THE EFFECT OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN THE

GROWTH OF RURAL ECONOMY: A STUDY OF ORUKU TOWN NKANU EAST

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ENUGU STATE

BY

NOMEH CHUKWUNONSO MICHAEL (2015)

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SCHOOL OF

MANAGEMENT SCIENCES NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA ENUGU
STUDY CENTER.

ABSTRACT

This study examined the effect of Information and Communication Technology in the Growth of
Rural Economy using Oruku Town in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State as a
study. The justification or rational for this study is to ascertain the level of ICTs usage in the
area especially in Agriculture, Schools and Health facilities, as well problems militating against
the usage of ICT and to recommend prospects for sustainable ICTs development in the area. Data
used in this work are from primary source. Survey method of quantitative research was used
during the study; Questionnaire/Oral Interview was used to collect data from the population of
study.
The work finds that even though the people of Oruku own and make use of some ICTs
components, its usage in agriculture, schools and health facilities are low, others are: i nadequate
power supply/electricity infrastructures, high cost of ICTs components, and occasional bad weather
conditions as well as inadequate length of service or coverage provided by network service providers
as well as radio and television stations within the environment affects the full utilization of ICTs
possibilities in the area. The work therefore recommends that schools and hospitals in the area should
be equipped with modern ICTs facilities, provision of electricity infrastructures, and improvement on
the quality of service of length and coverage by network providers/radio and television stations,
establishment of viewing centers in communities as well as an institution of higher learning with
ICTs capabilities and curriculum among others in the area.

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 CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Introduction

With the age of globalization and its liberal economic and technological concept, Information

and Communication Technology has come to be the driving force in development in trade,

communication, political and socio-cultural activities all over the world nay rural communities

and these are what this work attempts to identify as it concerns Oruku community in Nkanu East

Local Government Area a of Enugu State

1.2 Background of the Study

The dawn of the 20th century witnessed a revolution in the area of information and

communication technology. The benefit of which spread to both urban and rural areas

According to kwadwo and Mekonnen (2002:1) information and communication

Technology or ICT in acronym are believed to bring about social and economic development by

creating an enabling environment: Almost every single activity in the modern world is becoming

more dependent on the application of ICTs for one use or another.

The people in the rural areas are not left out of the trend as they themselves enjoy the

benefit of the social and economic development stated above. Kwadwo and Mekonnen (2002:1)

asserted that through ICTs for example, a doctor in rural village can get upto date information

regarding certain diseases and can use that information to advice and treat patients; an

Agricultural Extension worker can learn new Technologies, rainfall forecast, commodity prices

etc and use the information to advice farmers in rural villages.

ICT includes electronic networks, embodying complex hardware and software linked by

a vast array of technical protocols (D’Orville:2002). Ashley and Maxwell (2004:395-573) refers

ICT as a range of electronic technologies such as telephone, fax, Television and radio.

2
 In a similar development, Chowdhury (2000) noted that ICT can process different kind of

information (voice, video, audio, text and date) and facilitate the different forms of

communication among human agents, humans and information system, and among information

system.

The effect of information and communication Technology in the growth of rural economy cannot

be over-emphasized.

In the area of education, ICT provides an opportunity to teachers to transform their

practices by providing them with improved educational content and more effective teaching and

learning methods. ICT improves the learning process through the provision of more interactive

educational materials that increases learner motivation and facilitate the easy acquisition of basis

skills. The use of various multimedia devices such as television videos and computer

applications offer more challenging and engaging learning environment for students of all ages

(Kundishora (2006:4)

In the area of Agriculture according to Kundishora (2006:4) ICT provides information

abound availability of markets and market information which gives farmers the potentials to

bargain and improve their incomes to seize market opportunities through the adjustment of plans

and better allocation of production factors and also to use the information to make choice about

marketing.

Consequent upon the above, this study has as its main thrust to critically examine and

analyze the effect of Information and Communication Technology on Growth of Rural

Economy, using Oruku Town in Nkanu East Local government Area asa study. This study

therefore highlights the positive impact ICTs has made on lives of the people Oruku Town in

3
Nkanu East Local Government Area in the area of agriculture, education, health, information

dissemination, socio-cultural activities among others.

1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Before now was the traditional means of information and communication Technology such as

radio, television telegram that few people notably very few educated elites in the communities

that made up the Local Government Area had. Before the Nigeria-Biafra civil war and even

years after it, a type of radio one can see in any part of Igboland is what is called gramophone, a

type of manually operated radio that has to be twined before it could be powered on. During

these period, an average man and woman in Oruku Town finds it difficult to get information

about trend of events outside their environment because lack of inadequate information and

communication tools and thus they find it very difficult to communication with the wider world

not even their kilt and kilns in the urban area.

But with the revolution in ICT the reverse become the case and this has impacted on the

people of Oruku Town. Information and Communication Technology has brought a lot of

innovation and has assisted people in the rural areas in the area of education, agriculture among

others. Supporting this view, Helmult (1988) cited in Akpore (1999:4) states that technological

changes have influenced our life in recent years; information Technology (IT) has the greatest

impact. This will continue at least until the end of the first half of the century when other major

technological break-through in the area of new materials, biotechnology or energy may provide

entirely new ways of living.

A society that makes use of ICT is said to be an information society (Ogbomo and

Ogbomo 2008:1). This view was earlier noted by Martin (1995:3) who asserts that an

4
information society is a society in which the qualities of life as well as prospect for change and

economic development depends increasingly upon information and its exploitation. In such a

society, living standard, patterns of work and leisure, the educational system and market place

are all influenced by advances in information and knowledge. This is evident by an increasingly

array of information – intensive product and services (Martin 1988:179).

In a similar development, Credes and Mamsel (1998:10) posit that ICT are crucial for

sustainable development in developing countries.

A view supported by Thiones (2003) who states that for the past two decades most

developing countries have witnessed significant changes that can be traceable to developing of

ICT. These multi-dimensional changes have been observed in almost all aspects of life:

economic, education, communication, and travel. Ogbomo and Ogbomo (2008:1) states further

that ICT have made it possible to quickly find and distribute information as in a technology –

driven society, setting information quickly is important for both the sender and the receiver.

Furthermore, Thouine (2003) cited in Ogbomo and Ogbomo (2008:1) further

indicates that many initiatives have been taken at the international level to support Africa’s

efforts to develop a communication infrastructure and these efforts are designed to enable

African countries including Nigeria to find faster ways to achieve durable and sustainable

development.

Describing an information society, Anan (2002:7) posits that the information society is a

way of human capacity building to be expanded, built-up, nourished and liberated by giving

people access to tools and technology with the education and training to use them effectively.

There is a through opportunity to connect and assist those living in the poorest and most isolated

5
regions of the world. Information of society is a major hurdle that most nations, especially

developing countries are encountering.

In a similar development Bruce (1990) posits that information age is a phenomenon that

began after 1950, which brings challenges as we seek to integrate and expand the universe of

print and multimedia sources. The two terms are used to describe a cybernetic society in which

there is a great dependence on the use of computers and data transmission linkages to generate

and transmit information.

The African Information Society (AISI Document 2005) contends that Africa

should build by the year 2010, (that is by five years ago) an information society in which every

man, woman, child, village (Oruku Town inclusive) public and privates sector office would have

secured access to the use of computers and technology media. The objective is to provide every

African with the possibility of using the communication and data processing services available

everywhere else, just like any other citizens of the world.

On the importance of ICT, Thiuone (2006:90) notes that the importance of information

cannot be overemphasized as people need information to plan and carry out their activities.

More than 90 present of Africa’s population ( Oruku Town in Nkanu East Local Government

Area inclusive) could greatly benefit from information on better choice of food, safe water and

basic nutrition, child care, family planning, immunization, prevention and control of endemic

diseases. The combination of modern communication devices could play significant roles in the

collection and dissemination of global information.

Despite these efforts by writers and scholars about ICT and its benefits as well as

what constitutes an information society, the existing literature is still scanty and deficient

because none of the work examined or identified the effect of information and communication

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Technology in the growth of rural economy using Oruku Town in Nkanu East Local

Government Area as a study. Against this background, therefore an effort is made in this study to

examine Information and Communication Technology and its effect on the growth of rural

economy using Oruku Town in Nkanu East Local Government Area a case study in the context

of the following research questions:

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the level of ICT usage by the people of Oruku Town in Nkanu East local

Government Area of Enugu State of Nigeria?

2. What are the impacts of ICT on the peoples’ living standard: Education; Health; and

Agriculture?

3. What are the problems militating against the effective usage of ICTs in the study Area?

4. What are the strategies for sustainable development of ICT usage by the people of Oruku

Town in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State of Nigeria?

1.5 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The broad objective of the study is to assess the impact of ICTs on the economy of

people of Oruku Town Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State of Nigeria.

The specific objectives are to:

1. Examine the level of usage of ICT by the people in the study area.

2. Find out the impact of ICT on the people’s living standard: Agriculture; Health; and

Education.

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 3. Ascertain the problems militating against effective use of ICT by the people in the study

area and;

4. Verify the strategies for sustainable development of ICT usage by the people of Oruku

Town in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State of Nigeria

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Theoretically, this study analyzes the effect of information and communication Technology in

the growth of rural economy using Oruku Town Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu

State as study.

The study makes effort to fill the gap on the existing body of knowledge and literature on the

effect of information and communication Technology on the growth of rural economy and the

impact it has made on the people of Oruku Town in Nkanu East Local Government Area by

examining and inquiring on the project topic, this study will identify the benefits the people

Oruku Town has derived from information and communication Technology and how it has

brought improvement on the rural economy of the Town. This study highlights the gains the

people of the Local Government has made in the use of ICT and at the same time proffers

suggestions on how ICT can be further improved for the benefit of the residents of the council

area.

Practically this study is structured to provide information and communication

Technology operators information on the positive impact of ICT in rural economic development

with emphases on Oruku Town in Nkanu East Local Government Area to enable them expand

their scope of operations into rural areas so as to develop rural Economy.

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 In addition to contributing to the existing body of literature on the effect of ICT on the

growth of rural economy and its impact on the people of Oruku Town Nkanu East Local

Government Area , this study will spur or motivate researchers and students of ICT to carry out

further research on the subject matter on other rural communicates

1.7 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESES

1. There is some level of usage of ICT by the people of Oruku Town in Nkanu East local

Government Area of Enugu State of Nigeria

2. ICT has not impacted significantly on the living standard of the people of the study area

viz- a-viz Education, Heath and Agriculture

3. Myriad of problems has affected significantly effective utilization of ICT in Oruku Town.

4. The people of Oruku Town have not adopted appropriate strategies for sustainable

development of ICT usage by the people of her community.

1.8 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY.

The rational behind this study is to identify the problems and prospects of the use of ICTs in

Oruku Town of Nkanu East Local Government area with the aim of suggesting ways of

consolidation and improvement

1.9 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of this study covers the effects of ICT on the growth of rural economy using Oruku

Town in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State as a study It focuses on the impact

9
and benefit of ICT and its devices on the economic growth, agriculture, health and education in

Oruku Town Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State from the emergence of ICT

till date

1.10 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Some terms which are key words meant for the understanding of this research work were thus;

Information, Communication, Growth, Information Society, Information Technology and Rural

Economy. Information and Communication Technology

INFORMATION. Information is regarded as news, facts, knowledge and processed data.

Information can also be considered as what it is known beyond random chance prediction.

Buckland (1991) viewed information from three perspectives namely.

 Information as a process i.e. when someone is informed of what

he/she does not know or knows little about. Information in this

sense refers to the act of informing or communicating knowledge,

news or some facts.

 Information as knowledge i.e. pieces of information being made

known to a recipient, serve to reduce uncertainty and improve

existing knowledge. Information in this sense refers to the

knowledge communicated.

 Information as a thing or as an object. This is used attributively

for object such as data in documents because they are regarded as

being informative or having the quality of communicating or

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 imparting knowledge.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. Information Technology is “the use of man made tools for

the collection, generation, communication, recording, re-management and exploitation of

information. It includes those applications and commodities, by which information is transferred,

recorded, edited, stored, manipulated or disseminated’’ (Anyakoha, 1991:106-108). Hawkridge

(1983:161) describes information technology as a revolution which has penetrated almost all

fields of human activity, thus transforming economic and social life.

INFORMATION SOCIEY. It is a society in which the quality of life and prospects for social

change and economic development depend increasingly upon information and its exploitation. In

such a society, living standards, patterns of work and leisure, the education system, and

marketplace are all influenced by advances in information and knowledge. This is evidenced by

an increasing array of information intensive products and services (Martin, 1988:179).

According to Annan (2002:7) Information society is a way for human capacity to be expanded,

built up, nourished, and liberated by giving people access to tools and technologies, with the

education and training to use them effectively. There is a unique opportunity to connect and

assist those living in the poorest and most isolated regions of the world. Informatization of

society is a major hurdle that most nations, especially developing countries, are encountering.

The information society or information age is ax universe of print and multimedia sources.

The two terms are often used to describe a cybernetic society in which there is a great

dependence on the use of computers and data transmission linkages to generate and transmit

information (Bruce, 1995).

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GROWTH. This is the process of growing physically, mentally, or emotionally. It also means

increase in the size amount, or degree of something or a population (oxford dictionary,

2005:660)

COMMUNICATION. Communication is a process whereby people share information about the

things they want to know or hear about (Onatola 2004).

Components of Communication

Source (Sender and Receivers of Message): senders are individuals who decode messages, and

receivers are individuals who encode messages. All human communication are people oriented,

they send and receive information simultaneously.

Message (Contents of Communication): The ideas and feelings that a sender-receiver wants to

share. What is talked about, the words used to express thoughts and feelings, the sound involved

and other non-verbal expression constitute the contents of communicative act. Ideas and feelings

in the communicative act are represented by symbol which can be verbal and non-verbal.

Symbol is a sign that represent something else. Verbal symbols are the signs in language that

represent distinct concepts or ideas. Non-verbal symbols are communication without using

words. It involves the use of facial expression, gesture, posting, appearance etc to pass a message

or an idea. Everything a sender or receiver says (verbal) and does (non-verbal) is a potential

message as long as the statement or the act can be interpreted, and effect changes (Adeniyi,

Egbokhare and Durojaye 2009:44-45)

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RURAL ECONOMY. This refers rural economy as informal economy and defines at as

invisible, shadow, secondary, underground, clandestine, submerged, unregulated, black,

irregular, subterranean ecterca. It includes everything from household product and

communication of goods and services to inter household inter-batter, sharing (Shaana 2003).

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY. Information and communication

technologies (ICTs) generally refer to an expanding assembly of technologies that are used to

handle information and aid communication. These include hardware, software, media for

collection, storage, processing, transmission and presentation of information in any format (i.e.,

voice, data, text and image), computers, the Internet, CD-ROMs, email, telephone, radio,

television, video, digital cameras etc. The advent of personal computers, the Internet and mobile

telephone during the last two decades has provided a much wider choice in collection, storage,

processing, transmission and presentation of information in multiple formats to meet the diverse

requirement and skills of people (Kwadwo and Mekonnen, 2012)

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

This chapter is a review of related studies on Information and Communication Technology and

its effect on the growth of rural economy. According to Durojaye (2012:34-35) Literature

Review is a survey of important articles, books and other source pertaining to your research

topic. This review of the professional literature contextualizes, or frame, your research and will

also give readers the necessary background to understand your research. The main purpose of

literature review is to clarify some fundamental concepts involved in the study, to find out what

other scholar or professionals have gaps to be filled up. The writer further identified the

following as functions of literature review:

 It helps to introduce the researcher to varieties of works done in the area of study

and the current state of knowledge that are very relevant to the study.

 It facilitates identification of problems, refinement of ideas, specification of research

procedure, clarity of measurement and understanding of results.

 It reveals to consume or beneficiary of research new, important, believable and

useful findings or information on their discipline.

 It promotes justification and motivation of additional information/investigation or

replication of a research.

 It allows or enable researcher to delve into new area or investigate new research

with the knowledge acquired from previous work and structure the review so as to

extend knowledge.

 It enhances theoretical linkage when one is familiar with and builds on the past

14
 research work

 Carefully executed literature review facilitates arriving at a complex analytic

understanding of a research area.

 It gives room accuracy in citation, completeness in references and detailed

technical information essential for preparation of academic work.

Guided by the research questions, this chapter reviewed relevant literatures on the following sub-

heading:

1. Conceptual Framework

2. Theoretical framework

3. Literature on the subject matter

4. Summary

2.2 Conceptual framework

The following concept were reviewed in this work:

1. Concept of information and communication Technology

2. Concept of Rural Economy

2.2.1 Concept of information and communication Technology

Kwadwo and Mekonnen (2012) Information and Communication Technology refers to

expanding assembly of technologies that are used to handle information and aid communication.

These include hardware: software, transmission and presentation of information in any format

(i.e., voice, date, text and image) computer the internet, CD-ROMs, email, telephone, radio,

television, video, digital camera etc. The advent of personal computers, the internet, and mobile

telephone during the last two decades has provided a wider choice in collection, storage,

15
processing, transmission and presentation of information in multiple formats to meet otherwise

requirement and skills of people.

On the role of ICT in social and Economic development, Kwadwo and Mekonnen

(2012:1) posit that information and communication Technology are believed to bring about

social and economic development by creating an enabling environment. Almost every single

activity in the modern world is becoming more dependent on the application of ICTs for one use

or another. The Benefit of ICTs reaches even those who do not know themselves have first

access to them.

Through ICTs for example, doctor in the rural village can get up to date advice and treat

patients; an Agricultural extension workers can learn new technologies, ram fall forecast,

commodity prices etc and use that information to advice farmers in the rural village.

On the importance of ICT to rural communities, Adegbola (1998:4) notes that the

importance of ICTs to rural communities remains mainly to reduce the digital divide which

describes the gap between those who have adequate access to ICT and those who have limited or

no access due to either socio-economic or geographical reasons. A situation in which Mouton

(2001:3) posits that this digital divide should be understood clearly if sound mitigatory policy

prescriptions are to be formulated. These arguments in the least force researchers to find methods

of accessing the impact of ICTs in rural area (Mamoeti, Mamoeti and Mavetera 2005:4).

Ashley and Maxwell (2004:395) posit that ICT refers to a range of electronic

technologies such as telephone, fax, and radio.

On the challenges causing lack of ICTs in rural communities, Pigato (2001:1-13);

Cuspary and O’ Connor (2003) argues that challenges such as equipment installation; lack of

main power supply; lack of funds for initial capital investment; operation and maintenance;

16
affordable coverage; lack of technical support and computer repairs facilities; multiple players in

ICT design and implementation can be very contributive.

Mouton (2001) referring to the challenges opines that rural areas have a multitude of

problems that creates barriers to people owning and using ICTs. These are but not limited to

illiteracy, culture barriers, lack of computer skills, technical know-how, and access to computers,

computer network, internet access and usage opportunities (Conradie, Morris and Jacob

2003:199-217)

To bridge all the access gap, or combat the digital divide, various ways like creating

monopoly or having a dominant operator with rural obligations; regional concessions for rural

and urban service; mobile operators with rural mandate; cooperatives owned by subscribers, and

at Universal Access fund can be a useful model (Pigato 2001:11-13).

On using ICTs to fight rural poverty, Chowdhury (2001); Goldstuck (2002) suggest the

provision of information to households carrier relevance on the ICTs skills to poor young

workers; improve literacy and innumeracy skills to children; giving policymakers access to real-

time information on the progress of ICTs as well as reducing private and public ICTs transaction

cost.

ICTs provide providers access to information that create opportunities, improve access to basic

services, or increase the positive impact of education and health intervention by government

support and reform (Mamoeti, Mamoeti and Mavetera 2005:4).

In the opinion of Herselman and Jacobs (2005:2-5), ICTs has the potential to avail

applied knowledge and information that improves the delivery of services and the good quality

of life. It can be applied to provide access to new technologies, upgrade people skills for

17
employment opportunities and improve the quality of essential community service program

(Smith 2000).

On strategies that will make ICTs more effective in rural communities Mundy and Sultan

(2003) posit that in order to ensure local appropriation of ICTs, it is important to decentralize

control over the technologies. For ICTs to be integrated into local information system, the

underlying control and ownership must be developed by encouraging active participation

(Mamoeti, mavetera and Maveters 2005:4)

On the Role of ICTs in schools, Wadi and Sonia (2003:28-40) posit that ICTs in schools provide

an opportunity to teachers to transform their practices by providing them with improved

educational contents and more effecting teaching and learning method. ICTs improve the process

through the provision of more interactive educational materials that increases learner motivation

and facilitate the easy acquisition of basic skills. The use of various multimedia devices such as

television, videos, and computer applications offer more challenging and engaging learning

environment for student of all ages

Teachers and learners in the developing world one no longer solely dependent on

physical media such as printed textbooks which are often times outdated. With today’s

technology, one even has the ability to access experts, professionals, and leaders in other fields

of interest, around the world at any given time (Wadi and Sonia 2003:28-40)

On the issue of those who benefit from ICTs in school, it is children who are seen to be

most responsive to these new approaches: the computer somehow releases their creativity and

desire to learn, which are apparently blocked and frustrated by old fashioned method (Trucano

2005, www.Infodev.org)

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 In the area of Agriculture, Stienen, Bruinsma and Neuman (2007) asserts that agriculture

is an important sector with the majority of the rural population in developing countries

depending on it. The sector faces major challenges of enhancing production in a situation of

dwindling natural resources necessary for production. The growing demand for agricultural

products, however, also offers opportunity for producers to sustain and improve their livelihoods.

Information and communication technologies ICTs play an important role in addressing these

challenges and uplifting the livelihood of the rural poor. Furthermore ICTs enhances agricultural

production, improves market access as well as capacity building (Stienen, Bruinsma, Neaman

(2007).

On the challenges of ICT, Kundishora (2006:4) highlight the challenge as follows:

 Inadequate facilities and power infrastructure

 Shortage of ICTs facilities and ICTs skills

 Inadequate institutional arrangements

 Limited financial arrangements

 inadequate public-private partnership

 Limited data management capacity

 Inadequate horizontal and vertical communication

2.2.2 CONCEPT OF RURAL ECONOMY

Shaana (2003) refers rural economy as informal economy and defines at as invisible, shadow,

secondary, underground, clandestine, submerged, unregulated, black, irregular, subterranean

ecterca. It includes everything from household product and communication of goods and services

to inter household inter-batter, sharing.

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 On the contribution of rural economy to Philipson and Turner (2013) assert that rural

economy can contribute to all the sectors and is affected by all of the pressing challenges,

infrastructures, planning, finance etc that feature in national and local growth strategies, yet its

contribution is often handled separately and focusing on farming or tourism. Rural economies

have demonstrated their potentials to provide more growth and employment if given appropriate

stimuli and support from national and local business leader and policy makers

Rural economy offers opportunities for growth, supporting this view, Philipson and

Turner (2003) posit that rural areas have a number of dynamics features that enable growth.

These dynamics are highlighted here-under:

 Rural areas have more business startup per head of the population than many urban

areas

 Firms started by people moving into rural areas are more likely to sell their product

and services on national and oversea markets, thus earning revenue beyond the

locality.

 Rural economies have pioneered privatization and community provision of many

local services fuelled by a combination of delivery and access difficulties and the

distinctive nature of rural demand.

On the barriers that hold rural economy back, the writers identified the following as key

weaknesses holding rural economies back.

 Low densities and dominance of very small firms especially in sparse and peripheral

rural areas, can lead to a poorer choice of local employment opportunities for rural

residents.

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 Lower business revenues and lower productivity in some sectors leads to many rural

jobs offering low pay.

 Affordable housing for employees is limited in many rural areas.

 Low level of local authority funding are available for spending on consumer service

and economic support

Nelson and Smith (1999:30) argued out that there was no question, however that the

informal economy (referring to rural Economy) was large and that it formed an important

place of what keeps families active and thriving and capable of participating in the formal

economy as the needs and opportunities arises.

The writers further argued that in many areas today, the informal economy (referring to

rural economy) is providing the goods and service that allow low people from participating

effectively in the informal economy; the quality of household’s connection to the informal

economy influencing its informal opportunities in other ways as well.

In another development Leonard (1990:8) asserts that expanding low income populations

encourage the growth of informal economic (referring to rural economies) activities by

enhancing demand for low cost goods and services, hence facilitates the trend towards

informalization

Parkin (1998:20) distinguishing rural economy raises five questions that points towards

an analysis of any economy: what goods and service are produced? When are goods and

services produced? What goods and services are produced and in what quantity? Who

consumes the goods and service that are produced?

On what constitute rural , Ekong (2010:380-382) posits that in most of the world, the

areas designated as “rural” show a number of common attributes that include overwhelming

21
 involvement in primary production (agriculture mostly) that supply food and raw materials

for the larger society. In most cases, rural centers are the seed beds of national population and

conservatory of pristine national culture, manpower, patriotism and tradition.

2.3 Theoretical framework

This study adopted the modernization theory to examine the effect of ICTs on rural economy

using Oruku Town in Nkanu East Local Government Area as a study. Osuala (2005:39) posits

that in searching for a theoretical basic a writer would have read and reviewed writings in

psychology, history, or any other fields that forms a base on which the research is formed.

The theory was developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by people like Rostow. The

theory focuses on the third world country. The theory is an economic theory that is rooted in

capitalism. The concept of modernization incorporates the full spectrum of the transition and

drastic transformation that a traditional society has to undergo in order to become modern

(Hussain et all 1981)

The theory explains the modernization process in the society. Modernization therefore refers to a

model of progressive transition from pre-modern or traditional to a modern society. The theory

looks at the internal factor of a country while assuming that with assistance, traditional societies

can be brought to the same manner more developed countries have. The theory attempts to

identify the social variables that contribute to social progress and the development of the

societies and seek to explain the process of social evolution. The theory looks at internal

dynamics while referring to social and cultural structures and the adaptation of new technologies.

The theory maintains that traditional societies will develop as they adopt more modern practices

(www.wikibooks.com). The proponents of the theory argue that development such as new data

22
technology and the need to update traditional methods in transport, communication and

production make modernization necessary or at least preferable to the status quo.

According to the theory, new technology is a major source of social change because

modernization entails the transformation from agrarian society to industrial ones.

On the importance of technology which is the tool powering ICTs and which has an

effect in the economic growth of rural economy with Oruku Town in Nkanu East Local

Government Area as a study or an instance, it makes possible for a more innovated society and

broad social change.

According to Nettl and Robertson (1968:38-42) the dynamic of modernization theory consist of

mechanisms such as the introduction of a market economy, monetization, industrialization, the

spread of mass communication and literacy an so on which are subsumed and related to

theoretical level in the differentiation of models of social change.

According to one of the proponents of the theory, Rostow, it consists of four namely:

(i) Traditional economies,

(ii) Adoption of modern technology,

(iii) Rapid capital accumulation and high industrialization, with low standard of living and

(iv) The age of high consumption.

The researcher posits that modernization theory and its tenets such as the spread of mass

communication and literacy as well as technology has brought about an innovation in the area of

ICTs whose effect has led to the growth of the rural economy of Oruku Town triggered by the

spread in leap and bound of various types of mobile telephone technology as well as the

emergence of various network operators operating in a competitive manner so as to ensure better

outreach to the people in rural areas Oruku Town inclusive.

23
 The researcher contends that modernization has made Oruku Town to gradually transits

from a primitive traditional society to evolution into a modern society driven by technology

especially information and communication Technology

2.4 Literature on the subject matter.

This work reviewed the following literature related to the topic of this research work.

Mamoet, R. S. Mavetera, N. Mavetera, C. G. (2003) The Impact of ICT in Rural

Communities of Lesotho. A Case of Mabote and Khubetsoana Villages.

The above researchers studied and investigated the impact of Information and Communication

Technology (ICT) in the rural communities of Lesotho The intention was to find to what extent

ICT deployment has bridged the digital divide in Lesotho.

According to the researchers , ICT has the potential to improve the socio-economic status

of rural people; issues like cost, accessibility, lack of infrastructure, illiteracy to mention but a

few are impediments to the full realization of ICT’s empowerment potential in rural

communities…

It was their contention that the reasons for rural underdevelopment are many folds ranging from:

1. Low priority assigned by the government in developing the infrastructure,

2. Lack of interest of private sector to exploit the potential of rural areas,

3. Inability of private sector to invest in the development of rural sector and

24
4. The low per capita income that exists in these rural areas.

The researchers further argued that only a marginal percentage of the budget is being spent

in the development of rural people, especially on education, electricity, proper roads and healthy

facilities and that these issues have become the main hurdle forcing people in these rural

communities to give priority preference that the above mentioned issues be addressed first by

government before they can think of the importance of ICT.

The researchers also indicated that these same issues have also become an impingement to rural

people gaining access to, accepting and implementing new technologies despite its global

pervasiveness and ubiquity. Although, experiences abound demonstrating that ICT can make a

significant contribution in reducing rural poverty but that the positive impact of ICT in the rural

areas is very limited.

The important issues identified by the researchers regarding ICT acquisition, diffusion and

infusion and its impact to rural communities are:

 Lack of sufficient income to acquire and access ICT tools.

 An absence of the necessary minimum skills to use ICTs.

 Lack of awareness regarding the use of ICT to enhance livelihoods

 An absence of a perceived need for ICT, that is, the service considered to be useful or

desired by the community.

 Strong perception among service providers that it is not profitable enough to extend ICT

infrastructure to rural areas.

25
Kundishola, S. M. ( 2006) "The Role of Information and Communication Technology ICT) in

Enhancing Local Economic Development and Poverty Reduction" Partnership Framework for

ICT Infrastructure development in Africa at World Congress on ICT for Knowledge Society,

Seoul.

The above researcher made an in-depth study of the foundations for establishing a viable and

sustainable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry and the opportunities it

offers against the challenges many African countries face in their concerted efforts to participate

fully in the information society and knowledge economy.

According to the researcher,

“It is now a fact as evidenced by developments from other countries that ICT as a sector can

contribute immensely to the national GDP of a nation and that ICT, acting as an enabler, can

result in improved market competitiveness of a nation’s products and services. ICTs can impact

positively on governance and other sectors of the economy. In turn ICT can effectively assist

international economic integration, improve living standards, narrow the digital divide, and

improve biodiversity utilization and management.

On the goals of ICT the researcher Identified the following as ICT goals in Africa:

1. To establish an environment that encourages networking of services and applications.

2. Promoting e-commerce and trade promotion programmes for goods and services.

3. Promoting Internet access to exchange and access digital content;

4. Establishing e-government.

5. Promoting e-education and on-line services.

6. Strengthening network security;

26
 7. Building and developing e-society and ICT human resources.

On the area of education, the researcher stated that:

ICTs are now exerting considerable pressure on the orthodox structures of the educational

systems in several African countries. Many countries in Africa are now advocating for a review

of their curricula to facilitate infusion of ICT (ICT Literacy) from early stages of education

through to tertiary levels. Distance education has been further enhanced with modern ICT

systems and structures. A certain level of education and appreciation of ICTs is necessary in

order to at least understand and work with ICTs.

In some barriers that affects the accessibility if ICTs in Africa and other developing countries,

the researcher blame the dependency of the developing countries on the ICTs contents developed

and managed in the developed countries which leads to incurring of cost to access such contents.

The researcher further identified culture and language differences as the what discourages access

to digital information and further suggested that efforts should be made to lo local languages if

they are to be demystified, adopted and utilised by locals.

The above related studies reviewed discussed various aspect of ICTs and its usefulness in Africa

and in rural areas but failed to discuss and identify the strategies for sustainable development of

ICT usage in the rural communities viz a viz the role of government, corporate bodies (especially

network service providers), non-governmental organization in this regard however the gap and

deficiency has been has filled in this extant study.

27
2.5 Summary

A look through literature shows that a lot of scholars wrote exhaustively on information and

communication Technology as well as on rural Economy.

These writers made a lot of contributions to define, describe and analyze the concept of

Information and Communication Technology viz a viz the concept of Rural Economy. None

examined or investigated the effect of Information and Communication Technology on the

growth of rural economy of the people of Oruku Town in Nkanu East Local Government Area

of Enugu State of Nigeria.

28
 CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

This chapter described the methods used in data collection. These include Area of Study, Sources

of Data, Sampling Techniques Method of Data Collection and Analysis.

3.0 Area of Study

Orukus Town is one of the towns or communities in Nkanu East Local Government Area.

Oruku Town consists of twenty –three (23) family units grouped under three clans namely;

Umuchiani (12 families) Onuogowo (6 families) and Umuode (5 families) as officially

registered and recognized as families in Oruku community by Nkanu Local Government council

of 1976 (Ukemenam and Okechukwu 2008:10). The population of the Town is about 12000

(Wikipedia 2008). Their major occupation of the people of Oruku is farming and other

agricultural activities. Umuchiani also called Ihunnam and Onuogowo clans were the

descendants of one Onaga Ife Ji-aba Nnamchi who was the ancestral father and founder of Oruku

Town and who was said to have migrated from Igalla area and settled at the bank of Inyaba River

(Clark 1941:2-7) at the same time with Nevo Nzege the founder of Amagunze, Oyiwode the

founder of Akpawfu (Nnamani 2009:5) and Agabi the founder of Ihuokpara, both were Igala by

descent. The Umuodes the third clans and later settlers in Oruku were granted autonomous

community by the military government in Enugu State in 1998, though the autonomy and land to

settle Umuode people has been a subject of communal war between the remaining clans in

Oruku Town and the Umuodes for over two decades now.

Oruku Town has the following communities bordering them: Akpuoga Nike and

Nchatancha Nike on the North; Akpugo and Akpawfu communities on the West; Ezza-Akpuoga

29
Nike and Amechi Idodo on the East and Amagunze on the South. The geographical coordinates

of Oruku/Umuode are 6º 27’ 0’’ North, 7º 39’ 0’’ East (www.googlemap.com). Oruku Town is

accessible through Enugu – Ababkaliki express way at through Akpouoga and Ezza Akpuoga

Communities starts from can be

3.1 Sources of Data

The application of quantitative method cum survey method in this work prompted the use of

primary source of data collection. Primary source of data involves those information facts and

figures relations to population (subject or events) under study or being investigation (Durojaiye

(2012:54). Consequent upon the above, this work adopted both questionnaire and oral interview

to gather the data used in this work.

On interview Durojaye 2012:71 defined it is as one of the research instrument of

gathering data in social sciences it is one of the two major types of the survey methods which

make use of a schedule known as the interview schedule. The technique enables the researcher to

collect first hand information about the interviewee’s knowledge, value attitudes, experiences,

beliefs and preference. In this case, the researcher adopted face to face type of interview

Durojaiye (2012:71-73)

2.2 Sampling Techniques

Sampling is the process of selected a part (called a sample) from the whole (called a population

in order to make facilitate about the whole.

Obasi (2000:137). The main purpose of sampling is to reduce the money that would be spent if

total population is studies (Forcese and Richer (1970). The sampling technique adapted here is

probability sampling. This is the technique in which every member of population has a known

30
assurance or likelihood of being included in a sample to be studies (Obasi 2000:137)

Furthermore, this work made use of sample Radom sampling which Darojaye et all described as

a basic sample procedure in which every item, limit or member has an equal cases of being

selected in the sample drawn from a population.

3.3 Method of Data Collection

This study adopts quantitative research method. Durojaye (2012:201) defined the method as a

systematic empirical investigation of phenomena via statistical, mathematical or computational

technology. Durojaiye (2012) further posits that the objective of quantitative research is to

develop and employ mathematical models, theories or hypothesis pertaining to phenomena.

Based on the above classification, this study used survey method which is a method which

according to Durojaiye (2012) is a non experimental and social scientific approach that studies

small and large population. It draws a sample of a population, study the sample and then make

inference to the population from sample data only relying on research or whole population. The

purpose is to describe the attitudes, beliefs opinion, motivation and behaviours of a population.

The application of quantitative method cum survey method in this work prompted the use of

primary source of data collection. Primary source of data involves those information facts and

figures relations to population (subject or events) under study or being investigation (Durojaiye

(2012:54). Consequent upon the above, this work adopted both questionnaire and oral interview

to gather the data used in this work.

On interview Durojaye 2012:71 defined it is as one of the research instrument of

gathering data in social sciences it is one of the two major types of the survey methods which

make use of a schedule known as the interview schedule. The technique enables the researcher to

31
collect first hand information about the interviewee’s knowledge, value attitudes, experiences,

beliefs and preference. In this case, the researcher adopted face to face type of interview

Durojaiye (2012:71-73)

3.4 Method of Data Analysis

Data analysis is the process of summarizing the data in a manner that would provide answers to a

research questions. This study made use of statistical method of quantitative data analysis. This

is because the researcher tends to use questionnaire and oral interview methods of data gathering,

statistical figures like tables, and percentages, to ensure correct data analysis.

3.5 Limitations of the Study

The limitation of this study is that the research was carried out during the start of farming season

and because of that some people who would have been among the respondents were missed.

Again due to the insecurity as a result of communal war over land going on in the area between

Oruku and Umuode communities who were formerly one community under Oruku Town before

the later was carved out in 1998, not all the villages and settlements within Oruku Town were

not visited during process of gathering data used for this work.

32
 CHAPTER FOUR

DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Data Analysis

This chapter is concerned with the analysis and presentation of data gathered. The chapter will

focus on the analysis and presentation of data gathered from the questionnaire used to interview

the respondents/interviewees. The population of the respondents is 120 (one hundred and twenty

respondents/interviewee).

Their demographic distribution was recorded and analyzed. Five research questions containing

twenty questions were asked the respondents/interviewee in order to obtain accurate data.

The section is divided into two namely section A which contains the demographic distribution

and section B which contains the research questions subdivided into 20 research questions used

to obtain the data being presented as generated from the respondents/interviewee.

Section A

4.1.1 Analysis of Demographic Distribution of the Respondents/Interviewee.

Sex distribution of the respondents

Table 1

Response Frequency Percentage

Male 66 55

Female 54 45

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

From table 1, the sex of the respondents/interviewees shows that 66 of them representing 55%

are male while 54 of the representing 45% are female.

33
Age distribution of the respondents

Table 2.

Response Frequency percentage

18-30 50 41.7

31-50 45 37.5

51-60 20 16.7

61-above 5 4.1

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

From the above table the majority of the respondents/interviewees numbering 50 and

representing 41.7% are within the age bracket of 18-30 years, those within 31-50 years are 45

in number representing 37.5%, those within the age bracket of 51-60 years are 20 in number

representing 16.7% while those within 61 years and above are 5 representing 4.1 percent. It can

be deduced from the above data that majority of the respondents fall within the age bracket of

18-30 and 31-50 numbering 50 and 40 respective and totaling 90 in number representing 79% of

the age group categories are the most socially and economically active as well most literate age

groups of the area of study.

Marital status of the respondents

Table 3.

Response Frequency Percentage

Married 40 33.3

Single 30 25

Divorcee 15 12.5

Widows 20 16.7

34
Separated 15 12.5

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015.

Table 3 shows that among the respondents, those married are 40 representing 33.3%, those single

are 30 in number representing 25%, divorcees are 15 in number representing 12.5 %, widows are

20 in number representing 16.7 percent while Separated are 15 and also representing 12.5

percent.

Educational qualification of the respondents

Table 4

Response Frequency Percentage

WASSCE/GCE/NECO 24 20

OND/HND 25 20.8

B.SC 15 12.5

M.SC 4 3.33

PHD 1 0.83

None of the above 51 42.5

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

From the data on table 4 the respondents who possess WASSCE/GCE/NECO are 24 representing

20%, those who possess OND/HND are 25 in number representing 20.8%, holders of B.sc/ are

15 in representing 12.5 %, holders of M.sc are 4 in number and represents 3.33 percent while 1

/PHD holder representing 0.83 percent is among the respondents. From the table it can also be

35
deduced that among the respondents/interviewees, 51 representing 42.5% do not possess any of

the qualifications above qualifications.

Occupational distribution of the respondents

Table 5

Response Frequency Percentage

Farming related occupation 45 37.5

Civil Servant 30 25

Unemployed 30 25

Self Employed/ Artisans 15 12.5

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

From the above table, 40 of the respondents representing 37.5% are rural farmers, 30

representing 25% are civil servants, unemployed population among the respondents are 30

representing 25 % while the remaining 15 respondents representing 12.5% are self

employed/artisan.

SECTION B

4.1.2 Analysis of Responses from Research Questions

Research Question 1 What is the level of ICT usage by the people of Oruku Town Nkanu East

Local Government Area. Following from research question1, the respondents answered the

following five questions.

Question 1. Which ICT component do you own?

Table 6.

36
Response Frequency Percentage

Radio 40 33.3

Mobile phone 60 50

Television 20 16.7

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

Based on the above table, 40 of the respondents/interviewee representing 33.3% own radio,

60 representing 50% owns mobile phones while the rest numbering 20 owns television.

Question 2 what is the service/signal length of your ICT components?

Table 7.

Response Frequency Percentage

Normal 40 33.3

Moderate 50 41.7

Fluctuating 30 25

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

Table 7 shows that among the respondents/interviewees, 40 representing 33.3% receive signal

that is normal, majority of the them numbering 50 and representing 41.7 % receive moderate

signal while 30 representing 25% receive signals that fluctuates.

Question 3. What is your source of power?

Table 8.

37
Responses Frequency Percentage

Electricity 70 58.3

Generator 20 16.7

Battery 30 25

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

From the data in table 8, 70 of the respondents representing 58.3% use electricity to power their

ICT components, 20 use representing 16.7% use generator while the remaining 30 representing

25% use battery to power their ICTs component.

Question four. How often do you listen to radio or view television programmes

Table 9

Responses Frequency Percentage

Very Often 40 33.3

Often 60 50

Not often 20 16.7

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

Table 9 shows that 40 of the respondents representing 33.3 % listen to radio or watch television

very often, 60 representing 50% listen or watch television often while 20 representing 16.7%

neither listen to radio nor watch television often or very often.

Question Five. What is your mobile phone service provider?

Table 10

38
Response Frequency Percentage

MTN 50 41.7

GLO 10 8.3

AIRTEL 36 30

ETISALAT 24 20

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

Table Ten shows that 50 of the respondents /interviewee representing 41.7% make use of MTN

service, 10 representing 8.3% make use of GLOBACOM services, 36 representing 30% make

use of AIRTEL while 24 representing 20 percent make use of ETISALAT service

Research question 2. what are the impacts of ICTs on the people’s living standard: Education,

Health and Agriculture.

The respondents were asked the following five questions

Question 1. What is the type of ICTs in use in your health facility?

Table 11.

Response Frequency Percentage

Radio 30 25

Mobile Phone 90 75

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

From the information in table 11 only radio and mobile phones are in use in health facilities in

the study area, 30 of the respondents representing 25% said that radio is in use in their health

facilities while the remaining 90 representing 75% said that mobile phones are in use in their

health facilities.

39
Question 2. What type of ICT is in use in schools within your area?

Table 12.

Response Frequency Percentage

Computer 20 16.7

Mobile phones 40 33.3

None of the above 60 50

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

From the tale above, 20 of the respondents representing 16.7% make use of computers in schools

within the study area; those who responded that mobiles are use in their schools are 40

representing 33.3% while those who responded that none of the above or any other ICT is in use

in schools within their area are 60 in number representing 50%

Question 3. Do you browse internet in your area?

Table 13

Response Frequency Percentage

Yes 30 25

Knows what Internet is but 35 29

doesn’t browse

Don’t know what internet is 55 46

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

40
From the above table, those who browse internet among the respondents are 30 representing

25%, those who know about internet but doesn’t browse are 35 in number representing 29%

while those who don’t know what internet is are 55 representing 46 percent.

Question 4. Which of the ICT do you use to obtain information about marketing and new

farming techniques?

Table 14

Responses Frequency Percentage

Radio 105 87.5

Television 15 12.5

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

Table 14 shows that in 105 of the respondent representing 87.5% use radio to obtain information

about marketing and new farming techniques while the rest numbering 15 representing 12.5 get

such information through television.

Question 5. How can you rate level of usage of ICTs in your Educational, Health and

Agricultural Activities?

Table 15

Response Frequency Percentage

High 15 12.5

Poor 35 29

Very poor 45 37.5

Undecided 25 21

Source: Researchers field study 2015

41
From the data in table 15 it can deduced that majority of the respondents numbering about 45

and representing 37.5% said that the level of the usage of ICTs in Education, Health and

Agricultural Activities in the area is very poor , 35 representing 29% said that the level of the

usage is poor, 15 representing 12.5 % of the respondents/interviewees said that the rate is high

while the remaining 25 representing 21% are undecided.

Research question 3. What are the problems militating against the effective use of ICTs in the

area of study. Following from this research questions, five questions were asked the

respondents/interviewee.

Question one. Do you have electricity in your area?

Table 16.

Responses Frequency Percentage

Yes 47 39.2

Yes but not functioning well 45 37.5

No 28 23.3

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

From the responses in table 16, 47 of the respondents representing 39.2% have electricity in their

area, 45 representing 39% have electricity but not functioning while 28 representing 23.3 do not

have electricity in their area.

Question Two. How regular is your electric power supply?

Table 17

Response Frequency Percentage

42
Regular 30 25

Not Regular 62 51.7

Have no electricity 28 23.3

120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

From the figure in table 17, 30 of the respondents representing 25% responded that they have

regular power supply, 62 representing 51.7% responded that their power supply is not regular

while the remaining 28 representing 23.3 responded that they do not have electricity at all.

Question Three. Do you have access road for infrastructural development in your area?

Table 18

Responses Frequency Percentage

Yes 90 75

No 30 25

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

From the above table 90 of the respondents representing 75% have access road for infrastructural

development in their area while the remaining 30 representing 25% responded that they do not

have access road for infrastructural development.

Question Four. Which of the ICTs component is affordable in your area?

Table 19

Responses Frequency Percentage

Radio 10 8.3

43
Mobile phone 25 21

Television 5 4.1

None of the above is affordable 80 66.6

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

From table 9, 80 of the respondents representing 66.6% responded that none of the above ICTs

components is affordable, 10 representing 8.3% responded that radio is affordable, 5

representing 4.1% responded that television is affordable while 25 representing 21 percent

responded that mobile phone is affordable.

Question Five. What are the natural factors that affects ICTs usage in your area?

Table 20

Responses Frequency Percentage

Rainfall 70 58.3

Lightening 20 16.7

Not sure 30 25

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

Table 20 shows that 70 of the respondents representing 58.3 percent responded that rainfall

affects ICTs usage in their area, 20 representing 16.7% responded that lightening affects ICTs

usage in their area while 30 representing 25% responded that they are not sure.

RESEARCH QUESTION 4. What are the strategies for sustainable development of ICTs usage

by the people of Oruku Town Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State?

Following from research question four, 5 question were asked the respondents

44
Question one. Which of the network provider needed improvement in your area?

Table 21

Responses Frequency Percentage

MTN 10 8.3

GLOBACOM 50 41.7

AIRTEL 24 20

ETISALAT 36 30

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

From the above table, 10 of the respondents representing 8.3% responded that MTN network

provider needed improvement in the area, 50 percent responded that it is GLOBACOM network

provider that needed improvement, 24 representing 20% responded that AIRTEL network

provider needed improvement while the remaining 36 representing 30 percent responded that it

is ETISALAT network provider that needed improvement.

Question Two. In what do you need to improve for ICT usage in your area?

Table 22.

Response Frequency Percentage

Road Network 10 8.3

Electricity 75 62.5

Communication Mast 35 29.2

45
Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

According to table 22, 10 of the respondents representing 8.3 % needed improvement in road

network, 75 representing 62.5 % needed improvement on electricity in the area while the

remaining 35 respondents/interviewee representing 29.2 % needed improvement on

Communication Mast.

Question Twenty Three. What are the roles you expect government to play for sustainable

development of ICTs in your area?

Table 23

Response Frequency Percentage

Equip our Schools with ICTs 33 27.5

components

Equip Our Health Facilities with 27 22.5

ICTS components

Establish a Community Radio 60 50

Station

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

Table 23 above shows that 33 of the respondents representing 27.5% want their school to be

equipped with ICTs components, 27 representing 22.5% want their health facilities to be

equipped with ICTs components while majority of the respondents want the establishment of a

community radio station in their area.

46
Question Four. Are there roles you want the corporate organizations/non-governmental

organizations to play to enhance ICTs for sustainable development of your area.

Table 24

Responses Frequency Percentage

Employment of our youths in 56 46.7

ICT companies

Building of ICTs equipped 34 28.3

Libraries in our Schools

Establishment of community 30 25

viewing centers.

Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

From the data in table 24, majority of the respondents numbering 56 and representing 46.5%

want their youths to be employed in ICT companies, 34 representing 28.3% want building of

ICTs equipped libraries in the schools in their area while 30 representing 25 % of the

respondents want the establishment of community viewing centers in their area by Corporate

organizations/Non-Governmental Organizations.

Question five. Do you want the establishment of an institution of higher learning with ICTs

capabilities and Curriculum in your area?

Table 25

Response Frequency Percentage

Yes 70 58.3

Not now 32 26.7

Undecided 18 15

47
Total 120 100

Source: Researchers field study 2015

The table above shows that greater majority of respondents numbering 70 and representing

58.3% want the establishment of an institution of higher learning with ICTs capabilities and

Curriculum in their area, 32 of the respondents representing 26.7 % said not now while the

remaining 18 representing 15 % were undecided.

4.2 Findings of the Study.

From the study, the researcher made the following findings.

5. The people Oruku Town of Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State of Nigeria own

and make use of some ICTs components such as mobile telephone, television and radio. The

four major network service providers namely MTN, GLOBACOM, AIRTEL and ETISALAT

provide services to the people of the area.

6. The length of service or coverage provided by these network service providers in the area is

insufficient and inadequate.

7. The level of usage of ICTs usage in Health, Educational facilities and in Agriculture is very

poor.

8. Inadequate power supply, inadequate electricity infrastructures, high cost of ICTs components,

and occasional bad weather conditions affects the full utilization of ICTs possibilities in the

area.

9. There is a need to establish an institution of higher learning with ICTs capabilities and

curriculum and community radio station as well as viewing centers in the area

10. Both government, corporate bodies and non-governmental organizations has roles to play in the

provision of ICTs facilities/components in the area.

48
 4.3 Discussions on the findings

In this section, data collected from the survey on the effect of Information and Communication

Technology in the growth of rural economy of the people of Oruku Town in Nkanu East Local

Government Area of Enugu State of Nigeria will be discussed and findings outlined. The data

were the response of the 120 respondents’ interviewed with 25 questions five of which includes

question on the demographic data of the respondents while the remaining 20 questions were

asked from the research questions. In all 120 questionnaires containing the above mentioned

question were also used to interview the respondents orally.

Research Question 1 What is the level of ICT usage by the people of Oruku Town in Nkanu

East local Government Area of Enugu State of Nigeria?

The aim of this research question is to ascertain the level of ICTs usage in Oruku Town

in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State of Nigeria. The data on table 6, 7, 8, 9

and 10 were used to answer the research question. The data on table 6 shows that 40 of the

respondents/interviewee representing 33.3% own radio, 60 representing 50% owns mobile

phones while the rest numbering 20 owns television. Table 7 shows that among the

respondents/interviewees, 40 representing 33.3% receive signal that is normal, majority of the

them numbering 50 and representing 41.7 % receive moderate signal while 30 representing 25%

receive signals that fluctuates. From the data in table 8, 70 of the respondents representing 58.3%

use electricity to power their ICT components, 20 use representing 16.7% use generator while

the remaining 30 representing 25% use battery to power their ICTs component. Table 9 shows

that 40 of the respondents representing 33.3 % listen to radio or watch television very often, 60

representing 50% listen or watch television often while 20 representing 16.7% neither listen to
49
radio nor watch television often or very often. Table Ten shows that 50 of the respondents

/interviewee representing 41.7% make use of MTN service, 10 representing 8.3% make use of

GLOBACOM services, 36 representing 30% make use of AIRTEL while 24 representing 20

percent make use of ETISALAT service.

From the findings it was deduced that a great number of the people of Oruku Town

Nkanu East Local Government Area own and make use of various components of ICTs such as

radio, television and mobile phones. It was also found that they make use of the services of the

four major mobile telephone service providers in Nigeria namely: MTN, GLO, AIRTEL and

ETISALAT but their length of services and coverage is insufficient to cater for the mobile

telephone need of the study area.

Research Question 2. What are the impacts of ICT on the peoples’ living standard: Education;

Health; and Agriculture?

The aim of this research question is to ascertain how ICTs has contributed towards the standard

of living of the people of Oruku Town in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State of

Nigeria in the area of Education, Health, and Agriculture.

The data on table 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 answered the research question. Table 11 only radio and

mobile phones are in use in health facilities in the study area, 30 of the respondents representing

25% said that radio is in use in their health facilities while the remaining 90 representing 75%

said that mobile phones are in use in their health facilities. Table 12 shows 20 of the respondents

representing 16.7% make use of computers in schools within the study area; those who

responded that mobiles are use in their schools are 40 representing 33.3% while those who

50
responded that none of the above or any other ICT is in use in schools within their area are 60 in

number representing 50%. Table 13 shows that those who browse internet among the

respondents are 30 representing 25%, those who know about internet but doesn’t browse are 35

in number representing 29% while those who don’t know what internet is are 55 representing 46

percent. Table 14 shows that in 105 of the respondent representing 87.5% use radio to obtain

information about marketing and new farming techniques while the rest numbering 15

representing 12.5 get such information through television. From the data in table 15 it can

deduced that majority of the respondents numbering about 45 and representing 37.5% said that

the level of the usage of ICTs in Education, Health and Agricultural Activities in the area is very

poor, 35 representing 29% said that the level of the usage is poor, 15 representing 12.5 % of the

respondents/interviewees said that the rate is high while the remaining 25 representing 21% are

undecided.

From the findings above, it was found that the use of ICTs in Health and Educational facilities in

the study area is poor and inadequate as it is only mobile phones that are mostly in use the health

and educational facilities. It was also deduced that among the ICT components especially the

informative ones, majority of the people of the study area use only radio to obtain information

about marketing and new farming techniques. In a similar development there is low level of the

internet in Oruku Town.

Research Question 3. What are the problems militating against the effective usage of ICTs in

the study Area?

51
The objective of purpose of this research question is to identify those problems that constitute

hindrances or obstacles against the effective and efficient use of ICTS in the study area. Data on

table 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 answered the research question.

From the responses in table 16, 47 of the respondents representing 39.2% have electricity in their

area, 45 representing 39% have electricity but not functioning while 28 representing 23.3 do not

have electricity in their area. From the figure in table 17, 30 of the respondents representing 25%

responded that they have regular power supply, 62 representing 51.7% responded that their

power supply is not regular while the remaining 28 representing 23.3 responded that they do not

have electricity at all. From the above table 18; 90 of the respondents representing 75% have

access road for infrastructural development in their area while the remaining 30 representing

25% responded that they do not have access road for infrastructural development. From table 19;

80 of the respondents representing 66.6% responded that none of the above ICTs components is

affordable, 10 representing 8.3% responded that radio is affordable, 5 representing 4.1%

responded that television is affordable while 25 representing 21 percent responded that mobile

phone is affordable. Table 20 shows that 70 of the respondents representing 58.3 percent

responded that rainfall militates against ICTs usage in their area, 20 representing 16.7%

responded that lightening militates against ICTs usage in their area while 30 representing 25%

responded that they are not sure.

From the findings above, it was found that and insufficient electricity installations and irregular

power supply militates against the effective usage of ICTs in the study Area. In the same

52
development ICTs components are costly and not affordable by majority of the people of the

study area while natural factor such as rainfall and lightening affects ICTs usage in Oruku Town.

Research question 4. What are the strategies for sustainable development of ICT usage by the

people of Oruku Town in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State of Nigeria?

The aim of this research question is to identify the strategies or the approaches towards a

sustainable development of ICTs in the study area. The data on table 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25

answered the question.

From table 21; 10 of the respondents representing 8.3% responded that MTN network provider

needed improvement in the area, 50 percent responded that it is GLOBACOM network provider

that needed improvement, 24 representing 20% responded that AIRTEL network provider

needed improvement while the remaining 36 representing 30 percent responded that it is

ETISALAT network provider that needed improvement. According to table 22; 10 of the

respondents representing 8.3 % needed improvement in road network, 75 representing 62.5 %

needed improvement on electricity in the area while the remaining 35 respondents/interviewee

representing 29.2 % needed improvement on Communication Mast. Table 23 shows that 33 of

the respondents representing 27.5% want their school to be equipped with ICTs components, 27

representing 22.5% want their health facilities to be equipped with ICTs components while

majority of the respondents want the establishment of a community radio station in their area.

From the data in table 24, majority of the respondents numbering 56 and representing 46.5%

want their youths to be employed in ICT companies, 34 representing 28.3% want building of

ICTs equipped libraries in the schools in their area while 30 representing 25 % of the

53
respondents want the establishment of community viewing centers in their area by Corporate

organizations/Non-Governmental Organizations. Table 25 shows that greater majority of

respondents numbering 70 and representing 58.3% want the establishment of an institution of

higher learning with ICTs capabilities and Curriculum in their area, 32 of the respondents

representing 26.7 % said not now while the remaining 18 representing 15 % were undecided.

From the findings above, there is need for improvement on the quality of services by the network

service providers in the area, as well as in the area of electricity infrastructure and supply.

Similarly, schools and hospitals needed to be equipped with ICTs components such as modern

libraries. It was further found that employment of the youths of the study area in ICTs

companies, establishment of community radio stations, community viewing centers, an

institution of higher learning with ICTs capabilities and curriculum are the priorities of the

people of the study area.

54
 CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

This chapter will focus on the conclusion about the study and recommendations which will enable

Policy makers, corporate Organizations, Governmental and nongovernmental Organizations to

improve on ICTs availability, quality and reach of the people of Oruku Town Nkanu East Local

Government Area of Enugu State as well as proposal for further studies..

5.1 Conclusion

Information and Communication Technology is a sine qua non in economic growth and

development especially that of the rural communities. The provision of ICTs facilities in the area and

the acquisition of its components by the people of Oruku Town Nkanu East Local Government Area

will undoubtedly go a long way in accelerating the pace of economic growth and development as

well as increase in the living standard of the people of the area.

5.2 Recommendations.

Based on the findings and conclusions in this work, the study hereby recommends the following:

1. That the major network service providers operating in the study area should improve on their

quality of services and coverage by upgrading and establishment of more facilities in the

area.

2. Government as well as corporate organizations and non-governmental organizations should

as matter of urgency equip schools and hospitals in the area with modern ICTs facilities.

55
 3. That ICTs equipped libraries should be built in all the school in the area especially in

secondary schools for capacity building.

4. That public and private radio and television stations in Enugu state and beyond should extent

their service range to cover the entire length and breadth of the area.

5. That government should put in place amenities such as good road network across the

communities in Nkanu East Local Government Area ( Oruku Town inclusive) to enable the

area to be accessible for ICTs infrastructural development.

6. That government, wealthy individuals from the area and corporate bodies should provide the

area with electricity while the uncompleted electricity projects should be completed and

electrified because ICTs components cannot work without steady electric power.

7. That government, non-governmental organizations, wealthy individuals and corporate bodies

should consider establishing an institution of higher learning in the area to assist in training

and capacity building of the teeming youths of Oruku Town in Nkanu East Local

Government Area in the field of ICTs and other related educational opportunities.

8. That the authorities of Nkanu Local Government Council should assist the people of the area

in benefitting from positive impact of globalization by establish at least a viewing center in

all the communities in the area to enable the people watch some important events across the

globe under community -government partnership.

9. That community radio stations should be established in the Local Government Area for

reception and dissemination of information about new farming techniques among others

5.3 Proposal for Further Studies.

Based on the notion that no man is an island in the area knowledge, the researcher suggests

that further studies should be carried out on the effect of Information and Communication

Technology in the growth of rural economy of other communities of Nkanu East Local

56
Government Area of Enugu State of Nigeria so as to fill the gap in the areas this study did not

cover.

57
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61
Annexure A. Questionnaire used for the Oral Interview

SECTION A: Contained question on the demographic data of the respondents. The researcher

ask the questions while the research assistant records the responses in the questionnaire

1. What is your sex?

A. Male [ ]

B. Female [ ]

2. What is your age?

A. 18-30 [ ]

B. 31-50 [ ]

C. 51-60 [ ]

D. 61-Above [ ]

3. What is your marital status?

A. Married [ ]

B. Single [ ]

C. Divorcee [ ]

4. What is your educational qualification?

A. WASSCE/GCE/NECO [ ]
B. OND/HND [ ]
C. B.SC
D M.SC [ ]
E PHD [ ]
D. None of the above [ ]

5. What is your occupation?

62
 A. Farming related occupation [ ]

B. Civil Servant [ ]
C. Unemployed [ ]
D. Self Employed/Artisans [ ]

SECTION B

Questions:

1. Which ICT component do you own?

A. Radio [ ]

B. Mobile Phone [ ]

C. Television [ ]

2. What is the service/signal length of your ICT components?

A. Normal [ ]

B. Moderate [ ]

C. Fluctuating [ ]

3. What is your source of power?

A. Electricity [ ]

B. Generator [ ]

C. Battery [ ]

4. How often do you listen to radio or view television programmes?

A. Very often [ ]

B. Often [ ]

. C. Not often [ ]

5. What is your mobile phone service provider?

63
 A. MTN [ ]

B. GLOBACOM [ ]

C. AIRTEL [ ]

D. ETISALAT [ ]

6. What is the type of ICTs in use in your health facility?

A. Radio [ ]

B. Mobile Phone [ ]

7. What type of ICT is in use in schools within your area?

A. Computer [ ]

B. Mobile Phones [ ]

C. None of the above [ ]

8. Do you browse internet in your area?

A. Yes [ ]

B. Knows what Internet is but doesn’t browse [ ]

C. Don’t know what internet is [ ]

9. Which of the ICT do you use to obtain information about marketing and new farming

techniques?

A. Radio [ ]

B. Television [ ]

10. How can you rate level of usage of ICTs in your Educational, Health and Agricultural

Activities?

A. High [ ]

B. Poor [ ]

64
 C. Very poor [ ]

D. Undecided [ ]

11. Do you have electricity in your area?

A. Yes [ ]

B. Yes but not functioning [ ]

C. No [ ]

12. How regular is your electric power supply?

A. Regular [ ]

B. Not Regular [ ]

C. Have no electricity [ ]

13. Do you have access road for infrastructural development in your area?

A. Yes [ ]

B. No [ ]

14. Which of the ICTs component is affordable in your area?

A. Radio [ ]

B. Mobile Phone [ ]

C. Television [ ]

D. None of the above is affordable [ ]

15. What are the natural factors that affect ICTs usage in your area?

A. Rainfall [ ]

B. Lightening [ ]

C. Not sure [ ]

16. Which of the network provider needed improvement in your area?

65
 A. MTN [ ]

B. GLOBACOM [ ]

C. AIRTEL [ ]

D. ETISALAT [ ]

17. In what do you need to improve for ICT usage in your area?

A. Road Network [ ]

B. Electricity [ ]

C. Communication Mast [ ]

18. What are the roles you expect government to play for sustainable development of ICTs in

your area?

A. Equip our Schools with ICTs components [ ]

B. Equip Our Health Facilities with ICTS components [ ]

C. Establish a Community Radio Station [ ]

19. Are there roles you want Corporate Organizations/Non-Governmental Organizations to

play to enhance ICTs for sustainable development of your area.

A. Employment of our youths in ICT companies [ ]

B. Building of ICTs equipped Libraries in our Schools [ ]

C. Establishment of community viewing centers. [ ]

20. Do you want the establishment of an institution of higher learning with ICTs capabilities

and Curriculum in your area?

A. Yes [ ]

B. Not now [ ]

C. Undecided [ ]

66