View All Items
(1 - 3 of 3)
- Title
- THE IMPACT OF POLITICAL CORRUPTION ON SOCIAL WELFARE IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.
- Creator
-
Crowe, Heather, Morales, Waltraud, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
The purpose of this study is to understand to what extent political corruption affects social welfare in Nigeria using a qualitative case study design. This thesis argues that political corruption leads to a concentration of wealth among a minority of elite government officials, resulting in extensive deficiency of social welfare. In addition, political corruption has secondary and tertiary effects throughout society that further exacerbate social welfare conditions. For this study, social...
Show moreThe purpose of this study is to understand to what extent political corruption affects social welfare in Nigeria using a qualitative case study design. This thesis argues that political corruption leads to a concentration of wealth among a minority of elite government officials, resulting in extensive deficiency of social welfare. In addition, political corruption has secondary and tertiary effects throughout society that further exacerbate social welfare conditions. For this study, social welfare is measured by a comprehensive range of social indicators including but not limited to: level of poverty, income inequality, level of infrastructure, and health. Political corruption can only be measured by the sole available gauge of corruption to date: Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. Research limitations regarding the conceptualization of corruption as well as complexities in defining and measuring social welfare are also addressed. This study concludes that political corruption is a significant factor contributing to poor social welfare in Nigeria, resulting in nothing short of a protracted human tragedy.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2011
- Identifier
- CFE0003905, ucf:48758
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003905
- Title
- SLOPE STABILITY OF LATERITE SOIL EMBANKMENTS.
- Creator
-
Gogo-Abite, Ikiensinma, Chopra, Manoj, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Embankments are key elements in the infrastructural development of structures such as dams, bridges, and roads. Residual soils are generally used as fills in the construction of embankments in areas were residual soils such as laterite is the dominant soil types. Laterite soils have the characteristics of losing its shear strength with time and in fully saturated conditions and its properties varies from region to region. The soil property is influenced by the chemical composition and the...
Show moreEmbankments are key elements in the infrastructural development of structures such as dams, bridges, and roads. Residual soils are generally used as fills in the construction of embankments in areas were residual soils such as laterite is the dominant soil types. Laterite soils have the characteristics of losing its shear strength with time and in fully saturated conditions and its properties varies from region to region. The soil property is influenced by the chemical composition and the environment. The binding agent iron oxide in such soils changes its composition with time and in the presence of moisture. Sudden failures of embankments founded of laterite soils which were, otherwise, checked and found to be safe with high factor of safety, have been observed. This study is performed to investigate the stability of embankments with sudden loss of strength with time and when it is fully saturated. The research includes an investigation of the properties of laterite soils around the world, with particular emphasis on Nigeria. Initially, information is gathered from different sources about the strength-based properties of such soils. Previous research in Nigeria is used as a basis for obtaining real-world soil data. Next, stability analyses are performed using SLOPE/W with shear strength parameters for total stress (short-term), effective stress (long-term), and fully saturated soil conditions. A probability analysis is conducted for the fully saturated conditions because of the variability in the input parameters. Three slope configurations (1:1, 2:1, and 3:1) are considered. The study revealed that the laterite soils embankments lose most of its stability over time period and in full saturation soil conditions. Both these conditions significantly compromise the strength of the soil and the related stability of slopes. To consolidate all information, a database of the properties of laterite soils in some localities of Nigeria was created on the geographic information system (GIS), in order provide a quick access to information on laterite soils in Nigeria.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- Identifier
- CFE0000770, ucf:46584
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0000770
- Title
- Risk Management in Reservoir Operations in the Context of Undefined Competitive Consumption.
- Creator
-
Salami, Yunus, Nnadi, Fidelia, Wang, Dingbao, Chopra, Manoj, Rowney, Alexander, Divo, Eduardo, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Dams and reservoirs with multiple purposes require effective management to fully realize their purposes and maximize efficiency. For instance, a reservoir intended mainly for the purposes of flood control and hydropower generation may result in a system with primary objectives that conflict with each other. This is because higher hydraulic heads are required to achieve the hydropower generation objective while relatively lower reservoir levels are required to fulfill flood control objectives....
Show moreDams and reservoirs with multiple purposes require effective management to fully realize their purposes and maximize efficiency. For instance, a reservoir intended mainly for the purposes of flood control and hydropower generation may result in a system with primary objectives that conflict with each other. This is because higher hydraulic heads are required to achieve the hydropower generation objective while relatively lower reservoir levels are required to fulfill flood control objectives. Protracted imbalances between these two could increase the susceptibility of the system to risks of water shortage or flood, depending on inflow volumes and operational policy effectiveness. The magnitudes of these risks can become even more pronounced when upstream use of the river is unregulated and uncoordinated so that upstream consumptions and releases are arbitrary. As a result, safe operational practices and risk management alternatives must be structured after an improved understanding of historical and anticipated inflows, actual and speculative upstream uses, and the overall hydrology of catchments upstream of the reservoir. One of such systems with an almost yearly occurrence of floods and shortages due to both natural and anthropogenic factors is the dual reservoir system of Kainji and Jebba in Nigeria. To analyze and manage these risks, a methodology that combines a stochastic and deterministic approach was employed. Using methods outlined by Box and Jenkins (1976), autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models were developed for forecasting Niger river inflows at Kainji reservoir based on twenty-seven-year-long historical inflow data (1970-1996). These were then validated using seven-year inflow records (1997-2003). The model with the best correlation was a seasonal multiplicative ARIMA (2,1,1)x(2,1,2)12 model. Supplementary validation of this model was done with discharge rating curves developed for the inlet of the reservoir using in situ inflows and satellite altimetry data. By comparing net inflow volumes with storage deficit, flood and shortage risk factors at the reservoir were determined based on (a) actual inflows, (b) forecasted inflows (up to 2015), and (c) simulated scenarios depicting undefined competitive upstream consumption. Calculated high-risk years matched actual flood years again suggesting the reliability of the model. Monte Carlo simulations were then used to prescribe safe outflows and storage allocations in order to reduce futuristic risk factors. The theoretical safety levels achieved indicated risk factors below threshold values and showed that this methodology is a powerful tool for estimating and managing flood and shortage risks in reservoirs with undefined competitive upstream consumption.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2012
- Identifier
- CFE0004593, ucf:49193
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004593
