FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE

This study examines the impact of cyber fraud on the academic performance and study habits of undergraduate students at the University of Benin. Using a snowball sampling technique, data were collected from 380 students through surveys and interviews. The findings reveal that students engaged in cyber fraud often struggle with time management and academic performance due to distractions and misplaced priorities. The study concludes that cyber fraud negatively affects students' academic success. It recommends stricter institutional policies, awareness campaigns, and financial support programs to curb student involvement. Further research should explore this issue in other universities for a broader perspective.

This study examines student union politics and its effectiveness in aggregating and satisfying student interests at the University of Benin. The research explores the extent to which the student union represents student concerns, the challenges it faces, and tudent satisfaction with its performance. A quantitative survey research design was adopted, with data collected from 264 students through structured questionnaires. The findings reveal that while the student union is effective in advocating for student welfare, mediating conflicts, and disseminating information, it struggles with governance representation and financial transparency. Major challenges identified include administrative interference, leadership conflicts, low student participation, poor communication, and repression by university authorities. Despite these obstacles, students expressed satisfaction with welfare initiatives, recreational activities, and communication efforts, though concerns about transparency persist. The study establishes a significant relationship between student union representation, student interest aggregation, and satisfaction. Recommendations include enhancing student participation, strengthening financial transparency, and reducing administrative interference. These findings contribute to the discourse on student governance and provide insights for improving student union effectiveness in Nigerian universities

After acquiring a building for an office the next important task before the officemanager is office space planning or office environment. Offices that are not well
planned and arranged do affect the effectiveness and efficiency of office workwhile office environment may be defined as the arrangement of equipment andfurniture within the available flow space the environment should have positiveeffects on administrative performance of the office. This project surveyedhowoffice environment affects office administrative performance. It was discoveredthat the way office environment is can have either positive or negative effectsonoffice performances. The method used in the project was the popular questionnairewhich enabled the researchers to carry out their findings fromthe respondents. It
was discovered that office environment really affect administrative performance and also discovered that the offices in the department of Public Administration are not well equipped.

The study investigated the elderly behavior towards drugs taking for their well-being in Sabongida-Ora community, Edo State, Nigeria. The objective of this study was to investigate and highlight the elderly behavior towards drugs taking for their well- being in Sabongida-Ora community. The research questions asked to achieve the objective of the study were as follows; what are the elderly behaviour towards drug taking in Sabongida-Ora community, What are the causes of the elderly behaviour towards drug taking in Sabongida-Ora community and What are the best method to improve the elderly behaviour towards drug taking in Sabongida-Ora community. The sample size was 294 participants chosen from the study population using the Proportionate Stratified Random Sampling, the research instrument utilized was the questionnaire. Conclusion drawn from the analysis of the data retrieved from the questionnaire indicates that the growing awareness of the drug use problems of the elderly clearly points up the fact that real understanding and indepth knowledge of the area is lacking. Although it is true that some elderly people are receiving too much of too many psychoactive medications, it is also true that many are not now using psychoactive drugs that could significantly help them. These and other issues need intensive study. It is crucial, then, that at this juncture, NIDA actively participate and assist in the development of new knowledge and innovative service delivery models in order to provide every assurance that the elderly population who are experiencing difficulties associated with their drug use can be accurately identified and provided quality care. Recommendations were made based on the findings and they include: Physicians must always review all medications used. Special attention must be paid to nonprescription drugs, herbs and supplements. Various criteria sets exist in the literature that identify medications to be avoided, or prescribed with caution.

The study was undertaken to examine the impact of Human capital development on economic growth in Nigeria from 1981 to 2021.The main objective of the study is to examine the impact of human capital development has on the growth dynamics of the Nigerian economy. The study adopted the autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL), unit root and co-integration using EVIEWS 9 toanalyse among the variables using time series data on government expenditure on education (GEE), government expenditure onhealth (GEH), population growth (POPGR) and government expenditure on social community services (GESCS) as proxies for human capital development, and gross domestic product (GDP) as proxy for economic growth. The results reveal that increases inhuman capital increases economic growth in Nigeria. and health sectors of the economy. The study recommend that the government and policy makers should increase its total expenditure on education, ensure sufficient budgetary allocation on health expenditure, and ensure a standard is set across all educational institutions in the country so that proper human capital required for any individual to become productive and economic growth is enhanced.

This study examined the usage of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in research work among final-year students in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Benin. The research was motivated by the growing integration of AI into higher education globally and the limited context-specific evidence from Nigerian universities. The study adopted both explanatory and exploratory research designs. A sample of 120 respondents was drawn from a population of 568 final-year students across six departments using stratified random sampling. Data were collected through a semi- structured questionnaire consisting of four sections: demographic information, prevalence of AI usage, reasons for reliance, and perceived impacts on critical thinking and originality. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, were employed in analyzing the data. The findings revealed that a majority of students had adopted AI tools such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, and QuillBot for their academic activities. Most respondents reported daily or weekly usage, with motivations including saving time, improving grammar, generating ideas, and simplifying complex concepts. While many students perceived AI tools as supportive of critical thinking, concerns were expressed about reduced originality, overreliance, and potential threats to academic independence. Thematic analysis further highlighted common applications in literature review, assignments, and clarification of difficult concepts. The study concluded that AI tools are now an integral part of academic practices among final-year students, providing efficiency and support but also raising important ethical and pedagogical concerns. It recommends that students use AI as a supplementary aid rather than a substitute for independent reasoning, that lecturers provide guidance on responsible usage, and that the University of Benin introduce formal policies to regulate AI adoption. Policymakers are also encouraged to develop national frameworks to promote innovation while safeguarding academic integrity.

Substance abuse among youths has become a pressing public health concern in Nigeria. Despite numerous interventions, the prevalence of substance use continues to rise, contributing to a host of health, social, and economic problems.The purpose of this research is to establish the effectiveness of peer support programs in addressing substance abuse among youth in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. The study's objectives are to identify the major types of peer support programs available for youths in Benin City, Edo State, examine the nature and scope of peer support programs targeted at addressing substance abuse among youths in Benin City, Edo State, assess the impact of peer support programs on reducing substance abuse among youths in Benin City, Edo State, investigate the challenges affecting the implementation and effectiveness of peer support programs in addressing youth substance abuse in Benin City, Edo State, propose possible
solutions that can enhance the effectiveness of peer support programs in reducing substance abuse among youths in Benin City, Edo State.The sample of 100 males and females was selected by purposely sampling technique with an equal number (50 males and 50 females). The instrument of study was questionnaire, during data analysis, quantitative data obtained from questionnaires were analyzed by the use of frequency tables, and percentages. The major findings were that many youths agreed that peer support programs exist and are helpful, although a good number still felt that the programs are not fully available to everyone. This means that while peer support opportunities are present, their reach and accessibility may not be the same across all areas. Another finding revealed hat peer support programs for substance abuse are mostly run by NGOs and community groups rather than the government. They are often shortterm, lack a clear structure, and focus more on emotional and social support than on professional
rehabilitation. Even with these limitations, most respondents agreed that the programs help youths reduce or avoid substance abuse, increase awareness about its dangers, and reduce drugrelated behaviors.

The research project an assessment of the level of political interference in the implementation of public procurement in public institutions. The objective of this study aimed at assessing the level of political interference in the implementation of Public Procurement process, identifying other factors affecting public procurement implementation in public institutions and suggesting some possible remedies to preventing political interference in public procurement implementation in public institutions. For this study, the survey research design was adopted. The choice of the design was informed by the objectives of the study as outlined in chapter one. This research design provides a quickly efficient and accurate means of assessing information about a population of interest. The population for this study were workers in Civil Service Commission in Edo state, Nigeria. A total of 134 respondents were selected from the population figure out of which the sample size was determined. Public procurement activities suffer from neglect, lack of direction, poor co-ordination, lack of open competition and transparency, differing levels of corruption and most importantly not having a cadre of trained and qualified procurement
specialists, who are competent to conduct and manage such procurements, in a professional, timely and cost-effective manner. Inflexible and bureaucratic systems of procurement contribute to unacceptable contract delays, increased costs, the potential for manipulation of contract awards and lack of fair competition, all of which create the perception in the population at large, that public expenditure is slow, ineffective, expensive and often corrupt

This study investigates the effect of single parenting on the academic performance of undergraduate students at the University of Benin, with a focus on the Faculty of Social Sciences. The study investigates the impact of financial and emotional support from single parents on students' academic performance, while also highlighting significant challenges such as financial limitations, emotional instability, and the struggle to balance academic and household duties. Utilizing a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 342 undergraduates across 100 to 400 levels using structured questionnaires. The analysis, conducted with SPSS 24.0, highlighted the importance of financial and emotional support in shaping academic resilience among students from single-parent families. The findings revealed that effective coping strategies and robust social support networks are essential for these students to succeed academically. The study offers recommendations, such as enhancing financial aid programs, strengthening emotional and psychological support services, improving access to academic resources, and establishing dedicated support offices. These measures aim to address the unique needs of students from single-parent families, thereby promoting their academic success. The study underscores the importance of targeted interventions and institutional support to foster an inclusive learning environment, encouraging policymakers to develop comprehensive strategies that address the multifaceted challenges faced by these students. Further research is also recommended to explore additional dimensions of single parenting and academic performance, expanding the understanding of how family dynamics impact educational outcomes.

This research examined the level of political interference in the implementation of public procurement in public institutions. The objective of this study aimed at assessing the level of political interference in the implementation of Public Procurement process, identifying other factors affecting public procurement implementation in public institutions and suggesting some possible remedies to preventing political interference in public procurement implementation in public institutions. For this study, the survey research design was adopted. The choice of the design was informed by the objectives of the study as outlined in chapter one. This research design provides a quickly efficient and accurate means of assessing information about a population of interest. The population for this study were workers in Civil Service Commission in Edo state, Nigeria. A total of 100 respondents were selected from the population figure out of which the sample size was determined. Public procurement activities suffer from neglect, lack of direction, poor co-ordination, lack of open competition and transparency, differing levels of corruption and most importantly not having a cadre of trained and qualified procurement specialists, who are competent to conduct and manage such procurements, in a professional, timely and cost-effective manner. Inflexible and bureaucratic systems of procurement contribute to unacceptable contract delays, increased costs, the potential for manipulation of contract awards and lack of fair competition, all of which create the perception in the population at large, that public expenditure is slow, ineffective, expensive and often corrupt