CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that infect both animals and humans and belong to the Coronaviridae family. Human coronaviruses may cause mild illness, equivalent to a common cold, or more serious illness (such as MERS – Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and SARS – Extreme Acute Respiratory Syndrome) (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). In December 2019, a new corona virus that had never been seen in humans before was discovered in Wuhan, China. Respiratory conditions such as fever, cough, and shortness of breath are signs and symptoms. Infection can lead to pneumonia, extreme acute respiratory syndrome, and even death in the most severe cases. When coughing or sneezing, shield the nose and mouth with a flexed elbow or disposable towel, and avoid physical contact with someone who has a fever and cough, according to standard guidelines.WHO is working with global scientists, governments, and allies to quickly increase scientific awareness about this emerging virus and to offer timely guidance about how to protect people’s health and keep the disease from spreading. Prior to the importation of COVID-19 into Nigeria, the government established a “Corona-virus preparedness team” through the country’s leading public health organization, NCDC ( Nigeria Centre for Disease Control). Nigeria is one of the top thirteen countries listed as having a high chance of importing COVID-19, based on either a direct connection or an indirect link or a strong amount of traffic to and from China.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
A point-of-sale terminal (POS)is a piece of hardware that allows you to accept credit cards at a shopping store. The hardware includes software that reads magnetic strips from credit and debit cards. The next wave of POS solutions includes proprietary and third-party portable machines (as opposed to terminals anchored to a counter), as well as contactless capabilities for new types of mobile payments. As compared to the previous month, the total amount of payment transactions through Nigerian payment networks dropped by a staggering 26% in April. In March, the Nigerian government put an end to all economic activity. Cheque, ATM, POS, E-bills, and NIP (interbank transfers) transactions were all included in the results. Other transaction networks such as Web, Mobile, NEFT, and others were not included in the CBN data for April. The last time Nigeria recorded lower than 190 million payment transactions for the subsets was in February 2018, when it had 159.9 million. (CBN, 2020) The lockdown has had an effect on many aspects of the economy.
As businesses resume, normal activities, the number of purchases processed by Point of Sale (PoS) terminals and mobile devices has begun to rebound since declining dramatically in April due to the COVID-19 lockout. Due to the lock-down, the number of PoS transactions fell by more than 20% to 40.85 million in April, from 52.2 million at the end of March. According to a study published by the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System, the trend is reversing, with POS recording about 48.37 million transactions in May. (NIBSS).
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
- To determine whetherPOS funds were available during the coronavirus lock-down.
- To determine whether or not POS vendors were accessible during the Coronavirus lock-down.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
- Was there enough POS cash on hand during the lock-down?
- Was there access to POS vendors during the Coronavirus lock-down?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The significance of this research work focuses on the availability of POS during the lock-down, and this research would also prove beneficial for other academics, intellectuals, and students that might want to organize similar research.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This research work concentrates on the availability of POS during the lock-down, The study was carried out in Enugu, Enugu state.
1.7 LIMITATION OF STUDY
finance was a challenge during the course of study. Availability of material and time constraints were major challenges the researcher also faced will carrying out the research.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
CORONA–VIRUS: Corona-viruses are a large family of viruses that are known to cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS).
POS: A point-of-sale terminal (POS)is a piece of hardware that allows you to accept credit cards at a shopping store. The hardware includes software that reads magnetic strips from credit and debit cards.
LOCK–DOWN: Lock-down is a state of isolation or restricted access instituted as a defense or protection precaution.
FUND: A fund is a collection of money set aside for a particular reason.
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