Journal of Asian and African Studies

This article argues that Bangladesh's post-crisis transition following Sheikh Hasina's 2024 exit as prime minister marks a pivotal moment for democratization with implications for South Asia's stability and the Indo-Pacific strategic framework. Using Stanley J. Wiechnik's democratization framework, the study examines the phases of liberalization, transition, and consolidation in Bangladesh's polarized and factionalized society. Drawing on news reports and policy documents, it examines domestic instability and pressures of geopolitical competition between China and India. The findings provide actionable insights for policymakers and military practitioners, emphasizing the need for strategic engagement to support democratic consolidation and manage regional security interests.

This study assessed the impact of illegal oil bunkering on national security in the Niger Delta region. Using the mixed methods approach, this study aims to not only consider the effects of illegal oil bunkering on national security but to equally examine the factors contributing to violent confrontations associated with illegal oil bunkering, including the involvement of security forces and rival factions in the Niger Delta region. A mixed-method approach was adopted to achieve the objectives of the study, using both quantitative and qualitative techniques for data gathering and analysis. The sample size for the study was 400. Data gathering for this study was largely through an online questionnaire survey and telephonebased Key Persons Interview (KPI). In the course of the study, 312 respondents filled out the online survey, and 18 interview participants were engaged. The related data from the online questionnaire survey were collated and analysed, using percentages and frequencies reflected through a chart, while the interview information was transcribed and analysed thematically. The results from the data analysis revealed, among others, that the pervasive impact of illegal oil bunkering on human and national security underscores a complex web of challenges. The study recommends that the Nigerian government, along with other African nations in the Gulf of Guinea, should supply updated satellite equipment so that all cargo and crude oil boats operating in the sub-region can be seen and tracked. This will help to monitor and enforce the appropriate prosecution of oil ships and vessels engaged in unlawful bunkering on the high seas.

This study examined the role of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Ltd in curbing crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa State. With the region's extensive oil reserves and waterways, Southern Ijaw has been a hotspot for illicit activities that undermine Nigeria's economy, fuel environmental degradation, and threaten community livelihoods. The objectives of the study among others are find out the new strategies adopted by Tantita and their effectiveness in curbing crude oil theft and illegal bunkering activities in Bayelsa state. To achieve the study's objectives, a survey technique was applied using a questionnaire and Key person interviews as the research instrument. The sample size for the study was 200. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to choose the samples (i.e., simple random and purposive sampling techniques respectively). In the course of the study, 148 questionnaires were retrieved, collated, and analyzed. Two analytical techniques were adopted: descriptive statistics (mean score) and thematic analysis. The first was employed to evaluate the research objectives while the second was opted to analyze the data from the interviews. The findings revealed that Tantita Security Services, through collaborative intelligence gathering, advanced surveillance technologies, and robust community engagement, has significantly disrupted the operations of oil thieves and illegal bunkers in the area. The study underscores the importance of sustained investments in private security partnerships, policy reforms, and community-inclusive strategies to ensure long-term success. Based on the findings, it was advised that the government should improve coordination among security and regulatory organizations to expedite operations and information exchange. Improved inter-agency collaboration will decrease inefficiencies, assure faster reaction times, and strengthen the overall capacity to combat crude oil theft and unlawful bunkering.

From Scandal to Streets and Waves of Protest: The Political Economy of Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines I. Facts & Background Nepal Corruption in government and public offices is an ongoing problem. Youth discontent over lack of jobs and services has resulted in large street protests, particularly when combined with government crackdowns of various types, such as bans on the internet or social media. The protests have been largely in response to an unstable political situation, as governments shutdown and leaders resign. 1 Indonesia Corruption endows elite privileges and public projects, and there are anti-corruption agencies, but they are undermined by political meddling. Citizens who are angry at injustice-and a big topic is their lawmakers' benefits as being untouchable-and deteriorating independent institutions. 2 In Indonesia, protests generate substantial scale, but they are not directly aiming to replace leadership. Philippines Corruption scandals are common, and usually involving infrastructure, ghost projects, disaster relief, or public funds. In response, the scandals escalated in media and public social groups creating massive movements in public protests. 3 The demonstrations typically target the corrupt leaders, and though sometimes leadership leaves or is prosecuted, systemic reform moves slowly.

From Scandal to Streets and Waves of Protest: The Political Economy of Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines Corruption in government and public offices is an ongoing problem. Youth discontent over lack of jobs and services has resulted in large street protests, particularly when combined with government crackdowns of various types, such as bans on the internet or social media. The protests have been largely in response to an unstable political situation, as governments shutdown and leaders resign. 1 Corruption endows elite privileges and public projects, and there are anti-corruption agencies, but they are undermined by political meddling. Citizens who are angry at injustice -and a big topic is their lawmakers' benefits as being untouchable -and deteriorating independent institutions. 2 In Indonesia, protests generate substantial scale, but they are not directly aiming to replace leadership. Corruption scandals are common, and usually involving infrastructure, ghost projects, disaster relief, or public funds. In response, the scandals escalated in media and public social groups creating massive movements in public protests. 3 The demonstrations typically target the corrupt leaders, and though sometimes leadership leaves or is prosecuted, systemic reform moves slowly.

In this study, we consider the characteristics of domestic animals as conceived of and expressed in the Armenian language, making use of the material provided by the proverbs of Shirak region in the Republic of Armenia, while also making reference to the perceptions of other peoples, showing commonalities and differences. We analyze what the proverbs
suggest about the relationship between people and the animal world, and accordingly, what ideas people have about animals. In the 340 proverbs analyzed here, the names of 15 domestic animals are found, and in terms of frequency of occurrence, the top three are the donkey, the dog, and the cow/ox/calf group. Then come the following animal names: sheep and lamb, horse, goat and kid, cat, camel, buffalo, mule, pig. Based on the information in these proverbs, itself an expression of human cognition, we present the characteristics of the abovementioned animals according to their behavior and appearance, and according to animal — human and animal — animal relations. In proverbs, the characteristics of animals involve body parts, appearance, behavior, temperament, function, usefulness, food, living place, etc. At the same time, the attitude of people towards domestic animals is also expressed, which differs according to the type of animal. It is noticeable that those animals that are a source of food and have an economic function, but do not have undesirable characteristics of behavior and temperament receive
a positive attitude. Uselessness, stupidity, aggressiveness, disobedience, theft, stubbornness, impurity, etc. are causes of negative attitudes. There are both commonalities and differences in the frequency of animal names and people’s attitudes towards animals in the proverbs of Shirak as compared to those of other peoples. In both cases, factors such as environment, economic activities, lifestyle, customs, beliefs, contacts, etc. play a role.

Agriculture remains the backbone of the Ethiopian economy, but productivity levels must improve to address food insecurity. In particular, enhancing the productivity and efficiency of teff cultivation could play a significant role in achieving food security. This study was conducted in the South Soddo District of the Gurage Zone in Central Ethiopia to determine the technical efficiency of smallholder teff farmers and identify factors affecting their inefficiency. The research gap identified is the lack of simultaneous estimation of production technology and the covariates of technical inefficiency, which are often addressed separately in existing studies. Using a two-stage random sampling technique, 196 sample households were selected, and a semi-structured questionnaire was employed to collect data on teff production during the 2021/22 season. The study used the Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) method, specifically the Cobb-Douglas production function, to analyze the data, allowing for the distinction between random errors and inefficiency. This study found significant variations in efficiency among teff-producing farmers, with a mean technical efficiency score of 79.6%. These results suggest that teff production can be increased by 20.4% without extra inputs. Factors affecting inefficiency include age, education, land fragmentation, credit, contact with external creditors, tropical livestock, and crop rotation. The study recommends measures to improve education, establish a benevolent environment for farmers to share experiences, enhance credit service provision and enable more consistent and regular extension contacts. By addressing these factors, this study aims to contribute to a more accurate understanding of the inefficiency of teff production, ultimately supporting efforts to enhance food security in Ethiopia.

This study offers a comprehensive analysis of Nigeria's policies and programmes for poverty alleviation over a period of more than six decades, from 1960 to 2024. The research provides a meticulous examination of the historical context, policy structures, and implementation methods utilized across different government administrations, evaluating their effects on poverty reduction, economic expansion, and human development. The study assesses the efficacy of a wide range of initiatives, encompassing social welfare schemes, economic development projects, and interventions targeted at specific sectors. The analysis pinpoints crucial obstacles that impede poverty alleviation efforts, including insufficient funding, flawed implementation, corruption, a lack of coordination, and inadequate participation from stakeholders. Additionally, the research delves into the various factors that shape poverty, covering economic, social, political, and institutional dynamics. By synthesizing the lessons learned, identifying best practices, and highlighting persistent obstacles, this study puts forth actionable recommendations for policymakers, development professionals, and other involved parties to improve the effectiveness of poverty alleviation strategies in Nigeria. The

Among post-independence African States, coup d'état was a defining feature of many. Remarkably, post-Cold War era later witnessed a meaningful reduction in coups. Nonetheless, and unsurprisingly, coups resurfaced in 21st century with its occurrence in Central African Republic (CAR) in 2003. From the pragmatic perspective, this paper adopts a qualitative methodological approach, with narrative methodical disposition. Findings of this paper reveals that causes of coups have been ascribed to range from a weak government to lack of democratic principles. Also, the paper reveals the gaps in defining a coup, coupled with the misalignment of coup to public uprising. It is argued in this paper that as eminent as the reasons for coup are being put forward in many quarters, there is no reason or sumreason duly sufficient for coup to be permissible. This paper recommends that regional authorities like the ECOWAS, ECCAS, EAC, SADC, importantly African Union (AU), must speak in one strong voice to work against coup plotters, with the instrumentality of universal structured peace process and criminalizing the act; an approach beyond the already established instruments of bans and sanctions.

The main purpose of this study was to establish and critically analyse the perceptions of final year students on the extent to which the business management programme enhances graduate employability in Botswana. Extant literature alludes to the fact that ensuring employability connotes a situation where a graduate of a curriculum is not only able to gain employment but also to maintain that employment. The study used the CareerEDGE model to explain the anatomy of employability as well as to articulate the extent of preparedness for employment that is required for a Business Management student to be able to meet the requirements of the labour market. Using a selected university, a simple random sampling strategy was used to select 92 students to participate in the study. A descriptive research strategy that employed a structured questionnaire for data collection was used. Results of the study showed that studied most of the final year Business Management degree students were of the v...

The study seeks to determine Forensic Accounting and Fraud Detection in Plateau State by specifically assessing the effectiveness of data mining and ratio analysis techniques in fraud detection. Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) 27 was employed to analyse the data. utilizing a survey design, multiple regression analysis, and Likert-scale data. Data was collected with the aid of questionnaire administered to the accountants found in all the ministries of Plateau State. The result revealed that Forensic accounting data mining technique has positive and significant relationship with fraud detection and that Forensic accounting ratio analysis has negative and insignificant relationship with fraud detection in plateau state. It also recommends that the Nigerian government, ministries, parastatals, corporate bodies, and regulatory authorities promote and use forensic accounting because it can reduce public and corporate financial crime and help judges convict those responsible for fraudulent activities. It also recommended that trainings, seminars and workshop should be organized by professional bodies to equip the practitioners with necessary skills to practice forensic accounting.

This edited volume conducts linguistic and literary analyses of the discourse involving race, religion and royalty (3R) in Malaysia. Grounded in Discourse Studies, it reveals the language features and strategies that articulate the vitality of 3R in historical and contemporary texts in English and Malay. The chapters employ language-based approaches to generate empirical explanations on 3R in multiple contexts. This volume is of interest to scholars, advanced undergraduate students and graduate students in Language, Linguistics and Literature to understand the discursive contours of race, religion and royalty in Asia.

An entrenched centralized system of power has kept the Hazara people marginalized for decades, marked by a lack of political representation and governance reflecting their rights and aspirations. This blog explores how Afghanistan’s historical centralization and the resulting human rights abuses have left the Hazara vulnerable, and how an alternative, participatory approach to governance could offer a way forward

An entrenched centralized system of power has kept the Hazara people marginalized for decades, marked by a lack of political representation and governance reflecting their rights and aspirations. This blog explores how Afghanistan’s historical centralization and the resulting human rights abuses have left the Hazara vulnerable, and how an alternative, participatory approach to governance could offer a way forward.

An entrenched centralized system of power has kept the Hazara people marginalized for decades, marked by a lack of political representation and governance reflecting their rights and aspirations. This blog explores how Afghanistan’s historical centralization and the resulting human rights abuses have left the Hazara vulnerable, and how an alternative, participatory approach to governance could offer a way forward.

Swami Vivekananda (1863Vivekananda ( -1902) ) is one of the leading Hindu revivalists in 19th-century India and is particularly famous for his addresses at the Parliament of the World's Religions in 1893 in Chicago, which introduced Hinduism as one of the major world religions among Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity to the Western audiences. This paper examines Swami Vivekananda's view on the history of Indian art after his return to India in 1897, which was inspired by the historic controversy over the Greek origin of Indian art between the British scholar James Fergusson and the Indian historian Raja Rajendralal Mitra in the 1870s. Subsequently, Vivekananda developed his understanding of the Indian culture and history, which can be observed in his correspondences and travelogues before and after his second visit to the West. Vivekananda's view toward Indian history and society was rooted in the intellectual tradition of 19th-century Bengal such as Raja Ram Mohan Roy (1772-1833), Keshab Chandra Sen (1838-1884), and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (1838-1894). At the same time, Vivekananda enriched his knowledge of the western sciences and Indology during his stay in the West, and furthered exchanges with the western scholars such as the philologist Max Müller, the philosopher and psychologist William James, and the sociologist Patrick Geddes.

The study attempts to investigate the link between household livelihood and nonfarm employment and income from nonfarm using the survey data collected from 170 systematically selected households from four villages of Moyale district, Oromia Regional state, Southern Ethiopia. Considering the objective of the study, given a household participated in nonfarm employments to generate income and the effect of generated income on household livelihood, Probit and Heckman selection model (two stage) are used respectively. To examine, first the household decision with respect to participation in nonfarm employment using probit model, the researcher found that age, family size, credit, livestock holding, education ,marital status , distance to market and main road are the most influencing variables in determining households to participate in nonfarm activities. Further, the effect of nonfarm income on rural household livelihood is examined. The study indicates that nonfarm employment provides additional income that enables farmers to spend more on their basic needs include: food, education, closing and health care. The result of the study implied that nonfarm income has a role which is significant in maintaining household livelihood and to change their living standard. In addition the result show that about 4.7% of sample households primary occupation is Nonfarm activities.

This paper examines how British American Tobacco (BAT) Nigeria uses forensic accounting to improve audit quality and fraud detection. Evaluating the ways in which forensic accounting methods enhance fraud detection and audit quality is the main goal. Specifically, the study investigates the usefulness of forensic accounting in BAT's audits, identifies important hurdles in its integration, and rates its influence on audit reliability. Data was gathered from 20 employees using a standardized questionnaire, and the scope is restricted to the audit department of BAT Nigeria. The unit of observation comprises of BAT's audit personnel, whereas the unit of analysis focuses on the forensic accounting procedures deployed. A quantitative study design was adopted, with data examined using descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficient. The results show that fraud detection and audit quality are much improved by forensic accounting. However, obstacles to complete integration were found to include issues including organizational opposition, financial limitations, and a shortage of skilled specialists. The report concludes by advising overcoming financial constraints, hiring qualified forensic accountants, and making training investments. Future studies should look at the long-term implications on corporate governance and the wider influence of forensic accounting across industries.

This paper presents an insight into Nigeria's relations with the United States, focusing on the strategic dimension of their relations. It explores the potential inherent in their various bilateral engagements, such as military, economic, and diplomatic, hence the need for further expansion and enhancement of these engagements to eliminate possible hindrances in their future relations for the economic development and security of Nigeria. The posture of the new these include trade, counter-terrorism, promotion of democracy, and human development. It argues that a strengthened Nigeria-U.S. partnership can enhance Nigeria's global influence, promote regional stability, and foster sustainable development.

The aims to examine opportunities and challenges of private investment activities in East Gojjam zone with the intention of providing valuable information about the investment environment of the zone to the potential investors. In addition to this, the study investigates the trend of private investment in East Gojjam Zone. Descriptive type of research design has been used in this study by giving more emphasis on qualitative data analysis method. On the other hand, quantitative research analysis has been used to provide numerical measurement and analysis of the magnitude and extent of the problem and trend of private investment in East Gojjam Zone. The study used both primary and secondary data. Pre-designed self-administered questionnaire has been used to collect primary data. The investment bureau documents have been used in gathering the secondary data in this study. In order to obtain primary data, a total of 310 questionnaires were distributed to investors found in East Gojjam zone and 305 of them were filled and returned to researchers. In addition, some secondary sources of data were surveyed to know the trend of private investment practices in the zone. The outcome of this study revealed that, the major bottlenecks of investment in East Gojjam zone are Administrative and policy related factors, Infrastructure related factors Macro economic variables which have a nationwide effect, unavailability of foreign exchange reserves and exchange rate fluctuations and Market related factors. Socio cultural factors and Geographic factors are considered as opportunities of private investment in East Gojjam Zone.

Participation of local communities in the management and utilization of state-owned forest resources has become widely recognized in contrast to centralised forms of forest governance. This paper examined the extent of inclusiveness and household participation in community forest associations (CFAs) adjacent to Sururu and Eburu forests in Kenya. The probit model was used to assess the socio-economic factors determining participation in the CFAs. The study established that gender (P<0.05), group membership (P<0.0001), ownership of tree nursery (P<0.0001), wealth status (P<0.0001), percentage share of wage income (P<0.05), and farm size allocated to trees (P<0.05) significantly influenced CFA participation. However, because of high opportunity participation costs some poor (68%) and rich (65%) households did not participate in CFA activities. Since households participated in CFAs to derive livelihood gains, unclear participation benefits offered little incentive to g...

Remittances from migrants are an important livelihood strategy to mitigate the impact of adverse economic conditions, particularly in developing countries and rural areas. This study examines how migration and remittances affect household food security by analysing data collected from 180 farmers in northern Nigeria in 2018. The descriptive results show that households use remittances mainly for health care and education. Remittances are most commonly provided in the form of finances and food. Binary logit regression results show that food remittances have a significant positive impact on food security status. Financial remittances did not have a statistically significant impact on food security. As the number of migrants in a household increases, the probability that the household is food secure decreases. The propensity scores matching result also showed that migrant households receiving food remittances were more food secure. In light of these findings, we emphasized the need to ...

The study assessed the new wave of military coup d’états some Sahel African Countries and its implications for the development of these countries, the sub-region and Africa. Thehistorical and descriptive  research  technique  was  adopted,  thus  drawing  relevant  data  from  secondary  sources. Data  generated  were  analysed  using  the  qualitative  method.  The  study  adopted  the  theory  of contagion; and proposed the following questions to guide it: first, what factors are responsible for the new wave of military coups in francophone West Africa? Second, what challenges are imposed on the sub-region by the wave of military coups and the response by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)? Third, to what extent has this scenario in West Africa ignited the  scramble  for  Africa  by  the  two  ideological  blocs  of  Northern  Atlantic  Treaty  Organization (NATO) and the Warsaw Pact? The study argues that the new wave of military coups in the sub-region  is  as  a  result  of  the  failure  of  democratically  elected  governments  to  tackle  the  teething problems of poverty, insecurity and socio-economic development. Furthermore, it was revealed that socio-economic relations between these West African countries and France as well as the West have contributed  to  the  growing  tension.  The  study  recommends  among  others,  good  democratic governance by African governments.

The media have a role to play in communicating development messages. This study sought to establish the extent to which the media are working to set public agenda for the health sector so that it can mobilise both the government and the governed towards achieving a healthy state. The research methodology used was content analysis and the purposive sampling technique was adopted. The Guardian and The Punch newspapers were chosen based on AMPS 2010 newspaper readership data. This research covered a 24-month time period. A total of 554 health reports were found and analysed on the selected health issues. The single disease that garnered the most media attention was HIV/AIDS, and the most reported genre was straight news story. The newspapers did not give prominence to health issues. In light of the findings, this study recommends that the newspapers should endeavour to give more prominence to health issues.

The present study investigates the runup patterns formed during the interactions of a solitary wave with an array of idealized structures in the presence of following and opposing steady current flows. A series of experiments were performed at Coastal and Hydraulic Engineering Research Laboratory (CHERL) of Stony Brook University. A solitary wave of 0.1 m high was considered to interact with an array of idealized buildings on a beach berm. The wave was generated in the flume in the absence and presence of steady currents. Two different steady current velocities, one weaker and the other stronger, were generated using the flume flow recirculation system.

is, on the one hand, that the BCM's criticisms of liberalism were specific to South Africa's white liberals and to specific historical moment on the 1970s. On the other hand the SACP and COSATU's hard-line Marxism-Leninism is pitted against the African National Congress's (ANC), which is more community oriented and less attuned to the aspirations of organised labour like its partners. And given that the ANC is in the majority and has more or less hegemonised the alliance the threat to liberalism posed by both the radical Africanist BCM and the hard-line Marxism-Leninism of both the SACP and COSATU has been nullified. It can therefore be reasonably argued that South Africa's project of a liberal conception of education will be sustained in compliance with the country's liberal and egalitarian Constitution.

The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), a statutory agency, conducts research on all aspects of human and social development, with particular relevance to public policy. The Policy Briefs aim to keep decision-makers up to date, summarising the results of relevant ...

Contemporary gender discourse on African socio-cultural and religious issues in the past decades tend to give more accolades to the masculine rather than the feminine genders. Consequently, the male is viewed from the positive, objective, strong, intellective, dominant and determined perspective while the female is regarded as weak, passive, emotional, intuitive, childish, dependent and evil. These negative perceptions of most African male as regards to women has led to the present day women struggles for equal rights and opportunities in the educational, political, social, cultural, economic and even religious spheres. How true is the perceptions of most African male as regards to women? Are there no roles played by women in the traditional African society which distinguishes them as strong, objective and intellective? How have women contributed to the initiation of peace and peace building in the traditional African society especially in the South-Eastern Nigeria? This is the thrust of this paper. The paper examines the role of women as agents of peace and social development in the African traditional society with reference to the South-Eastern Nigeria. Having employed the descriptive analysis, the paper argued that before, during and after the colonial era, women have been agents of peace and social development in the African traditional society particularly in South-Eastern Nigeria. This is achieved through a female association known as Omurinya/Umuada. The paper strongly recommends that rather than marginalize, discriminate or oppress women based on their gender, there should be equal treatment of both men and women in all spheres of human endeavour.

Background: Caesarean (C-section) deliveries are rising across India, with National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4, 2015-16) reporting 17.2% of births by C-section. This study investigates the variations in C-section prevalence and the associated factors in the Northeastern states compared to the rest of the country. Methods: This study analyses data collected from 232920 mothers under NFHS-5 (2019-2021). Bivariate analysis followed by logistic regression model was used to determine the risk factors associated with the C-sections based on the different criteria. Results: In NFHS-4 and NFHS-5, Telangana reported the highest rates at 57.7% and 60.7%, respectively, and Nagaland reported the lowest at 5.7% and 5.2% respectively. C-section rates rise steadily up to age 39, then decline among mothers aged 40-49. C-section deliveries rise sharply among highly educated women, a trend consistent in both the Northeast and the rest of India. Mothers with high blood pressure, birth order of one, six or more antenatal visits, a past terminated pregnancy show higher rates of C-section in both Northeast and the rest of India. Conclusion: Medical risk factors like antenatal visits and birth order strongly predict C-sections. This study highlights the complex interplay of medical and socioeconomic factors influencing C-section rates across different regions.

This paper analyses the 2018 Ethiopia-Eritrea Peace Agreement, whether it is a memorandum of understanding (MOU) or a treaty, highlighting factors leading to the conflict and the peace agreement. It also highlights the previous peace accords and why even after the Agreements, the tensions remain/ed high. Most Peace Agreements are either MOU or Treaty. MOUs are non-legally binding, while treaties are legally binding. Unfortunately, there is no consensus on what constitutes a treaty or memorandum of understanding. However, the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties guides on treaties formulation. This paper deployed in-depth desk review research, text analysis and interpretation, and official documents. In its theoretical and methodological approach, the paper adopted an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the eventuality of the 2018 Peace Agreement. In its analysis and findings, the paper found out that the 2018 Peace Agreement was an MOU. It also found out that the co...

He joined Haramaya University in 2011 and received his BSc Degree in Agricultural Economics on July 06, 2013. After completing his BSc Degree in Agricultural Economics, he was employed in the Hawi Gudina District Agriculture and Natural Resources Office on July 08/2015. During his stay in the district, he worked in various positions. In order to strengthen himself intellectually and give further encouragement and fillip to his professional career, joined Oda Bultum University as a regular student in 2022 with a Master of Science degree in Development Economics.

This study is titled Blending Market-Based Principles with Traditional Bureaucratic Models: The Nigerian Example. The paper explores the hybridization of market-based principles and traditional bureaucratic governance in Nigeria’s public sector. It interrogates how neoliberal reforms, especially since the introduction of Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) in the 1980s, have influenced bureaucratic procedures, institutional practices, and service delivery mechanisms. Using public service reform, privatization of state enterprises, and new performance metrics as analytical lenses, the study finds that while market principles have infused some efficiency and flexibility into Nigeria’s bureaucracy, they often conflict with the entrenched Weberian traditions of hierarchy, rules, and political patronage. The paper argues for a context-sensitive hybrid model that reconciles efficiency with equity, accountability with innovation.

Political unrest in 2014 threatened Lesotho’s newly found democratic stability. Observers focus on educating the public about the electoral system and encouraging pre-election coalition discussions. However, this analysis suggests that such remedies ignore the institutional influences of Lesotho’s electoral system that undermine both public understanding and stability. Furthermore, a statistical analysis of district competition finds the 2015 elections to be largely consistent with previous elections, but that the percentage of rejected ballots correlates with a district victory for the largest party. Although this may simply be a statistical anomaly, the findings highlight structural challenges and reconsideration of electoral reforms.

Generally, urban crime research in Ghana is non-ambiguous on the socio-cultural, political economy and environmental ramifications of neighbourhood crimes in emerging cities, but the personal and neighbourhood level characteristics of the most likely victims of neighbourhood crime in Ghanaian cities remain meagre. This paper fills the gap in knowledge by answering the question ‘who/where is the most likely victim of crime in urban Ghana?’ This study employed a sequential mixed methods approach to collect data through the administration of a household survey, as well as focus group discussion (FDG) sessions. The survey data were analysed using binary logistic regression while the qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. The study found that socio-demographic characteristics, which are associated with a higher likelihood of victimisation, include young unemployed persons, residents of a detached or ‘self-contained’ apartment, household of increasing household size, resi...

It is undeniably that the fiscal autonomy of local government authorities constitutes a critical component of any financial decentralization in both developed and developing countries. It gives local government authorities freedom to impose taxes, generate revenue within their areas, allocate their financial and material resources, determine and authorize their annual budgets without external motivate. The fiscal component of local governments in Tanzania Mainland is mannered by the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania, 1977 and The Local Government Finances Act, 1982. Despite such recognition, powers of local government authorities in relation to local government finance are still, limited by central government. These limitations do not only deny local governments requisite powers to adequately raise revenue from their own sources and borrowings but also inhibit their ability to determine and approve such annual budgets. Key words : Fiscal Autonomy, Fiscal Decentralizati...

Since late 19 70s, New Public Management (NPM) has become a dominant theme in the restructuring of the public sector in both developed and developing countries. Bangladesh is no exception. Of late, the Bangladesh government has decided to embark on the market-based public administration reform. This article is an attempt to analyse the problems of implementing the NPM in Bangladesh. It argues that, on account of the current political, economic, social and administrative realities. it will be extremely difficult to implement such a radical reform package in Bangladesh.

Lately the African continent has been the focus of global attention and discussions on the present and future of Africa, especially with regards to the highly topical questions concerning the global and African state of peace and security. As multiple extremely complex armed conflicts continue to cause chronic instability and vulnerabilities in several African states and regions, they also directly affect the state of international security in the 21st century in an intensively interconnected and globalized world from an economic, political and peace/security perspective. Accordingly, this research article offers an in-depth analysis of some of the major causes and explanations of the existing wars in Africa related to the illicit exploitation of resources, vulnerability, and control. The goal of this work is to reveal and analyze the complexity of 21st-century wars in Africa and their deep interrelated causes by applying the example of the long and banal armed conflicts in the Demo...

Extant studies have shown that, societies from time have been able to develop based on the development and application of Indigenous Technology. In this way, scholars have described Indigenous Technology as one which constitutes an important part of a peop cultural heritage and used by the native inhabitants to attend to issues peculiar to the environment or region. Thus, Indigenous Technology includes traditional tools, techniques and knowledge that have been passed down through the ages, as well as more recently developed innovations that are bnased on these traditional practices. It is important to note that Indigenous Technology has peculiar and/or specific cultural, ecological and social, contexts and content, specifically aimed at sustaining local economies, culture and environment. The research is thus an attempt at examining how the development and application of Indigenous Technology led to the

The 2024 General Elections were held on December 7, 2024, encompassing all 23 constituencies within the Central Region. These elections marked a significant democratic process, aimed at determining representatives for both parliamentary and presidential positions across the country. The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana was entrusted with the crucial responsibility of overseeing the conduct of the elections, ensuring that the process adhered to constitutional mandates, electoral laws, and guidelines designed to promote transparency, fairness, and credibility.
The electoral landscape was characterized by active participation from major political parties, notably the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which have historically been the dominant forces in Ghanaian politics. In addition to these two, several smaller parties also contested in the elections, contributing to a vibrant and highly competitive political environment. This diversity of parties and candidates reflected the democratic spirit of the nation, offering voters a broad spectrum of choices and encouraging lively debates on national development, governance, and policy priorities. Overall, the 2024 elections were a testament to Ghana’s commitment to democratic principles and peaceful political transition.

This study assesses the impact of foreign direct investment flow on the performance of the manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Using manufacturing value added (MVA) for the performance of manufacturing firms, time series data was compiled from World Bank and Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin spanning for a period of 40 years. The researcher used an OLS estimate with FDI modeled as a quadratic function to account for its turning point and the VECM to ascertain both the long run and the short run causalities running from the explanatory variables to dependent variable. The results obtained suggest the need for Government actions to be geared towards strategically maintaining and sustaining policies that will help encourage FDI inflows especially in the long run since a positive effect on the manufacturing value added was only feasible in the long run as well as promoting an efficient and enabling macroeconomic environment on which manufacturing firms can thrive. Also the need to embark on domestic investment as well as improve human capital skill was buttressed.

The huge amount of remittance transfers has brought migration studies to the fore in the public and private discourse on global development. Since the time migration studies occupied a space in the academe, most research has been devoted to remittances in cash and their use. Prior to the mid-nineties, the debate about the concept of migrants’ ‘remittance’ has not entailed other forms of remittances other than remittances in cash. This research explores another form of remittance, that is, biological remittance. This research firstly explores how migrant populations handle ‘biological remittance’ in their societies, and secondly compares the experiences of female migrant workers in two countries with distinct cultural and religious mores. We collected empirical information from two countries: Indonesia and the Philippines. A total of 38 respondents (17 from the Philippines and 21 from Indonesia) were selected for this study by using the snowball technique. While all the respondents, ...

This study applies agenda setting theory mostly used to examine policy making in western countries to understand educational policymaking in Ghana. It draws on a case study on the role of the Asante Traditional Council and rulers in the adoption of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), a program that allows the public to participate in the financing of education. The study finds that the outside initiation model, consolidation, pluralist concept of policymaking, and the policy streams metaphor help to explain agenda setting for the adoption of the GETFund program. In particular, it argues that the enstoolment of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and his activism in championing the idea of a public participation program in financing education was an intervening event that opened the window for a proposal centering on that idea to gain agenda entrance and the passage of Copyright (c) IAARR, 2011: www.afrrevjo.com 91 Indexed African Journals Online: www.ajol.info the GETFund bill by the Parliament of Ghana in 2000. Broadly, the study helps to understand the role of traditional institutions and rulers in public policy making in Ghana.

This study investigated the responses of ECOWAS to the unconstitutional changes in government in West Africa. Using a secondary methodology and the theory of security regionalization as a framework for the analysis, the study established that there are many manifestations of unconstitutional changes of government in West Africa, including military coups, tenure prolongation and refusal to concede defeat at elections, among others. It also established that ECOWAS has different instruments and mechanisms that enable it to respond to cases of unconstitutional changes of government. Again, the regional body has zero tolerance for unconstitutional changes in government, imposes sanctions on illegitimate governments, participates in election monitoring and ensures the restoration of constitutional governments in its member states, among other responses. Despite these efforts, the organization has been criticized for not showing the clout needed to properly ensure member states' compliance with its legal instruments. Again, ECOWAS allows some West African leaders with questionable credentials to lead mediation processes in the region. More so, ECOWAS has not been as consistent in its responses to constitutional amendments for tenure prolongation. The study, therefore, recommends, among others that, in authorizing Heads of State in the region to mediate, ECOWAS should always ensure that these leaders are not guilty of the same crime in their home countries. Again, ECOWAS needs to properly ensure the enforcement of its protocols by member states and be proactive in sanctioning members who flaunt the legal provisions of any of its mechanisms.

This research empirically investigates the important distinction between fraud identification and forensic accounting in the Nigerian public sector. The study utilized a research survey design with a sample size of 100 respondents, including accountants and auditors from four ministries selected from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Abuja, Nigeria. The primary statistical method employed to test the hypotheses was Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The research found that forensic accounting is an effective tool in detecting fraud within the Nigerian public sector. It was also revealed that there is a strong correlation between forensic accounting and litigation support services, which play a crucial role in Nigerian courts in handling fraud cases. Additionally, the study highlights the role of forensic accounting in preventing fraudulent activities by enhancing transparency and accountability. Based on the findings, the study recommends that the public sector adopts a robust and transparent accounting system that ensures effectiveness in fraud detection and prevention. Furthermore, there is a need for continuous improvement in the internal control systems within government agencies to detect and prevent fraudulent behavior proactively. The research also stresses the importance of public sector officials embracing core values such as integrity, objectivity, fairness, and accountability in their operations. Finally, it is crucial for forensic accountants to receive specialized training in forensic accounting techniques and procedures to better detect and resolve fraud cases in the public sector. These actions will contribute to reducing fraud levels and improving the overall governance of Nigeria's public sector.