Search results

The prevalence of some psychoactive substances use was investigated among secondary school adolescents in Bosso Local Government Area, Niger State, Nigeria by descriptive cross-sectional survey design. Data from self-administered Psychoactive Substance Abuse Questionnaire (PSAQ) were analysed, using appropriate statistics. Amongst one thousand seven hundred and nineteen (1719) valid (of the one thousand eight hundred and twenty, 1820) respondents responses, their use for coffee (1028 or 59.8%) and kola nuts (957 or 55.7%) were highly accepted while that for petrol (568 or 33.0%) was moderately accepted. Their substance use response for cigarette (462 or 26.9%) followed by marijuana (449 or 26.1%), codeine/cough syrup (402 or 23.4%), alcohol (395 or 23.0%), caffeine (251 or 14.6%), paints (227 or 13.2%), sleeping pills (217 or 12.6%), cannabis (196 or 11.4), amphetamine (190 or 11.1%) and gasoline (188 or 10.9%) was lowly accepted. Their least self-reported substance use for opium (1 or 0.1%) followed by valium (29 or 1.7%), Lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD, or solution (59 or 3.4%), glue (71 or 4.1%) and cocaine (89 or 5.2%) were not accepted. The result established the prevalent use of these common substances, with coffee, kola nuts and petrol seemingly serving as the gateway substances, among the studied adolescents. This study may have significant public health implications, warranting biochemical indicators assessment of the substances-induced toxicity in these adolescents to provide further basis for prevention and policy formulation programs. Regular counseling and enlightenment of the adolescents on the consequences of substance use are required, hence recommended.

Housing is one of the most important needs of individuals next to food and clothing. Housing needs for low income earners has reached an alarming stage in Nigeria. On the supply side, numerous government policies have earlier aimed at disabling the massive shortage through numerous housing reform programmes. Despite these preceding efforts, housing remains an illusion to an average Nigerian. This research assessed the effect of government policy on housing delivery in Nigeria. The objectives were to determine housing needs of the low income group in Nigeria and to determine the impact of government policies on affordable housing provision to the low income group. Survey method was used to collect data from 44 respondents through the administration of questionnaires which was analyzed with statistical tools. The findings from the study shows that insufficient fund is closely related to other finance related factors identified as barriers to the accessibility of public housing by the low income group who are non-public servants. Such factors as high interest rate, low per capita income, lack of security of income, lack of collateral and high cost of public houses. The study suggest the creation of a viable secondary mortgage market, improvement of land registration and allocation, compassionate urban renewal programmes, cost saving house designs amongst others.

The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) is an embodiment of development issues adopted by member nations of the United Nations Organization to accelerate the rate of development in their countries. As adopted in Nigeria, it aims at the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger; achievement of universal primary education or eradication of illiteracy; promotion of gender equality and empower women; reduction of child mortality; maternal health improvement; combating of HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensuring environmental sustainability; and the development of global partnership for development. These objectives are incorporated into the development agenda of the various member states. The achievement of these goals will among other things depend on the availability of necessary and sufficient infrastructural development in the countries, especially a developed transport system. This study examines the role transportation would play towards the realization of these MDGs in Nigeria. And each of these goals are examined in connection with their transportation factor requirements; and the consequences the lack (or inadequacy) of this factor can bear on fulfilling the Goals. The paper finds that the transport requirements for the achievement of these goals in Nigeria are lacking, especially in the rail transport sector. While appreciable progress is being made to develop the other transport sectors viz: air, road and water transport, the rail transport sector suffers neglect. The paper finds that the law establishing the railway makes the rail system an exclusive reserve of the Federal Government in Nigeria, and that this has prevented private participation in the sector and has led to the underdeveloped nature of rail transport system in the country and this inhibits the achievement of the millennium development goals in the country. The paper recommends the review of the act to allow for private participation in the sector to reposition the sector to provide the necessary transport services necessary for the realization of the millennium development goals in Nigeria. DOI:10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n6p433

A practical government policy on apprenticeship is a requirement to continuously advance and encourage the company toward top performance and adaptability for a long-term sustainability. In Nigeria, which has a significant young unemployment problem, apprenticeship has emerged as a key to reducing youth unemployment. Thus, sustainability of family businesses is a source of employment, and continuing apprenticeship practices have also raised the likelihood that an individual will obtain employment in the southern regions of Nigeria. This study aimed to examine how job creation, vocational and technical training, and apprentice competences aid in sustaining family business growth in southern Nigeria. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey and stratified sampling technique; a sample included 329 apprentices in 48 SMEs in southern regions of Nigeria. Using a five-point Likert scale questionnaire, data were analyzed using a normality test, linearity test, and multicollinearity test to ascertain the adequacy of the data. Correlation analysis was used to test the hypotheses. Findings revealed that job creation is related to sustainable family business growth; however, the strength of the correlation, though weak (30.0%), was statistically significant; a significant degree of association also existed between apprentice vocational training and sustainable family business growth; lastly, apprentice competences relate significantly to sustainable family business growth (72.1%, p < 0.05). The study concluded that continuous apprenticeship practices influence the objective of business growth as a pivot for socioeconomic development and a long-term sustainability of family businesses.
Acknowledgment The authors would like to sincerely appreciate the Editor-in-Chief and Reviewer(s) for their helpful comments that, in our view, have helped significantly to improve the quality of the manuscript.

Education and financial development are crucial factors in achieving better health, including the reduction of infant mortality. This article investigates the causal relationship between education, financial development and infant mortality rate using annual data for 81 countries for the period 1980–2015 and employing the Emirmahmutoglu and Rose (2011) Granger causality test procedure for heterogeneous mixed panels. The results show that, individually and jointly, education and financial development Granger cause infant mortality in some countries across the major regions of the world. This suggests that improved education and a developed financial system are likely to reduce the infant mortality rate. JEL Codes: C33; E25; I

The importance of fish in the diet of any human cannot be over-emphasized. The aim of this paper was to assess gender participation in fish production chain by specifically examining the socio-economic characteristics of respondents, fish product chain and value addition and gender participation in the different fish product chain as well as the challenges they face. The study was conducted in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria A simple random sampling technique was used to select one hundred (100) women fish farmers for the study and questionnaire administered while data obtained were analyzed using simple frequency and percentages. The result showed that male (55%) participated in fish production chain and are married 51%, while a major fish value added activity was smoking and drying of fish using solar power was ranked 1st with the mean of 3.00. In terms of gender role, women have less access to resources and decision making ranked 1st (3.00). The implication is that gender participation may led to poverty reduction and food security enhancement among respondents and so there should be a level playing field for all gender to participate actively in fish production value chain.

This paper attempted to descriptively analyze the nexus between energy pricing and investment finance as it relates to other potential economic variables required for the transformation of the Nigerian economy. The paper also make a comparative analysis of how such chosen macroeconomic variables such as FDI, HCI, Public investment, RGDP, Private investment, etc behave before and after democracy to determine the period where energy pricing, investment and financing and other macroeconomic variables impacted positively on the economy as a means of enhancing the standard of living of the ordinary Nigerian, their health status, infrastructural facilities like power etc. The study also uses the Error Correction Method(ECM) for analyzing the relationship among this macroeconomic variables to find out if there is a positive or negative unidirectional causal nexus from energy pricing, investment and finance. While a negative unidirectional nexus exist from inflation and the rate of interest, hence the result shows that energy pricing impacts positively on investment and finance. However, recommendations has been proffer for policy makers and the stakeholders, which if adequately implementated will enhance efficient and effective management of Nigeria energy and investment finance with the broad aim of transforming the economy and positioning it for global relevance. DOI:10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n4p215

This paper investigated the relationship between corporate profitability and web-based environmental disclosure in Nigeria. The manufacturing sector, representing the real sector of the Nigerian economy was selected, and the role of public administration as a moderating factor was considered as a variable. The study adopted the quantitative panel methodology of the ex post facto and correlational research design. Secondary data were extracted from the fact books of the Nigerian Stock Exchange for the period, 2014 and 2019. The 83 manufacturing companies listed on the Stock Exchange represented the population of the study. The sample used was 69. Three hypotheses were tested at a 0.05 level of significance. Multiple and simple regression analyses were used on the data collected to find the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The findings indicated an insignificant negative relationship between web-based environmental disclosure (WED) and earnings per share (EPS) on one hand and an insignificant positive relationship between WED and return on asset (ROA) on the other. It was recommended that quoted firms can use the findings of the study to enhance their disclosure of environmental incidents while government policies should strengthen regulatory bodies to carry out their oversight functions. Listed firms should own websites and dedicate separate pages on their corporate websites solely for reporting environmental events.

This paper investigated the relationship between corporate profitability and web-based environmental disclosure in Nigeria. The manufacturing sector, representing the real sector of the Nigerian economy was selected, and the role of public administration as a moderating factor was considered as a variable. The study adopted the quantitative panel methodology of the ex post facto and correlational research design. Secondary data were extracted from the fact books of the Nigerian Stock Exchange for the period, 2014 and 2019. The 83 manufacturing companies listed on the Stock Exchange represented the population of the study. The sample used was 69. Three hypotheses were tested at a 0.05 level of significance. Multiple and simple regression analyses were used on the data collected to find the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The findings indicated an insignificant negative relationship between web-based environmental disclosure (WED) and earnings per share (EPS) on one hand and an insignificant positive relationship between WED and return on asset (ROA) on the other. It was recommended that quoted firms can use the findings of the study to enhance their disclosure of environmental incidents while government policies should strengthen regulatory bodies to carry out their oversight functions. Listed firms should own websites and dedicate separate pages on their corporate websites solely for reporting environmental events.