ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF INCOME LEVELS OF CIVIL SERVANTS ON THEIR NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN ONDO STATE NIGERIA.

Abstract

Nigeria is a country with rich natural and material resources. However the ability to harness these resources effectively and efficiently in a way that the food needs of its citizens are met has always and is still a major issue to the nation. Income change's, by way of salary and wage increases, has been a means through which government seeks to improve the standard of living of its citizens. This study therefore aims at examining; the socio economic characteristics of households in Ondo State, the influence of certain socio economic characteristics on the daily protein and calorie intake and the poverty profile among identified households. Structured questionnaire are used to source primary dates from' 250 sampled households. However only 177 of the sampled housed were used in the analysis (Akure south 80 households, Akure North 32 households, and 65 households for Ifedore L.G.A.) Data collected were analysed using descriptive Statistics (Frequency and percentage Table and means), Food and Energy Intake (FEI) method, poverty head count ratio regression. The (FEI) method was used to establish a food poverty line among the respondents. The poverty head count ratio was used to ascertain the proportion of the population whose food expenditure is below the food expenditure poverty line. The monthly intake of Calorie and Protein functions were estimated using the Ordinary Least Square method (OLS). The average households were made up of 5 person in all the L.G.As (Akure south, Akure north and Ifedore L.G.A). 68.4% of house hold were male headed (55% in Akure south, 84.4% in Akure south and 76.9% in Ifedore L.G.A.). More than 67% of house holds hired in 'flats and about 75% are in rented apartments. The mean monthly rent was Wl,756 (N2, 935 in Akure south, NI, 983 in Akure north, and Nl,665 in Ifedore L.G.As). Major source of drinking water was 'well water, about 470/0of all house holds. While kerosene was the major source fuel used in cooking (77% of the population used kerosene ).National Electric power Authority was the major source of power supply, supplying about 90% of house holds. A means monthly income of N14,726, Nll,987, and W12820 for Akure south, Akure north and lfedore L.G.As, respectively, and an overall means monthly income of~13,178= was revealed by the study. Average monthly expenditure stood at N19,293 (W20,904, Akure south N19,4~5 Akure north and W17,550 Ifedore L.G.As). Average monthly expenditure on food as revealed by the study was W7,53I (36%) in Akure south, W6,503 (33.5%) in Akure north and W7,328 (42%) in Ifedore L.G.As. Poverty line as measured by the (FEI) method was Wl,826=33 (Nl,919.20k for Akure south, Wl,726=41 for Akure north, Wl,832.52 for Ifedore L.G.As). Consumption poverty as measured by the head count index is 0.56,0.48, and 0.52 represent 56%, 48%, and 52% for Akure south, Akure North and Tfedore L.G.As respectively. Consumption function estimated for monthly caloric intake and monthly protein intake for house holds, showed that house hold size, Educational level of individual household members, number of children in house holds, influenced the calorie and protein intake of the households.