Environmental and Social Accounting Practices, and Financial Performance of Cement Companies: Empirical Evidence from Nigeria

Engaging in environmental and social activities and disclosing same in the annual financial or sustainability report by business entities has been controversial for over three decades among stakeholders across different industries. Therefore, the objective in the research was to test the empirical nexus of social investment cost (SIC) and environmental protection cost (EPC) in relation to financial performance of quoted cement companies in Nigeria. Financial performance was further denominated into sales turnover (ST) and market value of firms (MVF) to respectively develop two hypotheses in their alternative forms. While the researchers adopted ex poste facto research design, secondary data were obtained from relevant annual financial reports and database of the Nigerian stock exchange for 2009-2017. Descriptive statistics were utilized for data presentation before estimating the test result by adopting multivariate regression model. However, the test result for H1 indicated significant P-value and F-value at 5% level of significance. In addition to accepting H1, positive Coefficients by SIC, EPC, and control variable (total assets-TA) demonstrated a strong adjusted R-square of 65.2483% association with ST, although, the coefficient for intercept was negative. Similarly, the test result for H2 also indicated significant P-value and F-value at 5% level of significance. In addition to accepting H2, positive coefficients of intercept, EPC, and the control variable, market capitalization (MCAP) of cement companies in Nigeria cumulatively contributed a weak adjusted R-square of 25.213% to MVF. However, the coefficient for SIC was negative. Besides observing low level and inconsistent environmental and social accounting practices (ESAP) among cement companies in Nigeria, the researchers concluded that such insignificant level of ESAP by such companies influenced their financial performance. Hence, the researchers recommended cement companies to adopt ethical approach towards expanding investment in ESAP. Keywords: Environmental and Social Accounting Practices, Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosures, Sustainability Reporting, Financial Performance, Accounting Measure of Financial Performance, Capital Market measure of Financial Performance DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-20-07 Publication date:July 31st 202

Review of Environmental and Public Health Impact of Automobile Wastes and Automobile Transportation in Nigeria

Automobiles are machines designed for transportation; it is a self-propelled vehicle with power source for its propulsion and is used for transporting. Most vehicles imported into Nigeria are rickety and are mostly out of use, and since there is no regulation with regard to quality and quantity of vehicles to be imported coupled with lack of technology to deal with automobile waste, large volumes of automobile waste dot the Nigerian landscape. Negative environmental and public health issues of automobile waste and automobile transportation result from the fact that its several components (metals, metalloids, polymers, etc.) on decomposition or expiration release toxic substances such as phenols (C6H5OH), benzene (C6H6), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and so on into the environment, while on operation, automobiles are the most significant source of air pollution as unburnt diesel releases particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10), oxides of carbon, oxides of nitrogen, oxides of sulfur, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), smoke, soot and ash particles, metal oxides, as well as nitrate and sulfate groups. The aim of this work is to explore and draw out salient points from previous literature with regard to detrimental environmental and public health issues of automobile wastes and automobile transportation

Secretion Of Methionine By Microorganisms Associated With Cassava Fermentation

Forty-six (46) bacteria were isolated from different sites associated with garri production from cassava: cassava pulp grated for garri production, grating machines, soil in the vicinity of the production of garri, and utensils involved in the processing of cassava into garri in several locations in Anambra State of Nigeria. Of these, Lactobacillus plantarum , Lactobacillus sp., Leuconostoc sp., Corynebacterium sp. and Bacillus sp. secreted methionine. The organisms were assessed for optimum methionine production at various levels of glucose, ammonium sulphate and varying mixtures of potassium hydrogen phosphate and di-potassium hydrogen phosphate. All the organisms required 10 g glucose for maximum methionine secretion. All the isolates required 20 g of (NH4)2SO4/litre, except for Bacillus sp. which required as little as 5 g of (NH4)2SO4/litre. The organisms' requirement for phosphate varied widely: the two lactobacilli required 0.5 g KH2PO4 and 1.5 g K2HPO4 per litre, Leuconostoc sp. and Bacillus sp. required 1.0 g KH2PO4 and 3.0 g K2HPO4 per litre. Lactobacillus spp. were the highest secreters of methionine, followed in that order by Leuconostoc sp., Corynebacterium sp. and Bacillus sp. The optimum period of incubation for the secretion varied from 48 h to 96 h, which is the period for cassava mash fermentation in garri production. The findings on Lactobacillus plantarum , Lactobacillus sp. and Leuconostoc sp. are of importance in any possible effort to increase the methionine content of garri. In this study the maximum quantities of methionine were secreted after 96 hours and 72 hours respectively by the lactobacilli and Leuconostoc sp. Since lactic acid bacteria are micro-aerophilic, it is suggested that lactic acid bacteria (the two lactobacilli and Leuconostoc sp.), which are the major organisms involved in cassava fermentation for garri production, may, in the less aerated environment of the cassava mash, produce more methionine and in shorter time, than observed under the aerobic conditions of this work

A robust augmented nodal analysis approach to distribution network solution

The ambition to decarbonize the source of energy for heat and transport sector through electricity from renewable energy has led to significant challenge in the way power distribution networks (DNs) are planned, designed and operated. Traditionally, DN was put in place to support the demand passively. Now with renewable generation, storage and demand side management through automation, provision of network support services have transformed the character of the DNs. Active management of the DN requires fast power flow analysis, state estimation, reactive power support etc. This paper proposes a method of power flow analysis which incorporates the challenges of distributed generator (DG) characteristics, demand side management and voltage support. The proposed approach reformulated the Jacobian matrix of the well-known modified augmented nodal analysis (MANA) method; thus, improving the robustness and solvability of the formulation. Reactive powers of the DGs, node voltages and currents of ‘non-constitutive’ elements were the chosen state variables. The performance of this method is compared with the MANA. Results are discussed and the effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated with two example case studies

Prevalence of malaria parasites and anaemia in pregnant and non pregnant women in Aba and Okigwe towns of southeast Nigeria

A study of the prevalence of Malaria parasites in pregnant women attending pre - natal care in Government hospitals in two major towns (Aba and Okigwe) in Southeast Ngeria was carried out.Blood was collected by vein puncture rom 500 pregnant women in different trimesters (300 from Aba and 200 from Okigwe) and 200 non - pregnant women, 100 from each town. Presence of Malaria parasite was observed microscopically on thin and thick blood smears prepared from each sample. Personal data were collected both orally and from maternity records of the women. The results were analysed statisticaly using the Chi - square tes. Only the ring trophozoite and gametocyte forms of Plasmodium falciparum were observed in the infected samples. A total of 270 (54 %) pregnant women out of the 500 examined were infeced with P. falciparum whie 66(33 %)of the non - pregnant women sampled were infected. This represents a significant difference. Aba had 158 (52.6 %) out of the 300 pregnant women examined infected while Okgwe had 112(56 %)of the 200 pregnant women examined infected. There was no signficant dference between the results obtained in the two towns. (P > 005). Peak prevalence was observed in the first trimester 64.1 % (100 out of 156) whe 3rd trmester showed the lowest 45 % (68 of150). Prevalence was also highest in primgraviidae and women in second pregnancy (67.96 %). Multiparous women (3rdpregnancy and above) had 39.31 % . Age was significant. Anaemia (Hb. < 11g/dl) was observed in 385 (77 % ) of the 500 pregnantwomen examined. Of the 270 inectedwomen 254(94.07 %)were anaemic. Anaemia was significantly higher inwomen with higher parastemia (Z.cal. = 9.06). The implicatons of this result on the epidemiology of malaria are discussed. Keywords: Prevalence, Malaria, Pregnancy, Women, Anaemia, PlasmodiumAnimal Research International Vol. 3 (3) 2006 pp. 508-51