Mangu Local Government Area Research Articles

Mwaghavul Arable Farmers – Fulani Herdsmen Conflict and Socio-economic Development in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State

Arable farmers and the Fulani herdsmen conflict is a societal malaise that is bedeviling most societies in Nigeria. The scenes were more prevalence in the North-central geo-political zone of the country. In Plateau State, the incidence cut across different local government areas in the state. This study therefore examined the conflict between the Mwaghavul Arable farmers and the Fulani herdsmen in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State. The study adopted a mixed method research design. Data were elicited from documentary facts The main instruments for data collection were questionnaire, in-depth interview and observation; they were subjected to face and content validation. Focus group discussion and in-depth tinterview were used to corroborate the quantitative analysis. We used Pearson chisquare and ANOVA to test the hypotheses of the study at 0.05 level of significance. Findings of the study revealed that the conflict was triggered by the damages of crops of the Mwaghavul arable farmers by the herds of the Fulani herdsmen. The study also found the conflict has adverse on socio-economic development (schools, businesses, mutual trust, agricultural production, etc.). Based on the findings, study recommends the need to modernize herding system in Nigeria, need for civic education, moral probity, among others

Eye Health Seeking Behavior and Its Associated Factors among Adult Population in Mangu LGA, Plateau State, Nigeria

Purpose: This study was aimed to explore the eye health-seeking behaviors and its associated factors among adult population of Mangu Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State, Nigeria in order to promote individual determination for attaining better eye health-seeking behaviors. Methods: This study was a population-based descriptive cross-sectional survey of 802 adult population aged 18 years and above was conducted in Mangu L.G.A, Plateau State, Nigeria using a multi-stage cluster random sampling design. Sociodemographic and eye health-seeking behavior data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Vision status was defined using World Health Organization categories of visual impairment based on presenting Visual Acuity (VA). Data collected were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20.0. All p-values reported were two tailed and significance was defined as P<0.05. Results: Although a total of 960 respondents were enumerated for the study, 802 (83.5%) adults participated. There were more female 525 (65.5%) than males 277 (34.5%). The majority 585 (72.9%) of respondents who had eye problems sought care for the eye problem. One hundred and fifty-seven (36.0%) and 153 (35.1%) sought care at the General hospital and at the community health centre respectively. While 38 (8.7%) and 29 (6.7%) sought care from ophthalmologists and Optometrists respectively. Cost of services (34.4%), language barrier (13.0%), decides not to seek care (10.1%) and transportation (9.1%) were the major reasons for not seeking eye care. Conclusion: Although the majority of the respondents sought care for their eye problems, quite a large number of them sought care from non-eye care professionals. Cost of services, language barrier, transportation and services not available in the area were the major factors associated with eye health-seeking behaviour. Reduction in cost of services and health insurance coverage will mitigate these barriers substantially.

Infant Feeding Practices, Prevalence of Adolescent Motherhood and Malnutrition among Infants in Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria.

Background: Adolescent motherhood and malnutrition among children are significant challenges in Africa, but there is limited data on the impact of adolescent motherhood on their children's health and nutrition. This study assessed infant feeding practices, prevalence of adolescent motherhood, and malnutrition among infants in Mangu local government area (LGA). Methodology: A cross-sectional survey using multistage sampling was conducted. Validated questionnaires were used to collect socio-demographic data, and appropriate tools were used for anthropometric measurements. Data were compared with established standards. Descriptive statistical tools, chi square, Pearson correlation, and independent sample t-test were used for data analysis, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 200 mothers completed the study. The majority of the infants (78.5%) were less than 6 months old, and 21.5% were 6-12 months old. Breastfeeding initiation within 1 hour was reported by 39% of mothers, while 38% practiced prelacteal feeding. Only 28.5% practiced exclusive breastfeeding, and all mothers breastfed their babies. The prevalence of adolescent motherhood was 37.5%. The prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight among infants were 29.5%, 12%, and 8.5%, respectively. Children of adolescent mothers had higher rates of severe stunting compared to children of mothers above 19 years of age. There were significant differences (p = 0.017 and p = 0.029) in stunting rates and weight-for-age indices between children of adolescent mothers and mothers above 19 years of age. Conclusion: Adolescent motherhood contributes to chronic malnutrition in children, and there is a high prevalence of malnutrition among infants in Mangu LGA, Plateau State.

Assessing the Effectiveness of Microlearning on Primary School Puipils’ Academic Performance in Mathematics in Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State

This study assessed the effectiveness of micro learning on primary school pupils’ academic performance in mathematics in Mangu Local Government Area; Plateau State. The design adopted for the study was a descriptive survey design with four research questions and one hypothesis formulated to guide the study. The population consisted of 1,432 public primary five pupils. A sample of 190 respondents was selected to participate in the study using stratified random sampling technique. A questionnaire titled Effectiveness of Micro Learning on Public Primary School Pupils’ Academic Performance in Mathematics Questionnaire (EMLPPSAPMQ) was used for data collection. The reliability of the research instrument was obtained using Cronbach alpha method with reliability coefficient of 0.87. The research questions were answered using the mean score, while hypothesis was tested using chi-square at 0.05 level of significance. Results indicated that micro learning reduced study time and improves mathematics performance by enhancing understanding of mathematical concepts, developing problem-solving skills and critical thinking and increasing pupil motivation and engagement. Arising from these findings; it was recommended that Ministry of Education should integrate micro-learning into the primary school mathematics curriculum, to leverage digital resources for enhanced learning outcomes and Government should allocate necessary funds to ensure adequate digital infrastructure and resources for micro-learning in all primary schools.

Experience of Terrorism and the Mental Health Status of Adolescents in North- Central of Nigeria

Terrorism, defined as the premeditated use or threat of violence to instil fear and compel authority compliance, poses a global security threat with profound psychological effects, particularly on vulnerable populations like adolescents. In regions like Northern Nigeria, where terrorist activities are prevalent, the mental health impact on adolescents is a critical concern. This study investigates the relationship between terrorism exposure and mental health among adolescents in Mangu Local Government Area (LGA), Plateau State, Nigeria. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Mangu LGA, Plateau State, in 2024. Adolescents aged 10-19 years were surveyed, with a sample size of 200 determined using Leslie Fischer’s formula. Data were collected through standardized questionnaires covering socio-demographic information, terrorism experiences, and mental health status. SPSS version 20.0 was used for statistical analysis, including regression to assess the relationship between terrorism and mental health. 92.5% of the adolescents experienced a terrorist attack, 57.9% reported deaths, and 42.1% reported injuries. Religion was the primary cause of attacks, with 88.6%. Many adolescents reported worsened mental health. Notably, 49% felt the same regarding thoughts of death, but 24% reported worsened feelings. Terrorism exposure significantly predicted mental health status, accounting for 25.5% of the variation in mental well-being (R² = -0.255, p &lt; 0.05). Terrorism significantly negatively impacts adolescent mental health in Mangu LGA. Targeted interventions, including psychosocial support and trauma-informed care, are crucial. Policymakers should address terrorism’s root causes and promote peace-building initiatives. Further, longitudinal studies are needed to explore long-term effects and inform interventions.

Information Needs and Seeking Behaviours of Rural Farmers in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

Information Needs and Seeking Behaviours of Rural Farmers in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

Prevalence and Pattern of Visual Impairment among Adult Population in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

Aim: Visual impairment is a public health problem globally. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and pattern of visual impairment among adult population in Mangu Local Government Area (L.G.A), Plateau State, Nigeria.&#x0D; Study Design: A population-based descriptive cross-sectional survey of 802 adult population aged 18 years and above was conducted in Mangu L.G.A, Plateau State, Nigeria using a multi-stage cluster random sampling design.&#x0D; Methodology: Subjects were evaluated using a magnifying loupe, Snellen E chart, direct ophthalmoscope and torchlight. Vision status was defined using World Health Organization categories of visual impairment based on presenting visual acuity (VA).&#x0D; Results: Out of a total of 960 respondents enumerated for the study, 802 (83.5%) adults participated. Prevalence of blindness (presenting VA of less than 3/60 in the better eye) was 8.1%; prevalence of low vision (presenting VA of at least 3/60 but less than 6/18 in the better eye) was 27.6%; prevalence of overall visual impairment (presenting VA less than 6/18 in the better eye) was 35.7%. Prevalence of visual impairment was higher in males (40.8%) than in females (34.9%), although not statistically significant (p=0.098). Prevalence of blindness and impaired vision increased significantly with increasing age, from 21.7% at 20 - 39 years to 83.6% among those aged ≥80 years (P &lt; 0.001).&#x0D; Conclusion: Much can be done by individuals, governments and non-governmental organizations to reduce so much blindness and vision loss through cost-effective interventions such as wears of sunglasses and other preventive measures to prevent ultraviolet radiation effect on their eyes.

Factors Influencing the Choice of Place of Delivery among Women in Gindiri, Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State: A Mixed Method Study

Factors Influencing the Choice of Place of Delivery among Women in Gindiri, Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State: A Mixed Method Study

Comparative Acute Toxicity of Aqueous Extracts of Tephrosia vogelii and Albizia gummifera on Clarias gariepinus (African Catfish) Fingerlings

Fishing with Albizia gummifera is gaining more popularity than Tephrosia vogelii by local fishermen of Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State and other parts of Nigeria, because of its productiveness and availability. Acute toxicity of aqueous extracts of leaf and bark of T. vogelii and A. gummifera were conducted on C. gariepinus fingerlings in static non-renewable bioassay. Dissolved Oxygen (DO) mg/L, pH and Temperature (°C) were monitored daily throughout the period by using ExStik® DO600 meter. Definitive acute concentrations of 140, 120, 100, 80, 60, 0.00 mg/L; and 600, 525, 454, 375, 225 and 0.00 g/L as control of aqueous bark and leaf extracts in mg/L for A. gummifera and T. vogelii were used respectively. The result of the water quality parameters of fishes exposed to various plant toxicant concentrations of the plants showed no variation in all the studied water parameters compared with the control treatments. The percentage mortality of fishes was observed to decrease with decrease in toxicant concentrations in both plants. The 96hrs LC10; LC50 and LC99 values with confidence limits were of 61.21 (53.54 - 104.67) mg/L and 131.86 (104.67 - 166.10) mg/L; 94.58 mg/L (108.56 - 82.419) and 277.82 (220.54 - 349.98); and 208.46 (182.31 - 238.35) and 1074.73 (853.13 - 1353.82) of aqueous bark and leaf extracts of A. gummifera and T. vogelii to the exposed fishes, respectively. Lower lethal concentration values of A. gummifera indicated that it is more toxic than T. vogelii. Therefore, fishing with the A. gummifera should be regulated in order to preserve fish species in wild.

Post COVID 19 and the Challenge of Solid Wastes in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

This study looks at Post COVID 19 and the challenge of solid wastes in the Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey design with a population of residents in Plateau State. A simple random sampling technique was used to draw a sample size of 200 respondents from the population. A self-designed questionnaire: Post COVID 19 and the challenge of solid waste management in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria. Data was collected with the help of questionnaire and analyzed with charts. Also, the hypothesis was tested using a chi-square statistical technique to test the relationship. The findings revealed that an increase in plastics, an increase in disposable gloves, personal protection equipment, and an increase in aprons and gowns are some of the nature of solid waste management during COVID 19. It was established that an increase in household consumption, the accumulation of households’ consumables, and lack of access to waste collections were some of the main causes of solid wastes during COVID-19. The study also revealed that the effects of solid wastes during COVID-19 were environmental pollution and health risk, an increase in organic waste, stress on the available waste management system, among others. Based on the findings, the study recommended among others that regular solid waste management, use of disinfectants, face masks, and provision of a proper solid waste disposal methods were among the solutions to the problems of solid waste generated during COVID-19. Keywords: COVID-19, Challenge, Solid Waste Management.

Assessment of Heavy Metal Levels in Soil and Vegetables in Some Farms Around Mining Sites in Mangu Local Government Area Plateau State, Nigeria

When the mining process is not properly controlled, it can be a source of heavy metals pollution in the environment. The uptake of these heavy metals in edible parts of vegetables can be a direct source of the metals into the human food chain. This study assessed the concentrations of lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni) and chromium (Cr) in soil and vegetables obtained from nine (9) farms around mining sites in Mangu LGA. Concentrations of heavy metals in soil and vegetables were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results revealed the concentrations of the heavy metals at the farms to be within the recommended maximum levels of world soils but were higher than their respective controls. This implies that the artisanal mining contributed to the increased values of these heavy metals in the environment. Also, the mean concentrations of the heavy metals at Mangu Halle mining site decreased in the order Mn &gt; Zn &gt; Cr &gt; Cu &gt; Ni &gt; Pb &gt; Cd whereas at Alogwom it decreased in the order Mn &gt; Zn &gt; Pb &gt; Cu &gt; Ni &gt; Cr &gt; Cd. The enrichment factor (EF) of the elements showed deficiency to minimum enrichment for all the heavy metals whereas the pollution index (PI) of the metals indicated very slight contamination to moderate pollution. The results of the heavy metals in the vegetables showed that the bioaccumulation of the metals followed a pattern: Zn &gt; Cu &gt; Pb &gt; Cr &gt; Cd &gt; Ni. Levels of Cd, Pb and Ni in the vegetables were observed to be higher than the recommended limit for vegetables whereas Cu, Cr and Zn exhibited lower values than recommended standards. Thus, their consumption might pose health risk to consumers and therefore there is the need for proper monitoring of the illegal mining activities to reduce health risk and the extent of heavy metals contamination.

Evaluation and Speciation of Heavy Metals Contamination of Selected Artisanal Mining Sites in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

Artisanal (illegal) mining has been reported to have environmental and health effects on the surrounding communities due to heavy metals pollution. The determination of total heavy metal concentration does not reflect the toxicity and bioavailability of the metals. Toxicity and bioavailability of the metals can be achieved by determining the form in which the metal exist in the environment (speciation). This present work evaluated the heavy metals’ {cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) &amp;nickel (Ni)} contamination and the form in which they exist at some mining sites in Mangu LGC, Plateau state, Nigeria. Aqua regia ((HCl + HNO3, 3:1 v/v) was used for total metal concentration while sequential extraction method was used to orderly determine the speciation of the heavy metals. The level of the heavy metals in the digested solutions were determined using Buck Scientific model 210VGP Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The results divulged that the concentrations of the heavy metals were within the FEPA and WHO recommended permissible limit except Cd and Ni. The values of the metals at Mangu Halle mining site followed the sequence: Mn &gt; Zn &gt; Ni &gt; Pb &gt; Cu &gt; Cd whereas the sequence at Alogwom was Mn &gt; Zn &gt; Pb &gt; Ni &gt; Cu &gt; Cd. The results of the speciation indicated that all metals were bound to the five fractions with the residual fraction dominating except Cd which was bound mostly to the soluble and exchangeable fractions. It could be concluded that the presence of these heavy metals in the mobile fractions, indicate that they could be easily released to the environment from soil. Thus, they are also likely to cause toxicity in the environment. Proper monitoring of the mining activities in the communities was recommended.

Tuberculosis treatment outcomes: a fifteen-year retrospective study in Jos-North and Mangu, Plateau State, North - Central Nigeria

BackgroundGlobally, tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent. Adherence to TB therapy is an important factor in treatment outcomes, which is a critical indicator for evaluating TB treatment programs. This study assessed TB treatment outcomes using a fifteen-year record of tuberculosis patients who received treatment in Jos-North and Mangu Local Government Areas of Plateau State, North-Central Nigeria.MethodsThe retrospective facility based study was done in five TB treatment centers which account for more than half of data for tuberculosis patients in Plateau State. Data were collected from 10,156 TB patient’s health records between 2001 and 2015. Treatment outcomes were categorized as successful (cured, treatment completed) or unsuccessful (non-adherent, treatment failure or death). A descriptive analysis was done to assess the factors associated with treatment outcomes. Relevant bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were done. All statistical analyses were performed on Stata version 11, College station, Texas, USA.ResultsDuring the study period, 58.1% (5904/10156) of the TB patients who received treatment were males. The Mean age ± SD was 35.5 ± 15.5 years. The overall treatment success rate was 67.4%; non-adherence/defaulting rate was 18.5%, with majority of patients defaulting at the end of intensive phase of treatment. The sputum conversion rate was 72.8% and mortality rate was 7.5%. A decrease in successful treatment outcomes rate from 83.8% in 2001 to 64.4% in 2015 was observed. The factors associated with treatment success were gender, age, year of enrollment, and HIV status. Extrapulmonary TB was less likely associated with treatment success (AOR:95% CI- 0.72:0.61–0.84, p < 0.001).ConclusionWith the decrease in treatment success rates, underlying reasons for medication non-adherence and treatment failure should be resolved through adherence counseling involving the patient and treatment supporters, with education on voluntary counseling and testing for HIV among TB patients.

Phytochemical Composition, Anti-nutrient Properties and Antioxidant Potentials of Raw Hibiscus sabdariffa Seeds

Aims: This study was aimed at ascertaining the phytochemical, anti-nutrient and antioxidant potentials of raw seeds of Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS).&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Rivers and Anambra states, Nigeria, between January and April, 2017.&#x0D; Methodology: Dried seeds of Hibiscus sabdariffa were gotten from Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau state, Nigeria. They were properly cleaned, sorted and ground into powder for analyses. Phytochemical constituents and anti-nutrients were quantified using a BUCK M910 Gas chromatography equipped with an on-column automatic flame ionization detector (GC-FID) under standard chromatographic conditions. Antioxidant vitamins A, C and E were determined using standard spectrophotometric methods, while in vitro enzymatic antioxidants were determined using standard protocols.&#x0D; Results: The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of the following in their order of abundance: ribalidine&gt;epicatechin&gt;oxalate&gt;catechin&gt;saponin&gt;sapogenin&gt;kaempferol&gt;tannin&gt; lunamarine&gt;rutin&gt;anthocyanin&gt;phytate&gt;spartein. The anti-nutrient levels in the seeds of HS were: alkaloids (47.00 µg/ml; 39.20%), saponins (14.62 µg/ml; 12.19%), oxalates (14.06 µg/ml; 11.72%), tannin (4.79 µg/ml; 3.99%) and phytates (0.55 µg/ml; 0.46%). Antioxidant vitamins detected were vitamin A (2.76 ± 0.26 mg/kg), vitamin C (2.60 ± 0.07 mg/kg) and vitamin E (5.06 ± 0.30 mg/kg). Some in vitro enzymatic antioxidants were Catalase (26.71 ± 3.68 µmol/ml), Peroxidase (13.29 ± 1.72 µmol/ml), Glutathione reductase (24.43 ± 0.78 µmol/ml) and Superoxide Dismutase (0.88 ± 0.05 unit enzyme).&#x0D; Conclusion: Seeds of HS contain several phytochemicals which exist in great amounts, some of which may act as anti-nutrients that interfere with food absorption. Furthermore, HS seeds possess some antioxidant potentials which can be exploited for therapeutic purposes.

Evaluation of the Microbial Quality of ‘Nono’ Sold in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

Aim: To assess the microbial quality and safety or otherwise of ‘nono’ sold to the public for consumption.&#x0D; Study Design: A cross sectional study design was employed for the study.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State is the study area. The study lasted between May 2017 and June 2018.&#x0D; Methodology: Questionnaire was administered to 300 ‘nono’ sellers and subsequently, 300 ‘nono’ samples were randomly collected (30 samples collected at intervals) from 10 markets and the samples were transported to central diagnostic laboratory of the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Vom, Plateau State for laboratory analyses of the samples using serial dilution and spread-plate technique.&#x0D; Results: Results showed that majority (86.0%) of the respondents depends on selling ‘nono’ as the only source of income, and 75.7 % of them had no formal education. An overall mean total bacterial count (TBC) of 6.09 Log10cfuml-l was recorded from all the samples. Majority of the ‘nono’ samples collected from the different markets had significantly higher bacterial count than the recommended level of 5.0 Log10cfuml-1 set by the International Farm Comparison Network (IFCN) for a minimum acceptable level of bacterial count in milk and milk products. Bacteria isolated were Coliforms, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus with overall prevalence of 52.7%, 43.0%, 10.0%, 8.3%, 5.0%, and 16.3% which recorded overall mean counts of 4.37, 3.56, 0.83, 0.69, 0.41 and 1.30 Log10cfuml-1, respectively. Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Penicillium spp., Mucor spp., Rhizopus spp. and Candida spp. isolated from the products had an overall prevalence of 25.7 % and overall mean fungal count of 2.13 Log10cfuml-1. A statistically significant (P&lt;0.05) difference was established among the means of the microbial groups.&#x0D; Conclusion: Microbiological safety of ‘nono’ sold in Mangu is not guaranteed as at time of study possibly as a result of unhygienic practices during ‘nono’ production and product contamination from the vendors.

Physicochemical and Sensory Quality Assessment of ‘Nono’ Sold In Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

Physicochemical and Sensory Quality Assessment of ‘Nono’ Sold In Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

Roles of credit institutions in the improvement of rural livelihood and poverty alleviation in Mangu local government area, Plateau State

Successive Nigerian governments have made great efforts toward the improvement of rural welfare through poverty alleviation. These efforts translated into the establishment of several rural development programmes including Agricultural Credit Guaranteed Scheme (ACGS) and Nigerian Agricultural Cooperative and Rural Development Bank (NARCDB). This study is an assessment of the roles of these financial institutions in improving the lives of the rural people of Mangu Local Government in Plateau state in terms of provision of credit to enable adoption of technologies. The specific objectives were to identify the technologies available to the people, examine farmers’ accessibility to the credit facilities and determine the extent to which accessibility of credit facilities has helped adoption of innovation in the area. A total of 106 respondents were selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents. Data were analysed using percentages and frequency distribution. The results of the analysis show that 87.5% of the respondents agreed that very few of the technologies available were adopted because of financial constraints. Also, 80.0% indicated that it was quite difficult to access the credit due delay in document processing (41.96%, unattainable collaterals (27.68% and other corrupt practices 25%). He financial institutions helped the very few to adopt technologies that were capital intensive by providing the required credit. It was concluded based on the findings that the establishment of credit institutions has not helped the Mangu people much, because of the inaccessibility of the facilities. Consequently, it is recommended that farmers in this area should reduce their dependence on the formal financial/credit institutions by adopting technologies that are less capital intensive or alternatively form their own traditional credit systems. Technology development for farmers should take into account the social and economic capacity of the people to have the desired impact on the people. Keywords : Roles, credit institutions, improvement, rural, livelihood, poverty alleviation

HIV Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors among Rural Pregnant Women in North Central Nigeria

Aim: To determine the prevalence of HIV infection and associated risk factors among rural pregnant women in Plateau state, Nigeria. Study Design: The study involved a cross-sectional study of pregnant rural women in antenatal clinics (ANCs) in five (5) rural villages of Mangu Local Government area of Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. Methodology: A total of 248 pregnant women with mean age of 26 years were recruited through a random sampling method during ANCs with pre and post counseling initiated and a structured survey questionnaire used. Venous blood samples were collected using needles and syringes, thereafter transported to a central point at Gindiri, centrifuged and serum sent to Plateau Specialist Hospital virology laboratory for HIV testing. Results: Participants with less than six (6) months planned postpartum sexual abstinence(cultural to abstain from Sexual Intercourse during pregnancy) were 8 times significantly more likely (OR 8.2; 95% CI 1.4, 42.0) to be infected compared with those who observed more than six (6) months planned postpartum abstinence. Also, women from polygamous marriages had a five-fold greater and significantly odds (OR 5.36; 95%CI 1.3, 24.5) of being HIV positive compared to women from monogamous marriages. Furthermore, parous women were 4 times significantly more likely (OR 4.66; 95%CI 1.1, 20.0) to be infected than nulliparous women. Previous exposure to malaria and educational status were not significantly associated with HIV infection. Conclusion: HIV prevalence was 3.2% (95% CI; 1.5 – 6.5)comparable to Nigerian’s current overall prevalence rate and high lights need to eliminate preventable risk factors and relevance of male involvement in HIV prevention especially during pregnancy including ANCs, Care, Treatment and Support. There was higher rate of HIV infection among women who did not abstain from sexual intercourse during pregnancy suggesting multiple partnerships and need for marital faithfulness especially from the men during pregnancy.

An Assessment of the Incidence of Poverty Among Rural Active Population in Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria

The study investigated the incidence and spatial distribution of poverty among rural active population in Mangu Local Government of Plateau State, Nigeria. The objectives of the study were to determine the socio-demographic and economic characteristics of the respondents; the incidence and spatial distribution of poverty and the causes of poverty in the study area. A sample size of 500 was adopted for the study. The study area comprised of 11 districts and over 260 settlements. Five districts and 25 settlements were selected using the random and systematic sampling techniques. The questionnaire, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were used as tools for data collection from the respondents. The data were analyzed using different statistical techniques such as descriptive, correlation analyses as well as ANOVA. The finding reveals that there is high and spatial variation in level of poverty in the study area. Many reasons were identified to have influenced poverty in the study area such as failure of agriculture due to high cost of farm inputs, crises, decline of tin mining activity in the study area as well as low level of education, and low income among others. Recommendations were made for policy makers and implementers to empower the rural areas and enhance the development of the country side.Keyword: Incidence, Poverty, Rural, Active Population

Socio economic analysis of risk aversion strategies among potato farmers in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

The study analyzed the risk aversion strategies among potato farmers in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State. One hundred (100) potato producing households were randomly selected across four randomlychosen districts. Twenty five (25) structured questionnaires were&#160; administered in each of the districts. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logit regression model. Findings revealed that the respondents employed different risk management strategies such as enterprise diversification and timeliness of farm operations to avert crop losses. The result of the logit regression showed that the coefficients of age, income and educational status of the farmers were positive. The marginal effects of the independent variables on the dependent variable revealed that on the average, a one percent increase in age, income and educational status of the respondents leads to an increase in the probability of the deliberate employment of risk aversion strategies on their farms, holding all else constant.