Good Road Research Articles

EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT ON THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF LISTED INDUSTRIAL GOODS ENTITIES IN NIGERIA

The main objective of this study is to examine the influence of working capital management on the financial performance of listed industrial goods firms/entities in Nigeria. The study collected data from the yearly reports of selected companies between 2011 and 2021, using the purposive sampling method. The generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator technique was employed for data analysis. The findings indicate that inventory turnover and receivable collection positively impact financial performance. the finding revealed that inventory turnover, and receivable collection have statistical significant effect on return on equity with the coefficient (-0.6150, and 0.0067) and p[1]value (0.000and 0.009) at 5% level of significant respectively. The study concluded that inventory turnover was noted to have increased the likelihood of financial performance and thereby Governments should endeavor to provide adequate infrastructure such as constant and stable electricity supply, good road network and rail system to facilitate the cost of production at minimum cost and movement of goods.

Anti-Icing Properties of a Polyurethane Superhydrophobic Coating on Asphalt Pavement

Snow and ice accumulation on asphalt pavement can increase the risk of traffic issues. The traditional method of removing snow and ice manually or mechanically from the road surface is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Another common method of spraying salt pollutes the surrounding environment. To overcome these issues, the objective of this study is to study a polyurethane superhydrophobic coating on asphalt pavement and characterize its anti-icing and road properties. A polyurethane superhydrophobic coating (PSC) using polyurethane and carbon nanotube particles (CNTPs) was developed in the lab. The contact angle and roll angle tests, surface roughness test, water droplet icing test, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) test, ice adhesion test, pavement skid resistance test, water permeability test, and load wheel rolling test were conducted. The results show that the static contact angle and the rolling angle of the water droplet on the PSC surface are 161.176° and 6.6°, which satisfy the requirements to be superhydrophobic. The icing time of the water droplet on the asphalt mixture coated with PSC (AMC) is twice that of the surface of the ordinary asphalt mixture (OAM). In the differential scanning calorimetry test, the PSC released heat slower than polyurethane and asphalt binder during the cooling process. The ice adhesion strength of AMC is 82.78% smaller than that of the OAM. This means the PSC has great anti-icing and deicing properties. In addition, the pendulum value on the AMC surface is 45.7, satisfying the pavement skid resistance requirement. The results of the water seepage test show that the AMC is impermeable to water, thus reducing the risk of water damage to the pavement. Finally, the contact angle of the AMC after the indoor load wheel rolling is still greater than 150°, which proves that the PSC has good wear resistance. In summary, the PSC has good anti-icing properties and road performance.

ANALYSIS OF SESAME PRODUCTION AMONG INDIGENOUS AND NON-INDIGENOUS FARMERS IN YAGBA EAST, KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

Sesame is one of the oil crops with high economic value. Its production is becoming more pronounced in many parts of the world and gaining more ground among farmers in Nigeria. The study analyzed sesame production among indigenous and non-indigenous farmers in Yagba East, Nigeria. This study employed a Two-stage sampling technique in collecting primary data from one hundred and twenty respondents. It is a comparative study with specific objectives embedded. The data collected were analyzed using Descriptive statistics, t-test, Gross margin analysis, and a 4.0-point Likert scale. The results show that the majority (58.33%) of indigenous farmers were young, while (65.00%) of non-indigenous farmers were middle age. Also, most respondents were married (65.00%, 81.67%) indigenous and non-indigenous farmers. The average total revenue (N370,452.50, N548,712.40) per hectare accrued to indigenous and non-indigenous farmers, respectively. The average total costs the indigenous and non-indigenous farmers expended were (N70,152.28, N84,408.18) per hectare, respectively. The findings showed (5.28, 6.50) as benefit-cost ratio (BCR) for the indigenous and non-indigenous farmers, respectively. The results revealed that the high cost of fertilizer (mean score=3.38, 3.88), lack of improved seed (mean score=3.23, 2.53), high transportation cost (mean score=3.25, 3.52), and access to credit (mean score= of 3.43, 3.42) were serious constraints confronting both the indigenous and non-indigenous farmers respectively. Therefore, good road construction is needed through self-help or government intervention for effective transportation of inputs and output, extension visit is paramount, and farmers' resources should be pooled together to enhance farmers' access to adequate finances.

ANALISIS PERBAIKAN DAN BIAYA PERKERASAN JALAN (Studi Kasus Jalan Pati – Gabus)

Highways are one of the important facilities and infrastructure for the achievement of an activity, so a good road pavement design is a must. The existence of highways is very necessary for the need for transportation facilities that can reach remote areas. The increase in traffic volume will result in a decrease in service caused by a decrease in road capacity, in line with the results of the survey/identification conducted, road damage is currently occurring in several areas, especially the Pati-Gabus road section, Pati Regency, which causes considerable losses, especially for road users. , such as congestion, traffic accidents, long travel time and others. Therefore, this research was conducted with the aim of finding alternative pavement designs on the Pati-Gabus road section, and calculating the estimated costs required for pavement repairs. In this study using data obtained through field surveys which are primary data and data collection from the Highways Field of Pati Regency which is secondary data. The results of the study using the Surface Distress Index (SDI) method found that the damage at STA 0+000 to 0+200 was moderately damaged and at STA 0+200 – 1+000 it was lightly damaged and the type of repair was appropriate by looking at the conditions on the Pati road section. -Cork is at STA 0+000 to 1+000 using overlay requires a budget of IDR 2,600,000,000, while at STA 1+000 to STA 2+600 it is heavily damaged and must use rigid pavement requiring budget of IDR 6,341,000,000.
 Keywords: Road damage, Road repair, Pavement costs

Correlate of foreign direct investment and economic development evidence from Nigeria

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and other macroeconomic variables such as the exchange rate, economic openness, and public sector investment are significant macroeconomic variables that drive economic growth and development. As a result, every government’s ability to sustain and maintain a balance among them is critical to long-term development. The study's goals were to establish the impact of foreign direct investment on Nigeria's economic development, as well as the impact of the exchange rate on Nigeria’s economic development. The ex-post facto research design was used in this study, as well as secondary data. The explanatory variable was Foreign Direct Investment, and the control variable was the exchange rate. The study spans the years 1981 through 2019. The explanatory variable was Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF), which is a proxy for economic progress, and the model was estimated using the Auto Regressive Distributed (ARDL) Model. The data for this study came from the World Bank Data Base's World Development Indicators of 2019 and the Central Bank of Nigeria's Statistical Bulletin of 2019. According to the study, a 1.4 unit increase in foreign direct investment leads to a 1.4 unit increase in gross fixed capital creation. In addition, a unit increase in the exchange rate causes a 0.03-unit fall in gross fixed capital formation, and vice versa. According to the findings, there is a negligible positive link between FDI and GFCF, but a strong negative relationship between the exchange rates (EXR) and GFCF. As a result, the report suggests that FDI inflows be used to fund capital projects that are not for current consumption, such as good road networks, train lines across the country, and stable electricity supply. Without a doubt, this would lower the cost of doing business in Nigeria and boost profitability. According to our findings, while FDI alone cannot lead to economic growth and development, when other factors such as a favorable climate and simplified pre-investment procedures are available, more FDI will be drawn to key economic sectors, contributing to economic growth and development.

Analysis of Price Fluctuation and its Effect on Marketing of Smoked Fish in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Borno State, Nigeria

This study examined the analysis of price fluctuation of smoked fish and its effect in Maiduguri metropolitan council of Borno State. Data collected for the study were obtained from both primary and secondary data source. Primary data were obtained through the use of structure questionnaire and market survey while secondary source of information were obtained from journals and internet. Fifty Questionnaires were randomly distributed to the smoked fish marketers in Maiduguri Monday Market and Baga Road Fish Market. The data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Result showed that majority of the respondents were young (40.0%), literate (100%) married (34.0%), men (74.0%) that had 11-15 years of marketing experience (46.0%) and household sizes of 6-11persons (72.0%). Also most of the smoked fish sellers obtained their funds from family and friends (34%) and most of the marketers were retailers (72.0%). The study revealed that the major (70.0%) cause of price fluctuation in the study area was cost of transportation. Findings indicate that fish size, fish quantity, consumer’s choice influenced the price of smoke fish to fluctuate in the study area. Also, average marketer earned ₦4,300.00 as gross margin per 50kg carton. The major constraint to smoked fish marketing is cost of transportation (60.0%). Based on the findings of this study, it is concluded that fish marketing is a profitable and efficient venture. Therefore, farmers and young graduate should be encouraged to venture into the business which would help reduce unemployment among young educated Nigerians. Also construction of good roads and reduction of fuel price by government in other to reduce high cost of transporting smoked fish was recommended.

Affordability of healthy diets is associated with increased food systems performance in Nigeria: state-level analysis

This study examines the relationships between healthy diets’ affordability and food systems performance across Nigerian states. On a composite index (FSI) constructed from key food system components, states in the southern zones perform relatively better than those in the north, whereas a higher share of households who cannot afford a healthy diet was from northern states. Findings suggest the need for more focused attention on resilience building for improved food systems especially in northern Nigeria. Results also indicate cases where unaffordability of a healthy diet remains high in the face of comparatively lower cost and vice versa, highlighting the need for more efficient and equitable food supply systems. Findings of this study further suggest that achieving affordable healthy diets would require stepping up actions to improve, among others, access to basic services (such as good roads and electricity), increased presence of financial services (such as rural banks), greater access to information and communications services (mobile phone subscription rates and increased radio/television station coverage), facilitating more favorable and predictable business environment, and promoting women’s empowerment.

The Second War Between the States: How the United States Became the World’s Best Tax Haven

Abstract We want government to help us prosper. For working people, prosperity requires employment and employment requires business. After World War II, most of the world was either devastated or underdeveloped leaving the United States without foreign competition. Local competition took its place. The States and local governments competed against one another on their natural resources, access to transportation, infrastructure, schools, and work force. These are the products of government spending. Some States did not have much to attract economic development. They created their own attributes instead. For example, right to work laws attracted companies that wanted to avoid unions and no usuary limits attracted credit card companies who wanted to charge high rates. Other States offered tax holidays. Move here and pay no tax for ten years. But saving money in taxes lost its appeal when other jurisdictions offered even more. Rather than build good sewage systems or roads for everyone, towns provided free infrastructure built to company specifications in addition to tax incentives. By the 1970s, firms learned that they could get States and localities to bid against one another. Each providing a package of bigger incentives. We can see the result of these races to the bottom in cities and towns that gave companies whatever they wanted only to find themselves with vacant factories and roads leading to nowhere. While the States were competing with one another, the rest of the world was emerging from war. Like the States, these countries wanted to help their citizens prosper. For those without natural resources or great infrastructure or educated workers, one alternative was to become a tax haven. A tax haven is the other side of a tax incentive. With tax incentives, a government gives up the right to tax in the hope that a firm's relocation will bring its citizens success. In a tax haven, a government hopes to improve its citizens’ fortune by helping a foreign taxpayer avoid another government’s taxes. Whether tax incentive or tax haven, in the end, the result is the same. The stakes get higher and higher. The companies and foreign taxpayers move from site to site. They take everything they can get and then convince another government to give more. Now a decade of investigative journalism shows that not only are the States in race to the bottom with their own tax revenues, but they are also transforming themselves into tax havens thus helping foreign taxpayers deplete their home countries’ revenues. This paper is a cautionary tale. It shows what makes the United States the world's favorite tax haven and examines what we can expect if this trend continues.

Experimental and analytical study on heating and road performance of asphalt mixture with silicon carbide and ferroferric oxide composite structure layer

Microwave heating is currently considered to be the most promising clean energy technology for asphalt pavement deicing. In order to improve the heating efficiency of pavement surface, a 10 mm silicon carbide (SiC) and ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) composite structure layer (CSL) was designed on the pavement surface. The surface heating efficiency and road performance of asphalt mixture with CSL were investigated by laboratory experiments, and the distribution of electromagnetic and temperature fields were analyzed by numerical simulations. The experimental results show that the surface temperature of asphalt mixture with CSL was 1.64 and 1.36 times higher than that of the ordinary asphalt mixture and the asphalt mixture with SiC and Fe3O4 composite material, and it remained stable before and after repeated heating and water bath, with a difference of only 1 ℃∼1.7 ℃. The asphalt mixture with CSL had good road performance. The Marshall stability, residual stability and interlayer shear strength could remain above 10 kN, 92% and 4 MPa after repeated heating. The numerical simulation results show that the asphalt mixture mixed with microwave absorbing materials produced a larger electromagnetic field intensity. The heat of asphalt mixture with CSL was mainly concentrated on the road surface because the absorbing material was concentrated on the road surface. In contrast, because there was no difference in microwave absorption capacity throughout the asphalt mixture with SiC and Fe3O4 composite material, the heat distribution was mainly influenced by the electromagnetic field intensity. In general, asphalt mixture with CSL has higher surface heating efficiency and road performance.

Preferences for rental housing in urban Ghana: A discrete choice experiment

With the rising demand for housing across the globe, rental housing has become a major alternative in meeting deficit supply. However, there is a significant gap between what is supplied, vis-à-vis what consumers prefer. Using a discrete choice experimental approach, we examined the most significant factors that influence housing renters' preferences in Koforidua, an urban context in Ghana. The results of the study showed that location outskirts, rent payment modality of two years' advance, electricity availability in the housing unit, good access road, and monthly rent payable had a significant influence on renters' preference. The study further established statistically significant levels of variation in preference across age, gender, vehicle ownership, and employment status of renters. We recommended among others, that access routes within built-up areas be improved since renters’ preference for housing units located within the city was higher. The promotion and adoption of alternative sources of energy among rental households rather than over-reliance on the existing grid electricity supply and improvement in neighbourhood roads among others were further recommended, with implications for sustainable rental housing provision.

ANALYSIS OF DETERMINING PRIORITY OF ROAD HANDLING PROGRAM IN THE REGION OF KEDIRI ROAD AND BRIDGE MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHWAYS EAST JAVA PROVINCE USING MULTI CRITERIA ANALYSIS (MCA) METHOD

Steady road conditions determine the smooth running of land transportation to support economic activity. To achieve steady road conditions requires a good road management program. The government, through the agencies appointed as road administrators, needs funds to maintain the stability of the road itself. The process of budgeting funds for the implementation of the road through a process of proposals, discussions and determination of the budget. Determining the priority of the proposal requires a long discussion. The Provincial Government of East Java through the Department of Public Works of Highways has an important role in the process of handling provincial roads. Budget limitations, both Regular APBD funds and special allocation funds and other funds, create a distinct challenge for road administrators in determining an effective and optimal road management program. Based on previous research studies, priority determination of road handling can be carried out using Multi Criteria Analysis (MCA). Priority determination criteria used in this study are technical criteria which include: existing traffic conditions, road stability conditions, degree of saturation, travel speed, and travel time; financial and economic criteria which include: BOK, Time Value, BCR, and NPV. In this study it will be seen based on the results of prioritized maintenance handling found at Link 176 Kediri - Blitar City Boundary for LHR technical criteria has a difference in value of 3,190 cur/hour, with an average road condition of 27.12%, difference in degree of saturation of 0.346, the difference in travel speed is 3.409 km/hour, the difference in travel time is 3.661 minutes and for economic criteria BOK has a difference in value of Rp. 8,662,656,168, the difference in the BCR value is 0.60 and the difference in the NPV value is -Rp. 8,382,143,904.

Consolidation and Credit Access Risk in Rural Nigeria: Impact Assessment after a Decade of Implementation.

This study examines the effect of consolidation of Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) on credit access risk in rural areas of Nigeria after a decade of the consolidation exercise. Secondary data on total value of credits to rural areas was obtained from the CBN bulletin for the period 1994 to 2014. This period includes 10 years of pre consolidation and 10 years of post-consolidation. Mann Whitney U test was used in analysing the data to test for significant difference in the total credit to rural areas before and after consolidation in Nigeria. The result revealed that there was a significant increase in access to DMBs’ credit by rural customers of DMBs in the post consolidation era when compared to the pre-consolidation era. The result may be is explained by the role of technology in banking. It is recommended amongst others that government should provide infrastructures like good access roads to the rural areas, electricity and support investments in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the rural areas as this will encourage the penetration of financial services into the hinterlands.

Analysis of Price Fluctuation and its Effect on Marketing of Smoked Fish in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Borno State, Nigeria

This study examined the analysis of price fluctuation of smoked fish and its effect in Maiduguri metropolitan council of Borno State. Data collected for the study were obtained from both primary and secondary data source. Primary data were obtained through the use of structure questionnaire and market survey while secondary source of information were obtained from journals and internet. Fifty Questionnaires were randomly distributed to the smoked fish marketers in Maiduguri Monday Market and Baga Road Fish Market. The data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical tools. Result showed that majority of the respondents were young (40.0%), literate (100%) married (34.0%), men (74.0%) that had 11-15 years of marketing experience (46.0%) and household sizes of 6-11persons (72.0%). Also most of the smoked fish sellers obtained their funds from family and friends (34%) and most of the marketers were retailers (72.0%). The study revealed that the major (70.0%) cause of price fluctuation in the study area was cost of transportation. Findings indicate that fish size, fish quantity, consumer’s choice influenced the price of smoke fish to fluctuate in the study area. Also, average marketer earned ₦4,300.00 as gross margin per 50kg carton. The major constraint to smoked fish marketing is cost of transportation (60.0%). Based on the findings of this study, it is concluded that fish marketing is a profitable and efficient venture. Therefore, farmers and young graduate should be encouraged to venture into the business which would help reduce unemployment among young educated Nigerians. Also construction of good roads and reduction of fuel price by government in other to reduce high cost of transporting smoked fish was recommended.

Design and Implementation of Artificial Intelligence-based Real-time Pothole Detection for IoT Smart Infrastructure

The Internet of Things (IoT) has been extensively deployed for Smart Cities due to its ability to process many different and heterogeneous end systems. The IoT innovation encourages artificial intelligence applications to process data. In Smart City infrastructure, the road is a critical component of transportation infrastructure that supports the economic, social, and cultural things of community life and various aspects of community life. Road conditions affect a variety of community activities. Good roads enhance comfort and support local businesses. However, many roads remain in bad condition, such as potholes. Various methods have been attempted to identify potholes, especially the two-dimensional imaging method. This paper proposes the real-time Artificial Intelligence detection of potholes using the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), which leverages the Edge Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) with the MobileNet SSD v2. The system was set up on a Jetson Nano with a few extras, including a camera and GPS, to support the IoT infrastructure. Evaluation for the model consists of device implementation, model evaluation, GPS position deviation, and on-road implementation. The effectiveness is confirmed through experiments using a system test-bed that generates ideal mAP off 0.22 and recall values.

The impact of road infrastructure on regional development in South Labuhanbatu Regency, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia

Good road network performance can make the economy of an area more developed. Likewise, South Labuhanbatu Regency, which was only formed in 2008, needs to measure the extent of the effectiveness of road infrastructure. This study aims to analyze the performance of road network connectivity and road network relationships in supporting the regional economy. This research was conducted by assessing the Road Infrastructure Index (RPI) and Minimum Service Standards (MSS) and analyzing the relationship with economic performance. The results of the analysis show that the RII value of South Labuhanbatu Regency until 2017 was worth 4.77, entering the medium category. Government spending on road sub-sectors does not have a consistent pattern but has resulted in an RII that has increased since 2013 and the value of GRDP per capita which has also increased every year. For road services, the Accessibility Index has met the MSS, the Mobility Index has not met the MSS, and the accident rate has reached 0.0012/100000km of roads. The government’s expenditure on the road sub-sector each year is insignificant but produces an increasing RII. The construction of road network infrastructure in South Labuhanbatu Regency shows a positive correlation with economic growth.

Development and performance of pouring self-luminescent asphalt mixture

The application of long afterglow-based materials to the self-luminescent pavement could significantly reduce the power consumption of lighting at night and improve the traffic safety. This study designs a pouring self-luminescent asphalt mixture (PSAM) through pouring a grouting material including the long afterglow luminescent material (SrAl2O4:Eu, Dy) and epoxy resin into the porous pavement void configuration. First, the mechanical and afterglow properties of the epoxy resin-based long afterglow grouting material were systematically tested to determine the optimal composition ratio of raw materials. Then, the influence of time and viscosity on the grouting was studied by obtaining the luminous images of the cross and longitudinal sections of self-luminous asphalt mixture specimens. According to the volume characteristics of the grouting material and the mixture, the relationship between the theoretical grouting consumption and the actual grouting consumption was analyzed. Finally, the influence of porous mixture air void on afterglow characteristics and road performance of the PSAM was analyzed. From the acquired results, it was demonstrated that the optimum proportion of each component of the epoxy resin long afterglow grouting material was the following: epoxy resin: curing agent: toughener: long afterglow material = 100:18:15:14. Moreover, it was found that the temperature and pre-curing time have remarkable effects on the viscosity of grouting materials. In order to ensure a good grouting effect, the viscosity of the grouting material should be controlled within 1.7 Pa s. There was a good linear relationship between the actual grouting amount and the connected air void, although the actual grouting consumption was less than the theoretical grouting consumption. Furthermore, PSAM exhibited good afterglow performance and road performance. The afterglow brightness and water stability had no obvious relationship with the air void. In contrast, with the further increase of the air void, both the low-temperature crack resistance and the skid resistance were improved, and the high-temperature stability was reduced.

Enhancement of kaolin clay soil for civil engineering application using rice husk ash and sawdust ash geopolymer cements

These days, good quality road construction materials are scarce and their haulage to the construction site is expensive. When unsuitable materials are encountered during flexible pavement construction, the most technical and economical option is always to improve them to meet design standards. One of these deficient materials mostly encountered in tropical regions is kaolin clay soils. Cement and lime that are traditional deficient soil improvement agents are on high demand therefore have kept the cost of engineering construction financially high. Thus, the use of agricultural wastes such as sawdust and rice husk as alternative construction materials will considerably reduce the cost of construction and as well mitigate the environmental hazards caused by the wastes and cement production. This study investigated and compared the performance of rice husk ash (RHA) and sawdust ash (SDA) geopolymer cements in improving the geotechnical properties of kaolin clay soil used for flexible pavement construction. All laboratory experimental tests were carried out in accordance with British Standard (BS) 1377 and BS 1924 for natural and modified kaolin clay soil samples respectively. Soil samples were mixed with geopolymer cement at stepped concentrations of 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20% by dry weight of soil. Results indicated that the plasticity index value of the natural kaolin clay of 18.52% was reduced to 7.24% at 20% RHA geopolymer cement content. The unconfined compressive strength of the natural soil was improved by 600 and 400 % by RHA and SDA geopolymer cements respectively. It was concluded that the use of up to 20% RHA and SDA geopolymer cements can efficiently and eco-friendly improve kaolin clay for flexible pavement foundation purpose.

ANALYSIS OF ROAD DAMAGE USING THE PCI (Pavement Condition Index) METHOD AND ALTERNATIVE HANDLING (Case Study : Jl. Raya Dumaja - Jl. Raya Tanah Merah, Kab. Bangkalan STA 32+000 - 35+000)

The highway is an essential facility for the community to achieve its goal, so the community needs a safe and convenient road, and it is expected to improve the industry and the economy of the community. However, over time, the condition of the highway will decrease according to the age of the road, and it will be an obstacle for their trip. This research is conducted to see the condition of the damaged surface flexible stiffening in Jl. Raya Dumaja - Jl. Raya Tanah Merah, Kab. Bangkalan. The method used in this study is the PCI (Pavement Condition Index) method to evaluate road stiffening by type, level, and level of damage that occurs, as well as a reference and maintenance effort. The result of this research based on the PCI method is JL. Raya Dumaja -Jl. Raya Tanah Merah STA, 32 + 000 - 35 + 000, gets a total score of 53.68 medium (Fair) with a PCI percentage of the highest road conditions is 45% in good road conditions (Good), 38.3% in medium road conditions (Fair), 15% in bad road conditions (Poor) and very bad (Very Poor), 1.67% with the alternative handling is the treatment of abilities.

Macroeconomic and Bank-Specific Determinants of Non-Performing Loans in Nigeria

Proper management of banks’ assets is the most sought panacea by bank managers in Nigeria. Lower quality of loans in the banking system can lead to higher loan loss provisions and affect banks’ capital adequacy ratios. This study examines how Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) of Nigeria’s Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) respond to selected macroeconomic and bank-specific determinants. Using the data within the sample period of 1981-2019 with Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model, the study establishes that in the short-run, the level of NPLs in Nigeria is affected by these macroeconomic determinants namely, the unemployment rate (UNEMP), gross domestic products growth rate (GDPG) and exchange rate (EXRT) as well as bank-specific determinant (loan-to-deposit) ratio (LDR). However, in the long-run, GDPG and EXRT have a positive and significant influence on NPLs. The variables respond in line with our apriori expectation, however, unemployment, inflation and loans to deposits ratio are insignificant and appear not to affect NPLs in Nigeria in the long-run. The study recommends that government should ensure that the naira is properly managed as deterioration in its value portends a grave impact on the rate of non-performing loans. Also, improved infrastructures like good roads, water and power would enable the borrowers to fulfil repayment plans on time. A robust economy is important for borrowers to redeem their loan obligations in due time. This can be achieved by ensuring that loans assessed are channeled to more productive sectors of the economy.

Major Paths Changes In 2013-2022 To Walkability (Case Study: Dukuh Atas TOD)

Development area with the concept of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) occurs so rapidly in big cities, which aims to create an integrated transportation system and is supported by the surrounding area. TOD area must have good road access for vehicles and space for pedestrians. Dukuh Atas TOD is one of the transit-oriented areas planned to be the largest TOD area in Jakarta so that developments are felt every year, including visuals and the road traffic system and pedestrian space. This research is using qualitative method by answering specific and actual variables. Time series analysis to see changes every year combined with figure-ground analysis in mapping the location of changes that occur and will be described. The research results will produce an overview of road changes in the study period and knowledge of road construction and pedestrian space suitability based on predetermined standards. Visual changes, traffic systems, and pedestrian space will be the variables of this study is needed to see applicable standards, or any changes that are inappropriate that planning is needed to align with the function of the road as a connecting and as social activities in the area around Dukuh Atas TOD.