Effect of Covid-19 Lockdown on Women and Girls in Nigeria: Experiences of Gender-Based Violence, Insecurity and Wellbeing

This study aimed to explore the experiences of gender-based violence, insecurity, and health effect of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown among women and girls three to six weeks into lockdown measures in Nigeria. This was a cross-sectional survey carried out in Nigeria among 1,243 women and girls aged between 10 and 79 from April to May 2020. Data was collected using an online web-based survey platform and analyzed using Microsoft Excel and Epi-Info. There was a statistically significant difference in the experience of violence before and during the COVID-19 lockdown among women and young girls in Nigeria (P = 0.002). During the COVID-19 lockdown, respondents experienced physical (74, 30.8%), sexual (120, 50%), and emotional violence (46, 19.2%). Although various forms of insecurity were experienced among the respondents, the most common form experienced was financial insecurity (960, 77%). 738 respondents (58%) feared getting infected by the virus while 662 (52%) had increased anxiety during this period. The findings highlight some negative unforeseen effects of the lockdown measures taken to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus and protect the people. This has important implications for decision-making for future pandemics and the provision of possible mitigating factors

Bridging the Skills Gap and Tackling Unemployment of Vocational Graduates Through Partnerships in Nigeria

The level of skills possessed by vocational education graduates for employment has been a worrisome issue in Nigeria. In fact the representatives of labour markets tagged graduates from Nigerian universities as half-baked perceiving these graduates as lacking in employable skills, making them unemployable. The purpose of this study is to ascertain how partnerships between industries and vocational institutions can be a tool to bridge the skills gap and unemployment of vocational education graduates in Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study, and the research design used was the descriptive survey research design. The population of the study was 212 vocational education lecturers from seven selected universities owned by the government in Southern Nigeria. Random sampling technique using balloting was used to select 106 vocational educators. The instrument for data collection was a questionnaire developed by the researcher and was content and face validated by three vocational education lecturers. The questionnaire was administered to 10 vocational education lecturers and its reliability was estimated to be 0.73 using the Cronbach Alpha technique. Data collected were analysed using simple frequency count and percentage, and any response that has the highest frequency and percentage was recorded as the overall remark. The study revealed that industries and institutions partnerships will help to bridge the skills gap and reduce unemployment of vocational education graduates in Nigeria through workplace partnership like resource sharing, staff exchange and the establishment of vocational skills exhibition centres amongst others. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that industries, government and institutions should establish partnership that will help to enhance the skills and chances of employment of vocational education graduates in Nigeria

Socio-demographic and economic determinants of awareness and use of contraceptives among adolescents in Ebonyi State, South-east, Nigeria

Understanding factors that explain levels of awareness and use of contraceptives among adolescents is a critical entry point for improving their sexual and reproductive health. This study assessed the demographic and socioeconomic determinants of awareness and use of contraceptives among adolescents in rural and urban communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in three rural and urban communities in August, 2018. Modified cluster sampling technique was used to select eligible households. A total of 1045 adolescents (598 females and 447 males) were randomly selected from the households and interviewed using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The mean age is 15.4years (15.3 – 15.5) and the median age is 15.5years. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis were undertaken. Statistical significance was set at p-value of <0.05. Majority of respondents, 723 (68.9%), were aware of male condom. Place of residence predicts awareness of contraceptive pills (AOR 0.66, CI 0.48-0.91); schooling predicts awareness of male condoms (AOR 0.57; CI 0.32-0.99). Predictors of awareness of female condoms are place of residence (AOR 0.66, CI 0.47-0.93), gender (AOR 0.57, CI 0.32-0.99) and wealth index (AOR 1.16, CI 1.03-1.30). Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of respondents did not predict contraceptive use in the last sex. Although awareness of contraceptives is high, utilization is low among sexually active adolescents. Hence, the need to promote access to and utilization of contraceptives through comprehensive contraceptive education to improve adolescents sexual and reproductive health

Emotional Intelligence as a predictor of productivity and occupational stress of employees in electrical industries

The study investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence, occupational stress and productivity of employees in electrical industries. Research questions were answered while null hypotheses formulated were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study adopted a correlational research design and was carried out in North Central States of Nigeria. The population for the study was 301 employees in electrical industries. The entire employees were involved in the study. The instrument for data collection was questionnaire titled Emotional Intelligence, Occupational Stress and Productivity Questionnaire (EIOSPQ). Five experts face- validated the instrument. The internal consistency of the questionnaire items was determined using Cronbach alpha reliability method and coefficients of 0.88 was obtained for Electrical Occupational Stress, 0.94 for Productivity of workers in electrical occupation, 0.85 for Emotional intelligence of employees. The overall reliability coefficient of the questionnaire was 0.96. Out of 301 copies of EIOSPQ administered, 295 copies were completed representing 98.01 percent return rate. Pearson product moment correlation and regression analysis were employed to analyse data for answering research questions and hypotheses. The findings on hypotheses revealed that: EI significantly predicts productivity of employees in electrical industries, EI does not significantly predicts occupational stress of employees in electrical industries, emotional intelligence was a significant moderator of the relationship between occupational stress and productivity of employees in electrical industries, demographic variables were not significantly influenced emotional intelligence and productivity of employees in electrical industries. It was recommended that employees in electrical industries should be sensitized through workshops and seminars on how EI can influence their productivity and occupational stress in their occupations

Competency Based Education and Training in Technical Vocational Education: Implication for Sustainable National Security and Development

Despite the contemporary importance attached to technical and vocational education (TVE) as a panacea for tackling growing unemployment in developing countries, the development and application of TVE in many countries is still largely bedeviled by numerous problems. One of the major challenges of TVE in Nigeria is the lack of employable skills among graduates of TVE institutions. Though several approaches have been adopted as solution to this problem, there seems to be no head off. This calls for new strategies hence the need for the integration of Competency Based Education and Training (CBET) in Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) in the nations TVE. This paper focused on CBET in TVE and its implication for sustainable national security and development in Nigeria. The paper discussed the characteristics, elements and objectives of CBET. It highlighted the benefits of CBET as a training approach that is learner focused, thus allowing participants to acquire competencies required in the performance of their jobs. The authors argued that the  introduction of CBET in TVE programmes will  help to tackle the problem of lack of employable skills among TVE graduates from Nigeria institutions thereby reduce youth unemployment and by extension it will help to address various security and development challenges confronting Nigeria. The paper concluded with some recommendations that include the immediate introduction of CBET in TVE and increase funding of the sector, amongst others. Keywords: Competence Based Education, Training, Technical Education, Vocational Education, Development, National Securit

The Effect of Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy on Work-irrational Beliefs Among Electrical and Electronic Educators in Nigeria

 This study delved into a critical concern in academic and professional settings: the impact of irrational work-related beliefs among individuals within the Electrical/Electronic Technology Education domain in Nigeria. The prevalence of detrimental work-related beliefs and their potential adverse effects on performance, mental health, and overall well-being necessitated an investigation into effective therapeutic interventions to mitigate these beliefs. The research adopted a quasi-experimental design spanning eight weeks and involving 16 sessions to examine the effects of Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT) on these work-related irrational beliefs. The study encompassed a cohort of 330 participants, comprising Electrical/Electronic Technology Education technologists and instructors within Nigerian universities. To ensure a robust study design, the participants were randomly allocated to the REBT group (165 participants) or the control group (165 participants). The study uncovered notable findings using an intervention package and structured psycho-educational strategies for data collection. The analysis revealed a significant mean difference between the experimental (REBT) group and the control group, demonstrating the efficacy of REBT in significantly reducing work-related belief scores among Electrical and Electronic Technologists compared to those not exposed to the therapy. Furthermore, the study explored potential variations based on gender in response to the treatment, finding that the interaction effect of therapies and gender was not statistically significant. This suggests that the benefits of REBT in alleviating work-related irrational beliefs were consistent across genders. These findings underscore the potential of REBT as an effective intervention to address work-related irrational beliefs. The study recommends the integration of REBT into the academic curriculum, emphasising its value in mitigating detrimental work-related beliefs among educational staff and students in the field of Electrical/Electronic Technology Education

Essential health care service disruption due to COVID-19: lessons for sustainability in Nigeria

The pandemic revealed a strained Nigerian health system, forced to transfer already limited resources to combatting COVID-19, whilst coping with disruptions to health supplies and increased demand for health services. These supply and demand side factors resulted in disruption across child and maternal health services delivery, as well as to the prevention, testing, and treatment of HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria, amongst other EHS. Innovative service and goods delivery strategies, such as mobile immunisation services and multi-month drug dispensing, were implemented to mitigate the impact of disruptions. Evidence suggests that embedding these practices into regular EHS delivery, alongside increased investment in health infrastructure and health workforces, could help build EHS resilience in future. The brief concludes that sustaining the continuity of EHS requires policies that ensure a whole-society and systems strengthening approach. This involves increased health care investment, community engagement, disease control regulations, and multisector approaches to improve resilience, EHS quality, and equity

Cholera outbreak in Andoni Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria; January 2015: the role of hand washing with soap

Background: In January 2015, an outbreak of cholera occurred in Andoni, Rivers State. We investigated to identify risk factors for infection and institute control measures.Methods: An un-matched case-control study with 62 cases and 62 neighborhood controls was conducted. A case was defined as an individual aged 5 years or more with three or more episodes of loose watery stool with or without vomiting residing in Andoni from 11th-18th January 2015. A control was a person without history of loose watery stool and vomiting, but residing in Andoni. A Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic characteristics, clinical information and risk factors. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analysis was performed using Epi-info version 7. Twenty-one stool samples and 6 water samples from open wells and ponds were analyzed.Result: Median ages for cases and controls were 8.5 (range; 2– 65) and 18 (2–70) years respectively. Females were 32(51.6%) of cases and 36 (56.5%) of controls. The cases and controls did not differ in age and sex. Cases were less likely than controls to wash hands with soap after using the toilet (OR:0.4, Cl:0.17–0.96) and to drink from tap water (OR:0.09, 95% CI:0.01–0.69). Hand washing with soap and water remained protective of the disease after controlling for potential confounders. Eleven (52.4%) of the clinical samples and 6 (100%) of the water samples yielded vibrio cholera non O1/O139.Conclusion: Unhygienic hand washing practices was identified as a risk factor for cholera infection. The source of the outbreak possibly resulted from contaminated wells and ponds. We provided community health education on personal hygiene, with emphasis on hand washing with soap, and recommended super chlorination of wells

Accountability mechanisms for implementing a health financing option: the case of the basic health care provision fund (BHCPF) in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: The Nigerian National Health Act proposes a radical shift in health financing in Nigeria through the establishment of a fund - Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, (BHCPF). This Fund is intended to improve the functioning of primary health care in Nigeria. Key stakeholders at national, sub-national and local levels have raised concerns over the management of the BHCPF with respect to the roles of various stakeholders in ensuring accountability for its use, and the readiness of the implementers to manage this fund and achieve its objectives. This study explores the governance and accountability readiness of the different layers of implementation of the Fund; and it contributes to the generation of policy implementation guidelines around governance and accountability for the Fund. METHODS: National, state and LGA level respondents were interviewed using a semi structured tool. Respondents were purposively selected to reflect the different layers of implementation of primary health care and the levels of accountability. Different accountability layers and key stakeholders expected to implement the BHCPF are the Federal government (Federal Ministry of Health, NPHCDA, NHIS, Federal Ministry of Finance); the State government (State Ministry of Health, SPHCB, State Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Local Government); the Local government (Local Government Health Authorities); Health facilities (Health workers, Health facility committees (HFC) and External actors (Development partners and donors, CSOs, Community members). RESULTS: In general, the strategies for accountability encompass planning mechanisms, strong and transparent monitoring and supervision systems, and systematic reporting at different levels of the healthcare system. Non-state actors, particularly communities, must be empowered and engaged as instruments for ensuring external accountability at lower levels of implementation. New accountability strategies such as result-based or performance-based financing could be very valuable. CONCLUSION: The key challenges to accountability identified should be addressed and these included trust, transparency and corruption in the health system, political interference at higher levels of government, poor data management, lack of political commitment from the State in relation to release of funds for health activities, poor motivation, mentorship, monitoring and supervision, weak financial management and accountability systems and weak capacity to implement suggested accountability mechanisms due to political interference with accountability structures

Assessment of Occupational Health, Safety and Environment (OHSE) of small and Medium Scale Chemical Manufacturing Enterprises (SMCMES) in Enugu Metropolis Nigeria

Background: There is increasing emphasis on safety and health at workplaces since work-related injuries and ill health can ruin lives and affect businesses. The study was aimed at assessing occupational health, safety and environment practices among the Small and Medium scale Chemical Manufacturing Enterprises (SMCME) in Enugu metropolis, Nigeria.Method: A descriptive cross sectional study was carried out among 382 respondents randomly selected from SMCMEs in Enugu metropolis. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess the nature of work processes, environmental conditions and prevalence of workplace chemical injury/disease in the last 12 months.Results: Most of the respondents operated both manual and mechanical (77%) process in their work activities. The workplace hazards observed were chemical hazards (33%), ergonomic hazards (21%), mechanical hazards (15%), physical hazards (14%) and psychosocial hazards (14%). Some common health problems were hand injury (12%) and respiratory tract infection (10%) and overall annual prevalence rate was 338 injuries/diseases per 1000 workers.Conclusion/Recommendation: Workers in SMCME ar exposed to hazards due to their poor nature of work process. There is therefore high prevalence rate of preventable work related injuries/diseases. Employers should focus on training and installing safer work environment and government should enforce the practice of OHSE in SMCME.Keywords: Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SME), Occupational Health, Safety, Environment, Hazards, Chemicals, Prevalence, Enug