Government Expenditure on Human Capital Development: Implications for Economic Growth in Nigeria

This study examines the relationship between human capital development efforts of the Government and economic growth in Nigeria. It seeks to find out the impact of government recurrent and capital expenditures on education and health in Nigeria and their effect on economic growth. The data used for the study are from secondary sources while the augmented Solow model was also adopted. The dependent variable in the model is the level of real output while the explanatory variables are government capital and recurrent expenditures on education and health, gross fixed capital formation and the labour force. The result shows that there exists a positive relationship between government recurrent expenditure on human capital development and the level of real output, while capital expenditure is negatively related to the level of real output. The study recommends appropriate channeling of the nation’s capital expenditure on education and health to promote economic growth. Keywords: Human capital development, Capital and recurrent expenditure, Economic growth JEL Classification: H5, O4

A More Efficient Method for Extracting and Analyzing Pesticides in Baby foods

Pesticides that are used to control pests such as insects, rodents, bacteria, mold, and fungus in food production end up in the fruits and vegetables that we consume. Clearly, concentration levels of pesticides must be carefully monitored. Successful monitoring of the concentrations is critically dependent upon pesticide extraction efficiency, the pesticide structure and the matrix (food product) in which the pesticide is found. Variables such as polarity, solubility, and pH must be investigated. A common approach to develop analysis methods involves spiking food products with pesticides and evaluating method efficiency by calculating percent recoveries from the foods. Sample results from the Georgia Department of Agriculture Labs (Tifton, Ga) showed in some cases, a range of 84% to 140% recoveries for some pesticides on the lower end of ppm concentration levels. These recoveries were obtained from fruit extracts such as peaches, bananas, carrots, and green beans that provided very complex matrices. In this study, recovery range of 95% to 105% is our plausible goal to establish the efficiency of our extraction technique. We propose to develop a method that will improve percent recoveries by modifying the QuEChERS methods. This proposal entails spiking fruit matrices with known amounts of pesticides and studying percent recoveries by quantifying the extracts with standard instruments like High-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array (HPLC-PDA), Gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC/MS), and Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (UPLC/UV). The focus will be on improving the extraction process. Starting with eight pesticides, we will study structural differences in the pesticides via middle-infrared spectroscopy to establish extraction compatibility. Also, relative polarities under different pH conditions will be determined using reverse-phase HPLC/UV. This aspect will help with optimizing the organic solvents to be ultimately used for extraction. Lastly, the optimized conditions will be used to analyze bulk pesticides using HPLC-PDA and UPLC-multiwavelength detector (UPLC-MWD) for comparison. An efficient method was developed by modifying the QuEChERS method using liquid-liquid extraction and the percent recoveries were satisfactory and showed a good precision

Final Master\u27s Portfolio

In this portfolio, Oluwatobi Idowu engages with texts and cultural artifacts that explore the concept of power, identity, oppression, and imperialism as they relate to Africa, African American and Indigenous cultures in North America. He also explores late capitalism in relation to Mark Fisher\u27s central ideas about capitalist realism, and its effect on young people in the 21st century

Structure and function of microorganisms in the methanic sediments of the Helgoland mud area, North Sea, Germany

The Helgoland mud area was characterized by high sedimentation rates prior to 1250 AD, most likely accounted for by the disintegration of the Helgoland Island during this period. Presumably, high amounts of terrigenous metals (e.g. Fe and Mn minerals) and organic matter were deposited as a result of the high sedimentation rates. Evident from the deposition of high amounts of organic matter and metals in the past are the shallow sulfate-methane transition zone (due to rapid organic matter-dependent electron acceptor consumption) and elevated concentrations of dissolved metals (Fe and Mn) in the methanic zone of the Helgoland mud area. Such high concentrations of dissolved Fe and Mn have been observed in other highly-depositional environments (e.g. Argentine Basin, Bothnian Sea, Aarhus Bay etc.). However, whether biotic or abiotic, the source of elevated dissolved iron in the methanic zone is still not known. Amid several hypotheses, the exact mechanisms of iron reduction in methanic zones of marine sediments are also still a matter of debate. Therefore, as a first step to understanding the potential involvement of microorganisms in iron reduction in the methanic zone in marine sediments, this work provides a 16S rRNA gene-based characterization and quantification of bacteria and archaea populations in the surface and subsurface sediments of the Helgoland mud area. In addition, this work links iron reduction in the methanic zone of the Helgoland mud area to biotic activities and suggested microbial populations which may have been involved in iron cycling therein. High and depth-wisely increasing concentrations of NH4 in pore-water measurements from subsurface sediments of many highly-depositional environments around the world suggest that organic matter degradation is still ongoing in deeper sediments. Nevertheless, molecular information about the composition and diagenetic changes of organic matter from surface to subsurface sediments are few. On this front, this doctoral work shows that the most dominant bacteria and archaea populations in the subsurface sediments of the Helgoland mud area are influenced by concentration of organic matter, thus potentially important for organic matter degradation therein. Molecular characterization of a potentially bio-available portion of sedimentary organic matter (the water-extractable fraction) in the surface and subsurface sediments, using Fourier Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry, most 7 importantly reveals that while aliphatic, N-rich compounds, presumably of algal origin are preferentially degraded in the surface sediments, O-rich, aromatic compounds, most likely of terrestrial origin are utilized in deeper sediments. These results are consistent with observations in subsurface soils of peatlands suggesting similar diagenetic alterations of organic matter in marine subsurface sediments. It is a three decade-old finding that when poorly-crystalline Mn (IV) is added to marine sediments, there is a rapid formation of sulfate which is linked to biological activity. However, knowledge of the diversity of microorganisms involved in this reaction is limited. In experiments investigating the potential for chemolithotrophic Mn (IV) reduction in subsurface sediments of the Helgoland mud area, this work uncovers novel uncultured Deltaproteobacteria (tentatively named Marine Sediment Manganese-reducing Enrichment, MSME Cluster) potentially involved Mn (IV)-dependent sulfate formation in marine sediments. Overall, this work adds to the current body of knowledge on microbe-mineral or geo-microbiological interactions in marine sediments. The finding that hematite enhanced methanogenesis (by 25â 48 % faster) in a year-long slurry incubations with sediments from the subsurface sediment of the Helgoland mud area also provide a basis for future studies on how (semi)conductive iron minerals such as hematite, goethite, and pyrite may mediate electron transfer between specific bacterial populations and methanogens in the Helgoland mud area

Utilization of Library Resources for Effective Research Output among Post Graduate Ministerial Students of Adventist University of Africa in Babcock University

Adequate and relevant library resources and services at the level of postgraduate degrees offered by Nigeria universities should be that which support the intellectual culture of conduction an independent study Hence the degree of utilization of library resources for effective research output among postgraduate students of Babcock University becomes critical to understudy This study made use of the survey research design method A total enumeration sampling technique was used for the selected sample A total of 51 respondents made the total sum of the students The major objective of the study was to investigate the utilization of library resources for effective research output by post graduate ministerial students of Adventist University of Africa AUA in Babcock University Findings revealed that the most frequently used library materials is the online database dictionaries books and encyclopedia which are used daily while the least used material was CD-ROM database Furthermore respondents in this study affirmed that the available library resources have a very low impact on their respective research work This influenced majority of the respondent s level of satisfaction with the use of library information resources to be perceived low A test of relationship among AUA posts graduate students accessibility and use of library resources in Babcock University was positive at P 0 01 significant level In conclusion bases on the result Libraries in Nigerian universities should regularly evaluates the quality adequacy and use of their library s information resources and services in other to meet up with the quality of library service

Worklife Balance on Employee Engagement among Women in Technical Education (Wited) in Polytechnics in Osun State, Nigeria

This study discussed the influence of work-life balance on employee engagement among women in technical education (WITED) in Polytechnics in Osun State. This is with the view of ensuring successful blending of world of work with personal responsibilities in optimal harmony.The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study was made up of women in technical education in government polytechnics, in Osun State. A total of 750 workers were selected from Women in the Technical Education through simple random sampling technique. Two research instruments titled Work-life balance Scale (WLBS) and Employee engagement scale (EES) adapted and modified were used to collect data for the study. The test retest reliability of the instruments administered within two weeks interval yielded .78 and 0.80 respectively. The response format used was the Likert format with options ranging from Strongly Agree (4) Agree (3) Strongly Disagree (2) and Disagree (1). All the instruments were divided into two parts. Part A solicited responses on personal information about the respondents while part B collected data on the variables under study. Multiple Regression Analysis was used to test the hypotheses raised at 0.05 alpha level. Result established that flexible work arrangement had coefficients β = 0.190, t = 1.688, p = 0.007 < α =0.05, indicating a significant influence of flexible work arrangement on employee engagement. Finding also, showed that work-life conflict also showed a significant influence on employee engagement with the coefficients, β = 0.385 t =-1.184, p = 0.002 < α =0.05, which indicated a negative influence of work life conflict on employee engagement. Based on the findings the study concluded that work-life balance should be comfortably blended with personal engagement so as to significantly engender employee engagement among Women in Technical Education (WITED) in Polytechnics in Osun. And that adequate skill and knowledge of assigned task should be sought to balance the fits in employee engagement among Women in Technical Education (WITED) in Polytechnics in Osun. The study recommended that management should build a work environment that attracts, retains, and motivates its employees to help them work comfortably to increase organization productivity, and that organizations should embrace flexible work schedule strategies as this would positively influence employee engagement

Performance Effects of Strategic Marketing Management in the Nigerian Telecoms Industry: Empirical Insight from Globacoms Ltd.

The rate of competition in the Nigerian telecommunication industry is moving at a leapfrog basis. Competitors are reacting like tigers, some are reacting stochastically and different classes of competitors are coming out with their different attacks whether offensive or defensive. This rate of competition has made strategic marketing managers to put all hands on deck in implanting and crafting sustainable marketing strategies that would give their organization competitive edge in the ever turbulent business eco system. The paper therefore examined the effects of strategic marketing management on the performance of Globacom Limited with the view of evaluating the extent to which the organization strategically market its product and the methods it employs. The research design adopted for the study was a descriptive survey method in which a simple random technique was used for selecting respondents using administered questionnaires on strategic marketing. However, both primary and secondary methods were adopted and the hypotheses were tested using the SPSS (regression) method. The findings of the study revealed that strategic marketing management has positive impact on the performance of Globacom Limited. The findings also revealed that market orientation does influence the sales performance &amp; profitability of telecoms industry and that market segmentation is a useful tool to enhance customer’s satisfaction. It was therefore recommended that organizations should continue to apply Strategic marketing management to improve their performance level. They should maintain an ethical atmosphere since it is good for efficiency. The organization should also put more effort in managing marketing complexity, customer and stakeholder expectations and to reconcile the influences of a changing environment in the context of a set of resource capabilities. Keywords: Performance, Strategic Marketing, Management, Nigerian Telecoms Industry &amp; Customers’ satisfaction