Financial Statements’ Analysis and IFRS Adoption during the Transitioning Period: The Case of Nigerian Banks

This study examined the effect of adoption of IFRS on financial statement analysis in Nigerian banks during the transitioning period. The same-firm year research design was employed using data from the financial statements prepared under SAS and IFRS for year 2011 for selected Nigerian banks. These data included: Current Ratio (CR), Return on Capital Employed (ROCE), Earnings per Share (EPS), and Debt to Equity (DE). Analyses of the data using ANOVA tests, correlation and OLS regression techniques yielded mixed results. The ANOVA results indicated no significant statistical difference in means of financial ratios of SAS and IFRS financial statements while the results of the correlation and the regression analyses suggest strong positive relationships between each pair of ratios. SAS financial ratios also exerted significant positive effect on IFRS financial ratios for each pair with coefficients greater than 1. The study concluded that IFRS ratios provide larger positive variations when their equivalent SAS ratios are positive and vice versa. Also, financial statements prepared under IFRS seem to reflect better economic reality of the sampled banks’ business activities because of its measurement procedures and more extensive disclosure requirements. Thus, we recommended that for effective analysis of financial statements prepared under IFRS, there is need for the financial analysts to take into consideration the numerous narrative reports and disclosures provided since values presented in the statements of comprehensive income and financial position alone cannot provide the adequate information required to make informed economic decisions. Keywords: IFRS adoption, Current ratio, fair value, impairment adjustment, EPS

Climate Change at a Global Concept: Impacts and Adaptation Measures

Climate change is a global concern and has affected all nations. Daily observations, scientific analyses, projections and recommendations on climate change and its global impacts, are needed at all levels of human and environmental development. This is important because of the conviction that approximately 3.3 to 3.6 billion people are highly vulnerable to climate change. Climate change has reduced food security, affected water quality and soil security, increased sea and land temperature, caused human mortality, caused soil damage through various kinds of erosion, increased flooding, and hindered efforts to achieve sustainable development goals. Climate change affects the global health, the global population and the global economy. This paper provides a general overview of the ideas and knowledge on concept of global climate change and maintains that climate change adaptation is required because of the increasing catastrophic events, which have reduced the quality of human life in all aspects (environment, health, economy, biodiversity). It has been suggested that global climate change research and development can help support advanced adaptation/mitigation measures

Impact of Waste Dump on Heavy Metal Pollution of Riverbank Soil and Physico-chemical Properties of River Arumangye in Doma, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

In Nigeria, rivers and streams are natural water bodies that flow through cities and town. These rivers and streams are badly kept with their banks serving as disposal site. A study was conducted in 2015 in river Arumangye, with the aim of evaluating the effect of waste dump on heavy metal pollution index of the riverbank soil and assessed the quality of water. The result revealed that the riverbank soil was contaminated with heavy metals. The largest concentration of heavy metal present was Nickel (54 mg/kg) followed by Iron (5.04 mg/kg), Manganese (1.66 mg/kg), Cadmium (1.15 mg/kg),  Cupper (0.65 mg/kg), Zinc (0.64 mg/kg) and the least was Lead (0.16 mg/kg). These metal content increases in ascending order in the soil as follows: Pb < Zn< Cu < Cd< Mn < Fe < Ni. However, the riverbank soil pollution index showed a reverse trend as follows: Mn < Ni< Zn < Cd< Pb < Cu < Fe. The pH Value of water from downstream was 6.45 which is slightly acidic than the upstream pH value of 8.12, while the midstream was 7.02. The WHO standard for a good drinking water has a pH value of 7.0-8.5. Also, ammonia nitrogen concentration on the downstream is high with a value of 0.64 mg/l, which is higher than the upstream (0.40 mg/l) and the midstream value of 0.49 mg/l; which is lower than the WHO standard value of 0.5 mg/l ammonia. Concentration of chloride at upstream was 23.00 mg/l, midstream sampling point had 24.00 mg/l of chloride compound and the downstream recorded the highest concentration of 28.80 mg/l of chloride. Dissolved oxygen in upstream was 3.80 mg/l of oxygen, midstream had 2.10 mg/l of oxygen and the downstream had a concentration of 1.90 mg/l of dissolved oxygen. The carbon dioxide concentration was more on the midstream (27.62 mg/l) sampling point compare to the upstream (18.67 mg/l) and downstream (18.69 mg/l). The water hardness was more at the upstream        (22.00 mg/l), while at the midstream it became 20.00 mg/l and decreases again at the downstream to 18.78 mg/l. Therefore, dumping waste in river Arumangye contributed in polluting the river bank soil with heavy metals. However water quality of the is river still good for consumption; since most of the parameters assessed are within WHO minimum standard requirement of a good drinking water

Impact of Waste Dump on Heavy Metal Pollution of Riverbank Soil and Physico-chemical Properties of River Arumangye in Doma, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

In Nigeria, rivers and streams are natural water bodies that flow through cities and town. These rivers and streams are badly kept with their banks serving as disposal site. A study was conducted in 2015 in river Arumangye, with the aim of evaluating the effect of waste dump on heavy metal pollution index of the riverbank soil and assessed the quality of water. The result revealed that the riverbank soil was contaminated with heavy metals. The largest concentration of heavy metal present was Nickel (54 mg/kg) followed by Iron (5.04 mg/kg), Manganese (1.66 mg/kg), Cadmium (1.15 mg/kg),  Cupper (0.65 mg/kg), Zinc (0.64 mg/kg) and the least was Lead (0.16 mg/kg). These metal content increases in ascending order in the soil as follows: Pb < Zn< Cu < Cd< Mn < Fe < Ni. However, the riverbank soil pollution index showed a reverse trend as follows: Mn < Ni< Zn < Cd< Pb < Cu < Fe. The pH Value of water from downstream was 6.45 which is slightly acidic than the upstream pH value of 8.12, while the midstream was 7.02. The WHO standard for a good drinking water has a pH value of 7.0-8.5. Also, ammonia nitrogen concentration on the downstream is high with a value of 0.64 mg/l, which is higher than the upstream (0.40 mg/l) and the midstream value of 0.49 mg/l; which is lower than the WHO standard value of 0.5 mg/l ammonia. Concentration of chloride at upstream was 23.00 mg/l, midstream sampling point had 24.00 mg/l of chloride compound and the downstream recorded the highest concentration of 28.80 mg/l of chloride. Dissolved oxygen in upstream was 3.80 mg/l of oxygen, midstream had 2.10 mg/l of oxygen and the downstream had a concentration of 1.90 mg/l of dissolved oxygen. The carbon dioxide concentration was more on the midstream (27.62 mg/l) sampling point compare to the upstream (18.67 mg/l) and downstream (18.69 mg/l). The water hardness was more at the upstream        (22.00 mg/l), while at the midstream it became 20.00 mg/l and decreases again at the downstream to 18.78 mg/l. Therefore, dumping waste in river Arumangye contributed in polluting the river bank soil with heavy metals. However water quality of the is river still good for consumption; since most of the parameters assessed are within WHO minimum standard requirement of a good drinking water

Human– wildlife conflict: issues, effects and conservation

Human – wildlife conflict was reviewed with the objectives of examining human – wildlife conflict and its effect especially those caused by crop raiding. Reports, write ups, textbooks, articles and materials from the internet by experts and professionals on the issue of human – wildlife conflict and the importance of conservation were all reviewed for the paper. The paper examines issues relating and emanating from human – wildlife conflict, its effect especially those caused by crop raiding and managing these effects in ensuring conservation. The need for conservation arises so as to protect wild animals perceived as threat to farmlands thus preventing the species from becoming endangered. The encroachment of wild habitats by subsistence farmers in Africa as a result of increased population is on the increase and this calls for concern. Crop raiding by wild animals is one of the major causes of human – wildlife conflict. Crop raiding can be simply defined as wild animals moving from their natural habitat onto agricultural land to feed on the produce that human grow for their own consumption. Some of the methods used in combating crop raiding include; Chasing crop raiders, Guarding scarecrows, plastic flags, Fireworks, Use of scents, Fences, Hunting, Trapping, poisoning. Some of these measures put in place portend danger to wild animal population. Conservation becomes important so as to protect the wild animal and its habitat encroached by man. The losses occasioned by wild animal activities will also need to be addressed so as to reduce crop losses. It is therefore recommended among other things that the need for conservation should be paramount in habitat management involving wild animals and humans, training and capacity building through extension services highlighting the need for conservation to the local community (farmers), adaptive management and applied research into the concept of crop raiding so as to reduce its resulting effects and also recognizing human – wildlife as one of the most critical conservation challenges facing protected areas today

Antiretroviral Regimens in Pregnancy and Breast-Feeding in Botswana

BACKGROUND: The most effective highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to prevent mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in pregnancy and its efficacy during breast-feeding are unknown. METHODS: We randomly assigned 560 HIV-1-infected pregnant women (CD4+ count, > or = 200 cells per cubic millimeter) to receive coformulated abacavir, zidovudine, and lamivudine (the nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor [NRTI] group) or lopinavir-ritonavir plus zidovudine-lamivudine (the protease-inhibitor group) from 26 to 34 weeks' gestation through planned weaning by 6 months post partum. A total of 170 women with CD4+ counts of less than 200 cells per cubic millimeter received nevirapine plus zidovudine-lamivudine (the observational group). Infants received single-dose nevirapine and 4 weeks of zidovudine. RESULTS: The rate of virologic suppression to less than 400 copies per milliliter was high and did not differ significantly among the three groups at delivery (96% in the NRTI group, 93% in the protease-inhibitor group, and 94% in the observational group) or throughout the breast-feeding period (92% in the NRTI group, 93% in the protease-inhibitor group, and 95% in the observational group). By 6 months of age, 8 of 709 live-born infants (1.1%) were infected (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5 to 2.2): 6 were infected in utero (4 in the NRTI group, 1 in the protease-inhibitor group, and 1 in the observational group), and 2 were infected during the breast-feeding period (in the NRTI group). Treatment-limiting adverse events occurred in 2% of women in the NRTI group, 2% of women in the protease-inhibitor group, and 11% of women in the observational group. CONCLUSIONS: All regimens of HAART from pregnancy through 6 months post partum resulted in high rates of virologic suppression, with an overall rate of mother-to-child transmission of 1.1%