ANALYSIS OF THE FACTORS LIMITING PERFORMANCE IN THE LOWER RIVER NIGER DREDGING PROJECT, NIGERIA

 Obeta M. C., Ubuoh E. A. and Akande S.O

Department of Geography

University of Nigeria, Nsukka

E-mail: attahubuoh@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Inland water transport has, prior to the 1980s, received little attention from the Nigerian government. Very little investment was made to develop inland water transport facilities. Conversely, land and air transport received priority attention. However, due to rapid growth of urbanization, population, commercial units, institutions and vehicular traffic leading to congestions and stress on the nations roads, inland water transport is now receiving more attention from both the government and the private sector. This growing awareness motivated the federal government to embark on the Lower Niger River dredging to boost the movement of goods and services from the coast to the interior. Meanwhile, this popular initiative has contrary to earlier proposals, targets and expectations, progressed very slowly. This paper investigates the physical and socio-economic factors militating against the dredging project using primary and secondary data collected from diverse sources, including the inland waterways department of the Federal Ministry of Transport. Analysis of the factors constraining the performance of the dredging activities is presented. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) reduced the 28 respondents identified constraining variables to four underlying components, which explained 73.74% of the variance leaving 26.26% to other variables not used in the analysis. The underlying components are; non-use of professional studies, inadequate resource base, physical or environmental constraints and technical difficulties. Based on the finding of the study, strategies which can facilitate the development of the dredging project and enhance planning procedure in the water transport sector were advanced.

KEY WORDS: Constraints, Impact, Lower Niger River, Inland water transport, Nigeria, River dredging.


IMPROVISING MUNICIPAL WASTE DISPOSAL THROUGH INTEGRATED WASTE MANAGEMENT: THE SOUTHERN NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE

1Ndinwa, Chuks Chukwuka Gabriel, 1Akpafun, A. Solomon, 1Chukuma, Charity, 2Osubor-Ndinwa, Nwakaego Praise

1Department of Industrial Safety and Environmental Management Technology

Delta State School of Marine Technology, Burutu, Nigeria

E-mail: gndinwa@yahoo.com, chuksgabriel@ymail.com


ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION AND THE DILEMMA OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: IMPLICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION

1Jonathan Sagay; 2Zephaniah Osuyi Edo; and 3Lucky Avweromre

Department of Political Science,

Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria

E-mail:  joesagay_ng@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The study takes a critical look at the concept of environmental security in the light of massive environmental degradation and damage in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria where the bulk of the nation’s wealth is derived. It examines the concept of sustainable development and uses it as a yardstick in measuring the activities of operating oil Multinational Corporations in the region. Using historical method of analysis, this study observes that most internal conflicts in the country today have strong environmental root and that the inability of the government to address such environmental problems have had great effects on the security problem currently facing the Nigerian State today. The study therefore recommends that there is the need for government to begin seeing environmental degradation in more conventional terms that is, in conventional political instability as environmental degradation is the basis of many insecurity problems besetting the country today. This will enable it to use the existing security systems to monitor and manage environmental resources thereby reducing tension in the polity

Keywords: Environmental Degradation, Environmental Security, Sustainable Development, Conflicts, Oil Multinational Corporations. 


ORGANIC CARBON AND TOTAL NITROGEN STATUS OF SOILS UNDER RUBBER PLANTATION OF VARIOUS AGES, SOUTH-SOUTHERN NIGERIA

1Njar, G.N.; 2Iwara, A. I.; 2Ekukinam U. E.; 3Deekor, T. N. and 2Amiolemen, S. O.

1Department Geography and Environmental Studies, University of Calabar, Nigeria

2Deparment of Geography, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

3Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

E-mail: iwaradream2008@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

In the tropics, the continuous destruction of the forest mostly for food crop cultivation accompanied with high rainfall in the region has resulted in the rapid loss of soil nutrient, thereby making most soil infertile. The need to restore and conserve soil fertility for agricultural productivity has led to the planting of forest trees/plantation with the sole aim of improving the nutrient bal­ance of soil by reducing unproductive nutrient losses from erosion and leaching. The study examined the trend of organic matter and total nitrogen in rubber plantation plots of 7, 16, 39 and 41 years. The grid system of sampling was employed to collect soil samples from five quadrats of 10m x 10m in each of the plantation plots.  Result showed that pH of the soils decreased with the age of plantation, while the content of organic matter (OM) and total nitrogen (TN) increased with the age of trees probably as a result of the increase in vegetation cover and tree size. This is so, as mature rubber trees have a large biomass which not only affords the ground adequate cover, but also acts as a huge reservoir of nutrients, thereby preventing them from being leached away from the plantation. The study revealed that rubber trees had no adverse effect on the depletion of OM and TN status in the soil. However, for sustainable rubber production, mature rubber trees in plantation plots should be properly managed through routine treatment, as well as selectively replaced with new ones.

Keywords: Rubber Plantation, Organic Matter, Total Nitrogen, Age of Plantation, Tree Size, Vegetation Cover, Biomass


EFFECTIVENESS OF MULTISTAGE FILTRATION SYSTEM OF WASTE REMOVAL FROM CREEK WATER USING SAND, SUPPORTED ACTIVATED CARBON

O.P. Folorunso

Department of Civil Engineering

University of Ado-Ekiti, Ado-Ekiti

ABSTRACT

There are number of methods of water filtration, each with varying degrees of effectiveness. The general purpose of water filtration is to improve the water’s hygiene and aesthetic qualities. The goal of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of multi-stage sand filtration to produce water fit for human consumption by passing it through a bed of sand filters to remove solids and further purifies the water by permitting additional impurities to be adsorbed to the surfaces of the sand particles, and the organic contaminants to be removed or absorbed by the activated carbon introduced into the filter. The filter was designed with a flow rate 50 and 120cm3/min and as a multi-stage filter that consists of sand particle ranging between 0.15 to 0.30mm in diameter to remove solids and micro-organisms, supported by a granular activated carbon filter to remove the organic contaminants.  Ureje creek is one of the sources of water for people of Ado Ekiti, the state capital of Ekiti State, Nigeria. Research was conducted by evaluating the physical, chemical and biological qualities of water samples from the creek. The results revealed high rate of contamination as compared to WHO standard, they were found to be higher than the tolerable limit.  Experiment was conducted by passing the water samples through the filter at the designed flow rates mentioned above. Some of the physical, chemical and biological parameters analyzed included; turbidity, dissolved solids, suspended solids, color, coliforms, and mineral content. However, there was a drastic reduction in the impurities after adopting both flow rates. The filter was found to reduce the concentration of suspended solids which aids the transport of micro pollutants by 96%.


MATHEMATICAL TIME-COST MODEL FOR INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING PROJECTS IN NIGERIA

Baba Shehu Waziri

Department of Civil and Water Resources Engineering

University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria

E-mail: shehuwaziri@yahoo.co.uk

ABSTRACT

The accurate prediction of construction time at the early project stage is essential to incorporate realistic project duration in the bid package. The study investigates the application of the Bromilow’s Time-Cost Model (BTC) to predict the construction duration of institutional building projects in Nigeria. Sixty (60) completed project data were used for the analysis. Linear regression was performed to explain the linear relationship between cost and time variables of the data. The result indicates a strong linear relationship between construction cost and construction duration with coefficients of correlation R= 0.808 and coefficient of determination R2 = 0.670. Double log (log-log) regression was also employed in the form of the BTC model to determine the values of K and β which indicate general level of time performance and the sensitivity of the time performance affected by project size as measured by cost respectively. The low K value of 20.1 demonstrates that the time performance of the construction industry has improved compared to previous surveys while β value of 0.686 indicates a greater influence of project complexity on time prolongation. The model also showed a good fit to the data with R value of 0.845 and R2 value of 0.716. The model showed a satisfactory prediction performance with MAPE of 13.6% over the test sample.

Keywords: Time-Cost, Cost, duration, Bromilow model, regression.


Volume 4, March 2012    
© 2012 Cenresin Publications www.cenresinpub.org  
Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences  

CHARACTERIZATION OF BREWERY EFFLUENT FLUID

1U. E. Inyang, E. N. Bassey and J. D. Inyang

1Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering

University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State

Email: uweminyang7@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

This paper reports on the characterization of effluent fluid from different sections of a brewing plant with respect to the constituents and their toxicity level for possible classification and reuse within the system. The results showed the effluent fluids had moderate Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of 40.30 mg/l and 471mg/l respectively. The suspended solids were also found as 81mg/l. From the study, it was found that there was the possibility of re-use of the effluent from bottle washing section before discharging to the environment.

Key Words: Effluent Fluid, Biochemical Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Total Organic Carbon.      


THE APPLICATION OF NOMINAL GROUP TECHNIQUE AS A DECISION MAKING TOOL

1Odu O. Godwin, and 2Okereke N.

1Department of Mechanical & Production Engineering, Delta State University, Abraka, Oleh   

 2Department of Mechanical & Production Engineering, Delta State University, Abraka, Oleh   

E-mail:odugodwin@gmail.com, ndububa.okereke@yahoo.co.uk

ABSTRACT

Decision-making has always been a problem to decision makers. Though the problem of relative importance of issues or criteria has been a major concern. In practice, it is difficult even for an individual as a decision maker to arrive at a consensus. Similar in format to a focus group, the nominal group technique is essentially an organized discussion with a small group of participants. This paper describes and demonstrates how nominal group technique can be adopted as a decision tool in solving problems relating to relative importance of issues. The benefits associated with it were equally discussed.

Keywords: Nominal group technique, Team, Decision-making, Group discussion, Ideas

        Ranking, prioritized.


LOW COST SOLAR POWERED ULTRA VIOLET PURIFICATION SYSTEM FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES

1Omitade, O, 2Ajani, O.O, and 3Akanbi, R.A Ogedengbe S.

1School of Engineering, Durham University, Durham, England

2Department of Physics and Solar Energy, Bowen University, Iwo, Nigeria

3Department of Physics, The polytechnic, Ibadan, Nigeria

E-mail: aj_ani2000@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Identification of the need to solve the acute problem of affordable and efficient water purification system in most rural communities in developing countries prompted the research into the use of solar powered ultra violet purification system. Nigeria, a country in west Africa is used as a case study with an abundant solar radiation estimated to be an average of about 3.5Kwh/m2  daily. Nigeria is faced with a lot of environmental issues with majority occurring in the Niger delta area as a result of oil spillage and other contaminations. Review of existing water purification systems was carried out and its various limitations identified. The advantages and possibilities of providing safe and potable water through the use of a locally designed model of a solar powered ultra violet water purification system was carried out.Results from the model shows in addition to its efficiency, a highly reduced and affordable cost, thereby making its adoption cost effective.

Keywords: Water purification, Ultra violet, Oil spillage, rural communities, Niger                     Delta. Potable water and Solar radiation


THE STUDY OF A CHARCOAL STOVE

 1F.E. Ukrakpor  2P.A Kuale

1 Department of Mechanical Engineering Delta State University, Oleh Campus

2 Department of Electrical Engineering Delta state University, Oleh Campus

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates Charcoal stoves. Many types are looked at and examined in search for systematic design method leading to a more accurate method for producing and forming the templates. It is predicted that, with growing charcoal production and use, the use of charcoal stove in the average low income home may grow. Besides as long as trees’ planting is made law and obeyed, charcoal as a source of energy will perhaps be one of the most reliable and renewable energy source (other than solar energy) in Nature, on which a nation can rely for part of energy requirements if necessary balance of reforestation and deforestation is maintained.


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