Psychosocial Impact of Petroleum Subsidy Removal on Families in Makurdi Metropolis; A Counselling Perspective

Abstract

This study investigated Psychosocial Impact of Petroleum Subsidy Removal on Families in Makurdi. A Counselling Perspective.  The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprised of 4,590 families from eleven council wards in Makurdi Local Government Area. The sample of the study was 200 families in Makurdi Local Government Area. Multi-stage sampling was used for the study. Questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection. Two research questions guided the study and two research hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer research questions and Chi-square to test hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that; Petroleum subsidy removal have significant impact on emotional well-being and financial coping strategies of families in Makurdi Local Government Area. The study recommended among others that; Counsellors should adopt a holistic approach that integrates both emotional and financial counselling to help families cope with the effects of petroleum subsidy removal. The government and non-governmental organizations should establish community-based counselling and mental health support programs. These programs should focus on stress management, emotional resilience, and conflict resolution to help families cope with financial and psychological stress effectively. To enhance financial resilience among affected families, financial literacy programs should be introduced. These workshops should educate families on effective budgeting, debt management, savings plans, and alternative income-generating opportunities.

Key Words: Psychosocial, emotional well-being, Financial Coping Strategies, Petroleum Subsidy Removal and Counselling Perspective