JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND ALLIED RESEARCH
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CORRUPTION, POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH: EVIDENCE FROM PANEL DATA
Get PDFCorruption has been an issue of major political and economic significance in Africa. The expectation that democracy offers a potential route to dealing with the developmental bottleneck of the region, has led to a resurgence of interest in analyzing the nexus between corruption, political instability and economic growth. This study examined these crucial links for seven West African countries considered as the hot-spot of the region from 2002-2018 using panel cointegration, panel dynamic OLS and causality. The results from the panel cointegration shows evidence of long run relationship between corruption, political instability and economic growth. The result of the panel dynamic OLS shows a negative and significant relationship between index of political instability and index of corruption. Also, the result from the Granger-causality shows evidence of unidirectional causality running from corruption and political instability to economic growth. Based on the result that emanated from this study, we suggest a critical need for politically fragmented states with high level of political instability to address the underlying problem that paved the way for conflict through concerted effort. This can be achieved through the design and implementation of policies that will address structural imbalances in the socio-economic and political space of the countries experiencing conflict. Also, corruption can be curbed or minimize by enhancing the quality of governance through intense institutional reform for better economic outcomes
DOES INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY MATTER IN PUBLIC SECTOR EFFICIENCY IN NIGERIA?
Get PDFThis paper examined whether ICT matters in Public Sector Efficiency in Nigeria using secondary data from 2000 and 2019. The objective of the study is to determine whether or not ICT is relevant in improving public sector efficiency in Nigeria. The paper also employed the co-integration regression technique to analyze the results. Relevant theories and literature were reviewed to give relevance to the study area. The result suggests that ICT had a significant positive relationship with Public Sector Efficiency in Nigeria. It further revealed that ICT and efficiency are co-integrated suggesting the existence of a long-run equilibrium relationship in the public sector of Nigeria. The coefficient of ICT is inelastic suggesting that an increase or decrease in ICT contribution to GDP will increase or reduce the efficiency of the Public Sector in Nigeria. The relationship between ICT and efficiency extends to the long run. Government policies on ICTs influence efficiency in the public sector of the economy especially when there are ICT investment and ICT use. There are also evidences that capital stock, labour, educational output, foreign direct investments and corruption perception index scores were significant in determining public sector efficiency in Nigeria. The paper concludes that the ICT sector has not been fully utilized given its potentials in the country. The government could perform better with the suggestions of this paper
EFFECT OF MENTORING ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN ABIA STATE (A STUDY OF SELECTED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS)
Get PDFMentoring involves the facilitation of personal and professional growth of a person by a more experienced person through sharing of knowledge and insight garnered over the years. This study examines the effect of mentoring on employee performance using selected educational institutions as a case study. The study aimed at assessing mentoring perception of staff as a developmental tool on employee performance. A survey research design was employed in the study and the population comprises academic and non-academic staff of Abia state University Uturu and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike. Data were collected through primary and secondary sources and analyzed using descriptive statistics, regression analytical tools and ANOVA. The results of the analysis show that mentoring perception, mentoring style, and mentoring communication are prime drivers of employee performance especially in the institutions of higher learning. The study recommends that tertiary institutions need to establish formal mentoring programs as a platform for interaction between the experienced academic staff and inexperienced ones so as to improve academic staff performance
THE PARADOX OF POVERTY IN PLENITUDE: X-RAYING THE IMPACT OF 2017 ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND GROWTH PLAN ON SOLID MINERALS INDUSTRY IN NIGERIA
Get PDFSocio-economic activities in the Nigerian mining industry which hitherto discovery of hydrocarbons contributed immensely to national economy, began to stifle from the mid-1970s following the outrageous dependence of the nation on crude oil as a major source of revenue and foreign exchange. Consequently, efforts made by various government administrations to revive the sector did yield the expected results. Sequel to global crises in the crude oil market which elicited economic recession in Nigeria, the Federal Government launched Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) in 2017 to drive reforms in key areas of the economy including the mining sector. The paper therefore interrogates the impact of ERGP on the growth of Nigeria’s mining industry. We relied on the qualitative data collected through secondary sources such as scholarly works, official documents, and media reports; and were analyzed descriptively. The study revealed among others that dominance of informal artisanal mining and existence of loopholes for revenue losses have impacted negatively on growth of the Nigerian solid minerals industry. We recommended inter alia that the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development should decentralize the Nigerian Cadastral Office to facilitate transition into a formalized mining economy and establish effective policing of the mining fields to curtail revenue thievery and leakage
AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON EFFECTS OF MOTIVATION ON HIGHER EDUCATION LECTURER’S PERFORMANCE: MODERATING EFFECT OF WORKING CONDITION
Get PDFIn the modern world, education is broadly established to be the prominent mechanism for promoting economic progress. In Nigeria, Higher education is a crucial aspect of education and is expected to contribute significantly to economic growth and development. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between motivation and higher education lecturer’s performance and the moderating effects of working environment on the relationship using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The target population consists of all polytechnics academic staff in Kebbi state (Kebbi state polytechnic Dakin Gari and Waziri Umaru federal polytechnic Birnin Kebbi). Simple random sampling is used for the collection of data from the academic staff. Of the 310 questionnaires that were returned, 299 were deemed usable for data analysis using PLS-SEM. The findings of the study revealed that motivation and working environment have a positive and significant relationship with the lecturer’s performance. However, it was revealed that the working environment does not moderate the relationship between motivation and the lecturer’s performance. The research recommends the management of the higher institutions to motivate staff and should improve their working conditions to enable them to be safe in their workplaces and increase their performance. This study may benefit higher institutions by encouraging workers to contribute more to their jobs and may help them in their personal growth and development. Hence, an organization needs to motivate their employees to work hard and provide a conducive working environment for achieving the organizational goals and objectives
IMPACT OF BANK CREDIT ON MANUFACTURING SECTOR OUTPUT IN NIGERIA
Get PDFThis study examines impact of bank credit on manufacturing sector output in Nigeria. The study sourced secondary data from CBN statistical bulletin for the period of 1986-2017. Manufacturing sector output serves as explained variable, while bank credit and inflation rate serve as explanatory variables. The study adopts ADF and PP tests of stationarity to determine the order of integration of the variables; ARDL model and ganger causality to test the hypotheses that bank credit does not have significant impact on manufacturing sector output; there is no significant long-run relationship between bank credit and manufacturing sector output; and there is no causality between bank credit and manufacturing sector output. Post-estimation tests were also conducted. The findings suggest that manufacturing sector output and bank credit at first difference, and inflation rate at level were stationary; unidirectional causality from manufacturing sector output to bank credit; bank credit exerts significant positive impact on manufacturing sector output; and significant long run relationship among variables. The model is, not serially correlated, homoscedastic, normally distributed, and stable. Based on the findings, the study recommends that existing functional policies such as credit rationing should be strengthened to attract potential investors in the manufacturing sector. Regulatory authorities should encourage the manufacturing sector through accessible and affordable bank credit that will encourage investors in the manufacturing sector to access adequate loan facility to enhance productivity in the sector; and specialized institutions should be licensed by CBN that will be solely responsible for allocating soft credit for manufacturing investment in Nigeria
DETERMINANTS OF POVERTY STATUS AMONG FARMING HOUSEHOLDS IN ODOGBOLU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OGUN STATE
Get PDFThis study examines the poverty status of farming households in Odogbolu Local Government area of Ogun State. Data were collected from 120 farming households. Multistage sampling procedure was adopted in this study. Descriptive statistics, Foster Greer and Thorbeck (FGT) and Tobit regression model were used for the data analysis. The result shows that 26.7% of the household were poor. The female headed household were poorer (42%) that the male headed household (21%). Poverty was pronounced among the married. The tobit regression result shows that age, household size significantly increase poverty status at (p<0.10) and (p<0.01) respectively, while land size cultivated by farmers significantly reduce it at (p<0.05). To alleviate poverty, the study concluded that large family size should be discouraged through intense orientation campaign for birth control or family planning and its benefit, so as to minimize dependency ratio. Also measure should be taken towards encouraging farmers to cultivate large farm size by providing land, implements such as tractors, spraying machine etc. that could aid their farming activities, enhances their productivity thereby increase their income and this will be in collaboration sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)- Goal 1: “To end poverty in all its forms everywhere
IMPACT OF ROTATING SAVINGS AND CREDIT ASSOCIATION (ROSCA) ON THE PERFORMANCE OF MSMEs IN ANAMBRA STATE
Get PDFThis study examined the impact of rotating savings and credit association (ROSCA) on the performance of micro small and medium scale enterprises in Anambra State: a case of Idemili South and Aguata Local Government Area. The study employed the Transaction Cost Theory to explain the relationship between ROSCA and the performance of MSMEs in Anambra State. A sample of 400 ROSCAs members were drawn from both local governments using purposive random sampling. Data were analysed using frequency, percentages and binary logit regression analysis for inferential statistics. The result of findings revealed that membership of ROSCA has the likelihood of 642.3 percent (7.423 odd ratio) to improve MSMEs performance in Anambra state. In addition, the study showed that access to credit from formal financial organisation has the potential (not significant) likelihood of 93.2 percent to reduce MSMEs performance in Anambra state. Finally, the result of findings showed that access to government special intervention funds for MSMEs has the potential (non-significant) likelihood of 62.6 percent to improve MSMEs performance in Anambra state. Based on research findings, the study made the following recommendations among others: Government and its financial regulatory agency should adopt policy that will integrate ROSCAs with formal financial institutions rather than seeking to eliminate them
MICROFINANCE CREDIT AND ASSET ACQUISITION BY WOMEN TRADERS IN AKURE METROPOLIS, ONDO STATE
Get PDFThis study evaluated the effect of microfinance credit on micro and small-scale women traders’ asset acquisition in Akure Metropolis. Survey design was used for the study. Primary data were collected. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the women traders (16,570) on the list of Lapo and Nigeria Police Force microfinance, Akure Metropolis. The sample size (391) was selected by Taro Yamane’s formula. Structured copies of questionnaire were used to collect data, while data were analyzed with Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC). Hypothesis was tested with PPMCC in conjunction with Chi-square, at .05 level of significance. The result showed a positive and high correlation (.851) between microfinance credit and small-scale women traders’ asset acquisition. Also, microfinance credit had a significant effect (p = 0.000) on women traders’ asset acquisition in the study area. The paper recommends the need for women traders in Nigeria in generally and Ondo State in particular, to have adequate access to credit in other to afford more assets and expand their businesses
FACTORS INFLUENCING ACCESS TO MICROCREDIT BY MICROENTERPRISES IN NIGERIA: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF MICROFINANCE BANKS
Get PDFThis is a qualitative study of microcredit supply from the microfinance banks (MFBs) to microenterprises in the three senatorial zones of Kano state that involved interviews with eight staff selected from the MFBs’ branches in the study area, using a purposive sampling technique. It intended to investigate how borrower’s attributes and that of his business influence MFB’s decision to approve credit application. Nvivo 10 software was used to analyse the information gathered from the interviews. Age of borrower, his family size, location of his business, initial investment and his business size (in terms number of employees) were found to be important factors that influence the supply/approval of credit application. It is recommended based on the findings that, policy should be designed to reduce the influence of these factors in credit lending and to provide rural areas with facilities to further stimulate credit demand that will subsequently enhance credit supply in the country