Volume 13, Issue 4, April 2025 Edition - GSJ Journal Publication


Assessment of Urban Sprawl using Shannon Entropy Model, Oyo Metropolis, Oyo State, Nigeria []


This study examines urban sprawl in Oyo metropolis, Nigeria, from 2000 to 2024, leveraging Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing techniques to analyze land use and land cover changes. The goal was to evaluate urban expansion rates and patterns using Shannon’s Entropy method. The methodology involved acquiring Landsat satellite images for the years 2000, and 2024, processing these images, and classifying them into three primaries categories: Water Body, Urban Expansion, and Non-Urban Expansion. The results revealed a substantial increase in urban areas, growing from 1,731.58 hectares in 2000 to 11,932.50 hectares in 2024. This expansion has resulted in a decrease in non-urban areas and water bodies, indicating notable changes in land use and suburban development. Shannon’s Entropy method quantified urban sprawl, showing dispersion increases with distance from the city center until a more compact growth pattern emerges. Specifically, entropy values indicated higher levels of sprawl in areas within 2700 meters from the city center, while beyond this range, the growth tended to be more contained. The study employed spatial queries and vector polygon conversion of classified imageries to facilitate precise calculations of affected areas. This comprehensive dataset is essential for understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of urban sprawl in Oyo town. The findings underscore the necessity for implementing urban growth boundaries and promoting mixed-use development to achieve sustainable urban planning. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the importance of robust database management practices to maintain the integrity and reliability of spatial data, which are crucial for effective decision-making. This methodological approach and the insights gained can be applied to other regions experiencing similar urbanization trends, contributing to a broader understanding of urban sprawl dynamics and informing strategies for sustainable urban development. Key Words: Shannon Entropy, Sprawl, Land use/Landcover, Urban area, Non-urban Area, Supervised Classification, GIS

SKILLED BIRTH ATTENDANCE AND SAFE MOTHERHOOD: THE NEPALESE PERSPECTIVE []


Skilled Birth Attendance, has been placed as an important feature of maternal healthcare, which shall facilitate a safe delivery of both mother and newborn. Although improvement has been observed in maternal health services, especially in Nepal, particularly in regard to the rural poor or women of ethnic minority communities, the differences with regard to the utilization of SBA. This study, using 2021 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) data, assesses the socio-demographic, economic and geographic determinants of SBA use through logistic regression. The analysis is based on 2,939 observations from 467 primary sampling units across 14 strata. More likely to use SBA services is age group of 25-29 (OR= 1.615, p=0.046) and more pronounced in the age group of 30-49 (OR=2.588, p=0.001), compared with younger women. Higher birth order was found to be negatively related to SBA use, more marked at third or greater births (OR = 0.183; p = 0.000). Education is another very contributory factor-an individual with higher education less likely evasive on using SBA (OR = 2.915, p = 0.000). Geographical disparities were revealed, with Madhesh having the lowest SBA use (OR = 0.535, p = 0.010) and Sudurpashchim as the highest (OR = 2.623, p =0.001). Wealthier women are more likely to use it, the richest among them being most likely to use it (OR=13.312, p=0.000). Thus, the targeted efforts such as awareness raising, rural health access improvement, financial assistance, and culturally appropriate services would be needed for reduction of inequality and improved access to SBA. Endorsing the health policies and capacity building in the health sector will go a long way toward achieving equitable and sustainable access to SBA coverage in Nepal. Keywords: Skilled Birth Attendance (SBA), maternal health, Nepal, socioeconomic disparities, healthcare accessibility, logistic regression

ASSESSMENT OF DRINKABLE WATER SOURCES FROM SELECTED COMMUNITIES WITHIN IKWERE LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF RIVERS STATE []


This study evaluated the quality of drinkable water sources (rainwater, groundwater, and surface water) in two locations within Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria. Water samples were analyzed for physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters, including pH, temperature, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (THS), dissolved oxygen (DO), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and biochemical oxygen de-mand (BOD). Heavy metals such as lead (Pb), iron (Fe), and phosphate (PO4), along with microbiological in-dicators like E. coli and total coliforms, were measured. Results were compared with the Nigerian Standards for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Additionally, the Water Quality Index (WQI) was calculated to assess the overall safety of each water source. The findings in-dicated that the pH of rainwater and groundwater was below acceptable drinking water limits, with rainwater being particularly acidic (pH 4.7 and 5.07). Surface water displayed alarmingly high TDS levels of 8788 mg/l and 9800 mg/l, far exceeding WHO and NSDWQ limits. Lead concentrations in surface water were also sig-nificantly elevated at 0.52 mg/l and 0.48 mg/l, well above the safe threshold of 0.01 mg/l. While rainwater and groundwater showed lower lead levels, they still surpassed safe drinking water limits. Microbiological analy-sis revealed the presence of E. coli and total coliforms in all water sources, with surface water showing the highest contamination, indicating significant fecal pollution. The WQI values for surface water were extreme-ly poor, at 375.7 and 567.7, while rainwater (68.3 and 61.5) and groundwater (54.9 and 64.0) showed moderate WQI values, making them safer for consumption but still requiring treatment. The study revealed that indus-trial and agricultural activities likely contributed to heavy metal contamination, while poor sanitation was the main source of microbiological pollution. Recommendations included better sanitation practices, industrial waste management, and promoting rainwater harvesting, alongside appropriate treatment for safer drinking water.

Effect of Team Management on Project Success, A Case of Solar Powered Irrigation and Improved Cookstoves for Communities Project in Bugesera District, Rwanda []


The general objective of this study was to investigate the effect of team management on success of solar powered irrigation and improved cookstoves for community’s project. Specially, to examine the effect of team coordination on success of solar powered irrigation and improved cookstoves for communities project in Bugesera district; to assess the effect of team cooperation on success of solar powered irrigation and improved cookstoves for communities project and to analyze the effect of team trust on success of solar powered irrigation and improved cookstoves for communities project. The current study used theory of coordination, theory of cooperation and theory of trust. A descriptive and correlational research design was adopted. This study targeted 2424 people who are involved in the solar powered irrigation and improved cookstoves for community’s project. A sample size of 86 respondents was determined by Yamane’s formula to calculate sample size. This study utilized a questionnaire and interview guide for data collection. The findings showed that The overall very high mean score of 4.15 and standard deviation of 0.922 for associated statements indicate that there is effect of coordination on success of solar powered irrigation and improved cookstoves for communities project in Bugesera district, The overall very high mean score of 4.11 (SD=0.974) for associated statements indicate that there is effect of cooperation on success of solar powered irrigation and improved cookstoves for communities project in Bugesera district, overall high mean score of 3.88 and standard deviation of 1.069 for associated statements indicate that there is effect of communication on success of solar powered irrigation and improved cookstoves for communities project in Bugesera district. furthermore, there is statistically significant effect (B=0.511, t=7.742, p=0.000˂0.05) of coordination on project success of solar powered irrigation and improved cookstoves for communities’ project in Bugesera district, there is statistically significant effect (B=0.295, t=3.831, p=0.000˂0.05) of cooperation on project success of solar powered irrigation and improved cookstoves for communities’ project in Bugesera district, and there is statistically significant effect (B=0.078, t=1.775, p=0.000˂0.05) of communication on project success of solar powered irrigation and improved cookstoves for communities’ project in Bugesera district. The study concludes that there is effect of coordination on success of solar powered irrigation and improved cookstoves for community’s project in Bugesera district. The study concludes further that there is effect of cooperation on success of solar powered irrigation and improved cookstoves for community’s project in Bugesera district. The study concludes further that there is effect of communication on success of solar powered irrigation and improved cookstoves for community’s project in Bugesera district. The study suggests that managers should use collaborative tools and technologies to improve real-time communication and project management. It also suggests fostering a culture of trust and respect within the team, promoting open dialogue and diverse perspectives. This can lead to more innovative solutions. The study also emphasizes the importance of recognizing team contributions and establishing clear communication channels. Regular meetings and updates can facilitate the sharing of ideas and feedback, fostering a culture of openness.

Natural Resources With Communism of Human Destinations. []


Nepal is a geographical continent with great natural diversity and immense resources. Aiming for its development and progress is one thing, achieving it and implementing it for the betterment of the entire country is another. Those who are throwing the life of a nation of nearly a century into the gutter by talking about revolution under the guise of development should first stop confusing the people by gossiping.Socialism and Communists in the world have advocated Communism, but even then Communism is not afriend to the living soul. The middle point of communism is when people stop seeing the world and the place where the dead body is disposed of is the destination of communism.