ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND EMPLOYMENT GENERATION IN NIGERIA: A CASE STUDY OF NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF EMPLOYMENT (N.D.E)

*Baba Sunday, **Dickson Vonke and ***Kromtit Matthew

Department Economics, University of Jos, Nigeria.

Emails: sundaybab@yahoo.com; vonkemarcus@yahoo.comAbstract: The Nigerian Job seekers face a lot of problems as Jobs are not made available, technical skills are not properly acquired for self employment, under capitalization with difficulty for obtaining bank credit and instability of government policies are the order of the day. In support for the Role of Entrepreneurship in National Economic Development, policies had been implemented by different government regimes such as Integrated Rural Development (IRD). But the failure of these development programmes did pave way for the introduction of Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) with the objective of designing programmes to adjust the structure of the economy whose strategies are National Directorate of Employment (NDE) amongst others. This study assesses the impact of entrepreneurship development on unemployment reduction in Nigeria using NDE as a case study.  While the Augmented Dickey Fuller Unit Root Test was employed in sieving the data series to avoid spurious results, the Granger Causality Test was used to determine the causal relationship between the variables and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) technique of econometrics was employed to estimate the impact of entrepreneurship development on unemployment reduction in Nigeria. Results obtained reveal that the 2000-2011 Nigerian Annual Data for NER, EER and CU series were non stationary at level, 1(0), but NER and EER became stationary at first difference, 1(1); while CU became stationary at second difference, 1(2) – all at 5% level of significance. The results further show we have some confidence that both ERR and CU could Granger cause NER in Nigeria and that entrepreneurship development has impacted significantly on unemployment reduction in Nigeria and the null hypothesis of no impact was rejected; Labor was discovered to be the main asset of the poor and this creates opportunities for them to be gainfully engaged. It is, therefore, concluded that Entrepreneurship has a significant impact on Employment generation in Nigeria. The study recommends amongst others that refocusing public spending and investment in basic and technical education on human capital in order to raise the supply of skilled labor in Nigeria is expedient and that the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) as government’s main organ for tackling the problem has to be repositioned by putting in place new strategies to reduced

THE CHALLENGES OF ADOPTING INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC SECTOR ACCOUNTING STANDARD (IPSAS) BY NIGERIA

Acho, Yunusa

Department of Accountancy

Federal Polytechnic Idah, Kogi State, Nigeria.

E-mail: alhassanay@gmail.com

Abstract: The fact that corruption have eaten deep into the fabric of Nigeria Public Sector is no longer a hidden truth. One of the major reasons is the lack of adequate accounting standard to regulate the recording of government activities. Most financial activities in government establishments are not properly recorded this prompt corruption and lack of comparison of records with that of other countries. The aim of this research is to examine the challenges facing Nigeria in the adoption of International Public Sector Accounting Standard which is believed to be a high quality standard and transparent for the recording of public sector financial activities worldwide. The research sample selected cut across the budget officers, finance officers and other officers in charge of preparing financial statements in Federal Polytechnic Idah, Kogi State Ministry of Finance and Idah Local Government. Hundred questionnaires were distributed to this sample using the random sampling technique. It is observed from findings that the adoption of IPSAS would significantly improve accounting and financial recording systems in the Nigerian Public Sector and this would definitely reduce corruption and other ill practices in the public sector. It is therefore recommended that all the three tiers of Nigeria government should join hands together and ensure its full adoption and implementation. Staff of government establishments should be constantly sent for training to acquire more current knowledge that would enhance proper implementation of IPSAS.

HOUSING AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE 

Badmus, Adejare S., Olabode, Bashir O. and Adebayo, Timothy A.

General Studies Department,

The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Saki Campus, Nigeria.

E-mail: adejarebadmus@gmail.com

Abstract: One of the basic needs of man is shelter but in Nigeria, this basic need is grossly insufficient both in quantity and quality. The inadequacy of housing is prominent both in the rural area as well as in the urban centers and in effect the poor environmental quality across the country. In order to profer solution to these ugly experiences and intention to making housing available and affordable to all Nigerian, the government has over the years promulgated various housing related laws and  policies. This paper examines these policies and their impacts on national development making use of simple descriptive methodologies. We found some relationship among these policies with a conclusion that if all impediments to the achievement of housing for all Nigerians are removed, the housing sector will increase Nigeria Human Development Index, reduce unemployment and poverty among others thus contributing to national development. We recommended a “true” implementation of these laudable policies, checking inflation rate to one digit level so as to ensure relative stability in the price of building materials, provision of reasonable and accessible housing finance, curbing the activities of “the Omo Oniles” (siblings of the land owners) and that the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) should be up and doing in waging serious wars on the activities of fake building materials distributors so as to reduce incidence of collapse building.    

EFFECTS OF ECONOMIC CONCEPTS ON CHOICE AND INTAKE OF FOOD 

¹Nwezeh, Godfrey .O. and ²Aniagu, S. Uche

¹Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, The Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State – Nigeria.

²Department of Banking and Finance, The Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State – Nigeria.

 E-mail: nwezehgodfrey@yahoo.com

Abstract: Economics has gotten many definitions. The reason is that economists see the subject from different point of view. They are interested in different aspects of economics such as money, industries, business, welfare, international relations etc. However, according to Professor Lionel Robbins whose definition is the most acceptable, Economics can be defined as a social science that studies human behaviour as a relationship between ends and scarce means which have alternative uses. Before now economics is not integrated with the mainstream of nutrition science or practice, other than ‘’home economics’’ but now, it can enable greater understanding of how socio-economic status may interplay with human nutritional status and health. The important role of economics in food and nutrition is being increasingly recognised. In this paper, secondary sources of data collection like books, government publications and other documents relating to economics and nutrition were utilized. However, like all material sources, the element of subjectivity cannot be absolutely erased but efforts were made to be as objective as possible in the use and application of these documents. It has been confirmed however, that there is a link between economics and nutrition as seen in the influences the economic variables have in the choice and intake of food. Good agricultural food consumption policies, income generation and nutrition education were amongst the recommendations made in this research.

RELIGIOUS IDENTITY AND STUDENTS’ UNION POLITICS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, 2011-2013[1]

¹Owonikoko, B.S. and ²Olaonipekun, A.O.

¹Peace and Conflict Studies Programme, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

²Continuing Education Centre, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Nigeria.

 E-mail: owonikoko.babajide@gmail.com

Abstract: The frequency, dynamics and huge human and material losses that always follow the outbreak of religious conflicts in Nigeria have incited the interest of scholars to research into religious conflicts in the country. However, scholars of religious identity conflicts in Nigeria have always under-looked the use of religious identity at the micro level and the tension that always greet it. Meanwhile, this has serious implications for the magnitude of religious identity conflict in Nigeria. In order to bridge this gap, this study looks at the use of religious identity for political campaigns among the students of University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

[1] The authors will like to acknowledge Professor O.B.C. Nwolise and Dr. D.N. Danjibo for their contributions to this article. However, the authors take responsibility of all errors in the article.