Social welfare program and poverty eradication in sub-saharan region of Eket Senatorial district, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

The study investigated development gap in social policy and social problem interaction by examining impact of National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP) on rural communities in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to examine the relationship between non-participation of beneficiary communities in NAPEP project design at community level, corruption and policy implementation strategy on rural poverty reduction. The Ex-post facto research design was adopted to study communities in Oron and Udung Uko local government areas in Akwa Ibom State. Using a multistage sampling procedure, data were obtained from 400 respondents using Taro Yamene sample size determination formula. Data were analysed using Chi-square (X2) statistical technique. Main findings indicated that significant relationship exists between non-participation of beneficiary communities in NAPEP project design, corruption, policy implementation and poverty reduction in rural communities. The findings imply that NAPEP has not significantly achieved its goal of poverty reduction in rural communities. It has failed to elicit economic wellbeing priorities directly from target communities.  Poverty can be reduced through accommodative and humanistic arrangements by allowing communities to identify welfare projects and eligible recipients. Rural dwellers have not experienced poverty reduction because of NAPEP development strategy gap