COVID-19 Lockdown and the Needs of Catholic Christians—Perspective from one Diocese

The ravaging fears, force of infection, and death arising from COVID-19 pandemic led to the lockdown of virtually every aspect of society. In readiness for the possible unknown arising from the lockdown policy, many people resorted to stocking-up on the things they considered essential such as, food, toiletries, and medications. These things are material and quantifiable things. Although the church is a community of people, it is also, considered a spiritual society. Since the church was not treated as an essential institution to be left open at the height of the lockdown, and considering its spiritual connection, this study aimed at finding out what the people stocked-up on as essential in order to be sustained in their faith. The result from 39 returned survey-questionnaires conducted in the diocese of Pueblo, Colorado USA showed that people only substituted, on their own, for what they considered essential (i.e. the sacraments). This, holds policy implications for the Catholic Church leadership to articulate, now and for the future, such as the need for church libraries, adequate technological adaptation, in-depth catechesis, and solemn celebration of the liturgies in order to help adherents cope better in times of uncertainty. Keywords: Lockdown, Stock-up, Essential, Eucharist, Catechesis, Spiritual Resources, COVID-19 DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/10-11-09 Publication date: November 30th 202

Immigration Push: A New Approach to Agelong Resistance

Migration is a universal phenomenon but becomes more problematic when it is trans-national. Though similar reasons may influence both forms of migrations, there are heightened fears among people towards those they consider as non-natives. These fears have always been resisted leading non-natives to either fight their way or beg to be integrated. The idea of resistance fits the perspective of nationalism as a theoretical framework. On the other hand, the various manners of trying to overcome the acts of resistance in most recent times like joining a caravan, wielding a flag, jumping a wall, etc. cannot be called fighting in the true sense neither can they be called begging at the same time. This work using secondary data, considers these approaches as novel and deserving of new responses. In its absence, it amounts to mere elitism demonizing those applying their age long known resistance to confront what they fear. Keywords: Migration, Nationalism, Resistance, Fighting, Begging, DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/10-3-04 Publication date:March 31st 202

Impact of Commercial Banks’ Mortgage Financing on Meeting Customers’ Housing Needs in Owerri Municipal, Imo State, Nigeria

Housing has been observed to be a fundamental basic need of man just as food. Good housing is very crucial to the survival, health and well-being of every man hence, one of the best indicators of a  person's standard of living . That is why the issue of housing have received a prominent position in most political and social debates all over the world. This study aims at examining the impact of participation in mortgage financing by commercial banks on their customers’ housing needs in Owerri municipal, Imo State, Nigeria. This is with a view to evolving  more pragmatic strategies of financing mortgages through banks. To achieve this, The hypothesis that commercial banks mortgage loans have no significant  impact on meeting  customers’ housing needs in Owerri municipal, Imo State, Nigeria was formulated. The  study adopted the survey research approach. The population of the study was 1260 made up of 15 management staff of the three commercial banks used for the study namely: Union Bank of Nigeria, United Bank of Africa and First Bank of Nigeria for the lenders, and 1245 customers of the banks for the borrowers. All the banks are of Owerri municipality, Imo state branches. The sample size of population of the study for the two groups was 315. For the lenders, it consisted of all the 15 management staff of the three banks while for the borrowers, a sample size of 300 was taken which was arrived at using the Taro Yameni formular. The convenience Non-probability sampling technique was used to collect  information from  the 300 borrowers of the banks,  100 customers from each of the banks while the entire 15 management staff were sampled. A researcher’s designed questionnaire titled “Commercial Banks Participation in Mortgage Finance Questionnaire (CBPiMFIQ) was used for data collection. The reliability coefficient of CBPiMFIQ was ascertained using test-retest method and the Cronbach coefficient Alpha method formula. The formula gave a reliability index of 0.72. Data collected from the respondents were analysed using descriptive statistics of weighted mean to answer the research questions and multiple linear regression model was used to test the impact of participation in mortgage financing by commercial banks on their customers’ housing needs. The analysis was done using SPSS IBM version. The results from the data analysis showed the following findings among others. It rejected with a mean score of 1.47 that the commercial banks in Owerri Municipal, Imo State, Nigeria, have mortgage loan package for low-income earners; and that the commercial banks requirements for accessing mortgage loans or housing finance in Owerri municipal, Imo State, Nigeria are registered land title, adequate source of monthly repayment, approved building plans and tax clearance (with a mean score of 2.0 respectively) and again, it was rejected with an average mean of 1.68 that all categories of customers are meeting the requirements for accessing mortgage loans from the banks. The result of the test of hypothesis  finally showed that the Commercial Banks’ Mortgage Finance has no significant impact on meeting customers’ housing needs in Owerri Municipal, Imo State, Nigeria. Based on the findings and conclusions drawn, the following recommendations were among others put forward. That commercial banks in Owerri Municipal, Imo State, Nigeria, should intensify their sensitisation  of the public on the need and advantage of long term mortgage savings; and that commercial banks should design mortgage savings and loans product to take care of low income earners’ housing needs especially civil servants who have regular source of income. Keywords: Housing, Commercial banks, Housing needs, mortgage finance

Boko Haram Insurgency and the Human Capital Cost to Nigeria

For many commentators, the Boko Haram insurgency is the outcome of an enduring deprivation of the region and the wanton corruption in the Nigerian society. The group themselves are seen to tap into this thinking as evidence of the evil of Westernization as against the pure practice of Islam. The extent of their success or failure will remain to be argued for a long time to come. However, in response to the violence perpetrated by the group was an equally violent counterterrorism. It is imagined that whichever way it ends will leave some long lasting effects in the country at large and in the north-eastern region particularly. This work explores those long term effects especially in the areas of human capital development using secondary data. The findings showed that the attacks in the areas of education, healthcare, economy, social order, and the consequences of human displacement will adversely affect the human capital development that the region will need to compete favorably with others in the future. Keywords: Boko Haram, Human Capital, Insurgency, Jihad, Educatio

A Study of Career Satisfaction Among Estate Surveyors and Valuers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

This study surveyed a cross-section of sixty-five (65) estate surveyors and valuers in both public and private practice to determine their career satisfaction level. Twelve (12) test satisfaction statements were posed to the respondents through a questionnaire. The gathered data were analyzed using relative importance index. The study found that estate surveyors and valuers in public practice were unsatisfied with their career success, while those in private practice showed a higher career satisfaction level. The work advocated for improvement in working condition, income and development opportunities for estate surveyors and valuers in public practice and for improvement in the organizational structure of those in private practice. Keywords: Satisfaction, Career, Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Private Practice, Public Practice. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/11-12-02 Publication date: April 30th 201

A Study of Impact of Housing Quality on the Low-income Households in Uyo, Nigeria

The work seeks to examine the impact of low-quality housing on the low-income households in Uyo. Carrying out a survey, of a cross-section of 380 families in Uyo, through stratified random sampling, got 294 representing 77.37% effective responses.h Frequency count and simple percentages were used to analyze the resultant data. The study found that poverty and joblessness are the leading cause of the respondents living in low-quality housing. It also found that these respondents encountered environmental problems such as poor garbage collection, poor drainage, water pollution, air pollution and liquid waste. The study further revealed that the respondents suffered several ecological related diseases such as malaria, cough, typhoid, diarrhea and eye infection. The survey among other issues recommended the upgrading of these areas through urban renewal programmes and embarking on social housing for the low-income earners in the state. Keywords: Housing, Low-income, households, urbanization DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-8-03 Publication date: April 30th 201

An evaluation of toxigenic Clostridioides difficile positivity as a patient outcome metric of antimicrobial stewardship in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial stewardship has been associated with a reduction in the incidence of healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile infection (HA-CDI). However, CDI remains under-recognised in many low and middle-income countries where clinical and surveillance resources required to identify HA-CDI are often lacking. The rate of toxigenic C. difficile stool positivity in the stool of hospitalised patients may offer an alternative metric for these settings, but its utility remains largely untested. AIM/OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of antimicrobial stewardship on the rate of toxigenic C. difficile positivity among hospitalised patients presenting with diarrhea METHODS: A 12-year retrospective review of laboratory data was conducted to compare the rates of toxigenic C. difficile in diarrhoea stool of patients in a hospital in Saudi Arabia, before and after implementation of an antimicrobial stewardship programme. RESULT: There was a significant decline in the rate of toxigenic C. difficile positivity from 9.8 to 7.4% following the implementation of the antimicrobial stewardship programme, and a reversal of a rising trend. DISCUSSION: The rate of toxigenic C. difficile positivity may be a useful patient outcome metric for evaluating the long-term impact of antimicrobial stewardship on CDI, especially in settings with limited surveillance resources. The accuracy of this metric is, however, dependent on the avoidance of arbitrary repeated testing of a patient for cure, and testing only unformed or diarrhoea stool specimens. Further studies are required within and beyond Saudi Arabia to examine the utility of this metric

Determinants of Informal Land Transactions on Land Market in Owerri Urban, Imo State, Nigeria

In Owerri, Imo State, just like other major towns in Nigeria, it has been observed that the government’s land administration technique currently in use (the Land Use Act of 1978) has not been able to meet the demand for urban land when and where needed for its population especially the low, the middle and even some high income earners. This has led to frustration and disappointments to majority of the urban dwellers thereby compelling those who are not able to access land from this formal system to look for an affordable alternative source of land acquisition for their use. This they find in the informal land market (private land market transactions). The situation has made informal land market become a much more patronized avenue of land acquisition by a large proportion of most urban dwellers in Imo State. The aim of this study therefore was to analyse the factors that push for informal land transactions on land market in Owerri urban, Nigeria. The study adopted the survey research. Stratified, systematic and simple random sampling techniques were used to elicit data from three classes of respondents. Six settlements were selected for the study through stratified random sampling method and three key sets of respondents were identified from the six settlements namely; the land owners, the land agents and the land administrators.  The study concentrated on communities in the high and medium residential density areas of Owerri urban. These were areas where informal land transactions thrive. Principal Component analysis was used to identify and classified four factors that caused the predominance of informal land acquisition in Owerri Urban. These four components accounted for 79.75% of the observed variability. The clustered factors are: promptness in processing, low cost in processing, land accessibility and acceptability of title documents. The policy implications of the study was include that the government should harmonize the land market for better land transactions and local land registration and information offices be established at the local government levels. Keywords: Informal Land Markets, Formal Land Markets, Urban

Episiotomy: Are Indian Obstetricians Getting the Angle Right?

Background A mediolateral episiotomy is recommended when indicated at a 60° angle at crowning, to avoid obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIs) by episiotomies angled too close or distant to the anus. This study surveyed obstetricians in India regarding the recommended episiotomy angle and their ability to correctly draw the angle. Methods Workshops were conducted in India to share knowledge in the prevention and repair of OASIs. A questionnaire was distributed prior to the workshop. Participants were asked to describe the recommended episiotomy angle and to draw this on a paper replica of the perineum. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to assess the inter-rater reliability between the angle stated and drawn. A 2° difference was deemed acceptable. Standard errors of measurement (SEM) were calculated to measure the range of error of each measurement. Results One hundred and forty doctors participated. 47.9% described the angle of an episiotomy to be 60°. Only 2.2% drew an angle of 60°, but 8.7% (n = 12) drew between 58 and 62°. Only 5.8% (n = 6) of doctors correctly drew the episiotomy angle they described. There was poor agreement ICC = 0.18 (− 0.01 to 0.36) with a SEM of ± 12.2° Conclusions Knowledge surrounding the recommended episiotomy angle is lacking. Doctors are failing to estimate their desired episiotomy angle. This highlights the need for national guidelines, the creation and validation of structured training programmes to improve accuracy, or using fixed-angle devices such as the EPISCISSORS-60 or other proven measurement aids to minimise preventable harm due to human error