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Item Open Access Models for predicting the compressive strenght of compressed stabilized earth blocks(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2025-07) Iwu, UchennaThis study presents models for predicting the compressive strength of compressed stabilized earth blocks (CSEBs). The blocks were produced using Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and suitable soil obtained by mixing laterite, river sand, and granite chippings in appropriate proportions. Varying OPC contents of 5%, 6% and 8% were used. A constant compressive pressure of 6MPa was used in molding all the blocks using universal compression machine. 27 mix ratios were used for the work, 18 for designing the models, and 9 for testing them. Three blocks were molded for each mix ratio, compressed, and cured by sprinkling of water twice daily and covering with nylon mat for 28 days, after which the blocks were crushed at saturated surface dry state. Using Ibearugbulem’s Regression Function, three mathematical models were formulated for predicting the compressive strengths of CSEBs when the mixture proportions are known. The average 28th day compressive strength values of the blocks for 5%, 6%, and 8% OPC content were 3.6N/mm2 , 5.5N/mm2 and 6.8N/mm2 respectively, well above the 2.5N/mm2 recommended by The Nigeria Industrial Standard (NIS 87: 2000) for load bearing walls. The compressive strength values predicted by model 2 at 5%, 6%, and 8% OPC content were 3.50N/mm2 , 5.53N/mm2 and 7.30N/mm2 respectively, while the corresponding laboratory values were 3.60N/mm2 , 5.50N/mm2 and 7.31N/mm2 respectively. Predicted and laboratory values for models 1 and 3 were similarly close. The predictions from the three models were tested with the statistical Fisher test and found to be adequate at 95% confidence level. Thus, the models are suitable for predicting the compressive strength of CSEBs compressed with a pressure of 6MPaItem Open Access Proliferation of petrol stations: Risk, identification and design of groundwater quality monitoring wells in Owerri West, Imo State, Nigeria(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2017-11) Eme, Chidinma ChristianaPetrol stations located along three roads: Nekede-Ihiagwa – Aba Road (1), OwerriWest segment of Port-Harcourt Road (2) and Owerri-West segment of Onitsha Road (3) were specifically investigated and mapped using Global Positioning System (GPS). Results show that the number of petrol stations is more than necessary. The 8 km Road (1) has 26 petrol stations; the 14 km Road (2) has 24 petrol stations while the 6 km Road (3) has 20 petrol stations. Out of a total of 70 petrol stations, 46% were functional, 42% were non functional, 8% were abandoned and 4% were under construction at time of this investigation. Petrol stations that were not properly situated were 64% while 1% is encroached by new developing structures. The petrol stations have their age range between 2 to 22 years, number of underground storage tanks (USTs) from 3 to 12 and average depth of USTs as 3.6 m (12 ft.). All the stations have similar size USTs and same corrosion prevention treatment of only bitumen coating and wrapping with black polyethylene. No cathodic protection. Electrical resistivity inversion gave average depth to groundwater as 24.5 m (80 ft) and lithology consisting predominantly of sand and gravel beds which implies that leakage from USTs would easily migrate to the water table. Drainage analysis confirmed surface drainage towards SouthSW, corresponding to groundwater flow direction. USTs between ages of 15 to 22 years are at greater risk of corrosion and leakage, whereas approximately one million people in the area depend on groundwater for drinking and other domestic uses. Six monitoring well locations have been identified based on groundwater flow direction (South-SW), cluster of petrol stations, and age (≥ 15 years) of USTs.Item Open Access Use of indigenous medicinal plants for healthcare by small ruminant farmers in Imo State, Nigeria(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2023-06) Onuoha, Eugenia NnekaThe study analyzed the use of indigenous medicinal plants for healthcare by small ruminant farmers in Imo State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the small ruminant farmers, identify the indigenous medicinal plant species available to them, identify small ruminant ailments prevalent in the study area, ascertain methods of preparation of the medicinal plants used, determine the situations or conditions for use of the medicinal plants in small ruminants ’healthcare by male and female farmers, ascertain the perceived reasons for use of indigenous medicinal plants in small ruminants’ healthcare, and identify the constraints to the use of indigenous medicinal plants in small ruminants’ healthcare in the study area. The hypotheses tested were; there was no significant relationship between the socioeconomic characteristics of the farmers and their perceived reasons for use of indigenous medicinal plants for small ruminant healthcare, there was no significant difference in the perceived reasons for use of indigenous medicinal plants for small ruminant healthcare between the male and female farmers and there were no significant differences in the perceived reasons for use of indigenous medicinal plants among farmers for small ruminant healthcare in the three agricultural zones of Imo State. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select the sample for the study. A total of 240 small ruminant farmers were selected for the study. Data were obtained from primary sources and were analysed using mean score, standard deviation and percentage. The hypotheses were tested using ordinary least square multiple regression model, Z- test and ANOVA. The result of the study showed that the farmers had an average age of about 51 years, the majority (52.9%) of the farmers were male while 47.1% were female and majority (86.3%) were married. The mean household size was eight persons and the mean years of farming experience of the respondents was 15.7 years. The majority (57.5%) of the respondents took farming as their major occupation. The mean herd size owned by the farmers was 18 animals and the majority (68.0%) of the respondents belonged to church organizations while 57.5% were ADP contact farmers. A greater proportion (42.9%) of the respondents got credit from friends and relatives while the mean annual income of the farmers was N87, 325. Furthermore, the study identified 20 indigenous plant species utilized in small ruminant animal healthcare. Seventeen ailments were identified. The result also revealed that many methods were used to prepare and administer the indigenous plant species to the animals, with squeezing, boiling and crushing being the most preferred. The most frequent situation to administer medicinal plants was each time a disease condition is observed ( ̅ = 2.5) and the most perceived reason for the use of indigenous medicinal plant was readily available and cheap ( 𝑋= 3.1). It was also found that problem of dosage of the medicine (85.8%) was the major constraint to the use of medicinal plants in the study area. The multiple regression analysis run to predict the influence of socioeconomic characteristics on farmers’ perceived reasons for use of indigenous medicinal plants for small ruminant healthcare showed that R2 = 39.6 and Fvalue = 9.8, sex (t = 3. 2), age (t = 3.3), marital status ( 𝑡 =− 2. 1 ), educational level (t = 3. 6 ), herd size ( 𝑡 = 3. 9 ),membership of social organizations ( 𝑡 = 4. 7 ), sources of information (𝑡 = −2.8), annual income �� = −1.92, frequency of extension contact ( 𝑡 = 1. 8 ) and major occupation (t = 1. 8 ) were statistically significant at 1%, 5% and 10% significant levels. The z-test analysis showed that the male and female farmers did not differ in their perceived reasons for use of indigenous medicinal plants. Furthermore, the ANOVA result revealed a statistically significant difference (F(2,237) = 7.109, p = 0.001 in the perceived reasons for use of medicinal plants for small ruminant healthcare among the farmers in the three agricultural zones. It was recommended that government and other relevant stakeholders should promote the use of medicinal plants in livestock management. There should also be a synergy between farmers, researchers and extension personnel in the identification and use of medicinal plants in small ruminant healthcare.Item Open Access Occupational hazards associated with catering profession: A case study of Nnewi North Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria(Federal University of Technlogy, Owerri, 2026-01) Chukwumah, Onyinye TheresaThe catering industry is associated with high levels of work-related injuries and diseases due to exposure to various occupational hazards. This study assessed the occupational hazards associated with caterers in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nigeria. A total of one hundred and thirty-nine (139) caterers were sampled for the study. Most of the respondents were female 84 (60.4%), while 46% were between the ages of 13–24 years. Sixty-two percent had worked for one to five years in either hotels (65.4%) or fast-food restaurants (34.5%). Half of the respondents (50%) had secondary education, while 43.2% had tertiary education. A multistage sampling technique was employed for the study. Nnewi North is stratified into four zones namely: Otolo, Nnewichi, Uruagwu and Umudim. Hotels and restaurants were further stratified into three categories: three/four-star hotels (mid-range service), one/two-star hotels (budget/limited service), and fast-food restaurants. Systematic random sampling was used to select establishments from each category, while simple random sampling was used to select two participants (chefs/bakers and stewards/waiters) from each establishment. The findings revealed that caterers in Nnewi North Local Government Area had a significant level of knowledge about occupational hazards and safety practices. Eighty-two percent of the respondents reported having the required personal protective equipment, including protective clothing (41.3%), hand gloves (27.1%), and footwear (23.4%). However, some caterers did not adhere to specific work procedures due to pressure to complete tasks(50.0%) and lack of interest in using protective measures (35.4%). Additionally, 73% reported that work pressure affects their safety culture, while 78% were not satisfied with the health and safety practices in their workplaces. The study also revealed a significant (p<0.05) positive attitude of caterers toward occupational hazard prevention and adherence to safety practices. Further research is recommended to determine the major causes of work-related injuries and diseases in the catering industry in Nnewi North Local Government Area to support the development of effective occupational health and safety management system.Item Open Access Utilization of healthcare facilities among selected communities in Rivers State, Nigeria(Federal University of Technlogy, Owerri, 2026-03) Onyetulem, Daniel U. S.This study examined the utilization of healthcare facilities in selected rural communities of Rivers State, Nigeria, with emphasis on patterns of use, determinants of underutilization, and the influence of socioeconomic factors. A cross-sectional descriptive design was adopted. Data were collected using structured questionnaires administered to 400 respondents across 10 Local Government Areas, of which 366 valid responses (91.5%) were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results revealed that alternative medical centres were the most commonly utilized first point of care (35.2%), followed by patent medicine stores (27.9%), while only 12.3% and 7.6% of respondents patronized basic health centres and primary health care centres, respectively. A substantial proportion of respondents reported underutilization of modern health facilities to a very large (28%) and large extent (30%). Key reasons for non-utilization included unkempt facility environments (52.9%), lack of equipment and laboratory services (50.3%), poor staff–patient relationships (39.5%), and absenteeism of doctors (35.7%). Poverty emerged as the most significant barrier to utilization (98%), followed by high cost of modern healthcare services (90%). Nearly half of the respondents (49%) earned between ₦200,001 and ₦300,000 per annum, while 38% earned below ₦200,000, underscoring the role of low income in healthcare decisions. Statistical analysis demonstrated a strong positive relationship between underutilization of health facilities and poor health status (r = 0.98), as well as between low income and underutilization (r = .96). The study concludes that underutilization of modern healthcare facilities in rural Rivers State is driven largely by economic constraints and systemic deficiencies. Strengthening primary healthcare services through improved infrastructure, staffing, affordability, and service quality is essential to enhance utilization and health outcomes.Item Open Access Effects of farmer-herder conflicts on food security of cassava farmers in Imo State, Nigeria(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2026-01) Obasi, Akanele ChoriThis study examined the effect of farmer–herder conflicts on the food security of cassava farmers in Imo State, Nigeria, with the aim of understanding how conflicts influence cassava production, farmers’ net income, and their food and nutritional well-being. The study was necessitated by the growing tension between crop farmers and pastoralists, which has become a major threat to agricultural productivity and food availability in southeastern Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 90 cassava farmers from the two agricultural zones of Imo State. Primary data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression for net income analysis, and multinomial logistic regression for the determinants of coping strategies, while body mass index and individual dietary diversity score were used to analyze the food security status, the drivers of the status was determined using ordered probit model. The average net farm income (NFI) per harvest was ₦117,117.78, while the return on investment (ROI) stood at 75.86%, indicating that cassava farming remained profitable despite recurrent conflicts. Results on the causes of conflict identified both remote causes—such as population pressure, land tenure insecurity, and competition over natural resources—and immediate causes, including sexual harassment of female farmers (mean = 2.54), indiscriminate bush burning (mean = 2.48), and crop destruction by cattle (mean = 2.39). The conflicts led to displacement of households, loss of farm assets, and abandonment of farmland. The Multinomial Logistic Regression revealed that access to credit (p<0.01) and farming experience (p<0.05) significantly determined the choice of coping strategies. Crop diversification (mean = 2.63) and fencing (mean = 2.36) emerged as the most effective coping strategies, while reliance on prayer or assistance from local leaders ranked least effective. The body mass index and individual dietary diversity have a mean value of 13.9 (SD = 1.97) with the respondents being moderately food insecure. Furthermore, results from the Ordered Probit Regression showed that access to credit (coef = 1.714, p=0.016) had a positive and significant influence on food security, while farmers’ income (coef = -4.26e-06, p=0.052) had an unexpected negative effect, implying that income did not automatically translate into food security due to conflict-related losses and livelihood instability. Variables such as education, farm size, and land ownership had positive but statistically insignificant effects, while sex, age, and conflict frequency negatively affected food security. The study concludes that farmer–herder conflict substantially undermines cassava productivity, net income, and food security in Imo State. It recommends the establishment of community-based conflict management systems, improved credit access, farmer education on adaptive strategies, and enforcement of land-use policies to promote peaceful coexistence. The research contributes to knowledge by providing an integrated socioeconomic and econometric assessment of how conflict shapes the resilience and food security dynamics of cassava-based farming households in southeastern Nigeria.Item Open Access Assessment of domestic trade barriers in South-East Nigeria: The case for yam(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2025-11) Eze, Juliet AdaugoThe study investigated domestic trade barriers in South East Nigeria, focusing on yam trade. The specific objectives were to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of yam traders in the region, characterize the barriers to yam trade (tariff and non-tariff barriers), determine the effects of trade barriers on the volume of yam traded, estimate the profit of yam traders, and determine the effect of trade barriers on the profit of yam traders. Multistage, purposive and random sampling techniques were used to collect primary data from 120 respondents via structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, profit model, and Ordinary Least Squares Multiple regression. The descriptive statistics results showed the traders' mean ages in the region was 47 years and that 61% of them were male. Most of the traders were married (73%) and had attained up to secondary education. These traders maintained a mean household size of 5 persons and had been in the yam trading business for an average of 13 years. and the mean volume of yam traded across the south east was 1.8tons. The study categorized trade barriers into tariff barriers (TBs) and non-tariff tariff barriers (NTBs) alongside their associated costs. The result of the effect of trade barriers on the volume of yam traded in South East showed that quantity demanded (P< 0.1), municipal permit (P< 0.1), illegal charges (P<0.05), roadblock (P< 0.05) were significant to the volume of yam traded. The result of the extent of trade barriers affecting the volume of yam traded showed that in the south east, a total of 16747kg of yam traded and barriers such as roadblocks, produce charges, municipal permit, security charges, illegal charges and tollgates affected the volume of yam traded. There was a 12% return on investment of the yam traders in the region. This means that yam trading in the region is very profitable. The result of the effect of trade barriers on the profit of yam traders showed that tollgate (P< 0.1), produce charge (P< 0.05), roadblocks (P<0.1), and illegal charge (P<0.1) were significant to the profit of yam traders. The study recommends that the government invest in better transportation infrastructure, like road networks and rail systems, to enhance yam trading efficiency. Policymakers should also pursue reforms to address trade barriers especially those barriers that greatly affect the volume of yam traded and profits of the traders in the area.Item Open Access Effects of adoption intensity of digital marketing techniques on the efficiency of food commodity marketing in Imo State, Nigeria(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2025-11) Anyanwu, Amarachi TheodoraThe study examined the effects of adoption intensity of digital marketing techniques on the efficiency of food commodity marketing in Imo State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of the respondents, describe the various digital food marketing techniques in food commodity marketing, determine the adoption intensity of digital marketing techniques in food commodity marketing, analyze the factors influencing adoption intensity, in digital food marketing techniques, determine the effect of adoption intensity, its features on the rate of return in capital investment on digital food marketing techniques, and determine the effect of adoption intensity, its features on the efficiency of digital food commodity marketing techniques in the study area. Primary data were collected from 150 respondents using a well-structured questionnaire and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, adoption index model, multinomial logistic regression model, and Ordinary Least Square multiple regression models. Descriptive statistics revealed that the average age of digital food marketers was 34 years. The majority were female (61.33%) and possessed tertiary education qualifications (68.67%). Most respondents were married (56%), had an average household size of four persons, and had six years of experience in digital marketing. Findings on digital marketing techniques indicated high adoption rates for Facebook (5.00±0.00), WhatsApp (5.00±0.00), Instagram (4.88±0.432), TikTok (4.11±1.190), X Handle (3.42±1.459), SMS (5.00±0.00), YouTube (3.03±1.211), and Affiliate Marketing (3.02±1.712). Adoption intensity scores further showed Facebook (5.00), WhatsApp (5.00), Instagram (5.31), TikTok (5.30), X Handle (4.88), SMS (5.00), YouTube (4.24), and Affiliate Marketing (4.73) as key platforms used. The usage distribution revealed universal use of Facebook, WhatsApp, and SMS (100% each), while Instagram (90.67%), Affiliate Marketing (61.33%), YouTube (59.33%), TikTok (56%), and X Handle (36%) followed. Classification based on adoption intensity identified Late Adopters (22%), Late Majority (63.33%), Early Majority (13.33%), and Innovators (1.34%). Multinomial logistic regression showed that factors such as age (P<0.01), educational attainment (P<0.05), and access to information (P<0.1) significantly influenced adoption categories, with a pseudo-R² value of 63.2%. Analysis of the impact on capital investment returns indicated that 73.8% of the variation was explained by the model's variables. Significant factors included adoption intensity (P<0.1), cost of platform use (P<0.01), educational level (P<0.01), and marketing experience (P<0.01). Similarly, the model assessing efficiency showed that 74.5% of the variation was accounted for by the explanatory variables. Cost of use (P<0.01), education (P<0.01), and marketing experience (P<0.01) were key influences on the efficiency of digital food marketing. In conclusion, the study recommends stakeholders should consider subsidizing online training costs to encourage wider participation in digital marketing. Greater public awareness initiatives are also necessary to boost digital food marketing adoption, while regulatory bodies should enact laws to safeguard users of digital platforms.Item Open Access Molecular identification and characterisation of schistosoma species in freshwater in Bodo community, Rivers State(Federal University of Technlogy, Owerri, 2025-08) Sampson, Margret E.Accurate identification and characterization of Schistosoma species in freshwater are crucial for understanding the transmission dynamics of schistosomiasis and guiding effective control measures. This study molecularly identified and characterized Schistosoma species in freshwater from four locations in the Bodo community, Rivers State, Nigeria. A total of 200 water samples were collected from Nuumu-Tekurun, Nuumu-Bari-aage, Bon-Sunday, and Nuumu-Kekpaban rivers. Structured questionnaires were also administered to 200 randomly selected residents to assess behavioural and environmental risk factors associated with infection. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests in SPSS version 23.0. Findings revealed that (139) 69% of households relied on pipe-borne water, while (159) 80% of participants frequently engaged in swimming and other water-contact activities lasting more than 15 minutes. Urination or defecation in water bodies was reported by 82% of respondents, and the presence of snails 177 (89%) and 189 livestock (95%), particularly cattle (61%), was common near rivers. The overall prevalence of Schistosoma infection was 18.5% (p < 0.001), with S. japonicum 15 (40.5%) being the most prevalent, followed by S. mansoni 12 (32.4%) and S. haematobium 10 (27%). Significant predictors of infection (p ≤ 0.027) included use of rivers as a main water source, daily exposure to water bodies, prolonged contact, and proximity of livestock and snails. The study concludes that schistosomiasis persists as a public health concern in Bodo community. Strengthened health education, improved access to safe water, and regulation of livestock activities near freshwater sources are recommended to curb transmission and protect community health.Item Open Access Flammability properties of compatibilized dikanut shell powder filled natural rubber/poly (Vinyl Chloride) composites(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2015-12) Odidi, Okpo DonaldThe major objective of the study is to evaluate the flame retardant properties of NR/PVC/DNS powder filled with KBr, Mg(Cl)2 and Mg(Oh)2as flame retardant bio-composites obtained by using MAPI (maleic anhydride-gpolyisosprene) and TETA (triethylene tetramine).Blends of natural rubber (NR) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) filled with dikanut shell powder (DNS) and carbon black (CB) were prepared by reactive compatibilization in a two-roll mill. A combination of maleic anhydride-g-polyisosprene (MAPI) and triethylene tetramine (TETA) was used as compatibilizers. Halogenated flame retardants (Mg(Cl)2 and KBr) and metal oxide flame retardant, Mg(OH)2 were used as flame retardants. Blend compositions of NR/PVC100/30 were filled with varying filler ratios of CB/DNS30/0, 30/5, 15/10, 10/15, 5/20, 0/25, 0/30 pphr. Blends were filled with flame retardants in the ratios of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0 pphr. The effects of filler loading, compatibilizer loading, mesh size (particle size) and flame retardants on vulcanizate properties of filled blends such as ignition time, auto-combusting time and flame propagation rate were investigated. The results show that dikanut shell powder significantly improved the flammability properties of the blends. The flame propagation rate was greatly reduced by increasing both DNS and CB filler loading. It was observed that the composites became more resistant to ignition and propagation of flame with increasing filler content. The rate of burning of the composites also decreased with reducing filler particle size. The rate of flame propagation also showed a decrease with increasing flame retardant levels. Increases in the compatibilizer levels made the composites more resistant to burning and decomposition, thereby increasing the flame resistance. The NR/PVC/CB composite blends showed superior flame resistance characteristic than the NR/PVC/DNS composite blends. Flame retardancy of the composites showed improvements of about 200% and above in some cases. The NR/PVC/DNS can be used for high volume polymer products such as shoe soles, foot mats andcar exhaust hangers at low DNS filler loading of 10pphr.Item Open Access Assesment of occupational health hazards among solid waste scavengers in Owerri North Local Government Area, Imo State(Federal University of Technlogy, Owerri, 2024-09) Okpara, Barbara OluebubeThis study determined the Assessment of Occupational Health Hazards among Solid Waste Scavengers in Owerri North Local Government Area, Imo State. Five specific objectives with corresponding research questions and five hypotheses guided the study. Cross-sectional descriptive study design was used for this study. A multi-staged sampling technique, simple random sampling technique and a purposive sampling technique were used to draw samples of 49 scavengers that responded. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection after being validated and its reliability tested. The data collected was analysed using frequencies, percentage, the hypotheses were tested using chi-square statistics at ≤0.05 level of significance. Results showed that (32.7) are within the age group of 38-47 years old. (89.8%), are male (36.7%) attain primary and secondary education (49.0%) are married, (49.0%) are less than 5 years into the scavenging business while (40.8%) earn less than N30,000 monthly from the scavenging business. On the exposure to physical health hazards, 55.1% have a high exposure while 44.9% have a low exposure to physical health hazards. On the exposure of chemical health hazards, 38.8% have a low exposure while 61.2% have a high exposure to chemical health hazards. On the exposure to biological health hazards 36.7% have a high exposure while 63.3% have a low exposure to biological hazard. On the exposure to ergonomic health hazards 71.4% have a high exposure while 28.6% have a low exposure to ergonomic health hazards. overall preventive practices taken by respondents against hazards resulting from Scavenging. 75.5% have poor preventive practices while 24.5% have good preventive practices. No significant association was established between exposure to physical health hazards during Scavenging activities and Respondents age, sex, educational attainment, marital status, years in business and monthly income (p-value = 0.296, 0.816, 0.794, 0.920, 0,373, 0.442 respectively). No significant association was established between exposure to chemical hazard during scavenging activities and respondents age, sex, educational attainment, marital status, years in business and monthly income (p-value = 0.317, 0.363, 0.743, 0.802, 0.113, 0.161 respectively). No significant association was established between exposure to biological hazard during scavenging activities and respondents age, sex, educational attainment, marital status, years in business and monthly income (p-value = 0.617, 0.873, 0.222, 0.918, 0.914, 0.977 respectively). No significant association was established between exposure to ergonomic health hazard during scavenging activities and respondents age, sex, educational attainment, marital status, years in business and monthly income (pvalue = 0.216, 0.136, 1.764, 0.166, 0.679, 0.503 respectively). No significant association was established between preventive practices taken by respondents against health hazards resulting from Scavenging and respondents age, sex, educational attainment, marital status, years in business and monthly income (p-value = 0.438, 0.805, 0.202, 0.623, 0.190, 0.357 respectively). Solid wastes scavengers are more exposed to physical, chemical and ergonomic health hazards than biological due to lack of PPE required for scavenging and ignorance of the health hazards, So the state government and regulating bodies should provide and ensure the usage of PPE and operational guidelines for solid waste scavenging.Item Open Access Association between waste disposal and the occurence of malaria and diarrhoea in Port Harcourt Local Government Area, Rivers State(Federal University of Technlogy, Owerri, 2026-03) Nmeribe, Chioma ChristyThis study examined the relationship between waste disposal and the incidences of malaria and diarrhoea in Port Harcourt Local Government Area in Rivers State. A cross-sectional descriptive design was embraced and 420 respondents were chosen in four communities (Port Harcourt Township, Diobu, Rumuokoro, and D-line/ Ada George). Data collection was done using structured questionnaires, field observations and entomological surveys and statistical analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that majority of the respondents were females (54.8 %), aged 40-49 years (47 %), married (50.5 %), and tertiary educated (41.7 %). Open dumping (36.4) and burning (25.0) were the most popular methods of waste-disposal (only 20.7 used the services of government collection). The greatest mosquito (120 adults, larval density = 25/L) and fly abundance (180 adults, 160 per trap/24 h) was observed in Port Harcourt Township, which means that there is a great level of the vectors around dumpsites. The prevalence of the diseases was also high including malaria (44.3 %), diarrhoea (21.9 %), and both (17.6 %) with the incidence declining as the distance to dumpsites rose. The highest incidences of malaria (54.8) and diarrhoea (52.2) were reported in households that practiced open dumping meaning that improper waste disposal is strongly associated with incidence of diseases. Despite the fact that 89 percent out of the residents were knowledgeable about the principles of waste-management and 84.8 percent were knowledgeable about the environmental effects of waste management, only 34.3 percent displayed good waste-management practices, which suggests a knowledge-practice gap. The socioeconomic and environmental conditions, such as low income, poor sanitation, surface water use, high-density housing, and dumpsite proximity (less than 100 m) greatly affected the prevalence of the disease. The research concludes that malaria and diarrhoeal morbidity in Port Harcourt LGA is largely caused by the ineffective waste disposal systems and environmental sanitation.Item Open Access Assessment of farm labour chnaging patterns in cassava production in Imo State, Nigeria(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2023-11) Mbakaogu, Obumneke EmmanuelThis study was carried out in Imo State. The broad objective was to analyse farm labour changing patterns in food crop production in Imo state. The specific objectives were to; examine the socioeconomic characteristics of food crop farmers in the area, identify the sources of farm labour in food crop production, determine the level of farm labour use in the area, determine and compare the availability of farm labour in the dry and wet seasons, determine the factors affecting farm labour supply in the area, and examine the constraints militating against the demand and supply of farm labour in the area. The results showed that the mean age of food crop farmer was 47 years, 68.9% were married, and the mean household size was 8 persons. Majority (43.70%) attained secondary education level, mean farm size was 0.9 hectares; mean farming experience was 26 years and food crop production was majorly for cash and family use. It was then found that food crop farmers demand for hired farm labour was mostly for land preparation (58.8%), weeding (61.5%), agrochemical application (61.5%) and harvesting (60%); while family labour were employed mostly for planting (60%) and post-harvesting activities (66.7%). It showed also that food crop farmers demanded mostly female farm labour for land preparation (58.8%), weeding (58.8%), agrochemical application (84.6%), planting (70%) and post harvesting activities (77.8%); while male farm labour were used mostly for harvesting (60%). The use of female labour for land preparation could be linked to the declining female literacy that increases their availability to farm activities and high engagement of male counterparts in non-farm activities. The results on labour changing pattern showed that in the 1980s, female labourers were rarely used (with mean score of 2.10) for food crop production, while presently the female labour is mostly employed (with mean score of 3.21) with male labourers in food crop production. In land clearing and weeding operations, the results showed that farm operations were mostly carried out manually both in the 1980s (with mean score of 3.56) and presently (with mean score of 3.02). It also showed that agrochemicals such as herbicides were rarely used (with mean score of 1.14) in the 1980s, but were presently mostly used (with mean score of 3.47) in these farm operations in the area; while fertilizer application and harvesting were mostly done manually (with mean score of 3.69 and 3.39) in both periods. Farm labour were rarely allocated (with mean score of 1.81) to off-farm activities in the 1980s, but presently were mostly (with mean score of 3.30) allocated to off-farm activities, indicating that farming (on-farm activities) was the major source of livelihood in the 1980s, but due the high remunerations from off-farm activities and the search for white collar jobs and other non-farm income sources, farm labour presently move to off-farm activities. It was found that the nature of food crop production, in-migration, farm size and distance to the nearest city were positively related to the supply of farm labour; while off-farm activities was negatively related to supply of farm labour. The results showed that high cost of labour, civilization and nofarm engagement, seasonality of agricultural production, out-migration of farm labour, land tenure system and fragmentation and scarcity of farm labour were the major constraints militating against farm labour demand and supply. The study recommended strengthening and organizing ruralurban linkages by ensuring parity in on-farm wage structure comparable with off-farm wages to reduce farm labour migration to off-engagements and rural to urban migration.Item Open Access Analysis of small-scale cassava-based farmers' demand and utilization for microfinance banks credit banks in Imo State, Nigeria(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2017-07) Okpara, Elias UchechukwuThe study analyzed small-scale cassava-based farmers’ demand and utilization for microfinance banks credit in Imo State, Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: examine the socio-economic characteristics of small-scale cassava-based farmers; determine the amount of credit demanded and obtained by small-scale cassava-based farmers; estimate the factors influencing the amount of credit demanded by small-scale cassava-based farmers; estimate the determinants on the amount of credit obtained; ascertain the uses of the loan obtained by small scale cassava-based farmers; determine the repayment performance of small scale cassava-based farmers and examine the determinants of the amount of loan repaid by small- scale cassava-based farmers in Imo state. Multi-stage random sampling techniques were adopted for this study and-primary data were collected using structured questionnaire. Sample size of sixty (60) respondents was randomly selected from six (6) microfinance banks. Descriptive statistics, repayment formula, multiple regression technique and ANOVA technique were applied in the analyses. The results of the analyses showed that the mean age of the respondents was 49 years. The mean household size was 8 persons, while mean farming experience was 16 years and mean level of education was 13 years. The mean farm size was 0.67 hectare, and mean values of amount of credit demanded, obtained and repaid were ₦268,000, ₦109,675 and ₦ 118,833.33 respectively. The repayment performance of cassava-based farmers was 93.6%. The level of education, farm size, transaction cost, collateral, and distance from home to the bank, farming experience, and cost of credit had significant effect on the amount of credit demanded. The level of farm income, cost of credit, household size, age, farm size and gender have significant effect on the amount of credit obtained from microfinance banks. The level of education, farm income, farm size, amount of loan borrowed, cost of credit, household size and faming experience have significant effect in determine the repayment performance of small-scale cassava-based farmers in the study area. The ANOVA results showed that there was no significant difference on the amount of credit demanded by small-scale cassava-based farmers in the three agricultural zones of Imo State. The study recommended that by increasing the amount of credit disbursed, policy target of establishing microfinance banks will be attained, resulting to high repayment performance and improvement on cassava farming.Item Open Access Comparative analysis of financing livestock production by formal and informal financial institutions in Imo State, Nigeria(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2025-03) Olumba, Ujunwa MiriamThis study aimed to comparatively analyze the financing of livestock production by formal and informal financial institutions in Imo State, Nigeria. Questionnaire was used to collect data from 120 livestock farmers comprising 60 livestock farmers financed by formal financial institutions and 60 livestock farmers financed by informal financial institutions through multistage sampling procedure. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency distribution, percentages, mean score, TRCS and standard deviation) and inferential statistical tools (Probit model, Multiple Regression Model, Chow test and Zstatistic). Results of the socio-economic characteristics showed that livestock farmers financed by formal financial institutions were more of male (55%) with mean age of 47 years, married (88.3%) with average household size of 5 persons and 9.7 mean years of education, were members of cooperative society (66.7%) while livestock farmers financed by informal financial institutions were also mostly male (56.7%) with mean age of 44 years, married (86.7%) with average household size of 4 persons, majority were not members of cooperative society (80%). Findings showed that with Z-test values (6.9650) and (6.7646), which were significant at 5% level, there was a significant difference in the credit characteristics of livestock farmers financed by formal and informal financial institutions and that livestock farmers financed by formal financial institutions were more financially credible (65%) than those financed by informal financial institutions (28.3%). Results of the probit analysis showed that income with a marginal value of 1.30e-06, livestock size (0.0013), and credit duration (0.0305) positively influenced financial credibility of livestock farmers financed by formal financial institutions while gender with a marginal value of 0.3185, level of education (0.0460), years of experience (0.0098), livestock size (0.0052) and cooperative membership (0.3561) positively influenced financial credibility for livestock farmers financed by informal financial institutions. Findings also revealed that there was a higher level of risk associated with financing livestock farmers through formal financial institutions when matched with informal financial institutions. Results of the socioeconomic and institutional factors influencing livestock financing showed that income (1.12E-06), years of experience (0.0318) and duration of credit (0.0567) positively influenced livestock financing by formal financial institutions while livestock size (0.1823), cooperative membership (0.3033) and credit duration (0.8931) influenced livestock financing by informal financial institutions. The major factors militating against livestock financing by formal financial institutions were years of account holding (75.00%), savings deposits (95.00%), insufficient collateral (85.00%) and lack of personal guarantors (83.33%), while that of livestock financing by informal financial institutions were insufficient credit (90.00%), years of membership (80.00%) and lack of personal guarantor (53.33%). It was recommended that government make improved policies and innovative financial products tailored specifically to the needs of the livestock sector to enhance its growth and productivity.Item Open Access Design and implementation of a smart control system for improved estate management(Federal University of Technlogy, Owerri, 2023-11) Nwankwoeke, Victor OkechukwuNowadays, remote Home Automation turns out to be more significant and appealing. It improves the value of lives by automating various electrical appliances or instruments. This thesis centers on the design and implementation of a smart control system for improved estate management. The design and implementation of the system were achieved through the use of a Microcontroller and other units such as an IoT WiFi module, Internet Protocol (IP) camera module, Short Message Service (SMS) notification unit, and Automatic water supply and control unit. These modules or units were properly interfaced following the aim and objectives of the research work. The IoT WiFi module links the gadgets to the cloud where they can be remotely monitored and controlled. The IP camera connected to the WiFi module keeps the gadgets under control to be viewed from anywhere in the world. SMS notification, Automatic intruder picture notification, Automatic water supply, and control units interfaced with the 16. Arduino Microcontroller which addresses the issue of security warning and water wastage in the estate. The system has a control table from which the Estate Gadgets Control Manager (EGCM) can easily access and control the devices as the case may be through a mobile application. The completed prototype of the system is also capable of starting an electronic choke generator. The technologies employed in the design of the system were WiFi and GSM network technologies.Item Open Access Production of improved strength concrete using sugarcane bagasse ash and metakaoline as additives(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2023-09) Eke, Obinna DarlingtonThis research work presents Prediction of Improved Strength Concrete Using Sugarcane Bagasse Ash And Metakaolin as Additives. Mathematical model was formulated using Ibearugbulems regression method. The materials used in this research were water, cement, metakaolin, sugarcane bagasse ash, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and super plasticizer( CONPLAST SP 430).A total of 252 cubes of size 150 x 150 x 150mm were produced from 84 different mix ratios. The first 42 mix ratios were used for formulation of the model while the second 42 mix ratios were used to check the adequacy of the model. The concrete were cast and cured in a curing tank for 28, 60 and 90 days. The percentage replacement of cement with sugarcane bagasse ash and metakaolin adopted in this research ranges from 5% to 15% with constant water- cement ratio of 0.28. After curing, the concrete cubes were crushed in the universal testing machine. The results showed that the maximum compressive strength of the concrete cubes as 48.47MPa,which occurred at 15% replacement of cement with Sugarcane baggaseash/metakaolin and 60 days curing age , while the minimum compressive strength is 21.73 MPa at 5% replacement of cement with sugar cane baggase ash/metakaolin and28 days curing age. The percentage differences of laboratory and model predicted results were computed, and it was found that maximum percentage difference were 11.30%, 7.17%, and 13.84% respectively for 28, 60 and 90 days curing ages respectively. The minimum percentage differences were found as 0.67%,0.68% and 0.66% for 28, 60 and 90 days curing ages respectively. The model was checked for adequacy at 95% confidence level using statistical t-test and was found adequate. From the results, the strength of concrete can be classified as improved strength concrete when compared to normal strength concrete.Item Open Access Solar photovoltaic energy system analysis using linear quadratic regulator and model reference adaptive control techniques(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2023-12) Abraham, Idaresit IsaacThis work presents solar photovoltaic energy system analysis using incorporated linear quadratic regulator (LQR) and model reference adaptive control (MRAC). Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy system is one of the renewable energy applications, which operates by tracking energy from the sun and converting it into useful electrical energy. However, harnessing the generated energy has been the major concern of the engineers hence the adoption of various control strategies for efficient control of the generated power. The idea is to transfer the optimal generated power to the output considering the fact that PV energy produced may have been affected by irradiation and temperature conditions. To avoid the unstable output power, there is need to deploy an efficient control scheme. Most of the conventional control techniques are not optimal to resolve power inaccuracies in the system and they have shortcomings. The control methods employed in this work involved the combination of LQR and MRAC to investigate the control performance. The results obtained by simulation on MATLAB/Simulink software, show that the average tracking efficiency for LQR control scheme was 95.92% compared to MRAC Type with an average tracking efficiency of 73.41% while the integrated MRAC-LQR control has a tracking efficiency of 94.45%. Rise time was used to measure the speed of convergence for the control schemes. LQR has a rise time of 1.95ms while MRAC and MRAC-LQR have 1.323s and 0.156ms respectively. LQR control does not adapt to the changing conditions of the environment but MRAC and MRAC-LQR have adaptive features, which enables the system adjust itself at varying environmental conditions. Moreover, LQR-MRAC accepts a higher adaptation gains ) compared to the MRAC-type with. The duty cycles for LQR, MRAC and LQR- MRAC were also determined to be approximately 0.6, 0.7 and 0.6 respectively. Considering its unique features such as appreciable tracking efficiency, rise time, duty cycle and the ability to adapt even at higher adaptation gain values, LQR- MRAC control scheme is recommended over the other two (LQR and MRAC).Item Open Access Design and simulation of kalman filter for estimation of gas turbine inlet temperature(Federal University of Technology, Owerri, 2024-08) Usen, Francis FrancisThe measurement of Gas Turbine (GT) Inlet Temperature remains a significant challenge for engineers, particularly in developing countries, due to the specialized technology required for accurate estimation and covariance noise signal attenuation in remote temperature measurement systems. This technology is primarily utilized by Gas Turbine manufacturers, who employ proprietary, closed-source mathematical models that are inaccessible to external engineers. To address this limitation, the present study develops an open-source model capable of both estimating GT Inlet Temperature and mitigating noise characteristics in the measurement data. The approach is based on the integration of a Kalman Filter (KF) model and a Plant model within a State-Space framework, utilizing real-time input parameters from two identical Gas Turbines, GT11 and GT12, designed by Asea Brown Boveri (ABB). The primary objective is to ensure that the proposed open-source model delivers optimal performance and solution accuracy comparable to that of the closed-source proprietary models. Initially, the Burner Can Temperature Rise Equation is employed to compute the GT Inlet Temperatures directly for the two turbine models. This equation is subsequently used to derive the system matrices in the State-Space representation, which describe the plant model. To complete the modelling, fictitious noise signals are introduced into the plant model and superimposed onto the Kalman Filter model to simulate real-world measurement conditions. The resulting design is implemented and tested in the MATLAB Simulink environment. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed open-source model achieves accuracies of 98.1% and 97.2% for GT11 and GT12 respectively, when compared to real-time process data from ABB, while the calculated values yield 80% and 65% accuracies, respectively. Furthermore, the fictitious covariance noise signals were successfully filtered from the temperature measurements, confirming the robustness of the proposed model in mitigating noise and enhancing temperature estimation accuracy.Item Open Access Determination of flexural strength of velvet tamarind reinforced concrete slabs(Federal University of Technlogy, Owerri, 2023-10) Etteh, Emmanuel UmohThe need to research into alternative reinforcement materials for use in concrete structures has become pertinent due to high cost and low availability of steel reinforcement material. Velvet tamarind sticks also serves this purpose since it is cheaper and locally available for use as a reinforcement material. This research work presents the determination of flexural Strength of Velvet Tamarind Reinforced Concrete Slabs. This was to determine the flexural strength of concrete slabs reinforced with sticks of velvet tamarind as compared to concrete slabs reinforced with steel and unreinforced concrete slabs. The mix ratio of 1:2:4 was used for the concrete; with a water - cement ratio of 0.5. A total number of forty four (44) concrete slabs of size 500 x 500 x 100mm and 10 concrete cubes were cast. The cubes were used in testing the compressive strength at 28 days curing. Slabs were used to test for point load, uniformly distributed line load and uniformly distributed load with three sets of velvet tamarind stick reinforcement spaced at 75mm, 100mm, 125mm and 150mm. This was compared with slabs reinforced with 12mm steel spaced at 200mm and unreinforced concrete. The boundary conditions for the slabs were simply supported on all sides (SSSS). It was observed that the maximum flexural strength occur when the slabs were subjected to uniformly distributed load. The maximum flexural strength of slab reinforced with velvet tamarind stick was 14,345.94kN/m2 at 75mm. The maximum flexural strength of steel reinforced slab was 23,699.25kN/m2 while the maximum flexural strength of unreinforced concrete slab was 11,813.34kN/m2 . From this study, it can be concluded that increment in the amount of velvet tamarind stick increased the flexural strength of the slab due to the elastic properties of velvet tamarind stick which helped in improving the tensile strength of concrete, though in comparison, steel is still preferred. The gain in stress of velvet tamarind stick reinforced concrete slab was more than that of plain concrete, but lesser than steel. Based on the result of this research, velvet tamarind stick can be used as reinforcement in concrete slabs where light loads are expected, light temporary military structures, light cover slabs for drain and pedestrian walkway.