The Perceptions of Major Stakeholders towards Web-Based Business Reporting in Selected Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria.

The study examined the perceptions of major stakeholders towards web-based reporting among manufacturing firms in Nigeria. The study employed descriptive research design. Structured questionnaire was the instrument used in sourcing primary data. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed the that web based reporting is more useful and easier to use and that the more successful companies are those companies that are using web in business reporting. There is a favorable attitude towards web-based reporting and a very high intentions to use web in reporting among the stakeholders. The findings on a coefficient of multiple correlation (R= .646  and R-square of .417) implied that 41.7% of the variance is accounted for by the predictor when taking together. Accordingly, the regression results of the coefficient showed that, only performance expectancy and attitude have a positive and significant influence on the behavioral intentions to use web in reporting. Keywords: Web Based Business Reporting; Major stakeholders; Perceptions

Determinants of voluntary blood donation among adults in communities of north central region of Nigeria

Objective: The collection of blood from voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors is an important measure for ensuring the safety, quality, availability and accessibility of blood. The study assessed factors affecting voluntary blood donation in North-central zone, Nigeria.Methods: The study design was descriptive cross-sectional, data was collected using a pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire from 3104 respondents using multistage sampling technique. Data was analyzed using EPI INFO computer software package (version 3.5.3). Level of significance was pre-determined at p-value < 0.05 at a confidence level of 95%.Results: Respondents with good knowledge of voluntary blood donation had better practice of voluntary blood donation. Younger age groups were 8 times more likely to donate blood voluntarily than older respondents. Yoruba ethnic groups are 1.5 times more likely to donate blood than other ethnic groups.Conclusion: For Nigeria and other developing countries at large to achieve 100% voluntary blood donation drive by year 2020, it is critical to change the blood donation culture from replacement to that of volunteerism through more effective communication and mobilization of donors. These efforts must be rendered more methodical and accomplished through a wider range of strategies.Keywords: Determinants, voluntary, blood, donation, Nigeri

Enterprise Risk Management and Performance of Selected Listed Consumer Goods Companies in Nigeria

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) is an integrated framework and monitoring tool for managing uncertainties surrounding the business objectives. This study evaluated the relationship between enterprise risk management and performance of Twenty (20) consumer goods companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The independent variables used are existence of risk management committee, existence of financial expertise, existence of audit committee, existence of Chief risk officer and board size. The study adopted ex post facto research design and data were sourced from annual reports and accounts of the selected Consumer Goods Companies. The collated data were analysed using descriptive statistics and generalised least square. The results reveal that risk management committee, financial expertise and board size have significant positive effect on performance. The results also revealed that existence of audit committee has a significant negative effect on performance while existence of chief risk officer has no significant effect on performance. The study therefore recommended that the regulatory authorities and other relevant institutions are enjoined to reassess their supervisory role with the view to strengthen the ERM process and taking the issue of risk management seriously at every level of organisations to provide reasonable assurance

Contributions of Anchor Borrowers Programme to Rice Farmers’ Productivity in Ekiti State

Contributions of Anchor Borrowers Programme to rice farmers’ productivity were investigated in Ekiti state. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 173 respondents and a structured questionnaire was used to obtain data on farmers’ level of productivity before and during ABP. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, PPMC, paired t-test at ?0.05 and Linear regression. The average farm size cultivated for rice was 3.22±1.4 ha, and the majority (98.8%) used a combination of mechanical and manual methods to cultivate rice before and during ABP. Timely paddy off-take was 13.3% before and 62.4% during ABP. Land fragmentation and tenure system (M=1.91) and high cost of labour (M=1.86) were major constraints faced by the respondents. Farmers’ rice productivity increased from 1.67 to 2.65 under ABP. Incentives provided during ABP that contributed significantly to rice farmers’ productivity were rice seed use and timely use of herbicides and insecticides. The ABP contributed significantly to rice farmers’ productivity in Ekiti state. Problems associated with extension contact and quality of extension delivery would be effectively addressed with the deployment of e-agricultural extension to improve farmers' productivity

Contributions of Anchor Borrowers Programme to Rice Farmers’ Productivity in Ekiti State

Contributions of Anchor Borrowers Programme to rice farmers’ productivity were investigated in Ekiti state. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 173 respondents and a structured questionnaire was used to obtain data on farmers’ level of productivity before and during ABP. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, PPMC, paired t-test at ?0.05 and Linear regression. The average farm size cultivated for rice was 3.22±1.4 ha, and the majority (98.8%) used a combination of mechanical and manual methods to cultivate rice before and during ABP. Timely paddy off-take was 13.3% before and 62.4% during ABP. Land fragmentation and tenure system (M=1.91) and high cost of labour (M=1.86) were major constraints faced by the respondents. Farmers’ rice productivity increased from 1.67 to 2.65 under ABP. Incentives provided during ABP that contributed significantly to rice farmers’ productivity were rice seed use and timely use of herbicides and insecticides. The ABP contributed significantly to rice farmers’ productivity in Ekiti state. Problems associated with extension contact and quality of extension delivery would be effectively addressed with the deployment of e-agricultural extension to improve farmers' productivity

International Financial Reporting Standards Adoption and Value Relevance of Financial Information of Quoted Healthcare Firms in Nigeria

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) was first adopted in 2005 by European Union countries while Nigeria mandatorily adopted in 2012 to participate in opportunities offered by globalization. This study, therefore, investigated the impact of IFRS adoption on the value relevance of financial information of quoted Healthcare Firms in Nigeria. The study conducted a pre (2008-2011) and post (2012-2015) IFRS analyses on six Healthcare firms quoted on the Nigeria Stock Exchange. The study sourced data on Earnings per Share (EPS), Change in Earnings per Share (CEPS), Book Value per Share (BVPS) and Share Price (SP) from published annual reports of the quoted Healthcare firms and Cashcraft Asset Management. Using the Multiple regression model the study revealed that Pre- IFRS financial information is value relevant; Post-IFRS financial information is also value relevant; and Post-IFRS financial information has relative value relevance over Pre- IFRS financial information

The role of population on economic growth and development: evidence from developing countries

The precise relationship between population growth and per capita income has been inconclusive in the literature and the nexus has been found not clearly explain the determinants of rapid population growth in developing countries that lacks fertility control and management framework. This forms the rationale for this study to access the trend of factors that influence rapid population growth in developing countries between 1980 and 2010. This paper examined the comparative trend review of population growth determinants between developing countries (Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Mexico and Nigeria) and developed nations (Germany and United States). The trend analysis revealed that fertility rate, crude death rate, birth rate, mortality rate, and life expectancy are the major determinants of rapid population growth rate, while youth dependency ratio of young people below age 15 has also been attributed as one of the leading causes of population growth and growth threat in developing countries. However, the analysis further indicated that excluding Mexico from the Upper Middle Income group, developed economies (United State and Germany) with large population size have a higher real economic well-being as measured by the Real GNI per capita, compared with selected developing economies in the world. The study then proffered the need for population control framework and provision of essential infrastructures for the rapid growing population size in developing countries in order to enhance their welfare

The role of population on economic growth and development: evidence from developing countries

The precise relationship between population growth and per capita income has been inconclusive in the literature and the nexus has been found not clearly explain the determinants of rapid population growth in developing countries that lacks fertility control and management framework. This forms the rationale for this study to access the trend of factors that influence rapid population growth in developing countries between 1980 and 2010. This paper examined the comparative trend review of population growth determinants between developing countries (Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Mexico and Nigeria) and developed nations (Germany and United States). The trend analysis revealed that fertility rate, crude death rate, birth rate, mortality rate, and life expectancy are the major determinants of rapid population growth rate, while youth dependency ratio of young people below age 15 has also been attributed as one of the leading causes of population growth and growth threat in developing countries. However, the analysis further indicated that excluding Mexico from the Upper Middle Income group, developed economies (United State and Germany) with large population size have a higher real economic well-being as measured by the Real GNI per capita, compared with selected developing economies in the world. The study then proffered the need for population control framework and provision of essential infrastructures for the rapid growing population size in developing countries in order to enhance their welfare

Mapping of QTLs associated with recovery resistance to streak virus disease in maize

Open Access Article; Published online: 10 June 2018Maize streak virus (MSV, genus Mastrevirus, family Geminiviridae), vectored by the leafhoppers (Cicadulina sp.), is the most economically important viral disease of maize endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa and its offshore islands. Yield losses due to MSV are mainly controlled through use of resistant varieties. ‘Recovery’ (ability of plants to reduce symptom severity), is one of the types of resistance being used to develop MSV resistant cultivars through breeding. This study was conducted to map Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) associated with recovery resistance to MSV in a mapping population comprising 250 S1 lines derived from a cross between two MSV resistant lines. The population was genotyped using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers at 269 loci. A genetic map of 11 linkage groups was constructed comprising 230 SNP markers. Four QTLs, two putative QTLs with significant effect on chromosome 3 and two other QTLs with reduced effect on chromosomes 7 and 9, were identified from the population. The two QTLs on chromosome 3 together accounted for 47 to 51% of the total phenotypic variance while the other two QTLs accounted for 28 to 32% of the total variation. These QTLs originated from the two parents of the mapping population had both additive and dominance effects but interaction among the four loci was not significant. Further validation of these QTLs associated with recovery resistance in other diverse populations will lead to the development of new genomic resources to enhance breeding for MSV resistant maize

FAMILY COMMUNICATION ON HIV / AIDS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN A NORTHERN STATE OF NIGERIA

Most Adolescents in Nigeria, like many others in Africa, are potentially at risk for contracting HIV through unprotected sexual intercourse. Yet the issue of how to help youth avoid risky sexual behaviour through family communication / education on HIV/AIDS is still of serious arguments within the society. This study examines the practice of family communication on HIV / AIDS among secondary school students. A descriptive study using 420 secondary school students selected by multi-stage random sampling was done. Self administered semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect relevant data. Only 48 (12.1%) reported family as the first source of information. However, most of the students 315 (79.7%) had family communication on HIV/AIDS with their family members. There is a gender difference in practice of family communication. Significantly higher proportion of the female students had family communication more than their male counterparts. The educational status of the parents significantly determined whether or not a student had family communication on HIV/AIDS. There is considerable level of family communication in the study population which should be encouraged further to cut across all members of the family