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Abstract
Over the years, efforts have been made to improve the living conditions
of the rural poor with the government embarking on different projects
some of which are questioned even by the intended beneficiaries. The
Federal Government of Nigeria in 2009 embarked on the dredging
of the Lower Niger River some 573 kilometres upstream from Warri
in Delta state to Baro in Niger State, Nigeria with the intension of
promoting economic activities in the country. Considering the huge
amount of money invested in the project, this study was carried out
to examine the impact of the project on the socioeconomics of arable
farming households in the study area. A simple random sampling
technique was used to select 60 respondents for the study after which
a well-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from them.
Descriptive statistics and the Sustainable Livelihood Framework were
the major analytical tools used for the study. Results of the study
showed that on the overall, the project has a positive impact on the
livelihood of the respondents though not without some negative
effect. The study therefore recommends that in the future adequate
compensation should be paid to the Project Affected People who had
their assets destroyed and their livelihood negatively affected as a
result of the project. Also, sufficient and proper assessment should
be done before embarking on the execution of the project such that
enough provision is made to cushion its negative effect.