Corporate Social Responsibility a Mitigation Strategy for Social Risk

Social Risk (SR) is a relatively new field in business management. However, social impacts are visible and can lead to operational, legal, regulatory and financial risks. Local incidents can be magnified locally and globally. Fully internalizing social risk issues is an evolutionary process for many companies. A key issue is how to ensure institutional commitment, consistency across the enterprise and in varied contexts, and durability overtime with regard to social performance. This study considers CSR as a tool companies can adopt to reduce SR and argues that if business managers are known for their impressive performances by way of delivering profits from operations within their operational environment to shareholders, they have also a responsibility to contribute to the development of the local communities they operate in; developments that would create positive impacts on the people and society and thereby reduce youth restiveness and other vices seen as SR drivers. Therefore, the paper concludes that the effective and efficient application of corporate social responsibility by companies operating in a community would go a long way in reducing the level of social risk drivers, improve infrastructural development and sustainable peace in that community. Keywords: Social Risk, Mitigation Strategy, Corporate Social Responsibilit

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA: WHERE WE ARE AND WHAT WE NEED

This paper reviews corporate governance issues in Nigeria from both its regulatory and compliance viewpoints. It explores whether rules and regulations as contained in corporate governance codes can adequately address the issue of poor corporate governance and the resultant business failures. It reviews the existing codes of corporate governance to determine whether the implicit interrelationship which should exist between corporate governance and ethics are clearly articulated. The paper finds that while the Nigerian code of corporate governance contains elements of international best practices as specified in OECD, CACG and IOD documents, a number of peculiar institutional weaknesses hinder the achievement of regulatory and judicial remedies open to stakeholders who are wronged as a result of poor corporate governance. The paper thus advocates for measures that instil high ethical and moral standards in boards and management as panacea to doing what is right as well review some codes

Submarine Cables and the Marine Environment: Enhancing Sustainable and Harmonious Interactions

Kingsley Ekwere，尼日利亚哈科特港大学法学院高级讲师。【中文摘要】：海底电缆网络已成为现代生活的主要推动者，特别是在这个信息高速公路时代，应尤其强调高效、高速的国际通信的重要性。全球信息基础设施的主干网现在主要是由光纤海底电缆组成。为满足人们更好、更快的通信需求，已经构建了长距离、复杂的海底光纤电缆网络，这些电缆横跨各大洋、覆盖各大洲。但是，通信革命已经给脆弱的海洋生态系统和生物多样性带来了巨大压力，尽管目前尚不明显。本文旨在探究海底电缆和海底生态系统之间的相互作用。在保全、保护、可持续管理或利用沿海水域和深海海域方面，我们面临的主要挑战是使通信革命所带来的惠益与潜在的环境影响之间保持平衡。本文认为电缆作业对海洋环境的影响是相对良性的，并指出通信电缆运营商和其他海底使用者之间和谐的相互作用，对实现环境的可持续性发展、海洋环境的保全和保护至关重要。 【Abstract】Submarine cable network has become key facilitators of modern life. The importance of efficient and high-speed international telecommunications cannot be over emphasized, especially in this era of information superhighway. The backbone of global information infrastructure is now preponderantly composed of fibre-optic submarine cables. To meet the ever increasing need for better and faster telecommunications, extended and highly sophisticated fibre-optic submarine cable networks have been constructed across the oceans and around the continents. However, the communications revolution has resulted in great pressure on vulnerable marine ecosystems and biodiversity, although not apparent currently. This paper aims to explore the interactions of submarine cables with seabed ecosystems. The key challenge for conservation, protection and sustainable management/use of coastal seas and deep offshore waters is to balance the benefits of the communications revolution against any potential environmental impacts.Demonstrating that cable operations are benign to the marine environment, this paper argues that the harmonious interactions between operators of telecommunication cables and other seabed users are critical in advancing the goals to reach environmental sustainability, and protect and conserve the marine environment

Framework of Effective Risk Management in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMESs): a Literature Review

Governments have realised the need to encourage entrepreneurs to open small businesses believing that the development of the small business sector will decrease high unemployment rate thereby leading the country to a sustainable economic development. However, research shows that this aim cannot be achieved by only facilitating access to finance to entrepreneurs but that some management strategies such as risk management should be introduced, understood and applied by small business owners, in order for their businesses to go beyond the estimated survival period of three to five years. This paper reviews and provides background to which risk management techniques are applied within the ambit of small enterprises. The review shows that not many SME owners, managers, entrepreneurs or key designated employees effectively make use of a well-structured risk management tool and technique within their businesses, to achieve growth and sustainability

Protection of Hotel Guests in Nigeria: Remedies without Redress?

A hotel guest injured or who has his property damaged or stolen within the hospitium of the hotel expects some form of redress, particularly, through the civil law mechanism. Primarily, civil proceedings is driven to ensure that such persons are compensated for the damaged suferred.  Such compensation is directed at restoring the victim to the position he would have been but for the injury.  This is captured in the maxim, ubi jus ibi remedium.[1] Besides criminal liability, the liability of service providers in the hospitality services in Nigeria is largely contract-based.   Legislative intervention provides protection for injured consumers of hospitality services in Nigeria. This paper critically analyses these remedies to discover whether indeed they effectively redress the injury suffered by consumers. Keywords: Consumer protection, remedies, compensation, hospitality services, damages. [1] That is, no injury without a remedy

Business Educators’ Level of Awareness and Utilisation of Assistive Technologies in Business Education Programme in Tertiary Institutions in Delta State, Nigeria

This study explored business educators’ level of awareness and utilization of assistive technologies in business education programme in tertiary institutions in Delta State. Two research questions were raised and four null hypotheses were tested for the study. Descriptive survey research design was adopted. The entire population of one hundred and twenty-four (124) business educators in the four public-owned Colleges of Education and one university offering business education programme in Delta State was studied without sampling. A validated five point rating scale questionnaire containing 14 items was used for data collection. Cronbach Alpha method was used to establish the reliability of the instrument which yielded coefficients of 0.81 and 0.73, respectively for two clusters of the instrument with an overall coefficient of 0.77. The researcher administered the instrument to the respondents in their offices with the help of five research assistants. Data collected were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions while t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that business educators are aware of and utilized assistive technologies in business education programme in tertiary institutions in Delta State to a low level and very low level. Business educators do not differ significantly in their mean ratings on their level of awareness and utilization of assistive technologies in business education programme in tertiary institutions in Delta State based on years of teaching experience and location. It was concluded that the necessary technological, infrastructural, instructional and motivational frameworks that will facilitates the integration of assistive technologies are missing in tertiary institutions running business education programme in Delta State. Therefore, it was recommended among others that, curriculum developers should design inclusive education concepts in order to facilitate the provision, awareness and utilization of assistive technologies in business education programme across all levels of tertiary institutions. .

Anthropometric Measurements in Adolescent Students: A Comparison among Three Ethnic Groups Living in North-Central Nigeria

Weight and height measurements together with Body Mass Index (BMI) are commonly used anthropometric measurements for the estimation of relative weight, which has a direct relationship with nutritional status, and for the classification of individuals as underweight, normal, overweight or obese. A randomized cross-sectional study of 1,057 adolescent students from three different ethnic groups living in Katsina-Ala town, North-Central Nigeria, was conducted. The students were aged 10-19 years, and were divided into two age groups: 10-14 years and 15-19 years. The two groups were later separated by gender into male and female subgroups. The One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to assess if the differences observed across the age, gender and ethnic groups were statistically significant. Further statistical testing was carried out using the Tukey-Kramer Multiple Comparisons Test. The results showed extremely significant differences, with P-Values up to ≤ 0.0001 amongst the various groups, in weight, height and BMI. Keywords: anthropometric measurements, adolescents, body mass index, ethnic groups, Katsina-Ala

Nigerian marine environment : the role of the Maritime Academy in promoting short course training needs to achieve prevention of pollution and marine environment protection in conjunction with the revised STCW \u2795 Convention

The dissertation aims to examine the benefits of improvement of manpower in the maritime industry through effective regular training programmes organised by the Maritime Academy of Nigeria to attain international standards in the sphere of marine environment protection. A close examination is carried out on the problems associated with the monitoring and detection of oil pollution of the coastal waters. The different sources of oil pollution in Nigerian waters are investigated and the competency of personnel required to carry out clean-ups stressed in line with IMO’s (STCW 95’) regulations. There has been fairly heavy tanker traffic on the world seas and oceans, and considering the very large nature of some VLCCs, the consequences of a possible tanker accident with subsequent oil spill would be grievous. A simple analysis of industry participation in curbing this ecological damage is highlighted. The concluding chapter examines the inevitable challenge faced by the Maritime Academy in providing increased awareness on the vital need to monitor and protect our marine environment

Synergistic Blood Sugar Lowering Effect of the Combined Leaf Extract of Vernonia amygdalina (Del), Telfairia occidentalis and Ocimum gratissimum in Alloxan Induced Diabetic Rats

Background: The incidence of diabetes mellitus is reportedly on the rise, especially in developing countries, and it is estimated that these countries will witness a 69% increase between 2010 and 2030. A high cost of medical care of diabetes is forcing an increasing number of people into the use of herbal alternatives for cure. In particular, polyherbal strategies of diabetic management are being canvassed as offering better prospects for maximal therapeutic effect and minimum adverse effects. We therefore assessed the effect of a cocktail of Vernonia amygdalina, Telfairia occidentalis and Ocimum gratissimum on blood sugar in diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: Eighty (80) male adult wistar rats weighing 80-150g were divided into four equal groups (A, B, C and D) and rendered diabetic by intraperitoneal administration of alloxan 150 mg/kg (Sigma St. Louis, MO, USA). Each group of diabetic rats was further divided into four sub-groups of five rats each and treated with Vernonia amygdalina, Telfairia occidentalis, Ocimum gratissimum and a combination of all three extracts respectively. Sub-groups 1, 2 and 3 were administered 10 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg of the corresponding extract, while sub-group 4 rats of every group received distilled water and served as control. All administrations were given intraperitoneally and 12 hour post-treatment blood glucose levels determination undertaken. Results: The leave extracts of Vernonia amygdalina, Telfairia occidentalis and Ocimum gratisimum each possessed significant blood sugar lowering activity in diabetic rats, for all dosage levels. In combination, they produced a synergistic blood sugar lowering effect relative to each constituting part.Conclusion: Vernonia amygdalina, Telfairia occidentalis and Ocimum gratissimum are each effective in causing hypoglyceamia singly and in combination. Their synergistic interplay may hold the potential for a more cost-effective approach to human diabetic management in resource constrained settings as Nigeria. Keywords: Vernonia amygdalina, Telfairia occidentalis, Ocimum gratissum, diabetes mellitus, polyherbalism, synergistic effect

The Mechanism of Action and Effect on the Cervix of the Seed of Ricinus communis Var. Minor (RICOM-1013-J) in Women Volunteers in Nigeria

The seeds of Ricinus communis var minor (RICOM-1013-J) have been reported to prevent conception for a year, when taken as single oral dose of 2.5-2.7 gm. This study was undertaken to investigate the possible hormonal changes mediating its activity and also evaluate any potential relationship with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in women. Sixty women volunteers attending a traditional herbal clinic in Jos, were recruited for this study and divided into treatment and control groups of 30 each. The study showed that RICOM-1013-J protected women participants against conception for a duration of 12 months, while maintaining regular menstrual cycles. Nausea, vomiting, weight gain, raised blood pressure and menstrual abnormalities commonly experienced with conventional oral contraceptive were absent. Further findings revealed a statistically significant elevation in plasma levels of prolactin in women administered RICOM-1013-J compared to controls (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in FSH and LH plasma levels between both groups. In addition, the prevalence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia between women who received RICOM-1013-J and control group was not statistically significant (p>0.05). It is possible therefore, that RICOM-1013-J may act in part through an oestrogen induced hyper- prolactinaemic hypogonadal mechanism. This study has provided the first insight of hormonal changes in human volunteers administered RICOM-1013-J as contraceptive agent. Key words: Ricinus communis; antifertility; oestrogenic; ovary; hyperprolactinaemia; intraepithelial neoplasia