Management Skills in Fish Farming Needed by Retired Civil and Public Servants for Sustainable Income in Ebonyi State

This study identified the management skills in fish farming needed by retired civil and public servants for sustainable income in Ebonyi State of Nigeria. The study was a survey research design. The population of the study was 33. It comprised of 10 lecturers and 2 technologists in the department of fisheries, 4 lecturers and 2 technologists in the Agricultural Education unit, Technology and Vocational Education, Ebonyi State University and 15 registered fish farmers in Ebonyi State. There was no sampling; the whole population was used for the study. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire which has four points rating scales of Highly Needed (HN), Averagely Needed (AV), Little Needed (LN), and Not Needed (NN). The instrument contained 32 items and was validated by 3 experts from the department of Fisheries in Ebonyi State University. The reliability of the instrument was determined by using Cronbach alpha technique to determine the internal consistency of the instruments which yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.84. The data for the study was collected by the researcher personally visiting the respondents. The data collected were analyzed using weighted mean and standard deviation while the t-test was used to test the hypotheses formulated at 0.05 level of significant. Based on the analysis of the data, the following results emanated; the retired civil and public servants need the management skills in pond construction, management skills in breeding of fish and maintenance of fish pond, management skills in preservation and storage of fish and fish products; and management skills in marketing and distribution of fish and fish products. It was discovered that there was no significant difference between the mean ratings of the registered fish farmers and the lecturers on management skills in breeding of fish, maintenance of fish pond, and management skills in marketing and distribution of fish and fish products. It was recommended among others that the Government of Ebonyi State should incorporate the identified skills into the training modules of the skills acquisition centre of the State and be used to train retired civil and public servants. Keywords: Management: Skill: Fish Farming: Civil and Public Servants and Sustainable Income

Production of bio-electricity through bacterial catalysis in microbial fuel cell running on garri-processing wastewater

Two H-type dual-chambered glucose-fed MFC reactors, each with a working volume of 250 ml designated as GPWW (enriched from garri wastewater) and the other as DWW (enriched from domestic wastewater) were constructed under same conditions and the anodes were continuously fed with synthetic medium (SM) at a flow rate of 0.7 ml min-1. An average power density (Pd) of 1.5 ± 1.39 W/m3 for GPWW and 0.6 ± 0.6 W/m3 for DWW was observed in 150 days of operation. The peak biomass density for DWW was significantly (P < 0.05 T-test) higher than that of GPWW by a factor of 2 (8.99mg versus 3.4 BSA/total anode respectively) on day 120 suggesting that more biomass was formed on DWW than GPWW reactor. This indicates that exo-electrogens in DWW reactor directed more of electron flow to cell synthesis rather than to current. The archaea footprints detected on the anodes were limiting factors in current generation. One vital milestone in this study is the discovery of the potential of garri-processing wastewater as a veritable substrate in microbial fuel cell technology.Keywords: Biomass density, Dissimilatory metal reducing bacteria, Current density, Microbial fuel cell, Power densit

A peace journalism approach to understanding the role of the media in the land disputes in Kenya

Abstract. Kenya is generally recognized as one of the most conflict prone countries in Africa, at least amongst those with a stable form of government. Kenya in recent years have been plagued by violence in the form of communal, radical islamists violence, land disputes, ethnic violence, hate speech, amongst others. The government have tried different ways of combating and mitigating this violence that has become a recurring problem in the region, however the disputes and conflicts seems to go on abated. Scholars from all over the world have studied on the role of the media in conflict management and have arrived at different conclusions – some found out that media contributes significantly to violence and can even be the cause of violence while others say the mass media can be a tool to promote peace and peace co-existence. This therefore aims to find out the how the Kenyan press reports conflict. The aim is to find out whether or not they make use of peace journalism approach to reporting on conflict. The findings of this study shows that the Kenyan press is not contributing to peace and is in fact inciting violence judging by the choice of words used in the news stories.Keywords. Kenya, Land conflicts, Journalism, Peace journalism.JEL. D71, D72, D74, F51

Intraoperative colonic irrigation in the management of left sided large bowel emergecies in Jos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

Objectives: To evaluate the safety and benefits of antegrade intraoperative colonic irrigation (lavage) and primary anastomosis, after colonic resection, in the treatment of left sided large bowel emergencies.Design: A prospective descriptive study.Setting: Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria.Participants: Thirty seven patients with an average age of 44.86 ± 16.15 years.Intervention: Sigmoid colectomy was performed in twenty two sigmoid volvulus, five sigmoid cancer, two faecal fistulae and one sigmoid injury. Left hemicolectomy was offered in four descending colon cancer, one descending colon injury, while anterior resection was carriedout in two rectal cancers. Primary anastomosis was performed after intraoperative colonic lavage.Results: The operative mortality was 2.7%, anastomotic leakage rate 2.7% and superficial wound infection occurred in 10.81%. The average duration of hospital stay was 22.76 ± 11.26 days. Intraoperative colonic lavage added 35.79 ± 7.25 minutes to the operating time.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that intraoperative colonic lavage is an effective method enabling the surgeon to perform a primary anastomosis with reasonable safety after emergency resection of selected distal colonic lesions

Special Cement Slurry Design Consideration for High Temperature High Pressure Gas Well

This study explores special cement slurry design consideration for high temperature and pressure gas wells. Seven different materials were used as additives which includes: fresh water, dyckerhoff, silica flour, antifoam, extender, fluid loss, dispersant, retarder, anti-settling agent, gas control agent, dry viscosifier, potassium chloride and accelerator. Four recipes were prepared using these additives in different mixtures. Recipe four has all the additives. A series of flow tests was performed using an advanced shear-stress/shear strain controlled rheometer. Rheological properties of cement slurries were calculated from the resulting flow curves using the Bingham plastic model and the Herschel–Bulkley’s model. Changes in shear stress–shear rate relationships, yield stress, plastic viscosity, and shear thinning/thickening behavior were found to be related to temperature and the type and dosage of supplementary cementitious material. The four recipes were applied in 10 cases. Among the four different recipes tested for all the 10 cases, recipe 1 gave a regression value of 52.19% correctness, 65.43% correctness for recipe 2, 23.72% for recipe 3 and 96.58% correctness for recipe 4. Recipe 4 has the best regression values for both temperature vs transit time and pressure vs transit time this can be accounted for the presence of both silica flour and potassium chloride salt

PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND PROTEOLYTIC POTENTIALS OF FUNGAL FLORA OF SOILS STRESSED BY TANNERY WASTES IN JOS, NIGERIA

The physico-chemical parameters and proteolytic potentials of fungal population in soils stressed by tannery wastes were investigated. The fungal species were isolated using hair baiting technique. Sabouraud Dextose Agar (SDA) medium was used for the isolation work. The pH, percentage moisture/organic matter contents and elemental analysis of the soil samples were assessed. The assessment of the soils polluted with tannery wastes was compared with that of the control sample collected from soils devoid of tannery activities. The results of the physico-chemical parameters of the soil samples showed the pH values of the soils to be 7.32, 7.53 and 6.46 for soils collected from Naraguta tannery (SNG), Dodo Street tannery (SDS) and College of Forestry, Jos (SCF control) respectively. The percentage moisture content values recorded for the soil samples from the two tanneries were higher than that of the control soil. The nitrogen level of the soil samples ranged from 0.010-0.19% while phosphorus ranged from 1.4-24mg/kg. The sodium levels were between 1.0-2.0mg/kg while the calcium levels ranged from 900-5080mg/kg. Twenty-one fungi species belonging to 12 genera were isolated from the experimental soil samples. Three of the genera including Cunninghamella elegans, Mucor haemalis and Rhizopus sp belong to the class phycomycetes. Others belong to the class hyphomycetes. Aspergillus niger had the highest number of isolation as well as highest frequencies of occurrence. Nine fungal species produced zones of clearance on the skim milk casein agar medium used for the assay of proteolytic activity indicating their potentials as keratin degraders

Development of a Reciprocating Motion Cassava Slicing Machine

The development of cassava reciprocating slicing machine was achieved using locally sourced materials that is affordable and effective. Although hand slicing is the cheapest form of slicing operation, but it has posed to be labour intensive, time-wasting, and hazardous. This necessitated the design and development of a cassava slicing machine. The machine's capacity for boiled and unboiled cassava root was calculated as 22.8kg/hr, with an average slicing time of 0.005hr for boiled and 0.00455hr for unboiled cassava root. The machine has low labour requirements and power consumption. The cassava reciprocating slicing machine use electric motor of 0.75kw (1hp) rating, with a speed of 99rpm. The machine is made with stainless steel for the slicing section and other components with mild steel and has an overall efficiency of 91.05%. The machine reduces drudgery and also enhances mass production of cassava chips, implying more profit

Effect of Agricultural Financing on the Performance of Agricultural Sector in Nigeria

The study examined the effects of agricultural financing on the performance of agricultural sector in Nigeria using annual time series data. The data for the study was sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Statistical Bulletin. Contribution of agriculture to GDP was used as proxy for the performance of agricultural sector, commercial banks loan to agriculture, rain fall, government expenditure to agriculture and interest rate were used as proxy for explanatory variables. Following unity in the order of integration, Johansen cointegration approach was used to check for the long run relationship among the variables. Vector autoregressive estimate the vector correction mechanism was used to examine the speed of adjustment of the variables from the short run dynamics to the long run equilibrium. The study found that there is long run relationship among the variables. Specifically; there is significant and long run effect of Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme on Contributions of agriculture to GDP. Commercial banks loans to agriculture showed positive and significant effect on Contributions of agriculture to GDP within the reference period. The coefficient of multiple determinations explained the variation in the dependent variable jointly explained by the independent variables. The study recommend that there should be increase in the amount which the agricultural credit guarantee scheme inject into the sector on annual basis and  proper supervisory measures should be constituted in order to ensure efficient application and use of the money

Knowledge and Roles of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Anambra State

The study ascertained knowledge and perceived roles of state based-Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in climate change mitigation and adaptation in Anambra State, Nigeria. Multistage random sampling technique was employed to select thirty five respondents from 4 local government areas and 7 NGOs in the state while data were collected with questionnaire. Percentage and mean scores were used in analyzing the data. Results revealed that greater proportion (60%) of NGO members were not aware of climate change while about 63% indicated that issues on climate change have not been included in their programme. They perceived major causes of climate change as over industrialization (M=2.77) and use of automobiles (M=2.74) while land degradation and over flooding (M=2.77 each) were major effects of climate change. Proper land use and management (M=2.89) and reforestation/ (M=2.83) were mitigation measures while minimum tillage (M=2.74) and use of resistant varieties (M=) were adaptive measures to climate change as perceived by them. They further perceived creation of awareness and sensitization of rural people/farmers about climate change (77.1%each) and helping government in enforcement of policies and laws that will help to mitigate climate change (57.1%) as roles they can play in climate change mitigation and adaptation. They did not perceive any major problem that can mar their contributions to climate change issue. The study emphasized on the need for private sector especially NGOs investment and participation in global and sensitive issues like climate change. This will go a long way in discovering and disseminating quick and useful information on climate change and probably ultimate solution to it