Problem In Nigeria Research Articles

COVID-19 Lockdown and Access to Health Services Among People with Mental Health Problems in Nigeria

ABSTRACT This study assessed the roles of COVID-19 lockdown on access to mental health services in Nigeria. 172 patients who visited the hospital before and during the lockdown were recruited. The methods of data analyses were descriptive, correlations and binary logistic regression. The logistic regression confirmed that socioeconomics of participants predicted their likelihood to access mental health services in hospital during the COVID-19 lockdown. Participants accessed treatments in traditional healing homes, home treatment centers, and place of religious worship. Policymakers need to expand the existing programs for accessible and affordable mental health services and standardized alternatives during health emergencies.

Harnessing technology for agricultural transformation: A design thinking approach to alleviate Nigeria's food crisis

The design thinking process is a human-centered, iterative methodology that designers use to solve problems and often results in an innovative approach to problem solving. Using a User Centered Design approach by applying the design thinking process, the researchers sought to know: 1. What national challenges were priority for Nigerians and 2. What solutions were best to tackle the problem that had the highest votes. To understand the need assessment, a survey form was designed and disseminated. A total of 406 participated in the poll, with over 70% votes for agriculture as the problem that requires urgent attention in Nigeria. Further research revealed post-harvest loss as a predominant problem in Nigeria’s agricultural sector. Key stakeholders in the sectors including farmers and agricultural experts were interviewed to further empathize, understand and redefine the problem. The design thinking process helped to refine the problem statement and identify other problems as well as potential solutions. From the survey, it was clear the majority of Nigerians who participated felt that agriculture and post-harvest loss were high priority needs that required urgent attention. Applying design thinking to prioritize agriculture in Nigeria reveals its power to address complex socio-economic issues effectively. By deeply understanding stakeholders' needs, clearly defining the problem, and iteratively developing and refining solutions, design thinking ensures that interventions in agriculture are not only relevant and impactful but also sustainable and scalable. This approach aligns perfectly with the urgent need for agricultural development in Nigeria to mitigate economic instability and enhance food security.

Evaluating diabetes care in primary healthcare centers in Abuja, Nigeria: a cross-sectional formative assessment

IntroductionNoncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are associated with high and rising burden of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is among the leading causes of NCD-related deaths worldwide and is a foremost public health problem in Nigeria. As part of National policy, Nigeria has committed to implement the World Health Organization (WHO) Package of Essential Non-communicable Disease interventions for primary care. Implementing the intervention requires the availability of essential elements, including guidelines, trained staff, health management information systems (HMIS), equipment, and medications, in primary healthcare centers (PHCs). This study assessed the availability of the DM component of the WHO package, and the readiness of the health workers in these PHCs to implement a DM screening, evaluation, and management program to inform future adoption and implementation.MethodsThis cross-sectional formative assessment adapted the WHO Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) tool to survey 30 PHCs selected by multistage sampling for readiness to deliver DM diagnosis and care in Abuja, Nigeria, between August and October 2021. The SARA tool was adapted to focus on DM services and the availability and readiness indicator scores were calculated based on the proportion of PHCs with available DM care services, minimum staff requirement, diagnostic tests, equipment, medications, and national guidelines/protocols for DM care within the defined SARA domain.ResultsAll 30 PHCs reported the availability of at least two full-time staff (median [interquartile range] = 5 [4–9]), which were mostly community health extension workers (median [interquartile range]) = 3 [1–4]. At least one staff member was recently trained in DM care in 11 PHCs (36%). The study also reported high availability of paper-based HMIS (100%), and DM screening services using a glucometer (87%), but low availability of DM job aids (27%), treatment (23%), and national guidelines/protocols (0%).ConclusionThis formative assessment of PHCs’ readiness to implement a DM screening, evaluation, and management program in Abuja demonstrated readiness to integrate DM care into PHCs regarding equipment, paper-based HMIS, and nonphysician health workers' availability. However, strategies are needed to promote DM health workforce training, provide DM management guidelines, and supply essential DM medications.

Addressing the Wicked Problems in Nigeria with the ‘4Es’ in Public Administration

The concept of wicked problems is continuously gaining more attention due basically to the inability of political authorities in certain nations to address some issues that have lingered for decades. This justifies the scholarly interrogation of various strategies adopted to solve these problems as well as the realization of their failure. Narrowing it down to Nigeria, this paper sufficiently contends that poverty, Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, herders-farmers crisis and secessionist agitation fit into the wicked problems; hence, the study primarily investigates the efficacy of the 4Es in Public Administration (a new model) in solving these wicked problems in Nigeria. Adopting a literature-based method, the paper argues compellingly on the need for the adoption of the 4Es in public administration in Nigeria and also highlights its implementation strategies. However, bureaucratic resistance is examined to be a pontential challenge to the implementation of the model in the country. Consequently, the paper proposes for sensitization, participation and gradual implementation of the model among others. Drawing on the above, it conludes that the model should be adopted and offers some practical policy recommendations.

Progress towards the elimination of trachoma in Nigeria.

Trachoma is targeted for elimination as a public health problem worldwide by 2030. In Nigeria, elimination activities are implemented at the local government area (LGA) level. They started in 2002 by conducting baseline population-based prevalence surveys (PBPSs), which continued in a systematic manner with engagement from the Global Trachoma Mapping Project in 2013, and subsequently Tropical Data. The results led to the development of Nigeria's first trachoma action plan and its subsequent revision with additional information. Following 449 baseline PBPSs, 122 LGAs had an active trachoma prevalence above the elimination threshold, requiring interventions, while 231 LGAs required community-based interventions for trichiasis management. By 2021, >34 million antibiotic treatments had been provided in 104 LGAs, with 89 LGAs eliminating active trachoma. Nationally, water and sanitation coverages increased by 3% and 18%, respectively, in 7y. Systematic trichiasis case finding and management were carried out in 231 LGAs, resulting in the management of 102527 people. Fifty-four LGAs decreased trichiasis prevalence unknown to the health system to <0.2% in persons ≥15y of age. Where this elimination prevalence threshold was reached, trichiasis services were transitioned to routine eye/healthcare systems. Such progress relied on strong leadership and coordination from the national trachoma program and tremendous support provided by partners. Attaining elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in Nigeria by 2030 is feasible if funding support is sustained.

Prevalence, pattern and factors associated with workplace violence against healthcare workers in Nigeria: A systematic review

Context: Workplace violence (WPV) against healthcare workers (HCWs) is mostly endured, underreported, or neglected in Nigeria. Objective: This study aimed to describe the prevalence, pattern, and predictors of WPV against HCWs in Nigeria. Methods: A systematic review was conducted using pre-defined keywords. The review was performed in line with the PRISMA guidelines on PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science. The population, intervention, comparator, and outcome (PICO) elements for this study were as follows: Population: Nigerian Healthcare workers; Intervention: Exposure to WPV; Comparator: Non-exposure to WPV; Outcome: Mental and Physical health outcomes of exposure to WPV. Of the 18,140 articles retrieved, 15 cross-sectional studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. In all, 3,245 HCWs were included, and consisted majorly of nurses and doctors. Results: The overall prevalence of WPV (Physical &gt; Verbal/Psychological &gt; Sexual) against HCWs ranged between 39.1%-100%. The predictors of WPV are younger ages (AOR = 2.513, p = 0.012), working in psychiatric unit (AOR = 11.182, p = 0.006), and increased frequency of interaction with patients, and mostly perpetrated by patients and their relatives. Many health facilities lacked a formal reporting system and policies to protect HCWs from WPV. Conclusion: WPV against HCWs is a public health problem in Nigeria with dire implications on HCWs; the victims, and the aggressor. Administrators of health facilities should design protocols for WPV reporting, recognition, and management. Patient and 'relatives' education on the 'facilities' policy against WPV should be undertaken, while orientation sessions on the risk factors for HCWs are scheduled.

MURDER INVESTIGATION IN NIGERIA: IMPLICATION FOR FORENSIC SCIENCE APPLICATION

This study presents a systematic review of studies related to murder and criminal investigation, policing, and implications for forensic science application in Nigeria. A literature search was done in the English language, using primary and secondary keywords; such as murder investigation, forensic science, policing, criminal investigation, standard operating procedures guiding murder investigation, and application of forensic science in Nigeria. Four academic databases selected for the study were: SAGE Online, Wiley Online Library, Science Direct, and Google Scholar. Following the inclusion and exclusion criteria earmarked for the study, 16 selected online published materials published between 2012 and 2022 met the predetermined criteria. These articles are either surveys, reviews, case studies, expert opinion materials, or theoretical articles. Central to the findings of these articles is that the application of forensic science in murder investigations in Nigeria is still suboptimal, accounting for lots of cold and unresolved murder cases across the country. In addition, there are other issues such as inadequate legislation governing forensic science application in Nigeria, lack of forensic skills and poor capacity development of Nigerian police, and non-adherence to forensic validated procedures during murder investigations. Gaps identified from these studies suggest a need for research focusing on the importance of suspect forensic profiling, a criminal investigative tool that can aid in narrowing down the suspect pool which has become a perennial problem in Nigeria's justice system as evidenced by the rising number of murder suspects across the country’s penitentiaries. This would make murder investigation more effective and efficient for criminal justice experts.&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/soc/0788/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Multidimensional Poverty Among Women in the Ibadan South West Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT: Poverty remains a serious problem in Nigeria; women are among those mostly affected and are often deprived in many ways. This paper uses the multidimensional approach to examine poverty levels among women in Ibadan South West Local Government Area, Oyo State. Primary data was obtained from a sample of 393 women across the population density areas on socio-economic characteristics and poverty indicators (health, education and standard of living). The Alkire-Foster multidimensional approach was used to estimate the multidimensional poverty index (MPI) for the sampled women. The weights assigned to these poverty dimensions were generated using the multiple correspondence analysis. The MPI for each woman were categorized as abject poor (deprived in at least two dimensions), moderate poor (deprived in one dimension) and non-poor (not deprived in any dimension). The mean age of the women was 30.8±6.7 years. One-third of the respondents were mostly artisans (30.0%) and traders (26.5%), and 52.2% had completed secondary education. About 23.0% of women were deprived in education, 61.0% in health and 70.4% in standard of living. Based on location, the study indicated that the women in the medium and high density areas are mostly deprived in the different dimensions of poverty. When the poverty cut off K= 1, poverty incidence is 94% and 51.7% of the women were multidimensional poor as against 28% poverty incidence and 19.6% poor women when k=3 using the Alkire-Foster Multidimensional methodology. This implies that when women are deprived in at least one dimension; 51.7% are multidimensional poor. More than half of the respondents (51.0%) were categorized as moderately poor, 26.0% were abject poor while 23.2% were non-poor. This study revealed high poverty levels among women in Ibadan South West Local Government Area. Deprivation in standard of living and health in the three areas could be improved upon through the concerted effort of the government with appropriate ministries by initiating more productive and empowerment programs to improve their purchasing power and disseminating educative information that will improve their nutritional status through health talks to reduce the level of multidimensional poverty in urban locations respectively.

Parenting and other potential protective factors associated with polysubstance use among public school students in Lagos, Nigeria.

Substance use is a growing problem in Nigeria. The present study extended recent work documenting the importance of parenting as protective against substance use in Nigerian youth by testing a model linking parenting, additional protective factors and polysubstance use. Public school students (N = 1607; 56% female; M age = 14.88; SD = .44 years) living in the greater Lagos region participated in school-based data collection. Lifetime polysubstance use, defined as use of two or more substances including alcohol or illicit drugs, or misuse of over-the-counter medications, was reported by 5.2% of the sample. Structural equation modelling that accounted for adolescent age and sex on all constructs revealed good model fit. Positive parenting (support and solicitation) was significantly associated with higher perceived harmfulness of substance use, religiosity and positive relationships at school. Positive school relationships were associated with a decreased likelihood of polysubstance use. Multiple group analysis revealed no overall sex differences in the model paths. Strengthening parent-adolescent relationships may have a cascading effect on protective factors and subsequent substance use, and should be included in youth substance use prevention programmes.

An Eco-heritage or an Eco-curse? - A Postcolonial Ecocritical Study of Helon Habila’s Oil on Water

Nigerian literature has been strewed with much political activism and ecological degradation. It has brought to the fore the connivance of oil companies, government agencies and a few members of the local communities in devouring the sacred land of Nigeria. The fictional literature of the Niger Delta takes into account the socio-cultural and political factors that revolve around the management of environmental problems in Nigeria. Rapid industrialization and excessive oil mining leave devastating ecological imprints on the flora, fauna and the landscape of the Delta. The fundamental issues of capitalism, globalisation, and exploitation of natural resources that cause the obliteration of Nigeria’s ecosystem are the themes of numerous literatures seeping out of the Niger Delta. Helon Habila’s Oil on Water works in the creative space to divert attention towards real-life issues that threaten the ecological sustenance of Niger Delta. The present paper analyses the novel by raising questions about the unethical practices being executed in the name of development. While being socio-ecologically intertwined, the novel also provides a postcolonial discourse on the corruption of moral order that plagues the fabric of Nigerian society.

Knowledge and treatment seeking behaviour for malaria among some undergraduate students of the University of Jos

Background: Malaria remains a major public health problem in Nigeria. Information on clients’ knowledge and treatment seeking behaviour might improve or sustain the rational management of the disease and treatment outcome.&#x0D; Objectives: This study assessed the knowledge and treatment seeking behaviour for the disease among undergraduate students of two Faculties of the University of Jos.&#x0D; Materials and Method: The study employed a cross-sectional strategy in which a self-administered questionnaire was administered to two hundred and two (202) four hundred (400) and five hundred (500) levels Veterinary Medicine and Pharmaceutical sciences Faculty students of the University. The collected data was analyzed using IBM-SPSS® version 23 software.&#x0D; Results: The total possible maximum correct knowledge score of the respondents was 10, and there mean (± SD) knowledge score was 7.77 (± 1.27), with majority (59.9%) having good knowledge of malaria and its management. Most of them either had moderate (38.1%) or good (36.1%) treatment seeking behaviour for the disease. Some factors including religion, level of education, patronage of healthcare facilities, and knowledge of the disease and its management were significant predictors of students’ treatment seeking behaviour for malaria.&#x0D; Conclusion: Despite the fact that a high proportion of the students had good knowledge, their treatment seeking attitudes for the disease were not correspondingly high, implying the existence of a possible gap between the students’ theoretical knowledge on the disease and actual treatment seeking behaviour for the disease.

Hurried Child Syndrome in Schools: A Blessing or Curse? Understanding the Causes and Implications on the Well-Being of the Hurried Child in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT Purpose The practice of hurrying children through schools by parents and guardians has become a contemporary social problem in Nigeria. This study is an attempt to underscore the causes and consequences of hurried child syndrome in schools and how they affect the well-being and development of the hurried children in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Materials and methods Thirty-one participants were selected for the study, using multistage sampling techniques. Data were collected using in-depth interviews and analyzed thematically with the use of NVivo 9. Results Findings revealed that a weak educational policy, proliferation of private schools, busy parents/guardians, and desire to train children before retirement were some of the causes of hurried child syndrome; while depression, anxiety, and poor academic performance were some of its implications on the well-being of the child. Discussion The practice of the hurried child syndrome was seen to have negative implications on the well-being and development of the child. The study findings revealed that most hurried children suffer anxiety, and depression and feel unworthy when they fail to fulfill the expectations of their parents. Conclusion School counselors, health educators, school social workers, and concerned stakeholders should sensitize the public to the dangers associated with the practice of hurried child syndrome. They should also work toward revamping the educational policies and ensure that all schools (private and public) play by the rules. This will help reduce the practice of hurried child syndrome as well as its negative implications on the well-being of the children.

Black Scorpion and the 1970 Apapa Port Congestion: Solving Maritime Gateway-Hinterland Delivery Problems in Nigeria

The study examined the Apapa Port congestion of 1970 which became an albatross for the fledgling Gowon junta as Nigeria, heavily import-export dependent, grappled with immediate post-civil-war economic difficulties compounded by a clogged maritime gateway that threatened the peace dividend. The regime desperately turned to a noted disciplinarian, Colonel Benjamin Adekunle, aka Black Scorpion, the no-nonsense former head of the 3rd Marine Command which had routed Biafra’s secessionist forces at Port Harcourt to facilitate Nigeria’s victory, but who was untidily shunted aside in 1969, following the clandestine politics of the country and her vicious military sector. Although alienated, Adekunle became the military port commandant charged with clearing the gateway by all means. Using archival, primary, and secondary data sources, the paper examines Nigeria’s underlying sociopolitical fault lines using relevant theoretical frameworks and Adekunle’s rare oral interview to interrogate his persona, the controversies of the time, the achievements of the military port commandant-in-council, and how the hinterland delivery problems of the era were subjected to management by design strategies in future port and highway developments. The findings include unbalanced national utilization of port facilities in favour of the Lagos port system, with the conclusion that the skew was largely responsible for the frequent congestions whose resolution options must include harmonized nationwide redistribution of gateway functions in line with economic realities.

Sustainable Development Goal-Six (SDG-6) Water and Sanitation, Impact on Nigeria, Assessing the Intersection with Public Health and Globalization: A Systematic Literature Review

Aim and scope: The important developmental encounter in the low-income country such as Nigeria has created challenges to make available and sustain the management of safe water and adequate sanitation for the citizenry. The poor access to portable drinking water, and inadequate sanitation practices poses a huge problems in Nigeria predominantly the public health burden linked with the polluted water and its sources, and poor sanitation practices. In this systematic review, the nature and scale of water availability, contamination and transmission of water borne disease and their intersection with public health in Nigeria were explored. The review further evaluated the effectiveness of global community intervention in addressing the anomalies in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals Six (SDG 6)-water and sanitation, and issues hampering the progress in Nigeria towards the target date of 2030. Methods: I searched through the MEDLINE database to select the research articles associated with water availability, water contamination, water quality, sanitation practices, waterborne disease transmission, water (i.e., WASH-Water Sanitation and Hygiene), public health, portable water and sustainability. An analysis of both observational and interventional studies was undertaken. For each study, content analysis was performed to identify the relevant terms such as portable water availability, WASH, disease transmission, public health related outcomes, and to the keydeductions of the study. Results: Strategic themes arising through the search included that about 66.3 million Nigerians lacks access to safe drinking water with no substantial progress in providing portable water for all in Nigeria. Despites various approach by government and other agencies in ensuring water quality and its safety, waterborne disease remains one of the significant public health challenges. Availability of water and the poor sanitation specifically among the rural dwellers are of great importance, being a vital factor in the spread of waterborne disease. The review revealed the common diseases associated with drinking water, and typhoid with the highest occurrence, others are cholera, dracunculiasi, hepatitis and Filariasi. Awareness, adequate funding, infrastructural development and interventions programme are recommended approach to reduce WASH and public health outcomes. Conclusions: Significant water unavailability and poor sanitation practicescumulate as public health burdens, presenting solid evidence that shown water unavailability and sanitation intersecting with public health. Hence, addressing portable water availability and environmental sanitation has a potential of reducing public health diseases with significant impact on SDG achievement.

Health Insurance, Attitude of Health Workers and Delivery at Health Facility: Outcome from Demographic and Health Survey in Nigeria.

The authors are concerned about poor utilization of health facility during pregnancy and delivery in Nigeria which are contributing to high incidence of maternal mortality. The causes of the poor utilization of health facility during delivery were examined so as to proffer policy solution on how to overcome the high incidence of maternal mortality in the country. The authors sourced data from Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (DHS, 2013) because cost of attending health facility was not covered in the 2018 Demographic Health Survey. Moreover, the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method of regression analysis was used in the study because the dependent variable was not binary.Finding shows that cost of accessing health care in the hospitals, health insurance, and attitude of health workers have a positive and significant effect on delivery at health facility. This makes it important for wider coverage of national health insurance program and organization of regular training on work attitudes for health workers in Nigeria to increase use of health facility during child delivery. It will help to reduce maternal health problems in Nigeria.

REFOCUSING RURAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES AS PANACEA FOR NIGERIA’S ECONOMIC AND SECURITY CHALLENGES IN A POST-COVID DISPENSATION

The study examined the challenges confronting the Nigeria economy and security over the years which seems unresolved, with redirection of focus on better development initiatives. The objectives of the study include identification of these challenges obstructing development in Nigeria; solutions proffered by government; factors mitigating against the effectiveness of such solutions and to redirect development initiatives towards curbing security and economic problems in Nigeria. Data were obtained from secondary sources: indexes of scholars’ work on relevant literature through journal articles, book and papers. The descriptive analytical pattern was adopted in the study. Findings revealed that despite several governmental efforts to tackle these challenges, the solutions have not yielded the desired results as the problems still lingers and increases daily due to certain factors acting as impediments. The paper suggested and redirected the focus of curbing these challenges to rural development initiatives through strategic planning, access to alternate funding sources, education and skill improvement among others as best route to tackle these challenges in a post covid dispensation of Nigeria. The study therefore, recommends among others that there is urgent need for developmental reforms and policy redirection towards combating these challenges.

Rethinking Solutions: Utilizing Islamic Ethics to Tackle Nigeria's Multifaceted Challenges

Nigeria, a country endowed with abundant natural resources, is plagued with multidimensional challenges that have hindered its progress and development. The challenges include poverty, corruption, insecurity, ethnic and religious conflicts, unemployment, poor infrastructure, and economic instability, among others. This study examines the potential of Islamic ethics as a solution to the multidimensional problems in Nigeria. Using a qualitative research approach, the study explores the ethical principles of Islam and how they can be applied in Nigeria to address the challenges facing the country. The findings of this study could contribute to the development of policies and strategies for sustainable development in Nigeria, providing a new perspective on how to address the challenges facing the country.

Biochemical and Haematological Parameters of Children Fed Optimized Cereal-legume Blend supplemented with Moringa leaf Powder

Childhood malnutrition is still a serious public health problem in Nigeria. This may be attributed to poor infant and young child feeding practices. In a bid to address this challenge, the current study was initiated to produce optimal complementary foods (CF). Six composite blends designated F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, and F6 were formulated from yellow maize (Zea mays), wheat (Triticum aestivum), millet (Pennisetum glaucum), groundnut (Arachis hypogea), soyabeans (Glycine max), and Moringa oleifera. Nutrisurvey was used to calculate the proportion of ingredients in the composite blends to meet nutritional specification in codex guideline. Nutritional composition, functional and consumer acceptance analyses were conducted, as well as feeding trials in moderately malnourished children for eight weeks. Anthropometric, biochemical and selected haematological parameters of the children were used to assess the performance of the CF formulations. Results of proximate analysis indicated that moisture content; crude protein, fat, ash, crude fibre, and carbohydrate were within the codex guidelines. The amino acid profile indicated that all essential amino acids were present in acceptable quantity. The functional properties revealed that bulk density ranged from 0.63-0.81, water absorption capacity 86-90%, swelling index 0.33-1.34, reconstitution index 2.20-3.20, and pH 6.52-6.69. The sensory evaluations suggest that the CF formulations were well accepted by the participants. The feeding trial indicated growth and recovery in the children at Endline. The current study therefore, revealed that with proper blending of local foodstuff, it is possible to prepare acceptable and nutritionally adequate CF.

Analysis of the impact of insecurity on youth unemployment in Nigeria (1990-2020)

Youth unemployment is a very important socioeconomic problem in Nigeria, which has gone bad in recent years. Therefore, using the ordinary least square estimation technique (OLS), this research examines the impact of insecurity on youth unemployment in Nigeria from 1990 to 2020. The study focuses on the relationship between the dependent variable, unemployment (Unemp), and two independent variables, the National Terrorism Index (Ntix) and Crime Rate (Crat). The results reveal that Ntix has a positive and statistically significant effect on Unemp. Specifically, a unit increase in Ntix leads to a 0.000827 rise in unemployment. Additionally, Nigerian Crat demonstrates a significant and positive influence on Unemp, with an increase in Crat resulting in a 0.005653 increase in unemployment. Given that heightened insecurity directly contributes to unemployment, the study proposes several policy recommendations. Firstly, the government should consider reducing interest rates in commercial banks to enhance the availability of loans for small business owners, enabling them to hire more employees. Furthermore, addressing corruption in both public and private sectors, combating kidnappings, and establishing additional skill acquisition centers are crucial measures to tackle the issue of insecurity and promote employment opportunities.

THE IMPACT OF LABOR LAWS ON FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE WORKPLACE: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS BETWEEN NIGERIA AND THE UNITED STATES

Labors laws are the body of rules that regulate the relationship between employers and employees at work places. Like all other laws, it provides for the rights and duties of both parties to labor contract. However, the rights so granted under this law has been subtly categorized under the specie of economic and social rights as against the civil and political rights which, arguably, are considered as fundamental. While in one breathe, labor law scholars are protesting the relegation of these rights, they are on the other hand are beginning to interrogate the potency of the former rights and found that they, by their very nature, are capable of adding meaning and advancing the civil and political rights. Thus, a genuine effort at protecting the fundamental rights would necessarily involve the protection of labor rights as economic and social rights. The problem in Nigeria, however, is that the government and generally employers of labor exploit the provisions of various labor laws to hinder the protection and advancement of the fundamental human rights of their employees. Hence, this paper seeks to draw lessons from the labor laws and practice of the United States to demonstrate the positive impacts that Labor laws could have in strengthening the protection of fundamental human rights of Nigerian workers at their workplaces.