Constitutional Issues and Challenges of Local Government Administration in Nigeria: A Theoretical Discuss

The controversies over the operations of local government system of administration in Nigeria has become a major discuss recently. As a third tier of government, local government was introduced as a means of bringing governance closer to the people toward meeting the needs and aspirations of the people at grassroots level. However, since the entrenchment of this system of administration in the constitution, there have been series of controversies over the real position of local government under the authorities of states and the government at the centre over the establishments, control and supervisions of its activities as enshrined in the sections 7 (1) and 8 (6) of the 1999 constitution. However, this article regrets to note that the gains made in local governments’ administration across Nigeria after series of reforms before the emergence of 1999 constitution have been depreciating especially with the controversial sections in the constitution. The paper delved critically into the factors that account for this oft-touted performances and discovered that contradictions in some sections of the constitutions accounted for the logjam. With theoretical approach in its analysis, the paper concluded that there is need to address the perceived contradictions in sections 7 (1) and 8 (6) of the 1999 constitution in order to reposition local government system in Nigeria towards enhancing its service delivery to the grassroots populace

The assessment of effect of performance appraisal purposes on employee performance in Nigerian civil service

The indispensable role of employees in the success of any organisation cannot be overemphasised, given that employees play a fundamental role in accomplishing organisations’ objectives. However, poor employee performance would jeopardise the accomplishment of organisational goals and targets. Employee performance has turn out to be a source of concern to numerous organisations in Nigeria, most especially in Nigerian civil service. In addressing this issue, this research projected a conceptual prototype which specifies that performance appraisal purposes would have a positive effect on employee performance in Nigerian civil service. Employing far-reaching literature investigation, this paper offered a logic-based and empirically-based theoretical consideration to discourse the acknowledged research issues. The discoveries of this paper stressed that performance appraisal purposes do have an optimistic effect on the performance of the employee, and that performance appraisal purposes are a useful instrument that could enable organisations to achieve employee efficiency. This implies that, to improve the performance of the worker, organisations should give consideration to the provisions of the present work’s research model. This has turned out to be essential because it encompasses the basic principles required for inducing workforces to put in their best. It is anticipated that the review would aid in showing the interested party in the Nigerian Civil Service the process of enhancing employee performance via performance appraisal purposes. However, the projected prototype could be empirically solidified more by collection and analysis of relevant data

High risk sexual behavior among adolescent senior secondary school students in Nigeria

Background: The consequences of high risk sexual practices (HRSP) are enormous among adolescent senior secondary school students. They therefore  need to have sufficient knowledge of HRSP.Aim Objectives: The study gauged the level of knowledge and perceptions of high risk sexual behavior among senior secondary school students in Ilorin, Nigeria with a view to improving their understanding of the current trends in HRSP. This  was a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive study of adolescent secondary school students in Ilorin East Local Government Area. Multi – stage sampling method involving 3 stages was used. A semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to obtain data. Informed consent of respondents was obtained. The data was analyzed using SPSS windows software package version 17.Results: Majority, 305 (69.5%) of the students were between 16 – 20 years. The major source of information was from movies, 42.5%, and the internet, 24.7%. Twenty-three percent (23.1%) had poor knowledge of HRSP. Thirty-eight percent (38.1%) did not consider indiscrimi- nate sexual intercourse as HRSP while 27.9% still believed that unprotected sexual practice is safe. Thirty-four percent (34.2%) did not  know that sex with multiple  partners is a HRSP while 34.4% did not know that oral –genital sex is unsafe.  Over thirty-two (32.9%) perceived that engaging in sex made them mature among peers. Twenty-four (24.7%) did not perceive any danger in keeping multiple sexual partners while 15.3% would still engage in unprotected sex.Conclusion: The students had relatively poor knowledge and perceptions of HRSP. Quite a number did not consider indiscriminate sexual intercourse as HRSP. An appreciable number did not perceive any danger in keeping multiple sexual partners or beingengaged in unprotected sex. Counselling on the dangers of HRSP should be a component of the school health services so as to curb the complications of HRSP in our secondary schools.Keywords: Knowledge, attitude , perception , high risk sexual practices, Nigeri

Universal newborn hearing screening programme in Nigeria: overview and emerging issues

Although universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) program is indispensable to improving the health level of newborns, two thirds of the people with simple to extreme hearing impairment live in developing nations including Nigeria. Thus, surveying the current UNHS practices in Nigeria is considered imperative to discern the existing UNHS model and identify the existing issues and challenges facing UNHS implementation in the country. Based on the comprehensive review of reports, published research, and other relevant materials, this paper presented a logic-based and empirically-based conceptual discussion regarding the existing UNHS model in Nigeria. The findings of this research indicate that implementation of the UNHS in Nigeria is still at low ebb. The little success recorded in the implementation of UNHS is mostly noticeable in Lagos, South-western Nigeria. There are however problems and challenges, which include deficiency of the screening equipment and inadequate facilities for training the manpower, hindering the implementation of the program in Nigeria. Although there is no problem that is unsurmountable, some of the ways-out of these problems and issues include: recruitment of more hands to handle the screening, creation of awareness using both print and electronic media to sensitize the parents on the importance of UNHS, and creation of awareness to the expectant mothers by the health providers during the pre- natal periods. Also, government should create more screening centers which should be well-equipped. There should also be periodic seminars and workshops to update the knowledge of the concerned health workers caregivers. In addition, literature review conducted in this paper revealed that there is dearth of research on UNHS in the context of Nigeria. Therefore, future researchers should direct their focus towards UNHS research field as this will expand the scope of the existing body of knowledge

Using employee creativity to unpack the 'black box' in the High-Performance Work System (HPWS)- firm performance nexus

The extant research findings have identified lacunas (i.e. gaps, unresolved issues, and black box) in the High-Performance Work System (HPWS)-Performance relationship and suggested usage of a mechanism (mediator) that can close up the identified lacunas. Thus, this study investigates whether employee creativity can play a mediating role in the relationship between HPWS and firm non-financial performance. The sample size of the study is 518, and respondents were selected through stratified sampling technique. Data were collected from the sampled 518 managers in Nigeria

High risk sexual behavior among adolescent senior secondary school students in Nigeria

Background: The consequences of high risk sexual practices (HRSP) are enormous among adolescent senior secondary school students. They therefore need to have sufficient knowledge of HRSP. Aim Objectives: The study gauged the level of knowledge and perceptions of high risk sexual behavior among senior secondary school students in Ilorin, Nigeria with a view to improving their understanding of the current trends in HRSP. This was a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive study of adolescent secondary school students in Ilorin East Local Government Area. Multi \u2013 stage sampling method involving 3 stages was used. A semi-structured interviewer administered questionnaire was used to obtain data. Informed consent of respondents was obtained. The data was analyzed using SPSS windows software package version 17. Results: Majority, 305 (69.5%) of the students were between 16 \u2013 20 years. The major source of information was from movies, 42.5%, and the internet, 24.7%. Twenty-three percent (23.1%) had poor knowledge of HRSP. Thirty-eight percent (38.1%) did not consider indiscriminate sexual intercourse as HRSP while 27.9% still believed that unprotected sexual practice is safe. Thirty-four percent (34.2%) did not know that sex with multiple partners is a HRSP while 34.4% did not know that oral \u2013genital sex is unsafe. Over thirty-two (32.9%) perceived that engaging in sex made them mature among peers. Twenty-four (24.7%) did not perceive any danger in keeping multiple sexual partners while 15.3% would still engage in unprotected sex. Conclusion: The students had relatively poor knowledge and perceptions of HRSP. Quite a number did not consider indiscriminate sexual intercourse as HRSP. An appreciable number did not perceive any danger in keeping multiple sexual partners or beingengaged in unprotected sex. Counselling on the dangers of HRSP should be a component of the school health services so as to curb the complications of HRSP in our secondary schools. DOI: Cite as: Odeigah L, Rasaki SO, Ajibola AF, Hafsat AA, Sule AG, Musah Y. High risk sexual behavior among adolescent senior secondary school students in Nigeria. Afri Health Sci. 2019;19(1). 1467-1477. https://dx.doi. org/10.4314/ahs. v19i1.2

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Fatigue Design Challenges of Transition Pieces from Decommissioned Platforms for Offshore Wind Energy

All structures are subjected to various loading conditions and combinations. For offshore structures, these loads include permanent loads, hydrostatic pressure, wave, current, and wind loads. Typically, sea environments in different geographical regions are characterized by the 100-year wave height, surface currents, and velocity speeds. The main problems associated with the commonly used, deterministic method is the fact that not all waves have the same period, and that the actual stochastic nature of the marine environment is not taken into account. Offshore steel structure fatigue design is done using the DNVGL-RP-0005:2016 standard which takes precedence over the DNV-RP-C203 standard (2012). Fatigue analysis is necessary for oil and gas producing offshore steel structures which were first constructed in the Gulf of Mexico North Sea (the 1930s) and later in the North Sea (1960s). Fatigue strength is commonly described by S-N curves which have been obtained by laboratory experiments. The rapid development of the Offshore wind industry has caused the exploration into deeper ocean areas and the adoption of new support structural concepts such as full lattice tower systems amongst others. The optimal design of offshore wind support structures including foundation, turbine towers, and transition piece components putting into consideration, economy, safety, and even the environment is a critical challenge. In this study, fatigue design challenges of transition pieces from decommissioned platforms for offshore wind energy are proposed to be discussed. The fatigue resistance of the material and structural components under uniaxial and multiaxial loading is introduced with the new fatigue design rules whilst considering the combination of global and local modeling using finite element analysis software programs