Evaluation of the adjudicatory relevance of the African Convention on Human Rights

The African Convention on Human Rights is what gave birth to the “African Charter on Human and People’s Rights”. It is not in doubt that the major difference between the African Charter and other Charters, is that the African Charter obliges state parties to give effect to the provisions of the Charter. Thus, the Convention was intended to achieve a lot through its Charter by way of enforcement. However, despite the ratification of this Charter, human right abuses have continued unabated in Africa. Largely, apart from few states like Nigeria, the political conditions in these non-adhering states make it problematic to institute actions in national courts against state agents. This negates the spirit and purpose of the international instrument on human rights and the obligations of states to ensure its enforcement. The centrality of this paper lies in the observation that there exists a view that the perception and practice of African states on the scope and nature of human rights are not in tandem with those of the developed world. The paper thus finds that compensation is crucial to the adjudication process thus enhancing elimination of all forms of exploitations. State parties are thus required to protect rights of people by forestalling possibilities of deprivation of peace and security.Keywords: enforceable rights, communal responsibility, fundamental liberties, generational rights, compensation

A Critical Examination of the Procedure for Instituting Criminal Proceedings Before the International Criminal Court

In order to maintain world peace and security, the International Criminal Court was established deriving its sanctity through the famous Rome Statute, which in itself makes provision for the ways and manners upon which criminal proceedings can be instituted before the said Criminal Court. There are three different methods to do this, which are; through a referral by a State Party, through a referral by the Security Council of the U.N. and through the I.C.C. Prosecutor acting on his or her volition. This article found and revealed that, upon a critical examination of the methods referred to above, there are challenges bedeviling the triggering mechanisms of instituting proceedings before the Court. This work accordingly proffered suggestions upon an examination of the above mentioned commencement procedures. Keywords: State referrals, self-referral, power, political proclivities, propriomotu authorit

Efficacy of modified polycross method in development of sugarcane progenies

There has not been appreciable progress in development of productive commercial sugarcane varieties in Nigeria due to low technological development. Consequently, a modified polycross breeding scheme was developed to generate superior progenies that could replace existing low yielding varieties. The objective of this study therefore was to test the efficacy of the breeding scheme by  assessing  the genetic variability and inheritance  of  characters  associated  with  economic sugarcane traits  (cane  yield  and  sucrose content) among the progenies as well as identify those with superior performance over the best checks. The results showed significant differences (P 0.05 < 0.001) for all the traits as well as the presence of high genetic variability for the studied traits except for brix among the progenies. Rank summation index based on the combination of cane yield and brix, identified three progenies USRI/08/12, USRI/08/22 and USRI/08/25 as being superior to the highest yielding check varieties. The results showed that the modified polycross method is as efficient as the Hawaiian polycross technique and more economical in the development of high yielding commercial sugarcane varieties in low technological developed sugarcane breeding programme.Key Words: Crop cycles, Heritability, Rank Summation Index, Saccharum officinarum L

SHORT COMMUNICATION: HYDROCARBON ACCUMULATION AND DISCHARGE BY THE CRAYFISH IN SOME RIVERS OF LAGOS, NIGERIA

Crayfishes exposed to 14C-naphthalene-5% of an aqueous fraction of crude oil in open non-aerated glass jars for 4 h at 25 0C showed no significant differences (P > 0.25) in the amount of naphthalene uptake. Different parts of the crayfishes were quantified for naphthalene uptake and cephalothorax containing hepatopancreas (a food absorption organ) was found to have greater uptake than the tail flesh or tail skeleton. Release of the oil from the crayfishes that were exposed for 1, 2, 3 or 4 h and later placed in open non-aerated jars containing oil-free water showed greater loss of most of the 14C activity during the first 24 h, there was little losses at 48, 72 and 96 h. There was significant volatilization (P < 0.04) of 14C-naphthalene in a 5% of crude oil placed in open, non-aerated, oil-free glass jars for 24 h at 25 0C. (Received May 2, 2001; revised October 19, 2001) Bull.Chem.Soc.Ethiop. 2001, 15(2), 167-17

Performance Evaluation of Three PID Controller Tuning Algorithm on a Process Plant

Accurate tuning of controller in industrial process operation is prerequisite to system smooth operation which directly reduce process variability, improved efficiency, reduced energy costs, and increased production rates. Performance evaluation of a model based PID controller tuning algorithm on a chemical process plant is presented in this paper. The control action of three different PID controller tuning algorithms namely; Hagglund-Astrom, Cohen and Coon, and Ziegler-Nichols on the process plant was examined in a closed loop control configuration under normal operating condition and in the face of disturbance. LabVIEW software was used to model a chemical process plant from open loop control test data. The time domain response analysis of the controllers shows that each tuning algorithm exhibit different time response. Ziegler-Nichols algorithm shows the best performance with fastest rise time, settling time and was able to restore the system back to normal operating condition in a short time when subjected to disturbance compare to Cohen &amp; Coon controller and Hagglund-Astrom algorithm settings

Quantification and Removal of Trichloromethane in Chlorinated Water Using Coconut Shell Activated Carbon

Commercially, available activated carbon (CAC) and coconut shell activated carbon (CSAC) were used in the adsorption of Trichloromethane (TCM) from disinfected water using the optimum conditions (concentration, dosage, pH and time) obtained. Concentrations of TCM were determined using GC-MS. Physicochemical parameters of CSAC were investigated. The CSAC gave percentage carbon yield (86.72±1.41), surface area 1200 m2/g and CHNS/O Elemental Analyzer gave elemental Carbon of 60.08% as the highest of the elements in the char. A pore structure dispersed on the CSAC surface was observed. Best conditions for CSAC were: 1.4 × 104μg/l TCM, 5.0 pH, 0.8 g absorbent within 30 minutes. The data fitted Freundlich than Langmuir model (R2 of 0.9977 and 0.9232, respectively). Percentage removal of TCM for CAC and CSAC was 98.3±1.55 and 96.7±1.27, respectively for the water sample. Results indicated that CSAC was efficient for removal of TCM present in water and could be used as alternative for CAC in water treatment

Fatigue Behaviour of Medium Carbon Steel of Different Grain Structures

This paper investigated the effect of heat treatment operations on the fatigue resistance of low carbon steel. Specimens after preparation for fatigue testing were subjected to annealing, normalizing and quenching heat treatment. Results show that the annealed specimen had the largest number of cycles to failure, indicating a high fatigue resistance. The microstructure of the specimens was examined in other to corroborate the obtained property with the microstructure. When compared with the untreated specimen, the annealed specimen (with optimum fatigue resistance) shows a large grains size of pearlite which was distributed across the entire surface of the microstructure. Generally, it was found that the size and distribution of specimens’ grains affect the resistance of the low carbon steel to fatigue failure. Keywords: fatigue, low carbon steel, heat treatment, microstructur

Being a midwife is being prepared to help women in very difficult conditions”: midwives’ experiences of working in the rural and fragile settings of Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of Congo

Introduction: Maternal and neonatal health is a core focus area in fragile and conflict-affected states and midwives are key actors. But there is currently very little evidence on midwives’ experiences, the challenges that they face and coping strategies they employ in the challenging and fragile rural areas of Ituri region in the North-Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. This understanding is critical to developing strategies to attract, retain and support midwives to provide vital services to women and their families. This study aims to explore midwives’ work experiences and challenges through time from initial professional choice to future career aspiration in rural Ituri Province, North-eastern DRC. Methods: A qualitative approach using life history interviews with 26 midwives and 6 ex-midwives, and 3 focus group discussions with 22 midwives in 3 health districts of Ituri Province (Bunia, Aru and Adja) was conducted in 2017. Purposive sampling was used to recruit research participants. The transcripts were digitally recorded, and thematically analyzed using NVivo. A lifeline framework was deployed in the analytical process. Results: Problem solving, child aspirations and role models were the main reasons for both midwives and ex-midwives to join midwifery. Midwives followed a range of midwifery training courses resulting in different levels and training experiences of midwives. Midwives face many work challenges: serious shortage of qualified health workers; poor working conditions due to lack of equipment, supplies and professional support; and no salary from the government. This situation is worsened by insecurity caused by militia operating in some rural health districts. Midwives in those settings have developed coping strategies such as generating income and food from farm work, lobbying local organizations for supplies and training traditional birth attendants to work in facilities. Despite these conditions, most midwives want to continue working as midwives or follow further midwifery studies. Family related reasons were the main reasons for most ex-midwives to leave the profession