Assessment of the Integration of Child-Friendly Elements in Tafawa Balewa Town, Bauchi State, Nigeria (Published)
The study assessed the integration of Child friendly elements in Tafawa Balewa town of Bauchi state, Nigeria. Both quantitative and qualitative survey were employed to gain an understanding of the Child friendly elements that have been integrated in Tafawa Balewa town of Bauchi state, Nigeria. Data was collected through observation, Focus Group Discussions and questionnaire administration. The study employed both stratified and purposive sampling techniques to select the samples from the target population. Stratified sampling technique was used to categories the selected schools into different strata such as; mixed and single sex schools, day and boarding, public and private schools among others. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the relevant stakeholders who are believed to be knowledgeable in child friendly issues of Tafawa Balewa town. A total of 75 stakeholders were purposively selected and voluntarily participated in the study. The findings revealed that Children’s participation; Legal framework; Rights strategy; Rights unit; Impact assessment and evaluation; Report and Independent Advocacy were the key elements of child friendliness in the study area. The study further revealed that, the overall percentages demonstrating adherence to the integration of the different CFC elements was relatively poor, an indication that the study area is not child friendly. Therefore, the study recommends that policy makers should develop a comprehensive child friendly strategy/plan for the integration of the Child-friendly elements. Also, the local government administrators, in partnership with the state government, should create public awareness and education campaign on the Child Right Act.
Keywords: Assessment, Integration, child-friendly, child-friendly elements
Assessing The Risks of Oil Spills and Other Environmental Hazards in Bonny and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria (Published)
This study assessed the emergency and risk drivers in oil exploration activities in Bonny Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria. The descriptive research survey design was adopted for the study. Five research questions were raised to guide the study. The data for the study were collected using a five-point likert scale questionnaire containing a total of 25-items and utilized as a major instrument for the study. In all, three hundred and sixty (360) respondents made up the sample for the study. Arithmetic mean and standard deviation were the major statistical tools used for the data analysis. The results of the study showed that fire outbreak, destruction of crops and farmland, pollution of water bodies and marine lives, destruction of mangroves and increase in the cases of health threatening are the risks and environmental hazards associated with oil exploration in the study areas. The findings of the study also revealed that oil exploration greatly impact the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of the people as well as the health of the people and the environment of the study areas. Based on the above findings, the study recommended among other things, that oil exploration should be operated within stringent regulations designed to safeguard the welfare of employees, the environment, and nearby communities, oil companies operating in the areas should ensure regular monitoring and maintenance of their equipment and facilities so as to reduce the occurrence of pollution due to faulty oil and gas facilities, that oil companies should formulate and practice clearly defined emergency response strategies to manage potential incidents like oil spills or fires effectively.
Keywords: Assessment, emergencies, oil and exploration, risk divers
Geological and Hydrogeophysical Investigation of Angwan Zakara, Keffi Sheet 208N.E of North Central Nigeria (Published)
The geological and hydrogeophysical assessment of the groundwater prospect/potential in Angwan Zakara and its environs, Karu Local Government, Nasarawa State, North-Central, Nigeria has been carried out in this study. The study area covers 25km2.The area is underlain by the Basement Complex of the North-Central Nigeria consisting of Medium grained biotite granite, biotite gneiss, phyllite and un-mappable muscovite schist with structural features such as joints, veins, foliation, faults, and xenoliths trending NW-SE direction. Forty Nine (49) Vertical Electrical Sounding were carried out in the study area using Omega Resistivity Terrameter, GPS12 Garmix with a maximum cable spread of AB/2=100m and MN/2=5m. The results obtained from the field data were interpreted using IXID Software for quantitative analysis. True resistivity map, piezometric map, basement resistivity map and depth to basement map were prepared and interpreted using computer software for qualitative analysis (SURFER 8). From the IXID interpreted results, five (5) curve types were obtained from the acquired data namely A, H, KH, AH, and HK curve types are the dominant. The study area showed depth to basement ranges from 20-90m. That revealed good groundwater potential. The study area revealed 4-7 lithologic sequences consisting of top soil, laterite, clay, weathered/ fractured basement however the host rocks in the study area are biotite granite, quartzite and schistose-gneiss. The results obtained shows that the direction of water flows revealed five ridges R1-R5 and four depressions D1-D4 with receptacles trends of the ridges are R1 and R2:NW-SE; R3 N-S, R4 : NE-SW and R5; E-W. The geoelectric sections were produced and correlated with the geology of the study area and it was found to be in conformity with the each other. Based on this, the study area is zoned into three namely good, moderate and poor groundwater potential zones.
Keywords: Assessment, Geologic, Groundwater, hydrogeophysical, potential, quantitative and qualitative