Democracy and Underdevelopment in Coastal Communities in Akwa Ibom State Since 1999

Abstract

Democracy in Nigeria and of course in Akwa Ibom State has created lopsided development and thereby widened the gap of inequality in the State. Democracy is a political and constitutional arrangement in which the values of economic development and social welfare of the citizens can grow and be sustained. Inspite of the great potentials in agricultural, mineral and human resources in the state, development has remained uneven. The coastal communities like other rural areas in the mainland, are grossly underdeveloped, despite harbouring the wealth of the state, particularly, petroleum oil and gas. The coastal areas of the state are replete with poor or absence of basic infrastructure, poverty, unemployment high-crime rate, and youth restiveness. The article concludes that democracy in the state rather than foster a sustained development, has created uneven and uncordinated development especially in the coastal areas. That only adequate provision of social infrastructures with sustainable development programme can secure the future of the people both in the hinterland as well as in the coastal communities.