Impact Of Road Transportation Mode On The Marketing Of Consumer Goods

1.1 INTRODUCTION
Food production is geographically dispersed and the task of linking the several food production centres with the consumption centres instance is critically dependent on physical distribution:
(According to Owen 1969:86) that the wide variety of Nigeria food would not be available without the complex of transportation system which serves the food industry farm product, therefore depend upon transportation for the creation and preservation of their value.
Based on the above reasoning, the impact as well as very important to the road transportation system is also investigated the study with a particular reference to the marketing of consumer goods in Enugu metropolis. The quest to achieve self sufficiency food production is one of the highest priority areas facing most of the worlds people today, it is also a problem that threatens to worsen rapidly in the years ahead (According to Okereke 1984:4:6:60) on the road transport on the marketing of consumers goods that the interaction between transportation and consumers economic development is always a subject of theoretical interest and practical importance while some regard transport improvement as indispensable to an acceleration of the development process, others look at transport development as a result of rather than a cause of economic development.
(Nigeria trade journals, vol, 9 No 1 January/March 1961) report on nation food and organization conference (FAO) that the food requirements of the developing nations will increase by a staggering 125% by 1989. On the other hand problems relating to rural inaccessibility have continued to play the world and in particular Nigeria distribution. It is on this basis that government and transport policy makers should intensify efforts to improve the transportation system especially in road network system. Their collective or individual efforts and endeavors should be directed towards fighting a war against hunger, and providing necessary transport facilities and services and contribute to judicious investment decision in related areas that can help assure the supply of additional food and its distribution to consumers.
However, it becomes a matter for debate and intensive inquiry whether it is beneficial to extend and improve transport facilities as development proceeds or whether the available limited capital resources should be (hopefully more efficient and beneficial) invested in other sectors of economy.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Ever since the beginning of time, consumers and transportation have always co-existed inseparably. This is not only because the source of food and fiber or other economic products must be reasonable accessible and on being collected be distributed to markets, ports and factories carries services operation are necessary condition for effecting an efficient physical distribution of consumers goods. Transportation network is a cornerstone of the modern food marketing system. Transportation serves as a means of moving goods, ideas and information geared towards increase productivity.
In Nigerian road constitute the most important infrastructure in the structural transformation of her consumer products in Enugu metropolis, most of the road traverse a territory of sharp contrasts in climate, soil and vegetations and this hinders consumers progress. In some rural areas most of the road which are of course essential for the prompt evacuation of produce from the farms to the market places are often time inaccessible all year round. Most of these road, poorly devoured and winding, this prevents easy access to the hinder land where the majority of the farmers were located. Even where such road are in a fair condition there is the problem caused by poor maintenance, lack of adequate executive capacity, lack of suitable materials and management problem. The vicious combination of these factors is that cost are higher.
Besides, the inadequacy of road network services are inefficiently executed, delay in transit bad loading and off loading, rough handling of goods characterize road net transport resulting in great losses from damages spoilage and deterioration of preventing farmers from specializing in the crops that offer them the best return. If consumers is to respond to the growing demand then it will be necessary to evolve a good progressive rural structure with rural roads to expedite and reduce the cost of the flow of consumer commodities information and all sorts of rural services to enable it contribute meaningfully to general economic growth. This will also help to accommodate increase traffic flows in both direction impute moving from the urban area to the farm and output in the opposite direction. The task involves a large additional to rural network and maintaining existing road, the expansion of storage and processing facilities and a new institutional arrangement for managing and financing the total system.
1.3 BOJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
This study will attempt to relate road transport to the economy as regards to the marketing of consumers goods in Enugu metropolis. The objective include:
(1) To determine the extent to which road transportation system has affected the marketing of consumer goods.
(2) To identify those factors that are directly or indirectly related to the marketing of consumers goods and to what extend they have contributed to it.
(3) To offer useful recommendation with a view to make the marketing of consumer goods a successful and effective in Enugu metropolis.
(4) To find out whether transportation system especially in road network system improved the marketing of consumers in Nigeria.
(5) Ti find out how road transportation system help consumers in the distribution of their products in Nigeria.

1.4 HYPOTHESES FORMULATION
Hypotheses 1
Ho – The nature of road transport system in Enugu metropolis affects the marketing of consumer goods.
H1 – The nature of road transport system in Enugu metropolis does not affect the marketing of consumer goods.
Hypotheses 2
Ho – Inaccessibility reduce the incentive to produce.
Hi – Inaccessibility does not reduce the incentive to produce.
Hypotheses 3
Ho – The cost of transportation affects the price of consumer products.
Hi – The cost of transportation does not affect the price of consumer products.

Hypotheses 4
Ho – Consumers usually want their product delivered to them through road transport.
Hi – Consumers usually do not want their products delivered to them through road transport.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The increased interest in this study is due partially to the gaindul and developmental imputs consumers can make to the economy and most importantly to the tremendous impact of transportation infrastructure on regional economic.
This is because transport and development as well as consumers are usually closely related since each of them influences the fortunes and the relative rate of growth of the others.
The significance of this study is further highlighted considering that in Nigeria, the road is the only mode of transport by which all the staes of the federation are linked, especially with regards to the movement and distribution of consumers goods from the various rural areas of production to the different urban areas of the state for consumption.
Finally, the study shall also serve as a stimulant or reference guide for further research in this area especially in this era of population explosion and impending food shortage.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
In Enugu metropolis, most of the consumer goods are:
Yam
Garri
Cassava
Ricse
Tomatoes etc.
These are produced in the village located in the remote town, because of difference in ecological factors such climate, soil, texture etc. are produce more in the village several types of food and other consumers goods than others.
Taking cognizance of the fact that the study corners the entire Enugu metropolis, as a result of dearth of time therefore, it would be firesome and almost impossible to visit all the town in Enugu metropolis, secondly, because the attendants cost involved if the whole towns should be visited cannot be afforded by the researcher, coupled also with the final year academic work and recognising that Emene zone is the greatest producer of the main food items.
Yam
Garri
Cassava
In this areas the study therefore will be restricted and limited to the afore said zone in investigating the impact of road transport system on the marketing of consumer goods in Enugu metropolis.

1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Considering that the subject matter of the study is the impact of road transportation system on the marketing of road transportation system on the marketing of consumer goods in Nigeria, a definition of the concepts should include the following:
Consumer
Marketing
Transportation
Consumer goods – could be defined as those goods that are needed for the satisfaction of the consumers needs, just to mention but few, (garri, yam, tomatoes).
MARKETING on its own is define as the performance of all business activities that direct the flow of goods and services from the producer to the consumers user.
According to (Kotler 1980:9) marketing is defined as a human activity directed at satisfying needs and wants through exchange process.
Transportation – is a system for carrying people or goods from one place to another using vehicles or roads.

1.8 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The researcher covers three areas in writing this project and they are:
Emene
Abakpa
New Market
The fact remains that the modes of operation of consumer goods from the place of production to where it is been sold is a cumbersome task in the hands of the producer. This is because consumers goods like vegetable, yam and tomatoes are being produced in the remote area lke Abakpa, Emene and sometimes Abakaliki and usually produce in large quantity.
As ealier said that this product are produce in the rural areas by the farmer, the problem of transporting this goods from the village to where it is needed can only be done through transportation by land or train where the lather are still functional.