Bank credit and economic activity in a developing economy

The importance of bank credit to financing economic activity and development has been the subject of empirical analysis for decades. This paper contributes to the debate by evaluating the effect of bank credit on economic activity using a developing economy data. The study period ranged from January 2007 to December 2017. Estimates from descriptive statistics show that the economic activity and bank credit series are negatively skewed and peaked, with non-normal distribution. The results generated for the Augmented Dickey unit root test showed that at the level form, all the variables are non-stationary but after first differencing the variables became stationary and integrated of order one (i.e. I(1)). The results obtained from the multiple regression model show that bank credit has a positive and significant effect on the economic activity. We, therefore, conclude that bank credit has a predictive influence on economic activity. One of the implications of this conclusion is that banking system regulators should formulate policies that enhance access to credit to the private sector while containing inflation.&nbsp

Influence of Maize Varieties and Date of Planting Cowpea into Maize/Cowpea Intercropping System in Makurdi, Southern Guinea Savannah, Nigeria

نتائج مسابقة عام في عام 2015 م - جامعة الملك عبدالعزيز - كلية الزراعة - جامعة بيرزيت. كانت تجرب عبارة عن قطعة 2 * 2 × 3 مجزأة بتقسيم الانجليزيه ويشكل نظام المحاصيل (وحيد ومتداخل) المؤامرة الرئيسية ، ويقدر الذرة الشامية (ACR 89 DMESR-W و AK 94 DMESR-Y) الذرة) جزء المؤامرة الفرعية. النتائج تم تم تم تم قيم تم قيم تم قيم تم قيم تم قيم تم قيم تم قيم تم قيم تمتأثرت كل من الذرة العجيبة (نسبة 50 ٪ من نضج القرون) بشكل كبير بأصناف الذرة. كما تأثر كل أنواع نمو اللوبيا وحروفها (ما عدا 50 ٪ من نضج القرون) تنخفض هذه الأوقات مع 50٪ من الإزهار والأيام إلى 50 ٪ من نضخ القرون والتي تزداد مع تأخير وقت الغرس. أشكال العرض والعضلات ذات الصلة. كان فارايتي AK 94 DMESR-Y مختلفًا بشكل كبير عن مجموعة ACR 89 DMESR-W. تنخفض هذه الأوقات مع 50٪ من الإزهار والأيام إلى 50 ٪ من نضخ القرون والتي تزداد مع تأخير وقت الغرس.أشكال العرض والعضلات ذات الصلة. كان فارايتي AK 94 DMESR-Y مختلفًا بشكل كبير عن مجموعة ACR 89 DMESR-W. تنخفض هذه الأوقات مع 50٪ من الإزهار والأيام إلى 50 ٪ من نضخ القرون والتي تزداد مع تأخير وقت الغرس. أشكال العرض والعضلات ذات الصلة. كان فارايتي AK 94 DMESR-Y مختلفًا بشكل كبير عن مجموعة ACR 89 DMESR-W.تأثرت كل خصائص النمو والعائد (بشكل قريب). LER (1.48 و 1.46) ؛ تم الحصول على LEC (0.52 و 0.49) والنسبة المئوية للأرض المحفوظة عند زراعة اللوبيا في نفس الوقت مع الذرة باستخدام الذرة الشامية ACR 89 DMESR-W التي قبل أعلى مستوى من التوافق بين النظام

BREAKING OF DORMANCY AND SPROUTING OF SOME POTATO (Solanum Tuberosum l.) VARIETIES UNDER DIFFERENT STORAGE CONDITIONS AND DURATIONS IN JOS, PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

A study was carried out at the National Root Crops Research Institute, Potato program (NRCRI) Kuru, Jos Plateau State, Nigeria (Longitude 08OE 47I, Latitude 09O N 44I and 1,239 meters above sea level (msl) during the 2010-2011, 2011-2012 and 2012- 2013 seasons to investigate “The Breaking of Dormancy and sprouting of some Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) varieties under Different Storage Conditions and Durations in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria”. Five potato varieties: Nicola, Bertita, Diamant, BR63-18 and Roslin Ruaka were stored for three periods: 12, 24 and 32 weeks in three types of stores, the Room temperature Store, Diffused light store (DLS) and Air conditioned store. The experimental design used was completely randomized design in factorial combination of 5 potato varieties, 3 storage conditions and 3 storage durations. There were 45 treatment combinations replicated 3 times. Weekly temperatures and Relative humidity were recorded in each type of store. The result showed that the number of days to breaking of Dormancy tubers varied with variety. In all the seasons, Nicola took the longest number of days to break dormancy (102.67, 121.33 and 119.00 days in seasons 1, 2and 3 respectively) while, BR63-18 was the earliest to break dormancy except in season 3 where Diamant was the first to break dormancy. Storage under Air condition took the longest number of days to break dormancy in all the seasons (85.67, 97.07 and 102.20 days in seasons 1, 2 and 3 respectively) while the Room temperature store was the earliest to break dormancy (67.66, 85.40 and 78.87 days in seasons 1, 2 and 3 respectively). The number of sprouted tubers varied with variety. Nicola resulted in the highest number of sprouted tubers in seasons 1 and 3 (35.56 and 33.85 respectively) while BR63-18 was highest in season 2. Storage under air condition resulted in highest number of sprouted tubers in seasons 1 and 3 (33.44 and 35.80 respectively). The number of sprouted tubers increased from 12 to 24 weeks and declined at 32 weeks in seasons 1 and 3. Seed tuber storage for 32 weeks resulted in significantly lower number of sprouted tubers in all the seasons. There was significant interaction of variety X store type, variety X storage duration and store type X storage duration with respect to number of sprouted tubers. The interaction may be attributed to genetic composition of the varieties and environmental conditions of the storage

Detection and phenotypic characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from clinical and community samples in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Objective: The objective of this study was to isolate and phenotypically characterize methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)from clinical and community samples in Abakaliki, Nigeria.Methods: A total of 709 clinical (303) and community samples (406) samples were obtained for this study. MRSA isolates were detected using Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method with the inclusion of 1 μg oxacillin and cefoxitin antibiotic disc. The isolates were screened for the β-lactamase production using nitrocefin sticks.Results: A total of 44 MRSA isolates were obtained from the samples with prevalence frequency of 22.6 % and 20.8 % from clinical and community samples respectively. The clinical isolates were completely resistant (100 %) to ceftazidime, tetracycline and penicillin. Gentamicin and ciprofloxacin were the most effective antibiotics against the clinical and community isolates respectively with a susceptibility frequency of 63.2 % and 80 %. Exactly 38.1 % and 24.2 % of the clinical and community S. aureus isolates were positive for beta-lactamase production respectively. The HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA isolates had MARI valueswithin the range of 0.3 to 1.0.Conclusion: This present findings of multi-drug resistance MRSA is very worrisome as it further highlights the pressing need to keep a strict watch on MRSA emerging from this study area.Keywords: MRSA, beta-lactamase, antibiotics, multidrug resistance, clinical samples, community samples

Incarcerated individuals and education programmes in Nigeria: A task for social workers

Much is not known about education programmes for Nigerian incarcerated individuals. Consequently, different correctional institutions worldwide have different forms of correctional education offered to incarcerated individuals. Nigerian incarcerated individuals perceive that there are implementations of education programmes offered to them. However, little or nothing is known about how incarcerated individuals perceive these education programmes. To this end, this study ascertains the incarcerated individuals’ perception of education programmes as well as the expectations of social work profession in ensuring that incarcerated individuals in correctional institutions are provided with quality education. In-depth interviews involving 20 convicted incarcerated individuals from Owerri correctional centre were conducted. Thematic analysis was used in analyzing data generated for the study. Findings show that education programmes are available and essential, but the quality of the programme does not go down well with the incarcerated individuals. It also revealed that incarcerated individuals were not allowed to decide on the type of education programme to be involved in. To this end, their participation in the programme is jeopardized. The findings further revealed that little or nothing is known about social workers in prison education. Therefore, the inclusion of correctional social workers as an integral part of education programmes that aim to reform, rehabilitate and reintegrate incarcerated individuals becomes necessary

A longitudinal survey of African animal trypanosomiasis in domestic cattle on the Jos Plateau, Nigeria:prevalence, distribution and risk factors

BACKGROUND: Trypanosomiasis is a widespread disease of livestock in Nigeria and a major constraint to the rural economy. The Jos Plateau, Nigeria was free from tsetse flies and the trypanosomes they transmit due to its high altitude and the absence of animal trypanosomiasis attracted large numbers of cattle-keeping pastoralists to inhabit the plateau. The Jos Plateau now plays a significant role in the national cattle industry, accommodating approximately 7% of the national herd and supporting 300,000 pastoralists and over one million cattle. However, during the past two decades tsetse flies have invaded the Jos Plateau and animal trypanosomiasis has become a significant problem for livestock keepers. METHODS: In 2008 a longitudinal two-stage cluster survey on the Jos Plateau. Cattle were sampled in the dry, early wet and late wet seasons. Parasite identification was undertaken using species-specific polymerase chain reactions to determine the prevalence and distribution bovine trypanosomiasis. Logistic regression was performed to determine risk factors for disease. RESULTS: The prevalence of bovine trypanosomiasis (Trypanosoma brucei brucei, Trypanosoma congolense savannah, Trypanosoma vivax) across the Jos Plateau was found to be high at 46.8% (39.0 – 54.5%) and significant, seasonal variation was observed between the dry season and the end of the wet season. T. b. brucei was observed at a prevalence of 3.2% (1% – 5.5%); T. congolense at 27.7% (21.8% - 33.6%) and T. vivax at 26.7% (18.2% - 35.3%). High individual variation was observed in trypanosomiasis prevalence between individual villages on the Plateau, ranging from 8.8% to 95.6%. Altitude was found to be a significant risk factor for trypanosomiasis whilst migration also influenced risk for animal trypanosomiasis. CONCLUSIONS: Trypanosomiasis is now endemic on the Jos Plateau showing high prevalence in cattle and is influenced by seasonality, altitude and migration practices. Attempts to successfully control animal trypanosomiasis on the Plateau will need to take into account the large variability in trypanosomiasis infection rates between villages, the influence of land use, and husbandry and management practices of the pastoralists, all of which affect the epidemiology of the disease

Social factors affecting seasonal variation in bovine trypanosomiasis on the Jos Plateau, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: African Animal Trypanosomiasis (AAT) is a widespread disease of livestock in Nigeria and presents a major constraint to rural economic development. The Jos Plateau was considered free from tsetse flies and the trypanosomes they transmit due to its high altitude and this trypanosomiasis free status attracted large numbers of cattle-keeping pastoralists to the area. The Jos Plateau now plays a major role in the national cattle industry in Nigeria, accommodating approximately 7% of the national herd, supporting 300,000 pastoralists and over one million cattle. During the past two decades tsetse flies have invaded the Jos Plateau and animal trypanosomiasis has become a significant problem for livestock keepers. Here we investigate the epidemiology of trypanosomiasis as a re-emerging disease on the Plateau, examining the social factors that influence prevalence and seasonal variation of bovine trypanosomiasis. METHODS: In 2008 a longitudinal two-stage cluster survey was undertaken on the Jos Plateau. Cattle were sampled in the dry, early wet and late wet seasons. Parasite identification was undertaken using species-specific polymerase chain reactions to determine the prevalence and distribution of bovine trypanosomiasis. Participatory rural appraisal was also conducted to determine knowledge, attitudes and practices concerning animal husbandry and disease control. RESULTS: Significant seasonal variation between the dry season and late wet season was recorded across the Jos Plateau, consistent with expected variation in tsetse populations. However, marked seasonal variations were also observed at village level to create 3 distinct groups: Group 1 in which 50% of villages followed the general pattern of low prevalence in the dry season and high prevalence in the wet season; Group 2 in which 16.7% of villages showed no seasonal variation and Group 3 in which 33.3% of villages showed greater disease prevalence in the dry season than in the wet season. CONCLUSIONS: There was high seasonal variation at the village level determined by management as well as climatic factors. The growing influence of management factors on the epidemiology of trypanosomiasis highlights the impact of recent changes in land use and natural resource competition on animal husbandry decisions in the extensive pastoral production system

Quality of work life and job satisfaction among early-career pharmacists in Africa’s most populous country: A nationwide survey in Nigeria

This study examined the factors affecting the quality of work life and job satisfaction among early-career pharmacists in Nigeria. This was a cross-sectional survey conducted across the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. We used the database of licensed pharmacists in each selected state to identify eligible participants. Information sheets were sent to all potential participants through email. If interested, they signed the consent form and were sent the survey online to be completed and returned within 24 h. Validated questionnaires were used to evaluate their quality of work life and job satisfaction. Descriptive statistics (frequency, mean, and standard deviation) were used to summarize the data. Of a total of 373 participants; 323 (86.6%) were single, and 245 (65.7%) were working in government-owned hospitals. The findings showed that the quality of work life information affects the job satisfaction of early-career pharmacists. Reasons reported for poor job satisfaction were poor remuneration, increased workload, a lack of employer support, and an unconducive work environment. Suggestions for possible interventions included an increase in remuneration, an accommodating work atmosphere, and flexible working hours. Our findings show a direct relationship between quality of work life and job satisfaction; predictors of job satisfaction were salary, employer assistance, health insurance, and length of leave