Relationship Between Oil Theft, Pipeline Vandalism, and Security Costs With Revenue Losses

The oil and gas multinational companies (MNCs) in the Niger Delta continue to face numerous challenges operating in the region, especially concerning the loss of revenue. Based on the resource dependence theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between oil theft, pipeline vandalism, security costs, and revenue. Eighty-eight mid- to high-level managers of oil and gas completed the Factors That Affect Company Revenue instrument. The results of the multiple linear regression analyses indicated the model was able to significantly predict revenue, F(3,88) = 947,279.44, p \u3c .001, R2 = 1.000. All 3 predictors contributed significantly to the model, with pipeline vandalism recording the highest beta value (Ã? = .553, p = .000), the oil theft predictor with the next highest beta weight (Ã? = .451, p = .000), and the security costs predictor with the next highest beta weight (Ã? = .387, p = .000). The leaders of the oil and gas MNCs could use the outcome of this study in creating strategies and policies that guide their operations in the region, which would improve the relationship with host communities and mitigate their efforts in reducing the loss of revenue. Improved relations would result in a reduction of oil theft, pipeline vandalism, and security costs, thereby reducing revenue losses. The implication of positive social change includes implementation of more corporate social responsibility strategies and improving the economy of the region and the livelihood of the host communities

POVERTY AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NSUKKA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ENUGU STATE , SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA

The study examined the incidence of poverty and socio-economic development in Nsukka Local Government Area (LGA) in Enugu State of Nigeria. . The data for the study were obtained from primary and secondary sources. The primary sources were field observations, questionnaire survey and personal interviews. Thus, the data generated during the course of the study were analyzed using statistical techniques of Poverty Headcount Index (PHI), Availability Index and Spearman's Correlation Analysis. The results of the Poverty Headcount Index shows that the level of poverty in Nsukka LGA is 69.2%, representing a poverty headcount index of 0.692, while the results of the composite Availability Index reveals that the level of socio-economic development is low, with a composite availability Index of 580. On the other hand, the result of the Spearman's Rank Correlation analysis shows that the correlation coefficient between poverty and socio-economic development is -0.95 which is very high, negative and significant at 5% probability level. Therefore, based on the results of the findings of the study, we suggest that the development of human capital, and the provision and sustenance of infrastructural facilities and social amenities such as road network, electricity and water supply, will go a long way in combating poverty and fostering socio-economic development in the area. Keywords: Poverty, Development, Relationship, Nsukka

New Media and Challenges of Information Control: A Study among Commercial Banks\u27 Information Managers in Nigeria

Founded on digital technology, new media forms empower users to easily broadcast or narrowcast at low cost and without intermediary gatekeepers. Arguably, such empowerment may be frowned at by banks\u27 information managers as their industry seem particularly vulnerable in the face of imprudent public dissemination of internal information. For example, negative information that goes viral on social media has the potential to cause grave damage to a bank\u27s reputation and could even lead to a run on the bank. Despite the aforementioned new media empowerment and risk dilemma, the academic literature is surprisingly silent about the challenges facing sensitive industries like banks in the control of information in the new media age. We therefore carried out a study among information managers in selected commercial banks in Nigeria to find out their attitude towards the empowerment and risk dilemma posed by new media and how the latter affects their work as organization\u27s information controllers or gatekeepers. Out of the 22 commercial banks that operate in Nigeria, 13 commercial banks were selected using lottery method. Survey and in-depth interviews were carried out among the banks\u27 information managers. In addition, survey questionnaires were distributed among three other subgroups of stakeholders – bank customers, bank employees and journalists. Twelve of the thirteen information managers studied indicated that they use social media to disseminate organizational information. However, all agree that social media is the media form that poses the greatest challenge in terms of controlling the dissemination of information about their organization. Furthermore, in comparison to customers and employees, journalists were perceived by the information managers as the stakeholders that most undermine the ethics of communication. This position seems corroborated by the finding that majority (76%) of the journalists surveyed affirmed that they\u27ve used their news platform or social media to complain about the banks and 37% say that they\u27ve done so frequently. However, contrary to the perception by the information managers, the journalists (82%) claim that they do so ethically. This disparity suggests the need to harmonize ethical standards between journalists and the banks\u27 information managers. Even though only 36% of customers say that they have used social media to criticize their banks, 23% say that they never put ethics into consideration. This lack of ethical consideration in itself could pose risk for information managers, suggesting the need to educate or sensitize the customers. Results suggest that employees are the least problematic compared to journalists and customers. This may not be unconnected with the proactive measures put in place as indicated by the information managers. These include affirmation of the code of ethics, information scanning/authorization, staff awareness and sensitization, stakeholder engagement, prevention of negative flow of information and speculation, shielding of sensitive information, management approval before publication of any organizational information, procedure/policy framework in place for employee communication. All the information managers were also of the opinion that appropriate sanctions should be in place for defaulting employees. We consider this study as having opened a furrow in research about organizational information gatekeeping in the new media era. In recognition of the empowerment of all stakeholders in the new media space, we suggest that information managers ought to recognize other stakeholders as co-gatekeepers. We recommend that the co-gatekeeper paradigm be further explored as an approach to influencing stakeholders for effective communication and reputational risk mitigation in the new media space

Characterisation and Treatment of Automobile and Battery Water Waste Using Coagulation and Adsorption Technique

Adsorption processes have seen a broad level of usage by various researchers over the years to remove heavy metals from waste streams. An adsorbent frequently used is activated carbon. Although activated carbon is used extensively in water and wastewater industries, it remains expensive. In recent years, there has been a need for economical and safe methods for heavy metal elimination from contaminated water. This need has only grown, which gave rise to research aimed toward producing low-cost alternatives to activated carbon. There is an urgent need to explore all possible sources of inexpensive agro-based adsorbents, and heavy metal removal's feasibility should be studied in great detail. This research objective is to learn how inexpensive adsorbents can remove heavy metals from wastewater. Treating Automobile battery waste efficiently remains a significant challenge due to its enormous quantity, hazardous nature, and complexity. When effective treatment technology has poor implementation, this aggravates the situation and worsens the situation further in countries with high and rising populations. This leads to more pressures of urbanisation and industrials, giving room for more industrial waste.This research suggests the best possible options by critically reviewing the existing practices. While slow biological treatment schemes usually fail to support microbial activities in the presence of toxic components in concentrations, other physicochemical plans often need to meet strict waste disposal and discharge regulations. The approach where sludge disposal is thermally incinerated has never seen environmental justification, and this is because of dioxin release and obnoxious substances transferred directly. Newly emerging membrane-based schemes can be flexible, environmentally friendly, petite, economically self-sufficient, and easy to implement and maintain after installation

Rural Women’s Participation in the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme in Abia State Nigeria

This work assessed participation of rural women in Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) in Abia State. Multistage random sampling was used to select 120 farmers. Results indicated 35.3% of the registered women participated in the programme while 62.93% of them rated GESS as moderately effective. However, lack of electricity to power their phone (59.48%), delay in receiving SMS (57.75%) and inadequate quantity of inputs received (62.06%) were constraints to active participation of women in GESS. The Probit estimate of the relationship between the age, marital status, awareness, level of education, family size, extension contact, membership to social organization  and monthly income of the women and their level of participation in the Scheme showed that coefficient of awareness (0.205) was positive and significant while age (-1.105*) and monthly income (-1.915*) were negative and also significant. It is therefore recommended that the government improve on the technicalities of Sms delivery and the quantity of input through the scheme. Â

COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES (ADPS) OF ABIA AND ENUGU STATES, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT This study conducted a comparative performance evaluation of Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) of Abia and Enugu states, Nigeria; with particular focus on extension services delivery in the study areas between 2006-2008. The specific objectives of the study included to compare the performance of the project in the two states with respect to extension service delivery. A hypothesis was postulated and tested in this study. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 200 respondents made up the sample size of 40 extension staff and 60 farmers from each state. Data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources with two sets of structured questionnaire and from ADP Planning Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) annual records. The data were analyzed using percentages and paired t-test. Analysis of the Hypothesis showed that out of the 11 extension performance indices measured in the two States ADPs, three showed significant difference at 5% in the performance of Abia and Enugu states ADPs. They are number of extension agents (6.676**), farm visits (5.984**) and monthly review meetings (MTRM) (4.588**). In view of this result, the study therefore recommended that government should make haste to employ more well trained extension staff to enhance extension service delivery in Enugu State.  This will speedily revive and sustain grassroots’ agricultural production and rural development in the state

COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES (ADPS) OF ABIA AND ENUGU STATES, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT This study conducted a comparative performance evaluation of Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) of Abia and Enugu states, Nigeria; with particular focus on extension services delivery in the study areas between 2006-2008. The specific objectives of the study included to compare the performance of the project in the two states with respect to extension service delivery. A hypothesis was postulated and tested in this study. Multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 200 respondents made up the sample size of 40 extension staff and 60 farmers from each state. Data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources with two sets of structured questionnaire and from ADP Planning Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) annual records. The data were analyzed using percentages and paired t-test. Analysis of the Hypothesis showed that out of the 11 extension performance indices measured in the two States ADPs, three showed significant difference at 5% in the performance of Abia and Enugu states ADPs. They are number of extension agents (6.676**), farm visits (5.984**) and monthly review meetings (MTRM) (4.588**). In view of this result, the study therefore recommended that government should make haste to employ more well trained extension staff to enhance extension service delivery in Enugu State.  This will speedily revive and sustain grassroots’ agricultural production and rural development in the state

Rural Women’s Participation in the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme in Abia State Nigeria

This work assessed participation of rural women in Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) in Abia State. Multistage random sampling was used to select 120 farmers. Results indicated 35.3% of the registered women participated in the programme while 62.93% of them rated GESS as moderately effective. However, lack of electricity to power their phone (59.48%), delay in receiving SMS (57.75%) and inadequate quantity of inputs received (62.06%) were constraints to active participation of women in GESS. The Probit estimate of the relationship between the age, marital status, awareness, level of education, family size, extension contact, membership to social organization  and monthly income of the women and their level of participation in the Scheme showed that coefficient of awareness (0.205) was positive and significant while age (-1.105*) and monthly income (-1.915*) were negative and also significant. It is therefore recommended that the government improve on the technicalities of Sms delivery and the quantity of input through the scheme. Â

ISSN 2347-954X (Print) Sickle Cell Anaemia: A Review

Abstract: This paper reviews Sickle cell anaemia.Sickle cell anaemia is a homozygous form of HbS(HbSS).This result from single point replacement of glutamine by valine at position 6 of β-globin chain.This reduces solubilty of the red cells which in turn leads to polymerisation and vaso-occlussion in the vasculature. The β -globin gene is found on the short arm of chromosome 11. The association of two mutant β -globin subunits forms haemoglobin S (HbS). Under lowoxygen conditions, the absence of a polar amino acid at position of six of the β -globin chain promotes the non -covalent polymerization of haemoglobin, which distorts red blood cells into a sickle shape and decreases their elasticity. In sickle cell disease, low oxygen tension promotes red blood cell sickling and repeated episodes of sickling damage the cell membrane and decreases the cell's elasticity. These cells fail to return to normal shape when normal oxygen tension is restored. As a consequence, these rigid blood cells are unable to deform as they pass through narrow capillaries, leading to vessel occlusion and Ischaemia. The actual anaemia of the illness is caused by haemolysis, the destruction of the red cells inside the spleen.Those suffering from this illness are present with chronic anaemia which those with normal adult haemoglobin genotype will not survive because of the misshape of the cells leading to destruction of the cells at the spleen

G6PD Activity in Malaria Infected Children in Owerri

This paper is a study of G6PD activity in malaria-infected children in Owerri. Blood samples were collected from fifty-one (51) children hospitalized in the Federal Medical Center (FMC) and analyzed using standard Medical Laboratory methods. Results revealed that out of the 51 children examined (26 males and 25 females), 39, representing 76.47% of the total malaria infected children numbers, were G6PD deficient, while 12, representing 23.53%, had normal G6PD. Two different plasmodium species and their percentage occurrences were observed. These were: Plasmodium falciparum (78.43%) and Plasmodium malariae (21.57%). The work indicated that male children were more (P < 0.05) deficient than females, with percentage levels of 61.53% and 38.47%, respectively. In addition, children between the ages of 49-60 months was observed to be more (P < 0.05) G6PD deficient (with percentage of 25.64%), while those between 0-12 months were least G6PD deficient (with percentage of 8.3% (P < 0.05)). As being afflicted with malaria carries a high risk of Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency in children, there is, therefore, urgent need for public enlightenment on public health implications, need for proper hygiene, as well as a need for strategies for preventing and controlling mosquito population