Role of Rural-Ward Migration in Economic Development in Jos South Area of Plateau State, Nigeria

Migration is a decision that impacts the welfare of the household, the home community and in the end the whole economy in various ways. Nigeria is among the few countries of the world characterized by contradictory socio-economic and development scenarios, despite her enviable human and material resources. Various push and pull factors have implications on Nigeria’s underdevelopment, and it affects rural areas severely than urban areas which perhaps underlay rural poverty, hence migration becomes a safety net. The study aimed at examining the reversal flow of people from urban to rural area and its effects on rural economic development particularly in Jos South local government area, Plateau State. The study employed structured questionnaire as the major research instrument. It was randomly administered among 318 sampled population in the study area. The household constitutes the unit of observation in the three districts namely, Du, Kuru and Vwang. In addition, focus group discussions (FGD) were held among the communities in order to collect relevant data for the study.   Data were analyzed by using simple measures of central tendencies such as calculation of the mean, averages, frequencies and percentages. Also, Linkert scale of measurement was employed to assess the role of rural-ward migrants in economic development. On the aggregate, provision of farm inputs was fair 163(51.3%); marketing of farm products was fair 168(52.8%); establishment of cooperative societies was good 198(62.3%); skill transfer to rural dwellers was rated fair 153(48.0%); innovative ideas was fair 148(46.5%); and remittances was fair 188(59.1%).  On the basis of the findings, the study recommends among other things that government should increase discriminate investments in the rural areas in terms of provision of infrastructural facilities in order to encourage movement of people from the congested urban areas into the hitherto neglected and deprived rural areas and by so doing, it will not only countervail rural urban migration but also improve spatial balance in our developmental efforts. Keywords: Rural Ward Economic Development Migration Infrastructur

Roles of Farmers’ Cooperatives in Agricultural Development In Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State, Nigeria

The cooperative movements among farmers are viewed to be instrumental to Agricultural transformation and boosting productivity in the sector. For some decades, cooperatives have been playing remarkable roles towards the growth and development of the national economy. The study aimed at assessing the farmers’ cooperative roles in Agricultural development in Sabuwa local government area Katsina State, Nigeria. The primary data was collected with the aid of structured questionnaire as a major research instrument for the study. A purposive sampling technique was employed in the selection of 60 samples among registered farmers’ cooperative members in the study area. Data was analysed by measures of central tendencies such as frequencies, mean, percentages and multiple regression techniques. The study revealed that income generation (r = 759), duration of cooperative experience (r = 681), type of agricultural activities (r = 715) and quality of leadership (r = .874) were found to be significantly correlated with the roles of the farmers’ cooperatives in agricultural development at .05 alpha value while membership enrolment in terms of population size (r = 423) was found to have a weak correlation. Based on the findings, it was recommended among other things that agricultural policy makers and economic planners should take into cognizance the morale boosters for the cooperative organizations such as lowering interest rates on granting credit facilities, empowering the farmers’ cooperatives to perform through legislative control and adopting cooperatives as an effective strategy towards socio-economic transformation of the less-privileged and disadvantaged lagging areas and by so doing, it will assist in fostering regional balance in our developmental efforts. Keywords: Agriculture Cooperative Movement Farming Developmen

The ‘Gift Exchange’: a metaphor for understanding the relationship between educator commitment and student effort on placement

‘It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye’Antoine de Saint Exupery (1900–1944) It is a truism that a sound working relationship between student and practice educator is a major contributory factor to positive placement experiences for health and social care students. However, there is limited research that goes any further in explaining how this relationship is established and might work. This paper utilizes the metaphor of the ‘gift’ to emphasize the importance of generosity and reciprocity within the student/practice educator relationship. Qualitative research findings, generated from interviews with practice educators, reveal that whilst the educator gives the student the benefit of their expertise and provides access to opportunities to learn from practice, the student is expected to return this ‘investment’ by demonstrating that they too are putting in effort, for instance, by showing keenness to learn, and developing subject knowledge and skills. Although educators demonstrate a sense of obligation or duty to support students in their endeavours this commitment is not necessarily unconditional; reciprocal student effort is an important motivator for some practice educators for whom a demonstrable response to their input confirms their own sense of identity as educators and clinicians

An Assessment of the Strategies for Sustaining Self Help Group Projects in Paikoro Area Niger State, Nigeria

Self-help groups (SHGs) have been seriously viewed in recent times as one of the potent instruments for socio-economic development in rural communities having realized that governments cannot provide all the necessities of life for the teeming population in the country. It is in this regard that rural people evolved this strategy as a means to overcome deprivation and neglect. The study aimed at assessing various projects executed by self help groups in Paikoro local government area of Niger State, Nigeria. This study used field survey, and focus group discussion. It adopted a systematic sampling to select 35 self help groups  and purposive sampling technique to select 4 group leaders to make 140 samples on the one hand, 316 samples were generated among the members of the communities through cluster sampling within the neighbourhoods to select key informants in wards where self-help group projects have been executed. The study adopted descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency, averages and percentages to analyse the data. The study identified 105 self-help groups within five districts Paiko having 37(35.2%) as the highest and Ishau has the lowest with 13(12.3%). Projects include roads, clinic, boreholes, electrification, skill acquisition centres, schools, and community toilets. With resource mobilization, some 52(37.2%) are donated by members, 34(24.3%) from stakeholders, 38(27.1) through launching of funds, and 13(9.3%) from various levies. Regarding sustainability of group projects, majority 118(84.3%) opined that involvement of community members would help to maintain the projects and some 9(6.4) admitted that provision of adequate security was necessary. It is recommended that active community participation in self help projects should be encouraged since the people treat such projects as their own. Also, distributive justice should be paramount to location of projects such that there should be no discrimination either by tribe, religion or political affiliation. Moreover, government should give grants and technical assistance to communities that embark upon laudable self-help projects. Keywords: District Self Help Group Project Sustenanc

The role of voluntary organisations in developing the capabilities of vulnerable young people

What do people need to live functional and flourishing lives in today’s global society? They require sophisticated socio-economic skills and the prowess of political and cultural participation to undertake duties as world citizens. Can schools in the United Kingdom, adequately prepare all young people for these challenges? Data published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF, 2009b) show that two in five children do not acquire key literacy and numeracy skills before leaving primary school. Some young people leave the education system altogether with no qualifications and limited understanding of their rights and responsibilities as global agents. Most of the young people in this category have multiple and sometimes complex disadvantages; they may live in poor and deprived neighbourhoods, experience poor physical and mental health or lack the support of adults who are able to model successful, flourishing and capable citizenry. Sen (1992) argues that the instruments needed for individuals to flourish are “capabilities”. These are the “potentials to be and do”. This study examines the means by which voluntary organisations improve the capabilities of vulnerable young people. It focuses on three major vulnerable groups: young people who have been excluded from mainstream education, those in cared for by the State and young people with learning difficulties. The research uses a mixed methods approach, skewed in favour of qualitative methods to analyse diverse trajectories of vulnerable young people towards capability. It relies on the capability approach to investigate the methods used in Voluntary Organisations which support the participants’ transformation to functional individuals. Organised as communities of learning, Centres of non-formal education provide the space, expertise and pedagogies for transformative learning processes to take place. The study shows vulnerable individuals need to combine and convert specialised capabilities in specific suites to enable them make the transition to capability successfully

Methanol Production from Cow Dung

The amount of agricultural biodegradable wastes generated in Nigeria is constantly on the increase. These wastes are mainly cellulosic materials from reared animal (feaces) and plants. The environmental awareness of most Nigerians is also far better than it used to be in about 30 years back. Accordingly, the paper considers economical use of one of this agricultural wastes-cow dung. The waste was anaerobically digested and acid treated in sequence to produce storable form of alternative energy, while the left over sludge could be used as a good quality farmland fertilizer. The quantities/qualities of methane gas and methanol produced were found to depend on slurry concentration, incubation period, pH value, operating temperature and carbon/nitrogen ratio of the dung. The gas chromatographic analysis conducted indicated that the unrefined biogas was determined to contain 57.23 mol% CH4, 42.65mol% CO2, 0.21mol% H2S, 0.07mol% NH3 and others. The refined biogas was analyzed and the composition was established to be: 59.45mol% CH4, 14.65mol% CO2, 0.11mol% H2S, 0.04mol% NH3 and others. This refinement was found to enhance the C/N ratio, making the organic component readily available for the acidic reaction. Spectroscopic analysis of the obtained liquid sample indicated formation of methanol. The purity of methanol produce was determined to be 92.5%, which compared slightly favorably with literature value of 98.9%. The boiling point and heat of combustion were found to compare favorably with literature values. The C/N ratio determined after the demethanization was found to be lower compared to the starting C/N ratio and the gang served as good source of manure. Keywords- biomass, cow dung, fertilizer, methanol, renewable energy, methane, manur

Bottle House: Utilising Appreciative Inquiry to develop a user Acceptance model

Purpose: This paper develops a novel user-acceptance model for circular solutions to housing design. The model has been systematically developed from a case study of an upcycled plastic bottle building in a low-income community in Nigeria. It is common practice to use participatory approaches to consult end users in communities, typically after design concepts have been proposed and conceptualised. However, this often leads to critical socio-cultural or usability elements being overlooked and the design being substandard. Therefore, this paper develops a robust model for designers, specialists and activists involved in construction that can be used during all phases of a project. This approach demonstrates that user needs should be considered before building designs and plans are generated, providing a greater frame of reference for practitioners, consultants and end users. Enabling the integration of holistic needs of the community and the development of circular design solution. Design/methodology/approach: A case study methodology has been employed to develop this model, uses appreciative inquiry methodology. This includes multiple methods to capture end users’ perception: focus groups, interactions with the local community and self-recorded comments. This case study is part of a broader research project to develop replicable low-cost self-sufficient homes utilising local capacity using upcycled, locally available materials. Findings: The findings identify the challenges associated with designing circular solution housing without a robust understanding of interrelated factors, which ensure sustainability and user acceptance. The conclusions demonstrate why essential socio-cultural factors, usually unrelated to technical development, should be understood and contextualised when designing sustainable solutions in low/middle-income communities. The authors argue that without this holistic approach, undesirable consequences may arise, often leading to more significant challenges. Instead of referring to multiple frameworks, this distinctive model can be used to evaluate user acceptance for low-cost housing in particular and other dimensions of circular solution design that involve end-user acceptance. The model blends circular solution dimensions with user-acceptance concerns offering a guide that considers essential features that are both user-friendly and pragmatic, such as utility, technological innovation and functionality as well as their intersectionality. Research limitations/implications: The research relied on a single case study, which focussed on end-user engagement of upcycling waste materials as an application of circular solutions. The model will contribute to developing socially accepted circular solutions taking into consideration local context factors. Originality/value: The paper is proposing a model for user acceptance of circular construction materials relevant to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)

Numerical classification and digital mapping of coastal plain sands of Southeastern Nigeria

The study classified the coastal plain sands of south-eastern Nigeria at the series level and modeled the classification using digital terrain attributes. The study utilized 72 secondary and 12 primary profile pits data generated from 24 and 4 locations (at 3 per location) for classification/modelling and validation respectively. The three profile pits per location represents the three topographic positions of upper, middle and lower slopes. Digital elevation model was also utilized for the generation of terrain attributes. Soil morphological characteristics were coded for suitability in statistical analysis. Hierarchical clustering was utilized in the grouping of the soil into 17 homogeneous groups referred to as soil series. Regression kriging was used to model the predicted soil series within the area covered by coastal plain sands in Akwa Ibom State. The variables that could be used in the modelling of the different classified soil series include Sand Content, aspect, flow accumulation, compound topographic index (CTI), elevation, hill shade, slope, curvature, flow direction, stream power index (SPI), profile curvature, tangential curvature (R2 = 0.21).Out of the 17 soil series classified, 14 was successfully mapped using digital technique. It was observed that 66.7% of the classified soil series were accurately predicted using digital mapping technique. The classifications carried out numerically made use of morphological discrete variables whereas digital used empirically determined continuous variables which could be more accurate. Therefore it could be inferred that the digitally produced soil  classification is more accurate and 14 soil series could be identified and mapped in the study area. Key words: pedogenesis, digital soil mapping, soil series, hierarchical clusters, regression krigin