-
Research Article
Holistic Cyclone Preparedness in a River Nomadic Community: A Study on Manta Community, Bauphal Upazila, Bangladesh
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 3, September 2026
Pages:
103-116
Received:
8 September 2026
Accepted:
17 September 2026
Published:
28 September 2026
Abstract: Cyclones remain a serious threat to Bangladesh's coastal communities. However, their impacts are not felt equally across all geographical locations and sociodemographic groups. The community of Bauphal, Patuakhali, is especially vulnerable because its livelihoods are tied to rivers, boats, fishing, and seasonal mobility rather than fixed land-based settlement. Our current study assists cyclone preparedness among the manta community. A cross-sectional survey of samples selected via the purposive sampling technique. Preparedness was examined using the Holistic Individual Preparedness model. Data were analysed through descriptive statistics and multilinear regression analysis. The overall holistic individual preparedness score was moderate (M = 0.58). The community was well prepared in dimensions like social integration and knowledge, while subsistence is the least developed dimension. Although multiple linear regression shows significance in the overall HIPM score, the sociodemographic predictors remained largely decoupled from the analysis of the variables. Overall preparedness, however, remains uneven, with notable gaps in formal training, cyclone shelter use, reliable communication sources, and protection of boats and fishing assets. The findings indicate that a community's preparedness is affected by economic and material vulnerability rather than information or social vulnerability. The study suggests a dimension-specific preparedness intervention instead of a uniform collective preparedness intervention. The study concludes that the preparedness among the manta community is shaped not only by awareness but also by poverty, mobility, livelihood insecurity, weak service access, and limited institutional inclusion. Prioritising material and asset-based support will help their sustenance and increase resilience to cyclones.
Abstract: Cyclones remain a serious threat to Bangladesh's coastal communities. However, their impacts are not felt equally across all geographical locations and sociodemographic groups. The community of Bauphal, Patuakhali, is especially vulnerable because its livelihoods are tied to rivers, boats, fishing, and seasonal mobility rather than fixed land-based...
Show More
-
Research Article
Industry 4.0 in Nigeria: Key Drivers for Adopting Virtual Reality in Construction Workers’ Safety Training
Mohammed Isah Leje*,
Aminu Mubarak Sadis,
Aisha Onyiohinoyi Abubakar
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 3, September 2026
Pages:
117-124
Received:
11 July 2026
Accepted:
7 August 2026
Published:
29 September 2026
Abstract: The Nigeria construction sites faces extremely high accident rates, which point to low safety performance, mainly resulting from training methods. However, the industry 4.0 technologies progression gave rise to the use of Virtual Reality (VR) for improved safety training on construction sites. Virtual Reality (VR) uses virtual information on a real-life scenario. The technology allows the use of three-dimensional (3D) models on real-time videos in a 3D visualization environment for effective safety performance on construction sites. Thus, provides a risk-free environment with worthy potential in ensuring construction workers are made more aware of their hazard identification capability on a construction site. Accordingly, this studies echoed the drivers for espousal of VR for workers’ safety training in Nigeria construction sites. A sample of 200 experienced construction professionals, out of which 150 feedbacks from Quantity Surveyors, Engineers, Architects, and Project managers were retrieved. Subsequently, the responses from the construction professionals shows the dispersal of a data set. However, the significant values of Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk exhibit p>0.05, thus the data was assessed to be normally distributed, and acceptable for statistical analysis. Besides, the RII results shows that on average, six drivers for adopting virtual reality for workers’ safety training in construction sites were identified. The EFA results shows that the drivers can be grouped into four; modernized safety features, regulatory and fiscal tools, user preferences inclusion, and performance optimization. Overall, the results indicates that to drive VR technology, workers should be adequately trained in safety awareness and critical decision making. Hence, it was recommended that the construction organization should espouse VR technology, and after-action review should be adopted in order to achieve effective safety training in construction sites.
Abstract: The Nigeria construction sites faces extremely high accident rates, which point to low safety performance, mainly resulting from training methods. However, the industry 4.0 technologies progression gave rise to the use of Virtual Reality (VR) for improved safety training on construction sites. Virtual Reality (VR) uses virtual information on a real...
Show More
-
Research Article
Identification of Critical Water-Quality Parameters in an Abattoir-Impacted River Using Principal Component and Multivariate Statistical Analyses
Onyeka Edike*
,
Emmanuel Ebikabowei Enemugha
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 3, September 2026
Pages:
125-132
Received:
27 August 2026
Accepted:
7 September 2026
Published:
30 September 2026
Abstract: Abattoir wastewater introduces organic matter, nutrients, suspended solids, microorganisms and potentially toxic metals into receiving rivers, producing complex water-quality responses that are difficult to interpret using single-parameter assessments. This study identified the critical variables and dominant pollution processes controlling water quality in the Effurun River, Delta State, Nigeria, using principal component analysis (PCA) and multivariate statistical analysis. Water samples were collected at an upstream control station, the abattoir-effluent discharge point and a downstream recovery station during rainy-season (June 2025) and dry-season (November 2025) campaigns on Days 1, 15 and 30, yielding 18 station-level observations. Physicochemical, nutrient, organic, heavy-metal and microbiological parameters were determined using standard laboratory procedures. Seasonal differences in the combined water-quality profile were assessed by multivariate analysis of variance, while PCA with varimax rotation was used for dimensionality reduction and identification of variables with absolute loadings of at least 0.70. Four retained principal components explained 92.62% of the total variance. After rotation, PC1 explained 49.12% and represented ionic-organic enrichment dominated by electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, major ions, nutrients, chemical and biochemical oxygen demand, ammonium and heterotrophic bacteria. PC2 explained 25.48% and represented heavy-metal contamination, with high loadings for Pb, Zn, Cu, Fe, Cd, Mn and Cr. PC3 explained 12.15% and reflected suspended-solids, nutrient and microbial pollution, while PC4 explained 5.87% and represented oxygen-regime processes dominated by dissolved oxygen. The seasonal MANOVA was not statistically significant (Pillai's Trace = 0.667, F (14, 3) = 0.429, p = 0.881; partial eta squared = 0.667), indicating that the overall seasonal difference was not established at alpha = 0.05. The findings show that a relatively small group of highly loaded parameters can serve as priority indicators for routine monitoring and targeted pollution control in abattoir-impacted tropical rivers.
Abstract: Abattoir wastewater introduces organic matter, nutrients, suspended solids, microorganisms and potentially toxic metals into receiving rivers, producing complex water-quality responses that are difficult to interpret using single-parameter assessments. This study identified the critical variables and dominant pollution processes controlling water q...
Show More
