THE IMPACT OF EXPENDITURE PATTERN OF NASARAWA STATE GOVERNMENT ON EMPOWERMENT: AN ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH AND EDUCATION SECTORS (1999-2012

This study attempts an evaluation of the impact of expenditure pattern of Nasarawa state government on empowerment. Its premise is to measure the influence of expenditure pattern on empowerment within the context of the developments in Health and Education sectors. The study adopted the Capability theory as its theoretical framework, because, it emphasized the creation and the enhancement of opportunity and freedom that are necessary for an individual to function effectively in the society; in this analysis both descriptive and inferential statistics were used; it however employed both the chi-square and multiple regression models using the ordinary least square method to measure the influence of expenditure pattern on empowerment. Hence, data were generated from both primary and secondary sources. The study found that the recurrent expenditure of the state tends to be more consistent and significant in empowerment of the people. However, the chi-square test and the regression technique established that expenditure pattern of the state has impacted on empowerment of the people in the state. Apart from these, the outcome of the interview and personal observation of government institutions and agencies revealed that the state government embarked on massive construction of infrastructure and renovation of existing infrastructures in the Health and Education sectors in the state within the years under review. IT also showed some improvement in the sectoral work plans with a well designed system setup, as well as the provision of technical skills to the teeming youth in the state and provision of adequate drugs supply to the expanded network of hospitals in the state through its performance enhancement scheme sponsored by World Bank and UNESCO. Therefore, the study posits that the state expenditure has improved the health and education situation in the state within the year under review, and it therefore, improved the productive capacity of the people in the state. However, the state should increase its expenditure to the health and education sectors, especially its releases to institutions in these sectors so as to increase the momentum of empowerment in the state.