Power, Participation, and Private Regulatory Initiatives: Human Rights Under Supply Chain Capitalism (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2021) Edited by Daniel Brinks, Julia Dehm, Karen Engle and Kate Taylor

Book revie

Analyses of Land and Housing Price Inflation in Nigeria, A Study of Federal Capital Territory Abuja from 1999 to 2009

The aim of this study is to critically considered inflation in the prices of land and housing in the Abuja property market from 1999 to 2009, and it is limited to residential property in the phase one of the Abuja property market. This research work was carried out to determine if actually there has been a persistence increase in the prices of residential accommodation in the study area, and also to determine the factors responsible for such increase. Data for the study were collected through observations, personal interviews, and library studies. The data so collected were analyzed using measures of central tendency, graphs and simple percentage table. The result of the study shows that there is inflation in the Abuja property market within the period under investigation. It also shows that the prices of land and housing are increasing at an average inflation rate of 50.1% for lease property and 39.3% for sale property. The work thus recommended the following: that the Government should provide mortgage insurance to first time home buyers who do not have credit history and to low-to middle income families  in  order  to  achieve  our  aim  of  providing affordable housing; the Federal government should de-centralize government offices from the city centre to other parts of the state to help reduce the demand of land and housing in the study area, in effect reducing the continuous-increase in the prices of land and housing, as people will have to shift to take abode in residential properties close to their offices; the government should go into mass housing development and also corporate with private developers in a bid to make different types of residential housing units available, thereby increasing the supply of the housing unit to meet demand for them. This will help reduce the continuous increase in the housing prices. Keywords: Land, Housing and Price Inflation

Facility Management in Educational Institutions: A Study of Nnamdi Azkiwe University Awka

This study evaluated the facilities available at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka with a view to making recommendations for effective management and efficient service through: identifying the facilities available in the school,  measuring their efficiency and effective management of these facilities through data collection from the inhabitants, analyzing the data so obtained and drawing inference from them. The Facilities investigated includes: Electricity Supply Facilities, Water Supply Facilities, Hostels and Library. The study adopted a questionnaire survey method to sample the opinion of students inhabiting the school hostels. It was found that although some facilities were provided, the quantity provided is adequate and mostly ill maintained for two possible reasons; acute growth in population and lack of funds. The conditions of the available facilities are below standard and even were up to standard, they were considerably below the required capacity. It was also discovered that on individual opinion for each facility analyzed, the number of respondents who think that the facilities management operations need to be improved are a lot higher than those who do not. The study thus recommended that for the empowerment of facilities management in the university and the country as a whole; Formal training in facilities management should in incorporated in various tertiary institutions with necessary inputs from key staff organizations that have applied facilities management principles and theories; as funds are set aside for procurement of facilities, provision also be made for the efficient management of the facilities; better planning techniques should be adopted by the facilities managers, with this misappropriation of funds made available for facilities development and management will be avoided

Isolation, Characterization, and Assessment of the In Vitro Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties of Methanol Extracts and Friedelan-3-one from Uapaca ambanjensis (Leandri)

Uapaca ambanjensis Leandri (Phyllanthaceae) is a largely un-researched plant whose crushed stem bark, leaf, and fruit infusions are ethno-medicinally claimed to cure typhoid fever, other fevers, skin diseases, and stroke. This work aimed at the isolation, characterization, and determination of antimicrobial potency of the methanol stem-bark extracts of Uapaca ambanjensis.  Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, steroids and triterpenes in the methanol extract. The antimicrobial assessment of the extract against Salmonella typhi, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Klebisiela pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus niger showed the diameter of zones of inhibition (ZOI) ranging from 11 to 18 mm at a concentration of 12.5mg/mL to 100mg/mL, with most prominent activities against S. aureus, S. typhi and P. aeruginosa. Chromatographic fractionation and purification led to the isolation of a pentacyclic triterpenoid (friedelan-3-one) labeled G23f-9. The compound showed antimicrobial potency evidenced by zones of inhibition against S. aureus (20 mm), S. typhi (16 mm), S. pyogenes (14 mm), K. pneumoniae (13 mm), and P. aeruginosa (13 mm) at a concentration of 100 µg/mL while the values for the standard drug, Ciprofloxacin, at 10 µg/mL are respectively 24 mm, 20 mm, 27 mm`1,20mm and 18mm. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) were 12.5 µg/mL for S. aureus, 25 µg/mL for S. typhi and 100 µg/mL for the rest while the Minimum Bactericidal Concentrations (MBC) were 50 µg/mL for S. aureus and 100 µg/mL for S. typhi. The isolated compound showed some antifungal activity against C. albicans with ZOI of 11 mm at 100µg/mL while the antifungal drug, Terbinafine, gave 30 mm at 30 µg/mL. Phytochemical and antimicrobial results lay credence to some ethnomedicinal claims on the plant including its use to treat typhoid fever and some skin diseases. The biological assessment of the methanol extract and isolated compound reveals that the plant could have antibacterial and antifungal potentials. The isolation of Friedelan-3-one is reported for the first time from the plant U. ambanjensis Leandri

Pattern and Determinants of Antiretroviral Drug Adherence among Nigerian Pregnant Women

Background. The need for a high level of adherence to antiretroviral drugs has remained a major hurdle to achieving maximal benefit from its use in pregnancy. This study was designed to determine the level of adherence and identify factors that influence adherence during pregnancy. Method. This is a cross-sectional study utilizing a semistructured questionnaire. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression models were used to determine factors independently associated with good drug adherence during pregnancy. Result. 137 (80.6%) of the interviewed 170 women achieved adherence level of ≥95% using 3 day recall. The desire to protect the unborn child was the greatest motivation (51.8%) for good adherence. Fear of being identified as HIV positive (63.6%) was the most common reason for nonadherence. Marital status, disclosure of HIV status, good knowledge of ART, and having a treatment supporter were found to be significantly associated with good adherence at bivariate analysis. However, after controlling for confounders, only HIV status disclosure and having a treatment partner retained their association with good adherence. Conclusion. Disclosure of HIV status and having treatment support are associated with good adherence. Maternal desire to protect the child was the greatest motivator for adherence

Assessment of the Quality of Borehole Water Sample in Federal Housing Estate and Sites and Services Areas of Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

Assessment of the quality of borehole water samples from Federal Housing Estate and Sites and Services areas of Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria was conducted to determine the suitability of these borehole water samples. Six samples of borehole water gotten from six different families living in these areas were analyzed for microbial, chemical and physicochemical parametersusing standard analytical method of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). The result of microbial analysis revealed that all the water samples (samples D, E, F, G, H, and M) had total coliform count of 64.0cfu/100ml, 5.0cfu/100ml, 41.0cfu/100ml, 16.0cfu/100ml, 124.0cfu/100ml and 0.0cfu/100ml respectively. This showed that sample D, F, G, and H exceeded the standard of 10 coliform counts/100ml. The entire samples resulted at 0 counts for Escherichia coli. Samples D, F, G and M tested negative for pseudomonas test, whereas samples E and H did not. The chemical analysis showed that all the samples did not meet up with the recommended standard of pH (6.5-8.5).However, there was significant difference (p<0.5) between samples D and E. samples F and J were significantly the same, also as samples G and M. Sample M was the least significant while sample D was the most significant at pH 4.6 and 6.4 respectively. The temperatures were all significantly the same and did not exceed standard limit of 370C. The total dissolved solid also did not exceed the limit of 500ppm and the conductivity limit was not exceeded. All the samples did not exceed limits for zinc, copper, lead, magnesium, cadmium and iron which are 3mg/l, 1mg/l, 0.01mg/l, 0.02mg/l, 0.03mg/l and 0.3mg/l  respectively except for calcium, where samples D, E, G and H were beyond standard of 0.4mg/l. All the samples were significantly different for each parameter except for lead of which the entire sample were all the same. The depth of the borehole in relation to the distance of septic tank, distance of neighbor’s septic tank and distance of refuse dump as obtained from these families revealed that sample M had the highest distance and was the least contaminated, whereas sample H had the closest distance and the greatest microbial contamination. The depth of Sample G borehole was according to the regulatory standard of 150 ft., and from the analysis the entire parameters were within standard except for pH. Keywords: Water, Standards, Microbial analysis, Total Dissolved Solid, Metals, Septic tan

The future of smart city : a review of the impending smart city technologies in the world

Abstract: Smart city is one of the major trending topics of the 4th industrial revolution. It can be described as a city that operates with the help of information communication technology. The world’s population explosion has made the need for smart city ever significant considering the UN statistics. In other to develop new ideas for future technologies of smart cities, this study aimed at reviewing existing literature related to the technologies that will form an integral part of the future smart cities. This study adopted an efficient literature review method by sourcing published journal articles, books and conference articles from web of science and scopus database. The study revealed moveable smart city, automated pandemic detecting city, driverless cars, online central government treasury app, automated self-repairable smart city, 100% online education, financial technology and national e-voting system as key technologies of the future smart cities

Intensification and diversification of banana production systems: key drivers for increased income and food and nutritional security in the Great Lakes region

Peer Revie

Effect of Fermentation on the Anti-Nutritional Factors and

The effect of fermentation on the anti-nutritional factors and mineral composition of melon seed varieties for Ogiri production was studied. Melon seed varieties such as Citrullus vulgaris, Citrulluslanatus, Colocynthiscitrullus, Cucurbita pepo, Cucurmeropisedulis were respectively sorted, washed, boiled wrapped seed were then boiled again for 2 hours, drained, cooled and allowed to ferment naturally for 86 hours (primary fermentation). The primary fermented sees were then pounded and wrapped in little portions with “ofoala” leaf (Icacinatrichantha olive) and kept in wire mesh near a heat source for another 144 hours (secondary fermentation). Samples were drawn from the raw, boiled and fermented melon seed varieties for the quantitative analysis of mineral content and anti-nutritional prepared with the raw and primary fermented samples. Raw seed of Citrulluslanatus had the highest mineral analysis showed a decline in the boiled samples and secondary fermented sample, compared with the raw and mineral composition ranging from potassium, magnesium, cacium, iron and zinc of 1.21, 1.06, 0.89, 0.45 and 0.41mg/100g respectively followed by raw Citrullus Vulgaris with potassium, magenesium, calcium, iron and zinc of 1.18, 1.02, 0.55, 0.44 and 0.38 mg/100g respectively and 1.11, 0.94, 0.81, 0.38 and 0.31 mg/100gof potassium, magenesium, calcium, iron and zinc respectively in the primary fermented product. Statistical analysis of anti-nutrients revealed a significant reduction (p<0.05) in all the processed melon. There was a significant difference in all the processed melon with lowest anti-nutrient content ranging from alkaloid, saponin, HCN, phytate, tannin and flavonoid (0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.00, 0.03and 0.09 respectively) and Colocynthiscitrullus had the highest anti-nutrient content in the secondary fermentation. Keywords:Fermentation, anti-nutritional factors, Ogiri, mineral content,melon seed varieties

A Three-Factor Model of Inclusive, Sustainable and Resilient Economic Development for Developing Countries

Nigeria had adopted various development plans in order to achieve MDGs.Achievement of MDGs is crucial to effective implementation of SDGs agenda aimed at fostering inclusive, sustainable and resilient economic development. In spite of these efforts, the Nigerian economy is still characterized by low capital formation, chronic unemployment, a large percentage of the population living on primary sector and negligible savings. Indeed, Nigeria’s performance in MDGs was quite unimpressive. This is partly attributable to inappropriate human capital theory of economic growth on which these development plans were based. Therefore, this study focused on building a model of inclusive, sustainable and resilient economic development which would yield potent factors and describe activities that could link human capital investment with aggregate economic activities to induce economic development with full participation of target population. The study covered the period, 1981 - 2014. Data were sourced from Central Bank of Nigeria, National Bureau of Statistics and World Development Indicators. Data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis technique. Study revealed that minimum wage, girl-child education and special intervention fund were factors which influenced the relationship among human capital, real GDP and economic development. It was concluded that the outcome of this study which is a three-factor model of inclusive, sustainable and resilient economic development is essentially a human capital theory of economic development capable of linking the different sectors of the economy. It was recommended, inter alia, that a dynamic employment policy would involve economic empowerment of women through job reservation in paid labour