Akunnaya Opoko

Private sector participation in domestic waste management in informal settlements in Lagos, Nigeria:

Lagos is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa, which is grappling with the challenges of poorly managed urbanisation. With an estimated population of about 17.5 million, solid waste management is one of the most pressing environmental challenges currently faced in the city. It is estimated that more than 9071847.4kg of urban waste is generated every day in the city. The city lacks the capacity to deal with such magnitude of waste. Consequently, the city has involved the private sector (private sector participation) in its waste management drive. This article examines the effectiveness of this public–private sector collaboration model in waste management in informal settlements in Lagos using empirical data. Major findings of the article include the irregularity of waste collection owing to a poor road network, an inadequate transport infrastructure and the desire to maximise profit, as well as poor waste handling and disposal methods by the private sector participation operators who are not chosen based on competence and capacity to perform. Another major finding is the lack of cooperation from residents evidenced in non-payment of bills and poor packaging of wastes, resulting in wastes being littered. The article concludes on the need to restructure the scheme through proper sensitisation of residents, selection of operators with demonstrable delivery capacity and provision of a well-maintained road network to facilitate access of operators to settlements.

GRADUATE RECRUITMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: WHAT IS IMPORTANT?

One often wonders why graduates with apparently good graduation grades do not get recruited, while some with lower grades get the good jobs. In this study, the attributes that employers consider in recruiting fresh graduate in the construction industry are investigated. The informants in the survey are employers in the architecture and estate management industries. A questionnaire was used to obtain the data for the study in a cross-sectional survey of owners and managers of firms. The results suggest that although graduation grades are important in the recruitment of these graduates, other attributes such as technical skills and personality are also considered. It is interesting to note that institution attended was also a factor considered by these recruiters. The findings suggest a need for the institutions that train graduates in these sectors to incorporate activities that develop these relevant skills into their programmes.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN SELECTED NIGERIAN SCHOOLS OF ARCHITECTURE

Architecture is generally regarded as a masculine profession. However, over the years the number of female students enrolling to study architecture in Nigerian higher institutions has increased. The aim of this paper is to investigate gender differences in academic performance of students in selected Nigerian schools of architecture. The following questions were addressed: (i) is there any gender difference in the academic performance of students in Nigerian schools of architecture? (ii) What factors influence academic performance of students in Nigerian schools of architecture? (iii) Is there any gender differences in the factors that influence academic performance of students in Nigerian schools of architecture? Survey method was used to obtain quantitative data, which was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Results indicate that on the average, female students perform better than male students. Predictor factors of academic performance included students’ socio-economic background, school environment and social interactions. While socio-economic status and social relationships tended to negatively affect male students, they were found to have minimal impact on female students. A major recommendation of this paper is the need for proper counseling especially for male students.