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Awareness and Practice of Contraception among Female Secondary School Students in Uyo, Nigeria
Get PDFAdolescent sexual activity is very prevalent in many countries. Unprotected premature sexual intercourse results in a high incidence of induced abortion, unwanted pregnancy and
sexually transmitted infections.
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the degree of awareness of contraception and its practice among female secondary school students in Itu, Akwa-Ibom State, Nigeria.
Method: A descriptive cross sectional study design was used to recruit 378 consenting female students selected by simple random sampling. Semi-structured, self-administered
questionnaires were administered after explanation of the study and assurance of confidentiality. Three hundred and twelve forms were properly filled and analysis was done manually on these using simple proportions and percentages.
Results: Majority of the respondents were Ibibio 220 (70.5%) and between 13 and 17 yrs old (89.6%). Two hundred and thirty six
(75.6%) were aware of contraception. Twenty nine (16.0%) of those who were sexually active had ever practice any form of
contraception. The three common forms of contraception known were the male condom (36.0%), the calendar method (34.0%) and the oral contraceptive pills (25%). The foremost sources of information about contraception were from TV/radio (36.0%), parents (25.0%) and female friends (14.8%). Of those who were sexually active 116(64.8%) had sexual debut at 11-15years of age. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the
level of awareness of contraception was high but the practice of contraception was comparatively low. It also demonstrated that
the age at sexual debut was early and the rate of sexual intercourse high. This emphasizes the need for provision of timely and accurate contraceptive information through sex
education in secondary schools in our environment.
Key words: Contraception, Awareness, Practice, Sexual debu
Corporate social responsibility of multinational corporations and the development of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria
Get PDFOne of the key objectives of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is to forge a harmonious relationship between corporations and society. But with the spate of youth restiveness and militancy in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria it is not clear that the CSR activities of multinational corporations (MNCs) in the region have yielded the desired effect. This study, therefore, set out to explore the effect of the corporate social responsibility activities of MNCs on the development of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Primary data were collected from a total of three hundred and seventy six (376) respondents judgmentally drawn from four states in the region. Data generated were analyzed using the multiple regression model. Interview method was also used. Findings showed that the multinational corporations operating in the Niger Delta region actually carried out some CSR activities and that those activities contributed to the development of the region. However, residents interviewed felt that the massive environmental pollution caused by the operations of the MNCs in the region had practically eclipsed the CSR activities of the multinational corporations. It is recommended that the MNCs should show greater sensitivity to environmental issues and, in particular, adopt international best practices in their oil exploration and production activities in the region
Shale volume and permeability of the Miocene unconsolidated turbidite sands of Bonga oil field, Niger delta, Nigeria
Get PDFBonga oil field is located 120km (75mi) southeast of the Niger Delta, Nigeria. It is a subsea type development located about 3500ft water depth and has produced over 330 mmstb of hydrocarbon till date with over 16 oil producing and water injection wells. The producing formation is the Middle to Late Miocene unconsolidated turbidite sandstones with lateral and vertical homogeneities in reservoir properties. This work, analysis the petrophysical properties of the reservoir units for the purpose of modeling the effect of shale content on permeability in the reservoir. Turbidite sandstones are identified by gamma-ray log signatures as intervals with 26-50 API, while sonic,
neutron, resistivity, caliper and other log data are applied to estimate volume of shale ranging between 0.972 v/v for shale intervals and 0.0549 v/v for turbidite sands, water saturation of 0.34 v/v average in most sand intervals, porosity range from 0.010 for shale intervals to 0.49 v/v for clean sands and permeability values for the send interval 11.46 to2634mD, for intervals between 7100 to 9100 ft., Data were analyzed using the Interactive Petrophysical software that splits the whole curve into sand and shale zones and estimates among other petrophysical parameters the shale contents of the prospective zones. While Seismic data revealed reservoir thickness ranging from 25ft to over 140ft well log data within the five wells have identified sands of similar thickness and estimated average permeability of700mD. Within the sand units across the five wells, cross plots of estimated porosity, volume of shale and permeability values reveal strong dependence of permeability on shale volume and a general decrease in permeability in intervals with shale volume
Investment Portfolio of Banks and Economic Growth in Nigeria: A Review from 1985 to 2015
Get PDFIn this study, the relationship between investment portfolio of banks and economic growth in Nigeria was examined. The work was designed to find out the structure and trend of bank investment portfolio in Nigeria and to establish the relationship between gross domestic product, unemployment rate, per capita income and bank investments in treasury bills, bonds and shares in Nigeria from 1985 to 2015. The desk research design was used and secondary data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Statistical Bulletin, publications of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) as well as internet sources, among others. The data collected were analyzed using the regression models and various test statistics including the t�statistic, f-ratio and Dublin Watson statistic. It is discovered that there exist significant relationship between the variables of economic growth and the variables of investment portfolio of banks in Nigeria. It was therefore concluded that although; there exist statistical significant relationship between the variables of economic growth and those of investment portfolio of banks in Nigeria, the real situation in the country is rather that of marginal and/or insignificant relationship. This is in view of the fact that even when there is an observed continuous increment in the total investment portfolio of banks, the level of economic growth in the country is rather abysmal. From the conclusions above, it was recommended, among others, that bank should
restructure their investment portfolio with focus on long term securities to ensure increase in the maturity and the volume of funds made available to the borrower through such investments and the various investment portfolio adjustments by banks in reaction to monetary policy changes and interest rate movements in the country should be properly managed, timed and harnessed with the bank policies, objectives and economic growth aspiration and direction of the government. Keywords: Investment portfolio, Portfolio mix, Economic growth, Shift ability theory and Profit maximization theory
Assessment of Sustainable Livelihood Assets of Farming Households in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
Get PDFThere is surfeit of evidence on increase poverty and low agricultural productivity among majority of rural dwellers in Nigeria. Researches have established an inverse linked between rural poverty and sustainable households’ asset based. Agricultural production, being the major livelihood source for majority of rural dwellers needs considerable asset or capital for it to be considered as sustainable. Based on this assertion, the study assesses the sustainable livelihood assets of farming households in Abak Local Government area of Akwa Ibom state in Southern region of Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 110 farming household heads in the study area. Structured questionnaires were used to collect cross sectional data from respondents. Descriptive tools were used to analyse data collected. The socioeconomic features of respondents revealed a sample population that is fast ageing, dominated by married male and moderately educated. Result also showed that, respondents had considerable piles of physical, social and natural assets to assist in livelihood sustenance. However, the index of capacity structure of sustainable livelihood assets revealed a huge deficiency in financial and human assets among farming households in the region. Hence, it is recommended that, farming households should increase their human assets by encouraging education of the younger household members. Also, efforts should be made to improve social capital formation among farming households and communities.
Keywords: Akwa Ibom State, farming household, livelihood asset, poverty, sustainabilit
Hypoglycemic efficacy of Ocimum gratissimum and Vernonia amygdalina compared with insulin and glibenclamide in type I and type II diabetic rat models
Get PDFObjective: To compare the efficacy of Ocimum gratissimum (O. gratissimum) and Vernonia amygdalina (V. amygdalina) with those of insulin and glibenclamide.
Methods: Type I and II diabetes mellitus (DM) were induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 65 mg/kg of streptozotocin and intraperitoneal administration of nicotinamide (100 mg/kg) along with streptozotocin, respectively. The state of diabetes was confirmed weekly by testing blood glucose level using a glucometer.
Results: The weekly blood glucose levels were higher in type I DM than in type II DM. Type I DM plus O. gratissimum showed a weekly progressive significant reduction in blood glucose compared to type I DM control. Type I DM control showed a duration dependent significant higher blood glucose concentration compared to normal control. Type I DM plus V. amygdalina also showed a time dependent significant lower glucose level compared to normal control and type I DM control. Combination treatment of type I DM (O. gratissimum plus V. amygdalina) showed a significantly elevated glucose concentration compared to normal control which was similar to type I DM control. Insulin treatment in type I DM showed a weekly progressive significant reduction of glucose concentration compared to normal control and type I DM control. Type II DM control showed a fairly constant blood glucose concentration throughout the duration of treatment that was significantly higher than that of the normal control. Type II DM plus O. gratissimum showed a fairly steady significant reduction of glucose concentration compared to type II DM control and normal control. Type II DM plus V. amygdalina also showed a fairly constant significant reduction of glucose concentration compared to type II DM control and normal control. Type II DM (O. gratissimum plus V. amygdalina) showed a slightly progressive significant reduction of glucose concentration compared to normal control and type II DM control. Type II DM with glibenclamide showed almost steady significant reduction in glucose concentration compared to normal control and type II DM control.
Conclusions: From the result, it is evident that O. gratissimum and V. amygdalina administration produces more potent hypoglycemic activity than insulin and glibenclamide in type I and II DM models, respectively.
Keywords: Ocimum gratissimum, Vernonia amygdalina, Insulin,
Glibenclamide, Diabetes mellitus, Blood glucos
Historical documentation of events through visual language: the Ochigbo’s paintings in retrospect
Get PDFThe history of painting dates back to the cave painting period in Altamira in Northern Spain. Then, it was
not seen as a source of documentation but rather, as a gateway to catching the painted animals as
prey. Today, modern painters paint because of circumstances surrounding the rationale for such
paintings. Ochigbo keyed into this perspective and he was never stingy with the reality of life in his
paintings. The purpose of modern painting is such that communication should take place non-verbally, using visual language. Mostly, colours without paints were made in his works, with the same (if not
more) functions, interpretations and references. In his paintings, plastics, rubber and other materials
were used to intimate the art lovers with the rudiments of in- depth understanding of the use of
alternative materials. The problem of preservation was addressed as he tried to use extraneous
materials as binder. The thrust of this paper is to expose the society to the fact that artist can equally
communicate through his art works, and not for painters to paint for aesthetic purposes only, but to
educate, document, correct and inform the public
Dimensions of Entrepreneurial Competencies of Agribusiness Managers in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria
Get PDFChallenges to business survival in developing regions have been noted to be different from those in the developed regions of the world. Thus, the competencies among the business managers in these regions differ considerably in magnitude and direction over eighteen traits that can influence the quality of performances technically; shortfall or proficiency of managers hinges on the quality of exhibition of these traits. Within this context, it became imperative to investigate the attributes of the enterprise managers who have successfully managed their enterprise over challenging business environment. This study assessed the entrepreneurial competencies of agribusiness operators in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. A sample size of 85 respondents were selected through snowballing sampling procedure from bakery and restaurant enterprises. Data collected were analyzed using factor analysis. Results reveal that competencies like proactively, networking, and self-efficacy, willingness to take risk, creative thinking and willingness to learn were being possessed by the firm managers. According to the results, it is of utmost importance for entrepreneurs to develop some specific competencies in order to obtain a higher performance.
Keywords: Competency, Entrepreneurial, Agribusiness, Food, Processors, Managers, Dimension
Microinsurance, micro investments and sustainable development in Nigeria
Get PDFThis article attempted to examine the relevance of microinsurance, in promoting micro investments and sustainable development in Nigeria. Specifically, this work sought to assess the nature, characteristics and operations of microinsurance and to establish the link between these elements and the growth of micro investments as well as the variables of sustainable development, such as poverty level in the country. The experimental, pilot and replicative research designs were used. Secondary data sourced from the publications of the National Insurance Commission of Nigeria, reports from Delta State Ministry of Poverty Alleviation, journals, text books and periodicals, among others were analysed qualitatively and descriptively. It was discovered that microinsurance has high potency in promoting micro investments or micro projects in the country based on the experience in Delta State where a lot of micro entrepreneurs, mainly the beneficiaries of the state microcredit scheme and Youth Empowerment Programmes, have been compensated through microinsurance scheme. This has promoted micro entrepreneurship, business growth, stability and continuity leading to poverty alleviation in the State. To this end, it was recommended that other states and relevant agencies should adopt the microinsurance scheme as experimented in Delta State. This is one of strategies for effective financial inclusion required for sustainable development as obtained in other countries of the world.
Keywords: Microinsurance, Micro Investments, Financial Inclusion, Sustainable Developmen
Awareness and desirability of antenatal attendees about analgesia during childbirth in a university teaching hospital in southern Nigeria
Get PDFBackground: Labour pain is among the most severe pains humans experience and when unrelieved, is associated
with adverse maternal and foetal effects.
Methods: Structured questionnaires were administered to 268 consenting parous women in the antenatal clinic of the
University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Nigeria over a 4-months period.
Results: The majority of the respondents were between 25-34 years (84.0%), and were well educated (64.4%). About
half (59.7%) of the respondents did not know that pain free labour was possible, while only 6.7% of the women had
pain relief in their last delivery. The majority (81.4%) desired pain relief during their next delivery. Books (35.1%)
and friends/relatives (32.4%) were the most common sources of information on pain relief in labour. Perception of pain was positively associated with the educational level of the women (P=0.013).There was also a significant association between ethnicity and desirability for labour pain relief.
Conclusions: The practice of obstetric analgesia in labour is far from optimal in our center. The need to create
awareness about pain relief in labour and its importance specifically among our antenatal clients cannot be
overemphasized.
Keywords: Labour analgesia, Antenatal attendees, Uy