Fuel Subsidy Removal And University Lecturers’ Job Effectiveness In Cross River State, Nigeria
Atah Cletus Akpo
Department of Vocational Education, University of Calabar
Ogbiji Michael Okpe
Department of Vocational Education, University of Calabar, Calabar
Margaret Chukwurah
Department of Curriculum and Teaching University of Calabar
Ititim Donatus Ugbadu
Department of Curriculum and Teaching University of Calabar
Keywords: Fuel, Subsidy removal, Universities lecturers, Job effectiveness
Abstract
The study ascertained the impact of fuel subsidy removal and university lecturers’ job effectiveness in Cross River State, Nigeria. The study was guided by two research objectives and questions. Two research hypotheses were formulated and tested at the 0.05 level of significance. The population of the study comprised all forty-seven (47) business education lecturers in federal and state universities in Cross River State, Nigeria. The entire population of forty-seven (47) lecturers was used for the study. The instruments for data collection were questionnaires constructed by the researchers. The questionnaire is titled "Fuel Subsidy Removal and University Lecturers’ Job Effectiveness Questionnaire (FSRULJEQ)". The instrument was validated by two experts in the department of vocational education in University of Calabar, Nigeria. The reliability of the instrument was tested on 15 lecturers who were not part of the study, and the data was subjected to statistical analysis using the Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient estimates, which ranged from.86 to.94. The instrument was administered by the researchers with the help of two research assistants. After collecting the questionnaire, codes and scores were assigned to each item. Descriptive statistics were used to answer research questions, and research hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance using an independent t-test statistic. The basic decision level was 2.50. Any item with a mean score of 2.50 is either for or against. At the 0.05 level of significance, the calculated t-value was compared with the t-value. The result of the findings shows that university lecturers are facing financial difficulties after the removal of fuel subsidies. More so, the study also revealed that the university lecturers did not receive any financial incentives during and after the fuel subsidy removal. It was concluded that the removal of fuel subsidies had given birth to a high standard of living in society. Both the transportation and food stocks in the market had skyrocketed, and the university lecturers’ salaries couldn’t meet up with the reality of the present condition. It was recommended, among others, that the federal government should provide financial incentives and equally raise the pay of university lecturers to reflect current market conditions.