CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, CORPORATE STRATEGY AND CORPORATE PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS LISTED ON THE NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

The study aimed at proving that corporate governance structures should work in tandem with other stakeholders of the company to fashion a robust corporate strategy for effective corporate performance. Undoubtedly, in most situations board squabble, ineptitude, inconsistent tenure of office during which members engage in arbitrage opportunities and rent seeking activities constitute the bane of achievement of corporate prime objectives. The study availed itself of the secondary data from Nigerian Stock Exchange Fact book where thirty three (33) out of forty eight (48) financial institutions were selected, tabulated and analyzed using Ordinary Least Squared (OLS) rule. A multiple regression model was applied in the analysis of the data. The result provided sufficient evidence of relationship between corporate governance and firm performance. It concluded that a talented board is a corner stone of an effective corporate governance system. Key words: Corporate governance, corporate strategy, corporate performance, earnings management

Triple Bottom Line Costs Reporting and Environmental/Social Restiveness: An Empirical Evaluation of Applicability Benefits to Oil and Gas Companies in Optimizing Corporate Image in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

This paper empirically examines the applicability of the triple bottom-line reporting framework by Oil Gas Companies in stemming the tide of social restiveness in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The objective of this paper is to examine if the triple-bottom-line reporting approach can be used as an effective tool in the restoration of much needed peace in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The research adopted the survey design method and the indices measured were derived from the UN Global Impact (a set of principle based standards for reporting business impact on the environment and the people) and GRI (Global Reporting Initiative). Data were analyzed using the ordinary least square regression method and the results show that youth restiveness is a function of social and environmental neglect and that the triple bottom reported approach can be adopted as a surrogate tool of financial reporting to stem the incidence of social restiveness in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. It was recommended that, in the interest of environmental and social justice vis-à-vis economic interest of the Oil and Gas Companies and that of the government of Nigeria, the Oil and Gas Companies should adopt the triple-bottom-line reporting framework as a panacea for restiveness in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Keywords: Triple bottom line costs, corporate social practices, corporate environmental practices, spillage control costs, decontamination costs, restiveness, corporate image, oil and gas companies, Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Efficiency of Divisionalization and Departmentalization on Corporate Returns with Regards to Transfer Pricing

The study was carried out to examine the effect of transfer pricing between divisions and departments on corporate returns. Data were gathered through questionnaire on the selected sample companies in Nigeria. The study found out that transferred prices relate to performance measurements in that they affect, and establish a ceiling on the amount of profit or markup that a division is able to generate on its products. It was equally established that divisionalisation encourages managers to be profit responsible. That is, it encourages responsibility for generation of revenues, cost control and  satisfactory returns on investment of capital in the operations of an organization. It was therefore recommended that high budgeted controllable profit target should be set if divisional mangers must make enough profit that will cover both their own operational cost and the corporate expenses. More so divisionalized companies should ensure that their divisional managers concentrate on increase of controllable profit thus focus on the revenues and costs under their control, and be less worried about costs they cannot control. Keywords: Efficiency, Divisionalization, Departmentalization, Corporate returns, Transfer  pricing, Performance measurement

An overview of anti-diabetic plants used in Gabon: Pharmacology and Toxicology

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Ethnopharmacological relevance: The management of diabetes mellitus management in African communities, especially in Gabon, is not well established as more than 60% of population rely on traditional treatments as primary healthcare. The aim of this review was to collect and present the scientific evidence for the use of medicinal plants that are in currect by Gabonese traditional healers to manage diabetes or hyperglycaemia based here on the pharmacological and toxicological profiles of plants with anti-diabetic activity. There are presented in order to promote their therapeutic value, ensure a safer use by population and provide some bases for further study on high potential plants reviewed. Materials and methods: Ethnobotanical studies were sourced using databases such as Online Wiley library, Pubmed, Google Scholar, PROTA, books and unpublished data including Ph.D. and Master thesis, African and Asian journals. Keywords including ‘Diabetes’ ‘Gabon’ ‘Toxicity’ ‘Constituents’ ‘hyperglycaemia’ were used. Results: A total of 69 plants currently used in Gabon with potential anti-diabetic activity have been identified in the literature, all of which have been used in in vivo or in vitro studies. Most of the plants have been studied in human or animal models for their ability to reduce blood glucose, stimulate insulin secretion or inhibit carbohydrates enzymes. Active substances have been identified in 12 out of 69 plants outlined in this review, these include Allium cepa and Tabernanthe iboga. Only eight plants have their active substances tested for anti-diabetic activity and are suitables for further investigation. Toxicological data is scarce and is dose-related to the functional parameters of major organs such as kidney and liver. Conclusion: An in-depth understanding on the pharmacology and toxicology of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is lacking yet there is a great scope for new treatments. With further research, the use of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is important to ensure the safety of the diabetic patients in Gabon.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Oil spillage cost, gas flaring cost and life expectancy rate of the Niger Delta people

Abstract The study examined the degree of influence of oil spillage and gas flaring costs on life expectancy rate of the Niger Delta people of Nigeria. It was intended to survey the life threatening impacts of lost revenue occasioned by oil spillage and gas flaring activities of the Oil and Gas companies operating in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria between 1979 and 2008. The descriptive survey research method was used to select forty oil and gas producing local government areas from the nine states of the Niger Delta region. Data on oil spillage rate, gas flaring rate, oil spillage volume, gas flaring volume, oil spillage cost and gas flaring cost were obtained from NNPC, the oil and gas companies and the Central Bank of Nigeria for the thirty years studied. Data for life expectancy were obtained from th

A Comparative Study of the Impact of teaching methods on Teaching Effectiveness and Pupils’ Skills Acquisition in Home Economics in Upper Basic Classes in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

The study examined the impact of teaching methods on Teaching Effectiveness and Pupils’ skills acquisition in Home Economics in Upper Basic Classes in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A comparative survey design was adopted for the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to identify the schools that actively teach and practice Home Economics, while one hundred and Eighty-Four (184) teachers (110 Females, 74 Males) were used as respondents in the study, selected through stratified sampling technique. A 15-item Questionnaire tagged: “Teaching Effectiveness for Skills Acquisition in Home Economics Questionnaire (TESAHEQ)”, was used for data collection in the study, arranged in a 4-point Likert Scale of Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (SD). The questionnaire was validated by one (1) experts in test and measurement and one (1) expert in home economics. Test-retest reliability index was used to ascertain the reliability of the Questionnaire and it produced a reliability coefficient of 0.88, proving the instrument reliable enough for use in the study. Two research questions and 2 hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. Descriptive statistics of mean was used to answer the research questions. Independent T-test was used to test the hypothesis formulated at 0.05 level of significance. The findings in the study revealed that learner-centered methods of teaching such as discussion, guided-demonstration, role-play, and dramatization method are highly effective in facilitating skills acquisition in pupils than teacher-centered method of teaching such as descriptive, lecture, demonstration/flipped classroom method. The result also proved a significant impact of Teaching Effectiveness on Pupils’ Skills Acquisition in Home Economics in Upper Basic Classes based on gender of the pupils. Based on the study, it was recommended among others that workshops, seminars and other modes of training be given to teachers to update their teaching skills for higher teaching effectiveness