FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

This project work evaluates the impact of social media on the academic performance of
students in the Department of Public Administration at the University of Benin. In recent
years, the widespread use of social media platforms among university students has raised concerns about its influence on their study habits and overall academic outcomes. The main objective of this research is to investigate students’ patterns of social media usage and examine how excessive engagement with social networking sites affects their academic achievement. The study adopts a descriptive survey research design, with data gathered through well-structured questionnaires administered to a representative sample of Public Administration students. The anticipated findings suggest that high levels of social media use may negatively affect academic performance by causing distractions, reducing study time, and encouraging procrastination. This project intends to contribute to existing literature by providing insight into the risks and potential benefits associated with social media use among students and by offering practical recommendations to help them develop healthier digital habits. It is hoped that the outcomes of this study will inform students, lecturers, and educational policymakers on the need for effective strategies to balance academic responsibilities with responsible social media usage

This study was carried out to examine local government autonomy in Nigeria: issues and way forward using one local government areas in Edo State as a case study. Specifically, the study was aimed at examining if the autonomy of local government in Nigeria is achievable; study the effort of the Federal government of Nigeria in making local government autonomous; and analyze if the local government has and will have any positive effect on the populace. The study employed the survey descriptive research design. A total of 150 responses were validated from the survey. From the responses obtained and analyzed, the findings revealed that the autonomy of local government in Nigeria is achievable any time soon; The Federal government of Nigeria is not making any effort to make local government autonomous; and the local government has positive effect on the populace. The study therefore recommend Federal government of Nigeria to see to accomplishing of LG autonomy in the country. LGs in Nigeria need adequate autonomy that can facilitate their operations and development of the localities. This should emanate from institutionalized democratic process of elections for representative LG councils as and when due.

This study empirical examine the role of NGO in general election in Nigeria, it focused on issues, effects, causes and solutions. The specific objective were to examine the issues relating to vote buying in Nigeria electoral system, to investigate the perception of candidates buy votes during the Nigeria electoral system, to evaluate the causes of vote buying in Nigeria electoral system and to find out the possible solutions to the issues of vote buying in Nigeria. One hundred and twenty (120) copies of questionnaire was administered but only 97 were correctly filled, return and analysed. Two statistical tools of data analysis were deployed in the analysis of data derived from the field. They are the simple percentage and the chi square. The result showed that there are issues relating to NGO on vote buying in Nigeria electoral system, there are perception of candidates buy votes during the Nigeria electoral system, there are causes of vote buying in Nigeria electoral system and there is possible solutions to the issues of vote buying in Nigeria.

This study assesses the relationship between firm size and financial structure evidence from small firms in Nigeria. The main objective of the study is to investigate the relationship between finance and small-scale enterprise productivity. The Ordinary Least Squares method was adopted to analyze the relationship between finance (debt finance and equity finance) and small-scale enterprise productivity (proxy with small scale profitability). Secondary data was utilized for empirical analysis. The unit root test: test for stationarity, was carried out to determine if the chosen variables were stationary at level. Estimation of the parameters' using OLS was performed and interpretations were given according to the results obtained. The result shows debt finance, equity finance and revenue have a positive impact on small scale enterprise profitability. Cost however impacted negatively on small scale enterprise profitability. Small Scale Enterprises (MSE’s) are unarguably important in developing the Nigerian economy for the following key reasons which are; social and political role in domestic creation of employment, adequate resource utilization and income generation, the efficient use of local technology and raw materials and the promotion of change in a gradual and peaceful manner. There is growing realization on the part of the Government that instead of the promotion of large-scale enterprises, it should inventively promote micro, small, and small medium enterprises. Finance is one of the factors needed by small firms to boost their level of profitability and thus their level of productivity. The growth of any industry largely depends upon the availability of adequate financing of business activities. Haven discovered from this study that the positive impact of finance on, it is therefore recommended that firms should have access to adequate funding either through debt financing or equity financing. Banks and other financial institutions should make debt financing in the form of bank loans and overdraft facilities readily available to small firms.

This study investigate the impact of national insecurity on socio-economic
development in Nigeria: a case study of Oredo Local Government Area of Edo
State. Available data on the level and dimensions of insecurity in Nigeria reveals
an increase over time, which constitutes serious threat to lives and properties,
hinders business activities and discourages local and foreign investors, all which
stifles and retards Nigeria's socio-economic development. This rising wave of
insecurity has not abated but has assumed a dangerous dimension which is
threatening the corporate existence of the country as one geographical entity. In
the light of the above the paper recommends that government must be proactive in
dealing with security issues and threats, through modern methods of intelligence
gathering, and sharing among security personnel, training, logistics, motivation,
and deploying advanced technology in managing security challenges. The real
solution lies in government accelerating the pace of economic development
through creating an economy with relevant social, economic and physical
infrastructure to support business and industrial growth.

This research delves into the profound implications of child abuse on the psychological maturation of individuals within the Ovia Northeast Local Government Area in Edo State. Child abuse, a pervasive issue with far-reaching consequences, has been shown to significantly impact the psychological development and well-being of children. Through an exploratory study conducted in Ovia Northeast Local Government Area of Edo State, this research aims to investigate the specific effects of child abuse on psychological maturation within this community. Utilizing a mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods, data was gathered to analyze the prevalence, forms, and consequences of child abuse on psychological development. The study sheds light on the various dimensions of child abuse prevalent in Ovia Northeast Local Government Area in Edo State and examines how these experiences influence the psychological growth and well-being of individuals as they mature. The findings, draw conclusions reached in the study and make recommendations based on research objectives and the overall perspective of the main findings while making suggestions for further studies. To facilitate the study, questionnaires were administered to the targeted population. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, Version 22.0) was employed to examine the feedback from the questionnaires.

This study investigated the relationships among substance abuse, youth unemployment, and
community security in Edo South Senatorial District, Nigeria. The alarming prevalence of
substance abuse among youths aged 15–35 years, coupled with high youth unemployment and
rising insecurity, particularly cult-related violence, motivated the research. The primary
objective was to examine the interconnectedness of these three variables, with specific focus
on the perceived prevalence and patterns of substance abuse, the link between youth
unemployment and substance abuse, the influence of substance abuse on community security,
and its impact on youth political participation and civic engagement. The study adopted a
descriptive cross-sectional survey design. A sample of 300 youths was drawn through
purposive sampling across the seven Local Government Areas of Edo South Senatorial
District (Egor, Ikpoba-Okha, Oredo, Orhionmwon, Uhunmwonde, Ovia North-East, and Ovia
South-West). Data were collected using a structured 4-point Likert scale questionnaire and
analyzed with descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) using SPSS. The study was
anchored on an integrated theoretical framework comprising Social Learning Theory, Stress-
Coping Model, and General Strain Theory. Findings revealed a very high perceived
prevalence of substance abuse, dominated by cannabis, tramadol, codeine syrups,
methamphetamine, and polydrug use, with initiation commonly occurring between ages 15
and 25. A strong bidirectional relationship was established between youth unemployment and
substance abuse, while substance abuse was found to significantly undermine community
security through increased cultism, robbery, and violence. It also negatively affected youth
political participation and civic engagement. The study concluded that these variables form
a vicious, self-reinforcing cycle. The study recommends integrated interventions focusing on
youth employment generation, substance abuse prevention and rehabilitation, strengthened
security measures, and enhanced civic education. These findings provide empirical evidence
for policymakers, security agencies, and stakeholders to develop targeted strategies for
breaking the cycle in Edo South Senatorial District and similar contexts in Nigeria

This study examined The Impact of Financing on Food Security among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benin City Camp. The survey research design was adopted because data were collected from a defined sample population with specific characteristics. Four research questions were formulated and answered using simple percentage, mean, and standard deviation analysis. The population of the study comprised residents of the Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Benin City, Edo State. From this population, a total of 370 respondents were selected as the sample using a random sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection was a twenty-item self-structured questionnaire designed to elicit information on sources of financing, utilization of funds, and their impact on food availability, accessibility, and adequacy among IDPs. The study was anchored on the Sustainable Livelihood Theory and the Food Security Theory. The Sustainable Livelihood Theory emphasizes how access to financial resources enhances the ability of vulnerable populations to secure food, build assets, and recover from economic shocks. The Food Security Theory, on the other hand, explains that financial stability and funding mechanisms directly influence food availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability among populations. Together, these theories provide a framework for understanding how financial inputs affect food systems, welfare, and resilience among displaced persons in Benin City Camp. Based on the findings, the study concluded that financing plays a crucial role in improving food security among internally displaced persons. Adequate funding facilitates the purchase and distribution of food, supports small-scale income-generating activities, and ensures a steady food supply within the camp. However, challenges such as insufficient financial support, poor fund management, lack of donor coordination, and dependency on irregular aid were found to hinder sustainable food security. Respondents emphasized that consistent and transparent financial support remains essential to improving the living standards and nutritional well-being of IDPs. The study recommends that government agencies, humanitarian organizations, and camp management should strengthen financial interventions by increasing budgetary allocations to IDP welfare, encouraging partnerships with NGOs, and establishing monitoring mechanisms to ensure proper utilization of funds. Furthermore, regular financial training and accountability frameworks should be implemented to promote sustainability and enhance food security outcomes among internally displaced persons in Benin City Camp

This study examines the relative impact of remittance and foreign direct investment on Nigeria economic growth for the period 1981-2023. Real gross domestic product growth (RGDPG) is taken as proxy for Nigeria’s Economic growth. The study utilizes the Auto-regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) technique to investigate the relative impact of remittances and foreign direct investment on Nigeria’s economic growth for both the short and long run term. The long-run ARDL coefficient estimates reveal that remittances is the only variable with statistically significant positive effect on Nigeria’s economic growth with a coefficient estimate of 0.3204 implying a unit rise in remittance leading to 0.32 percent increase in real GDP growth (RGDP). Conversely, FDI, gross capital formation (GCF) and exchange rate exhibited statistically insignificant long-run effects in the estimated model. The result indicates that remittance have a strong and positive long-run influence on Nigeria’s economic growth, suggesting that sustained in flows of remittances funds contribute significantly to the country’s economic growth trajectory. Foreign directs investment (FDI), Gross Capital Formation (GFC) and exchange rate are statistically insignificant, suggesting that their long-term impacts on Nigeria’s GDP growth are weak or unstable within the examined period. On the overall, policy makers are to ensure continuous improvement on remittances channels as a key driver of Nigeria’s economic growth and tackle factors responsible for instability in FDI such as political instability, insecurity, insurgency, volatile business environment amongst others as both remittances and FDI are critical to the long-term Nigeria’s economic growth process.

This study examines the impact of performance appraisal as a tool for enhancing productivity in an organization, with a focus on the Edo State Civil Service. Performance appraisal serves as a critical mechanism for evaluating employee performance, identifying areas for improvement, and fostering professional development. The study explores the effectiveness of appraisal systems in motivating staff, aligning individual objectives with organizational goals, and enhancing overall productivity. A mixed-methods approach was adopted (primary, utilizing surveys, interviews, and secondary data organizational data) to assess the perception and effectiveness of appraisal practices among civil servants. The study concluded that well-structured performance appraisals contribute significantly to employee motivation, skill development, and job satisfaction, while poorly implemented systems lead to dissatisfaction and reduced productivity. The study recommends regular training for supervisors, transparent evaluation criteria, and employee involvement in appraisal design to optimize productivity and organizational success. These insights underscore the importance of performance appraisal as a strategic tool for achieving organizational excellence in the public sector.