Theses and Dissertations (Economics)

Manufacturing Sector Performance and Selected Macroeconomic Variables in Nigeria: 1970-2009

Tue, 01 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Manufacturing Sector Performance and Selected Macroeconomic Variables in Nigeria: 1970-2009 Obinwanne, Julian Chukwuma This study employs time series data to investigate empirically how the various macroeconomic variables affect the performance of the manufacturing sector in Nigeria for the period 1970-2009. It found out that over the sample period, the rate of growth of the manufacturing sector responds to variation in selected Macroeconomic variables such as Real Gross Domestic Product (RGDP), real interest rate, credit to private sector, real exchange rate, trade openness and political economy. However, the relationship between the growth rate and any of the real interest rate and exchange rate was found not to be statistically significant. Empirical evidence further revealed that the relationship between the growth rate of the manufacturing sector and the variables of the interest was found to exist even in the long run due to the fact that these variables were found to be co-integrated. The paper therefore recommends that policy makers need to exercise great care on prescribing international trade policies, while less emphasis should be laid on exchange rate policies because this would have no form of effect on the growth rate on the manufacturing sector. Also interest rate policies should not be used to drive the rate of growth of the manufacturing sector as they have no impact on the sector while efforts should be made to sustain the present civilian government .

Stigmatisation, Health Disclosure and Sexual Functioning: Predictors of Psychological Wellbeing of Obstetric Fistula Patients

Fri, 01 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Stigmatisation, Health Disclosure and Sexual Functioning: Predictors of Psychological Wellbeing of Obstetric Fistula Patients Essien, Nsidibe Francis The present study examined stigmatisation, health disclosure, and sexual functioning as predictors of psychological wellbeing among women with obstetric fistula. The study adopted a cross sectional design. A sample of 183 women with obstetric fistula from the National Obstetric Fistula Centre Abakaliki were purposively sampled and administered with a questionnaire comprising the Ryff (1989) Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWBS), the Szivos (1991) Stigma Perception Questionnaire (SPQ), Checkton’s (2010) Distress Disclosure Inventory (DDI), and the Female Sexual Quality of life Questionnaire (SQL-f) by Symonds, Boolell, and Quirk (2005). Cross sectional design was used for the study and hierarchical multiple regression was used for data analysis. Results showed that that age was positively related to psychological wellbeing (r=.29, p < .01). Length of time before corrective surgery was also positively related to psychological wellbeing (r=.36, p < .01). However, stigmatisation was negatively related to psychological wellbeing (r=-.35, p < .01). A hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that stigmatisation significantly predicted psychological wellbeing (β=-.35, t=-5.03, p<.05).It also contributed 12% to the explanation of the variance in psychological wellbeing (∆R2=.12). Illness disclosure significantly predicted psychological wellbeing (β=-.38, t=-5.65, p<.05). Also, 13% of the variance in psychological wellbeing was explained by illness disclosure (∆R2 =.13). Also, sexual functioning significantly predicted psychological wellbeing (β=.35, t=5.45, p<.05) and 11% of the variance in psychological wellbeing was explained on account of sexual functioning. Findings were discussed and suggestions for further studies made.

Analysis of the Impact of Climate Change Indicators on Livestock Production in Ten West African Countries

Sun, 01 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Analysis of the Impact of Climate Change Indicators on Livestock Production in Ten West African Countries Agbo, Stephen Uchenna This study examines the impact of climate change indicators on livestock production in ten West African countries. Climate change is a contemporary challenging issue threatening the very existence of the earth and Less developed parts of the world suffer its impact most. Climate characteristics affect the environment, agricultural production, and health. Climate affects every nation and every economy. A combination of descriptive statistics and econometrics methodology were used in the analysis of data. The study used two objectives; to ascertain the level of climate change indicators in the countries under study and to determine whether climate change indicators are major determinants of livestock production in those countries. The indicators include carbon dioxide emission (Co2E), Renewable Internal Fresh Water Resources in addition to other macroeconomic indicators like population and GDP growth rate. The study used the production function approach to model the effects of climate change on livestock production. The result suggests that a positive relationship exists between carbon dioxide emissions and livestock production up to a threshold of 350ppm. Beyond the threshold, CO2 emissions affect livestock production negatively. This implies that an increase in CO2 emissions will increase livestock production in the countries studied but beyond the tipping point (threshold) an increase in CO2 emissions will decrease livestock production. The study also suggests that the other climate change indicator which is renewable internal fresh water resources (RIFR) also has a positive relationship with livestock production. This implies that an increase in RIFR increases livestock production.

Tax Revenue and Economic Growth in Selected ECOWAS Countries

Sun, 01 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

Tax Revenue and Economic Growth in Selected ECOWAS Countries Oboh, Ose Joshua The increasing poverty level and dwindling welfare conditions of the residents of Benue state even in the midst of high expanding microfinance institutions motivated the urgent need for a study to evaluate the impact of both formal and informal MFIs jointly to see their impact on poverty alleviation and welfare in Benue state since there have not been any study of such for the state and the poverty rate in the state is on a continuous increase. To achieve this, the study analyzed a primary data that was obtained using a standardized questionnaire from 405 household randomly selected from the three senatorial districts in the state using a Logit regression analysis. The result indicates that policies that promote informal microfinance institutions likely increase the poverty level, while policies to promote formal microfinance institution reduce poverty level. Also that informal microfinance institution has a higher impact on welfare than formal microfinance institutions and that microfinance institution increases household access to credit. Based on these findings, the study recommended among others that Microfinance institutions should be empowered financially to increase their pace both in giving out loans and in canvassing for savings too as this will go a long way in increasing their level of impact on the households.