Knowledge Sharing and Performance in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry

This paper is an attempt to determine the impact of knowledge sharing on organizational performance in the Oil and Gas industry in Nigeria.  The sample size of 100 was based on the population of 300 staff drawn from each of the three Oil and Gas firms (Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, Petroleum Product Marketing Company; and Integrated Data Service Limited) in the Oil and Gas industry in Edo State, Nigeria.  The paper employed a survey design. Questionnaire was the main tool used to gather data. Regression was done using Econometric view-7. The paper revealed that: knowledge sharing was highly positively related with organizational performance in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria; and Organizational performance in the oil and gas industry would manifest in terms of better financial performance, improved marketing of the organizational output, better supplier support, process efficiency and cost reductions if knowledge sharing was managed well.  The paper recommends that: knowledge sharing practices be encouraged, managed and properly documented to improve organizational performance; employees’ efficiency should be enhanced through training; and  Organisations should reward managers for providing the necessary support to employees who share their knowledge. Keywords: Knowledge sharing, performance, oil &gas and industr

Library Use for Agricultural Research by Undergraduate Students of the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management, University Of Calabar, Nigeria

The study investigated the use of the University of Calabar library for agricultural research by students of the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management. The general objective of the study was to determine the use of the University of Calabar library for agricultural research by students of the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management. The specific objectives include to identify the number of students of the Faculty of Agriculture who registered with the University of Calabar library for the 2020/2021 academic session, identify the purpose of library use by students, assess the material and electronic resources available in the University of Calabar library for use by students and determine the constraints to library use by students in the Faculty. The study was conducted in the University of Calabar, Calabar Nigeria. A stratified random sampling procedure was used to select respondents according to the Departments and level of studies from years one-five (1-5) with a total of 250 students as sample size. Data obtained were analyzed using simple frequency and percentage. The findings show that majority of the respondents are male 60%, non registered members recording 74% and 88% of respondents never renewed their registration with the library while their major reasons for non registration/renewal was lack of awareness/ orientation 56%. The major purpose for using the library was during preparation for examination 60%, print and book materials 64% are more in the library; and the greatest constraints was on the difficulty of getting information on specific contents 48%. There is poor usage of the library by undergraduate students of the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management, University of Calabar except during preparation for examination and their greatest constraints was the difficulty of getting information on specific contents. Thus, the need for awareness campaign and orientation on library usage and provision of a well catalogued library for easy access to research material

Reconstructing Deposition Environment Using Energy Regime Assessment of Stacked Sequences from Gamma Ray Log and 3D Seismic Data

Depositional sequence unbundling was done to understand the depositional environment from six wells through the analysis of gamma-ray logs using shale volume, and a 3D post-stack seismic. Identified hydrocarbon reservoir formations were laterally tracked to assess horizon continuity and spatial draping of the units. Horizon surfaces were built post-correlation to examine the bounded zones and reconcile sequences. Gamma-ray log motifs for the deposits indicate the presence of progradational, retrogradational, and aggradational sequence patterns that typifies prevalent energies at the time deposition, characteristic of deltaic environment. On the seismic sections, aggradational reflectors dominate over the other two. Although current well placements do not conform to structural attitude, petrophysical analysis done over the horizons indicate a significant increase in porosity and hydrocarbon saturation basin-ward (South-west), in the direction of the frontier prospect to site more wells

An overview of anti-diabetic plants used in Gabon: Pharmacology and Toxicology

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Ethnopharmacological relevance: The management of diabetes mellitus management in African communities, especially in Gabon, is not well established as more than 60% of population rely on traditional treatments as primary healthcare. The aim of this review was to collect and present the scientific evidence for the use of medicinal plants that are in currect by Gabonese traditional healers to manage diabetes or hyperglycaemia based here on the pharmacological and toxicological profiles of plants with anti-diabetic activity. There are presented in order to promote their therapeutic value, ensure a safer use by population and provide some bases for further study on high potential plants reviewed. Materials and methods: Ethnobotanical studies were sourced using databases such as Online Wiley library, Pubmed, Google Scholar, PROTA, books and unpublished data including Ph.D. and Master thesis, African and Asian journals. Keywords including ‘Diabetes’ ‘Gabon’ ‘Toxicity’ ‘Constituents’ ‘hyperglycaemia’ were used. Results: A total of 69 plants currently used in Gabon with potential anti-diabetic activity have been identified in the literature, all of which have been used in in vivo or in vitro studies. Most of the plants have been studied in human or animal models for their ability to reduce blood glucose, stimulate insulin secretion or inhibit carbohydrates enzymes. Active substances have been identified in 12 out of 69 plants outlined in this review, these include Allium cepa and Tabernanthe iboga. Only eight plants have their active substances tested for anti-diabetic activity and are suitables for further investigation. Toxicological data is scarce and is dose-related to the functional parameters of major organs such as kidney and liver. Conclusion: An in-depth understanding on the pharmacology and toxicology of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is lacking yet there is a great scope for new treatments. With further research, the use of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is important to ensure the safety of the diabetic patients in Gabon.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

PIRACY AND PERSONAL INSECURITY IN THE GULF OF GUINEA: A STUDY OF BAYELSA STATE WATERWAYS, NIGERIA

The unrestricted movement of ships carrying people and cargo is impeded by the international crime of piracy, which also has implications for personal security. The criminals are often eqipped with high-tech weapons to seize a ship or ships and direct them to the target destination in exchange for the stated ransom. This study scrutinises the rivers of Bayelsa State while investigating piracy throughout the Gulf of Guinea. In Bayelsa State, the centre of Nigeria's oil and gas development, the majority of pirate operations are concentrated. Some of the region's jobless youths resort to piracy as a way to build a resistance to the Federal Government of Nigeria's unfavorable "governing of its resources" initiatives. The study is anchored on Frustration-Anger-Aggression and Relative Deprivation Theory which brought to limelight, the supposed causes of piracy and its impact on personal security in Bayelsa State waterways. The study adopted the quantitative research method. For this study, primary data is retrieved through questionnaires. Findings of the study reveal that increase in pirate activities within the region will further increase personal insecurities. The result from the findings clearly showed that piracy has become a serious security problem in Bayelsa State waterways. Findings from the fieldwork, identifies deficiencies in the policies established by the government and other stakeholders to reduce incidence of piracy within the state. It is therefore recommended that although piracy has a lengthy history in the GoG, a visionary and competent government is often considered as a cure for all societal ills. As a result, given the occurrences of piracy, which generally bedevils the Gulf of Guinea and particularly Bayelsa State waterways, and the immeasurable damages done in terms of personal security as explored in this study, the preceding policy recommendations suffice in the search for a long-term solution on how piracy incidents can be circumvented. The study draws the conclusion that in the battle against piracy, the Federal Government of Nigeria including its National Assembly must be honest and transparent with the Nigerian public. In the battle against piracy, the government should place the highest focus on social amenities and employment development

PERCEIVED DETERMINANTS OF OIL SPILLAGE ON AGRICULTURAL LANDS IN IBENO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

The foods consumed in Ibeno Local Government Area in particular and Akwa Ibom State in general are from the rural areas. The fundamental problem associated with agricultural production in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, is oil spillage. The contamination of soils by carbon monoxides led to the destruction of vegetation, macro substances and soil degradation. Most farmers and even those who intend to go into agricultural enterprise in the oil producing areas of Akwa Ibom State in general and Ibeno Local Government Area in particular are discouraged from doing so, because of serious damage on agricultural lands occasioned by oil exploration in the study area. This study aimed at determining the perceived causes of oil spillage on agricultural lands in Ibeno. The study identified the socio-economic characteristics of respondents in the study area, showed the socio-economic w ellbeing of respondents and the perceived causes of oil spillage on agricultural lands in Ibeno Local Government Area. Purposive sampling technique was used to select four (4) agricultural cells for the study. Forty respondents were selected from each of the localities making a total of 120 respondents for the study. Data were collected using questionnaires. This was done using frequency, mean scores and ranks. The results showed that majority of the respondents were aged between 26 and 35 years, 71% were males, 41% had secondary level of education. About 58% of the respondents were engaged in fish farming activities. Equipment failure (x=4.56), pipeline corrosion (x=4.05) and pipeline sabotage (x=3.01) ranked 1st and 2nd respectively were perceived as the major causes of oil spillage on agricultural lands in the study area. Also, relationship between host communities and oil companies (x=4.30), economic activities in the communities (x=4.19) and unrest in the communities (x=3.84) ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd were the major influence of oil spillage on the socioeconomic wellbeing of the respondents. The study concludes that oil spills are caused by pipeline corrosion, equipment failure and sabotage. On the other hand, the study recommends use of modern pipes made to withstand stress and strains to avoid oil spillage in the study area

Nonoperative Management in Neurologically Intact Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures: Clinical and Radiographic Outcomes.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: The identification of factors that lead to the failure of nonoperative management in neurologically intact thoracolumbar burst fractures. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures (TLBF) can be controversial, particularly in the neurologically intact. Surgery for intact burst fractures has been advocated for early mobilization and a shorter hospital stay. These goals, however, have not always been achieved, rejuvenating an interest in nonoperative treatment. METHODS: Sixty-eight neurologically intact patients with burst fractures of the thoracolumbar junction (T11-L2), and a thoracolumbar injury classification and severity score (TLICS) of 2, were treated at our institution. Based on CT scans, patients were scored based on the load-sharing classification (LSC) scale. Initial treatment consisted of bracing in clamshell thoracolumbar orthosis and gradual mobilization. RESULTS: Owing to pain limiting mobilization, 18 patients failed nonoperative management and required instrumentation. Those who failed nonsurgical management were significantly more kyphotic (8° ± 10) and stenotic (52% ± 14%) than those successfully treated nonoperatively (3° ± 7 and 63 ± 12%, respectively). The LSC score of those undergoing surgery (6.9 ± 1.1) was also greater than those successfully treated nonoperatively (5.8 ± 1.3, P = 0.006). Length of hospitalization was longer, and hospital charges higher in those requiring surgery compared to the nonoperative group. At follow-up there was no difference between groups in the visual analog score for pain (VAS) or the Oswestry disability index. CONCLUSION: Owing to pain limiting mobilization, a quarter of neurologically intact patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures and a TLICS score of 2 failed nonsurgical management. The greater the kyphosis, stenosis, and fragmentation of the fracture, the more likely patients required surgery. In addition to the TLICS classification, other radiographic and clinical parameters should be included in selecting appropriate treatment strategy. The cost savings with nonoperative treatment of intact burst fractures, when appropriate, are significant