Charcoal Enterprise in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria

Charcoal enterprise has been adopted to meet some socio-economic benefits and energy needs of the people. The study was conducted to determine peoples’ involvement, uses and reasons for using charcoal,distribution channel as well as weekly sales and profit of the enterprise. The results revealed that people involved in sales of charcoal were 28.26%, 9% and 2% of the respondents for Igun Street, Oba  market/New Benin and Ikpoba Hill market respectively. The identified uses of charcoal were for roasting of maize (32. 75%), Suyapreparation and cooking of food accounted for 13.70% and 16.13% respectively, while Black Smiting and Bronze casting accounted for 13.70% of the respondents. ANOVA indicated that there were no significant differences (P >0.05) among the identified reasons for using charcoal as well as the weekly sales of the product. However,distribution channel of charcoal showed significant difference (P< 0.05) with dominant retail channel revealed using fishers least significant difference (LSD). The weekly profits of over N2,000 were confirmed by 48. 48% and 24.24% of the respondents for the rainy and dry seasons respectively. Research effort in charcoal enterprise needs to be focused in order to ensure sustainable development and realization of the desired potential of the enterprise

Evaluation of forest policy in Nigeria: A case study of Edo state

The research was undertaken from 1997-2000 to investigate how forest policy has faired in meeting the set objectives in forestry contexts and development in study area. The result showed that deforestation and consolidation of forest reserves accounted for 73.64 and 3.10%, respectively. The result also revealed that there was significant difference in the participation of professional foresters and taskforce as well as regeneration and exploitation of forest resources (P&lt;0.05). It also revealed that there were significant differences among the threats to forest protection (P&lt;0.05) and further analysis with LSD identified trespass as the most dominant threats. The result also showed that the increase in employment, creation of man made forest and encouragement of private forestry accounted for 41.65, 19.85 and 10.19% respectively. It was observed that there was no significant difference among the various rates of decline of the forest estates under review.Keywords: Policy evaluation, environmental protection, consolidation, exploitation, pervasive issue

Production Elasticities, Return To Scale And Allocative Efficiency In Yam Production In Edo State, Nigeria

The study estimated the production elasticities, the return to scale and analysed the allocative efficiency of resources used in yam production in Edo State. A four-stage sampling process involving simple random sampling was employed to select 180 yam farmers and a set of questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. The Data collected were analysed using stochastic frontier production function and marginal analysis. The result of the study showed that none of the inputs used by the farmers was efficiently allocated and utilised. Land (15.72), planting material (7.27) and fertilizer (2.38) were under-utilised, while labour (0.63) and agrochemical (0.52) were over-utilised. This showed that there was the existence of disequilibria in the allocation and utilisation of inputs by yam farmers in Edo State. Also, production elasticity estimates indicated that the farmers’ production was in stage 1 (irrational stage) of the production function indicating that there is room for expansion in output and productivity of yam farmers in Edo State. This can be actualised by cropping higher hectarage of farm land with increased quantity of planting material and controlled usage of higher quantities of fertilizer as these were found to be under-utilised. A return to scale of 1.434 indicated increasing returns to scale.Keywords: Allocative Efficiency, Elasticity of Production, Return to Scale, Yam

Correlation between fibre length characteristics and mechanical properties of Tectona grandis wood

This study considered the relationship between fibre length characteristics and mechanical properties of Tectona grandis wood aged 15, 20 and 25-year. Six trees of even aged and similar class diameter were used for the study. Wood samples used for the study were systematically collected from three portions at 10, 50 and 90% of the tree height. The test samples were prepared along the radial positions from the pith to the bark. The relationship between fibre length and mechanical properties were examined using linear regression models and correlation coefficient. The results obtained from the correlation analysis carried out to examine the linear relationship between fibre length and mechanical properties of T. grandis wood were 0.924, 0.929 and 0.940 for MOR, MOE and CS parallel to grain. The relationship was highly significant (p &lt; 0.05). Also the correlation coefficient (r) between fibre length and mechanical properties of T. grandis wood were highly significant (p &lt; 0.001). Therefore, fibre length characteristics can be used as an index in predicting the mechanical properties of T. grandis wood

Dimensional stability and strength properties of wood plastic composites produced from sawdust of Cordia alliodora (Ruiz and Pav.)

This study evaluates the effects of densities and mixing ratio on the physical and mechanical properties of wood plastic composites boards at mixing ratio of 1:1 to 1:1.4 and nominal densities of 700kg/mm3 and 800kg/mm3. The quantity of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and saw dust used in the production of Wood Plastic Composites (WPCs) was weighed to a nominal density of 700kg/mm3 and 800kg/mm3. The materials were thoroughly mixed and fed into a neatly primed oil mould with a dimension of 300 x 300 x 10 mm. Test samples used for physical and mechanical properties determination were collected from each board produced from the mould. The results showed that WPCs board produced from mixing ratio 1:1 had the highest Modulus of Rupture (MOR) and Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) values of 6.52 mm N-2 and 564.95 mm N-2 respectively. Water absorption, thickness swelling and linear expansion of WPCs produced from wood/plastic ratio of 1:1.4 had the lowest mean values of 6.67, 0.83, 0.68% and 21.61, 1.33, 5.35% respectively after 2 hours and 24 hours of water immersion test. Analysis of variance carried out at 0.05% probability level showed that the effect of density and mixing ratio were significant on the physical and mechanical properties of wood plastic composites boards

Physico-Mechanical Properties of Cement-Bonded Particle Boards of Bambusa vulgaris and Gmelina arborea Fibres

This study investigated the effect of pre-treatment and particle geometry/stratification on the physical and mechanical properties of cement-bonded particle boards (CBPBs). 6 mm thick homogeneous cement-bonded particle boards were made from Gmelina arborea roxb. sawdust and bambusa vulgaris shard. fibres with type 1 Portland cement. The CBPBs were manufactured at four particle geometry/stratification levels and three pre-treatment levels. The CBPB was manufactured with a cement wood ratio of 3:1, board density of 1500 kg/m3, board size of 350×350×6 mm and a pressing pressure of 1.23 N/mm2. The CBPBs were tested for modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), thickness swelling (TS) and water absorption (WA). The MOR obtained for each of the 12 factor combinations in this experiment ranged from 2.02 to 11.27 N/mm2 while MOE value ranged from 253.88 to 4942.60 N/mm2. The mean percentage for water absorption (WA) values ranged from 8.78% to 35.66% while mean TS values ranged from 0.16% to 15.71%. Stronger and stiffer boards were produced using the sawdust/fibre/sawdust geometry stratification. Calcium chloride pre-treatment increased the mechanical properties of the boards, while Al2(SO4)3 improved their physical properties. There were significant differences between particle geometry and pre-treatment on both physical and mechanical properties of cement-bonded particle board (p&lt;0.05)

Effects of geometric particle sizes of wood flour on strength and dimensional properties of wood plastic composites

The effect of different wood flour sizes on strength and dimensional properties of wood-plastic composites were examined. Wood flour of different particle sizes viz; 1.00mm, 2.00mm and &gt;2.00mm were compounded with recycled low-density polyethylene (LDPE) at different wood/plastic ratio of 1: 1, 2: 3 and 3: 2. The results obtained showed that wood flour size &gt; 2.00mm has the highest MOR and MOE values of 1.206N mm-2 and 2484.72Nmm-2 while wood flour size of 1.00mm had the lowest MOR and MOE values of 0.505Nmm-2 and 2195.89Nmm-2 respectively. Also the results of the physical properties showed that wood flour size of 1.00mm had the lowest thickness swelling percentage with mean values of 0.28% and 2.08% while water absorption percentage has mean values of 0.91% and 10.58% after 2 hours and 24 hours of water immersion respectively. It was observed that wood flour size of 2.00mm and particle size &gt;2.00mm had the highest thickness swelling and water absorption percentages. This showed that strength properties of wood plastic composites increased with increased particle sizes whereas its dimensional properties increased with decreased particle sizes. The results of analysis of variance carried out on mechanical and physical properties showed that particle sizes and wood/plastic ratio had a significant effect on the mechanical and physical properties of wood plastic composites (p 0.05)

Evaluation of forest policy in Nigeria: A case study of Edo State

The research was undertaken from 1997-2000 to investigate how forest policy has faired in meeting the set objectives in forestry contexts and development in study area. The result showed that deforestation and consolidation of forest reserves accounted for 73.64 and 3.10%, respectively. The result also revealed that there was significant difference in the participation of professional foresters and taskforce as well as regeneration and exploitation of forest resources (P&lt;0.05). It also revealed that there were significant differences among the threats to forest protection (P&lt;0.05) and further analysis with LSD identified trespass as the most dominant threats. The result also showed that the increase in employment, creation of man made forest and encouragement of private forestry accounted for 41.65, 19.85 and 10.19% respectively. It was observed that there was no significant difference among the various rates of decline of the forest estates under review

Knowledge and Practice of Condom-Usage Among Undergraduate Students in Edo State, Nigeria

This cross sectional study was designed to evaluate the knowledge and actual practice of condom-usage amongst sexually active undergraduates in tertiary institutions. A total of 300randomly selected students (150 males and 150 females) of three Nigerian tertiary institutions and within the age range of 15 and above, were involved in this study. Data collection was performed using a pre-tested questionnaire and the result revealed that despite having knowledge about condom, there were low practice of condom-usage with little or no regard for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancies. This finding suggests that there is an urgent need to address the low practice of condom-usage among sexually active undergraduates in tertiary institution with focus on the importance of engaging in safer sexual behavior in other to curb the menace of abortion and the chances of acquiring STIs among sexually active undergraduates.Keywords: Abortion, Condom-usage, Knowledge, Practice, Undergraduat

Charcoal Enterprise in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria

Charcoal enterprise has been adopted to meet some socio-economic benefits and energy needs of the people. The study was conducted to determine peoples\u2019 involvement, uses and reasons for using charcoal, distribution channel as well as weekly sales and profit of the enterprise. The results revealed that people involved in sales of charcoal were 28.26%, 9% and 2% of the respondents for Igun Street, Oba market/New Benin and Ikpoba Hill market respectively. The identified uses of charcoal were for roasting of maize (32. 75%), Suya preparation and cooking of food accounted for 13.70% and 16.13% respectively, while Black Smiting and Bronze casting accounted for 13.70% of the respondents. ANOVA indicated that there were no significant differences (P &gt; 0.05) among the identified reasons for using charcoal as well as the weekly sales of the product. However, distribution channel of charcoal showed significant difference (P&lt; 0.05) with dominant retail channel revealed using fishers least significant difference (LSD). The weekly profits of over N2,000 were confirmed by 48. 48% and 24.24% of the respondents for the rainy and dry seasons respectively. Research effort in charcoal enterprise needs to be focused in order to ensure sustainable development and realization of the desired potential of the enterprise