Category Archives: International Journal of Environmental Studies and Safety Research , Volume 5, number 1, 2020

ASSESSING AGGREGATE SIZE DISTRIBUTION IN SOILS FORMED ON SANDSTONE/SHALE PARENT MATERIAL IN SOUTHEASTERN NIGERIA

Essien, O. A & Umoh, F. O

Department of Soil Science

Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpadem

Email: otobongessien19@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT: Disintegration of Soil aggregate increases with poor Soil Management practices, to achieve Stability of Soil aggregate, the understanding of aggregate-size fraction of the soil management practices that will enhance Soil Stability is necessary. The study was carried out to evaluate aggregate-size distribution in Akwa Ibom State, Southeastern Nigeria. Twenty-four Soil Samples were collected from twenty-four locations in the study area. The Soil Samples were air dried and Sieved through a 4mm sieve for aggregate size fractionation with a nest of four sieves; 4-2.0, 2.0-0.25, 0.25-0.053 and < 0.053mm, using the wet-sieving method, air-drying plus capillary wetted and air-drying plus slaked pretreatment, while 2mm sieved sample was used for physical and chemical analysis. The results show that the values of large macroaggregates were significantly (p < 0.05) less than the small macro – aggregates, micro aggregates and mineral fractions. The results show differences in aggregate size distribution and could be used to plan soil management in the study area.

Keywords: Aggregate size distribution, soil management and conservation.

EVALUATION OF SOLID WASTE REDUCTION PRACTICES IN KADUNA METROPOLIS

¹Baba, Ezekiel Bahago; ²Maiyaki, Dele Jibrin; ²Musa, Isa

¹Departmentof Urban and Regional Planning, Federal Capital Development Authority, Area 11 Garki, Abuja

Department of Urban and Regional Planning, College of Environmental Studies, Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna

Email: ¹easybahago@gmail.com; ²djmaiyaki@gmail.com; ³isamusa007@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:

Solid waste reduction practices is the current thinking in the global phenomenon. Though, the practice is still a challenge in the third world nations due to high generation capacity of the waste in most urban areas. Solid waste reduction practices is one of the approaches of solid waste management. Though, the approach aims at ensuring that waste is not generated at all, the approach is still not domesticated in most environmental policies in the developing countries. Kaduna State is exceptional in this case. The state has domesticated the approach as one of the solid waste management practices in the state. The study aims at evaluating the solid waste reduction practices in the metropolis with the view of giving recommendations for improvement. The study divided the urban area into five districts and correlation analysis technique was used as a criteria for establishing the rate of reduction of the solid waste management practices in the metropolis. At the end of the study, it was revealed that Over 17.1% of households are already practicing solid waste reduction by ensuring that waste is not generated at all. Among this, Barnawa District was revealed to be the highest rate of involvement in Solid waste reduction practices in the metropolis. This was the fact that the inhabitants of the area are of high income group and have high knowledge in the solid waste reduction as a management practices of the metropolis compare to other districts. Nevertheless, study established that educational and economic status of any area has effect in the practices of solid waste reduction in their area. Based on the established facts of the study, it was recommended that there is the need for an increased awareness of the practice of solid waste reduction in the metropolis and there is also the need for the establishment of national government policy for waste reduction in the country in general and also there should also be provision of facilities that support the practice among others in the metropolis.

Keywords: Solid Waste, Reduction Practices

IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF AREAS LIABLE TO FLOOD WITHIN GREATER YOLA, ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Zarma, I. J., Sangari, D. U. & Ogah, A. T.

Department of Geography

Nasarawa State University, PMB 1022, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Email: jzarma1829@gmail.com, dusangari@yahoo.com and ogahadamu@gmail.com

ABSTRACT: Globally, disasters are said to have devastating effect on economic development, livelihoods, agriculture, and health, social and human life. Flood disaster is not a recent phenomenon in Nigeria and its destructive tendencies are sometimes enormous. This study Identification and Classification of Areas Liable to Flood within Greater Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria. The research design that was employed used both quantitative and qualitative methods. The study found that area is made up of both larger and smaller watersheds with river Benue serving as the major pour point; this is the point on the surface within the study area at which water flows out. The landform of the study area is generally grouped into valley and troughs, upland, plains, lowlands and hills/mountain ranges. The vegetation formations of Adamawa State like most northern States are generally of the savannah type. The study also discovered that the soil formation of the study area is regosol, and the area is well drained by many rivers and most of them are seasonal. The main river is River Benue which cut across Greater Yola. The study also found out that areas that are 0-7km off River Benue are highly vulnerable to flooding. It was also discovered that agriculture and settlements are the land use/land cover mostly affected by flood in the study area. The study found out that the heavy rainfall in the study area usually within the month of June, July and August at an average of 194.2mm, 224.2mm and 198.2mm account for the major cause of flooding in the area. The study further found out that the damage and destruction of properties are the most prominent effects of flood in Greater Yola

Keywords: Flood, climate, rainfall, river Benue, and vulnerability.

THE MAJOR CHALLENGES OF SUSTAINABLE ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN IMO STATE

Ogbuji, S I.

Department of Geography and Environmental Management

Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria

E-mail: sogbujiic@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT:

Ecotourism development in Imo State in particular and Nigeria in general has been on a very low ebb despite the abundant ecotourism resources in the area. many researchers have investigated into the challenges of ecotourism development in Nigeria and proffered solutions to the challenges, yet, nothing has changed in this regard, hence one wonders whether those identified challenges and solutions are the really the issues. It therefore, becomes very imperative to research into the real challenges of sustainable ecotourism development in the state and thereby proffering real solutions in order to achieve sustainable ecotourism development in the state. Data were collected with structured questionnaire administered to 360 respondents from the selected households. Percentages, mean scores and chi-square were employed for data analysis. Findings showed that males dominated in the research (70.5%), Farmers (47.66%), married (57.89%) and holders of First School Leaving Certificate (30.04%). The challenges of sustainable ecotourism include lack government attention (x=2.85), lack of infrastructure (3.04), lack of awareness (3.11) and lack of promotion (2.99) while lack of identification, prioritization and mapping potential resources are seen as major challenges of sustainable ecotourism development (P<0.01; X2 = 3395. 226). It was recommended that for sustainable ecotourism development in the state, there is the need for the employment of geographic information techniques in the identification, prioritization and mapping potential ecotourism resources hence, the employment of geographic information systems experts by the local governments and tourism ministries.

Keywords: Ecotourism, Sustainable Development, Imo State, Major Challenges.

DESIGNING A CONCEPTUAL COST ESTIMATION DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM (CCE-DSS) FOR PUBLIC PROCURING ENTITIES IN NIGERIA

Danlami Ebenezer Salla

Department of Quantity Surveying,

Bayero University, Kano

Email: edsalla.qs@buk.edu.ng

ABSTRACT: The growing complexity of construction projects, public demand for accountability and daunting pressures on meagre budgetary allocations and quest for reduction in transaction cost have continued to mount pressure on in-house cost experts to devise scientifically provable design for conceptual cost estimates (CCE) of construction projects. By combining historical data with predictive analytics, proven benefits abound for optimizing cost estimation for construction projects at the preliminary stages. The application of decision support systems (DSSs) in Conceptual Cost Estimation (CCE) is a good platform where a data-sensitive and conducive environment can support construction project budgeting process and enhance decision-making on competing project alternatives and similar future projects. In a build-up to the development and design of a support system architecture for CCE-DSS, a pro-foma is developed from a Qualtrics platform to collect data from new construction projects with similar attributes. The system analyzes data by a predictive analytic model and displays results graphically. The analysis of data from selected ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) were compared in a cross-matrix fashion to draw inferences. This paper sets a platform for predicting the acceptance of DSSs in public organizations in Nigeria and adds to the body of knowledge on conceptual cost CCEDSS design, by proposing the development of a DSS architecture for construction cost estimation in public organizations. It is concluded that the application of DSSs for CCE in public organizations have many promising levels of accuracy. The results of the study can be improved upon by employing hybrid multi-criteria decision-making methods (MCDM) in the system architecture and increasing the number of public organizations to make for a more generalized conclusion. 

Keywords: Conceptual Cost Estimating, Decision Support Systems, Public Organizations, Nigeria