English Language Teachers’ Attitudes to the Promotion of the Standard Nigerian English: A Survey from a Nigerian City

Against the backdrop of the near-impossibility of attaining a native-like command of the English in a second language situation, which is one of the major factors found to be militating against Nigerian learners of the English language, this study examines the prospects of promoting the Standard Nigerian English to end the futile struggle of aspiring to a perfect mastery of the Standard British English. It attempts ascertaining the psychological readiness of English language teachers to embrace the teaching and assessment of students based on the more easily attainable SNE. Copies of a self-constructed twelve-item questionnaire were validated and administered to one hundred and forty-seven randomly selected secondary school English language teachers in Ibadan. Frequency counts, percentages, and chi-square statistics were employed to answer a research question and test two null hypotheses. The results revealed no significant difference in the language teachers' attitudes to the promotion of the standardized variety of the Nigerian English based on gender but significant difference according academic qualifications. It is thus recommended that Government undertakes research on the prospects and problems of elevating the standard Nigerian English and meticulously implement the policy emanating from ensuing findings

Analysis Of Academic Qualification Of Extension Field Staff And Their Training Needs

The study analyzed academic qualifications of field extension staff in Abia and Akwa-Ibom States of Nigeria. The sample comprised of all the 647 ZEOs, SMSs, BESs and EAs on the roll of the two ADPs at the time of data collection. Analysis of data revealed that: (1) high percentage of staff positions have been filled in the extension services in Abia (80.1%) andAkwa-Ibom (85.4%) States. (2) About 14.4% of staff does not have the minimum entry qualification of OND even as their highest academic qualification is the First School Leaving Certificate or West African School Certificate. Staff with OND are 17.3%. Only 12.2% holds Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) while 20.7% and 32.6% holds HND and B.Sc respectively. The remaining 2.8% holds PGD, M.Sc or Ph.D. It was argued that the OND minimum requirement for employment of EAs and HND for BESs and SMSs are inadequate because these staff is like teachers who must not only be masters of what to teach, but also of how to teach it. The curriculum for OND, HND, BSc, MSc and PhD in Agriculture does notprepare graduates for teaching. If the Federal Ministry of Education has insisted that possession of at least, a certificate in education should be a condition for recruitment of new and retention of old teaching staff, much more would EAs, BESs, and SMSs require adequate training and skills in methodology for teaching. Teaching, informing and advising farmers,who are largely illiterates requires greater skill in the art of teaching. It was recommended that the minimum entry qualification for EAs would be NCE in Agricultural Science or in other science subjects. The policy of holding a minimum of NCE or a certificate in education or Adult education by all field staff in the extension system should be put in place for its obvious implications for effective technology transfer

Awareness and utilization of “Sobo” (Hibiscus sabdariffa-roselle) by farm families in Aniocha north local government area of Delta state, Nigeria

Hibiscus sabdariffa (Roselle) is known for its numerous health and medicinal benefits. “Sobo” is an indigenous non-alcoholic drink made from hot extract of Roselle calyces and consumed in Savannah and semi-arid region of Africa. This study assessed awareness and utilization of sobo among farm families in Aniocha Local Government Area of Delta State. Multistage sampling procedure was employed to select a sample of 140 farm families who responded to a 22-item interview schedule that was used for data collection. Relevant data were subjected to descriptive statistical analysis such as mean, percentage, pooled mean and ranking. Among others, it was found that about 91.4% of the respondents were aware of sobo drink. Friends and neighbours were the sources of information on sobo to about 73.6% of the respondents while only 9.3% got the information from Extension Agents. While about 31.4% of respondents do not utilize sobo at all, majority of those who do (43.6%) are doing so at a low rate of one (1) time per week. The major constraints that farmers are facing relates to preparation of sobo. It was recommended that extension activities should be invigorated, with a view to closing the gap in farmers’ knowledge about several health and medicinal benefits of sobo and how to prepare it. Campaign should be mounted to encourage farmers to utilize sobo on a higher than the observed 1-2 times per week and at the expense of carbonated soft drinks with it usual high sugar content. Further investigations to increase the shelve life of sobo and to ascertain quantities that are optimal for various age ranges in the farm families should be carried out.Key words: Health, Nutrition, Utilization, “Sobo” drink, Roselle, Hibiscus sabdariff

The Influence of Sex, Marital Status, and Tenure of Service on Job Stress, and Job Satisfaction of Health Workers in a Nigerian Federal Health Institution

The study examined some demographic factors that interact to influencing the satisfaction that nurses and doctors derive from their jobs. One hundred and ninety one (191) professionals, comprising of one hundred and two (102) nurses and 89 doctors were drawn from Federal Medical Centre, Ido Ekiti in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Perceived Stress Scale developed by Cohen (1983) and Minnesota satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) developed by Weise, Davis, Lofquist and England (1967) were employed to assess job stress and satisfaction respectively. Analysis of data was done using Independent t-test and one way ANOVA. Three hypotheses were tested to show the effects of the demographic factors on job satisfaction. The result shows that job satisfaction is influenced by marital status [t (189) = 10.17, p<.05]; sex [t(189)= 5.61, p<.05] and tenure of service (F (2,188) = 115.6, p<.05). Also, job stress has a significant effect on the job satisfaction among nurses and doctors. Findings were discussed in relation to the existing literature on the influence of demographic variables on job satisfaction.Key words – Job Stress, Job Satisfaction, Psychology, Healt

Utilization of western and traditional healthcare services by farm families in Ukwa-East local government area of Abia state, Nigeria

The relationship between farmers’ health and agricultural productivity has been established in literature. The study assessed utilization of Western and Traditional healthcare services by farm- families in Ukwa-East Local Government of Abia State. The population of study comprised all farm-families in the 19 Community that make up the study area. Multistage sampling technique was employed to select 133 male and female farm-family heads who served as the sample for the study. Structured interview schedule was used for data collection. Research data were analyzed with the aid of descriptive statistics (such as mean, ranking and percentages). Among others, it was found that the illnesses/diseases that were prevalent in the study area were related to occupational hazard-induced conditions such as acute headache, waist pains, injuries and inadequate hygiene-related illnesses (such as typhoid fever and malaria) . While very few respondents use Western health care services, majority (80.4%) usually combine Traditional and Western health care services. Most respondent accessed information on Western health care services from families/friends and neighbours whereas information about Traditional health care services reached farm-families through combined efforts of family/friends and neighbours, radio and television programmes and itinerant Traditional medicine hawkers. Respondents were not in doubts about the beneficial effects of utilizing Western over Traditional health care service, their major problems with it were the high costs, time wastage, grossly inadequate primary health care facilities. It was recommended that Government improve Primary Health Care facilities, subsidize cost of drugs and services to farm families while implementing drudgery-reduction intervention programmes that would reduce occupational hazard-induced ill-health or diseases among the farm families. The Agricultural Extension service should be re-positioned with a view to making it more responsive to the pertinent needs of health education, while mounting vigorous awareness campaign against the use of unregulated traditional health care services.Keywords: Traditional healthcare, Western healthcare, farmers, diseas

Socio-Economic Factors Affecting the Marketing of Garri in Port Harcourt City of Rivers State

This study assessed the socio-economic factors affecting the marketing of garri in Port Harcourt city of Rivers State. Specifically it examined the organization of garri marketing in Port Harcourt; the marketing cost and margin and recommended ways of improving the marketing system of garri in the study area. Four major markets (Mile one market, Mile three market, Oil mill market and Creek market) in Port Harcourt city were purposivefully selected for this study out of which 20 respondents were randomly selected from each of the market giving a total of 80 respondents. Interview schedule was used to elicit information from the respondents. Data collected include socio economic characteristic of the traders, purchases and sales transaction, marketing cost and returns and finally problems encountered by the traders. Analysis of the data obtained showed that majority (83%) of the respondents were female, 78% had basic education which help them in keeping proper record and in performing marketing function effectively. Also 87.5% had been in the business for between one to ten years while 75% were retail traders. Furthermore 50% of the garri traders buy their product from outside Port Harcourt while the major means of transportation used by the traders was taxi (40%). Some of market information was mainly from colleagues (61%). The total average marketing cost per ton is N2372.9. The respondents earn fairly high net returns in relation to the marketing function they perform but cannot be said to be excessive. The major problems encountered in the marketing of garri in the study area include transportation problem and lack of capital. It was therefore recommended that micro credit facilities through formal financial institution should be made accessible to the traders so as to help them acquire sufficient capital for the transaction. Also marketers can pool their resources together to find a lasting solution to the problem of transportation by either buying a bus or hiring one to convey them to and fro at cheaper rates and more convenient situation

Relative Difficulties Experienced By Farmers in Obtaining Agricultural Production Inputs in Abia and Akwa Ibom States of Nigeria

The investing was undertaken to determine the relative difficulties encountered by farmers in securing selected production inputs in Abia and Akwa-Ibom States, Nigeria. Two-hundred and eighty farmers selected through multi-stage sampling procedure comprised the sample. Interviewed schedule that employed a 4-point rating scale was administered to elicit information about relative difficulties experienced by farmers in obtaining required quantities, timely supply and cost of production inputs. The results indicate that farmers had the greatest difficulties in obtaining required quantities of fungicides/herbicides, fertilizer, livestock and fishery inputs. The greatest difficulties were experienced with regards to timely supply of fertilizer, fishery, fungicides/herbicides and livestock inputs in that order of decreasing intensity. Farmers cited fishery inputs as the costliest, followed by fertilizer, fungicides/herbicides and livestock inputs. On the other hand, farmers experienced minimum difficulties with adequate supply, timely supply and cost of agro processing, agro foresting and improved seeds. The paper suggests strategies for alleviating the constraints faced by farmers.Keywords: difficulties, farmers, agricultural production inputsJournal of Agriculture and Social Research (JASR) Vol. 11, No. 1, 201

Relationship between the standing vegetation, soil properties and soil seed bank of an industrially degraded vegetation of Iron Smelting Factory

This study assessed the floristic composition, soil properties and the soil seedbank of the vegetation around the Iron smelting factory. This was with a view to determining the functional role played by soil chemical composition and the seed bank in the modifications of vegetation patterns. Five 100 m × 5 m plots were selected from the study site; vegetation, soil seed bank and some soil chemical parameters were assessed. One-way Analysis of Variance and Duncan multiple  range tests were employed for data analysis. The results showed that the soil samples collected were slightly basic (or neutral) with the total Nitrogen in all the five plots ranged from 0.22 to 0.33%. There was a little contribution by woody species to the floristic composition of both the standing vegetation and soil seed  bank. There was very low similarity (10.6% - 28.57%) between the standing vegetation and the soil seed bank species composition in the study site. The results of seedling emergence showed that herbaceous species dominated the soil seed bank compared to other life forms. Our result revealed a shift between seed-bank and vegetation composition which could be a consequence of the soil chemical properties and also as a result of different level of disturbance occurring due to the citing of industry in the area.Keywords: Emergence, nutrient cycling, regeneration, soil properties, soil seed bank, standing vegetation

Comorbidities and Risk Factors for Severe Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Purpose: The first novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) case in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was reported in Qatif in March 2020 with continual increase in infection and mortality rates since then. In this study, we aim to determine risk factors which effect severity and mortality rates in a cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in KSA. Method: We reviewed medical records of hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 positive results via reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) tests at Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Hospital, Riyadh between May and August 2020. Data were obtained for patient’s demography, body mass index (BMI), and comorbidities. Additional data on patients that required intensive care unit (ICU) admission and clinical outcomes were recorded and analyzed with Python Pandas. Results: A total of 565 COVID-19 positive patients were inducted in the study out of which, 63 (11.1%) patients died while 101 (17.9%) patients required ICU admission. Disease incidences were significantly higher in males and non-Saudi nationals. Patients with cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal diseases displayed significantly higher association with ICU admissions (p< 0.001) while mortality rates were significantly higher in COVID-19 patients with cardiovascular, respiratory, renal and neurological diseases. Univariate cox proportional hazards regression model showed that COVID-19 positive patients requiring ICU admission [Hazard’s ratio, HR=4.2 95% confidence interval, CI 2.5– 7.2); p< 0.001] with preexisting cardiovascular [HR=4.1 (CI 2.5– 6.7); p< 0.001] or respiratory [HR=4.0 (CI 2.0– 8.1); p=0.010] diseases were at significantly higher risk for mortality among the positive patients. There were no significant differences in mortality rates or ICU admissions among males and females, and across different age groups, BMIs and nationalities. Hospitalized patients with cardiovascular comorbidity had the highest risk of death (HR=2.9, CI 1.7– 5.0; p=0.020). Conclusion: Independent risk factors for critical outcomes among COVID-19 in KSA include cardiovascular, respiratory and renal comorbidities