SOCIAL CAPITAL, CORRUPTION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF SOME CONTRACTS AWARDED BY NIGER DELTA DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION IN AKWA IBOM AND CROSS RIVER STATE

Social capital is acquired through goodwill which a person poses over time. It is a very vital tool for mutual trust. It creates wealth since confidence is reposed on whoever has it. However, due to generational change, this vital societal instrument has begun to fade off as people now use this opportunity for selfish gain. It has paved way for corruption be it political or any other form. The resultant effect is that this social deficit has translate into infrastructural decay as people who are trusted to handle vital project defines it immoral to render moral justice to the obligations of the society, hence, a fall in total productivity and a tin relay on Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The overall result is a negative impact on economic growth. To effectively carry out this study, the researcher collates all contracts awarded by NDDC from 2004 to 2011; assess the level of completion by using simple percentages. It was discovered that contracts were poorly executed due to high leveled corruption by government officials who sometimes award the said contract to ‘trusted’ persons’. Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is set by Nigerian government to empower and provide infrastructural facilities to the people living within the Niger Delta region.   Keyword: Social Capital, Corruption, Economic Growth, Gross Domestic Product and Niger Delta Development Commission

Effect of ethanol leaves extract of Justicia schimperi on liver enzymes, serum proteins and bilirubin

Background: The effect of ethanolic leaves extract of Justicia schimperi on liver function was investigated. The liver enzymes studied include aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and bilirubin.Methods: 30 adult albino Wistar rats with weight ranging from 150g to 224g were used. They were divided into five groups of 6 rats per group. Varying doses of 274mg/kg, 547mg/kg, 821mg/kg and 1095mg/kg per body weight of Juisticia schimperi leaves extract were orally administered daily to test groups II, III, IV and V for 14 days respectively.  Group (I) however served as control that received normal rat pellets and water only.Results: The results showed that there was a significant increase (p<0.05) in the activities of AST, GGT and ALT in all the test groups; ALP in Groups III and IV when compared to control. On the other hand, the results also showed no significant increase at (p<0.05) in the concentrations of total bilirubin and direct bilirubin of the test groups when compared to control. Also, albumin, globulins and total proteins showed significant increase (p<0.05) when compared to control.Conclusions: Therefore, the observed changes in the parameters assessed, signifies the hepatotoxic impact of Justicia schimperi leaves which may be due to the doses administered and duration of administration or present of some bioactive substances.