Treatment of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Drinking Water in Niger Delta, Nigeria Using Low-Cost Adsorbents (Coconut Shell)

The basic aim of this research was to explore how to effectively treat hydrocarbon contaminated drinking water using activated carbon made from coconut shell, in the context of Niger Delta region of Nigeria. While adsorption was seen as a viable option for easy removal of hydrocarbon contaminated drinking, simulation of contaminated drinking water was carried out using diesel as contaminant. The results indicated that there was more of a physical process in the tests/analysis rather than the anticipated chemical process. When fitted into existing Isotherm models, values charts and values obtained showed that the adsorption was not a favorable one for treatment of hydrocarbon contaminated drinking water. The study identified huge hydrocarbon contamination in drinking in Niger Delta and concluded that further studies be carried out in order to effectively curb the problem, in a more economical and viable manner. Keywords: Hydrocarbon contaminated drinking water, Pollution, Activated Carbon, Water Treatment, Niger Delta, Nigeri

TAX REVENUE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

The study was conducted to investigate the impact of tax revenue on the economic development in Nigeria with reference to time frame that spanned from 1994 to 2021. The study employed gross domestic product per capita as measures of economic development and considered petroleum profit tax, value-added tax and custom and excise duty as tax revenue sources. also using inflation as the mediating variable Secondary data was employed from the annual report and repository of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the federal inland revenue services online report. The employed data analysis techniques in the study are the Stationarity, Autoregressive Distributive Lag, the stepwise, and the Granger Causality tests. The study observed mixed stationarity at level and first difference. In the long run, it was observed that only the immediate past value of petroleum profit tax revenue per capita, had a valuable influence on the economic development. Inflation rate was observed to positively and significantly moderate the relationship between tax revenue and economic development in Nigeria. The study therefore concludes that that tax revenue had selective effect on economic development in Nigeria. Based on these findings, the study recommended, among others that tax authorities should encourage individuals to pay tax so as to improve the growth of the economy which the companies would benefit from, Tax holidays or incentives should be given to companies and institutions and individuals who have been compliant to tax payment

TAX REVENUE AND NIGERIAN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (1994-2021)

Motivated by the rising budget deficit in Nigeria and the need for reinforced revenue sources in Nigeria, the study examined the implication of tax revenue on economic development in Nigeria over the period of 1994-2021. The study employed the human development index as measures of economic development and considered personal income tax, company income tax and value-added taxas tax revenue sources and inflation as mediating variable. Secondary data was employed from the annual report and repository of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the federal inland revenue services online report. The employed data analysis techniques in the study are the Stationarity, Autoregressive Distributive Lag, the stepwise, and the Granger Causality tests. The study observed mixed stationarity at level and first difference. In the long run, it was observed that only the immediate past value of personal income tax revenue per capita and company income tax revenue per capita had a valuable influence on the economic development. Inflation rate was observed to positively and significantly moderate the relationship between tax revenue and economic development in Nigeria. The study therefore concludes that that tax revenue has a selective effect on economic development in Nigeria.  and recommended among others that; There should be a more effective supervision of the tax revenue by the tax regulatory authorities

Correlation between maximum dry density and cohesion of remoulded Nsukka clays

Due to the ever increasing cost of laboratory equipment to determine soil parameters such as cohesion and maximum dry density and the enormous time and energy dissipated in such experiment, this research work was attempted in order to investigate the possi ble correlation between cohesion and maximum dry density. Thirty remoulded clay samples obtained from Nsukka were used for this investigation. The clay samples were categorized into clay of low plasticity (CL), medium plasticity (CI) and high plasticity (C H) after preliminary tests have been carried out on them. To determine the correlation between cohesion and maximum dry density, unconsolidated undrained triaxial test and compaction tests were conducted on all samples and their cohesion and maximum dry de nsity values determined appropriately. Using regression analysis, correlations were developed for the various categories of clay soils. The correlation coefficient, R, obtained for the CL, CI and CH soils were 57.8%, 67.9% and 93% respectively. Based on th is correlation coefficient, it is safe to suggest that for preliminary estimates of soils, the correlations obtained for these soils will suffice. Keywords : Cohesion, Compaction, Correlation, Maximum dry density, Nsukka Clays, Triaxial compression tes

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

Amino acids profile, functional and sensory properties of infant complementary gruel produced from rice and defatted bambaranut flour meal

Background: The type of complementary food a child is fed should consider the energy and nutrient quality of the meal to meet the child’s growth requirement. Objective: To determine amino acid profile, functional and sensory properties of infant complementary gruel produced from rice and defatted bambaranut flour meal. Materials and methods: Rice and defatted bambaranut composite flour meal was made into blends of various proportions 90:10%, 80:20%, 70:30% and 60:40%. The amino acid profile, functional and sensory properties of the blends were analyzed. Results: Essential amino acids such as leucine(6.34g/100g-7.30g/100g), lysine (4.64g/100g-5.10g/100g),Isoleucine (3.48g/100g-3.70g/100g), phenylalanine (3.22g/100g-3.91g/100g), tryptophan (0.81g/100g-0.90g/100g), valine (3.31g/100g-4.10g/100g), methionine (2.10g/100g-2.36g/100g), histidine (2.10g/100g-2.26g/100g) and threonine (3.12g/100g-3.22g/100g) were detected; while non-essential acids such as Proline (3.10g/100g-3.30g/100g), arginine (5.02g/100g-6.38g/100g), tyrosine (2,12g/100g-3.30g/100g), cysteine (1.01g/100g-1.34g/100g), alanine (4.03g/100g-4.46g/100g), glutamic acid (11.12g/100g-13.20g/100g), glycine (3.19g/100g-4.20g/100g),serine(2.57g/100g-3.30g/100g), and aspartic acid (7.70g/100g-8.30g/100g) were also detected. The functional properties evaluated were bulk density which ranged from 0.54g/ml -0.58g/ml; water absorption capacity 141.40g/ml- 180.56g/ml; oil absorption capacity 166.32g/ml-128.21g/ml; swelling capacity 12.09g/ml-18.70g/ml; foam capacity 3.18g/ml-6.20g/ml; least gelation 3.80g/ml-7.62g/ml. Conclusion: The samples were acceptable to the panelists (nursing mothers); although sample rice based contained 10% defatted bambaranut infant complementary gruel with highest average mean score of 7.93 was most preferred

The impact of advocacy and community mobilization on the utilization of health services at the Comprehensive Health Centre, Gindiri.

Primary Health Care facilities provide promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to a community. They may be well built and equipped with adequate resources but grossly underutilized due to several factors. Health records at the Comprehensive Health Centre Gindiri for 2005 were compared with those of 2007 after a wellcoordinated advocacy and mobilization programme in that community. The results show that the total out patient attendance in 2007 increased by 220.6% when compared to that of 2005. 293 patients were admitted into the wards in 2005 compared to 813 in 2007(277%). There was no surgery carried out in the whole of 2005, whereas in 2007 there were 98 surgeries. Advocacy and community mobilization could be important factors in the utilization of primary health service

Innovation platforms: experiences with their institutional embedding in agricultural research for development

Innovation Platforms (IPs) are seen as a promising vehicle to foster a paradigm shift in agricultural research for development (AR4D). By facilitating interaction, negotiation and collective action between farmers, researchers and other stakeholders, IPs can contribute to more integrated, systemic innovation that is essential for achieving agricultural development impacts. However, successful implementation of IPs requires institutional change within AR4D establishments. The objective of this paper is to reflect on the implementation and institutionalisation of IPs in present AR4D programmes. We use experiences from sub-Saharan Africa to demonstrate how the adoption and adaptation of IPs creates both opportunities and challenges that influence platform performance and impact. Niche-regime theory is used to understand challenges, and anticipate on how to deal with them. A key concern is whether IPs in AR4D challenge or reinforce existing technology-oriented agricultural innovation paradigms. For example, stakeholder representation, facilitation and institutional embedding determine to a large extent whether the IP can strengthen systemic capacity to innovate that can lead to real paradigm change, or are merely ‘old wine in new bottles’ and a continuation of ‘business as usual’. Institutional embedding of IPs and – more broadly – the transition from technology-oriented to system-oriented AR4D approaches requires structural changes in organisational mandates, incentives, procedures and funding, as well as investments in exchange of experiences, learning and capacity development

Consumer Motivation and Multilevel Marketing on Health Products

Multi Level Marketing (MLM) for healthcare product is one of the dramatic transformations that have emerged in contemporary times with varying behavioral responses. Its increasing acceptance in Nigeria is because people find it an alternative option to addressing diverse health concerns amidst other economic benefits. The study considered multilevel marketing in health with a key focus on the relationship between multilevel health products and continuance intention