Child Labour and Its Determinants in Informal Sector of Onitsha, Anambra State , Nigeria.

Child labour is a problem that affects children and the society  all over the world. Children looses their youth and chance of studying, dangers their  health and their future thereby providing harm to the society. This study examined child labour and its determinants in  Nigeria with specific focus on informal sector of Onitsha Metropolis, Anambra state. It is a descriptive survey research. Interview schedule was used as instrument for data collection. Non-probability sampling was employed in which the sample were drawn using quota and purposive sampling technique. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics(frequencies, percentages and charts).The aim of this study is to find out what determines the labour supply decisions in onitsha metropolis and also to find out the major causative factors of child labour in Onitsha metropolis. The study finds that parents determines the labour supply decisions in the study area. The findings of this study also showed that factors such as illiteracy, Parents ignorance, low level of awareness, high cost of living and low income also contribute to child labour in the study area. The study recommended amongst others that  Anti-child labour watch group should be formed to prosecute and penalize parents who engage their children into labour in Onitsha and also government should provide financial assistance to parents to increase their income. Keywords- Child labour, determinants, informal sector, Onitsha

IMPACT OF AFRICAN FREE TRADE POLICY (AGREEMENT) ON THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF NIGERIA

The signing of the agreement that established the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in the year 2019 is believed to be an African-based growth strategy that is self-reliant and is expected to be the world’s largest free trade area after the World Trade Organization (WTO). The agreement is an attestation to the fact that African countries cannot continue to rely solely on the global trading system and global economy of the world economic powers, probably because they are increasingly becoming unpredictable. However, there is an assumption that the aggregate consumer and business spending on the continent could rise if AfCFTA is implemented successfully. This assumption therefore calls for a research like this to evaluate the likely economic impacts of the free trade agreement on different African countries particularly Nigeria which is the giant of Africa and the focus of this study. To achieve the objectives of the study, descriptive statistical approach was utilized to examine how the AfCFTA could contribute particularly on poverty reduction and Nigeria has been struggling for many decades to reduce poverty. These variables were considered: household income, illiteracy level, unemployment level and access to health care. The results of the analyses revealed that the AfCFTA could be slightly beneficial to Nigeria as it would improve the efficiency of the factors of production and product markets thereby enhancing household income generation, reducing the level of illiteracy, unemployment and increasing access to good health, efficient resource allocation and improved industry competitiveness which was expected to help Nigeria record significant reduction in poverty level and increase in economic development. In the light of these findings, the study recommends that government should then design proactive strategies that would reap the full benefits of AfCFTA such as engaging the private sector in identifying receptive and risk surrounding their sectors and paying more attention to the development of the service sector etc. The study has potential limitations such as unavailability of recent data. To tackle this limitation, the study adopted the 2019 survey data on pillars of measuring human development index by World Bank to address the quality of the findings, and research question. JEL: F10, H13, O10 Article visualizations

Water Safety Plan and Water Policy as an Instrument for Improved Quality of Drinking Water in Anambra State, Nigeria

Reliable, safe drinking water and sanitation are the fundamental requirements for people trying to reach their greatest potential in life. Water and sanitation are some of the primary drivers of public health and critical elements in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A country that secures access to clean water and adequate sanitation facilities for the people irrespective of the difference in their living condition has won a huge battle against all kinds of diseases. The study empirically looks at the use of a water safety plan to know the extent to which the water is safe for drinking in Anambra State. This study is a qualitative study which the researcher adopted a descriptive approach to analyze and present data. Primary and secondary sources of data collection was used. A questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection which involves people in the "WASH" communities while the secondary source was materials collected from health workers. The study found that the identified risks in the 2 WASH communities are: dirty fetcher, a dirty tank, dirty environment, no fence around the dug well, dirty concrete floor, cobwebs around the water tank which makes water unsafe for human consumption. The major challenges experienced by the community in providing safe water is the high cost of water treatment and inadequate finance. The study recommended that there is a need for water policy in the state and the country at large to ensure safe drinking water. Keywords: Water policy, Water safety plan, Water quality JEL: Q25, Q28, O18 DOI: 10.7176/JESD/12-4-09 Publication date: February 28th 202