North Local Government Area Research Articles

Sociodemographic Factors and Maternal Knowledge of Childhood Vaccination in Nigeria

Childhood vaccination is globally recognized as one of the most cost-effective public health interventions to reduce child mortality, particularly in regions burdened by vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) such as measles, polio, and tuberculosis. Despite the availability of free routine vaccination services in Nigeria, suboptimal vaccination coverage persists, and maternal knowledge plays a critical role in this challenge. While much attention has been focused on the role of attitudes and practices in influencing vaccine uptake, less is known about the specific impact of socio-demographic factors on maternal knowledge of the vaccination schedule, particularly in urban areas like Ughelli, Nigeria. This study seeks to fill this gap by examining the socio-demographic determinants of maternal knowledge about childhood vaccination in Ughelli North Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta, Nigeria. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 321 mothers residing in Ughelli North LGA, utilizing a structured and pre-tested questionnaire designed to assess maternal knowledge of vaccination schedules and key vaccines for children. The study explored the association between socio-demographic factors such as age, educational level, employment status, ethnicity, and the level of maternal knowledge about childhood vaccination. Data were collected using an online survey and analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics to identify patterns and associations. The study revealed that, despite high levels of educational attainment among participants (88.8% had tertiary education), 87.5% of the respondents demonstrated poor knowledge of the full vaccination schedule, especially concerning vaccines required beyond the age of two. Socio-demographic variables, including ethnicity, employment status, and education, were not significantly associated with vaccination knowledge (p>0.05), indicating that even mothers with higher education levels exhibited gaps in specific vaccination knowledge. These results suggest that maternal education alone is not a sufficient predictor of comprehensive vaccination knowledge in this context. This study makes an original contribution to the body of knowledge by highlighting the disconnect between general education and specific health knowledge regarding childhood vaccination. While many studies have established positive links between socio-demographic factors and overall vaccine attitudes or practices, this research uniquely focuses on knowledge of the vaccination schedule, identifying critical gaps that exist independently of attitudes or socio-economic status. The findings emphasize the need for tailored health education interventions that go beyond general literacy and target the specifics of vaccine schedules and timing, particularly for vaccines administered after infancy.

Cataract Blindness, Surgical Coverage, and Outcome of Cataract Surgery in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State

Aim: To determine the prevalence of cataract blindness, cataract surgical coverage, barriers to uptake of cataract surgery, and outcome of surgery in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria. Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted using a multi-stage sampling technique. Thirty-nine persons, aged 50 years and above were recruited from each of the 22 clusters selected. All those recruited had their eyes examined to determine their visual acuity and those with visual acuity <3/60 in any eye were assessed for cataract. Cataract surgical coverage was determined at visual acuities of 3/60, 6/60, and 6/18. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 20). Results: Bilateral cataract blindness prevalence was 1.8%. Cataract surgical coverage for persons with visual acuity of 3/60 was 74.4%. Cost was found to be the most common barrier to the uptake of cataract surgery. The cataract surgical outcome using presenting vision was good in 34.6% and poor in 33.3% of eyes. Surgical complications (50.6%) were the most common cause of poor outcome and included posterior capsule opacity, refractive error, and corneal opacity. Conclusion: Cataract remained the leading cause of blindness in this population despite the high cataract surgical coverage. The need to enhance surgical techniques, postoperative care, and the overall quality control of cataract surgery cannot be overemphasized as this will mitigate the surgical complications that are found to be the common causes of poor outcomes and improve the overall success of cataract surgery in this area.

IMPROVING MATERNAL AWARENESS AND CHILDHOOD VACCINATION UPTAKE IN DELTA STATE, NIGERIA

Background:- Vaccination is globally recognized as one of the most effective public health interventions for reducing child mortality by preventing vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) such as measles, polio, tuberculosis, and Haemophilus influenzae. However, in countries like Nigeria, inadequate knowledge about vaccination remains a major barrier to achieving optimal vaccine coverage. Despite the Nigerian government’s provision of free routine vaccination for children up to the age of two, many mothers are unaware of the need to complete the full vaccination schedule, which leads to missed vaccination opportunities in later childhood. This study aimed to assess the level of maternal knowledge regarding childhood vaccination in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. Methods:- This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 321 mothers in Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria. Data were collected using a pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire designed to assess knowledge about childhood vaccination. The survey was administered online, and the data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics to examine associations between socio-demographic factors and vaccination knowledge. Participants' socio-demographic characteristics, including ethnicity, employment status, and educational background, were recorded and analysed. Results:- The study sample was predominantly Urhobo (68.9%), with a majority of participants being semi-employed (50.2%) and having attained tertiary education (88.8%). Despite the high educational levels, 87.5% of the respondents demonstrated poor knowledge of the full vaccination schedule, particularly regarding vaccines required after the age of two. The study found no statistically significant association between socio-demographic factors such as ethnicity, employment status, and educational level and maternal knowledge of vaccination (p > 0.05). Discussion:- Although previous studies have shown a positive relationship between maternal education and vaccine uptake, this study revealed that socio-demographic variables had no significant impact on knowledge about vaccination schedules. Despite general awareness of the importance of vaccines, the study identified significant gaps in specific knowledge, particularly concerning vaccines required beyond the second year of life. These gaps highlight the need for improved communication strategies to ensure mothers understand the full vaccination process. Conclusion:- The findings underscore the critical need for targeted health promotion efforts to enhance maternal knowledge of childhood vaccination, particularly regarding vaccines beyond infancy. Comprehensive educational campaigns using mass media, social media, and community platforms are recommended to bridge these knowledge gaps. Healthcare workers should also be trained to deliver clear and consistent information on vaccination during routine maternal and child health visits to ensure timely and complete vaccination coverage.

Heavy metal intrusion and geospatial analysis of groundwater resources in Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria.

Abstract This study examined the spatial variation in the intrusion of heavy metals in underground water resources of Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta State, where it conducted a comparative study from ten (10) spatially distributed boreholes, for possible intrusion of the pathogen. The data that was produced were subjected to Heavy Metal Index (HMI) technique to analyse the significant contamination rate in the samples extracted from the study area (using the World Health Organisation Standard and the Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality as the Control Variable). The result of the analysis showed that the undergroundwater there has slightly higher concentrations of Iron and lead than any other parameters. Lead (Ppm) has a range of values of 0.11 to 0.18, with areas like Owhelogho (0.18), Iyede (0.18) and Ellu (0.17) having higher values than others. The range of value for Iron (Ppm) is 0.31 to 0.43, with all the areas having significant values slightly higher than the WHO and NSDWQ standard of 0.3. The study identified places where heavy metals intrusion is prevalent, also a substantial association between pollutant from host rocks and groundwater supplies. The heavy metal index evaluation revealed a class "II" grade, indicating the presence of lead and iron oxide in modest quantities, although its presence is a cause for concern for the well-being of borehole water consumers.The statistics are quite close to the next class on the indexing chart, which is "slightly affected". Any small infiltration raises the stakes to the next level.

Evaluation of Nutritional Composition of Ocimum gratissimum Leaf Extract

Vegetables are known to be vital sources of nutritive foods. This study evaluates the nutritional composition of Ocimum gratissimum leaf extract vis-a-vis proximate, minerals and vitamins analyses. Fresh leaves of O. gratissimum were purchased from a local market in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria and were washed, destalked, oven-dried at 40 0C, pulverized, and sieved through 2.0 mm mesh prior to analysis. Proximate, minerals, and vitamin analyses were carried out, using standard methods. Results indicated that O. gratissimum contained high levels of carbohydrate (51.78 ± 0.50 %), protein (10.50 ± 0.04 %), and fiber (9.38 ± 0.05 %), with minute quantity of crude fat (4.94 ± 0.03 %). Analysis of the mineral compositions showed that the vegetable contained considerable quantity of minerals that is sufficient to improve general well-being, while the vitamin analysis revealed that the leaves of O. gratissimum was sufficiently rich in Vitamin E and could, therefore, act as antioxidant and consequently help to improve health status of its consumers.

EFFECT OF PROMOTION AND JOB SECURITY ON TEACHERS’PERFORMANCE IN SELECTED PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MUBI NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS, MUBI, ADAMAWA NIGERIA

The main objective of this study is to examine the effect of promotion and job security on teachers’ performance in selected public secondary schools in Mubi North Local Government Areas, Mubi, Adamawa Nigeria. The study is a survey research design in form of descriptive study in which data was collected through questionnaire administered to 45 respondents. Data collected was subjected to percentage analysis and hypotheses were tested using linear regression analysis at 0.05 level of significance. The result revealed coefficients of the effect of promotion on teacher performance is significant (β = 1.655, t = 10.223, p< 0.05). Coefficients of the effect of job security on teacher performance is significant (β = 0.510, t = 2.032, p< 0.05). Hence the study concludes that promotion and job security has significant and positive effect on teachers’ performance in selected public secondary schools in Mubi North Local Government Areas, Mubi, Adamawa Nigeria. The study, recommends that the school management should continue the practice of adequately rewarding teachers who consistently perform well, which includes salary increments and bonuses as part of the benefits package offered by the school management. This will not only attract talented teachers but also encourage them to stay in the organization and continue performing at high levels.

Comparative analysis of the physicochemical properties and trace metal content of palm oil, from selected markets in Jos south and Jos north LGA, Plateau state, Nigeria

The quality of palm oil samples collected from three different markets in Jos South and Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State were analyzed and evaluated using standard analytical laboratory procedures. The relative ranges of the physicochemical values obtained were as follows; Moisture Content (MC): 0.56 - 1.89, Iodine value (IV); 51.88 - 55.57 g I2/100g, Peroxide Value (PV): 0.98 - 4.16 mEq02/kg, Saponification Values (SV): 198.46 - 201.54 mgKOH/g, Acid Value (AV): 9.93 - 57.65, and Refractive Index (RI), 1.4576 - 1.4580. The moisture content, iodin value, pH values and acid values were found to exceed the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) permissible limits of moisture content (0.29 mgKOH/g), iodine value (45 - 53 mg I2/100g), pH (5 - 7 mg/L), and acid value (0.7 max mg/L) for edible oils respectively while the refractive index, saponification values, peroxide values falls within the SON allowable limits of refractive index (1.4612-1.4707 mg/L), saponification value (195-205 mgKOH/g) and peroxide value (10 mEq02/kg) respectively . The amounts of trace metals (Cu, Zn, Fe, Pb and Cd) determined in the palm oil using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer ranged from Cu(0.34 - 0.52 mg/l), Zn(1.58 - 2.33 mg/l), Fe(19.18 - 26.74 mg/l), Pb(2.87 - 4.06 mg/l) and Cd(1.58 - 2.24 mg/l). However, the levels of Zn, Fe, Pb and Cd exceeded the WHO/FAO recommended values of (1.50, 1.00, 0.05 and 0.02 mg/L) respectively while only Cu concentration was below the WHO/FAO limits of 2.00 mg/L for trace metals in edible palm oil. Consequently, the results of this study shows that the palm oil consumed from these selected markets does not meet the standard quality specification for edible palm oils and hence can post significant health threat to consumers. Therefore, food regulatory agencies should strengthen their surveillance to promote food and health safety of the populace.

Parental Factors and Pupils’ School Readiness in Umuahia North Local Government Area, Abia State

This study investigated the influence of parental factors and pupils’ school readiness in Umuahia North Local Government Area. To achieve this purpose, three specific objectives and corresponding research questions were also raised to guide the study, three null hypotheses were postulated to guide the study and were tested at .05 level of significance. The descriptive survey research design was employed and used for this study. The population of the study was 4500 ECC II pupils with parents. Purposive and simple random sampling was used to select a sample size of 450 ECC II pupils with parents. Parental’ Factors Questionnaire (PFQ), for parents and Pupils’ School Readiness Rating Scale (PSRRS) for pupils were used as instruments for the study. The face and content validities of the instruments was determined by experts in Psychological Foundations of Education and Early Childhood Education. The Cronbach’s alpha statistical analysis was used to determine the reliability of instruments which yielded reliability indices of 0.73, 0.71 and 0.77 respectively. Mean analysis and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions while t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to test the null hypotheses. The study revealed that: there is a significant influence of parental styles, parental socio-economic status, and parental educational background on pupils’ school readiness in Umuahia North Local Government Area. Based on the findings of the study, the study recommended among others that parents should be encouraged to improve on their relationship with their children and choose the right parenting style that will help the children to behave positively in their readiness to adapt to school environment.

Spatial analysis and mapping of malaria endemic-prone areas using environmental risk factors and spatial multi criteria decision analysis in the Northern Zone of Plateau State, Nigeria.

Compressive mapping and in-depth analysis of malaria vulnerability risk foci are important tools for strategic planning, vector surveillance, implementing necessary interventions, and managing scarce resources to combat the daunting challenges of malaria infections in Nigeria. The study utilized environmental risk factors and spatial multi-criteria decision analysis techniques to analyze and map the spatial variations in malaria-endemic prone areas within the Northern Zone of Plateau State. Analysis of the criteria's weights of environmental risk factors and the stratification of the malaria risk vulnerability revealed that high-risk areas covered a total of 4017.25 Km2, while low-risk areas covered 1294.83Km2, having a close resemblance to the corresponding ground conditions. The results showed that a significant 60% of the study areas were characterized by high risk of malaria transmission, particularly in most settlements around the Jos North, Jos South and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas. The malaria risk map's predictive abilities demonstrated a high level of accuracy, as indicated by the area under the curve score of 0.989. Furthermore, the risk map demonstrates a high-performance rate in identifying malaria hotspots, with a sensitivity of 98%, a proficiency rate of 54%, and a statistical significance confidence level ranging from 90% to 99% for identifying malaria hotspots and coldspots. The malaria risk analysis and mapping within the endemic prone areas of the Northern Zone of Plateau State not only equips policymakers with effective tools for identifying malaria foci but also offers a deeper comprehension of the appropriate intervention measures to be implemented.

Assessment Of Nutritional Status Of Under Five Children In Sokoto North Local Government Area, Sokoto State

Background: Malnutrion is an imbalance between the intake of calorie and the body’s requirement. When the body’s requirement supersedes the intake, it is under nutrition and when the intake is more than the body’s requirement, it leads to overweight or obesity. Both instances are forms of malnutrition. The study aim to determine prevalence of under nutrition among the study subject , age variation in relation to under nutrition and compare results of malnutrition obtained from Mid-Upper-Arm circumference and other methods of determining Nutritional status (weight-for-Age and height-for-Age Materials and Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 112 under five children in Sokoto North LGA. Multi stage sampling technique was used for selection where 3 districts were randomly selected from the 11 districts in Sokoto North LGA, and 4 areas where the study was carried out were randomly selected from the 3 districts. Results: The prevalence of stunting was 53.6% among which 22.3% were mildly stunted , 15.3% were moderately stunted, and 16.1% were severely stunted. The prevalence of wasting was 53.6% of which 14.28% had Grade 1 wasting, 9.8% of the subjects were moderately wasted (grade 2), 12.5% were severely wasted(grade3) and 17% had very severe wasting. Majority of the children (80.4%) had suffered from one form of illness or the other. Mean of under 5 years Feeding practices showed that 98.2% were breastfed, 12.9% of those who breastfed were stopped abruptly, majority of the study subject were introduced to complementary feeding at 6 months of age (50.9%) and majority (79.4%) have received one form of immunization or the other. Determinants of malnutrition were maternal level of education, time of introduction of complementary feeding as well as the type, frequency and quality of food introduced, childhood illness, immunization status, parents’ occupation among others. Conclusion: The results showed that there is high prevalence of malnutrition among under-five children in Sokoto North Local Government Area of Sokoto State We recommended that mothers should be educated and encourage for exclusive breastfeeding

Do Micro Finance Banks Influence The Performance Of Small Scale Business Entrepreneurs In Ijebu North Lga, Ogun State, Nigeria?

This paper contributes to the debate on the impact of Microfinance financial and non-financial services on the development of small-scale entrepreneurs. This study actually investigated the influence of Access to Microfinance Credit and Microfinance services on the development of small-scale entrepreneurs in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. Survey research design using simple random sampling technique was employed to select 90 out of 175 registered small-scale entrepreneurs in Ijebu North LGA. Applying regression analysis on the primary data collected showed that a positive and significant relationship exists between Access to Microfinance credit and performance of small-scale entrepreneurs in the sampled areas. In addition, Microfinance service was also found to exert a significant influence on small-scale entrepreneurs’ performance, albeit, the correlation coefficient and the coefficient of determination were below average. This notwithstanding, the study concludes that Microfinance provision of credit; financial services, business support, and empowerment have positively influenced business performance, income generation, asset accumulation, and overall well-being of small-scale entrepreneurs in the sample area. It is recommended that microfinance institutions should continue to focus on expanding access to credit and other financial and advisory services to small-scale entrepreneurs to continuously improve their overall performance.

Challenges and strategies of instructional supervision in senior secondary schools in Yola north local government area of Adamawa state

Challenges and strategies of instructional supervision in senior secondary schools in Yola north local government area of Adamawa state

Socioeconomic characteristics of organic poultry farmers in Afikpo north local government area

The study was conducted to determine the socio- economic of organic poultry farmers in Afikpo North Local Government Area, Ebonyi State. Data collected using structured questionnaire from 80 randomly selected farmers were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools: mean, frequency, percentage and Standard deviation. The result showed that majority (55.00%) of the farmers were female, (56.25%) were married, tertiary education (47.50%). The mean household size was 5 persons, membership of social organization (68.75%). It further revealed that over seventy percent of the farmers (73.75%) had up to 1-10 years farming experience. The study concluded that despite the wide attention received by organic broiler production in Afikpo, it has been constrained by some factors like lack of proper awareness,technical knowhow and preference of old practice to new practice. It is recommended that research institutes should organize extensive and periodic trainings for the farmers within Afikpo North Local government area to teach them the use of the organic recipes on poultry meat and egg production.Also enlightenment campaign should be initiated to sensitize farmers on the benefits of the use of organic recipes on broiler production.

Home Management of Childhood Febrile Convulsions among Women in Child-Bearing Age in Obiagu, Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State

Febrile convulsion or seizure is a common emergency in pediatrics which triggers anxiety in parents due to associated morbidities and mortality. This study assessed the home management of childhood febrile convulsion in Obiagu, Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among women of child-bearing age in Obiagu, Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. The population of this study consisted of 1,850 women but 328 is a convenient sample employed in the study. A structured questionnaire with reliability coefficient of 0.83 was used in gathering the necessary data for the study which were analyzed with SPSS version 17.0. It was discovered that all the respondents (320) were aware of febrile convulsion. Two hundred and sixty-five (265) (82.81%) of the women understood febrile convulsion to be high temperature associated with jerking of the child. Also, high temperature was perceived by 269 (84.06%) of the women to be the cause while 140 (43.75%) believe that it was caused by evil forces or demonic. Two hundred and twenty-six (226) (70.63%) of the women applied palm kernel oil on their children’s body during convulsion, 124 (38.7%) used herbal concoctions and 105 (32.81%) put substances like palm oil or kerosene in the eyes of their convulsing children. The reason for these actions is mainly because they did not want their children to die. Others include not being aware of better methods and that the materials used were readily available. The women in Obiagu were aware of febrile convulsion and their perception of its cause was fair but they lacked knowledge of appropriate actions to take during febrile convulsion.

GENETIC DISTANCE AND IDENTITY AT IGF-1 GENE LOCUS OF SOME INDIGENOUS CATTLE BREEDS IN NIGERIA

An experiment was conducted to determine the genetic distance and identity at insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) gene locus in some indigenous cattle breeds in Nigeria. One (1) Local Government Area (LGA) each from Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe and Sokoto States was purposively selected which include Mubi North, Yorro, Balanga, and Wurno Local Government Areas, respectively. The snowball method was used to sample (96) cattle consisting of (24) Adamawa Gudali, (24) Sokoto Gudali, (24) Bunaji and (24) Rahaji cattle from pastoralists in many communities of the LGAs. Blood samples were collected from the animals through jugular venepuncture. DNA extraction was done using Zymo Quick DNA™ Mini prep kit. NanoDrop 1000 spectrophotometer was used for the determination of DNA quality and quantity using DNA purification kit. Genetic distances among the breeds of cattle were calculated using distance measures with the aid of Gen AIEx software package. The highest level of genetic distance estimate was observed between Rahaji and Bunaji cattle breeds (0.085) while the closest genetic distance (0.001) was observed between Sokoto Gudali and Bunaji. The highest genetic identities were recorded between Sokoto Gudali and Bunaji (0.999) cattle breeds whereas the closest matrix of genetic identity (0.904) was recorded between Rahaji and Sokoto Gudali cattle. Cluster analysis using UPMGA revealed that Bunaji and Sokoto Gudali cattle formed the first cluster which is separate from Adamawa, which formed the second cluster. Rahaji cattle formed the third cluster, which is far and distant from the first and second clusters at IGF-1 gene locus. Rahaji cattle had the longest genetic distance with other three breeds of cattle. High genetic distance and identity existed among some indigenous breeds of cattle studied.

Consumer Perception and Willingness to Pay for Vitamin A Fortified Garri in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria

Vitamin A deficiency is one of the major micronutrient deficiencies contributing to child mortality globally. This study assessed consumers’ perception and willingness to pay (WTP) for vitamin A fortified garri in Ibadan North Local Government Area, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. A total of 170 respondents were interviewed. Socioeconomic characteristics of respondents, perception of and factors that influence their willingness to pay for fortified vitamin A garri and the mean willingness to pay (MWTP) were all analysed. The study revealed that most of the respondents were aware of vitamin A fortified garri but they hardly purchased it. The computed MWTP for vitamin A fortified garri was ₦190 ($0.35) indicating a positive mean willingness to pay. The result of the logistic regression analysis showed that out of the twelve variables examined, four were statistically significant at various levels. Specifically, sex, ethnicity and marital status were all negatively significant at 10%, 5% and 10% respectively while health status was positively significant at 1%. It was concluded that a higher proportion of the respondents perceived vitamin A fortified garri to be healthier and more nutritious and were also willing to pay it. The paper recommended that efforts should be geared towards encouraging production and consumption of vitamin A fortified garri by creating more markets for the product.

Microbial and Physicochemical Assessment of Road-Side Roasted Plantain Sold in Isoko North Local Government Area, Nigeria

Microbial and Physicochemical Assessment of Road-Side Roasted Plantain Sold in Isoko North Local Government Area, Nigeria

EXAMINING CHILD DEPRIVATION AND PEER INFLUENCE ON PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN IJEBU NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OGUN STATE

The psychological well-being of adolescents which may be affected by emotional or social factors is vital for proper cognitive, social, and physical functioning, especially in schools as it also contributes to their ability to navigate well within the school environment. This study examined the influence of child deprivation and peer pressure on psychological well-being among in-school adolescents in Ijebu North Area of Ogun State. Specifically, the study determined the individual and joint influence of child deprivation and peer influence on psychological well-being among in-school adolescents in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun state. The study adopted an ex-post-facto research design. Stratified random sampling techniques were used to select 200 respondents that participated in the study. The study used primary data which was obtained by questionnaire. The findings revealed that child deprivation has a significant influence on psychological well-being among in-school adolescents (β = .221; t = 3.343; P < .001). Results also confirmed that peer pressure has a

IMPACT OF COOPERATIVE ON SELECTED SMALL BUSINESS IN IJEBU NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OGUN STATE.

This study investigated the impact of cooperative society on selected small businesses in Ijebu-North, Ogun State. It specifically examined the impact of cooperative society loans on the operation of small businesses, identified the role of cooperative society in sustaining small businesses, and identified the challenges of small businesses in IjebuNorth. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. A multistage sampling technique was used to select eighty (80) respondents from five cooperative societies in Ijebu-North, Ogun State. A well-structured questionnaire was used to gather information from the respondents. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics for the demographic information and one sample test to analyse the hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. Results showed that cooperative loans play a significant role in supporting and enhancing the operation and success of small-scale businesses in Ijebu-North. Findings revealed that cooperative loans have a significant contribution to small-scale businesses in Ogun State. Also, the study revealed that small-scale businesses face a range of constraints in accessing cooperative society loans, including poor infrastructure, high financial service costs, and high tax rates. The result of the hypotheses suggests that there is a significant impact of cooperative loans on the operation of small-scale businesses in Ijebu North Local Government Area, Ogun State. It was concluded that cooperative societies play a significant role in sustaining these businesses. Among other recommendations is that steps should be taken to improve the accessibility of cooperative society loans.

Assessing Urban Neighbourhood Resilience to Covid 19 Pandemic in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

The sudden incidence of COVID-19 at Wuhan in China in December 2019 with its significant death globally and other negative socio-economic impacts has awakened the need to make human settlements resilient to unforeseen tragedy. Nigeria and Jos the capital of Plateau State have had negative experiences with the incidence of covid 19. Considering this, the study aims at assessing the resilience of urban neighbourhoods in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State to COVID-19 pandemic. The study objective is to examine the pattern and characteristics of some selected neighborhoods within Jos the study area. In addition to examining the characterisation of infrastructural facilities and to evaluate the environmental challenges that impede adherence to non-pharmaceutical protocols to COVID-19. Two neighbourhoods, Angwan Rukuba and Fudawa were selected to represent the entire Jos North Local Government Area. Relevant literature related to the study was reviewed. The study adopted a direct observation method of the physical characteristics of the neighborhoods and a simple sampling technique of survey where a structured questionnaire was administered to 138 respondents in the two neighborhoods. Descriptive analysis using percentages and tables in relation to the data obtained was used to draw inferences and conclusions. The results obtained shows that the sampled neighborhoods are densely congested informal settlements with unorganized settlement pattern, lacking in basic neighbourhoods’ infrastructure, and poor circulation, among others. These findings imply that the environmental setting of the study area makes compliance with non-pharmaceutical protocols during COVID-19. pandemic difficult. By implication, the neighborhoods lack the resilience capability to cope with the COVID-19. pandemic. The study recommends the need for planning and upgrading of the neighbourhoods’ facilities along with stakeholder public enlightenment on the need to comply to COVID-19. non-pharmaceutical protocols as a step toward building resilient neighbourhoods in Jos North Local Government Area and the metropolis at large.