Socio-Economic Implications of Recurrent Flooding on Women Development in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Niger Delta Area of Nigeria

摘要

The mainpurpose of this study is to identify the socio-economic implications ofre-current flooding on women development in southern Ijaw Local GovernmentArea. Generally, flooding may result in socio-economic, ecological and healthproblems. This study assumes that on flood days the movement of customers andsellers tends to be hindered, thus resulting in the retardation of transactionsand the reduction of daily income earned. The study compared the situation offemale traders with that of male traders. Both primary and secondary data wereused in this study. Primary data were collected using an open-endedquestionnaire. A total of 83 questionnaires were randomly distributed tomembers of four communities, which were selected through stratified randomsampling procedures. Also 33 randomly selected women and men respectively,engaged in marketing activities from open and locked-up shops, were sampled toobserve the level of their personal income (in Naira), from customers patronageduring 3 flood days and 3 non-flood days. Other data and information wereobtained through Key Informants Interview (KII), and observations. Hypotheses Iand II were tested using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) statistical model. Nullhypothesis I (H0), which states that “There is no statisticallysignificant difference in the income earned by men and women traders frommarketing activities on flood days and non-flood days in Southern Ijaw LocalGovernment Area, Bayelsa State”, is accepted (F-value: 3.8723939, P-value: 2.494E-05),whereas null hypothesis II (H0), which states that “There is nostatistically significant difference in the income earned by women traders frommarketing activities on flood and non-flood days in Southern Ijaw Local GovernmentArea, Bayelsa State, is rejected (F-value: 2.524902, P-value: 0.030069). Thuswhile there is no significant difference in the earnings of male and femaletraders on flood and non-flood days, there are significant differences in salesearning among women traders on those days. Factors affecting trading income onflood and non-flood days include accessibility to business premises bycustomers, ability of male marketers to afford non-easily flooded business premises;and women traders with limited resources often have less suitably drainedpremises. Reduced total household income can detrimentally affect foodaffordability, availability, household nutrition, family health and wellbeing.Recommendations highlighting the roles of communities, government and stakeholdersin flood management are proffered.