Social Welfare and Access to Housing Among the Middle and Low-income Earners in Nigeria: A Review of Frameworks for Housing Delivery

Adequate housing is one of the necessities of a qualitative life. It is only next to food and clothing in importance and contributes to the attainment of the physical and moral health of a nation.  Decent housing also stimulates the social stability and economic development for the country. Successive Governments have attempted to provide access to qualitative housing for low-income groups without meaningful results. This study, therefore, interrogates the role of social welfare in enhancing access to housing among the middle and low-income earners to ascertain the extent to which the frameworks for housing delivery in Nigeria advance the welfare of the poor. With the aid of Social Democratic theory, the study opines that access to housing can only be democratized for all classes of income groups when the principle of social welfare constitute the foundation of the framework for housing delivery. The study used documentary tools in the generation of its data and analytical approach in its analysis. The study discovered among others; that social welfare orientation plays crucial roles in the creation of universal access to housing in several advanced countries around the world, and the lack of social welfare principle in the frameworks for housing delivery in Nigeria is to a large extent responsible for the ever-widening housing gap in the country. The study recommends that the Federal Government should undertake a review of the frameworks for housing delivery in order to establish the social welfare principle as a cardinal principle in the housing delivery strategies for the middle and low-income earners in the country. Keywords: Social welfare; Access to housing; Middle and Low-income Earners; Housing Delivery Framework; Housing Delivery. DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/11-1-08 Publication date: February 28th 202

Directors’ Diversity and the Economic Value of Equity

The paper examines the effect of directors’ demographic and cognitive diversity on the economic value of equity based on longitudinal data from the top 15 Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in Nigeria. The study finds steadily robust evidence that shows foreign and female directors at critical mass representation positively influence banks’ net worth (a proxy of the economic value of equity). Contrary to the hypothesis, the result of cognitive diversity was rather inconclusive due to the diverse direction of causality. While the effect of directors with Bachelor of Law degrees and industry experience shows a significant negative effect, the impact of directors with business-related degrees though positively linked to the economic value of equity but remained statistically insignificant. With average sampled directors having over 23 years of industry experience, the study concluded that excessive industry knowledge is injurious to financial performance. This is because these directors are perhaps more cautious about their reputation and thus are likely to exhibit diminishing marginal utility for wealth maximization

Theoretical study of structural, electronic and optical properties of bismuth-selenide, bismuth-telluride and antimony-telluride/graphene heterostructure for broadband photodetector

It remains challenging to produce high-performance broadband photodetector that can detect light from infrared to ultraviolet frequency range for biomedical imaging, gas sensing and optical communication applications. In particular, large energy band gap and low optical absorption in the material utilized as absorbing layer have prevented a report of high performance broadband photodetector in terms of quantum efficiency and photoresponsivity. However, integrating second generation topological insulators (2GTI), namely, bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3), bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) and antimony telluride (Sb2Te3) with graphene in a heterostructure appears to be the more promising approach. In this heterostructure, optical absorption takes place in 2GTI while graphene acts as charge carrier collector owing to its high carrier mobility. Therefore, detailed knowledge of the design, as well as structural, electronic and optical properties of 2GTI/graphene heterostructures, is essential to expose their hidden potentials. Structural properties of Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3, and Sb2Te3 are studied by first-principles calculations within density functional theory (DFT) framework. Many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) based one-shot GW (G0W0) and Bethe-Salpeter equation (G0W0-BSE) approaches were used to compute the quasiparticle (QP) band structure, excitonic and optical properties. The DFT calculations show that inclusion of van der Waals (vdW) correction with most recent developed Coope’s exchange (vdW-DFC09x) reproduce experimental interlayer distances, lattice parameters and atomic coordinates of Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3 and Sb2Te3 2GTI. The one-shot GW calculations confirm that Bi2Se3 and Sb2Te3 are direct band gap materials with band gap values of 0.36 eV and 0.22 eV while Bi2Te3 is indirect band gap material with 0.17 eV energy band gap. The results on the optical properties of 2GTI with inclusion of electron-hole interaction show that the exciton energy for Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3, and Sb2Te3 are 0.28, 0.14 and 0.19 eV respectively while their corresponding plasma energies are 16.4, 15.6 and 9.6 eV respectively. These values show that the investigated materials can absorb photons within broadband wavelengths. For the design, the energy analysis of Sb2Te3/graphene heterostructure reveals that the most stable configuration is the one in which the Te-1 atom of Sb2Te3 facing to graphene is above the hole centre of graphene’s hexagonal lattice. More attractively, the system of Sb2Te3/graphene heterostructure shows that strong hybridization between Sb2Te3 and graphene at smaller interlayer distance resulted in an energy gap at the Dirac states. It is, therefore, anticipated that this heterostructure will be useful for new-generation optoelectronic applications particularly in broadband photodetectors

A proximate, mineral composition and anti-nutritional factors of the aerial parts of Lablab purpureus (L.) sweet

This study evaluates the nutritional and anti-nutritional potentials of the aerial part of Lablab purpureus as it relates to its use in Animal nutrition. The preliminary phytochemical test of the plant revealed the presence of bioactive secondary metabolites; glycosides, saponins, flavonoids, tannins, steroids, alkaloids, coumarins, phenols, carbohydrates and terpenoids in the crude extract. Results from the study revealed significant mineral composition in Lablab purpureus. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopic (AAS) technique was employed in the elemental analysis. Substantial amounts of Ca, Na, K and Mg were found, while Cu, Fe, P, Mn and Zn were present in trace amounts. Proximate analysis revealed the ash and fat contents to be 5.6 % and 4.2 % respectively. The protein level, total Carbohydrate and Fibre contents were determined to be 25.4 %, 46.93 % and 7.5 % respectively. The presence of anti-nutritional secondary metabolites; tannins, saponins, oxalates, phytates, cyanogenic glycosides and free phenolics were quantitatively determined to be 0.50 %, 3.8 %, 0.70 %, 2.2 %, 1.2 % and 2.1 % respectively. The results of the phytochemical constituents, proximate composition, anti-nutritional factors and mineral composition of the aerial part of Lablab purpureus in this study demonstrates high nutrients content with potentials to meet the nutritional requirements in monogastric diets.Keywords: Anti-nutritional composition, Lablab Purpureus, Mineral composition, Proximate analysi

Determination of the constituents and suitability of Azara barytes for industrial applications

Azara baryte was analyzed and had an average specific gravity of 4.3g/cm3 and loss on ignition of 1.71wt%. Atomic Absorption spectrometery was used to determine the Fe2O3,Al2O3 and BaO contents. SiO2 and SO3 were determined by gravimetry while CaO, MgO, Na2O and K2O were determined by flame photometry. The percentage average values for the chemical oxides in the baryte samples were BaO (57.29wt%), SO3(25.99wt%), CaO(1.40wt%), MgO(0.40wt%), Fe2O3(3.46wt%), Al2O3(0.97wt%), Na2O(2.82wt%), K2O(0.30wt%) and SiO2(6.23wt%). These results indicate that Azara baryte lies within the range for use in glass production and as a filler or extender in paint and rubber production, but will require further beneficiation in order to be a suitable component of oil drill mud.Keywords: Azara Baryte, Specific gravity, Gravimetery, Atomic Absorption Spectrometery. Flame photometry

An Assessment of the Effects of Training and Development on Employees’ Performance in Gombe State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, (2015-2019)

Systematic and timely training and development of employees is crucial to attaining optimal performance in both the private and public sectors. This study examines the extent to which employees' training and development enhance employees' performance in the Gombe State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development. The study adopted a survey design with a questionnaire and unstructured interview as the instrument of data collection. The study has a population of 271, out of which 155 was sampled through stratified and random sampling techniques. Data were presented using tables and simple percentages, while chi-square was used to test the research hypothesis. The study found no significant difference among the staff in the perception that training and development does not support employees' performance in the Ministry as training and development programmes are not being organised for staff. The study also established that the Ministry's leadership had not shown a good appreciation of the critical role of regular training of staff in enhancing employees' performance. The study recommends, among others, a change in the disposition of the leadership of the Ministry and the Office of the Head of Service to the training of staff through the development of mechanisms for establishing employees' skills deficiency; and requesting the Government to make a budgetary line for staff training in the State’s yearly budgets. Keywords: Training and Development; Employees’ Performance; Performance Evaluation; Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development; Gombe. DOI: 10.7176/JRDM/77-05 Publication date:July 31st 202

Retrieval and Representation of Nucleotide Sequence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cystathionine Gamma-Lyase (CYS3) Gene in Five Formats

Educational programmes all over the world are facing increasing pressure to integrate information technology in the curriculum. Knowledge of bioinformatics is at infancy in Nigeria it is therefore imperative to develop and build the capacity for high-throughput determination and  computational analysis of the nucleotide base sequences of the genomes of organisms. The present communication navigated the ENTREZ Web page and downloaded sequences of Cystathionine gamma- lyase gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The sequence is then represented in the five best known database formats namely Plain, FASTA, EMBL, GCG and Genebank thereby making it more visible and available for other research applications such as comparative genomic analysis, evolutionary studies, searching for and identification of regulatory elements and scanning for mutations. The present study highlights data retrieval and representation. Data retrieval is important as it provides the opportunity to engage in data mining for discovery, a convenient alternative to traditional wet  laboratories, providing biological insights, and proficiency to access and use the vast repository of computational and webbased resources which are the most available information in the world today.Keywords: Nucleotide, Database, Genome, GenBank

Hepatorenal toxicity studies of sub-chronic administration of calyx aqueous extracts of hibiscus sabdariffa in albino rats

Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn has been reported to have a broad range of therapeutic effects. Subchronic effects of calyces aqueous extracts of H. Sabdariffa were studied in albino rats. Twenty four (24) albino rats were randomly divided into six (6) groups of four rats each. Group A, was fed with growers mesh and distilled water as control. Groups B to F were administered orally with the aqueous extract at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5g /kg body weight respectively and the treatment period was 28 days. A decreased in weights of the animals were observed at all dose levels. The activities of liver maker enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase) and direct bilirubin increased significantly (p0.05) increase in concentrations of total protein and albumin were observed in comparison to the control. The renal indices, urea, uric acid and creatinine in the treated groups were significantly increased compared to the control but a significant decrease (