The Impact of the New Issues Market on Agricultural Productivity in Nigeria

The growth of the agricultural sector in Nigeria has remained a major problem in spite of policies put in place by government to provide the sector with varying windows of investible funds, a major one of which is the capital market. Listed firms in capital market have opportunities to raise fund for investment. Agricultural productivity can be enhanced if sufficient funds can be accessed through primary market window of the Nigeria capital market. It is against the forgoing that this study seeks to examine the impact of the new issues market on agricultural productivity in Nigeria from 1990 to 2009. The study adopted the two variable model and the results reveals that the new issue market had positive and significant impact on agricultural output productivity in Nigeria. The study thus recommends relaxation of stringent conditionalities observed in accessing fund from the capital market should be relaxed especially for agricultural firms. This will encourage firms to tap from the opportunities in the capital market to increase productivity and output. Keywords: New issues market, Agricultural productivity, Nigerian Econom

Graying Incarcerated Persons and Education Programs in Nigerian Correctional Centre

Correctional education programs are rehabilitation programs designed for incarcerated persons in Nigerian correctional institutions. However, getting the graying incarcerated persons to participate in education programs becomes quite challenging. This study investigates graying incarcerated persons and education programs in one correctional centre. Data were collected qualitatively from fifteen (15) incarcerated individuals aged 60 years and above using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was employed in analyzing the data generated for the study. Findings show that there are no available education programs for graying incarcerated individuals. The study also revealed that designing education programs in such a way that it will accommodate the needs of the graying population will alleviate or soothe this category of prisoners. The study, therefore, recommends that education programs should be inclusive of different populations of incarcerated persons, especially the graying ones. Social workers have roles to play in alleviating the problems faced by graying incarcerated persons

Sustainable Socio-Economic Development In Nigeria: A Case For Road Infrastructure Maintenance

Roads are among the vital assets of any nation. Apart from carrying people, vehicles and goods, roads also provide avenues for such service apparatuses as water, electricity, sewerages, etc. thereby serving as a veritable tool for socio-economic development. A close look at the Nigerian road network reveals the enormous infrastructural systems problems. These problems, in the main, are more maintenance related. Since the provision of roads is cost intensive, one would have expected appropriate maintenance to safeguard them from total deterioration which ultimately leads to eventual rehabilitation or reconstruction with its cost implications. Regrettably, this is not so in the country for no sooner these road infrastructure are commissioned than they are abandoned to dilapidate. Roads, like any other development assets function maximally over the whole period of their economic life when regular maintenance is applied. This paper therefore examined the road maintenance situation in Nigeria and concluded that there is virtually no noticeable road maintenance culture in the country. It therefore proffers pro-active road maintenance strategies for sustainable socio-economic development and good governance. Keywords: Infrastructure, Road Maintenance, Sustainability and Economic Development

The Dynamics of Land Ownership by Deities in Anambra State Nigeria.

Anambra State is one of the five Igbo-speaking States that make up South Eastern Nigeria. Among the Igbos of South Eastern Nigeria, land is believed to be owned by both natural and supernatural persons (deities). Ownership of land by the deities in Igboland is as old as the communities themselves. These lands owned by deities include ‘Ajo-ofias’ meaning ‘evil forests’, ‘okwu muo’, or ‘sacred groves’, ‘ana nso’ or sacred land. People who died of dreaded illnesses or who committed grievous ‘offences’ or ‘nso ani’ were deposited in the evil forests. Ownership of an evil forest by any deity arose where someone who committed an offence against the deity died from retribution and the corpse deposited on the deity land thereby converting the land into an Ajo Ofia or an Evil forest. Okwu Muo or Sacred Groves are the earthly abode of the guarding spirits in Igbo land while Ana Nso or Sacred land are such lands where mystical and miraculous events took place in the past. Most Igbo villages had Deity lands. A critical look at the villages in recent times revealed that most of these lands owned by deities are disappearing at an alarming rate while some still remaining exhibit serious human incursions. This paper therefore explored the dynamics of land ownership by deities in Anambra State of Nigeria and concludes that, at the rate the deity lands are disappearing, in the next few decades, all such lands would have disappeared with serious implications on land ownership by deities. Keywords: Dynamics, Land Ownership, Deities, South Eastern Nigeria

Stock Market and Economic Growth in Nigeria: Evidence from the Demand-Following Hypothesis

The capital market connects the financial sector with other non-financial sectors of the economy and, in the process, facilitates growth and economic development. Literature abound on the impact of stock market on economic growth however, little literature are available from the demand-following hypothesis which claims that it is the growth of the economy that causes increased demand for financial services which, in turn, leads to the development of financial markets. It is against this background that we examined the impact of stock market development on economic growth from the demand-following arguments from the period 1996-2010. Employing the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression, we found that economic growth has positive and non-significant impact on market capitalization ratio and turnover ratio of the Nigerian stock exchange but had a negative on the Nigerian stock market value traded ratio. Our study thus recommends an increased effort by the Nigerian government to grow the economy through rapid industrialization, provision of basic amenities such as electricity, roads, dams etc as this will in turn lead to the development of the financial sector.   Keywords: Stock Market. Economic Growth, Demand-Following Hypothesi

Comparative analysis of the profitability of rice production by credit and non-credit users in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria

The study focused on the comparative analysis of the profitability of rice production by credit and non-credit users in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi state. The specific objectives of the study were to; determine the socio-economic characteristics of rice farmers in the study area, analyse the factors influencing the output of rice farmers, compare the profitability of rice production by credit and non-credit users and to identify the constraints militating against rice production in the study area. The Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 72 rice farmers that were categorized into users and non-users of credit. The descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis, net income model and profitability index were employed in analysing data for the study. The findings revealed that the mean age of credit and non-credit users were 42 years and 43 years  respectively, majority of the respondent were males for both credit (64%) and non-credit users (78%). The study further revealed the mean  household size for both the credit and non-credit users was 5 persons, while majority of the respondent had attained primary education (36%) for credit users and (39%) for non-credit users. The results of the ordinary least square regression revealed that the coefficients of farming experience, household size, farm size and access to credit were positive and significant at 1% level, implying that there is a direct relationship between these variables and the output of rice farmers and that an increase in the years of farming experience, household size, hectare of farmland and the ability of farmers to access credit will invariably lead to an increase in the output of rice farmers in the study area. The study further revealed that rice farmers in the study area that accessed credit facility had a net margin of ₦ 969,982.99 as against the net margin of ₦ 418,539.48 for farmers who did not access credit facilities. The profitability index ratio for farmers who accessed credit facility was 0.86 while the profitability index ratio for farmers who did not access credit facility was 0.52,which implied that for every naira invested in rice production by the rice farmers who accessed credit facility, 86 kobo was returned to the rice farmer while 52 kobo was returned to the rice farmers who did not access credit facilities, which implied that rice production is a profitable enterprise in the study area but it is more profitable amongst the farmers who accessed credit facilities. The study further identified inadequate credit facilities, high cost of labour and inputs as the major constraints militating against rice production in the  study area. It is recommended that Government, Policy makers and Non-governmental organizations should create an enabling environment to boost the productivity and income of rice farmers through the provision of adequate credit facilities to farmers, and by providing input subsidies to farmers. Keywords: Profitability, Rice farmers, Credit and Non-credit user

Shortened versus standard post-partum maintenance therapy of magnesium sulphate in severe pre-eclampsia: a randomised control trial

Background: Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy-associated multi-organ disorder caused by altered trophoblastic invasion and endothelial cell dysfunction. It is associated with significant maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, especially in developing countries. Magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) is effective in the management of severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia. Objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a shortened course of MgSO4 to the Pritchard regimen in patients with severe pre-eclampsiaMethods: This study was carried out at the obstetrics and gynecology department of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife. It was a randomised control study of 116 patients, 58 in each group. Group A received the standard Pritchard regimen: a loading dose of MgSO4 4g slow IV bolus plus 10 g IM (5 g in each buttock), followed by maintenance dose of 5g MgSO4 IM 4-hourly into alternate buttocks until 24 hours after delivery. Group B received same loading dose, but the maintenance dose was limited to three doses of 5g MgSO4 IM four hours apart after delivery. In both regimens, 2g MgSO4 was given IV for breakthrough fit. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.Results: This study revealed that twelve-hour postpartum MgSO4 was as effective as the Pritchard regime with no statistically difference in occurrence of seizures (X2 = 0.341, df = 1, p = 0.514). The average total dose of magnesium sulphate used was lower in the study Group B.Conclusions: Twelve-hour postpartum MgSO4 is as effective as the standard 24-hour Pritchard regime