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The study examined entrepreneurial skills for capacity building of Business Education students in University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Three objectives and three research questions guided the study. The researcher adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population of the study was 131 Business Education students in Business Education Department of Faculty of Education, University of Port Harcourt, from which 66 (50%) were selected as sample size for the study using the simple random sampling technique. Respondents responded to a validated 24 item questionnaire as instrument, which was titled: Entrepreneurial Skills for Capacity Building of Business Education Students Questionnaire (ESCBBESQ) designed by the researcher after the modified 4-points Likert scale model, with a reliability index of 0.81, obtained using Cronbach Alpha statistics. Mean and standard deviation were used in answering the research questions. The findings of the study showed that entrepreneurship courses offered by Business Education students, teaching methods adopted by lecturers in delivery of entrepreneurship skills and physical facilities available for teaching Business Education students entrepreneurship skills enhance capacity building in University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State to a low extent. The study concluded that entrepreneurial skills enhance capacity building of Business Education students in University of Port Harcourt to a low extent. Consequently, it was recommended among others that Government through NUC should ensure that entrepreneurship courses offered by Business Education Students in universities are what it takes to equip the students to be self-reliant and employers of labour. Also, University Management should carry out regular supervision to ensure that teaching methods adopted by lecturers of entrepreneurship differ from the traditional method of teaching and learning, to ensure adequate practical works that will equip and empower the students.

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is often affected by insect pests like aphids and Podagrica, which can reduce its yield and quality. This study examined the effects of neem-coated fertilizer, pig manure, NPK fertilizer, and a control (no fertilizer) on pest populations and plant growth under drought conditions. The five treatments, each replicated three times, were: (1) Neem 150 kg/ha, (2) Neem 120 kg/ha, (3) NPK 100 kg/ha, (4) pig manure, and (5) control.<br> The results showed that both neem-coated fertilizer and pig manure helped reduce pest numbers and supported plant growth. Neem at 150 kg/ha was the most effective, reducing pest populations and leaf damage, likely due to its insect-repelling properties. Pig manure improved plant growth, especially early in the season, but did not control pests as well as neem. NPK fertilizer increased pest problems, with more damage and higher pest numbers due to rapid plant growth. The control group, with no fertilizer, had the highest pest populations and the most plant damage.<br> Neem-coated fertilizer was the most effective treatment for controlling pests and promoting healthy okra plants. Pig manure also showed benefits for plant growth but was less effective in pest control. These findings suggest that neem-coated fertilizer is a good option for managing pests in okra farming while improving plant health.

This research presents a comparative study on the physico-mechanical effects of eggshell particulate as a reinforcing material in floor slab production, using cement, clay, and epoxy as binders. The study explores the potential of re-purposing agricultural waste specifically eggshells as a sustainable additive to improve the strength and durability of floor slabs. Eggshells were processed into smaller particulates and mixed with each binder type in varying proportions. The resulting samples were subjected to standard physical and mechanical tests, including hardness test, flake test, apparent porosity test, flexural strength test, drop test, scanning electron microscopy test and bulk density analysis. Findings reveal notable differences in performance based on the binder used, with epoxy-based composites showing superior mechanical properties, while cement and clay-based samples offered cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternatives. This study highlights the viability of eggshell particulates in eco-friendly construction and offers insights into optimizing binder selection for enhanced performance.<br> Keywords: Composites, Eggshell, Slabs, Sustainable.

CT<br><br> The increasing demand for sustainable and biodegradable materials has driven research into <br><br> the production of carbohydrate-based materials (Cellulose) from renewable agricultural waste. <br><br> This study focuses on the extraction and characterization of cellulose from two selected fruit <br><br> peels: Chrysophyllum albidum (Agbalumo) peel and coconut shell and access the the support <br><br> of the extract for microbial growth. Both materials, typically regarded as waste, are rich in <br><br> lignocellulosic content, making them viable sources for cellulose production. The processing <br><br> of both peels involved drying, grinding and milling into fine powder. The extraction process <br><br> involved pre-treatment with alkali and acid solutions to remove lignin, hemicellulose, and other <br><br> impurities, followed by bleaching to isolate pure cellulose and the support of the extract for <br><br> microbial growth was accessed. The results obtained shows that Coconut shell powder has as <br><br> a slightly higher moisture content (11.23%) compared to Agbalumo peels powder (10.73%) <br><br> which is favorable for stability and storage. Porosity analysis showed that Coconut shell <br><br> powder has greater permeability (39.74) than Agbalumo peels powder (35.97), density <br><br> measurement revealed that coconut shell powder had a higher compactness (0.62g/cm3) than <br><br> Agbalumo peels powder (0.53g/cm3) affecting processing efficiency. The initial weight for <br><br> both samples was 100g before the pretreatment and the cellulose result obtained after the <br><br> pretreatment was 99g for Coconut and 115.59g for Agbalumo. Agbalumo peels powder has <br><br> more sugar content that make it is extract support the growth of microorganism than Coconut <br><br> shell powder extract. The Cellulose was produced from both peels and the Cellulose was use <br><br> as media to support the growth of microorganism. The Cellulose produce from Agbalumo peels <br><br> powder support the growth of microorganism due to high sugar content than Cellulose produce <br><br> from Coconut shell powder.<br><br> Keywords: Fruit peels, Carbohydrate based materials (Cellulose), Pretreatment process,

Effective dissemination of agricultural information is a key to sustainable farming. Radio has become a vital channel, offering timely updates and expert insights to farmers, especially for cassava farming. However, Cassava farmers face challenges in acquiring relevant agricultural information through radio due to the specific needs of cassava cultivation. The digital divide in regions with limited access to technology exacerbates these difficulties, making radio a crucial tool for ensuring equitable information access. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select the total number of respondents for the study. In the first stage, four (4) communities under Akoko South East namely were purposively selected. The second stage involved a simple random selection of two (2) wards from each community. This was followed by a random sampling of 15 cassava farmers from each of the 2 selected wards giving a total of one hundred and twenty (120) respondents. Primary data was gathered through the use of a questionnaire consisting of well-structured open and close-ended questions supported by interviews and descriptive statistics like frequency distribution mean and percentages were used to present data and inferential statistics such as chi-square was used to analyze the data. The findings revealed majority of the respondents in the study area were middle-aged 21-30 and had experience in farming activities. Most farmers were married, with a significant number being male. Educationally, 46.7% had primary-level education, with Christianity dominating. The findings presented sources of agricultural information among farmers. The respondents’ prominent sources were radio (86.7%), followed by friends/relatives (84.2%), Interpersonal relationships play a significant role in information dissemination, with farmers often seeking advice from family and friends. Radio is an effective medium for disseminating agricultural information, with farmers valuing it as a source of relevant farming practices and finding it helpful for improving knowledge and skills. However, there are concerns about limited coverage of agricultural topics and the timing of programs, suggesting a need for improved programming. The Chi-square test was used and the results showed that sex and marital status had the strongest impact on effectiveness scores. Sex had a stronger relationship with effectiveness scores, while married individuals had higher scores. On the other hand, Age, household size, and education also had an impact on the effectiveness of the score. Experience in farming had no significant impact, suggesting that this factor may not play a significant role in determining the success of cassava farming practices. The study explored the socio-economic characteristics and information dissemination practices among cassava farmers in the study area. Radio is the primary source of agricultural information, but its limited frequency and lack of feedback opportunities pose challenges. Radio is considered an effective medium for disseminating agricultural information, but farmers express concerns about the limited range of topics covered, timing of broadcasts, and lack of interaction opportunities. The study identified several constraints hindering the effective use of radio for agricultural information dissemination, including poor signal reception, inconvenient program timing, and a lack of detailed information addressing specific challenges faced by cassava farmers. Addressing these barriers can enhance the utility of radio as an agricultural communication tool.

Before the examination was carried out by the researcher on the pregnant women,invitation was sent to pregnant women living along that axis where a total of 100women were recruited for the screening.Asides that,the clinical records of pregnant women who came for routine check up at St. Anthony's eye clinic were analyzed with respect to those whose cases indicated refractive errors.The examination of the pregnant women formed secondary data,while records got from the record survey formed the primary data source. For each pregnant woman,a comprehensive case history was taken,snellen's visual acuity chart for distance and near vision was used to measure their visual acuity at 6metres and 40centimetres respectively.This was done under room illumination with distance visual chart hung on the wall.Thorough assessment of the ocular health status of their eyes was done with a penlight for external examination and ophthalmoscope for internal or fundal examination in order to rule out any obvious ocular pathology that would affect refractive status. Myopia was found to have the highest prevalence of 58.3% and 60% from the actual test and card survey respectively. Hyperopia was next to myopia giving 20% and 30% respectively for the students seen and card survey. Astigmatism was the least in both primary and secondary data revealing 5% and 10% for tested pregnant women and card surveyed. There is the need to assess the influence ofoccupational factors as well as environmental factors on Ametropia to enable results be collaborated for more informative data.

This is a geophysical study of a landfill site using 2D electrical resistivity tomography in Port Harcourt. This study employed the use of two 2D ERT data acquired using ABEM SAS 300B Terrameter and was processed using RES2DINV software. The result of the study shows that the leachate plumes have contaminated the surface soil to depths of more than 16.9 m in the study area. Because the electrical conductivity of landfill leachate is often so much higher than that of the natural groundwater, a large contrast in properties is seen enabling the detection of the migrating leachate plume. The 2-D resistivity imaging mapped three different zones in each of the tomogram in the survey area. These are the zones of anomalously low and high resistivity. There is also a zone of increasing resistivity (green to yellow). The anomalously low resistivity zone (deep blue) in the tomogram were interpreted as conductive leachate contaminant plumes (as a result of decomposing landfill waste) which varies in resistivity ranging from less than 4.44Ωm to 188Ωm and the leachate contaminant plume is observed to have seeped from surface points to depth greater than 16.9m in the entire tomogram. This observed leachate seepage is enhanced by the nature of the permeable sandy layer seeping into the aquifer.

Abstract<br> This Study was aimed at evaluating the effects of soaking and cooking African walnut on the physicochemical properties of the flours. The procured nuts were divided into three portions. The first portion was processed into flour without any treatment and as control sample. The second portion was soaked in water for 12 hours before processing into flour while the third portion was cooked in water for 45 minutes before processing into flour. The flours obtained were analyzed for functional properties, proximate composition, mineral and antinutrientional contents. The results shows That Sample C has the highest potassium (65.07ml/g) and sample s has the lowest potassium content (52.23ml/g). sample c also has the highest protein content (16.5%) and sample R has the lowest protein content (14.97%).sample s has the highest fibre content of (5.17%) and the sample c has the lowest fibre content (3.83%). Sample S has the highest fat content (49.34%) and sample r has the lowest fat content (41.73%). Carbohydrates content of sample s decreases due to soaking process taken. Oxalate shows the highest value(12.156mg/g) In sample C ad sample R has the lowest value of oxalate (9.316mg/g). In Water absorption capacity like bulk density, water absorption, oil absorption, foaming capacity, emulsion capacity, solubility and swelling power, the Samples are significantly difference, some are due changes in temperature. The findings suggest that soaked processing is the most effective method for enhancing the nutritional and functional properties of African walnut flour, making it a valuable ingredient for food formulations.