Category Issue 2

The Challenges of Consolidating Democracy in the Nigerian Fourth Republic: A Comment

Abstract – Nigeria returned to civil rule on 29th May, 1999 and Nigerians were hopeful that their lots would be improved but twenty-one years after, the country is faced with numerous challenges among which are insecurity, poverty, banditry, leadership failure, corruption, electoral malpractice, among others. All these have affected democratic consolidation in the country. This essay examines the challenges of consolidating democracy in the Nigerian Fourth Republic and suggests ways by which such challenges can be addressed. The paper adopts a historical and descriptive method.  Put differently, it is a desk research and relies on secondary data such as books, journals, and internet materials and analyzed using content analysis. The paper argues that the country has not fared better in the last twenty-one years of democratic rule in the country as cases of corruption, insecurity, banditry, and many other social vices have been on the rise. For democracy to be consolidated, there is a need for attitudinal change on the part of the rulers and ruled and adherence to democratic tenets. Keywords: Democracy, Democratic Consolidation, Nigeria, Fourth Republic [Cite as: Adeosun, A. B. (2021). The Challenges of Consolidating Democracy in the Nigerian Fourth Republic: A Comment. Diverse Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, Vol. 3, Issue 2, Pages 10-20.]

Knowledge on the Dangers of Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy Among Women of Reproductive Age in Nadowli-Kaleo District, Ghana

Abstract – Alcohol consumption in the reproductive age of women is a public health concern because of its health implications on both mother and baby. The outcome of such action is that frequent drinkers may be unaware they are pregnant until after some weeks of gestation. This study assessed the knowledge of reproductive age women on the dangers associated with alcohol consumption during or in pregnancy in the Nadowli-Kaleo District. The study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design. A sample size of 294 reproductive-age women were selected through a multi-stage random sampling method for the study. Data was collected through researchers’ developed questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was used for the analysis of data collected and chi-square statistics was utilized to test association at a significance level of 95% (0.05). Our findings showed that more than half (56.5%) of the respondents knew that alcohol consumption has some negative effects on human health including the unborn child. Alcohol consumption among women in this study was 62.6%. Low birth weight, attention deficit disorder, mental retardation, and low intelligence quotient were the major dangers identified to be associated with alcohol consumption on the unborn child. Women who had SHS education or were not pregnant were more likely than those who had no level of formal education or pregnant to know that alcohol consumption in pregnancy can cause any of the dangers associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Women generally knew that alcohol consumption has negative effects such as low birth weight, attention deficit disorder, and mental retardation on the unborn child. Keywords: alcohol, consumption, knowledge, reproductive age, Nadowli-Kaleo [Cite as: Danyi, M. A., and Kogi, R. (2021). Knowledge on the Dangers of Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy Among Women of Reproductive Age in Nadowli-Kaleo District, Ghana. Diverse Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, Vol. 3, Issue 2, Pages 1-9.]

An Evaluation of Competition in Zimbabwe’s Short-Term Insurance Sector: An Application of the Panzar-Rosse Approach

Abstract – This paper is aimed at evaluating the nature of competition in Zimbabwe’s short-term insurance sector. Panel data from 19 short-term insurers was utilized from year 2010 to 2017, the author employed the Panzar-Rosse (1987) approach as a proxy for competition. Total Revenue and Premium Revenues were used as dependent variables while size, equity ratio and underwriting risk were used as control variables. The results from the empirical investigation showed that generally short-term insurers in Zimbabwe were operating under monopolistic competition for the better part of the period under review. Thus, findings from the research point out that competition was increasing during the period under review as witnessed by declining H-statistics. The findings of the study will add literature on competition in Zimbabwe’s financial sector and particularly the insurance sector. This is the first study to evaluate competition in the short-term insurance sector of Zimbabwe. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this examination is the first to assess competition in Zimbabwe’s short-term insurance sector. Keywords: Panzar-Rosse, H-Statistics, Contestability [Cite as: Musiiwa, R., and Dzingai, M. E. (2021). An Evaluation of Competition in Zimbabwe’s Short-Term Insurance Sector: An Application of the Panzar-Rosse Approach. Diverse Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, Vol. 3, Issue 2, Pages 1-12.]