GOVERNMENT POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMMES IN DELTA STATE

The study examined government policy and social empowerment programme implementation in Delta State. The descriptive survey design was used for the study. The structured questionnaire was used as the main instrument of data collection. A sample of four hundred (400) was drawn for the study using simple random and convenience sampling technique. The method of data analysis included the use of mean and standard deviation and Student T-Test statistical techniques. The study found out that there is a significant difference between government policy and social empowerment programmes in Delta state. It was recommended that the government should make concerted efforts to ensure that social empowerment programmes benefit the masses for which they were designed. This is through ensuring that they are handled in ways that make it difficult for elites to access them. Also, it was recommended amongst others that there should be a policy framework to tackle issues of pro-rich approach in order to make sure that wealthy people do not use their influence to circumvent due process and hijack these programmes. This is by making the process transparent and simple enough to make it easy for the common man to participate. Also, there should be specific targets and means of accessing these targets so that the programmes can be void of corruption. If the programmes are designed for youths, the categories should be spelt and to get such categories should be devised. Keywords: Government Policy, Social Empowerment Programme, Implementation.