Delivery In Nigeria Research Articles

PROVISION OF RELIABLE ELECTRICITY TO PRIMARY HEALTH CARE FACILITIES IN NIGERIA - A NEW FOCUS OF INTERVENTIONS

The provision of reliable electricity to health facilities is a new focus of interventions to improve the quality of health care services. This is because many modern interventions, such as improving maternal and child health and reducing mortality, need modern medical technologies that operate with electricity. The Nigerian government, through the federal ministry of health, has been providing funding for community-based, evidence-based, and cost-effective interventions aimed at reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in remote areas. However, the lack of electricity remains a neglected barrier to effective intervention at reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and provision of health services. Many people in rural Nigeria lack access to basic modern health care, as health facilities serve them without electricity, and this creates a barrier to the attainment of key health-related goals. Ensuring 24/7 access to electricity in primary health care facilities [a part of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)7] can significantly contribute to improving the quality of life, by providing better health care services (SDG3). But, most of the primary health care facilities are confronted with an unreliable power supply that leads to the high cost of generating power from diesel to operate their equipment, and this adds significantly to the cost of the public health system. Based on the literature, comparative case studies and success in similar settings, in which a solar system has been used as a replacement and had positive outcomes, installation of solar-powered systems for the health care centers will drastically reduce the facility energy costs and this, in turn, will increase the quality of health care delivery in Nigeria.

Improving access, quality and efficiency in health care delivery in Nigeria: a perspective

Providing equitable access to health care for every Nigerian is central in the country´s National Health Act. But the Nigerian Health System ranks poorly in terms of access and quality just as the country also ranks poorly on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index. The problem of lack of access to quality health care stems from wasteful use of primary care services at referral centres. In the rural communities where the burden of morbidity and mortality is high, efficient health expenditure and service utilization is plagued by the absence of adequately functioning Primary Health Centers (PHC), cost sharing schemes and corrupt practices in the health sector. In order to curb these issues, policy options such as revamping the PHC and prioritizing the delivery of a basic minimum package of health care are useful to consider. Furthermore, implementation of strong actions to curb corruption in the health sector will improve access to care and health outcomes and it does not incur extra financial investment. This is achievable through improvement in public financial management and limiting corruption by making right choices in resource allocation towards pro-poor interventions. Similarly, well designed package of services and prioritization of primary care making best use of human resource will be beneficial. This is relevant to the Nigerian health system, leveraging on the country´s decentralized administration and strengthening Community Health Committees’ role in ensuring accountability and transparency at the PHCs. Finally, considering the role community health committees play in driving demand at the communities, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) can coordinate the development of a joint action plan for health care delivery, between a committee and each respective PHC facility. This will promote efficient use of resources and facilitate access to quality health care at each facility.

Assessing the Impact of Information Communication Technology on Medical Education and Healthcare Delivery in Nigeria During Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown

Assessing the Impact of Information Communication Technology on Medical Education and Healthcare Delivery in Nigeria During Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown

Exploring the Capabilities of Online Facilitation to bridge the Instructional Gaps in Open and Distance Learning Delivery in Nigeria

Amid the increasing popularity of online learning worldwide, efforts are being made to close the gaps within the system's critical instructional elements (teachers, students, and learning resources). Online facilitation has been touted as a veritable platform that allows seamless interaction between distance learners and their tutors. However, some student-related factors could hinder effective online facilitation at this level of education. Therefore, this study investigated the impact of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use on students’ acceptance of online facilitation, especially within the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) system of education. The study adopted a mixed-method research design to generate qualitative and quantitative data from the participants. A total of 1193 distance learners across seven faculties participated in the study. The web-based survey results showed that the level of acceptance of online facilitation among students was high, with a weighted average of 4.0. The level of perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of students were also high with weighted averages of 3.8 and 4.1 respectively. The p-values of 0.002 and 0.02 indicated that there were significant effects of students’ perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness respectively on the level of acceptance of online facilitation as an interactive platform in ODL instructional delivery. Based on these findings, it was recommended that stakeholders need to demystify the online facilitation process and make it user-friendly through adequate training to equip distance learners with the requisite competencies to navigate the platform. Keywords: Perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, online interaction, learners engagement, instructional gaps. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-3-20 Publication date: January 31 st 2021

Does where mothers live matter? Regional variations in factors influencing place of child delivery in Nigeria.

Utilization of health care facilities for child delivery is associated with improved maternal and neonatal outcomes, but less than half of mothers use these for child delivery in Nigeria. This study investigated the factors associated with facility delivery in Nigeria, and their variation between the Northern and Southern parts of the country - two regions with distinct socio-cultural make-ups. The study included 33,924 mothers aged 15-49 who had given birth in the last 5 years preceding the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. Overall, higher age, being educated, being a Christian, being an urban resident, being exposed to mass media, making joint decisions with partner on health care, beginning antenatal visits in the first trimester and attending antenatal clinics frequently were found to be associated with improved use of a health care facility for child delivery. An average mother in Northern Nigeria had a 38% chance of having a facility-based delivery, whereas the likelihood in the South was 76%. When other factors were adjusted for, age and listening to the radio were significant predictors of facility-based delivery in the South but not in the North. In the North, Christians were more likely than Muslims to have a facility-based delivery, but the reverse was true in the South. Rural women in the South had a 16% greater chance of having a facility-based delivery than urban women in the North. The study results suggest that there is inequality in access to health care facilities in Nigeria, and the differences in the socio-cultural make-up of the two regions suggest that uniform intervention programmes may not yield similar results across the regions. The findings give credence to, and expand on, the Cosmopolitan-Success and Conservative-Failure Hypothesis.

Factors influencing the utilisation of facility-based delivery in Nigeria: a qualitative evidence synthesis

Introduction High-quality facility-based birth reduces maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Previous multi-country systematic reviews have analysed qualitative research studies to understand the barriers and facilitators of delivery in a health facility. However, questions remain as to the extent to which generic multi-context reviews capture nuanced insights from a specific country context. Nigeria contributes significantly to the global burden of maternal mortality and hence the need to explore the country’s contextual factors affecting maternal mortality viz-a-viz a previous international review. Methods To synthesise published and unpublished qualitative research on factors that influence decision-making and use of facility-based delivery services in Nigeria using a qualitative evidence synthesis methodology. Multiple electronic databases, citation chaining and checking of reference lists were searched. Studies were screened by title, abstract and full text. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist for appraising a qualitative study. Synthesis of extracted data followed the ‘best-fit’ framework method which combines deductive and then inductive approaches to analysis. Results 27 eligible studies were identified. Data were organised around four principal themes, further divided into subthemes: perceptions of pregnancy and childbirth, the influence of the sociocultural context and care experiences; resource availability and access and perceptions of quality of care. Conclusions Beyond the structural gaps that exist which affect quality care provided at health facilities, wider social determinants like sociocultural beliefs, care experience and resource availability impact upon the utilisation of facility-based delivery services. Future research should prioritise interventions and programmes to address prevalent gaps involving distance and access. In this way, progress can be made against longstanding deficits in the quality of maternal and infant care.

Assessing the relationships between underlying strategies for effective building information modeling (BIM) implementation in Nigeria construction industry

ABSTRACT Effective communication among construction stakeholders has been a serious challenge in the global industry. Implementation of Building Information Modeling (BIM) has been established as a useful approach to overcome the challenge. However, lack of a single strategy for effective implementation of BIM tool during construction activities has made its application in a developing nation such as Nigeria to be very slow. Therefore, this paper aims to identify a single strategy that can be used to effectively implement BIM in Nigeria construction industry. This was achieved by conducting a mixed methods research in some selected construction firms located in Abuja the capital city of Nigeria in the year 2019. Interview and questionnaires were the main instruments used for data collection in the mixed methods research design. The findings of the study showed that BIM has not been maximally tapped by construction firms in Nigeria. The finding of the study also revealed that establishment of enforcement bodies that will ensure BIM application in every project is a significant strategy for BIM implementation in Nigeria construction industry. Such finding streamlined several strategies that can be used by project actors to understand the concept of BIM adoption in the study context. This could lead to affordable BIM projects delivery in Nigeria and consequently improve the performance of global construction industry. The study recommends that the underlying strategies that can be used to overcome the challenges of BIM enforcement in Nigeria construction industry should be investigated by prospective BIM researchers.

The challenges of access to local finance for PPP infrastructure project delivery in Nigeria

PurposeThis study explores the challenges of access to finance from local financial institutions (LFIs), i.e. local banks, for public–private partnership (PPP) infrastructure project delivery in Nigeria. The aim is to provide useful insights that could inform policy solutions to ease the local funding of PPP infrastructure projects in Nigeria and, by extension, other developing economies.Design/methodology/approachAdopting a qualitative research methodology, the study engaged PPP stakeholders involved in securing funds for PPP infrastructure projects in Nigeria. A total of 15 PPP stakeholders, drawn from the public and private sectors, were purposively selected and their views on the research problem obtained through recorded telephone interviews. The opinions of the research participants were subsequently analyzed and the results discussed with the outcome of the examination of relevant literature.FindingsThe study found that the significant factors affecting access to local finance for PPP infrastructure projects in Nigeria include low capital base by LFIs, weak project viability, lack of capacity to manage PPP-related activities, inconsistent government policy, poor legal framework and public perception of PPP.Research limitations/implicationsInsights from this study are useful for PPP stakeholders in mitigating the barriers that influence access to local finance for PPP infrastructure projects in Nigeria and other developing economies. This study is also useful in enhancing the current policy structure in developing countries as a way of revamping the existing infrastructure framework through LFIs.Originality/valueThis study provides clarity on the peculiar challenges impeding access to finance from LFIs for PPP infrastructure projects in Nigeria and will be useful for debt providers and policymakers in evaluating the bankability of PPP infrastructure projects in Nigeria and other developing countries.

ACHIEVING EFFECTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES THROUGH STRATEGIC TRAINING PROGRAMMES

The thesis of the study is that effective service delivery by the local government employees is a function of a strategic training framework. Extant literature examined captured the importance of training and development programmes in the local government and stated among other things, that training increases employees productivity, reduce costs, boost morale, promote stability, flexibility and service delivery at the grassroots. The arguments are substantiated with the training and high-performance theory advanced by Gallie and White (1993). The study adopts ex post facto design. Data are obtained from secondary sources and analysed using the content analytical technique. Empirical analysis of literature provides the framework for conclusion and policy recommendation. The study advocates for a strategic continuous training plan to enhance the capacity of local government employees and service delivery in Nigeria.

Bioactivity of Khaya Senegalensis (Desr.) A. Juss. and Tamarindus indica L. extracts on Selected Pathogenic Microbes

Khaya senegalensis and Tamarindus indica are widely used medicinal plant in many parts of Africa to manage infectious diseases. The barks of these plants were screened for their phytochemicals and their bioactivity activity against some clinical pathogenic microorganisms. Results of the phytochemical screening showed that tha a queous, methanolic and ethanolic extracts of the barks of the plants contain saponins, tannins, basalms, glycosides, steriods, terpenoids and flavonoids. The antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that bark extracts of Khaya senegalensis and Tamarindus indica had varying inhibition strength on the test organisms. The aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Khaya senegalensis had the highest zone of inhibition on three of the isolates which were; Pseudomonas 27853, Klebsiella pneumonia and Escherichia coli (Carbapenem-resistant strain). While the aqueous, ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Tamarindus indica barks inhibited Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus 4330, Klebsiella pneumonia and Echerichia coli (non-carbapenem strain). The minimum inhibitory concentration of the bark extracts ranged from 400mg/ml to 25mg/ml. There was no minimum bactericidal concentration observed from the extracts. Antibiotics susceptibility test using standard antibiotics indicated multidrug resistance by the test organisms which Ceftriaxone (CRO) 30µg and Cefepime (FEP) 30µg elicited inhibitory activity against Carbapenem-resistant pseudomonas species, Pseudomonas aerigunosa ATCC 27853, and Echerichia coli (non- carbapenem strain) respectively. The result of this study, therefore suggest the possibility of using Khaya senegalensis and Tamarindus indica extracts as antimicrobial agents, which can be a great asset to drug development for purpose of health care delivery in Nigeria.

To what extent do community characteristics drive health facility delivery? Findings among Women who had recent live births in Nigeria.

Existing studies have established several individual drivers of health facility delivery in many developing countries. However, the community characteristics that drive health facility delivery have been less studied across developing countries. This study thus examines the extent to which community characteristics drives health facility delivery among women who had recent live births in Nigeria based on data from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). A weighted sample size of 7,342 women was analysed. The outcome variable was health facility delivery. The explanatory variables were selected individual and community characteristics. Results show 39.7% prevalence of health facility delivery among the women. Findings further reveals that the community characteristics have significant effects on the variations in health facility delivery across the communities. Community characteristics significantly drive health facility delivery in Nigeria. More community-based priority actions are required to improve demand for health facility delivery in the country.

Taxation, Good Governance and Service Delivery in Nigeria: A Legal Perspective

Globally, modern constitutions impose responsibilities on the state to ensure the well-being of the citizenry, while the citizen is under certain obligations to perform, including payment of taxes. This arrangement is part of the historical social contract between the state and its citizen. Nigeria is not an exception to these global standards. Consequently, though not justiciable, the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy has been entrenched in Chapter II of the Constitution, while the Fundamental Human Rights which are enforceable are provided for in Chapter IV of the Constitution. However, under the present dispensations, the state has demonstrated obvious barrenness in performing her part of the social contract. Insecurity, corruption, unemployment and other similar vices are the order of the day. In cases of insecurity, the Federal Government appears to maintain organised silence while in others, it does appear that the government is deeply involved. The issues that arise from the foregoing, therefore are whether the citizen is still under obligation to pay tax, and allegiance to such insensitive and least trusted state. Through the doctrinal approach, this paper has identified the lacuna in our system of public law which prevents a public spirited taxpayer through the outdated technical rules of locus standi from challenging the government to account for revenue collected. The paper therefore recommends that Section 6(6) (c) which oust the jurisdiction of the court on Chapter II be expunged from the Constitution, and that the taxpayer must vote such governments out of office. But to be able to stand on his feet to challenge the government, the citizen must pay his tax. Keywords: Taxation, Governance, Service, Delivery, Perspective DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/99-10 Publication date: July 31 st 2020

Adherence with the Processes of Time Management in Construction Project Delivery in Nigeria

Adherence with the Processes of Time Management in Construction Project Delivery in Nigeria

Benefits of Innovative (ICT) Facilities Deployment on Construction Projects Delivery in Nigeria

Benefits of Innovative (ICT) Facilities Deployment on Construction Projects Delivery in Nigeria

Housing Tenure Choice and Housing Affordability in Nigeria: A Comparative Analysis of Owners and Renters of Organized Private Sector Housing

Housing tenure choice is one key decision that a household must make. This decision has been established to have direct implications for household housing affordability. This research assessed and compared the housing affordability of owners and renters of organized Private Sector Housing delivery in Nigeria. Data were collected from eleven (11) states and the Federal Capital Territory across the six (6) geo-political zones of Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted with multi-stage sampling technique employed to select estates residents for interview. Structured questionnaire were administered on 10% (1,950) heads of households randomly selected from all the occupied houses. The study revealed that 48% of the residents were owners and 52% renters. It was discovered that more owners than renters are under severe housing affordability stress/burden. While 29% of owners enjoy “normal housing affordability” (housing expenditure of 1% - 30%), 41% of renters enjoyed such. Also, while 36% of owners enjoyed “tolerable housing affordability” (30.1% - 50% housing expenditure), 41% of the renters fall within that range. Furthermore, while 35% of owners are theoretically under severe housing affordability stress/burden (with >50% housing expenditure), only 18% of the renters are. The study confirmed that renters enjoyed better housing affordability than the owners. Major policy implications include the need for housing policy and delivery in Nigeria to recognize and facilitate rental housing while steps should be taken to relieve the burden of home ownership by working on mortgage penetration, cost of building materials and other incidental expenses of ownership so as to enhance housing affordability of Nigerians.

Sustainable Public Housing Delivery in Nigeria: A Conceptual Stakeholder Management Model

In this study, we introduce a conceptual Housing Stakeholder Management Model that transforms institutional attitudes towards sustainable housing delivery. The essence is to promote a sustainability culture in housing delivery that meets safety and affordability needs of the majority. This exploratory study utilized data from 385 real estate professionals and policy makers. Data was analyzed qualitatively with Scissor-Sort Technique and TEXTPACK, and quantitatively with One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test and Spearman Correlation. The findings advance the Model’s effectiveness in identifying stakeholder interests and establishment of a sustainability framework of engagement. Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat analysis was used in validating the Model. Keywords: Stakeholder Management; Stakeholder Management Model; Sustainable Housing Delivery; Social Responsibility Management; Public Housing DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-10-05 Publication date: May 31 st 2020

Types of E Procurement Systems and Technologies Used in the Nigerian Construction Environment

The use of e-Procurement in the acquisition of construction works and services has witnessed a tremendous growth in the past three decades across the world. However, in a developing country like Nigeria, there is the lack of understanding of the different types of e-Procurement systems and specific technologies used to support the execution of construction procurement tasks. This study, therefore, relied on a questionnaire survey of 759 users of e-Procurement to systematically identify the different types of e-Procurement systems and technologies used in the Nigerian construction environment. The results of data analysis revealed that whereas the common e-Procurement systems used in the study area are those that help in disseminating/receiving information on tender opportunities, exchanging construction project information/data, submitting tenders, awarding contracts, placing orders and making/receiving payment for materials/equipment and services, the use of systems that help in tracking the movement of materials/equipment and monitoring the progress of work on construction sites was not very common. In addition, it was also found that the main e-Procurement technologies used to support the execution of construction procurement activities in the study area were e-Mails, websites and web portals. The study concludes that the over reliance on simple e-Procurement technologies such as e-Mail and websites/portals with limited capacity to engender collaboration, integration and coordination of tasks is inconsistent with the growing sophistication and advancement in construction procurement activities and processes and that this has a tendency to limit the benefits associated with e-Procurement in construction project delivery in Nigeria.

Capacity Building and Public Service Delivery in Nigeria: A Critical Appraisal

The essence of government at whatever levels is to ensure efficient service delivery to the citizenry. Efficient service delivery depends largely on the training, expertise and entire staff development. Mediocrity, redundancy, low level of productivity and inefficiency are some of the features in the Nigerian civil service that have impaired viable capacity building in the public sector. There is a nexus between staff development, capacity building and service delivery. Appropriate skills, knowledge and ideas can be acquired through seminars, workshops and training. The acquisition of these skills will help to equip civil servants to perform their daily routines and tasks in the most efficient manner. This paper therefore takes a critical examination of capacity building in the Nigerian civil service with the view to re-invigorating the service to meet the challenges of the 21 st century. It utilizes historical and descriptive approach to analyze the patterns of public service delivery in Nigeria. The paper concludes that capacity building in the public sector has been subjected to numerous critical analyses; while particular attention should be focused on how more empirical works are to be carried out and more resources can be deployed in public sector capacity building in the country. Keywords: Public Service, Capacity Building, Service Efficiency, Challenges DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/10-4-04 Publication date: April 30 th 2020

Human Resource Development and Public Service Delivery in Nigeria; A Study of Anambra State Civil Service (2007 -2011)

This study is on human resource development and service delivery in Anambra State civil service within the period of 2007-2011. The study seeks to determine the impact of human resources development on services delivery. The Anambra State civil service remains the greatest asset of the state in its quest for socio economic and political transformation. However, there is no gain saying the fact that over the years, infrastructural development and service delivery have slackened. Inferred opinions have traced this to an inefficient civil service. The missing factor in many cases is lack of adequate skills and knowledge which are acquired through training and development. Three hypotheses were formulated to guide the study and the multi-stage and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the study sample. The data collected were presented in frequency tables and analysed using percentages and mean scores and the hypotheses were tested using one sample t-test. The findings from the study showed that human resource development programmes helped to a large extent to increase productivity and organisation efficiency in the Anambra State civil service. It was also revealed that the existing methods/programes of human resource development in the state civil service are appropriate for the actualisation of effective service delivery and that human resource development programmes are significantly related to employee motivation/productivity. The researcher concludes that human resource development programmes in the state civil service have led to positive changes in productivity, service delivery, work attitude and morale of workers. The researcher recommends that the state government should set up regular training and human development programmes that are capable of raising the skills, morale and productivity of civil servants. Also consultants from outside the civil service should be engaged on routine basis to assist in the planning of the content of human resource development programme.

Exploring anti-corruption capabilities of e-procurement in construction project delivery in Nigeria

The use of electronic (e-­) procurement to support the execution of supply chain management activities in the different industrial sectors is permeating all regions of the world. However, in countries in sub-Saharan Africa where there is a significant level of corruption and unethical practices in the procurement process, there is a need for a better understanding of how e-Procurement can help to check the incidence of corrupt and unethical practices in construction project delivery. This study relied on a cross-sectional survey of 759 respondents, including architects, builders, engineers, estate/facilities managers, contractors, construction/project managers, quantity surveyors, supply chain managers and others to identify and analyse the anti-corruption capabilities of e-Procurement in construction project delivery in Nigeria. The results of the descriptive statistics, relative importance index and principal components analysis identified 18 anti-corruption capabilities in e-Procurement in construction project delivery with the three most important ones being the capability of e-Procurement to ensure good inventory management/record keeping; accountability by providing audit services trail and minimise direct human contacts during bidding. The key underlying dimensions of these capabilities include the advantage of e-Procurement over the traditional paper-based method; transparent bidding process and increase in competition in construction project delivery process. The findings of this study have implications, especially, on the use of e-Procurement to curb corruption in construction procurement activities.