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Open Access
ALLEVIATING SOIL COMPACTION BY ORGANIC AMENDMENTS ON CROPPING FIELDS IN A PART OF NIGERIA’S SAVANNA REGION
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 1999-06-12) Ayuba, H.K.; Abubakar, Sani M.
It is well recognized 'that organic amendments in cropping field, especially on long term, alleviate soil compaction. The extent of such however varies clearly with soil condition, bio-climatic conditions of an area, levels of the amendments themselves, cropping history and land management techniques each of which can vary from an area to another. In this article, a brief report is given of a study conducted to examine the combative effects of long term (1961-1991) organic manure amendments on two key indices of soil compaction (bulk density and total porosity) in Konduga area of Nigeria's Suduno-Sahelian region. This was done by examining soils of 15 farmer-managed plots, and those of uncultivated plots under long-standing, semi-natural vegetation cover. The results obtained reveal that even though the cultivated plots vary in age, of between 5-30 years, as at the time of soil sampling (1991), there are very low spatial variations in mean values of the two soil structural properties of the 15 plots. The properties of the cultivated plots have been maintained at about 100% of the values of the same properties of the uncultivated plots. These results thus suggest that on both short and long term bases, the use of organic manure in soil fertility-maintenance-in the study area can possibly reverse the degradation trends occasioned by soil compaction.
Open Access
Analysis of Land Use/Land Cover Changes to Monitor Urban Sprawl in Keffi-NIgeria
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University, Keffi., 2012-12-11) Abubakar, Mahmud; Achide, Anjide Simon
Open Access
ANALYSIS OF SPATIAL VARIATIONS OF HOUSING ENVIRONMENT AND DISEASES OCCURRENCE IN KEFFI - NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State State University Keffi, 2009-01-06) Abubakar, Mahmud; Adamu, Yusuf Muhammad; Sangari, Dalhatu Umaru
The problem of ill health arising from poor housing environment is a major source of global concern. This study examined the relationships between the quality of urban housing environment in Keffi and the incidence of diseases occurrence in Keffi. The study uses over 4,000 clinical cases collected from four hospitals in Keffi and 300 questionnaires. Analyses of the data have shown housing quality and the rate of disease occurrence in Keffi. Similarly, the scores for the 30 quality variables used revealed inter-zonal differences in urban quality. The diseases were found to be endemic within the central areas, predominantly in poorly inaccessible and overcrowded residential neighborhood with deteriorated and deteriorating housing as 68 per cent of incidences are explained by environmental quality. However, only 41.4 per cent of the variation is determined by environmental quality. The study recommends on the housing improvement to enhance the health status of the residents, social responsibility; emphasis on such community sanitation strategies as enlightment campaign and other control measures among others. Action necessary at the policy level should include the review of the State’s health policy to focus more on environmental health and preventive health care. The policy should facilitate the people’s capacity to maintain and manage a clean environment through decentralized functions.
Open Access
ANALYSIS OF TEMPORAL VARIATIONS OF AIR PASSENGERS AND CARGO TRAFFIC IN NNAMDI AZIKWE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ABUJA - NIGERIA
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State State University Keffi, 2012-01-06) Abubakar, Mahmud; Ogah, M.; Gunda, D.R.; Adamu, Y.M.
Abstract: In the 19905 and 20005 air traffic in Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja has been on the increase resulting from government's vigorous provision of modern Navigational Facilities thus contributing to safe flight within the Nigeria Airspace. The study relied on secondary data sourced from internet; journals and published data obtained from the records of Federal AirportAuthority of Nigeria, N igeria Civil Aviation Authority as well as the Federal Ministry ofTransporfs statistical data of yearly air-passengers and cargo movement atNAIA Abuja from 1 999 to 2009 for airpassengers movement and 2004 to 2009 for cargo movement. Descriptive statistics were largely employed in addition to Time Series and Ordinary Least Square methods for forecasting future trends. The study revealed that annual trends of air-passengers (1 999 to 2009), cargo movement from 2006 to 2009 in NAIA is on the increase. The minimum is 3939 in 1999 and the maximum is 3,199,438 in the year 2009. The mean is 16,146,145 while the standard deviation (SD) is 1,040,000 the coefficient ofvariation (CV) is 64.4% to show that the passenger movement atNAIA over the said period significantly varies. The percentage change generally shows rapid increase from the base year (1999) from 215% in the year 2000 to 54.75% in the year 2009. However, slight decrease of passenger movement was recorded in the year 2005 (-3.1%); and 2006 (-8.3%) due to plane crash (SOSOLISO) that occurred on 23" October, 2005. The study recommends that there is an urgent need for better improvement of the aviation facilities, and equipment; there is also the need for on-job training as the world of aviation is changing daily, owing to rapid innovations in the world of technology as well as improved budgetary allocation for aviation by the government.
Open Access
Analysis of the Relationship between Wildfire Occurrences and Population Trend within the Shores of Lake Chad Basin Using Geoinformation
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2012-03-01) Dami, A.; Ayuba, H.K.; Bila, M.
The study focuses and examines the relationship that exists between wildfire occurrence and the population trend within the shore of the Lake Chad. Geospatial analysis of fire pixel counts from MODIS images of the period 2001 – 2009 was performed to determine the relationship between the wildfire occurrences and the population trend. The interpretation of SPOT panchromatic imagery in combination with field survey provided perimeters of settlements and estimated population in the area with the highest fire density in the north basin of Lake Chad. Major findings shows that the distribution of wildfires on the floor of Lake Chad for the period 2001-2009 reflected a spatial relationship with the distribution of vegetation and a temporal relationship with the seasonality of human-ecosystem interactions. The total number of fires recorded on the Lake floor is 25,690 leading to a burnt area of 19,274 km2. The population trend however, is increasing while that of wildfire occurrences is decreasing. The increasing trend in population against a decreasing trend in wildfire occurrences is an indication of the gradual conversion of the wild habitat between the old and the new shorelines of Lake Chad through human-ecosystem interactions from wild land to human occupation and exploitation.
Open Access
Analysis of Treatment seeking Behaviour f6r Malaria by Mothers and their Morbid Children in Niger State, Nigeria
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State State University Keffi, 2020-06-06) Abubakar, Mahmud
The study analyzed-treatment seeking behavior of mothers and their morbid malaria children. The sample frame for the study is the total number of children aged between 6 and 59 months in households, along with their birth mothers. A total of 332 children and 375 women were selected for the study. The study used Canonical correlation was used to determine a linear combination for each group of variables in a way that maximizes the correlation between the group of dependent variables considered the children's signs and symptoms for Malaria, and the group of independent variables of the mothers: biophysical; environmental; socioeconomic; and access to health services variables. Three canonical functions were selected, concentrating 86.3% of the variability of the relationship among die groups. In the first canonical function, vomiting/weakness Keywords: Malaria, Treatment-seeking behavior, (0.755); convulsion (0.638) were the signs and symptoms of the malaria Infected Children (MIC), and are directly related to the increasing mothers' umber of children (0.573), deteriorating housing condition of mothers (0.805), low-level education of mothers (0.675), and lower pre-natal consultation of mothers (0.768). In the second canonical function, only the mothers' low-level education (0.545) related to the children’s' high body temperature (0.788) the lower the level of the mother's education, the lower the incidence of high .temperature which is a sign or symptom of malaria. In the third canonical function, the sign and symptoms of high body temperature of children (Q.678) is related directly to mothers low- income level. The study concludes that mothers and children were associated concerning convulsion; vomiting/weakness and high body
Open Access
Analysis of Tree Species Preference and Reasons among Commercial Charcoal Producers in Nasarawa State, Nigeria
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2021-04-02) Ekpo, Salamatu Abraham; Ayuba, H.K.; Danjuma, Marcus N.; Ogah, Tanko Adamu
Commercial charcoal production has over time become an indispensable means of livelihood among rural settlers in Nasarawa State. However, charcoal production involves woodland exploitation which contributes to deforestation. Considering the growing significance of charcoal in rural and urban livelihoods in Nasarawa State, this paper analysed the preference of tree species and reasons among commercial charcoal producers in Nasarawa State in view of identifying endangered species and suggesting measures to ensure sustainability of the business. The study employed descriptive survey using both qualitative and quantitative data drawn from primary and secondary sources. Questionnaire was administered to 450 respondents randomly sampled from commercial charcoal producers drawn from 6 communities and 3 LGAs of Nasarawa State. Interviews and Focus Group Discussions were also conducted and the data obtained were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics in Microsoft Excel and SPSS (version 23). A total of 22 tree species were identified as usable for charcoal production in the study area. Investigation into the producers’ preference of tree species showed that eight (8) were mostly preferred out of which Anogeissus leiocarpus (Marke) (57.3%), Erythrina senegalensis (Madri) (52.2%) and Prosopis Africana (Kirya) (49.1%) were among the top three. Marke, Kirya and Madri were the most preferred species in Akwanga, Doma and Karu production areas respectively. High charcoal yield, good combustion quality, high heat content of resulting charcoal, less ash production were the main reasons for their preferences. Most of the preferred tree species have been depleted to the point that they are no longer commonly found for use among commercial charcoal producers in the state. The most endangered species due to commercial charcoal production were Anogeissus leiocarpus (Marke), Erythrina senegalensis (Madri) and Prosopis Africana (Kirya). However, pressure is currently on Teminalia glocosece (Baushe/Uko), Andira inermis (Gwaska), Ficus Spp (Baure), Vitellaria paradoxa (Kede) and Gardinia aqualla (Gaude) due to the difficulties in finding the endangered ones which constituted the most preferred species among producers in Nasarawa State. It was recommended that state energy policies should incorporate a law recognizing charcoal as a key source of energy in the State, thereby encouraging investments in the activity of commercial charcoal producers. Furthermore, conservation plans and practical measures of replacing the extracted trees from woodlands/forests for commercial charcoal production should form the basis for license issuance for charcoal production
Open Access
Analysis of Wildfire Occurrences within the Shores of Lake Chad using Geo-information Technology
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2011-11-01) Ayuba, H.K.; Dami, A.; Mohammed, Bila D.
Geographic Information Technology provides an important tool in modeling ecosystem dynamics. One of the drivers of ecosystem change in the Lake Chad Basin is wildfire. This paper examines the historical spatial patterns of wildfires and employed a trend analysis using Geographic Information System (GIS) technique in analyzing fire pixel counts from MODIS images of the period 2001-2009. The results revealed a declining trend in wildfire occurrences and a non-linear relationship in the numbers of wildfire occurrences for the period 2001-2009. This is due to the interplay of several factors such as human influence, winds, temperature changes, and the type, extent and spread of vegetation. During the period under study, the total number of fires recorded in the Lake floor is 25,690 with a burnt area of 19,274 km2 The highest number of fires occurred in 2001, with varying figures in subsequent years. The highest number of fires in 2001 may be connected to the extent of flooding and the subsequent invasion by vegetable biomass on the Lake floor after the recession of floods. The decline in wildfires is indicative of the fact that the biomass within the lake floor, which would ordinarily have been burnt, is now being cleared to make way for farmlands. The declining trend in wildfires on the lake floor of the Lake Chad Basin is seen as a good development for the basin.
Open Access
An Appraisal of Some Tree Species Diversity Loss in Keffi Region, Nasarawa State - Nigeria
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State State University Keffi, 2013-01-03) Abubakar, Mahmud; Yusuf, M.A.; Rabiu, M.U.
In Nigeria the felling of savanna woodlands has frequently led to soil erosion, reduced crop yield and lost of land quality, thereby exacerbating the process of global warming, which is a critical factor of Climate Change. Vegetation samples were collected along transects in Keffi. Data were collected from quadrants measuring 40m x 25m totaling 30 sampled quadrants. On each quadrant, information collected includes: type of tree species; percentage of vegetation coverage; the number of common species present; soil samples on each direction as well as data on environmental change. Descriptive statistic of mean, median and percentage with some representation in form of table and graph provide additional description and explanation in addition to Spear man rank correlation coefficient. Test on particle size distribution (PSD), available phosphors (AP), soil pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and organic carbon (OC) content were also analyzed. The results revealed that soil is generally sandy (about 76% and of low nutrient status with low organic carbon (1.38%) and low organic matter (2.30%), thus low vegetation growth. In this case, low vegetation growth rate can be sustained through improved biodiversity management. In addition to the cutting of trees for crop production, fuel wood and increasing aridity (salinity, 3.25), the construction work embarked upon by the people had led to further clearing of site (destruction of vegetation) for erecting building structures. The study recommends that: a large percentage of the land area- be carved out and designated as “GREEN AREA”. This green area will in the short run preserve some native species of the Keffi region for the purpose of observation and experimentation, while in the long run will contribute to the reduction of Green House Gas (GHG) emission as suggested by the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol (1997), the Nigeria REDD+ (2010); and also improve land productivity, thereby contributing to the Sustainable Development and Agenda 21“ focus on meeting basic needs as part of adaptation and mitigation measures.
Open Access
Appraising the Performance of Micro Finance Banking On Rural Development in Nasarawa State, Nigeria
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2014-09-01) Nasiru, Idris Medugu; Labaris, A.; Yusuf, K.S.; Barde, M.M.
The law establishing Micro Finance (Community Banks) in Nigeria was signed in 1990, the aim of the Federal Government was to use it as a tool to accelerate cash flow and development within the rural economy. This study focuses on assessment of the performance of community banks on the transformation of the rural economy from where they are located. 10 of the 13 functioning community banks in Nasarawa State, Nigeria were randomly selected with at least three each from the three Senatorial districts to enable us view their functional involvement in rural development issues.500 questionnaires were also administered to the customers of these banks, representing a 10% of the total customers within the rural environment. Results from the study indicated that community banks fared well in the area of special loan schemes, rural customer size, direct rural investments, and rural income generation programmes. Variation also existed in the area of composite scores using Z score analysis and appropriate recommendations are suggested accordingly.
Open Access
ASESSMENT OF DROUGHT INDUCED LAND COVER CHANGES IN GAJIRAM AREA OF BORNO STATE USING LANDSAT MSS SATELLITE DATA
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2001-06-01) Ayuba, H.K.; Abubakar, Sani M.
Drought is a principal factor governing land cover charges of land degradation in such ecosystems. Satellite remote sensing is a good cool of directing such changes. In this paper, the impact of Nigeria 's 1984 drought on land cover was examined by analyzing 1980 and 1987 digital Landsat MSS satellite data of Gajiram area of Borno State, Nigeria.The two data were radio-metrically and geometrically corrected, registered to a common map projection and then each subjected to a maximum likelihood unsupervised classification to produce a land cover map for each date. The two independently classified maps were then compared within the framework of Geographical Information System to evaluate the magnitude of changes in each land cover between the two dates. The results obtained revealed that between the two compared periods, the various land cover types have undergo the following changes in their special extents: Built-up (+100) Bare(+125%). Grass and Herbs (+13%) Shrubs and Grasses(+43%), Open Tress and Shrubs (-12%), Thcrr.bush t-4IVoi. Forest (-27%), Thickets (-45:>,. oi:d Ha&r (-60%). Possible underlining reasons for the observed changes, and their implication for land development in the area have been discussed.
Open Access
ASSESSING EVIDENCE FOR SOIL DEGRADATION IN THE SEMI-ARID RANGELAND OF YOBE STATE, NIGERIA.
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2001-01-01) Ayuba, H.K.; Abubakar, Sani M.
This paper examines soil chemical degradation in one of the largest statutory grazing reserves in Yobe State, Nigeria (The Jakusko-Nasari grazing reserve). Soil samples were collected and analysed using standard Held and laboratory techniques. To compute the indices of soil degradation, the mean value for each soil parameter used in the grazed plots (the heavily grazed, moderately grazed and light grazed sites) is expressed as a percentage of the mean value in the Savanna woodland site (the reference location); and the value obtained is subtracted from 100. The results reveal an enrichment of organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and other soil nutrients in the heavily grazed sites close to the water points. This suggests a net transport of nutrients from the outlying areas inwards towards the water points! In spite of this pattern, the nutrient status of the soil is significantly lower than those of Southern Guinea Savanna, it was recommended that the rangeland he reseeded with promising legumes such as Slylosanthes species and Alylosia Scarabaciodcs in order to help fix nitrogen, thus increase soil nutrient; improve soil structure and increase ovcrallTangc productivity.
Open Access
Assessing Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management Factors for Johor-Bahru by Analytical Hierarchy Process
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2012-04-01) Nasiru, Idris Medugu; Abba, A.H.; Noor, Z.Z.; Aliyu, A.
Management of solid waste involves collection, transportation, treatment and safe disposal to landfills. These activities create a lot of impacts to the environment and most of the time impose social and financial burden on authorities handling solid waste management as well as the community. Local authorities managing waste are confronted with problems, protests and resistance from the public because of difference of views and perceptions on impacts created by waste management plans. This paper assesses some environmental, social and economical impacts viewed by stakeholders in the city of Johor Bahru Malaysia. Analytical hierarchy process (AHP), a multicriteria decision making analysis tool is used to evaluate the views of the stakeholders with the aid of super decision software. Stream ecology, flora and fauna, habitat depletion, land use and air quality are ranked higher for environmental factors/impacts. Public awareness health and safety, population size and cooperation from the public dominate the social factors. Regulation, landfill capacity, operation and maintenance cost and capital cost dominate economic factors/impacts. Four alternative disposal plans (landfilling, recycling, incineration, composting) were proposed and ranked according to the priorities of the stakeholders. Incineration and recycling were preferred to landfilling and composting disposal options.
Open Access
Assessing Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management Factors for Johor-Bahru by Analytical Hierarchy Process
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2013-04-01) Nasiru, Idris Medugu; Abba, A.H.; Noor, Z.Z.; Aliyu, A.
Management of solid waste involves collection, transportation, treatment and safe disposal to landfills. These activities create a lot of impacts to the environment and most of the time impose social and financial burden on authorities handling solid waste management as well as the community. Local authorities managing waste are confronted with problems, protests and resistance from the public because of difference of views and perceptions on impacts created by waste management plans. This paper assesses some environmental, social and economical impacts viewed by stakeholders in the city of Johor Bahru Malaysia. Analytical hierarchy process (AHP), a multicriteria decision making analysis tool is used to evaluate the views of the stakeholders with the aid of super decision software. Stream ecology, flora and fauna, habitat depletion, land use and air quality are ranked higher for environmental factors/impacts. Public awareness health and safety, population size and cooperation from the public dominate the social factors. Regulation, landfill capacity, operation and maintenance cost and capital cost dominate economic factors/impacts. Four alternative disposal plans (landfilling, recycling, incineration, composting) were proposed and ranked according to the priorities of the stakeholders. Incineration and recycling were preferred to landfilling and composting disposal options
Open Access
Assessing the vulnerability of farmers, fishermen and herdsmen to climate change in Nigeria
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2021-09-01) Nasiru, Idris Medugu; Adati, Ayuba Kadafa
This research is aimed at assessing the vulnerability of farmers, fishermen and herdsmen to climate change in Nigeria. The study was motivated to examine the underlying causes and assess the degree of vulnerability as well as examines the conflicts between farmers and herdsmen as a result of climate change.This research employed the use of quantitative and qualitative,means of data gathering techniques as well as physical observations. Six states (Kebbi, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Osun, Ebonyi, and Akwa Ibom) were selected on the ground that they are key food production areas within the ecological zones of the country and are therefore essential to continual food security in the country. More so, they double as fishing communities in order to aid the comprehensive study of all the effects of climate change on farmers and fishermen alike. The study observed that the level of vulnerability of rural dwellers most specifically farmers, herdsmen and fishermen to climate change is very high due to their socioeconomic, ethnic and historical perspective of their trend. The study therefore recommends that urgent step needs to be put in place to help control natural hazards and manmade disasters. However, serious measures is also needed in order to minimize severe societal, economic and political crises; some of which may either escalate to violent conflicts or could be avoided by efforts of conflict resolution and prevention by the initiation of a process of de-escalation together by applying the best-fit adaptive and mitigation measures to climate change vulnerability in rural communities of Nigeria.
Open Access
AN ASSESSMENT OF FINANCIAL VIABILITY AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF WATER SUPPLY IN NASARAWA STATE - NIGERIA
(^Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University, Keffi., 2015-12-27) Abubakar, Mahmud; Umar Osu, Ujih.
In Nigeria, there is an urgent need, to manage w ater resources, especially the aspects of development and supply, with a policy that aims at financial viability and economic efficiency. Four Local Government Areas (LGAS) were sampled and used for this study because of the current operations of the Nasarawa State's Water Board; each LG A is residentially structured into four zones which coincide with the socio-economic strata in the LGAs. IS specific water consumption rates were examined using standards of measurements. The average water use rate in each stratum was then compared with the present water rates, to highlight the w ide gap between amount of w ater used and the amount charged by the government. The study observed that, the ideal necessity for optimal water pricing in Nasarawa State is to resort to metering every water-using unit in the state. In such a case, prices will be based on amount of water actually used by a household or unit, or individuals; this can only be achieved if pipe connections have been extended to the houses in the unplanned indigenous areas. The study concludes that, water must be exploited economically. The running cost should be borne by revenue from water rates The present water tariff is grossly unrealistic and requires upward review
Open Access
Assessment of Forest Carbon Stocks on Forest Degradation in the Oyimo Forest Reserve, Ondo State, Nigeria
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University, Keffi., 2022-10-16) Salami, V.T.; Oga, A.T.; Abubakar, Mahmud
This study assessed the amount of carbon stock in the Oyimo forest reserve in Ondo Statewith the view to determine the above ground biomass (AGB) and belowground biomass (BGB), estimate the organic carbon content and evaluate the soil organic carbon sequestered. The SDG 15.3.1 embedded in plugin quantum geographic information system (QGIS) was the method used to carry out the analysis. In this SDG 15.3.1 there are indicator for quantifying carbon stock and sub-indicator to measure forest degradation. The results showed that initial forest area was 59,413 hectares; initial non-forest area was 245 hectares (ha), total biomass was 3,535,543 tonnes of C, loss of carbon was 127,703 tonnes of C and total carbon emission during the years was 468,669 tonnes of CO2e.From land cover of soil organic carbon of sub-indicator the area with no data was 19.01 hectares, degraded area was 18,727.849 hectares, stable area was 29,032.919 hectares and improved area was 11,9780.2184 respectively. The estimation of Carbon stock gives an idea about the quantity and quality of carbon available in the area and also how it behaves in ecosystem, where the carbon is ultimately degraded to carbon emissions to the atmosphere causing global warming and climate change, which affect entire ecosystem significantly. Therefore, Trend. Earth can be used to assess the Carbon stocks of a given forest and also can be found as the best method to calculate soil organic carbon (SOC) due to measurement of carbon and degradation, low cost and less time requirement.
Open Access
An Assessment of Gully Erosion in Gombe Town, Gombe State, Nigeria
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University Keffi, 2012-08-10) Mbaya, Lazarus Abore; Ayuba, H.K.; Abdullahi, John
The development of gullies is one of the severe environmental problems in Gombe town. It has threatens urban infrastructure, properties, lives and the physical growth of the town. Knowing the rates of gully development in the last decade helped explain the reasons for current land degradation. This research work therefore assessed gully erosion in Gombe town. Data used in this study were derived from field measurements, satellite imageries, and laboratory analysis and questionnaire survey. Results from the interpretation of Spot 5(1999) and Quick Birds (2009) imageries and field measurements showed that gully variables (length, depth and widths) have significantly increased in the last 10 years. Laboratory analysis of soil particle size revealed that sand proportion was 52%, silt 9.5% and clay 38.5%. The values of Atterberg limits (liquid limits; plasticity limit and the plasticity index (PI), shear strength (cohesion and angle of internal friction) and bulk density values were low, soil chemical properties also showed that the soils are moderately acidic, contained low organic matter, and low exchangeable cations, with serious implication on biological methods of erosion control
Open Access
Assessment of Hypertensive Disorder Among Pregnant Women in Abuja Municipal Area Council, Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State State University Keffi, 2021-01-06) Abubakar, Mahmud
The objective of this study is to evaluate the risk factors and maternal health related problems developed during pregnancy among pregnant women in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC). The study population comprise of women of child bearing age 15 – 49 years that resides in the study area. Stratification of the city into three clusters, namely; Garki, Wuse, and the Central Business District that makes up AMAC was done. In each cluster, two settlements were randomly selected and questionnaire administered to the eligible respondents. Mean, Variance, Standard deviation, and Coefficient of Variation were used to analyze the data while Poisson Regression Analysis was used to describe the relationship between the dependent variable Y discrete Poisson-distributed data with the independent variables Xs. The study reveals that: as age move from 31-49 years to 15-30 years, there s an expected 18.5% increase in the number of Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy (HDP) originally. Similarly, as occupation move from business to civil servant and housewife, there is an expected 14.1% increase of the number of HDP originally while with respect to monthly income, there is an expected 4.4% increase of the number of HDP originally from high to medium. Similarly, with respect to parity, the study concluded that grand parity does not increase the risk for pregnancy outcomes and reflects the fact that high parity is associated with socio-economic disadvantage in AMAC. The message of this study might discourage a large number of births in AMAC where pregnancy health care services are to some extent provided.
Open Access
ASSESSMENT OF POST-HARVEST LOSSES OF YAM (Dioscorea spp.)IN SELECTED DISTRICTS OF KARU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NASARAWA STATE
(Department of Geography, Nasarawa State University, Keffi., 2017-02-22) Abubakar, Mahmud; Nasiru, Idris Medugu
The aim of this study is to introduce a method for the direct assessment of post-harvest losses in yam caused by rodents. Key informants comprising practicing yam farmers; the agriculture extension workers were selected for a Focus Group Discussion. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the data, and the 95% Confidence Interval (CI) measured precision of respondent noted to have given a specific response. The daily yam requirements of the trapped rodents in the weight class were determined by measuring the actual amounts consumed by representative samples of captive rodents in cages. The study reveals that the major causes of post-harvest losses of yam is basically poor storage (17.7-54.7% CI) and to a lesser extent post-harvest handling of yam (10.2-24% CI). Analysis of variance shows that there is relationship between the yams sold, stored, processed and consumed, indicating increasing demand for the yam (Dioscorea spp.); the 10.5kg of yam lost to rodents during storage called for concern, this has resulted to both qualitative and quantitative losses. The study recommended investment in post-harvest storage processing technologies; education as well as proper method of controlling rodents that destroy yam tubers in storage.