Local Government Area In Nigeria Research Articles

Assessment of women accessibility to health-care facilities in a typical rural local government area in Nigeria

PurposeThis study aims to assess the accessibility of women to health-care facilities in the rural areas with a view to unties possible recommendation of enhancing its service delivery. It provides an insight into the levels of satisfaction of the services provided by conventional health-care providers in the area where the majority in the developing countries concentrated. The study unravels the reasons for the low patronage of regular health-care facilities to boost unscientific ones by rural women.Design/methodology/approachThe study relies on extensive field work conducted in the study area mainly rural nature. data was sourced by questionnaire, mainly administered on the women in the area and field observation. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics.FindingsThe paper provides information on the low socio-economic attributes of rural women. It is further showed that medical facilities and personnel were not relatively available and performed in health-care centres to the satisfaction of the users. Poor roads, poor human relation, low quality of services, inadequate medical personnel and drug shortage hindrance to women accessing appropriate health-care facilities in the rural areas. Rural women, therefore, opted for self-medication folk medicine, disguising and spiritual remedies. Health-care facilities suffered poor patronage as a result of these obstacles The study recommended proper overhauling of health-care facilities.Originality/valueThe paper builds a relationship on the reasons for health-care facilities neglect in the rural area in developing countries and revealed unscientific means by which health care needs are realised rural women.

A Randomized Control Trial to Test Effect of Cash Incentives and Training on Active Casefinding for Tuberculosis among Community Health Workers in Nigeria

Background: Case detection for Tuberculosis remains low in high burden communities. Community Health Workers (CHWs) are the first point of contact for many Nigerians in the rural areas and have been found useful in active case finding. This study assessed the effect of cash incentives and training on tuberculosis case detection by CHWs in six Local Government Areas in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A randomised control trial was conducted in three PHC clusters. The intervention Arm (A) received cash incentives for every presumptive case referred. The Training Arm(B) had no cash incentives and the control had neither training nor cash incentives. Case notification rates from the TB program were used to assess the effect of cash incentives on TB case finding. Data was analyzed using Graph Pad Prism. Descriptive data was presented in tables and bivariate data was analyzed using chi square. Mean increases in case notification rates was calculated Statistical significance was set as P=0.05. Results: The intervention identified 394 presumptive TB cases, contributing 30.3% of all presumptive cases notified in the LGAs. Findings also showed an increase of 14.4% (ꭓ2=2.976, P value=0.2258) in case notification rates for the Arm A that received cash incentives alongside training, there was also an increase of 7.4% (ꭓ2= 1.999, P value=0.1575) in Arm B that received Training only. Secondary outcomes indicated a 144.8%(ꭓ2= 4.147, P value=0.1258) increase in community outreaches conducted in the Arm that were given cash incentives. Conclusion: The study demonstrated an increase in TB control activities of case notification and outreaches among community health workers that received cash incentives and training. These findings support the use training and cash incentives for CHWs in high burden TB settings to improve TB case detection rates.

Flood Susceptibility Mapping of Makera District and Environs in Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State-Nigeria

The increased flood incidences experienced all over the world due to climate change dynamics call for a concerted effort towards forestalling future hazards. This study thus, identified the areas that are susceptibility to floods in parts of the Makera district of the Kaduna South Local Government Area in Nigeria using geospatial techniques. Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to produce thematic layers of the factors contributing to flooding (elevation, slope, drainage density, rainfall, land use/land cover); and a multi-criteria evaluation particularly the “Analytical Hierarchical process” (AHP) was applied to determine the locations at risk. The various thematic layers were integrated into the weighted overlay tool in the ArcGIS 10.3 environment to generate the final susceptibility map. The overlay tool was also used to determine the elements at risk of flood in the study area. The results show that the areas that were highly susceptible to flood constituted about 39% of the study area, while moderate and low vulnerable areas constituted about 26% and 35%, respectively. The result of the multi-criteria analysis revealed that land use/land cover (0.601) was the factor that contributed the most to flooding in the study area based on the criteria weights followed by rainfall (0.470), drainage density (0.326), elevation (0.144), and slope (0.099), respectively. The study recommends that authorities concerned should ensure strict adherence to land use planning act, such that floodplains are avoided during development of any type.

"Probabilistic Assessment of Self-Reported Symptoms on Farmers Health: A Case Study in Kano State for Kura Local Government Area of Nigeria"

"Probabilistic Assessment of Self-Reported Symptoms on Farmers Health: A Case Study in Kano State for Kura Local Government Area of Nigeria"

Human rights abuses in local government areas in Nigeria during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: Faith-based organisations as agents of transformation

Background: There were cases of human rights abuse during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the Warri, Uyo, Afikpo, Aba North, Kaduna South and Idemili North local government areas. Indigenes of these areas went through excruciating pain and suffering after the declaration of total lockdown by their state governments. The state governments declared lockdown, with no (or inefficient) distribution of palliatives to the indigenous population.Aim: This article examines human rights abuses perpetrated whilst the victims were in the same vicinity as their aggressors during the lockdown occasioned by the coronavirus.Setting: The data were collected from the Warri, Uyo, Afikpo, Aba North, Kaduna South and Idemili local government areas.Methods: The phenomenological method of qualitative research was used in the study. Data were collected from official government documents, gazettes, and faith-based organisation (FBOs). The data collected were analysed descriptively.Results: Corruption among security personnel, the lack of sensitisation and training of security personnel by the government on the rules of engagement and the Lack of punishment of security personnel after their abuse of power are the motivating factors to the human rights abuses during the coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria.Conclusion: Citizens were forced to go out to look for money and food to buy. These citizens were engaged by security agents (enforcing the lockdown) and were harassed and killed. The findings reveal that lack of special training for COVID-19 security personnel, corruption and lack of sensitisation are the reasons for these cases of human rights abuse. Faith-based organisations have roles to play towards achieving a reduction in the escalating cases of human rights abuse in these areas.

Patterns of Chemical Pesticide Use and Determinants of Self-Reported Symptoms on Farmers Health: A Case Study in Kano State for Kura Local Government Area of Nigeria

Background: Today modern agriculture relies heavily on the use of pesticides and an astonishing 150 million tons of fertilizers and 6 million tons of pesticides are yearly and routinely applied to fields and crops with the purpose of increasing agricultural production. As many of these pesticides have only become a problem because of the direct actions to humans. Hence, instilling confidence and enriching farmers begins with recognizing the need for pesticide use modification, whether through existing or new technologies, such as efficiency, cost reduction or effective decision-making. Objective: The aim of the present study was to assesses the frequency of farmer’s self-reported symptoms in Kano State, Nigeria. Methods: A comprehensive questionnaire was established that focuses on sociodemographic characteristics, education and experience on the adverse health effects associated with the use of the pesticide, description of job practices and a list of used pesticides on the farms in the study area. Of the 400 copies of the administered questionnaires, 392 copies were retrieved and found useable, which represents 98% of the administered questionnaires. Results: Results showed that 46.2% had been using the pesticide for 1-5 years, 48.1% had used it for 10-15, regularity of these symptoms reveals that the majority of the respondents experienced these symptoms on a regular basis (56.1% for headache, 53.8% for stomach cramps, 56.5% for muscles weakness, 56.8% for vomiting, 58.3% for dizziness, 40.7% for shortness of breath, 45.5% for blurred vision and 66.7% for eye irritation. Conclusions: It is important to focus on the use of pesticides in farming practice as it speaks to the emphasis it places on farmers regarding their income, health and wellbeing as danger lurks around the corners for Kura farmers in Kano State, which are already facing challenges from all manners of long-term health risk exposure. This of course should worry the state and federal government. Government must increasingly play the critical role of intercessor for farmers, as this is very much in line with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) which emphasize on no poverty (goal 1), zero hunger (goal 2), ensure good health and well-being (goal 3) towards strengthening agriculture and fast-rack rural development. There is therefore need to intervene by sustaining efforts to reduce food contamination through educating the farmers.

Probabilistic Assessment of Self-Reported Symptoms on Farmers Health: A Case Study in Kano State for Kura Local Government Area of Nigeria

Probabilistic Assessment of Self-Reported Symptoms on Farmers Health: A Case Study in Kano State for Kura Local Government Area of Nigeria

Designing A Training Programme For School Health Nurses On Guiding Adolescents In Their Decision-Making About Reproductive Health In Ijebu Ode Local Government Area Of Nigeria (2)

Designing A Training Programme For School Health Nurses On Guiding Adolescents In Their Decision-Making About Reproductive Health In Ijebu Ode Local Government Area Of Nigeria (2)

The Critical Role of Data in Nigeria’s Development: An Assessment

Development engineering is a strategic interest for many economies in view of its potential to deliver resources for national development. It requires critical real time data to craft and deliver a development plan. This paper was conceived as a response to the near circle struggle of Nigeria with non-availability of basic data for delivery of public programmes. The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, the lockdown that followed in March 2020 and, the need to deliver material assistance to the poorest of the poor across Nigeria, brought to the fore the need to have reliable database of citizens in Nigeria. Real names and residents of persons became very useful in contacts tracing, but these were lacking. It was equally discovered that many Nigerians falsify record just like the government to have advantage. Nonetheless, the work noted that change is possible. The Government was encouraged to conduct census which was due since 2016, because census data is the nucleus of development planning. Directors of BPRS at the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria were prompted to reactivate one of their core mandates, namely, information gathering from the communities. The channel of data flow from local governments to the NBS was seen as a crucial screening process than a curse.

Maximal Covering Location Problem (MCLP) for the identification of potential optimal COVID-19 testing facility sites in Nigeria

ABSTRACT The identification of University Teaching and Research Hospitals (UTRHs) for siting additional National Center for Disease Control Molecular Laboratories (NCDCMLs) for effective coverage of Local Government Areas (LGAs) during the COVID-19 pandemic was accomplished using the Maximal Covering Location Problem (MCLP) method. The maximum number of NCDCMLs required together with the maximum drive time to these identified optimal NCDCMLs were estimated. The NCDCMLs are skewed in favor of the southwestern Nigeria and there is a significant positive correlation between the number of NCDCMLs and the reported COVID-19 infections (r= 0.860, p< 0.001). There are 22.22%, 35.79%, 63.82%, 76.10% and 82.04% of LGAs within 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10hr drive time, respectively, from at least one NCDCML. Addition of five new UTRHs will ensure that 79% of all the LGAs in Nigeria are within 4 hr drive time to at least one NCDCML. Four of the seven proposed new NCNCMLs are optimal while the remaining three are not. Perhaps, this study is the first attempt at evaluating the use of UTRHs as an alternative to none UTRHs NCDCML. The use of the MCLP method allows for the identification of not only the required numbers of NCDCMLs but also the drive time to them.

The Effectiveness of Multimedia Instructional Learning Packages in Enhancing Secondary School Students’ Attitudes toward Biology

The study investigated the effectiveness of multimedia learning packages in improving the attitudes of students toward learning Biology in secondary schools. The study employed a quantitative and qualitative research approach. The population for the study consisted of all students offering Biology as a subject in the senior secondary schools in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Nigeria, from where a sample of 80 students was randomly selected from three secondary schools and assigned to three groups (one control and two experimental groups). Two multimedia instructional learning packages (MILP) were designed for the study. The topic treated was Cell Division, and the study lasted for six weeks. The packages and all instruments used were validated for content and construct validity, and reliability test was also done. The results showed that multimedia instructional packages used in teaching and learning Biology in secondary schools enhanced better students’ engagements and positive attitudes toward learning. It was concluded that students developed positive attitudes toward learning Biology after using the packages and that multimedia instructional packages are an interesting and creative method of teaching, learning, and enhancing positive attitudes towards learning among secondary school students.

Effect of Children ‐ Generated Illustrations in text on Pupils’ Achievement in Phonics

AbstractThe study investigated the effects of children‐generated illustrations and gender on pupils’ achievement in phonics in the Udenu Local Government Area of Nigeria. The study employed a non‐equivalent quasi‐experimental 2 x 2 factorial research design. Some 172 primary two pupils from 4 schools were used for the study. The English Achievement Test (EAT) was used to collect data. Three hypotheses were tested. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). The results showed that there was a significant main effect for illustration on pupils’ achievement in phonics F(1,167) = 24.596, p&lt;.000; there was non‐significant main effect of gender on pupils’ achievement in phonics F (1,167) = 0.291, p &lt;.082; and there was non‐significant interaction effect of illustration and gender on pupils’ achievement in phonics F (1,167) = .253, p &lt;.615. It was recommended that the Ministries of Education should ensure that textbook authors incorporate children‐generated illustrations in the instructional materials for pupils.

Application of Ordinal Logistic Regression Model to Nutritional Status of the Under-Five Children Indexed by Weight-for-Height

Background and aim: In this paper, we present results regarding the outcomes of some anthropometric, epidemiological and demographic factors on the nutritional status of the under-five children which were categorized into three ordinal groups of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) and Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) in Kazaure Local Government Area in Nigeria. Methods: An ordinal logistic model that depicted the log-odds in favour of GAM (normal) child was fitted to the data based on surveillance indexed by Weight-For-Height (WFH). Results:The results showed that the proportional odd of measuring the nutritional status of a child in a nutrition survey using the WFH index has the OR= 7.43 (95% CI, 4.717 to 11.705) times greater, with Wald (1) 2  =74.81, p&lt;0.001, hence a statistically significant effect. Conclusion: Based on the results and summary of findings, it can be concluded that age is a major predictor of the nutrition status of a child in a nutritional study when the surveillance is based on WFH index unlike sex and measles that do not play a major role.

Teachers’ Characteristics and Instructional Quality in Public Secondary Schools in Nigeria

Worldwide, the importance of quality instruction in schools cannot be underestimated. However, over the years, the instructional quality in Nigerian public secondary schools seems persistently low, and worrisome based on the academic performance of students in external examinations. This has continued to be a subject of concern to individuals, the public, government, and other stakeholders. This study investigates teachers’ characteristics and the instructional quality in public secondary schools in Nigeria. A hypothesis was formulated and tested in the study. Questionnaires were used to collect data from teachers and principals, as well as to assess the instructional quality in Nigerian public secondary schools. A total of 2,222 respondents (1,548 teachers and 774 principals) were sampled using both simple random and census sampling techniques respectively across the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria. The results show that teachers’ characteristics have a significant influence on the instructional quality in public secondary schools in Nigeria. The study recommends that government should prioritise teacher professionalism and employ only certificated teachers to teach in secondary schools in Nigeria geared toward achieving an improved instructional quality.

An Evaluation of the Levels of Subclinical Malaria Infection and Haemolysis among Residents of Opobo, Rivers State, Nigeria

Aim: The study was aimed at evaluating the levels of subclinical malaria infection and haemolysis among the residents of Opobo, Rivers State, Nigeria.&#x0D; Study Design: A cross sectional study design was used. The subjects were grouped into males and females and comparisons were made between positive and negative subjects of the same gender and positive subjects of different gender.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: The study area was Opobo Town in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Nigeria. The study was carried out within August 2nd to August 26th, 2019 and a total of 89 apparently healthy subjects were recruited, 35 males and 54 females, aged between 16 – 70 years.&#x0D; Methodology: Malaria parasite identification was done by thick and thin film using Giemsa’s stain, packed cell volume was by microhaematocrit method, plasma haemoglobin concentration and whole blood haemoglobin concentration was determined by cyanmethaemoglobin method.&#x0D; Results: The result revealed a total of 24.72% positivity and 75.28% negativity for malaria parasite infection. Among the males, 17.14% positivity and 82.86% negativity for malaria parasite infection were observed while that of the females was 20.37% positivity and 79.63% negativity. In comparison of the studied parameters made between females infected with malaria parasites and those that were not infected with malaria parasites, there was no statistical significant difference at p&lt;0.05 in plasma haemoglobin and percentage haemolysis. In comparison of the studied parameters between males infected with malaria parasites and those not infected with malaria parasites, there was no statistical significant difference in plasma haemoglobin and percentage haemolysis. On gender based comparison, there was also no statistical significant difference in level haemolysis.&#x0D; Conclusion: The study has revealed a prevalence rate of 24.72% for subclinical malaria infection and the percentage haemolysis of red blood cells in malaria infected subjects residing in Opobo Town compared to subjects without malaria parasite was not statistically significant. Based on gender difference, males were affected more than females, but the level of red blood cell haemolysis was not statistically significant after comparison.

Informal foster care practice in Anambra State, Nigeria and safety concerns

Childcare is a concern for governments across the world, and could be unique in diverse cultural climes. An aspect of childcare is foster care, which is largely informal in Nigeria and portends opportunities for child abuse. Our study offers ideas that would guarantee the safety of children within the informal foster care net, since the Nigerian government is yet to commit to the project of formalizing foster care. We investigated informal foster care practice in two local government areas of Anambra State, Nigeria using Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). Data were sourced from 32 persons comprising social welfare officers, parents and relatives of children in foster care, the fostered children and their foster parents or guardians. We analysed data thematically. Our findings disclosed that while the informal foster care practice can account for some developmental interests, it also created opportunities for abuse. To enhance the safety of children in informal foster care, the roles of the social welfare agencies housed in the headquarters of every local government area in Nigeria were found to be of significant importance. We concluded by recommending that interventions must be culturally sensitive so as to appeal to the people.

Changes in Plasma IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and Haematocrit in the Traditional Treatment of Anaemia in HBsAg Seropositive Patients with Raw Liquid Content of Malabar Spinach (Basella alba)

Background and Aim: Amunututu- Malabar Spinach (Basella alba) is one of the vegetable plants used in the traditional treatment of anemia in Saki-West Local Government Area of Nigeria due to its haematopoetic phytochemical and phytonutrient constituents. Hepatitis B surface antigen in the plasma is an indication of inflammation of the liver caused by Hepatitis B virus infection. This work was designed to determine possible anti-anaemic and antiinflammatory nutritional values of raw liquid content of Basella alba. Methods: Thirty-seven (37; Female-16; Male-21; aged 14- 76 years) anaemic patients receiving treatments in eleven herbal homes in Saki-West Local Government area - Nigeria with a haematocrit of 19.0 ± 2.0% were initially recruited. Thirteen (13; Female – 3; Male- 10) anaemic mono-infected HBsAg seropositive patients were studied. Twenty (20; Feale-9; Male- 11) volunteers of the thirty-seven anaemic patients not infected with any of Plasmodium, HBV, HCV, HIV and M. tuberculosis were also studied. 50 (Female-25; Male-25) age matched volunteers who were neither anaemic nor infected with any of Plasmodium, HCV, HIV, HBV and M. tuberculosis were studied as control. Plasma IL-6, IL-10. TNF-α, HBV, HCV and HIV were determined by ELISA technique while identification of M. tuberculosis and Plasmodium spp., was carried out by fluorescence and Geimsha-Thick film microscopy. Results: There was a significant increase in TNF-α and a significant decrease in Haematocrit, IL-6 and IL-10 in mono-infected HBsAg seropositive anaemic patients before the administration of raw liquid extract of Basella alba compared with normal control subjects (p<0.05). After the administration of raw liquid extract of Malabar Spinach there was a significant decrease in TNF-α and a significant increase in Haematocrit, IL-6 and IL-10 in these patients when compared with the value before the supplementation (p<0.05). There was also a significant increase in the value of haematocrit in mono-infected HBsAg seropositive anaemic patients and anemic patient without infectious agents when values before supplementation was compared with the results obtained after the administration of raw liquid extract of Basella alba (p<0.05). Conclusion: Basella alba has possible haemopoetic and anti-inflammatory bioactivities.

A Jurisprudential Overview of the Legal Obstacles to the Creation of New Local Governments in Nigeria Since 1999*

Local Governments constitute the last level of government in all countries where they exist and form the link between the grassroot, the State Governments (Regional) and the Federal Government (Central). A properly managed Local Government system will bring development to the rural areas of the country, train up-coming politicians for participating in national politics and create jobs for the young and the old. Local Governments had existed in Nigeria before colonialism and had continued to be after independence in 1960 where each Region adopted her own system of Local Government until 1976 when the Federal Military Government decreed Unified Local Government System in the whole country. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1979 adopted Unified Local Government System in section 7 of the Constitution just as the 1999 Constitution in section 8 provided for very stringent procedure for the creation of Local Governments amongst other obnoxious provisions which have made nonsense of the possibility of creating new Local Governments in the country. This paper argues that looking at what obtains in established democracies such as U.S.A, Brazil, India etc; that time has come for the obstacles stopping the creation of new Local Government Areas in Nigeria to be removed from the Constitution to allow this important level of government to be multiplied in the country for expanded and even development of the nation. Keywords: Local government, obstacles, constitutional amendments, creation, even development. DOI : 10.7176/JLPG/90-03 Publication date :October 31 st 2019

Analysis of geographic hierarchy from attributes of local government area in Nigeria

Analysis of geographic hierarchy from attributes of local government area in Nigeria

Stenciling Printing Techniques for Interior Decoration in Okigwe Local Government Area

This study examined the potentials of stenciling techniques and products for interior decoration of families in Okigwe Local Government Area of Nigeria. The Specific objective of the study was to produce design on local fabrics using stenciling techniques, examine the various ways of utilizing stenciling techniques products for interior decoration in the home, ascertain the constraints on the use of stenciling techniques products for interior decoration in the home and to ascertain the possible benefits associated with the use of stenciling techniques products. A survey research design was used for the study. The population of the study comprised of 2049 families in Okigwe Local Government Area Imo State out of which 335 families were randomly selected. A validated structured questionnaire was used to collect data for the study. Frequency and percentage were used for analysis. The findings of the study revealed to a high extent, the items from stenciling techniques products are suitable for interior decoration. The study further revealed that there is significant difference in the suitability of the products for household. Based on the findings, it is recommended that conferences, seminars and workshops should be periodically organized on stenciling techniques for families in Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo State. Keywords: Stenciling printing techniques, interior decoration, Okigwe Local Government Area. DOI : 10.7176/JTHS/41-03 Publication date :May 31 st 2019