Impact of Social Capital on Poverty Reduction in Benue State Nigeria (Published)
Benue State comprises diverse communities, each facing unique socio-economic challenges including poverty. This study examined the impact of social capital on poverty reduction in Benue State, Nigeria. A survey research design was adopted for the study. Primary data was collected from 6 Local Government Areas of Benue State. Logit binary regression analysis was used to estimate variables used in the study in relation to its effect on poverty reduction. All variables tested improved Benue state poverty except political party membership and involvement. The results revealed that cooperative society participation, social media involvement, rural group membership, and social club membership has the tendency to reduce poverty by 50% to 68% in Benue State. Overall, with an R-square value of 0.870, there is a strong positive linear relationship between the variables. Social capital may reducepoverty based on community trust, social connection, and socioeconomic context. Addressing inequalities and distributing incentives equitably is crucial to improving social capital.
Keywords: Poverty Alleviation, Poverty Reduction, Social Capital
Entrepreneurship Education, Managing Unemployment and Poverty Alleviation in 21st Century (Published)
This paper examined the courses of unemployment in Nigeria with a view to proffering practical solution to it so as to reduce poverty rate. Secondary data gathered from various sources such as: CBN reports et cetera covering the period between 1970 to 2014 were used. It employed the regression analysis as the analytical method E-views version 9 and found out that a percentage increase in population growth will increase unemployment by 4.94%. Also the study found a positive relationship between government educational expenditure and unemployment rate in Nigeria and lastly, the result showed there is a positive relationship between gross capital formation and unemployment rate in Nigeria. It concluded by recommending that development of entrepreneurial skills and initiatives through entrepreneurship and training should be of paramount importance especially in the higher education sector so as to facilitate the employability and creativity of graduates who will derivatively contribute wealth of the nation not only as job seekers, but also job creators.
Keywords: Entrepreneurship education, Poverty Alleviation, Unemployment, educational expenditure, gross capital formation
Savings and Loans Companies in Ghana: The Nexus to Poverty Alleviation and Economic Empowerment of Micro-Businesses (Published)
The main objective of this study is to assess the role of Savings and Loans companies in the alleviation of poverty and how they economically empower micro-businesses in the Ghanaian economic space. The study chose the Cape Coast Metropolitan area, a major economic hub in Ghana as its case study. Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach theory, the study also adopted the mixed method in data collection and analysis. A total of 288 respondents were used for the study. The results of the finding include among others that Savings and Loans companies have significantly alleviated poverty in the Metropolis; thereby, lifting the poor segments of the Metropolis from the cycle of poverty through the creation of jobs and the generation of income. Finally, it is recommended among others that due to the nature of the businesses of low-income customers, there should be regular visits by loan officers to customers to strengthen the relationship with the borrower, thereby encouraging repayment while simultaneously gathering information concerning the state of the business and household finances, all of which would promote a lower default rate.
Frederick Appiah and Kwabena Owusu (2022) Savings and Loans Companies in Ghana: The Nexus to Poverty Alleviation and Economic Empowerment of Micro-Businesses,, International Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Research, Vol.10, No.2, pp.,41-56,
Keywords: Economic Empowerment, Ghana, Poverty Alleviation, Savings, loans companies, micro-businesses