The ABU Journal of Public Administration (ABUJPA) is a peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research in the field of public administration, governance, and policy studies. It serves as a platform for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to explore contemporary issues in public sector management, leadership, institutional reforms, and governance innovations. The journal welcomes original research articles, case studies, and policy analyses that contribute to the advancement of public administration, particularly within Nigeria, Africa, and the global context. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: Public sector reforms and governance Policy analysis and implementation E-government and digital governance Public finance and budgeting Administrative ethics and accountability Local government administration Human resource management in the public sector ABUJPA is published by the Department of Public Administration, Ahmadu Bello University, and adheres to rigorous academic and ethical standards to ensure the publication of impactful research.
Impact of Rural Electrification on Poverty Reduction: Evidence from Gulu and Ebbo Communities in Lapai Local Government Area, Niger State.
Access to reliable electricity remains a central challenge to sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa, where millions of rural households still depend on traditional energy sources. This study examines the impact of rural electrification on poverty reduction in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria. Specifically, it compares welfare outcomes between Gulu community, which has benefited from electrification, and Ebbo community, which remains largely un-electrified. The study adopted a quantitative quasi-experimental design using the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) technique to control for selection bias and estimate the causal effect of electrification. Primary data were obtained from 300 households 120 from Gulu and 180 from Ebbo selected through a multi-stage sampling process. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to estimate propensity scores, while nearest-neighbour matching (1:1, caliper 0.05) was employed to derive the Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATT). The results revealed that households in Gulu were 12 percentage points more likely to escape multidimensional poverty and had approximately 19.7% higher household income compared to similar households in Ebbo. Robustness checks using kernel, radius, and inverse probability weighting confirmed the stability of these results. The findings indicate that electrification significantly enhances household welfare and contributes to poverty reduction in rural areas. It is therefore recommended that government and development partners expand rural electrification projects and integrate them with complementary initiatives such as entrepreneurship support, microcredit access, and rural infrastructure development to maximize welfare gains.
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AN EXPLORATORY OVERVIEW OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AT LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN NIGERIA
Training and development of staff at the local government in Nigeria is quite fundamental to its growth, stability, and effective service delivery. Every effort made in this regard brings about a multiplier effect and productivity outcome not only to the employees but also to the administration of the local government and indeed, the entire nation. However, the attainment of this laudable objective has become a trajectory due to some challenges facing training and development at the grass-root level of governance. This paper unveils challenges of training and development at local government in Nigeria and suggest possible way forward. Secondary information was used in attaining the objectives of the study and content analysis was used in general discussions. The study revealed that, funding and centralization of staff for training are some of the challenges affecting staff training and development at local government. In fact, training and development are hardly relevant in meeting the needs of local governments in the study area as most staff training and development were not meant to address the training gaps especially in terms of skills, knowledge, abilities and competencies (SKAC) needed to work. It was also revealed that, training of senior staff in the local government is centralized at the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) in almost all states of the of the federation which hinders the selection process of trainees as well as identification of training needs analysis based on the peculiarities of the local needs at the individual, departmental and organisational levels. The study recommended among others for decentralization of training and development to local government under the control supervision of the Local Government Service Commission, merit selection of trainees based on training needs analysis and adequate funding of training and development of all categories of staff in the local government.
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AND ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY IN NIGERIA: LESSONS FROM THE LAGOS-IBADAN EXPRESSWAY
The overwhelming consensus that PPP fosters accelerated, on-budget and value for money public infrastructure delivery dominates the literature on highway PPPs particularly in the developed world. The situation in developing countries like Nigeria, however, presents a contrary scenario, with several of the projects ending up failing. This paper historically reflected on the experience of the federal government with the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway PPP project. The aim was to identify and explain the failure factors, the consequences generated, and policy lessons for future road PPPs in Nigeria. The paper derived historical evidence from documentary secondary data sources like PPP contract documents, project evaluation reports, government publications, journal articles, publications from magazines and newspapers among others. Interviews were also conducted on eight intermediate members of staff of Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (FMWH) and Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to provide backup evidence for the documentary data and buttress analysis and outcomes or results of the study. Findings indicate that environmental conditions such as politico-administrative machinery, legal-regulatory framework, economic cum financial deficits or weaknesses, feeble political will were among some of the fundamentals that undermined the success of PPP on the expressway. The paper recommended evolvement of the requisite PPP governance mechanism along with genuine political commitment encompassing community consultation and public enlightenment to douse opposition in the pursuit of future road PPP contracts in the country.
EFFECT OF FINANCIAL CAPACITY ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRIMARY HEALTHCARE PROGRAMMES IN SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF KATSINA STATE
Health is wealth; it is fundamental for the survival of humanity. For healthcare services to be effectively provided, finances must be adequately appropriated and released. The paper examined the effect of financial capacity on the implementation of Primary Health Care programmes (PHC) in Katsina State from 2011 to 2019. The problem investigated by this paper were examining whether there is adequate budgetary provision and released as required by the Abuja Declaration (2015) of 15% minimum requirement for the implementation of PHC in Katsina State. The objective of this paper is to assess the effect of financial capacity on the implementation of PHC programmes in selected LGAs of Katsina State. To achieve this objective, quantitative method was adopted and data were generated from both primary and secondary sources with questionnaire and interview as instrument for generating the primary data. The populations of the study were beneficial of Katsina, Funtua, Daura, Chiranchi, Danja and Bindawa Local Governments Areas (i.e.1,181,644). Krejcie and Morgan table was used to arrive at sample size of 384. The study revealed that, there was adequate budgetary provision for the implementation of PHC programmes. It was also revealed that funds appropriated were not adequately releasede. Budget performance was found to be below the minimum requirement. The study established that financial capacity has a positive and significant effect on the implementation of PHC programmes in Katsina State. There should be strong Civil Society Organisations (CSO) to monitor the budget implementation in the PHC sector. Financial discipline should be improved to ensure compliance with due process in incurring expenditure on PHC.
Enhancing Students’ Administration through Effective Utilisation of Electronic Registration: Evidence from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and Federal University Dutsin-Ma
Improving student administration through effective e-registration has captured the attention of scholars in Public Administration, particularly amplified by the exigencies of the COVID-19 pandemic. This research aims to assess the efficacy of online registration in enhancing student administration at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Federal University Dutsin-Ma. Employing a mixed-methods research design, primary and secondary data sources were employed for data collection. Structured questionnaires, one-on-one interviews, and the university library served as data instruments. The study encompassed undergraduate and postgraduate students, ICT staff members, and Student Affairs Division personnel, constituting a population of 80,896. A sample size of 396 responses was analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used for frequency tabulation, while simple linear regression analyses, facilitated by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 24), were applied for hypothesis testing. Thematic analysis was utilized for interview responses. The results underscored that e-registration significantly enhances student administration in the study area (P < 0.05), implying that increasing electronic registration in higher education can evidently enhance student administration. Challenges hindering optimal e registration utilization include, limited student ICT skills, unreliable power supply, protracted decision-making, insufficient student orientation on the use of the portal, inadequate readiness before deploying intricate ICT systems, and sluggish bureaucratic processes for outdated gadget replacement. Recommendations encompass clear and timely communication about e-registration and fostering a supportive environment for digitally disadvantaged students. In conclusion, effective e-registration utilization in Nigerian universities can substantially enhance the student administration.
EFFECT OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF LEATHER AND SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY, ZARIA
This study assessed the Effect Of Work-Life Balance On Employee Performance In Nigerian Institute Of Leather and Science Technology, Zaria: from 2019- 2023. The Objective of the study is to assess the effect of work-life balance on employee performance at the Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology. The data for the study were generated from primary and secondary sources. The instruments of the primary data collection used were questionnaire and interview, while secondary sources made use of published and unpublished material. Questionnaires were distributed on a sample of 163 respondents selected from 238 population of the study through a stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Data were analysed using descriptive, inferential and thematic statistical tools. Regression analysis tests result revealed that work-life balance has a significant effect on employee performance also the result from the interview indicate that work-life balance has significant effect on employee performance. It was recommended among other things that employees were able to balance work-life balance, and personal time and more attention should be given to them in terms of incentives and working conditions. This will further enhance their performance.
TREASURY SINGLE ACCOUNT AND FRAUD PREVENTION IN NIGERIA FEDERAL INLAND REVENUE SERVICE (FIRS)
Successive governments in Nigeria have continued to operate multiple accounts for the collection and disbursing of government revenues in flagrant disregard to the provision of the constitution which requires that all government revenues be remitted into a single account. Treasury Single Account (TSA) is a unified structure of government bank accounts enabling consolidation and optimal utilization of government cash resources. Through it the government transacts all its receipts and payments and gets a consolidated view of its cash position at any given time. Consequently, this study examined the Impact of TSA in Nigeria Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) as the Case Study. It employed a descriptive design approach, studying 102 senior staff of FIRS. The collected data were analyzed using the mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions with a decision rule of 2.5. It was hereby deduced from this study that TSA is more effective and prudent in Federal Inland Revenues Service than the conventional ways in which Federal Inland Revenues Service generate their revenue into multiple bank accounts. The study also revealed that TSA has failed to block leakages and promote transparency in management of government treasuries. It recommends amongst others that adequate political support from all arms of government would strengthen the effectiveness of TSA and also training and retraining of personnel will enhance optimization of TSA.
Assessment of the Impact of UBE on Reduction of Illiteracy in Kaduna State.
The Universal Basic Education is a programme that is meant to engender educational development in various dimensions and one of it is the reduction of illiteracy. Hence this study focused on the impact of UBE on the reduction of illiteracy in kaduna state being one of the states that has high population of children of school age and out of school children hitherto. The study focused on three components or subsector within the framework of the UBE to assess whether each of them has impacted on the reduction of illiteracy. To this end, the study specifically sought to determine the impact of basic education on literacy rate, determine the extent to which the upper basic education has increased literacy rate, and The study used data collected through the use of questionnaires and interview in addition to statistics on the trend of UBE gotten from kaduna state educational strategic plan document.The findings revealed that the UBE has increased the number of students and pupils enroled into the UBE schools over the years and invariably improved access to education without corresponding provision for infrastructures. consequently, there is class overcrowding and poor ratio of teacher to student as well as certain degree of negligence on the part of the school management and teachers. The study recommended among other things that the state government should build more classes and provide other infrastructure to reduce the density of students, and ensure strict and prompt supervision to ensure compliance to the UBE curriculum.
FINANCIAL CAPACITY AND SERVICE DELIVERY IN TAMBUWAL AND SABON- BIRNI LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF SOKOTO STATE, NIGERIA
This paper assessed the financial capacity of Tambuwal and Sabon-Birni Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Sokoto State in service delivery. It hypothesised that there was strong relation between financial capacity of the local government Areas and provision of services. The study used survey method in drawing samples from two main primary sources: Local government officials and the communities, using structured questionnaires. The secondary sources of data consisted of records of revenue, expenditures, and services provided and largely obtained from State Government and the LGAs. Hypotheses were tested using both qualitative and quantitative analyses, including Mean, Standard Deviation and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Findings revealed that LGCs in Sokoto State heavily depended on statutory allocations from the Federation Account with no contribution from the state government with very poor Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), thus, the service delivery due to the weak revenue generation capacity was very poor. Both the Local government officials and the communities generally agreed that the Local governments have not significantly contributed to the provision of services, in line with constitutional responsibility, to their communities. The paper recommended that the LGAs should have direct statutory allocation that could empower them to improve on their IGR; enhance their financial management, financial prudency, personnel efficiency and the LGAs operational freedom for effective capacity building to enhance their service delivery; that LGAs financial autonomy should be with control mechanism for prudency through enabling State legislation.
EFFECT OF IN-SERVICE TRAINING ON TEACHERS’ PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KADUNA STATE
Teachers play a crucial and fundamental role in ensuring quality education around the world. They help to facilitate the transfer of knowledge, skills and abilities to members of the society. Over the years, research has shown that many teachers in the educational system are ill-equipped to effectively and efficiently facilitate the transfer of quality education in learners. Poor teachers’ performance is displayed in their ability to perform their basic roles and responsibilities. Empirical evidence revealed that most teachers in public secondary schools, particularly Kaduna State have not attended adequate State-organized seminars, conferences and workshops needed to improve their performance. Thus, the study examined the effect of in-service training on teachers’ performance in public secondary schools in Sabon Gari local Government Area of Kaduna State. This study adopted survey research design. The population consists of employees of 129 sampled teachers from the sampled public secondary schools in Sabon Gari Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Primary data were collected through the use of a structured questionnaire from 129 sampled teachers from the sampled population under study. The questionnaire was distributed through the use of Simple Random Sampling Technique. Multiple Regression was used to analyse the data collected through the use of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 26.0. The study found out that there is a positive and significant relationship between in-service training and teachers’ performance in public secondary schools in Sabon Gari local Government Area of Kaduna State. On this basis, the study recommended that the Ministry of Education in collaboration with public secondary school administrators should well to ensure that newly recruited teachers, as well as old ones are constantly trained while on the job so as to keep them abreast with new knowledge and method of teaching that will not only improve their performance, but also significantly improve students’ academic achievements.
EFFECT OF UNICEF FUNDING ON PRIMARY HEALTHCARE SERVICES IN TAFA AND SULEJA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF NIGER STATE (2015-2022)
The study is on the Effect of UNICEF Funding on Primary Healthcare in Tafa and Suleja Local Government Areas of Niger State. Prior to UNICEF’s intervention programme in Primary Health-Care Tafa and Suleja Local Government Area were confronted with issues of late release of funds and inaccurate channel of programme funds from state to the LGAs. The study aimed: to ascertain how UNICEF funding has improved Primary Health Care Services in Tafa and Suleja Local Government Areas of Niger state. The data for the study were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The primary sources of data that was used for this study are administration of questionnaire; observation and the conduct of in depth interview to elicit respondent opinion on the Effect of UNICEF Funding on Primary Healthcare in Tafa and Suleja Local Government Areas of Niger State. While the secondary sources of information for this study are textbook, newspaper, government gazettes, seminar papers, articles and report from the PHC in the state. Information from dissertations, theses, estimated store received and store issued voucher, medical records, m and e register and staff inventory were also used. The demographic data and the descriptive statistics of the study were conducted through the aid of tables and simple percentages, while the hypotheses of the study were tested using Multiple Regression. The study found out that the provision of adequate finance has the tendency of significantly improving maternal and child healthcare services in Tafa and Suleja Local Government Areas of Niger State. The study recommended that, UNICEF should increase funding and ensure that the fund has been spent judiciously to improve maternal and child healthcare services in Tafa and Suleja Local Government Areas of Niger State.
EFFECT OF GRASSROOTS’ DEMOCRACY ON SERVICE DELIVERY IN BOSSO LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NIGER STATE
Local Governments are established to promote grassroots’ democracy through imbibing the general principles of democracy thereby enhancing service delivery which will make the performance of any Local Government visible to the people. The study assessed the effects of grassroots’ democracy (representation and grassroots’ participation) on service delivery in Bosso Local Government between 2015 to 2020. The study used both primary and secondary sources of data. For the primary source, questionnaire and interview were the instruments used. For the secondary source, journals and publications were used. A sample population size of 212 respondents were selected from the total of 450 population size of the study, theory of Democratic participatory school was adopted as theoretical framework for the study. The result of the study revealed that representative leadership has significantly affected service delivery in Bosso Local Government; in the same vein, the study also found that grassroots’participation” has significantly affected service delivery in Bosso Local Government. The study recommended among others the need for efforts to be directed at ensuring that elections continue to be conducted in a free and fair atmosphere in order to boost representative leadership. More ways should be paved for easy mobilization of the general masses at the grassroots on decisions that concern the socio-political and economic development of their environment.
STAKEHOLDERS’ CONSIDERATION ON SCHOOL PLANT PLANNING IN PUBLIC SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NORTH-WEST ZONE, NIGERIA
This study investigated Stakeholders’ Consideration on School Plant Planning in Public Senior Secondary Schools in North-West Zone, Nigeria”. It aimed at determining stakeholders’ consideration on administrative facilities planning in public senior secondary schools in North west Zone, Nigeria and examining stakeholders’ consideration on facilities for convenience planning in public senior secondary schools in North-west Zone, Nigeria. The research questions were set according to the stated objectives. A descriptive survey research design was adopted to collect data from the respondents. The total aggregate population for the study was 34,038 while the total sample size was 381. The instrument used for the collection of data was questionnaire. The questionnaire was self-designed and was validated by experts in educational administration and planning. Descriptive statistics was used to interpret data which were collected from the field. However, weighted mean of 3.0 was used to analyze responses of the respondents to the research questions. By implication, a bench mark of 3.0 and above was set for acceptance while anything less than 3.0 was set for rejection of the item statements. The findings of the study revealed that stakeholders considered that administrative facilities planning in public senior secondary schools in North-West Zone, Nigeria were not appropriately planned. This was supported by the aggregate mean of 2.8 on table 4 and facilities for convenience in public senior secondary schools in North-West Zone, Nigeria were relatively adequate, with school cafeteria, staff bus and hand washing facilities not properly planned for. This was supported by the aggregate mean of 3.2 on table 5. It was therefore recommended that when planning school plant, administrative facilities should be appropriately designed and the buildings should be central to the school and visitor access because it is school’s access control point, so visibility and easy way finding is important and it is advised that convenience facilities such as school buses, canteen and toilet facilities should be adequately planned for in public senior secondary schools in North-west Zone Nigeria. There should be a collaborative effort between the state ministries of education and private individuals to facilitate in planning and provision of convenience facilities in schools in public senior secondary schools in Northwest zone Nigeria.
ASSESSMENT OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF UMARU MUSA YAR’ADUA UNIVERSITY'S (UMYU) COMMUNITY SERVICE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF BATAGARAWA COMMUNITY, KATSINA STATE, NIGERIA
Universities world over are known for three complementary missions (three cardinal objectives), namely teaching, research, and community service. Thus, the community engagement component of the University’s traditional three-track mandate disposes Universities towards Social Responsibilities. It is against this background that the paper assessed the contribution of Umaru Musa Yar’adua University’s (UMYU) Community Service to the Development of Batagarawa Community, Katsina State. The study made use of Questionnaire and Focus Group Discussion to obtain primary data necessary for the study. Secondary data was derived from relevant documents to complement the primary data. Quantitative data collected through questionnaire was analysed both descriptively and inferentially. The inferential statistical tool for the study is multiple regression technique with the help of Statistical package for Social Science (SPSS) version 25.0. On the other hand, the responses of Focus Group Discussion were thematically analyzed. The study found among others that UMYU’s community healthcare services and educational services has positively contributed to the development of Batagarawa community. However, the significance of this can be judged from the P value represented as “sig” and the t statistics. The paper therefore recommended among others the need for UMYU management to collaborate with the community stakeholders for the maintenance of health centres and the class rooms renovated in the community schools. The paper also recommends the need for continuous provision of scholarship and other incentives, especially to indigent community members and children should be encouraged.
FEDERAL - STATE FISCAL RELATIONS UNDER A DEMOCRATIC SETTINGS: NIGERIA’S EXPERIENCE
The principle of Intergovernmental fiscal relations facilitates negotiation; non-hierarchical exchange of information, and cooperation between the levels of government. This article explores the relationship between the federal–state fiscal relations under a democratic setting in Nigeria. The Part II of 1999 Constitution, contains the concurrent legislative list on which both the Federal and State governments can perform both fiscal and revenue/tax responsibilities. Establishing an appropriate legal framework is thus essential to optimize the role of IGR in the Nigerian federal system. Under the current revenue-sharing formula, the federal government takes 52.68 percent, the states 26.72 percent, and the local governments, 20.60 percent with 13 percent of derivation revenue going to the oil-producing states. The paper is a documentary research and it therefore relies on qualitative data obtained from journals, newspapers, textbooks, etc. The data was subsequently analyzed using content analysis. The paper revealed that the contending issues and challenges of fiscal federalism could be in form of a mismatch between revenue sources and the functions of the various tiers of government. The paper concluded that fiscal relations are highly lopsided as they favor the Federal Government against the various state and local governments. The Federal Government always receives a larger amount in the sharing formula and less impact on the people. The lopsided nature of fiscal arrangement has so far generated suspicion, apathy and constant overt and covert conflict between the states by way of sharing responsibilities between the Federal and States. The research recommended that there is need to ensure that the distribution of revenue should encourage each state governments to improve their internally revenue generation by allowing them to collect some taxes, not to constantly and wholly depend on fund coming from the federation account and the issues of intergovernmental fiscal relations should be reviewed and respected so that functions to be performed by each tier of government could be explicitly stated as provided for in the Constitution.
ASSESSMENT OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF SUPPREME AUDIT INSTITUTION TO BUDGET CREDIBILITY IN THE NIGERIA PUBLIC SECTOR
The level of accountability is very poor in Nigeria because the attributes of convenience, completeness, and so on are completely not available or partially available for the citizens to assess the performance of public officers and also the management of public funds in terms of how public office holders give accountability report of their stewardship. This paper assessed the contribution of Supreme Audit Institution to Budget Credibility in the Nigeria Public Sector in year 2023. A sample of 83 staff of Ministrial Audit Department and Programme and Performance Audit Department in the Office of Auditor General for the Federation was determine using Krejcie and Morgan approach. The paper employed both questionnaire and interview instruments to collect data. The data collected were analyzed using Multiple Linear Regression model and content analysis. Findings of the study revealed that there is a positive and significant relationship between Auditing Standard (AS) and Budget Credibility (BC) at 5% level of significance in the Nigeria public sector. However, there is positive but insignificant relationship between Timely Auditing (TA) and Budget Credibility (BC) at 5% level of significance in the Nigeria public sector. Therefore, the paper recommends that the Office of Auditor-General for the Federation should embrace the use of ICT IT, staff training and re-training, staff welfare, adequate and skilled manpower, as well as adequate funding.
Bridging the Infrastructure Gap: Exploring Public-Private Partnerships in Education Facility Development in Osun State, Nigeria
This study investigates the role of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in addressing the infrastructure gap in education facilities in Osun State, Nigeria. The research explores the coverage, effects, and challenges, of PPPs in the education sector. It adopts a mixed method of questionnaire administration and interviews. Copies of questionnaire were administered to 267 teachers from selected secondary schools across the three (3) senatorial districts in the State, while in-depth interviews were conducted with the Director of Finance and Account in Osun State Ministry of Finance and the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics in Osun State Ministry of Education; and Head, Investment and Research Unit of Lotus Capital Limited. Data collected were analysed using percentages, chi-square and content analysis. The study reveals that PPPs in Osun State partially cover building provision, procurement of furniture and lab equipment, among others, in education facilities development. These partnerships have demonstrated positive effects, including increased enrollment rates, enhanced teaching-learning activities, and improved teaching environments in public secondary schools. However, challenges such as the lack of a robust policy framework, inadequate stakeholder sensitization, and ambiguous objectives hinder the full potential of PPPs in education facility development. The study recommends enhancing the policy framework, conducting comprehensive stakeholder education programmes, developing partnership skills, strengthening the legal and institutional framework, and implementing rigorous monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
Analysis of the Relationship between Job Stress and Performance of Academic Staff in University of Ilorin Kwara State, Nigeria
This study investigated the relationship between job stress and the performance of academic staff at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. A survey research design was adopted. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The target population comprised 64 lecturers from the Faculty of Management Sciences and 79 lecturers from the Faculty of Social Sciences, totaling 143 lecturers. A sample size of 111 was determined using the Krejcie and Morgan (1970) table. Simple random sampling was employed to select the 111 lecturers from the University of Ilorin for this study. The instrument used was a questionnaire titled "Stress and Employee Performance Questionnaire" (SEPQ). Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Research questions were answered using frequency counts and simple percentages, while research hypotheses were tested using simple regression analysis. The analysis revealed that academic staff at the University of Ilorin experience high levels of stress related to workload, time constraints, and a lack of work-life balance, which negatively impacts staff morale and performance. The study also established that stressors are a significant cause of job stress among staff at the University of Ilorin. The study concluded that implementing stress management strategies could effectively reduce job stress among staff at the University of Ilorin.
ASSESSMENT OF THE LEGISLATIVE PRACTICES OF KADUNA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY IN PUBLIC POLICY LAW MAKING
The legislature is responsible for collation of the needs, interests, goals, problems and ideas of the citizens through the public policy process. However, there is a growing pessimism about the effectiveness of public policies in many of the Nigerian States as most of the policies have not translated into progress as these States including Kaduna State are faced with myriad of problems such as insecurity, poverty, unemployment, low standard of living among others. Therefore, the study examined the Assessment of the Legislative Practices of Kaduna State House of Assembly in Public Policy Law Making. Research questions and hypotheses were also in line with the research objectives. The study utilised Survey instruments. 167 copies of questionnaires were administered across Members of Kaduna State House of Assembly, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, (MDAs), and Civil Society Organizations in some selected Local Governments out of the three senatorial zones in Kaduna State. Structural functional theory was used to underpin the study. The hypothesis of the study was tested using Spearman rank Correlation analysis with the aid of SPSS version 20. The study established that effective legislative practice by Kaduna State House of Assembly correlates with Law Making by 28.7% which signifies fair and low relationship. Therefore, the study recommend that the legislature in Kaduna State should strategize how to survey the opinion of the members of constituencies through operating constituency’s offices that can serve as a vital link between the elected members and the constituency they represents, this in order to avoid a disconnection between the activities of the elected members and expectation of the constituencies.
Effects of Armed Banditry on Socio-Economic Development: A Study of Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State, Nigeria
This study examined the effects of armed banditry on socio-economic development of Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State as study area. In Katsina State, majority of the population engage in agriculture as full farmers. Armed banditry in Batsari Local Government Area basically involved scores of gunmen on motorbikes sweeping into communities, shooting all the young men they can find on the assumption that they belong to local vigilantes, and then carting away food stuffs, livestock, kidnapping people for ransom and taking away valuable things, thereby hindering socio-economic development of the entire area. The main objective of the study was to ascertain the effect of armed banditry on the socio economic development of residents of Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State. The study adopted descriptive research design, which is cross-sectional survey in nature, and used questionnaire to collect data from 300 randomly selected respondents. The findings indicated that kidnapping, cattle rustling and armed robbery have negative effect on socio-economic development in Batsari Local Government Area of the State. Given the findings, the study recommended that the government should provide free and mandatory education for all citizens, in order to reduce the level of illiteracy, while the local government system should be strengthened to enable the Local Government Councils live up to their responsibility of providing for the needs of the people at the grassroots in order to reduce the rate of poverty and crime at this level of government.
EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT FISCAL RELATIONSHIP IN SELECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS IN KADUNA STATE
Against the background of the 1976 local government reform that recognizes local government as the third-tier government in Nigeria. This paper evaluates the effects of the fiscal relationships between the State and Local Governments on the performance of local governments in Kaduna State. The selected LGAs were Kaduna North, Kauru and Soba Local Government areas of Kaduna state, therefore, the survey design was adopted in this study. The study made use of primary instruments such as structured and unstructured questionnaire, observation and interview as well as secondary sources of data. The population of this study were the staff and community members of the three local government areas and the sample size for this study is 384, comprising 300 for members of the communities and 84 for the staff of the three Local government councils and Kaduna State Ministry of Local government Matters. They data were presented using table, frequency count and percentage, while Chi- Square was used to test the hypotheses. It was discovered that the provision in the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that gave states the power to determine the creation, structure, function and finance of local government adversely affect the fiscal relationships undermining the financial autonomy of local government areas of Kaduna state, and this affects their effective service delivery and performance of their statutory functions. The paper recommended that there is a need for a constitutional review to grant the local government its requisite financial autonomy for effective service delivery and rural development.
Effect of Overseas Undergraduate Medical Scholarship (OUMS) on Human Resource capacity Building in Health sector of Kano State
The study examined the effect of Overseas undergraduate medical scholarship scheme on human resource capacity building particularly in health sector of Kano state. Crisis within the health sector especially those related to manpower challenges was the main reason that prompt the idea of overseas scholarship scheme with a view to augmenting the already existing local scholarship in medical and Para-medical disciplines offered by the state government. The study adopted a mixed method research (MMR) design that incorporates the collection, analysis, interpretation and reporting of qualitative and quantitative data in order to explore diverse perspectives and uncover the relationship that exist between the variables under study. The study has a population of 1,600, Krejcie and Morgan table for determining sample size was used to draw a sample of 310. Regression was used to test the hypothesis. It has been discovered that Overseas Undergraduate Medical Scholarship (OUMS) has significant effect on human resource capacity building (HRCB) in health sector of Kano state. Specifically, the finding shows that OUMS has played a strategic role in increasing the knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences of the beneficiaries and this had significantly helped in addressing the gap in the availability of health care personnel working in various hospitals in Kano state. Statistically, the result shows that with P value = 0.000 and the value of alpha (α ≤ 0.05), overseas undergraduate medical scholarship (OUMS) has 0.533 (53.3%) effect on HRCB in health sector of Kano state. It was recommended that the implementers of the programme should put more emphasis on the importance of promoting multidisciplinary research and studies in various disciplines and specializations in medical parlance. These include Hospital based Clinical specializations, Laboratory clinical sciences specializations, as well as Community based clinical specializations. These specializations are more closely related to existing health care problems in the state such as maternal health, child health.
Effect of Vocational and Entrepreneurship Programme of the National Centre for Women Development Abuja on Women Empowerment in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria
The study is an assessment of the effect of vocational and entrepreneurship programme of the centre of the National Centre for Women Development Abuja (NCWDA) on women empowerment in Abuja. There have been reported cases of women not being able to start a business of their own even after they have graduated from the NCWD which make it difficult for them to become productive members of the society. Others find it difficult to access starts up capital to set up businesses of their own as graduates of the centre. This further put women in a disadvantaged position. The main objective of the study therefore is to examine the contribution of the Centre with special reference to its vocational training and entrepreneurship programme. The study adopted a survey design to collect data from beneficiaries of the programme in three area councils in Abuja. Questionnaire was used as an instrument of data collection. The study used the PLS-SEM for data analysis. The results from the Structural Equation Modelling revealed that the vocational training programme of the centre has a positive and significant effect on women empowerment while the entrepreneurship programme of the centre is not significant in explaining women empowerment in National Centre for Women Development Abuja. The study recommended that the centre should acquire more state-of-the-art equipment for training because the current training undertaken at the centre such as bead making, soap making, baking is becoming obsolete in the 21st century to ensure the sustainability of the programme. The study further recommended that there is a need to make ICT training compulsory for all beneficiaries of the programme irrespective of the choice of skills applied because of the marketability and sustainability of the skills.
Challenges and Oppotunities of Women Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Zaria Local Government (LG), Kaduna State Nigeria
This article examined the challenges bedevilling women NGOs in Zaria Local Government in Kaduna State, Nigeria. Qualitative research method was used to generate data. Primary data was sourced from interviews. Interviews were conducted with 113 respondents across thirteen wards in Zaria LG. Secondary data was obtained from journal publications, and extant literature.Results indicates that although most NGOs have their perculiar challenges but the most common challenges to all the NGOs are the shortage of internally generated revenue and the inability to access external source of funds within and outside the country. This has imposed difficulties to most women NGOs in their determinations to complement government’ efforts in the provision services to local communities in the LG. The study discovered that if women NGOs in Zaria LG. are properly organized they can serve as a vehicle for grassroots development. The study concludes that despite the numerous challenges facing Women Non-Governmental Organisations in Zaria Local Government, they will continue to contribute significantly to filling the major local development gaps that government failed to fill. The paper recommended more enlightenment on strategies to access other souces of funds within and outside the country.
Assessment of NAPTIP Enforcement Measures on Reducing Human Trafficking in Kiru Local Government Area of Kano State
Human trafficking is such a gravious abuse and violation of the fundamental rights of human beings. Hence, every government in the world is required to protect and uphold the rights of her citizens via the formulation and implementation of best possible policy to discourage or at least reduce human right violation. It is against this backdrop that the Nigerian government established the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other related offences (NAPTIP) in 2003 to fight the scourge of human trafficking in Nigeria. Therefore, this paper seeks to assess the enforcement measures of NAPTIP towards reducing human trafficking in Kiru LGA of Kano state, via a thorough investigation of the input of the anti trafficking agency’s enforcement strategies or mechanisms between 2009 to 2014 . The study was a survey research that utilized primary and secondary sources to generate its data. The primary data was generated through the administration of questionnaire and analyzed using tables; simple percentages and Pearson chi square (x2) to test the hypothesis. The secondary data was obtained from NAPTIP’s annual reports, NAPTIP magazines, UNODC reports, national dailies, internet facilities and other related research materials. The study used the evaluation theory by Edward Suchman as the theoretical framework . The findings of the research revealed that NAPTIP enforcement measures for human trafficking offence has contributed in reducing human trafficking in kiru local government area of Kano state. However, more needs to be done in terms of funding NAPTIP, speeding judicial proceedings, cultural education , provision of qualified leadership for NAPTIP and the review of the trafficking in persons Act were the recommendations of this study.
EFFECT OF TAX EVASION ON REVENUE GENERATION OF KADUNA STATE, A STUDY OF KADUNA STATE INTERNAL REVENUIE SERVICE
This study is design to identify the effect of tax evasion on revenue generation in Kaduna State. Tax evasion is one of the major social problems hindering revenue generation in developing state and destroying the existing wellbeing of the populace such as education, health care facilities and water supply in the state. The research objective focused on examining the effect and evaluating the extent to which tax evasion affect revenue generation in Kaduna State internal revenue service (KADIRS). The population for the study is 413 comprises the entire staff of Kaduna State internal revenue service and the sample size for the study was 201 arrived at, using multistage sample techniques. Questionnaire was used to collect data from a sampled respondents who were randomly selected across Kaduna internal revenue service while interview was conducted with 7 (seven) managers in revenue operation department in Kaduna State internal revenue service. Data collected were analysed using mixed method research, which involved the use of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics tools with the aid of SPSS, v.25, and the hypothesis was tested using multiple regression. The result found that underreporting of income, underpaying of tax and non filing of tax return form significant affect revenue generation of the state. Hence it was recommended that tax compliance enforcement law should assume the same consideration to all taxpayers including cooperate bodies or entities and different agencies. Also tax officials must come together and share information to curtail the problem of tax evasion in order to increase revenue to finance expenditure in the state.
EFFECT OF SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME ON PUPILS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN KANO STATE, NIGERIA (2014-2020)
The Federal government of Nigeria started implementing SFP in Kano state in 2017 to address the incidence of low academic performance, among many other factors, by boosting pupils’ nutritional status. This study therefore, sought to examine the implementation of SFP with the aim of determining its effect on improving pupils’ academic performance in public primary schools in Kano State. The hierarchy of needs theory by Abraham Maslow was used as a framework for the study. The study adopted mixed methods where questionnaire, interview and Focus Group Discussion were used to have generated data. The quantitative, qualitative and the secondary data were analysed using linear regression, thematic analysis and t-test statistics respectively. Findings of the study showed that SFP has resulted in slight improvement in pupils’ academic performance. The findings further showed lack of teaching and learning facilities like classrooms, furniture, textbooks and notebooks. The study further found that the success of the programme was at the risk of being destroyed owing to the restriction of the feeding progrmame to primary 1-3, high rate of corruption among the implementing officials, insufficient budget for feeding each child and the galloping price inflation in the country. The study therefore, recommended that in order to have a sustainable and significant increase in pupils’ performance, government at all levels should keep track of the increase in school popuplation and accompany it with a corresponding increase in all necessary facilities. The federal government should also put in place and enforce sanctions against corrupt officials in the programme to tackle the high rate of corruption reported in the programme. Also, the budget for feeding each child should be increased reasonably. This would increase the quality and quantity of the food, which in turn would increase and sustain pupils’ academic performance.