This research work was aimed at ascertaining the impact of external debt on economic development of Nigeria. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. While data on Gross Domestic Product (GDP), External Debt (EXDEBT), External Debt Service (EXDESERV) and exchange rate (EXCHARATE) were obtained from World Bank International Debt Statistics, Exchange Rate data were collected from Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin, 2018. The study was analyzed using the statistical technique of multiple linear regressions to identify the impact of external debt on GDP for a period of five years the aid of SPSS version 22.0. The dependent variable was GDP, while the independent variables were External Debt, External Debt Service and Exchange Rate. It discovered that External Debt had a positive relationship with Gross Domestic Product, External Debt Service had negative relationship with Gross Domestic Product and Exchange Rate had a negative relationship with GDP. The study recommended amongst others, that the regulatory authorities (Debt Management Office) should set mechanism in motion to ensure that loans were utilized for purposes for which they were acquired as well as set a ceiling for borrowing for states and federal governments based on well-defined criteria. The government should equipped the necessary agencies in charge of the manufacturing sector to adopt a workable and implementing advanced technology in order to make our locally made goods attractive in the international market. Nigerian should also be encouraged to engage in exports business, discourage imports this will lead to a decline in the country’s demand for external debts. Thus, there must be vigorous promotion of the nation’s exports through reviving of agriculture and industrial sector that would absorb the shock in exchange rate even if left floating.

This study investigated the effect of Corporate Social Responsibility on profit after tax of Nigerian Breweries plc from 2014 to 2018. The objective of this study is to ascertain the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibilities on profit after tax of Nigerian breweries plc. Data for the study was sourced secondarily, from Nigerian Breweries Plc and its annual reports and accounts. Hypotheses formulated in the study were tested using the multiple linear regressions statistical tool. Findings from the ANOVA revealed that the probability value of 0.557 was obtained implying that the regression model was insignificant in predicting the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and Profit After Tax (PAT) since it was greater than α =0.05. The R square was 0.794 which implies that Public Health Development (PHD), Public Education and Scholarship (PES) and Public Water Development (PWD) accounted 79.4% to the changes on profit after tax. Also, the study specifically found that Public Health Development (PHD) and Public Water Development (PWD) had a negative significance effect on Profit after Tax (PAT) while Public Education and Scholarship (PES) had positive relation and significant effect on Profit after Tax (PAT).

The study investigated agenda setting and educational policy implementation in public universities in Rivers State. Objectively, two research questions and two hypotheses were generated to guide the study. The population consist all the 2508 academic staff in all the public universities in Rivers State. Stratified random sampling technique was used to determine a sample of 344 academic staff. Among this, there were 186 (54%) academic staff from federal universities and 158(46%) respondents from state universities. In other to elicit information from the respondent, the researcher designed a research questionnaire tagged (AEPIQ), with a reliability coefficient of 0.78. Mean scores and standard deviation was used to answer the research questions, while z-test was used to analyze hypotheses. The study found out that policymakers’ gives out official information regarding the extent of policy implementation, educational policy makers make calculated attempt to provide the desired and much appropriate details on the educational policy that the media believes would meet their criteria for the content considered as a salient issue. The study also concluded that policymakers has the central role in providing a blueprint that gives a general directives to goal attainment and thus recommended that the media should be able to create the level of awareness that would ensure that the members of the public are fully aware of the level of educational policy implementation.

Firm performance of the telecommunication companies is thus important in Kenya's context. However, comparing the firm performance of Telkom Kenya Limited with other mobile phone service providers, Telkom Kenya Limited has performed relatively low compared to its peers as evidenced by data from communication authority of Kenya.  Competitive strategies have been noted as key drivers of firm performance around the world. This study sought to examine the role of competitive strategies on the firm performance of Telkom Kenya. In particular, the study examined the influence of differentiation strategy and cost strategy on firm performance of Telkom in Nakuru. The study was guided byInstitutional Theory and Michael Porter Theory. This study utilized a correlational research design. The target population of this study is 56 Telkom Kenya staff involved in marketing, finance and operations aspects of the Telkom offices at Nakuru East Sub County. The study used the census method in selecting sample members. The sample size of the study is therefore 56 Telkom Kenya staff based in Nakuru East Sub County offices. The study used structured questionnaires for the purposes of the data collection process. A pilot study was undertaken in Naivasha offices of Telkom Kenya.  The validity of the instrument in this study was examined using the content validity of the instrument. Reliability of the research instrument in this study was examined using the Cronbach alpha coefficient. Data was coded into the SPSS software in preparation for data analysis. The data from the questionnaire was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The statistics to be undertaken include frequencies, chi-square, and linear regression analysis.The results of this study indicate that a positive statistical significance relationship existed between differentiation and firm performance. In respect to the influence of the cost strategy on the firm performance, the results indicated that there was a positive and statistically significant relationship between cost strategy and firm performance.The study recommended that the competitive strategies such as focus strategy, differentiation strategy and cost strategy should be implemented continuously by the organization. The study further recommends that Telkom Kenya as a firm should place its emphasis on cost strategy as it had the most influence on the firm performance at the organization followed by focus strategy, and differentiation strategy respectively.

The stories of disparity between budget and its implementation in Nigerian public sector are replete in newspapers, public discourses and academic journals. Reasons advanced for this include: corruption, fluctuating oil revenue, unstable economic parameters and poor budget monitoring. The main objective of this paper was to examine the constraints to budget implementation. Relevant  literature review gave the research the conceptual frame work desired for the exercise. Data were collected through questionnaires and other secondary data source.  Chi-square was used in testing the hypotheses. Three hypotheses were set forth and tested using two ministries namely: education and finance in  Bauchi State of Nigeria. Thirty high ranking staff involved in budget preparation and implementation out of thirty-five administered with questionnaires responded to time. Using the students t-test, the first hypothesis (There is no significant relationship between corruption and budget implementation  ) it was discovered with t-cal. (3.41) greater than t-tab (1.679) corruption  always hinder budget implementation. The second hypothesis (ministries have no adequate measures to address budget variances), with t-cal. (3.497) greater than t-tab (1.699), the two ministries do not adequately monitor budget so as to achieve the expected goal. It can be concluded that reasons for budget implementation constraints can be explained outside those factors. The paper concludes by making recommendations to solve implementation constraints in government departments.

Savings and credit cooperatives play a very important role in uplifting the socio-economic wellbeing of thousands of Kenyans. These entities are expected to be highly competitive due to their reduced lending rates and ease of access of their services. However, a number of local Saccos have been outcompeted and outwitted to the extent of closing down their business. In light of this and in addition to scanty empirical evidence, this study sought to investigate the influence of external pressures on competitiveness of deposit-taking Saccos in Nakuru County, Kenya. Of specific interest was examining the extent to which regulatory and normative pressures influenced the aforesaid competitiveness. The study was guided by Regulation and Normative theories. The study adopted a descriptive research design and employed quantitative approach. A total of 176 staff working with deposit-taking Saccos in Nakuru County constituted the study population. Stratified random sampling technique was employed to draw respondents from the accessible population. A structured questionnaire was used in collection of primary data. The questionnaire was pilot tested with the object of assessing its validity and reliability before it was used in collecting data for the final study. Relevant approval, permit, authorization letter and consent were obtained prior to collecting data. Data analysis was facilitated by the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences tool. Specifically, descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the analysis. The null hypotheses were tested at 95% confidence level. The results of the analysis were presented in tables and were interpreted and discussed in tandem with study objectives.The study concluded that there existed standard external policies which the Saccos must abide.The study further concluded that lending rates charged on the loans and deposits were regulated.It was further concluded that deposit taking Saccos were always under immense pressure.The Saccos rarely addressed the demands of the local community. From the findings the study recommended that the surveyed Saccos ought to full comply with the coercive and regulative pressures from SASRA, CBK and other regulating bodies.

“Even death has a heart”. The quote said by the natator and personified Death in the novel The Book Thiefby Markus Zusak is of utmost significance not only for the terse, rhetorical andstartling appeal but also   for metaphoric conveyancefor having even the slightest of compassion and sympathy. Besides being the personified narrator,  Death is a prevalent theme  in the text  that subtly  intersects  and  is expressed  via the impeccable power and importance  of words, eloquence,  diction , and poetic phrasing  to  shape and shade the opinion of the readers  only to acknowledge that how the world of words can be  exploitedfor purgation , power and propaganda .Through the language only Liesel, the protagonist, besides other female characters can cope up with the brutalities of war and raise her voice offering resistances by the female world. The title The Book Thief not only steals the show by  meticulous  manifestation  of the word power being the central theme of the work   but  also arrests the attention of any serious reader to observe how the female characters use the diction to  resist the inhuman  inflictions.