Managing Gas Flaring and Allied Issues in the Oil and Gas Industry: Reflections on Nigeria

The level of gas flaring attributable to the international oil and gas industry is without a doubt very significant. This realization, has led to a global reaction to reduce gas flaring volumes in the light of the adverse environmental, economic and social consequences connected with the high incidence of gas flaring. Hence, the approach being adopted to achieve a manageable level of gas flaring is as diverse as the respective countries that contend with this peculiar problem. The direction thus far, has been to address the gas flaring dilemma on a national, regional and international platform. Gas flaring cannot be construed in isolation, and as a consequence its consideration, has also brought to the fore matters related to environmental protection. Moreover, gas flaring has been identified as a process that damages the ozone layer, and thus contributing to escalating the global warming phenomenon. Amongst others, this notable finding has further stimulated domestic and international initiatives aimed at curbing the adverse effects of gas flaring. In Nigeria’s case, there is an apparent incentive to mitigate the incidence of gas flaring in view of; the country’s heavy reliance on oil and gas revenues, as well as the identifiable policy adjustments that need to be achieved on a sustained basis

Collective Bargaining in Nigeria’s Public Health Sector: Evidences for an Inclusive Approach

This paper provides a background to the concept of collective bargaining and its history as it relates to Nigeria’s public health sector. It further suggests an inclusive approach to collective bargaining based on available evidences. In essence, it advocates a departure from ‘bread and butter issues’ being the centre-piece of collective bargaining, in the light of other competing issues such as, infrastructure, capacity building and quality assurance. It negates the perspective that prioritizes certain individual interests at the expense of other issues that are apparently militating against the sustainability of Nigeria’s public health care delivery system. The paper appropriately recommends that stakeholders must make concerted efforts towards ensuring the survival and sustainability of public health care in Nigeria. Keywords: collective bargaining, Nigeria, public healthcare, inclusive approach, industrial relations

Collective Bargaining in Nigeria’s Public Health Sector: Evidences for an Inclusive Approach

This paper provides a background to the concept of collective bargaining and its history as it relates to Nigeria’s public health sector. It further suggests an inclusive approach to collective bargaining based on available evidences. In essence, it advocates a departure from ‘bread and butter issues’ being the centre-piece of collective bargaining, in the light of other competing issues such as, infrastructure, capacity building and quality assurance. It negates the perspective that prioritizes certain individual interests at the expense of other issues that are apparently militating against the sustainability of Nigeria’s public health care delivery system. The paper appropriately recommends that stakeholders must make concerted efforts towards ensuring the survival and sustainability of public health care in Nigeria. Keywords: collective bargaining, Nigeria, public healthcare, inclusive approach, industrial relations

Leaders’ emotional intelligence and employees’ performance: A case in Nigeria’s public healthcare sector.

Undoubtedly, multiple competencies are essential for effective leadership and identifying specific competencies that will foster employees’ performance, is a veritable venture. This study explores the impact of leaders’ emotional intelligence on employees’ performance within Nigeria’s public healthcare sector and also provides perspective on the contextual underpinnings. It adopts the survey method and randomly samples leaders and employees within the sector. Data analyses using the t-test and hierarchical regression analytical tool, reveals a significant correlation between the emotional intelligence of leaders and the performance of employees. The study finds that the task of leadership, coupled with the multiple challenges within Nigeria’s public healthcare sector, requires a reasonable measure of emotional intelligence in order to facilitate employees’ performance

Of Predators and Preys: Corporate Psychopathy and Employee Burnout as Parallels

Different personalities constitute modern workplaces. One of such personalities is the corporate psychopath, whose presence poses manifold threats to organizational existence. This study examines the personality of the corporate psychopath and specifically investigates the relationship between corporate psychopathy and employee burnout. A total of 104 respondents within a university setting in Nigeria completed measures of corporate psychopathy to establish the existence of the traits in their managers; a self-report measure of employee burnout was also completed. Corporate psychopathy correlates positively and significantly with emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and decreased personal accomplishment. Results indicate that corporate psychopathy is an underlying factor of employee burnout. Enhanced whistleblowing structures and ethical regeneration are proffered to mitigate the consequences of corporate psychopathy in the face of cultural complexes that fan its flames

Mental health and the Nigerian Workplace: Fallacies, facts and the way forward

Unquestionably, mental health is fundamental to individual, organizational and national well-being. However, Nigeria’s mental health statistics are a cause for concern. This is further aggravated by a culture of indifference, denial and evasion. This paper advocates a cultural re-engineering. It espouses the need for Nigerian workplaces to recognize mental health as a realistic and legitimate concern, as well as display total commitment to the implementation of policies and practices that will ensure a supportive framework for employees. Families, religious/non-governmental organizations and the government, must also collaborate to promote mental health. Ignorant misconceptions, startling facts and necessary interventions are discussed

EFFECT OF WORKING-FLUID MIXTURES ON ORGANIC RANKINE CYCLE SYSTEMS: HEAT TRANSFER AND COST ANALYSIS

The present paper considers the employment of working-fluid mixtures in organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems with respect to heat transfer performance, component sizing and costs, using two sets of fluid mixtures: n-pentane + n-hexane and R-245fa + R-227ea. Due to their non-isothermal phase-change behaviour, these zeotropic working-fluid mixtures promise reduced exergy losses, and thus improved cycle efficiencies and power outputs over their respective pure-fluid components. Although the fluid-mixture cycles do indeed show a thermodynamic improvement over the pure-fluid cycles, the heat transfer and cost analyses reveal that they require larger evaporators, condensers and expanders; thus, the resulting ORC systems are also associated with higher costs, leading to possible compromises. In particular, 70 mol% n-pentane + 30 mol% n-hexane and equimolar R-245fa + R-227ea mixtures lead to the thermodynamically optimal cycles, whereas pure n-pentane and pure R-227ea have lower costs amounting to 14% and 5% per unit power output over the thermodynamically optimal mixtures, respectively