Developing shellfish industry in Nigeria: technology and economics

The paper asserted that shellfish resources are poorly developed and utilized in West Africa. This was proved by the fact that in 2008 total marine shellfish capture production in West Africa was only 29,815 tonnes. The advantages of Nigeria in beefing up its production are highlighted. Some of these advantages are on extensive coast line which has not been affected by industrial pollution. The tropical climate is also an advantage for growing of cultured shellfish. The paper highlighted that to maximize the potential of shellfish Mari-culture development requires education, training, seed production technology, grow-out technology, processing and marketing. These requirements are discussed in details in the paper

Book Availability and Performance Measure in an Academic Library: The Case of the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) Library, Mthatha Campus

This study evaluates the book availability as well as the performance measure of the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) Library and determines the levels of satisfaction among its users. Attention was focused on four parameters of performance measure, namely: Acquisition (Pa), Circulation (Pc), Users\u27 performance at the catalogue and success in obtaining materials from the shelf (Pu), and, the Library administrative operation (Pm), all of which were independently measured. An overall availability rate of 33% was obtained for the Walter Sisulu University (WSU) Library. This is rather low. This low availability level obtained was associated with the low circulation performance (Pc) at 45%. However, a high performance was obtained for the university acquisition policy at 85%, Library operations at 88%, and User performance at 87%. The study focused largely on availability of monographic materials and not on online searches carried out by users of the library. Similar studies that were carried out in a number of academic libraries identified bottlenecks which enable library managers to effect policy changes or appropriate corrective actions that later resulted in the higher satisfaction level of the libraries concerned. This same approach is being recommended in this study

Effects of fertilizer phosphorus and poultry droppings treatments on growth and nutrient components of pepper (Capsicum annuum L)

The effect of five phosphrous levels (0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 kg/ha) and five poultry dropping (0, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 kg/ha) levels on the growth, growth yield, yield components, nutrients concentration and food values of pepper (Capsicum annuum L) were observed from 2002 to 2003 raining seasons. Phosphrous levels significantly increased pepper plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of branches per plant and leaf area up to 125 kg (p/ha) level. The phosphorus application also significantly increased early flowering, maturity and yield (ton/ha) of the treated plants. Application of organic waste, poultry dropping increased the growth yield and yield components of pepper significantly more than the fertilizer phosphrous. Since poultry dropping is cheap to obtain and enhances the pepper plant performance, it is recommended for use. C. annuun was found to contain both the major and minor nutrient elements which can supply the body with ingredients for growth.Key words: Poultry droppings; caspicum species, nutrient contents, interaction absorption

Climate Change and the Ageing Population: Enforcing the Rights to Life and Health Under Human Rights, Health and Climate Change Regimes

This article explores potential methods of protecting the ageing population from the consequences of climate change. It discusses the enforcement of the "right to life" (the right to live a life free from environmental degradation) and/or health relating to the environment in protection of the ageing population. Many countries have codified the right to life and/or health in their constitutions. In order to enjoy this right, it is essential that a clean and healthy environment be secured.Thus, this article assesses the consideration of climate change by international human rights and health regimes. It also examines whether climate obligations such as emissions reduction, climate impact assessment, mitigation and adaptation can be enforced through these regimes. The article suggests that expanding the purview of new international climate policies that address the public health of the ageing population will fill the absence of health policies under the climate regime. Finally, after proposing that climate litigation through human rights enforcement may reshape global responses to adverse effects of climate change on the ageing population, the article suggests additional ways to achieve such feats

A Sociolinguistic Approach to Security Challenges and Sustainable National Development in Nigeria

The study is a sociolinguistic approach to solving security challenges and enhancing sustainable national development in Nigeria. It argues that language and society influences each other and as such language could be used to solve societal problems. In doing so, the paper x-rays the functions of language in human society as propounded by Halliday and Stubbs. It discusses the multilingual nature of Nigeria, the concept of national development as well as security challenges facing the country. The paper notes that the dominant use English language against the indigenous languages in nearly all communicative domains in Nigeria has failed the nation in its bid to overcome numerous security threats. This may not be unconnected with the low literacy level in the country. As a result, the paper recommends a tripartite language policy vis-à-vis the use of English language, the indigenous languages as well as the Nigerian Pidgin depending on the contextual demand. The paper also advocates the adoption of more indigenous languages, apart from the three major ones- Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, for use. This will imply a revision of Nigeria's language policy and the constitutional provisions on language

An Appraisal of ‘Developer-Finance’ Option for the Redevelopment of Family Properties in Lagos, Nigeria

Family properties bequeathed by deceased parents are to be found in considerable numbers within the core and central business district (CBD) of most Nigerian older cities. A number of these properties are old and derelict having suffered considerable physical deterioration and functional obsolescence. Such properties are therefore not making the highest and best use of their respective sites while they possess considerable latent values waiting to be released by injecting capital into their redevelopment. However, given their ownership structure and title deficiency among others, this category of properties hardly qualifies for funding through the conventional methods. More often than not, ‘developer-finance’ happens to provide the only pliable method of financing their redevelopment. Regretfully, this mode of financing often runs into trouble with the project either poorly executed or abandoned midway. This paper examines the manner in which ‘developerfinance’ is currently practiced in Lagos Metropolis with a view to identifying grey areas and making recommendations for needful improvement. The study revealed, among others, that the use of ‘developer finance’ in the study area is limited in scope - limited to certain geographical areas, certain categories of properties, and also limited in terms of the scale of development. The study also revealed a number of fundamental but avoidable pitfalls which tend to endanger the practice and aggravate the associated risks. Remedies are suggested to forestall abuses and eliminate observed lapses.Key words: Developer-finance, Inherited property, Redevelopment, Nigeria

Effective Invigilation as a Panacea for Examination Malpractices among Students of Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

Examination by whatever name it is called is very important to educational system as air is important to life Examination serves very many useful purposes at any education system and level The useful purposes of examination at any education system can be marred by its conduct especially if it allowed for examination malpractice Examination malpractice is one of the plagues that be devilled tertiary institutions in Nigeria Examination malpractice in the tertiary institutions is on the increase daily taking different forms and dimensions However the menace thrives well when examination invigilation is very slack Examination invigilation rests solely on invigilators and other stakeholders in the conduct of examinations invigilation Therefore examination invigilators determine the quality of examination invigilation Effective invigilation of examination can only be made possible through effective invigilators who will reduce if not totally eradicate the menace of examination malpractice and this is the thrust of this pape

The Probability of the Truth on a Truth Table

In symbolic (or mathematical) logic the truth table is used to establish the truth or falsity (falsehood) of both simple and compound statements (or arguments). However, the use of the term “truth table” falsely suggests that all arguments through the table are true. It is known that the table contains both true and false arguments. So the use of “truth table” is indiscriminate. Consequently, this study was focused on solving this problem by finding out the probability of having a true argument associated with every one of the four binary proposition connectives- “and”, “double implication” “inclusive v”, single implication”  used in the arguments. The obtained probabilities are ordered as 1/4, ½ and ¾ respectfully for “and”, “double implication”, and (“inclusive v” and “single implication”). So the “truth tables” are discriminately decomposed into “falsehood tables”, “neutral tables” and “truth tables” at probabilities of ¼, ½ and ¾ respectively. These probabilities are independent of the number of statements, n, greater than unity

Impact of Contractors’ Prequalification Criteria on Civil Engineering Project Quality Performance

Considering the high premium placed on quality by clients, this study was set to reveal the importance as well as the impact of contractors\u27 prequalification criteria on quality performance of civil engineering project. Its purpose was to proffer solution to the quality problem associated with civil engineering project of the construction industry by enabling the client and consultants saddled with the responsibility of selecting contractors to identify the set of criteria that can produce project of expected quality standard. The data used was solicited from Quantity Surveyors and Civil/Structural Engineers expressing client\u27s opinion. The data were analysed by employing regression method. Results showed that contractors\u27 prequalification criteria reflect two different forms of relationship with quality performance of civil engineering project. Hence, contractor\u27s prequalification criteria affect quality performance of civil engineering project in different ways. Ability of contractors\u27 prequalification criteria to predict the quality performance of civil engineering project differs from one and another. Some of the contractors\u27 prequalification criteria emerged as weak predictors while some proved to be strong predictors of quality performance of civil engineering project. Consequently, it recommended that less attention be accorded the weak predictors as a result of having insignificant impact on quality performance of civil engineering project. Emphasis should be on the strong predictors of quality performance because they have significant impact on quality performance of civil engineering project