Abstract
Noise pollution has existed from time immemorial, especially with the advent of the industrial age and it constitutes an element of the general environment pollution in Nigeria especially in the cities. The environment needs to be preserved as noise pollution makes the environment uninhabitable. It has been observed that noise pollution is a form of violation of the right to quiet enjoyment of environment, the environment being a global home. The various rights entrenched in the Constitution of Nigeria and other Human Rights Instruments are inalienable so also the exercise of these rights such as the right to freedom of religion, religious practices are not expected to disturb the peace of the environment. This paper examines extensively noise pollution
in Nigeria, the causes as well as the direct effect on the human health and the environment in Nigeria in particular. The doctrinal approach was adopted in this paper using the legal and socio-legal approach. It was observed that noise pollution generated through religious activities in Nigeria was a peculiar and predominant menace suffered quietly by people. The legal framework on the prevention and control of noise pollution in Nigeria was examined, it was observed that in spite of the existence of these laws, though inadequate, the will power for enforceability by the relevant regulatory agencies is lacking. This paper concludes and made salient recommendations which if implemented could successfully regulate noise pollution with less or no friction in the society thereby drastically reducing its effect on the society.
Keywords: Noise Pollution, Nuisance, Environment, Religious Centre’s, Health, Right
Abstract
Emerging technologies are the driving force behind developed and developing economies as they play crucial role in economic and social activities. Any country with aspiration for growth must embrace the ever evolving technologies, as they constitute the core of the world economy. Nigeria is endowed with abundant human and natural resources, but like other developing countries still relies heavily on transfer of technology from advanced countries for her development. Although in a bid to explore and engage in technological development the National Office of Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) was established to regulate and administer the licensing and transfer of technology. Nevertheless, there are technological deficit in Nigeria. What are responsible for these situations? The paper examined the legal and institutional regimes for licensing in respect of technological transfer in Nigeria. It was found that one of the challenges of technology transfers is poor investment in research and development projects – funding for research and development projects aren inadequate even for government institutions. It was recommended that provision of standard infrastructures for technological research and development –this would encourage researchers as the amenities available thereat would make it easy for them to carry out their research which would aid creativity and productivity.
Keywords: Technology, Development, Licensing, Transfer and IPRs
Abstract
This paper assesses the national security implications of illegal mining of the solid mineral endowments of Nigeria within a resurging governmental interest in planning economic development on exploitation of these mineral deposits. The paper finds that there is wide spread illegal mining in the country with its attendant economic loss and that in spite of this organised criminal trend, government’s explicit national security policy does not prioritize illegal mining as a national security concern. It also finds that extant laws and institutions established for the protection of the solid mineral deposits of Nigeria are inadequately structured to provide the needed security coverage for these minerals from illegal mining. The paper concludes by suggesting the need to upgrade the security status of the crime of illegal mining so that policies, laws and institutions entrusted with the task of protecting these national assets can be structured and directed to purging the nation of this economic crime.
Keywords: National Security, Solid Minerals, Illegal Mining, Agencies, Statute.
Abstract
Since the inception of the Cabotage policy in Nigeria through the enactmentm of the Nigerian Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act, Cap 51, LFN, 2004 smooth and beneficial implementation in favour of Nigerians has been in issue. Various challenges have been identified, yet no far reaching solution has been adopted to make the policy a reality. The law as enacted, and in conjunction with other existing laws in the maritime industry can be said ton be the principal factors militating against the policy. In view of the numerous challenges endangering the attainment of the goals of this policy, there is need to formulate an all-embracing legal and institutional framework, being a conspectus or a survey of legal requirements necessary for the repositioning of the Nigerian Maritime Cabotage Laws. In doing this, regards shall be had to the examination of some regulatory factors to underscore the related inadequacies of current framework and the provision of legal commitments necessary for proper review and enactment of a more suitable beneficial policy for the country. It is therefore necessary to recommend such factors like policy, legal regime, organizational structure, institutional framework adaptation of salutary foreign practices among others will be considered as a package to review, enact and beneficially execute the maritime policy for the good and advantage of Nigerian operators in cabotage trade. The Act therefore requires an in-depth overhauling and review to give to Nigeria and Nigerians the conducive environment needed for participation in the Nigerian maritime Cabotage business.
Keywords: Transportation, Marine Industry, Ships, Repositioning, Ports, Cabotage policy.
Abstract
Domestic violence is a global phenomenon that has affected women all over the world. It violates the fundamental human rights of women in the society. Domestic violence has devastating effect on women and it is one of the wide spread violation of right directed against women. Women often experience domestic violence than men due to the society and the incidence of regarding women as the weaker vessel who are expected to be submissive to their husbands. It is a threat to the political cultural, social and economic development of the society. Amongst the various forms of domestic violence, physical abuse is the most common form of violence which often leads to the death of the victim. Most cases of domestic violence are not reported by the victims because of the fear of being stigmatized and also due to the fact that it is seen as a private matter. This work identified the prevalence of domestic violence against women in Nigeria, its causes, consequences and relevant legislative frame work. The relevant primary and secondary source were examined and relied upon in this work. It however concluded that domestic violence against women is a common phenomenon in Nigeria that needs the prompt intervention of the state, security agents and non-governmental organizations.
Keywords: Domestic Violence, Causes, Consequences, Nigeria, Human Rights
ABSTRACT
Shallow 2-D Post-linear studies of the Electrical resistivity and induced Polarization imaging were conducted on three existing roads of approximately 100m, 60m and 60m profiles respectively, in Ekpoma, initiated with a short protocol (DIPDIP4S): 2-Channel Dipole-dipole array CVES with 2 electrode cables, otherwise called the Dipole-dipole configuration, to produce models of the subsurface revealing horizontal and vertical geological variations as precipitators of its failures by using the ABEM SAS 4000 Terrameter and the Multiple-
Electrode Selector (ES46-10C) along with the accessories. The data obtained were subjected to the .S4k, ERIGRAPH and RES2DINV software. A conventional iterative smoothness constrained Least-squares inversion technique using the modified Guass-Newton equation (suitable for geological formations of thick transitional weathered rocks with no sharp boundaries) was used and most of the different parameters were set to default. From the resulting tomograms, various rock types were delineated based on their resistivity and chargeability values, as
well as linear geological features and low resistivity, clayey sub-grade soil and water absorbing substrata inimical to road pavements.
Keywords: Post-foundation, suburbs, inversion, Gauss-Newton, Ekpoma
ABSTRACT
Soil contamination by heavy metals is consequently the most critical environmental problems as it poses significant impacts to human health and the ecosystem. The heavy metals may infiltrate deep into the layer of underground waters and pollute the groundwater and the surface water or are washed into nearby rivers and may pose great risk to the surrounding environment as a source of drinking water. This study was carried out to investigate the spatial distribution and chemical fractionation of some heavy metals in crude oil spill soil. An ex-situ experiment was carried out in the Department of Biochemistry, University of Benin laboratory on crude oil spill soil from Ubeji Community in Delta State, Nigeria. The physicochemical properties and total
concentration of Pb, Zn and Cu of the aggregate soil sample were determined according to standard methods and the metals analytically determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance were employed to statistically analyze data that were obtained. The result indicates high concentration of Cu, Pb and Zn. Total values of approximately 6mg/kg Cu, 5mg/kg Pb and 50mg/kg Zn were obtained in the representative soil samples. These values were below the threshold values reported for contaminated soil. The chemical fractionation of metals on the soil samples showed that 0.00-31.50% Cu, 0.00-56.25% Pb and 0.00-32.50% Zn were relatively mobile and potentially bioavailable in the crude oil spill soil. The results obtained suggest that remediation measures should be taken to prevent accumulation of heavy metals.
Keywords: Contamination, Crude oil, Fractionation, Heavy metals, Soil, Spatial distribution
ABSTRACT
In a 2x2x3 factorial arrangement, two hundred and forty day-old broiler chicks were allocated randomly into eight treatment diets. There were two levels of hydrolyzed feather meal (HFM) 0 and 2%, two levels of protease 0g/kg and 5g/kg and three levels of crude protein 23%, 17.4% and 15.5%. There were ten birds in a replicate and three replicates per treatment diet. Birds were fed with treatment diets for 42 days. The feed intake (FI, g/bird), body weight gain (BWG, g/bird), carcass weights as percentage of live weight were assessed at 42 days. The feed conversion ratio was calculated from the feed intake and the body weight gain. At the end of the experiment birds on dietary treatment 4 had better BWG (1115.3g/bird) than birds fed the control dietary treatment 1, (1077.7g/bird) though not a significant improvement at p=0.05. Treatment 4 produced a lower FI (1280g/bird) compared with birds fed the control diet (1853.7g/bird). Inclusion of HFM significantly decreased BWG and FI from 1083g/bird to 896.3g/bird,and1894.7g/bird to 1403.7g/bird respectively; while protease supplementation significantly improved BWG from 872.2g/bird to 1013.8g/bird and though not significantly decreasing FI from 1553.2g/bird to 1499.8g/bird. All birds fed treatment diets with protease performed better compared with birds fed same feed without protease in terms of live weight, dressed weight dressed percent, breast, thigh and drumstick. Birds fed 15.5% CP containing HFM and protease produced breast meat comparable to birds fed the control diet.
KEYWORDS: Feather meal, Protease, Poultry, Digestibility, Feed enzyme, Performance
ABSTRACT
This investigation analyzed the length-weight relationships of two important food fishes (Ctenopoma peterici and Oreochromis niloticus) from Ikpoba River, Benin City, Nigeria to determine their growth pattern and their condition. The fish samples were sourced from fishermen landings on the river. For each fish sample, length (L) and weight (W) were measured using standard methods. The statistical relationship between these parameters of the fishes was established by using the parabolic equation: W=aLb while the condition factor was determined using K = 100(W/L3). The results showed that both fishes exhibited negative allometric pattern of growth with regression exponent b values (1.3 and 2.44) less than 3. The correlation coefficients (r2) of 0.8 and 0.83 obtained from the length and weight data indicated a high degree of positive correlation and implied that the fishes increased in weight as they increase in length. It can thus be inferred that although the fishes increased in length and weight with growth, they however increased more in length and so have a tendency to become more slender in shape. The results also
showed that the condition factor (k) values of 2.15 and 2.07 obtained for the fishes were higher than one (>1) and implied that the fishes were in good condition in the river. Based on these findings, it is recommended that strategies to conserve these fishes be implemented in order to ensure the sustainability of the species in view of their importance to the fish food basket of the teaming local population.
KEYWORDS: Length -weight relationship, Condition, Fish species, Ikpoba River, Benin City, Nigeria