Digital Commons Network^™

The Global Economic And Financial Crisis: An Overview Of The Effects On African Countries, Oluwole Owoye

Journal of African Policy Studies

In the wake of the global economic and financial cnsts, experts and analysts agreed that the initial effects on African financial sectors would be minimal because of the limited exposure to the international financial markets. However, African countries are more integrated than before with the world economy through the following transmission channels: international trade, foreign direct and portfolio investments, foreign aid flows, private remittances, and tourism; and since they are predominantly primary commodity exporters, their economies was negatively affected by the recession in many developed countries due to the sharp decline in world demand for commodities and in their prices. …

The Influence Of Christianity And Islam On Educational Attainment In Africa: Using Literacy Rates As An Indicator, Natalia A. Castaner

Journal of African Policy Studies

This is a quantitative research study using current data from the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Member States through its Institute for Statistics (UIS) annual data collection for the 57 countries in Africa. This study shows that a religious factor, i.e., Christianity and Islam, has a significant effect on the levels of educational attainment within each specific country in Africa. This study illustrates the need to consider the impact religion has on educational attainment in Africa.

Public Policy Formulation And Implementation In A Democratic Nigeria: Insights From Anti-Poverty Initiatives, J. Shola Omotola

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper has undertaken a critical analysis of public policy formulation and implementation in Nigeria, with graphic illustrations from anti-poverty policies since 1999 most notably the Poverty Alleviation Program (PAP), The National Poverty Eradication Program (NAPEP) and National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS). As a condition of deprivation that impedes human development, poverty represents a policy major problem in Nigeria. The pervasiveness of poverty today, despite these policy interventions, attests to the failure and ineffectiveness of the new environment of democracy, despite its promise, to improve the policy process. The may not be unconnected with the deep-rooted undemocratic legacies …

Micro Finance In Eritrea: A Catalyst For Women Development, Ravinder Rena

Journal of African Policy Studies

The microfinance refers to small-scale financial services (primarily credit and savings) provided to people who engage in the farming, fishing and operate micro-enterprises to gain subsistence income from these activities and subsequently support the rural economy. Microfinance is a highly accepted and recognized development tool. It has been playing a vital role in many developing countries of the world. The women are considered to be a pillar of the society and economy. For example, 45 per cent of the measurable Gross Domestic Income comes from the work of women in the world's richest countries. Eritrea, a poor but young nation …

Fostering Constructive Public And Private Sector Linkages For Agricultural Research And Development In Sub Saharan Africa, Kefasi Nyikahadzoi, Adewale Adekunle

Journal of African Policy Studies

Investing in agricultural research and development is critical for improving livelihoods of the resource poor in Sub Saharan Africans and also for the conservation of natural resource. While on the global level, the contribution of public sector to agriculture research and development investment is declining; the private sector is coming in to fill the gap. In Sub Saharan Africa, private sector involvement in agriculture research and development is still very limited. This paper uses secondary data and information coming out of the Sub Saharan Africa Challenge Programme to discuss the constraints that inhibit private sector involvement in agriculture research and …

Democracy And Poverty: The Nigerian Experience, Tonyesima Furro

Journal of African Policy Studies

This study examines the plight of the poor within the new democratic rule in Nigeria. Since the inception of democracy in 1999, there has been a sustained prosperity in terms of oil windfall that swells government's revenues on the order of over $30 billion annually. For the first time in over 20 years, the GDP growth rate is 7.5 percent. The nation has accumulated an impressive foreign exchange reserve of $60 billions. This reserve is the highest ever in sub-Saharan Africa. However, this financial outlay has not resulted in improved standard of living of the broad majority of the people. …

Falsification Of Population Census Data In A Heterogenous Nigerian State: The Fourth Republic Example, Bamgbose J. Adele

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines critically the controversy surrounding the recently concluded population census in Nigeria which came up between March 21 and March 25, 2006. While population census is a deliberate attempt to enumerate people within a delimited territory at a specific time so as to determine their number, their contribution over the land area and their basic socio-demographic and economic characteristics, many of such exercises have been juggled especially in Nigeria. Many infallible proofs for several scores of years have been showing that census taking in Nigeria has been surrounded by deliberate falsehood with the intents and purposes to derive …

Nexus Between Land Redistribution And Poverty Reduction: A Qualitative Overview Of The Fast Track Land Reform In Rural Zimbabwe 2000-2007, Percyslage Chigora, Edson Ziso, Niya Mtombeni

Journal of African Policy Studies

Imposition of colonial rule in Zimbabwe saw millions of hectares of productive land expropriated from the native inhabitants relegating them to perpetual poverty and deprivation. Out of this predicament, native Zimbabweans resorted to armed struggle to reclaim their land in two historical periods leading to independence in 1980. Consequently, land repossession was a primary grievance during the armed struggle and thus, land redistribution was high on the agenda at the attainment of independence but not much was done in the first two decades. In the first decade, obligatory clauses in the Lancaster House constitution effectively made popular land reform impossible. …

The Roles Of Human Capital And Infrastructure On Fdi Inflow: Empirical Evidence From Sub Saharan Africa, Alemu Aye Mengistu

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper analyzes the impacts of physical infrastructure and human capital on FDI inflow in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Towards this effect a panel data of 960 observations of 32 countries from 1975 to 2004 have been analyzed using alternative panel estimation methods. Accordingly, the study revealed that human capital and infrastructure are indeed the key determinants for enhancing inward FDI. However, the evidence shows that the level of human capital and infrastructure are below the threshold level in SSA to play a positive role in attracting FDI and materialize a structural change in the economy. Thus, investment on education and …

Electronic Payments In Sub Saharan Africa: Will Mobile Telephony Accounts Systems Be The Next Leapfrog Technology For Development?, Donald Sparks

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

Finance For Development And Developing Countries: The Preconditions Revisited, David E. Amadasu

Journal of African Policy Studies

Increasing the rate of inputs- private foreign direct investments to accelerate development in LDCs or developing countries has not been attained over the years. The reason is that more poverty stares the faces of the people in these countries. This is the problem. The literature has said that accelerating development through the rate of inputs has preconditions of friendly environment, sound macroeconomic policies, absorptive capacity, competitiveness of the market, capital accumulation, technology assistance, etc, for private investment to strive. But the situation has not changed much. Do we not need to revisit the preconditions? Consider the non-economic, i.e., personality traits, …

Population Increase, Environment, Food Access And Development In Africa: The Role Of The African Union, Amado J. Kaba

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines the impact of the massive population increase in Africa in the post World War II era and the environmental challenges the continent confronts in trying to feed such a high number of people. The paper is divided into three sections. The first section examines the demographics of Africa, which show that the continent has increased its total population by 750 million people from 1950 to 2008. The second section of this paper then presents arguments by scholars pertaining to the environmental challenges, especially for agriculture, facing Africa as it finds ways to feed this massive number of …

Economic Growth And Exchange Rate In Sierra Leone: An Empirical Investigation, Abu Bakarr Tarawalie, Oluwole Owoye

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper investigates the relationship between economic growth and exchange rate in Sierra Leone for the period 1970-2005. We followed the lead of Edwards (1989, 1988) and Elbadawi (1994) within an error-correction model (ECM) to identify the determinants of the real effective exchange rate, and we specified a real output growth equation to capture not only the effect of real effective exchange rate on real GDP growth, but also to establish the relative effectiveness of fiscal and monetary policy on real output growth during the review period. Our empirical results suggest that the terms of trade, nominal exchange rate devaluation, …

The Problems Of Financing Library Services, David E. Amadasu, Matilda Ebahi Amadasu

Journal of African Policy Studies

Funding of libraries is a problem whether in Nigeria or anywhere in the world. The reason is that libraries are relegated to the background economically or otherwise when competing with facilities or products for limited budget or financial resources. More importantly is the fact that library service is incorporeal and cannot stand political selection. The library service does not enjoy the status of economic or private goods susceptible to price or excludability and public or social goods for which price cannot exclude users. This is the significance of library service or circulation and should therefore attract or enjoy enough budgetary …

Of Corruption And Anti-Corruption Strategies In Nigeria: The More You Look The Less You See, Sylvester Olubani Fajonyomi

Journal of African Policy Studies

This statement from the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria reflects the outcome of the regime's efforts at fighting corruption in its first four years (1999-2003) in office: "Some members of the Nigerian public have expressed their opinion to the effect (that) our anti-corruption crusade in the last four years has been deficient in credibility because it appeared to lack the support of the Federal Executive Council who only rarely expressed their support in public. The situation has to change with the new cabinet. Each and every one of you must do more than give a nodding support for …

Efficiency Processes In Egyptian Enterprises: Current Status In A Transition Economy, Samir S. Youssef

Journal of African Policy Studies

Taking the view that business organizations are essentially resource transformation agents aimed at satisfying societal needs for goods and services and, in effect, improving quality of life, this paper examines the impact of the transition stage forces on the efficiency processes in business organizations within the Egyptian economy, an economy that is still developing free market institutions.

Sustainable Agricultural Development In Nigeria: A Question Of Biotechnology, Environmental Conservation, Or Indigenous Knowledge?, Emmanuel O. Oritsejafor

Journal of African Policy Studies

Nigeria, like most developing countries, depends on agriculture primarily for subsistence and export revenues. However, Nigeria is confronted with food security challenges. Several factors have contributed to this problem, such as demographic trends, crude farming methods, deforestation, the oil boom and public policies that are not consistent with the socio-economic and political realities of the state.

Given these challenges, this inquiry will examine the socio-economic and environmental implications of recent recommendations by development agencies such as the United Nations Development Agency (UNDP), which has prescribed the use of biotechnology to address Africa's food security problems. This recommendation appears to be …

Sustainable Tourism In Kenya: An Analysis Of Tourism Policy Currently Under Consideration, Jacquelyne Muhati

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines tourism policy in Kenya in the context of sustainable tourism development. It considers the critical factors that might hinder the development of the sector and highlights the shortcomings in the policy development. It will give a general review of policy development and its significance in Kenya. There will also be an analysis of the key issues in the current policy development in Kenya, and finally, consideration is given to the aspects of policy that the current policy makers should pay attention to in relation to the strategic approach to sustainable tourism development. With the growing economic significance …

The Challenge Of Crafting And Maintaining Democracy In Zimbabwe And South Africa, Robert W. Compton Jr.

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper examines the impact of land reform policies on the political development of South Africa and Zimbabwe. In particular, it focuses on the past policy approaches to land reform, principally the "willing seller and able buyer" market approach in the context of past injustices involving land reform. The politics of land reform and the inability of the hegemonic parties in South Africa and Zimbabwe, the African national Congress (ANC) and Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) respectively, to implement satisfactory policy contributes to negative political and economic consequences for both countries. Simultaneously, opposition parties in both countries, in particular the …

The Future Of Monetary Integration In Southern Africa: Lessons From The European Union?, Richard Dutu, Donald L. Sparks

Journal of African Policy Studies

The 14-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) has a long-term goal of becoming a full common market. A major component of fuller integration would be a common currency arrangement. The states of southern Africa, however, face a dilemma: While the region already sustains a successful and long-running monetary union, the Common Monetary Area (CMA, known as the "Rand Zone"), the region's leading economic integration organization, the SADC, is opposed to joining the union.

The Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA)—a less successful, but rival economic organization—favors, for its part, a monetary union. Is the SADC ready for monetary …

Smes In Developing Countries And The Problem Of Exporting: Market Entry Costs, Exchange Rate Shocks And The Capital Structure Of Firms, Trond-Arne Borgersen

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper integrates a sunk-cost model of foreign trade with a discussion on the capital structure of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries. A model of foreign trade where firms have to incur irrecoverable market entry costs in international markets is presented. As a result of the market entry costs the foreign trade structure is non-linear. This non-linearity complicates the relationship between foreign trade flows and exchange rates, compared to the predictions of conventional foreign trade theory. Both the entry and the operating decision are affected, as the non-linearity puts pressure on the capital structure of firms. In …

Civil Conflict And Aids: Implications For Post-Conflict Sierra Leone, Marda Mustapha

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper discusses the civil conflict in Sierra Leone and its role in the transmission of HIV in the country, including the activities and role of the military population in the conflict and the spread of HIV. The paper also assesses the present capacity of the government of Sierra Leone to handle a possible explosion of the disease and the implications for HIV/AIDS in post-conflict Sierra Leone. The paper concludes with some policy suggestions for post-conflict Sierra Leone regarding possible responses to the pandemic.

Regional Dimensions And Consequences Of Africa's Internal Wars: The Case Of Liberia And Sierra Leone, F. Ugboaja Ohaegbulam

Journal of African Policy Studies

Demonstrably, internal conflicts within individual African states have tended to set off chain reactions and spillover effects in their specific regions. Indeed, this was the experience of the African continent throughout the last two decades of the twentieth century. As a result every region of Africa became a victim of several of the consequences and effects of those internal conflicts that began in specific states within it. Beyond Africa, the series of internal conflicts played into the hands of Afro-pessimists and Africa's detractors who lost faith in the continent's present and its future. This study succinctly examines the regional dynamics …

What Model For Language Planning In Education And Development?, Raymond Mopoho

Journal of African Policy Studies

The implementation of language policies by African countries after independence was very similar to what prevailed in the colonial era in that its centerpiece was the promotion of European languages, to the exclusion of native languages. The official rationale for such policies was political and economic in nature: In a multiethnic context, imposing a foreign language would promote national unity and foster the acquisition of the technical know-how necessary for development. Such a policy was characterized by several weaknesses. In its implementation, for many years, the school system seemed content with being a graduate generating machine, with little attention being …

Nigeria, Globalization And The Development Of Underdevelopment In The Third World, Kema Lrogbe

Journal of African Policy Studies

There are two contending opinions on the issue of globalization. There are some observers who believe that globalization has brought rapid prosperity to the underdeveloped countries while others argue that globalization serves the needs of the metropolitan countries at the expense of the peripheral countries. This paper posits that globalization is economic terrorism. Using a dependency theory to analyze the asymmetric relationships between the developed and the underdeveloped countries, the writer applies some economic indicators to highlight the widening gap between the two worlds. In doing so, it is argued that the socio-economic and political structure of the peripheral countries …

Globalization And Sub-Saharan Africa: Will The Promise Of Shared Prosperity Ever Be Realized?, Donald L. Sparks

Journal of African Policy Studies

Globalization, the accelerated economic integration among nations, clearly has brought benefits in terms of worldwide economic growth. However, these benefits have not been evenly distributed, and income disparities between rich and poor countries, and even within countries, have increased. This is most pronounced in sub-Saharan Africa. Globalization was supposed to provide gains for all, or at least the gains were supposed to outweigh the losses. Despite adherence to market liberalization and the rapid pace of globalization, during the past three decades sub-Saharan Africa has continued to be marginalized in the world economic system. At the same time, however, many other …

Globalization And The Impact Of Multinational Corporations On Developing Economies: A Case Study Of Nigeria's Oil Sector, Dennis A. Ogirri

Journal of African Policy Studies

This study examines the meaning and significance of globalization, especially the role and impact of multinational corporations on developing economies. Specifically, there is more emphasis on the impact of globalization and multinational corporations on Africa in general, and specific focus on Nigeria as a case study because of the large and significant role of foreign multinational corporations, such as Shell, Elf, Agip, Chevron, Mobil, Texaco, Phillips, and Ashland, in the exploration, production, refining, management, and marketing of the country's crude oil reserves. The environmental impact of the multinational oil corporations on Nigeria's oil sector receives special attention.

Cover And Table Of Contents, Institute On African Affairs

Journal of African Policy Studies

No abstract provided.

National Population Policy And Fertility Decline In Senegal, Keita Ohashi

Journal of African Policy Studies

This study reviews the relationship between population policy and fertility decline in Senegal. In 1988, Senegal officially announced a national population policy, the first such population policy declaration among Francophone sub-Saharan African countries. Shortly thereafter, in the early 1990s, Senegal's total fertility rate did in fact start to decline. The establishment of the national population policy, however, did not directly influence the current fertility decline. Rather, effective population policies in the areas of education, reproductive health, and family planning services together are likely to determine the pace of overall fertility decline in Senegal. In this study, current fertility trends are …

Fertility Transition In Urban And Rural Sub-Saharan Africa: Preliminary Evidence Of A Three-Stage Process, David Shapiro, B. Oleko Tambashe

Journal of African Policy Studies

This paper provides an overview and analyses of the relatively recently-emerged and ongoing fertility transition in sub-Saharan Africa. We use data from 49 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) that have been carried out in 29 different countries to examine fertility levels and trends, overall and separately for urban and rural settings. We also look at levels and changes in age-specific fertility for a selected subset of these countries. Our examination of trends, using the 15 countries in which multiple DHS surveys have been carried out, suggests that there may be a three-stage transition process, with fertility initially declining in urban …