Foreign Direct Investment: Catalyst for Sustainable Economic Development in Nigeria

This is a conceptual review (content analysis) of the effect of foreign direct investment as a catalyst for sustainable economic development in Nigeria. The major objective is a comparative analysis of 87 developing countries with the capacity to attract FDI and proffer possible solutions that will catapult Nigeria as a globally acceptable haven for foreign investment. The secondary data were sourced from Investing Across Borders (IAB) 2010 report where 87 developing countries across the globe were assessed using the IAB indicators. The major conclusion drawn from the survey is that Nigeria as a country is yet to maximize its potentials (given available resources and market size) at attracting foreign investment. It also concludes that the process of foreign business establishment/ownership in Nigeria need to be improved upon to encourage high patronage of foreigners in economic activities. This study therefore recommends that Government should make policies that will encourage equity ownership of investments in Nigeria by foreigners. The authorities should put in place machineries that will ensure a transparent and simple business registration and ownership process

Women Abuse Screening Tool: A Validation Study on Nigerian Pregnant Women

Domestic violence is identified across the globe as a menace as it poses a threat to the mental health of its victims, the significant others of the victim and the security of a nation at large. In some cases, the victim of domestic violence is a pregnant woman and harm is caused not only to a woman but her fetus also and this calls for urgent psychological assessment and intervention. Although there is no doubt that psychological tests are effective in the assessment of domestic violence, using the psychometric properties obtained from a different population may produce generate inaccurate findings. This paper therefore attempts the validation study of Women Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) using a sample of 379 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the State Specialist Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria. The study derived a Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability of 0.758, p \u3c.05 and a Guttman split-half coefficient of 0.683, p \u3c.05. Furthermore, concurrent validity of Women Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) and Ongoing Abuse Screen (OAS) was established as 0.29, p\u3c.05. The norms of the instrument were given as 2.38 for tolerable level of domestic violence and 5.79 for severe and pathological level of domestic violence. Authors conclude that Women Abuse Screening Tool has acceptable psychometric properties to justify its usage for the assessment of level of domestic violence among pregnant women in Nigeria and other nations with similar socio-cultural backgrounds

Validation of the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) on Nigerian Adolescents

A cross-sectional survey design was adopted to validate The Schutte Self-report Emotions Intelligence Test (SSEIT) using Nigerian secondary school adolescents. A multistage sampling technique was used to purposively select the 200 (mean age 16.00± 2.01) participants made up of 118 males and 82 females from four selected secondary schools in Odeda Local Government Areas of Ogun state Southwestern Nigeria. Participants responded to Schutte Self-report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) and Trait Emotional intelligence Questionnaire Short-Form) (TEIQue-SF). Observed internal consistency of SSIET showed a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of .90, a Spearman-Brown coefficient of .91 and Guttman Split-Half coefficient of .91. All items in the scale reported acceptable goodness-of-fit measures revealing corrected item-total correlations range of .60 to .83. Significant positive correlation was also observed between SSEIT and TEIQue-SF revealing concurrent validity score of (r = .656, p= .000). Determined new norms for SSEIT were scores ≥ 44.9 for male and ≥ 43.9 for female. SSEIT is gender sensitive and has acceptable psychometric properties for Nigerian population. Keywords: Validation, emotional intelligence test, Nigerian Adolescents DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-18-19 Publication date:June 30th 202

Has Post Consolidation of Deposit Money Banks Affected the Real Sector?

Deposit money banks (DMBs) are believed to be the engine for real economic growth. DMBs are expected to adequately cover the funding gap of the real sector by government resulting from market shocks, especially in developing countries like Nigeria. In this light, this paper examined the effect of post consolidation activities of Nigerian deposit money banks on real sector development. The interactive influences of the Real Sector Gross Domestic Product (RSGDP) and other post consolidation variables like Commercial Banks Deposit (CBD), Credit to Private Sector as a percentage of GDP (CPGDP), Number of Banks Branches (NBB), Commercial Banks Capital (CBC) and proxy of Political Stability (POL) were measured. Analyzing time series data ranging from 1981-2014, the econometric results obtained from co-integration test, unit root test, causality test, over parameterization model and error correction model (ECM) revealed the following: (1) the existence of a significant longrun relationship among the variables and three co-integrating relationships at 1% level of significance; (2) there is convergence of the variables from the short run to the long run though with relatively low speed of adjustment; (3) there is a significant negative relationship between RSGDP and banks’ deposit, credit to the private sector and number of branches but positive relationship with banks’ capital and political stability. The paper thus concludes that the post consolidation activities of Nigerian DMBs have not sufficiently supported sustainable real sector development in Nigeria

IMPACT OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ON THE PROFITABILITY OF THE NIGERIAN BANKING SECTOR

Corporate governance has, in recent times, raised a great deal of concern due, largely, to massive corporate failures in the domestic and global arena. Governments have in response to rising cases of financial distress taken both pro-active and reactive measures to achieve stability in the sector. However, notwithstanding government interventionist roles, stability of banking operations remains suspect. This study seeks to empirically determine the effect of corporate governance on the profitability of banking sector in Nigeria.Return on equity (ROE) and return on assets (ROA) were adopted as proxies for banking sector profitability while capital adequacy ratio (CAR), liquidity ratio (LQR) and ratio of non-performing loans to total loans (NPL) were adopted as proxies for corporate governance. Inflation rate was introduced as a control variable. Empirical evidence from the study shows significant impact of corporate governance on the profit performance of the Nigerian banking sector. We recommend that the regulatory authorities (CBN, NDIC and SEC) should diligently exercise their oversight functions to ensure strict compliance, by the banking sector,to extant regulations on corporate governance so as to consolidate, or possibly, improve on the gains of the initiative

ADOPTION OF INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORTING STANDARDS AND ITS IMPLICATION ON BANK PERFORMANCE IN NIGERIA: A COMPARATIVE APPROACH

This study is a comparative analysis of the impact of adopting International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) by deposit money banks in Nigeria and its effect on their performance. Financial ratios computed from IFRS compliant financial statement and Nigerian GAAP based financial statements were compared using fourteen (14) banks for the period between 2010 and 2013. Descriptive statistics and econometric models were used to explain the variability of the sample data around the mean; and the significance of the variables. The findings from the result revealed that the difference arising from the computation between the pair of ratios were insignificant at 5% level. The study therefore concluded that disclosing IFRS compliant set of financial statements was not the reason for a higher profit achieved by the sampled banks. Rather, such performance could have been triggered by other factors like the recapitalization and cross border listing of the affected DMBs. The study recommended among other issues that cross boarder listing of stocks of banks should be closely monitored by regulators to avert imminent abuse. It also emphasized on the need to eliminate differences and harmonize both standards to make it more comparabl

Development and validation of the Redeemer’s University Suicidality Scale

Background: The need for a culturally suitable scale for suicidality within the multilingual Nigerian society necessitated this research interest. Aim: The study is a development and validation of the Redeemer’s University Suicidality Scale (RUSS). Setting: South western Nigeria. Methods: This comprised of initial generation of items; face and content validity, item refinement and administration of RUSS to 150 university undergraduates, using exploratory factor analysis at the first, second and third stages. In the fourth stage, 184 undergraduates responded to the 20-item RUSS, Suicide Ideation Scale (SIS) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Data gathered at this stage were analysed for congruent validity, reliability and norms. Results: The principal component analysis extracted four components from items whose eigenvalues exceeded one. Twenty-one of the 25 items loaded best in the first, two in the second and one on the third component(s). Only items in the first component were retained. Item-total correlation further showed that the values of one item in the first component fell below the very good discrimination and was deleted from the scale. The RUSS has a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.93. Congruence validity coefficient of r = 0.881 (p 0.001) and r = 0.605 (p 0.001) was observed between RUSS and SIS and between RUSS and GHQ-12, respectively. Conclusion: The RUSS is gender-sensitive, has acceptable psychometric properties and is recommended as a diagnostic tool for assessing suicidal behaviour in adolescents and adults. Contribution: This article contributes to the development of a culture sensitive measure for suicidality

A Survey to Guide the Emerging Role of Allied Health Teams in a Regional Tertiary Hospital Emergency Department

ABSTRACT Purpose: A multidisciplinary allied health team has worked in The Townsville Hospital Emergency Department for seven years. Patients are referred to the allied health team by medical and nursing staff with the aim of reducing patient admission and improving patient outcomes. However, the type and number of referrals received by the allied health team suggest there is a lack of detailed interdisciplinary knowledge by the referrers. Therefore, the Emergency Department Allied Health Team surveyed other emergency department health professionals to ascertain their knowledge of allied health roles. The results will be used to develop education sessions to fill gaps in knowledge. Methods: A cross-sectional survey consisting of 22 true/false statements and demographic questions was developed by the Emergency Department Allied Health Team. Questions described some of the common triggers for referral to physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social work, and pharmacy staff in the emergency department at the Townsville Hospital. The survey was distributed opportunistically to nursing, medical and physician assistant staff at handover or education sessions. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the data and comparisons used chi squared tests. Results: The response rate for the survey was 63% (n=154), including 52 doctors (65%), 95 (59%) nursing staff, 3 physician assistants (100%), and 4 who did not state their discipline. Preferred responses were low for questions about occupational therapy’s ability to do home visits up to four weeks post emergency department discharge (37.7%), physiotherapists’ necessity to perform mobility assessments (24.7%), identifying APINCH acronym as mnemonic for high risk drugs (35.7%) and the correct application of “close the gap” prescriptions (27.9%). Staff with more experience and prescribers were more likely to give the preferred response. Conclusions: Some gaps exist in doctors’, nurses’, and physician assistants’ knowledge of the roles of allied health in an emergency department. The knowledge gap decreases as staff experience in emergency departments increases. Therefore, for the allied health team in our emergency department to work at full scope of practice, these knowledge gaps need to be addressed. Our challenge now is to provide sustainable education on the role of allied health in a busy emergency department full of shift working and rotating staff being pulled by a myriad of contrasting priorities

Psychosocial Determinants of Medication Adherence Among Psychiatric Outpatients

Medication adherence refers to compliance by patients in taking their prescribed medications as instructed by their doctors. Lack of treatment adherence has shown to be associated with negative attitude to pharmacotherapy. This study was set out to determine the influence of psychosocial factors on medication adherence among outpatient of Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Lagos. The study adopted survey design with a randomized sample of 277 participants selected purposively. The participant responded to Big Five Personality Inventory (BFI), Religiosity Oriented Test (ROT) and Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The result revealed a 44.8% and a 55.2% prevalence of high and low medication adherence respectively. Observed significant independent determinants of medication adherence among the outpatients include personality traits (R² =.034 p = .000) and religiosity (R² =.037 p = .001). Personality traits and religiosity jointly predicted medication adherence (R²=.024, p= .000). Respondents’ nature of illness (F (4,273) = 8.81, p=. 000) as well as level of education (F (5,271) = 5.964, p = .000) significantly influenced medication adherence. Findings concluded that personality traits, religiosity, nature of illness and educational level are psycho-social determinants of medication adherence among outpatients. Authors recommend psycho-education to enlightenment of patients on the importance of adherence to medication. Keywords: Personality traits, religiosity, medication adherence, psychiatric outpatients DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/69-08 Publication date: December 31st 201

Has Post Consolidation of Deposit Money Banks Affected the Real Sector?

Deposit money banks (DMBs) are believed to be the engine for real economic growth. DMBs are expected to adequately cover the funding gap of the real sector by government resulting from market shocks, especially in developing countries like Nigeria. In this light, this paper examined the effect of post consolidation activities of Nigerian deposit money banks on real sector development. The interactive influences of the Real Sector Gross Domestic Product (RSGDP) and other post consolidation variables like Commercial Banks Deposit (CBD), Credit to Private Sector as a percentage of GDP (CPGDP), Number of Banks Branches (NBB), Commercial Banks Capital (CBC) and proxy of Political Stability (POL) were measured. Analyzing time series data ranging from 1981-2014, the econometric results obtained from co-integration test, unit root test, causality test, over parameterization model and error correction model (ECM) revealed the following: (1) the existence of a significant longrun relationship among the variables and three co-integrating relationships at 1% level of significance; (2) there is convergence of the variables from the short run to the long run though with relatively low speed of adjustment; (3) there is a significant negative relationship between RSGDP and banks’ deposit, credit to the private sector and number of branches but positive relationship with banks’ capital and political stability. The paper thus concludes that the post-consolidation activities of Nigerian DMBs have not sufficiently supported sustainable real sector development in Nigeria. Keywords: Deposit money banks; Post consolidation; Real sector; Gross domestic product; Central Bank of Nigeri