The Impact of Water and Sanitation on Childhood Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)

This study is conducted mainly to analyse the effect of water and sanitation on childhood mortality in sub-Saharan Africa region. The empirical approach uses longitudinal data sourced from the World Development Indicators (World Bank) for the period 2000-2015. Infant and under-five mortality rates were used as indicators for childhood mortality. To diminish the possible confounding influence of water and sanitation in the child mortality regressions, we use an instrumental variable approach based on dynamic panel estimators or the general method of moment (GMM). The study finds that in sub-Saharan Africa region, water and sanitation has a strong impact on reducing both infant and under-five mortality rates. Furthermore, the study finds public health expenditure and aids all work together to reduce the possibility of infant and under-five deaths in sub-Saharan Africa countries. These findings call for policymakers to pay a great deal of attention to increasing investment in water and sanitation, improving official development assistance (ODA) along with increased public spending on health as these are all important factors that can help to decrease infant and under-five deaths in sub-Saharan Africa.

Degree of financialization and energy efficiency in Sub-Saharan Africa: do institutions matter?

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 emphasizes the need for economies around the world to double their efforts in energy efficiency improvements.This is because improvements in energy efficiency can trigger economic growth and considered as one of the‘green’growth strategies due to its carbon free content.To this end,some empirical studies have investigated the nexus between economic growth and energy efficiency,but the effects of the latter on financial indicators have not been sufficiently studied in the literature,at least in developing economies like Africa.This study examines the effect of energy efficiency improvements on commercial bank profitability under different political regimes(i.e.,autocratic and democratic political regimes);something previous literature had neglected.The study uses panel data,consisting of 43 African countries and the simultaneous System Generalized Method of Moments.We found that energy efficiency improvement is more likely to induce higher bank profitability in political institutions with the characteristics of centralization of power compared with those with decentralization of power.Furthermore,for the banking sector,the findings suggest that energy utilization behavior of clients should be included in the loan or credit valuation process.For the government,the agenda of energy efficiency should be aggressively pursued while taking cognizance of creating a political environment that weans itself from a‘grandfathering’behavior.

Does financial development lower energy intensity?

The growth-induced effects of financial development have been well-established in the empirical literature,as well as the significance of financial development to energy demand behavior.However,the empirical evidence on the relationship between financial development and energy intensity remains sparse in the literature.Given the multifaceted nature of the effects of financial development,the proposed relationship seems a complex one and warrants an empirical investigation.Using the case of Ghana,this study provides an empirical answer to the question:does financial development lower energy intensity?To provide solid grounds for either rejection or acceptance of the null hypothesis,this study performed several robustness checks.Generally,the evidence revealed that financial development lowers energy intensity.Further,the results revealed that the price of energy,trade liberalization and industry structure play significant roles.These results have important implications for the design of macro energy efficiency policies and the creation of a‘Green Bank’.