GOVERNMENT AND DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH-SOUTHERN

This research study investigated government and development in South-Southern Nigeria: an evaluation of Edo State and Delta State (2019-2023). The study aimed to evaluate the impact of government policies on development outcomes in Edo and Delta States, assess the effectiveness of government initiatives in promoting economic growth, infrastructure development, and human capital development, and identify challenges to effective governance and development in both states. Anchored on structural functionalism theory as the theoretical framework of the study, qualitative research methods and interview to obtain information and employ thematic analysis to analyze data. The research unveils that government initiatives such as scholarships have improved the rate of youth participation in higher education, while vocational training has improved youth economic empowerment, the study established corruption as a major cause of project failure which in turn hinders good governance and most of the political leadership in the region is corrupt and this has serious implications for development. It was suggested that NDDC should increase the number of their development programmers and projects, particularly in such areas as physical infrastructural development, school and capacity building, economic empowerment employment, and environmental protection and stiffer penalty should be carried out against corrupt officials of the interventionist institutions, based on trial and conviction.