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The formation of informal settlements is increasing rapidly, especially in some developing economies such as the Port Harcourt Municipality in Nigeria. These settlements are vulnerable to several urban challenges from natural and anthropogenic disasters, including the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The landscape of Port Harcourt Municipality is inundated with the proliferation of informal urban settlements especially around its southern fringes, which has engendered these settlements to become vulnerable to the vagaries of any occurring disaster such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study attempts to unfold residents' lived experiences in these informal settlements to get the narratives of their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of forty-one (41) informal settlements were identified, out of which three (3) of those settlements (Okrika, Nembe and Ibadan) were selected purposively due to ease of accessibility, safety and spread around the municipality. The study adopted the qualitative approach by applying semi-structured interviews with key informants in these selected informal settlements. A total of nine (9) key informants were selected, with three (3) comprising the head of the community development committee (CDC), Youth and Women representatives from each settlement were interviewed. In addition, photographs of these selected informal settlements were taken to depict the characteristics of those settlements. Content analysis was used to analyse the outcome of the interviews. Some key findings include poor orientation of residents regarding disease spread, no effective urban renewal scheme to improve residents' quality of life, no proper planning of those settlements and residents were not included in the planning of those settlements. This study recommends proper enlightenment of residents regarding the management of disease spread. The provision of sustainable measures that will build resilience and adaptive capacities for the dwellers and continuous urban renewal schemes to ensure the provision of basic social infrastructure that would improve the residents' quality of life. However, the study concludes that the identification and characterisation of informal settlements will provide a better understanding and knowledge of the settlements as a resource to improve the social and economic conditions of the dwellers, distribution of infrastructural facilities and services, and wealth, thereby enhancing the quality of life and wellbeing of the residents and the general urban affairs as this will equally present opportunities for proper urban planning and management.

In recent times the consequences of flooding on farmlands have been majorly attributed to climate change which has contributed to the distortions in the social and economic activities in Rivers State, Nigeria. This study aims to identify adaptive mitigative measures to manage the social and economic impact of farmlands flooding in selected communities in Etche Local Government Area in Rivers State. The objectives include the identification of the significant causes of farmland flooding in the study area, determining the social and economic impacts of farmland flooding in the study area, and identify mitigation measures put in place to combat farmland flooding in the study area. The study adopted the Mixed Methods Research approach using a concurrent triangulation research design. The data sources include questionnaire administration (using a 5-scale Likert Scale), key informant in-depth interviews, personal observation, photographs, and published materials from institutions. A total of 146 questionnaires were administered across these selected communities, including Nihi, Isu and Umuechem. A purposive sampling technique was deployed, and a total of 96 questionnaires were retrieved and validated for analysis. Some of the leading causes of farmland flooding include the blockage of storm-water channels, overgrazing and bush burning, overpopulation due to increased development (structures), heavy rainfall and drainage failure. The study further revealed that the social and economic impacts on farmland, communities and inhabitants are depression, stress, anger, and social vices. Other effects include loss of farmland and produce, increase in goods and services, loss of livelihood system, loss of income and damage to properties. The anticipated mitigative measures by respondents are a collaboration of stakeholders (farmers, communities, and government agencies), warning signals, reconstruction of failed drainages, quick responses, and adequate relief materials. In addition, the study recommended proper education and enlightenment of the vulnerable population on how to avoid the negative consequences of flood disasters. vulnerable people should prepare for any eventuality, real-time data on flood vulnerability mapping of the study area to enable the government, government agencies like the (NIMET) and the vulnerable population to know the extent of flooding and duration of every flooding episode. Furthermore, effective Spatial planning of those vulnerable communities to reduce the negative consequences of flood disaster and afforestation should be encouraged to mitigate adverse impacts of the flood.

The apparent disconnect of different modes of transport in the Port Harcourt metropolis is causing difficulty in urban mobility among commuters. The study has assessed the integration of road and water transport systems to build a sustainable urban environment in Port Harcourt metropolis, Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study are to identify the road and water infrastructure transport systems in Port Harcourt metropolis and their state of functionality, identify and examine the disconnect existing in the street and water transportation in the study area, identify the challenges facing the integration of road and water transportation in the study, and provide physical planning strategy to achieving the integration of road and water transport systems in the study area. The study adopted a Mixed Methods Research (MMR) approach using a concurrent triangulation research design to obtain the relevant data and information that addressed the study aim and objectives of the study. In addition, the study employed purposive and simple random sampling techniques, including the key informant method. A total of four hundred (400) commuters, fifty (50) each, were interviewed from six (6) major road corridors and two (2) jetties in Port Harcourt City (Aggrey, Trans-Amadi and Olu-Obasanjo Roads) and Obio/Akpor (Akpajo-Elelenwo-Oil Mill, NTA and Agip Roads) and two (2) jetties: Port Harcourt City (Bille/Bonny/Nembe Jetty) and Obio/Akpor (Feltaco Jetty). Some Key informants from the transport sector like the Rivers State Ministry of Transport (RSMT) staff Rivers State Ministry of Urban Development and Physical Planning (RSMUDPP). Others are staff of the Rivers State Transport Company (RTC), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Rivers State Marine Transport Company, waterways transport operators, and Town Planners were among those interviewed. The study found potential for integrating road and water transport systems in the study area, and some of the infrastructures are obsolete and lack maintenance, thereby impeding interconnectivity and interlinkage between both systems. The study also revealed that government unwillingness to harness and develop the potential poor urban planning and management, and poor urban governance contribute to the disconnect of the road and water transport systems observed, affecting the quality of life and well-being of residents and poor urban sustainability. Thus, to improve the potentials and challenges identified, the study suggested that the government should develop an integrated transportation policy framework to enhance the integration of road and water transport systems. The government should upgrade and rehabilitate roads and water transportation infrastructure to improve intermodal connectivity and linkages for efficiency and effectiveness in the study area. The Public-Private Partnership approach should be developed and adopted in the planning and management of the transport sector in the study area; develop all waterways within the study area through canalisation and channelisation, and the government should adopt sound governance principles to involve all stakeholders of the transport sector.

Participatory planning is a holistic paradigm entrenched in most advanced democracies to manage community planning where communities are critical stakeholders, co-owners and net beneficiaries of the planning scheme. However, the narrative is different in Rivers State and, by extension Nigeria due to the existing social disconnect and trust deficit between the proponents and beneficiaries of the planning scheme. Most times, the proponents are the government, MDAs, oil and gas multinationals, private investors, and the beneficiaries (host communities). This paper reviews the extant Urban and Regional Planning Laws- Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Law NURPL Decree 88 of 1992 now CAP N138 LFN 2004 and the Rivers State Physical Planning and Development Law No. 6 of 2003 are operational in Nigeria and Rivers State. However, findings from the review indicate no section or provision in these planning laws and regulations where participatory planning is considered part of the laws. Thus, making participatory planning very difficult to achieve in Rivers State and Nigeria. Therefore, the review recommends that all extant Planning laws be amended with Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation added as sections of these planning laws. The review further generated a new framework to achieve effective participatory planning such that when included in the extant laws. This framework, if adopted, would enhance holistic, participatory planning in most communities because the community members are co-owners and critical stakeholders in the entire planning project.

Wetlands globally contribute to valuable ecosystem services to both natural species habitat and human tourist attractions in any location including those found in Port Harcourt Municipality. Wetlands are also beneficial and significant serving as breeding regions for wildlife and safe spaces for sea creatures, support a diversity of species and provide some climate restraining components, characteristic of any natural habitat. This study highlights some resilient responses residents put up in the aftermath of wetland reclamation and conversion in neighbourhoods. The study aims to ascertain the environmental and physical challenges of wetland loss on the wetland dwellers and subsequently identify resilient paradigms adopted to cope with such associated stress. Forty-one wetland settlements were identified within the Port Harcourt municipality and three out of those settlements were chosen purposively. A total of 293 questionnaires were distributed and SPSS was used to analyse the data. ERDAS Imagine 2014 version was used to show spatial changes between the years 1986 to 2000, and 2000 to 2016. The study shows that from 1986 to 2000, Port Harcourt municipality lost a total of 1,255,500m2. This translates to a 5% loss with an average rate of 89,678.57m2 per annum. Between 2000 and 2016, the rate of loss was 108,956.25m2 per annum, and approximately 7.69% of wetlands totalling 1,743,300m2 were lost to urbanisation and other activities. The result indicates that some of the challenges of wetland loss include flooding, poor refuse disposal system, and unplanned settlements. Indigenous knowledge, social capital and symbolic power are some of the resilient responses displayed by the vulnerable population to build resilience capacities. The study recommends periodic mapping of all wetlands and an effective development control framework to monitor incursions into existing wetlands.

Climate change-related disasters have in recent years become a global phenomenon with catastrophic consequences. Africa has had most of the consequences of climate change related disasters, resulting in monumental urban and rural flooding, widespread casualties, displacements, loss of property and sources of livelihood. Given the long-term implications of climate change, it is critically important to understand how vulnerable communities respond to the menace occasioned by flooding. The impact of the flooding is felt more in low-lying communities situated along the coastal fringes leaving inherently vulnerable communities to the vagaries of flooding. However, despite of their vulnerability to flooding disasters, some people displayed resilience capacities more than others because of their apparent access to resources and power within and outside their localities. The study investigated the issue, through the application of the qualitative approach that drew the Bourdieusian theory of practice, deploying the analytical concepts of fields, habitus and species of capital to gather useful information from relevant focus groups to understand how various forms of power was employed to capture resources that enhanced resilience capacities in the seasonal flood prone Orashi region of Rivers State of Nigeria. Following the outcome of the analysis of the information gathered from the focus group and a review of relevant literature, it was revealed that most of the vulnerable population displayed some ingrained disposition and the deployment of indigenous knowledge and social capital for adaptation to survive flood disasters. It is therefore concluded that dynamics of power is a key factor in the resilience capacities of the population of the study.

Urban Heat Island (UHI) has become a global recurring phenomenon in most urban centres. Obio/Akpor Local Government Area has had a fair share of this phenomenon owing to its thriving trend in both planned and unplanned urbanisations. The study looks at the impact of UHI in selected communities in Obio/Akpor Local Government in five epochs of 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020. Parts of the objectives include identifying the UHI in these communities in the Local Government Area, modelling of UHI in selected communities in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and determining the trend in UHI using Epoch data of Urban Surface Temperature from LANDSAT thermal imageries Figure 1. The study adopted Thermal Infrared Remote (TIR) Sensing and Geospatial Information System (GIS) Techniques using LANDSAT TM, LANDSAT ETM and LANDSAT OLI sensors to acquire Urban Surface temperature data emitted by objects in the study area and store the information as a digital number (DN) thermal band (B6, B61 and B10) as well as secondary data acquired from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET). Urban Surface Temperature was obtained through the following processes: Acquisition of Urban Surface Temperature value of the study area in form of DN, the conversion of DN to Spectral radiance using the Spectral radiance equation. The data were processed, analysed, and modelled using ESRI’s ArcGIS 10.1. The results revealed that in 2000, the Average Urban Temperature of the study area was 23.480°C, the value increase to 27.647°C in 2005 with a difference of 4.167°C. The temperature of 2005 increased to 31.598°C in 2010 with a difference in temperature of 3.951°C. Accordingly, the temperature of 2010 increased to 33.054°C in 2015 with a temperature difference of 1.456°C and temperature of 2015 increased to 33.070°C with a difference of 0.016°C. The analysis shows an increasing trend of 40% in the Urban Surface Temperature in the study area in the various years under investigation. The study recommends that development should be extended to other Local Government Areas in the state to reduce rural-urban migration to Obio/Akpor Local Government. Tree planting should be encouraged as a way of mitigating the effect of air pollution, heatwaves and harmful gases emitted into the environment by combust engines and gas flaring, the use of combustion engines be replaced by electric cars to reduce the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted ti environment. Policymakers to restrict unplanned urban growth and to increase tree planting in the built-up areas.

Revive capsule, also called Kedi Revive capsule is a polyherbal formulation manufactured by Kedi healthcare company limited in Hong Kong, China. The drug is widely used around the globe, especially in Africa and Asia for the treatment of erectile dysfunction or enhancement of libido in men. Each capsule contains 400 mg of the constituent herbs including 80 mg of herb Epimedii, 80mg of Radix ginseng, 40 mg of Cordyceps militaris, 80mg of Tribulus terrestris, 80mg of Radix polygoni multiflori, and 40 mg of Eucommia ulmoides, with its effects exerted four hours after administration via the oral route. The adult man dosage is two capsules (800 mg) to be taken once daily for at least 28 days (before significant improvements may be observed when used to treat erectile dysfunction). Phytochemical analysis of the drug reported the presence of flavonoids, cardiac glycosides, tannins, polyphenols, alkaloids and quinones. Due to its speculated use in the treatment of erectile dysfunction or enhancement of libido, it may be referred to as an herbal phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor, that acts by selectively inhibiting the enzyme phosphodiesterase type-5, and thus enhancing increased arterial blood flow into the penis, which results in penile erection; however, the mechanism of action of this drug may be attributed to the contained phytochemicals. Additionally, due to its increased use, it is highly recommended that further studies be conducted on this drug to ascertain its effects on some biochemical components and vital organs of the body.

The study aimed to assess the dynamics of land use changes in the urban environment of Yenagoa City, Nigeria as to understand the changes, consequences and ameliorate the changes. Objectives of the study are to determine land use changes that are evident in the study between 1996 to 2020; identify and assess the causes and dynamics of the land use changes that are evident in the study area; ddetermine the consequences of land use changes in the urban environment of the study area; and provide physical planning measures to monitor, control and manage land use changes in Yenagoa City to promote the sustainable urban environment. The study employed a Mixed Methods Research approach of concurrent triangulation and longitudinal research designs for the collection and analyses of data in the study. The study also employed remote sensing technique, Geographic Information Systems, and time series analysis techniques to collect and analyse data for the study. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were employed for the collection of data. A total of 9 communities were chosen and sampled and 396 respondents (households) were determined and interviewed as sample size using the Taro Yamane formula. Key informants from government agencies and professionals were interviewed using their responses as themes and concepts for content analysis. The study revealed that there are significant land-use changes such as water bodies, vegetation, and built-up areas between 1996-2020. The study also identified population increases and the demand for land for urban development. The study also identified the dynamics that have caused these changes including an increase in the household size, nearness to the workplace, improve security, cheap rent, increase in migrants, employment opportunities and lack of implementation of the development plan. The consequences identified by the study include constant changes in water bodies, vegetation and built-up areas, the prevalence of flooding, encroachment to marginal lands, slum and squatter development, constant pollution, and modification of the social environment. The study recommends that; to achieve a sustainable urban development including the Yenagoa Master Plan of 2004 should be reviewed and implemented guide, control and manage urban land-use changes, the establishment of an urban land-use framework that will foster synergy of all physical planning agencies and institutions, planning and re-planning of new neighbourhoods and existing communities, continuous urban studies of land-use and environment management and encourage citizen education and participation in environmental management in the city.

The housing stock in Port Harcourt municipality has over the years experienced incremental deterioration from neglect to change of use, paucity of funds and sometimes misappropriation of resources. The study assessed existing housing stock within Port Harcourt municipality with the objective to ascertain the physical condition of the housing stock in some planned and unplanned neighbourhoods in Orije layout-Orominike (D/Line), Port Harcourt Township and Diobu (Mile1 and Mile 2) and some waterfront settlements. Twenty-five (25) communities were identified from the entire study area. Some indicators such as habitable space, physical condition, availability of basic social infrastructure and services and environmental quality of the housing unit were measured. The sample was drawn purposively as 4 distinct neighbourhoods were studied. A multi-stage sampling technique was deployed, Taro Yamane formula was applied to determine the sample size of 156, as the number of questionnaires to be administered and stratified simple random sampling technique was employed to select respondents with household 5 persons per household of which 148 questionnaires were retrieved. Data from the field were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), aimed at comparing the nature of substandard housing found across the neighbourhoods studied. The result indicates that the housing stock in the indigenous enclaves within the Diobu neighbourhood has a high occupancy ratio and lacked basic public utilities and services in addition to houses being constructed with substandard materials. Residents often experience periodic flooding after rainfalls. The study recommends that to further improve the standard of housing conditions in line with the global UN standards, the provision of basic social infrastructural services alongside periodic and consistent urban renewal processes should be constantly carried out to reduce the housing deficit within the municipality.

Immunization status as an outcome measure of vaccination is very critical in the prevention and control of vaccinepreventable diseases. Irrespective of several improvements in child survival strategies for over 3 decades, ARI still ranks among diseases such as malaria, diarrhea and measles responsible for majority of deaths among infants and young children in Nigeria and other developing countries. Immunity is a mechanism and process of the body system for preventing diseases by way of innate and adaptive/acquired means. This review paper, aimed at taking a critical look at how pattern of uptake of vaccination among infants according to the National Immunization Schedules under the classification of partial, complete and non-immunization status influence risk of ARI among infants. In view of this, a review of the essential literature was conducted to establish relevant concepts and evidences. It has been revealed from survey that, only 21% children had received all age-appropriate vaccinations and that 19% of children in Nigeria have not received any vaccinations. In addition, among several other studies, it was equally revealed that the Risk of ARI was higher among infants with none immunization (none and some uptake of vaccines per age) status with statistical significance (OR=1.97≈ 2, (p

This study adopted a correlational investigation to examine the relationship between Cost Management and Supply Chain Performance of food and Beverages firms in Port Harcourt. The population for this study consists of seventeen (17) food and beverages firms in Port Harcourt. The researcher conducted a census study due to the small size of the population. However, a total of Eighty Five (85) top managerial staff of the firms constituted the respondents for the study. Furthermore, Eighty five (85) copies of the questionnaire were administered to the top managers of each of the 17 food and beverages companies while seventy (70) copies were retrieved and used for the study. The respondent’s demographics were analyzed by employing the measures of central tendencies and measures of dispersions. Correspondingly, the Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used in testing the study hypotheses in other to ascertain the relationship between the predictor variable (Cost Management) and the criterion variable (Supply Chain Performance).The result of the analysis revealed that Cost Management significantly influenced Supply Chain Performance of food and Beverages firms in Port Harcourt. Hence, the authors concluded that Cost Management significantly affect Supply Chain Performance and therefore recommended that the management of food and Beverages firms in Port Harcourt should adopt appropriate cost management strategies in other to increase their level of supply chain performance.

Recently, there has been a notably increased use of microwave energy for heating and processing foods particularly in catering services and in our homes owing to its speed, convenience and efficiency compared to the traditional heating method. Due to the availability and affordability of plastic containers, they are mostly used to contain foods for preheating in a microwave. However, these plastics pose great risk on humans’ health if they get scratched or heated, and leach out chemicals into the contained foods. Also, the microwave energy has been speculated to have posed risks to the health of humans considering the electromagnetic radiations it emits. This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of ingested foods preheated (with microwave) in plastic containers on the reproductive profile of male albino rats. A total of twenty-four (24) male albino rats weighing between 120 to 200 g were used for this study. The rats were divided into three (3) groups (group I, II and III) of eight (8) rats per group. The rats were fed ad libitum with porridge beans and jellof rice with meat and fish daily for 40 days. The foods ingested by group I rats were not preheated in a microwave; the foods ingested by group II rats were put in ceramics and preheated in a microwave for 2 minutes daily; while the foods ingested by group III rats were put in plastic containers (not labeled as ‘‘microwave safe’’) and preheated in a microwave daily for 2 minutes. After an overnight fast, the rats were anaesthetized using chloroform, and blood samples obtained (via cardiac puncture) were used to analyze serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and testosterone using the ELISA method. The epididymis was also excised and immediately macerated to obtain semen, which was used for semen analysis. The results obtained showed a significantly decreased (p

Port Harcourt municipality as a developing city has over the years been inundated with rapid urbanisation and continuous city expansion. This development has led to an increasing demand for more land to cope with such pace of transformation. Land as a natural resource is finite, yet the demand for more land is unlimited. Based on this increasing demand for land for infrastructural, commercial, residential, institutional and industrial services, government, individuals and communities alike have resort to the reclamation and conversion of available wetlands within the Port Harcourt municipality. This study sets out to identify the boom, the blunder and the brunt of wetlands reclamation and conversion within Port Harcourt Municipality; with specific objectives to ascertain the nature of spatial expansion within the wetland areas in Port Harcourt municipality; identify the extent to which urban growth has affected land use in the wetland areas within Port Harcourt municipality; and to establish the boom, blunder and the brunt of wetland depletion and conversion for urban land uses within the Port Harcourt municipality. The study adopts a quasi-experimental research design, it involves the gathering of retrospective data from various sources without the manipulation of the data sources. Sampling technique was multi-stage; listing of all forty-one wetland settlements; three settlements were purposively selected for ease of access and growing insecurity. Satellite images of the study sites were obtained from Google earth, delineated and gridlines were superimposed on the images. A time series analysis using ERDAS imagine 2014 version, was used to show spatial changes between the years 1986 to 2000, and 2000 to 2016, a time period spanning thirty years. The study indicates that from 1986 to 2000, Port Harcourt municipality lost a total of 1,255,500 m2, this translates to a 5% loss. This loss occurs at an average rate of 89,678.57m2 per annum. From 2000 to 2016, the rate of loss was 108,956.25m2 per annum, and approximately 7.69% of wetlands totalling 1,743,300m2 was lost to urbanisation. Improved urban services, economic prosperity, increased revenue represents some of the boom. Unnecessary incursion into the wetlands by groups, depletion of habitat for flora and fauna species, development of unplanned settlements is some of the blunders and declining urban quality of life, massive urban flooding, pressure on existing urban services, depletion of the already lean state resources are the brunt. Some recommendations include; conduct periodic geospatial mapping of wetlands to enable the listing of identified wetlands and identify existing species of flora and fauna for conservation, tourism development and preservation; there should be a strengthened development control framework to guide and encourage professionally trained and equipped manpower to manage wetlands and ensure acceptable best practices.

Water is a basic and necessary requirement for the existence of animals and plants, yet it is limited in supply in several parts of the world. Surges in human population and demand for water for different purposes such as agricultural, domestic and industrial usages are the major factors leading to water scarcity. Nigeria and the study area are blessed with abundant water resources including surface and groundwater, yet there is a palpable lack of adequate and safe potable water. Consequently, the populace resorts to private sources of water supply which has its negative externalities even though the effort seems laudable. Based on the above, the study examined the proliferation of private water supply, its challenges and socio-economic implications in Obio /Akpor local government area. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey, and data were collected with the use of both closed and open-ended questionnaire. It also involved the collection of the private borehole points with the use of a handheld global positioning system (GPS). Data were analyzed using the descriptive method of analysis and data presented in charts and tables. The result of the study showed that there were no specific distances maintained between borehole points, a good number of borehole locations were clustered in some parts of the study area. Also, distances between soakaway pits and borehole points were inadequate in some communities. Based on the prevalent minimum wage in the study area, both households that operate boreholes and those that buy water spent more. Some of the socio-economic implications of private provision of water supply include too much spending on water, creation of livelihoods for water vendors and vulnerability to waterborne disease such as typhoid since there is no minimum standard for borehole drilling and distance in the study area. The study recommended that the government should develop a private borehole drilling standard that would include the minimum distance that must be maintained between two boreholes on vertical and horizontal lines. Also, the activities of the private water vendors should be regulated, and operating license obtained before operating commercial boreholes. The study concluded thus, there should be a synergy between the private and public sector to ensure safe and affordable water supply since their activities cannot be undermined.

This research was to evaluate the quality of life of the urban dwellers in Yenagoa, Amarata and Ekeki cities to ascertain if there is a decline in the quality of life residents in those selected neighbourhoods with a view to highlight such causal factors. The study adopted the Passive-Observational survey design such that the research respondents were observed in-situ without experimental manipulation. The research population was purposively drawn, and data was drawn from primary and secondary sources. Objective and subjective dimensions of quality of life were viewed in the form of physical, social and economic domains were assessed with emphasis on the type of housing, recreational preferences and employment status of respondents. Findings indicate that the quality of life of residents in Yenagoa, Amarata and Ekeki has progressively declined from when Yenagoa was a local government headquarters to becoming a capital city of an oil and gas producing state. As evident, the predominant housing type is rooming housing that does not befit its status, with limited recreational space and a phenomenal 45% unemployment rate. Findings further depict a bleak and rapidly declining quality of life of residents. The study recommends that there should be deliberate government intervention to improve housing conditions, provision of adequate functional recreational facilities that would enhance social interaction and physical wellbeing. There should be deliberate government policy with the requisite framework to stimulate industrial growth to reduce the phenomenal unemployment were recommended.

Floods are generally seen as natural occurrences with other underlying causal factors. These factors are both natural and anthropogenic in nature and often induce or exacerbate flood episodes in the environment. As it were, while some of these factors stem from natural ecological cycles, others are engendered by accumulated anthropogenic actions or inactions. This study aims to examine three independent documents comprising of two technical reports commissioned by the Bayelsa State government in Yenagoa and contiguous neighborhoods and narratives from a PhD flood research with a view to understanding the nature and dynamics of anthropogenic actions causing flooding in Bayelsa State. The objectives include; a systematic review of the government commissioned technical reports on floods in Yenagoa and other related documents; identify and highlight both natural and anthropogenic causes of flooding in the study area; recommend an appropriate course of action. The study adopted direct personal observation, photography and secondary data analysis to obtain data. Findings from the combination of these documents highlight some of the deliberate human actions and/or inactions taken by both Government and private developers regarding incidents of flooding within the Yenagoa Metropolis. Based on the document’s review, three key anthropogenic actions were identified; building construction and other physical development activities, waste management and drainage systems and public infrastructure development. Specific recommendations such as the adoption of a holistic approach towards harmonized flood data management framework, effective implementation of such policies to tackle these identified challenges, undertake EIA, hydrologic and hydrographic studies, as well as base line studies before embarking on any developmental projects, desilting of clogged drainage culverts and proper alignment of road projects to reduce incursion and subsequent impediment of free flow of runoffs were made.

Building resilience capacities to survive flood disasters in vulnerable communities in the global south encompasses techniques that are unique to such communities. These strands of unique techniques are embedded in their indigenous knowledge as a people and revealed through the actions they display during such times of disaster. Data was obtained from four communities in the Orashi region in the aftermath of the 2012 floods in Nigeria, to investigate the techniques and actions adopted to help build local resilience capacity amongst vulnerable communities there. Interviews and focus groups were the primary means of data collection and analysis was done qualitatively. The findings revealed five key attributes the communities possessed that enabled them build their resilience capacity to cope with the flood disaster.

Background: Pregnancy is a physiological condition in which the uterus of a woman carries at least one embryo for about 38 weeks, from conception to delivery; during this period, several physiological changes in biochemical and haematological functions occur. Knowledge of these changes however, may be helpful in providing effective care for pregnant women; hence this study was aimed at evaluating the effect of gestational periods on lipid profile, plasma glucose and chromium levels of apparently healthy pregnant women in Port-Harcourt, Nigeria.Methods: A total of 200 apparently healthy women were used for the study; 150 of them were pregnant (50 in the first trimester, 50 in the second trimester, and 50 in the third trimester), and the remaining 50 women were not pregnant. They were divided into four (4) groups; group I (control group) consists of 50 non-pregnant women, group II consists of 50 pregnant women in their first trimester, group III consists of 50 pregnant women in their second trimester, while group IV consists of 50 pregnant women in their third trimester. About 8 ml of fasting venous blood was collected from the antecubital fossa of each subject; 3 ml was dispensed into a fluoride oxalate anticoagulant bottle for the determination of plasma glucose concentration. The remaining 5 ml was dispensed into a lithium heparin-anticoagulant bottle for the determination of chromium and lipid profile. The data were analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey multiple comparison test.Results: The results showed a significant decrease (p