BUILDING SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY POLICING; CHALLENGES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NATIONAL SECURITY IN NIGERIA

This study sought to determine ways effective public support could be harnessed for community-policing project in order to assist the police to maintain security and work harmoniously with the public. Specifically, it sought to find out the extent the public is aware of the existence of community policing security project, its perceived effectiveness, possible challenges and likely support it requires to function as well as the envisaged implications for national security in Nigeria. A sample of 1000 Adult citizens drawn from Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Imo States in south east Nigeria using stratified and purposive sampling techniques were used for the study. Data was collected with the use of a 25-item Questionnaire titled. “Questionnaire on building effective support for community-policing for National security in Nigeria” (QBESCIN). This was complemented with focus group discussion sessions with police officers in the selected states. The instrument was validated by experts and appropriately tested for reliability. Percentages were employed in analyzing data. Findings among other things revealed that majority of the respondents are to a large extent aware of the existence of community-policing project even though certain related challenges such as resistance to change, lack of information/publicity, poor public-police relations etc seem to confront its viability. Correspondingly, it was unanimously agreed by respondents that community policing needed moral, financial, motivational and enlightenment support to work effectively. The implications for national security were identified in form of the need for better police-public relations, public mobilization and participation etc which are deemed strategic for effective performance of the police. These findings and implications were discussed and appropriate recommendations made on how community-policing could be used to support police operational effectiveness in south-east Nigeria

Socio-Demographic Determinants of Health Care Programme Usage by Women During Pregnancy and Child-Birth in ADO-ODO/OTA Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria

This study sought to determine the socio-demographic factors responsible for health-care programme usage by women during pregnancy and child-birth in a developing country like Nigeria, especially in Ado-Odo/ Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State. Three research questions and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. A sample size of two hundred and sixty (260) respondents were selected from five rural wards in the Local Government Area using the stratified random sampling technique. A face to face structured interview and focus group discussion were used for data collection. Content analysis and the econometric bivariate regression model were used for both qualitative and quantitative data analyses respectively. The hypothesis formulated for the study was tested using ANOVA. A total of eleven independent variables were used for computing the regression equation/model. Data analyses yielded eight findings which showed the significant factors that determine health-care programme usage by pregnant women. These are level of educational attainment, distance to health-care facility, male domination women’s perpetual dependence on men, poverty and so on. These findings were exhaustively discussed and some appropriate policy implications and recommendations outlined

Simulation studies on corrosion of stone coated roofing sheets sold in Nigeria

ABSTRACT. Acid rain condition were simulated on three selected stone-coated roofing sheets sold in Nigeria to assess the rate of metallic dissolution using (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00 M) concentration of sulfuric acid, simulated acid rain (0.5 M  of HCl, HNO3 and H2SO4) for 30 days in a controlled environment. Six metals (Pb, Fe, Zn, Al, Si, and Cd) concentration were determined using same concentration of sulfuric acid and distilled water for three hours at elevated temperature of 55 ºC. The results showed that as concentration increases across the three samples, the corrosion rate of stone-coated roofing sheets increases. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the weight loss of the samples were significant by all input variables. The fourth order polynomial model conducted for weight loss and corrosion showed best fit with regression (R2) which ranged from 0.95 and 0.99 across three samples except for 1.00 M of sulfuric acid at 0.8953, 0.8862, and 0.8933 for Sample 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Metal dissolution conducted for three hours showed that zinc had highest dissolution across different concentration, followed by iron respectively, aluminum dissolved at 0.75 M sulfuric acid; lead dissolved at 0.25 M, 1 M and distilled water while silicon and cadmium had relatively low dissolution accordingly. Acid rain has negative impact on corrosion stone-coated roofing sheets thus influencing its lifespan and durability.                     KEY WORDS: Simulation, Acid rain, Metal dissolution, Corrosion, Stone-coated roof, Nigeria   Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2021, 35(2), 461-470. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v35i2.1

Multi-Cultural Integration in Federal States: Catalyst for National Development in Nigeria

Challenges of multi-culturalism among federal nation have continued to attract scholarly discourses on the need for the citizens of such states like Nigeria to chart a common course for their development through the creation of synergies that foster unity against their divisive tendencies Debates here focus on problems of obnoxious and divisive tendencies that work against citizens integration for greater national development with emphasis on charting a course for their development This paper focuses on helping Nigeria s federal system overcome their challenges by fostering the principles of unity in diversity cultural integration and their commitment to common national ideal

Cost Implications of The Prevalence Of HIV/AIDS On The Economic Development Of Nigeria.

HIV/AIDS emerged in the last three decades as visible threat to health and the socio-economic conditions of developing countries including Nigeria. Against this background, this study sought to determine the cost implications of the prevalence of HIV/AIDs on the economic development of Nigeria. The study adopted mainly qualitative approach sourced from National Bureau of Statistics-(NBS) and Central Bank of Nigeria-(CBN) statistical Bulletin respectively for analysis. Findings seem to support claims that the incidence of HIV/AIDS exert serious negative influences on the economic growth of Nigeria. This is due to the fact that HIV/AIDS reduces to a large extent the proportion of the working population with its huge corresponding cost implications, which in turn affect economic resources in the country. The policy interventions strategies recommended for stemming the scourge of HIV/AIDS include; prevention of new infections, cost reduction of treatments for patients, positive adjustments of patients to employment environment and development of activities like pychoeducational programme to motivate and foster HIV/AIDS prevention and management behaviours among the Nigeria populace especially the youth

Cost Implications of the Prevalence of HIV/AIDS on the Economic Development of Nigeria.

HIV/AIDS emerged in the last three decades as visible threat to health and the socio-economic conditions of developing countries including Nigeria. Against this background, this study sought to determine the cost implications of the prevalence of HIV/AIDs on the economic development of Nigeria. The study adopted mainly qualitative approach sourced from National Bureau of Statistics-(NBS) and Central Bank of Nigeria-(CBN) statistical Bulletin respectively for analysis. Findings seem to support claims that the incidence of HIV/AIDS exert serious negative influences on the economic growth of Nigeria. This is due to the fact that HIV/AIDS reduces to a large extent the proportion of the working population with its huge corresponding cost implications, which in turn affect economic resources in the country. The policy interventions strategies recommended for stemming the scourge of HIV/AIDS include; prevention of new infections, cost reduction of treatments for patients, positive adjustments of patients to employment environment and development of activities like pycho-educational programme to motivate and foster HIV/AIDS prevention and management  behaviours among the Nigeria populace especially the youth. Keywords: Cost, Economic Growth; Employment, HIV/AIDS, Productivit

Cost Implications of the Prevalence of HIV/AIDS on the Economic Development of Nigeria

HIV/AIDS emerged in the last three decades as visible threat to health and the socio-economic conditions of developing countries including Nigeria. Against this background, this study sought to determine the cost implications of the prevalence of HIV/AIDs on the economic development of Nigeria. The study adopted mainly qualitative approach sourced from National Bureau of Statistics-(NBS) and Central Bank of Nigeria-(CBN) statistical Bulletin respectively for analysis. Findings seem to support claims that the incidence of HIV/AIDS exert serious negative influences on the economic growth of Nigeria. This is due to the fact that HIV/AIDS reduces to a large extent the proportion of the working population with its huge corresponding cost implications, which in turn affect economic resources in the country. The policy interventions strategies recommended for stemming the scourge of HIV/AIDS include; prevention of new infections, cost reduction of treatments for patients, positive adjustments of patients to employment environment and development of activities like pycho-educational programme to motivate and foster HIV/AIDS prevention and management  behaviours among the Nigeria populace especially the youth. Keywords: Cost, Economic Growth; Employment, HIV/AIDS, Productivit

Economic burden of heart failure: investigating outpatient and inpatient costs in abeokuta, southwest Nigeria

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a deadly, disabling and often costly syndrome world-wide. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of data describing its economic impact in sub Saharan Africa; a region in which the number of relatively younger cases will inevitably rise. Methods: Heath economic data were extracted from a prospective HF registry in a tertiary hospital situated in Abeokuta, southwest Nigeria. Outpatient and inpatient costs were computed from a representative cohort of 239 HF cases including personnel, diagnostic and treatment resources used for their management over a 12-month period. Indirect costs were also calculated. The annual cost per person was then calculated. Results: Mean age of the cohort was 58.0±15.1 years and 53.1% were men. The total computed cost of care of HF in Abeokuta was 76, 288,845 Nigerian Naira (US$508, 595) translating to 319,200 Naira (US$2,128 US Dollars) per patient per year. The total cost of in-patient care (46% of total health care expenditure) was estimated as 34,996,477 Naira (about 301,230 US dollars). This comprised of 17,899,977 Naira- 50.9% ($US114,600) and 17,806,500 naira −49.1$US118,710) for direct and in-direct costs respectively. Out-patient cost was estimated as 41,292,368 Naira ($US 275,282). The relatively high cost of outpatient care was largely due to cost of transportation for monthly follow up visits. Payments were mostly made through out-of-pocket spending. Conclusion: The economic burden of HF in Nigeria is particularly high considering, the relatively young age of affected cases, a minimum wage of 18,000 Naira ($US120) per month and considerable component of out-of-pocket spending for those affected. Health reforms designed to mitigate the individual to societal burden imposed by the syndrome are required

Photostress Recovery Time Among Welders in Owerri Municipal Council, Southeast, Nigeria

Purpose: The photostress recovery time (PSRT) scores of welders were measured based on age, workexperience and welding-method.Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted among 50 purposively sampled welders, who had clear ocular media, healthy fundi and visual acuities of 6/6 or better in the tested eyes. The pre-bleach distant visual acuity of the right eye was determined with the Snellen’s visual acuity chart, while direct ophthalmoscopy was done to rule out media opacities, retinopathies and maculopathies. The  right eye was dazzled for 10 seconds with the light of a direct ophthalmoscope held at 2cm from the eye. The time required in seconds to read at least, three optotypes on the line directly above the baseline acuity was recorded as the PSRT.Results: The 22-31 years age group recorded the least mean PSRT (16±8.8seconds), followed by the 32-41 age group (19.9±6.8 seconds), while the 42-51 years category had the highest mean PSRT (31.4±10.5seconds). Age associated significantly (p˂0.05) with mean PSRT. Welders within the 1-12 years’ work experience had the least mean PSRT (15.9±8.1seconds) while those within the 25-36 years recorded the highest mean PSRT (33.4±9.3seconds). The observed difference in mean PSRT with years of work experience was statistically significant (p˂0.05). Gas welders had significantly (p˂0.05) higher mean PSRT (26.6±9.9secs) than electric arc welders (16.6±9.2secs).Conclusion: Gas welding, increasing age and work-experience were found to be predictive markers of elevated photostress recovery time (PSRT) among welders. This underscores the need for eye-care practitioners to routinize PSRT tests in the ocular assessment of welders. Keywords: Photostress recovery time (PSRT); electric-arc; gas welding; welders; age

Pertophysical Characterization of Eight Wells from WireLine Logs, Niger Delta, Nigeria

Well log data from eight wells located in the X fields of the Niger Delta Basin were used in the determination of some Petrophysical characteristics of the reservoir sands. Well log data were obtained from sonic, gamma-ray, matrix density and resistivity logs. The Petrophysical characteristics investigated were porosity, water saturation, tortuosity and permeability. The results of the analysis revealed the presence of different sand and shale units. The thickness of each sand unit was highly variable, ranging between 6.1 and 21.5 m. Average porosities vary between 25.0 and 72.0 percent and generally decreasing with depth. A modeled water saturation showed a better value for water saturation (calculation) for non-Archie media. The correlation between the modeled water saturation method (using a different value of cementation factor m and tortuosity a as given by some literature) gives a weaker correlation for the non-Archie media while the Archie media gives a stronger correlation when compared with the Archie equation. The average water saturation of these units varied between 5.0 and 64.0 percent. These values are generally high for the sand units in varying wells. Similarly, the average permeability values varied between 22.0 and 70.0 mD. The results of this study will enhance the proper characterization of the reservoir sands and a better estimation of hydrocarbon saturation