Poverty, an African Epidemic: Empirical Evidence of Nigeria

This study examines poverty as an African epidemic, with an empirical evidence of Nigeria. Poverty unarguably remains a global phenomenon that is complex and multi-dimensional in nature. Poverty is an economic situation where a household income is inadequate to meet the minimum nutritional need for growth and long-term survival (World Bank, 1996). The primary source of data was adopted via questionnaire and oral interview. A simple correlation technique was adopted to address the significant relationship among the responses of the respondents gathered though the questionnaire to derive logical conclusion. The study concludes that the blame on poverty is placed on modes of designing and implementing developmental programmes, which are seen to have failed to take the basic needs of the poor into account and historical factors together with the existing social structures that have developed from them. The paper further discovered lots of disparities in people’s income, gender, health, education etc. The study however, recommends that government should articulate a bold vision and establish concrete targets for improving and saving the lives of those threatened by diseases and hunger by way of introducing grants to ‘senior citizens’ – old people, providing monthly allowance to them, ensuring support for children that are orphan, homeless, and even with disabilities etc., in all areas of life. The study further recommends that government in all levels should be identified with the importance of using critical statistical data to corroborate progress report in order to assist in monitoring and implementing poverty alleviation programmes initiated by federal government, and to meet the target of Financial System Strategy, FSS 2020 and Millennium Development Goal (MDGs) by 2015. Keywords: Poverty, Alleviation programmes, Nigeria, Sectorial approach, LAPO, United Nation Development Programme (UNDP), NAPEP

Evaluation of Impact of Information Technology Skill on Hotel Services and Productivity_ A Case Study of Sheraton Hotel and Showers

The study was designed to evaluate the random sampling technique method. She Nocioned to evaluate the impact of information technology skil on hotel services and productivity. Through purposive Jine technique method, Sheraton hotel and Towers was selecied for the study. Questionnaires were used 10 obtain ially on professional status of staff, and knowledge of information technology skill by the management staff. The is that 53.33% were skilled among the managers, 70% were i.T skil ed. The results of the study showed thar hotel operation during quality services makes hotel operations easier and more effectie, acquire and analyze information easily and control products 4-2 ution by software monitoring and reduce labour cosi by automation. Eventually, it leads to higher productivity

Pottery production, an entrepreneurship perspective for job creation and poverty alleviation. A case study of Dada pottery, Okelele, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract Indigenous pottery art as a small scale business was studied in the perspective of entrepreneurship. The study area is Dada pottery located at Okelele quarter, Ilorin East local government of Kwara state. A structured and validated questionnaire was used. This was in the format of five point scale that ranges from Strongly Agreed to Strongly Disagree. Information was obtained from primary and secondary sources. The research results reveals that indigenous pottery has prospects wider and increased acceptability among the rural and the urban dwellers for domestic and interior decorations especially in the hotel industry. The Dada potters are good, deft in creativity and innovative but are facing many occupational challenges which include lack of working capital as loans from banks, continual usage of old equipment etc. Dada potter centre need entrepreneurship approach in the area of production, new marketing and products production strategies to be able to compete with foreign wares and increase the scope of consumers

The Prevalence of Protein Energy Malnutrition in Nigeria and Dietary Management _a Revised Study

Protein energy malnutrition describes the spectrum of nutrition disorder, which occurs in children under five years when the diet is poor in protein and energy, faulty weaning practices, poverty, poor sanitary conditions, minimal medical attention and endemic childhood infections Studies in Nigeria revealed that protein energy malnutrition is one of the major nutrition problems causing death in children under five years. This reviews highlight (a) prevalence, causes and mortality rate attributed to protein energy malnutrition, (b) breast feeding and weaning patterns(c) hematological parameter of PEM children (d) Dietary management of PEM children, towards rehabilitation less than five years of age. The Nigeria demographic and health survey (NDHS 1990) revealed that 43.% under five children age are stunted, 35. 7% are under weight, 9.1% are suffering from wasting. A more recent study by UNICF (1993) in ten states of the federation reported the proportion of stunted children to be 37.6% and wasting to be 10.9%

Nutritional Evaluation of Snacks made from sweet potato, Wheat and Composite Flour at Various Level

Mixture at various levels. 24 dried. 7 were made at 25%, 50%, The study focused on evaluating the nutritional contents of snacks made from sweet potato, wheat and the composite at various levels. 2kg of fresh potatoes were washed, peeled and sliced thinly. They were blanched, drained and sun ey were later ground to powdery form. Various blends of potato flour with wheat flour at various levels of substitution de at 25%, 50% and 100% using 100% wheat flour as control sample. Crude protein contents were significantly (p<0.05) ed in the cake samples that contained 100% wheat flour than the chin chins and cookies that has 50% wheat flour how sweet potato flour. However, data obtained showed that the higher the inclusion levels of either wheat or sweet potato the higher the crude protein content. Cakes prepared from 100% wheat flour and 100% sweet potato flour had the highest protein content respectively. Cakes made from either sweet potato flour or wheat flour compared favourably with respect rotein content Fat content was also higher (p<0.05) in the cake samples with values ranging between 13.759% and 60% most likely as a result of the higher number of eggs in the recipe. The cookies, however, gave the lowest fat contents. Carbohydrate contents were relatively high in all the cakes, chin chins and cookies with values ranging from 65.389% and 73.230%. Marginal variations (p<0.05) were obtained in the colour, texture, taste, aroma and general acceptability of the cakes, chin chins and cookies. Moreover, cakes, cookies, and chin chins containing 100% wheat and 25% sweet potato flour and 75% flour had higher sensory scores, which were close to one another respectively. It is therefore concluded that sweet potato flour could be used in making either cakes, cookies or chin chins, at least at 25% level of inclusion

Standardization and Proximate Composition of some Indigenous Food food the Elderly in Ondo State, Nigeria

Many studies confirmed that modernization has led to the current quest for easy to prepare fast foods with a progressive loss of important components of our food and indigenous condiments and spices. The elderly are not quick in adapting to the modern cuisine, hence many suffered inadequate diets which may progress to malnutrition due to unavailability of familiar food stuffs in local markets and farms. Five indigenous dishes were selected from Ondo state and standardized, they were; "eeru" with pounded yam, (b) "oshikiri” with "agidi" (c) "obe isapa elegusi" with pounded yam (d) "marugbo” with "pupuru" and (e) "obe ogolonfo" and pounded cocoyam. The dishes were chemically evaluated using standard methods. The dishes appeared to be good sources of protein, carbohydrate, iron and zinc. "Obe iru" with pounded cocoyam had the highest protein value; (24.85g/100g) (44.4%RDA). “Morugbo" with “pupuru" had the highest carbohydrate and zinc values, (41.19g/100g) (31.7&RDA) (31.0mg/100g) (77.5%RDA) respectively. These indigenous dishes valuable food nutrient potentials could alleviate food insecurity and poverty among the elderly

Empowering Women as a Tool for Eradicating Poverty in NIgeria_ A Case Study of Ayetoro Women in Yawa North Local Government, Ogun State

This study was designed to investigate the level of their participation their hom was designed to investigate the sources of funding available to Ayetoro women in their trades and vocations, assess of their participation and engagements in vocational skills for empowerment; and examine the feeding patterns of useholds in order to ascertain the level of their empowerment in relation to their diets and nutrition. maintained indicated that 64.29 percent obtained capital to finance their trade and vocations from cooperative societies esusu. Other sources are finance agents 15.71 percent, and 11.43 percent rely on friends and relations for assistance. beneficiary from Ogun State Employment Generation Programme (OGEGEP) were 5.7 percent. Among others, the study mended that Rural Credit Schemes should be established especially for women farmers, food processors and distributors

Improving Weaning Diets Through Germination and Fermentation of Sorghum Grains

Malnutrition at the level of the individual child is the product of inadequate food quality and quantity and the effect of illness, usually due to infection. At household level, food technologies of Germination and Fermentation are traditional household level food technologies which can be used to improve weaning practices in developing countries Amylace Rich Flour (ARF) produced by improving feed energy density, while fermentation reduces contamination of feeds with pathogens, and facilitates more frequent child feedings. The main fermenting organisms used are yeasts, mould and bacteria. Lactic acid producing bacteria are responsible for most ferment cereal porridges and drinks and it is these that are most suitable for use as weaning foods

Assessing the sensory qualities and acceptability of commonly consumed indigenous dishes for Tourism Development in Lagos and Ogun Sate, Nigeria

The study investigated the sensory qualities of some commonly consumed indigenous dishes in southwest region of Nigeria. Sensory attributes (appearance, texture, taste, aroma and overall acceptability) were the quality attributes assessed and the correlation analysis of the contribution of the mean scores of the attributes to overall acceptability of the dishes were determined. The result shows the ranges of mean score of attributes with appearance (3.42 to 7.22), texture (3.44 to 7.12), taste (3.36 to 7.53), aroma (3.09 to 6.61) and overall acceptability (3.51 to 7.39). Also, the results of the correlation analysis shows that most of the attributes of the dishes are positively related to the acceptability of the dishes (p<0.01). The result (p = 0.258) (r = 0.062) showed that the dish of ewuro elegusi was rated the highest among all the sensory attributes while amuriki was rated lowest. The study showed that vegetables play an important role in the sensory qualities of indigenous dishes and most of the dishes were acceptable to the visiting tourists in the study area

Nutritional Evaluation and Sensory Qualities of Sekete Beverage Flavoured with Ginger and Sweet Potatoes

The study was designed to evaluate the nutritional composition of "sekete” beverage and also assessed people's responses to "sekete "flavoured with ginger and sweet potato, and the second sample, flavoured with table sugar only. The raw materials used consist of guinea corn 85%, ginger 5% and sweet potato 10%. The control sample had guinea corn 85% sugar 15%. They were processed by adopting the local methods. The beverage "sekete” was nutritionally and organoleptically evaluated using standard methods. The "sekete" beverage flavoured with ginger and sweet potato appeared to have higher nutrient value, than the "sekete" flavoured with sugar only. The recorded values were energy (320.15kcal/100g), protein (18.10g/100g), carbohydrate (78.15g/100g), fat (1.32g/100g). They also contained fair levels of minerals. The sensory evaluation scores of the two samples indicated that flavoured "sekete" with ginger and sweet potatoes were most favoured by elderly panelists while majority of the youths among the panelists preferred the “sekete” flavoured with sugar. Generally, "sekete” beverage flavoured with ginger and sweet potato had higher overall acceptability