Abstract:
This study examines the problem of entrepreneurship in rural development with particular reference to three local government areas in Bayelsa State – Yenagoa, Ogbia and Sagbama Local Government Areas. A review of the factors militating against rural entrepreneurship and related empirical studies was done. The research design adopted in the study is the descriptive research with particular reference to the case study method and the research instrument used is the questionnaire which is the Likert’s five point scale. The universe of the study comprises furniture making, bakery, block industry, wood industry, pharmaceuticals, restaurants, supermarkets/retail outlets, business centres, fish/poultry farmers. A total of 120 respondents were selected from the above nine units of study in three local government areas through the convenience sampling technique. However, three research statements and three hypotheses were formulated and tested with the Chi-square statistical tool and the study revealed that there is a link between the deplorable state of social infrastructure and the inability of government to create an enabling environment and entrepreneurship in rural development. It also discovered that the personal idiosyncrasies of the entrepreneur help to increase the problem of entrepreneurship in rural development. The study equally unearthed some macro-economic variables as well as corrupt/trade malpractices as responsible for the problem of rural entrepreneurship. Therefore, the results of this study imply that it is only an understanding, appreciation and improvement of social infrastructure and an enabling climate that would mitigate the problems of rural entrepreneurship. Arising from the results got, recommendations were made which if implemented, would have far reaching effects in promoting the possibility of reducing the problem of entrepreneurship in rural development.
