An Investigation into Traffic Turning Movement at Jibowu

This paper aims at understanding the behavioral pattern of traffic at Jibowu intersection with a view of using the results obtained as a model for understudying traffic movement at similar intersections in the Lagos metropolis. Consequently, an evaluation of the sampled intersections was carried out by employing a physical measurement of the layout, traffic volume at each turning point, and evaluating it against the back drop of traffic delays at the intersections. The paper reviews the traffic flow situation within the context of increasing motorization, poor infrastructural facilities and a continuous stream of traffic inflow. It highlights the problems with emphasis on the importance of signalization, land use, intersection design and traffic systems management. The paper concludes that most of the bottlenecks experienced at the intersection are man-induced. Rather than obeying traffic regulations, people act otherwise either out of ignorance or gross indiscipline. Secondly the paper posits that the land use allocation in the area should be reviewed especially with emphasis on discouraging the luxury bus operators from using the area as their base or Main Park. Although the paper did not fully measure the delay at the intersection, it has however set the stage for further investigations.Turning Movement, Junction, Traffic Jam, Survey, Delays, Lagos, Turning Points, Signalization

The Need for Residential Tenancy Databases in Nigeria

Bad tenants can be a real problem for not paying rent on time or leaving properties in a mess. Lodged information about bad tenants in tenancy databases assists estate agents and landlords make more informed decisions. The study examines the need for residential tenancy databases in Nigeria. Often times, details on a tenancy application form may not be enough to make an informed decision about whether or not the applicant will be a good tenant. The study employed study focus groups using semi-structured face-to-face interviews to gather data among ten principals of estate surveying and valuation firms in Ikeja, Lagos on the one hand; ten prominent local estate agents; five prominent practicing lawyers, ten landlords of multi-tenanted properties and forty tenants within Baruwa/Ipaja neighbourhood in Alimosho Local Government Council area of Lagos State, on the other hand through purposive sampling method. The survey was carried out between September and December, 2013. Data were analysed using tables, percentages and ranking. The study showed that landlords, estate agents and lawyers ranked ability to guide and guard against loss of income to all participants in the real estate business as first and paramount reason for the call for tenancy database. The need to minimize capital loss to landlords was ranked second with ensuring a reduction in overhead expenses by landlords as third. However, public feelings about landlord’s rights on control of building use and character or emotions have no strong weight since for any business venture to be sustainable, a balance of power to a certain level, must exist between the investor and the product consumers

Challenges of the Urban Sector in Nigeria: The Way Forward

The study ascertains the enormity of research works on the `challenges of the urban sector in Nigeria over the years with a view to identifying grey areas where urgent steps need to be taken as a panacea towards improving environmental standards within the urban setting. The study relied on extensive review of earlier studies on the urban sector across the globe. The study found that contemporary strategies adopted to provide appropriate and affordable housing, portable water supply, energy, transportation, security, sewage disposal, drainages for the urban populace are fairly similar revolving around the establishment of national and city-based housing policies and targets and the creation of specialized agencies to handle urban housing tasks.  The study concludes that while there are a few signs of progress, the enormity of efforts of governments, at all levels, to address the myriad of challenges of the urban dwellers in Nigeria is simply overwhelming. Key words: urban sector, challenges, Way forward, Nigeri

Effect of dietary inclusion of Pleurotus tuber-regium on performance and intestinal morphology of growing rabbits

The Pleuroteus mushroom has immense growth and health promoting potentials. However, reports on its utilization in the diet of the rabbit is sparse. Therefore, a 56-day feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary inclusion of Pleurotus tuber-regium sclerotium powder (PTRSP) in growing rabbits. Forty–eight crossbred rabbits aged between 7 and 9 weeks with average initial weight of 700±25 g were used for the study. The rabbits were allotted to 4 experimental diets containing 0.0, 25.0, 50.0 and 75.0 g/kg PTRSP, respectively. Each treatment had 4 replicates with three rabbits each in a completely randomised design. Growth performance, serum biochemistry and intestinal morphology were determined. The weight gain and feed conversion ratio were better (P<0.05) in rabbits fed diet containing 50.0g/kg PTRSP. Rabbits fed diet containing 75.0 g/kg PTRSP had lower (P<0.05) serum cholesterol, creatinine and alanine transaminase and higher (P<0.05) total glucose concentration compared to those receiving other experimental diets. Rabbits fed diet with 50.0g/kg PTRSP had higher (P<0.05) caecal apical width than those fed diet containing 0.0 g/kg. Inclusion of 50.0 g/kg of PTRSP in the diets of rabbits is beneficial for improved growth, cholesterol metabolism and intestinal morphology without any adverse effects

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

An evaluation of small – scale agribusinesses and household income generating activities in Vhembe district of Limpopo province, South Africa.

No Abstrac

Impact of agricultural development on the health and nutritional status of children aged 0-10 years in a rural setting in southern Nigeria

Draft repor

Evaluation of a face-to-face weaning food intervention in Kwara state, Nigeria: Knowledge, trial, and adoption of a home-prepared weaning food

This paper reports on the evaluation of a pilot intervention which used nutrition education techniques to introduce a fortified, home-prepared weaning food (eko ilera, or ‘pap for health’) in 12 communities in Kwara State, Nigeria, from June to August, 1988. The recipe added toasted cowpea flour, red palm oil, and sugar to increase the energy and protein density of the traditional maize or sorghum starch porridge used for weaning from 38 to 85 kcal and 0.8 to 2.0 g protein per 100 g. A stratified, random sample of participating (n=295) and non-participating (n=301) mothers from the same communities were interviewed from 2 to 8 weeks following the completion of the intervention, and their rates of knowledge, trail, and adoption of eko ilera were evaluated. Of the participating mothers, 57% (95% CI: 51%, 63%) knew the modified recipe, 48% (43%, 54%) tried it, and 17% (12%, 21%) adopted it with the intention of using it in the future. Only 2% (1%, 7%) of non-participating mothers knew about the recipe. Multivariate analyses indicated that the mothers' level of education and their perception of the cost and length of preparation time of the recipe were significantly associated with its adoption. The intervention was successful in using face-to-face nutrition education methods to introduce eko ilera to mothers in this region of Nigeria and to encourage its trial and adoptio