9

1.7      Definition of terms                                           10

CHAPTER TWO

2.0      Review of related literature                               12

2.1  Nature and scope of accounting                         12

2.2      Qualifications of an accountant                          17

2.3      The functional role of an accountant                   21

2.4      Benefits                                                          23

2.5      The poverty alleviation programme

of the federal government.                                24

CHAPTER THREE

3.0      Research Methodology                                      30

3.1  Sources of data                                               30

3.2      Research instrument                                        31

3.3      Population of study                                          32

3.4      Sampling technique                                          32

3.5      Determination of sample size                            33

3.6      Validation of instrument                                   34

3.7      Test statistics                                                  35

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0      Presentation and analysis of data                       36

4.1  Data presentation, analysis and interpretation      36

4.2      Test of hypothesis                                           46

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0      Summary of findings, recommendation and

conclusion                                                      53

5.1  Summary of findings                                        53

5.2      Recommendation                                             55

5.3      Conclusions                                                    56

Bibliography                                                    58

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

The need to develop micro economic activities that could enhance self reliance as a strategy for educing poverty became paramount that the three tiers of government (federal, state, and local) came up with various initiatives.  Among these were programmes and policies that aimed at:

-         Stimulating economic growth through the engagement of semi-skilled and unskilled labour in productive activities.

-         Immediate reduction of social vices and tension in the society by removing idle hands from the streets.

-         Engage the unemployed in direct activities as a variable means of reflecting the economy.

-         Improve the environment latest environmental degradation

-         Minimize rural urban drift through the improvement of rural communities.

-         Committing the fund to direct benefit of the participants rather than on services or overheads.

To achieve these, machineries must be put in motion with competent professionals from various fields of endeavour to plan, implement, monitor and control the programmes and policies.  Among these is the role of the accountant.

1.1  STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

       The importance of the accountant or the accounting profession can not be over-emphasized.  This stemmed from the fact the success of an organization lies very much on effective and effectual planning, implanting, monitoring and controlling its financial  flow thus, accounting is ingrained and vital to our economic activity.  Its relevance include the whole process of identifying, measuring recording and communicating the economic event of our organization to interested user of the information (Wey Gandt 1993).

       This role, no doubt permeates even to the poverty alleviation programme of the federal government.

       Enugu North Local Government is one of the three tiers of government, whose major task is to guarantee the efficient and effective implementation of the poverty alleviation programme at the grass root level.

       To achieve this therefore, a result oriented planning, implementation, monitoring and controlling of the financial resources must be put in place. The question that comes to mind therefore are:

What role should the accountant play in the implementation of poverty alleviation programme?

Is the role of the accountant of any relevance to the actualization of this programme?

       In other to answer these questions this study will critically evaluate the role of the accountant in the poverty alleviation programme in Enugu North Local Government Area.

for the creation of two hundred thousand jobs in the year 2000.

       Worthy to mention was the fact that governments desire to eradicate poverty was born out of the conviction that the incidence of poverty and unemployment have assumed a dimension that is socially, economically and politically unacceptable.  To this end therefore, all hands must be on deck including not only the three tiers of government but also professional bodies and competent individuals among these includes the role of the accountant.

       The accountant performs the accounting function which involves the process of identifying, measuring, recording and communicating the economic event of an organization (business or non-business, government of non-government) to the process identification involves selecting those events that are considered as evidence of economic activities relevant to a particular entity.  (Wey Gandt, 1993).

       Once identified, the economic events must be measured in financial terms, that is quaritified innaira.  If the event cannot be quantified in monetary terms, it is not considered part of the organization financial information system.  The measurement function thereby eliminates some significant events because they lack measurability in financial terms.  These and many more are some of the functional roles of the accountant even as it applies to the poverty alleviation programme of the federal government.

1.2  OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY     

       The objectives of this study among other things include:

To determine the role of the accountant in the poverty alleviation programme of Enugu North Local Government Area.

To determine whether the role of an accountant is of any relevance in the planning of programmes and policies of poverty alleviation in Enugu North Local Government Area.

To determine whether the role of the accountant is of any importance in the implementation of the poverty alleviation programme.

       To determine whether the role of the accountant is of any relevance in monitoring of the strategies of the poverty alleviation programme of Enugu North local Government Area.

To determine whether the role of the accountant will result in the actualization of the objectives of poverty alleviation in Enugu North Local Government Area.

1.3     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This project focused on the activities and the role the accountant played in the poverty alleviation programme of the federal Government in Enugu North Local Government Area. The responsibilities attached to the programme that was established by the federal Government to help the less privileged, the unemployed in the society and so on.  It covers the activities that happened or happening in Enugu North Local Government.

Area concerning the role of the accountant in the poverty alleviation programme of the federal Government.  The accountant has to discharge his/her civil responsibilities in the programme within the geographical area i.e Enugu North Local Government Area.

As the researcher had difficulties in sourcing out for these materials.

1.4     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Candidly, this study will be of immense benefit to the economic programmes of the federal government and its citizenry.  As details analysis will be carried out on the elevate of the accountant in the successful planning, implementation and actualization of the objectives of the poverty alleviation programme.

       Secondly, the study will also be of great benefit to the entire citizenry of Enugu North Local Government Area as it will provide move result oriented ways of implementing the policies and programmes of poverty alleviation within the local government.

       Again the study will be of great benefit to both the researcher and the reader as information contained will provided an in-depth understanding and knowledge in the area of investigation which could stir up further enquiry.

1.5     DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

Accountant – Professional keeper or verifier of accounts he serves as or provides explanation as regards to income and expenditure.

Poverty alleviation – Making poorness, scarcity or lack less severe by the three tiers of government.

Professional _ A person that belongs to or connected with accounting.  He is skillful, competent and worthy of the profession (accounting).

Policy – Course of action adopted by the government on how to make poverty less sever.

Grass root – Ordinary people or less privileged ones who need the assistance of the government to come above this level.

Public Accounting- Accounting records prepared on behalf of the state

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