ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Private sector involvement in solid waste management in the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly

This study examined the involvement of the private sector in the management of solid waste in the Kumasi metropolis. The main tools used in the collection of the data were household survey, key informants interviews, structured interviews and focus group discussions. Quantitative data were displayed using tables, graphs and charts whiles qualitative data were used through the use of direct quotations from respondents. The study reveals that solid waste collection and disposal have improved significantly since the involvement of the private sector in solid waste management in the KMA. The study also found that the level of performance in terms of efficiency and service quality of the private companies were higher than the KMA/WMD after the involvement of the private sector in solid waste management. The study further observed that the capacity of the private companies in terms of equipment holdings and operational qualities of the waste companies accounted for the higher level of performance of the companies. In spite of all these efforts by the private waste companies the metropolis is still challenged with poor solid waste management situations. Waste collection in the various communities has not been regular especially at the low income and middle income communities resulting in heap of refuse and overflow of waste from bins and skips at the communal collection sites. Government through the KMA has not been responsible enough to make prompt payments to private waste companies rendering them ineffective in their operations. In the light of these problems, the study recommended adequate supply of waste bins, skips and regular collection of waste by the waste companies. It is also recommended that, the Government/KMA should see to the prompt payment of the monies meant for the companies and also intensify their monitoring system to avoid shoddy work. In-service training should be organized for the companies by the KMA on a quarterly basis to help the update their activities.

Source: KNUST
Private provision of water supply in unserved areas of Ghana -a case study of Kyekyewere in the Bosomtwe Atwima Kwanwoman District of Ashanti

Water is very important in the sustenance of life on earth. Water supply is important in the realization of social-economic development. The national urban water supply coverage as at 2003. is 50% and the coverage for rural communities and small towns as at 2001 is 41%. Low access to water and sanitation in Ghana leads to serious public health problems. The lack of access to improve sustainable water supply services to un-served areas was the result of low investment in the water sector, had management, obsolete water infrastructure excessive wastage among others. The Government of Ghana recognizes the private sector as the engine of growth and seeks financial, technical and managerial expertise from the sector to improve efficiency and increase access to water supply. The Study assessed the feasibility (financial, institutional and social) of private sector participation in the provision of water infrastructure in partnership with the community and District Assembly. Kyekyewere in the Bosorntwe Atwima Kwanwoma District of Ashanti Region was used as a case study. The investment cost was obtained by standard engineering methods. The Financial feasibility examined the source of funds, investment cost and tariff for various funding mix. The institutional feasibility examined institutional and legal framework within which the private developer/operator can invest through review of polices and administration of questionnaires. The social feasibility examined the acceptability of Private Sector Participation to the actors, Willingness and Ability to pay by using the Contingent Evaluation Method (CVM) and the 5% income rule respectively. The study revealed that the community - District Assembly(DA) - Private Sector Partnership option with a funding mix of GoG/Donor - 60%, DA - 5%, Community - Private Developer/Operator - 30% is a better option as the user fee is reasonable and comparable to other systems. The tarrif under this option is ¢9770.48m3 (i.e. ¢477.65/18 ltr bucket) which kills within the current small towns tariff range of ¢100 -8ltr bucket. The option has an added advantage of private management which is geared toward efficient and reliable service delivery. Cost water can further be reduced by phasing the water supply project, reducing the percentage of capital investment cost (from 30% - say 20%) to be contributed by the private developer/operator and by obtaining low interest or concessional loans for the execution of the project. institutionally, the policy and legal framework allows for Private Sector Participation in water delivery. Though incomes are low in the community 57.7% of’ those interviewed are willing to pay for improved water delivery services and all social actors (Community, Community Water and Sanitation Agency. Ghana Water Company Limited, District Assembly) find the Private Sector Participation For water delivery acceptable.

Source: KNUST
Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines as markers for the diagnosis of protein energy malnutrition

Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is a public health problem and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. There are altered biochemical and immunological parameters which may serve as indicators of PEM.The study was aimed at assessing the use of pro-inflammatory cytokines as diagnostic indicator for Protein energy malnutrition in children. A total of 115 children (35 healthy controls and 80 malnourished children) aged 8 – 36 months attending the Maternal and Child Health Hospital (MCHH), Kumasi were recruited for the study. The study was conducted between December 2009 and June 2010. Anthropometric measurements including weight, height and mid-upper arm circumference were taken for the study population and immunoassays on interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and biochemical analysis of albumin and total protein) assayed. When categorized for PEM, 67.5% had marasmus, 18.8% had marasmic kwashiorkor and 13.8% had kwashiorkor. Mothers in the control group had attained higher education (p=0.0021) and were gainfully employed (p=0.0038) when compared to mothers of the subject group. Children in the subject group had a significantly low birth weight (<2.5kg, p=0.0255) as compared to controls and were more likely to have an exclusive breastfeeding period of less than three months (p=0.058). There were no statistically significant differences (p>0.05) in the mean total protein concentration of the controls (68.37± 1.43 g L-1) when compared to that of the subjects before (66.27± 1.61 g L-1) and after (69.55± 1.69 g L-1) treatment. Serum albumin concentration in the control group (43.21 ± 0.90 g L-1) was significantly higher than the concentration in the subject group before treatment (38.65 ± 0.90 g L-1, p=0.0027). The mean concentration of IL-6 in the subjects at baseline (46.08 ± 7.48 pg mL-1, p=0.0008) and after treatment (26.25 ± 5.19 pg mL-1, p=0.0148) were significantly higher than those in the control group (7.01 ± 1.37pg mL-1). A 43.8% decrease in the mean concentration of IL-6 was observed after treatment. TNF-α concentration before treatment (82.07 ± 6.02 pg mL-1) was significantly higher when compared to the mean concentration in the control group (55.81 ± 2.20 pg mL-1).The study observed increases in pro-inflammatory response in malnourished children with IL-6 concentration being a significant indicator of PEM in the subjects compared to TNF- α. The impact of dietary intervention on biochemical indices assessed in this study shows the ability of nutritional intervention to promote growth in malnourished children. Above all, the level of education and the socio-economical status of the mothers of malnourished children in this study had a significant impact on malnourishment.

Source: KNUST
Proactive risk mitigation strategies and supply chain risk management performance of manufacturing firms in Ghana: the moderating role of risk management culture

Proactive risk mitigation strategies continue to generate attention in our modern-day manufacturing industry due to their strengths in helping manufacturing firms to become proactive and resilient to mitigating risks. Risks have become inevitable in manufacturing operating; hence, proactive risk mitigation strategies are needed to identify risks and adopt relevant strategies to address them. This study investigates the effects of proactive risk mitigation strategies comprising supply chain agility, supply chain visibility and knowledge sharing on supply chain risk management (SCRM) performance as well as the moderating role of of risk management culture. It also examines the correlation between SCRM performance on operational performance. The theory of constraints, which served as the foundation for this quantitative study, enabled for the collection of primary data from 257 randomly selected owner-managers of industrial companies located in the metropolises of Accra, Kumasi, and Tema. Using the structured questionnaires, a valid data set of 229 was obtained, processed with the IBM SPSS Statistics and SmartPLS software and analysed via the PL-SEM. The result revealed that all the three proactive risk mitigation strategies affect the SCRM performance of the manufacturing firms. The study also found SCRM performance to improve the firms‟ operational performance. It was finally found that risk management culture moderates the correlation between only knowledge sharing strategy and SCRM performance. It was concluded that manufacturing firms that adopt the proactive risk mitigation strategies can attain high SCRM performance. It is suggested that management of the manufacturing firms need to focus on and invest in the proactive risk mitigation strategies in order strengthen their SCRM performance levels within the scope of Ghana.

Source: KNUST
Probabilistic Exposure Assessment of Acrylamide in Oils

There is an increasing trend of high fat in Ghanaian diet. These fats (cooking oils) produced locally and some imported into our country are partly regulated for some chemical hazards such as acrylamide. In our local oil industry, it has been observed that, the processing methods used are highly questionable. Thus, acrylamide a known hazard produced during processing could be present in substantial quantities. The objective of this work was to determine the probabilistic exposure assessment of acrylamide in locally produced oils and other oils being sold on our local market. Crude palm oil, groundnut oil and refined palm oil were purchased from retailers in the Kumasi metropolis. Consumers of these oils were identified and made to fill a dietary and lifestyle questionnaire. Using HPLC the concentration of Acrylamide in the various oils was determined. Palisade @ Risk (2014) Software at 10,000 iterations was used to determine the probabilistic exposure of acrylamide in the population of study. The acrylamide concentrations determined were 0.844 mg/g, 0.374 mg/g and 0.172 mg/g for Groundnut oil, Crude palm oil and refined palm oil respectively. Groundnut oil recorded the highest value for chronic daily intake when compared to crude palm oil and refined palm oil. Results for hazard quotient conclude that consuming groundnut oil puts the population at higher risk of ingesting a probable carcinogen as compared to crude palm oil and refined palm oil.

Source: KNUST
Probabilistic quantitative microbial risk assessment model of farmer exposure to Cryptosporidium spp. in irrigation water within Kumasi Metropolis-Ghana

Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite which can be transmitted via food and water. Some studies have shown irrigation water to be routes of transmission for Cryptosporidium into the food chain, however, little information is known about Cryptosporidium levels in wastewater used for irrigation in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. Kumasi and for that matter Ghana is not immune to the widespread practice of wastewater irrigation for farm produce in developing countries which has attracted attention of both, policy makers and academia. However, most previous studies of microbial risk assessment focus on the possible health effects and risk estimation for consumers of wastewater irrigated produce, whereas farmers who actually come into direct contact with the wastewater have received little attention. This study estimated the possible risk/diseases from farmer exposure to Cryptosporidium, a zoonotic pathogen causing gastroenteritis. The results indicate high positive levels of Cryptosporidium in the irrigation water, however, the levels of Cryptosporidium decreases during the rainfall seasons, risk assessment results show that, farmers face a higher risk of being infected by Cryptosporidium due to frequent exposure to wastewater. An adoption of a possible on-farm wastewater treatment option was found to reduce the risk of infection of the farmers. The results of this study highlight the need for a proactive policy to integrate a multi-barrier approach to reduce direct contact of farmers with wastewater for irrigation, to minimise risk of infection.

Source: KNUST
The Problem of the Cap 30 Pension Scheme in Ghana

This dissertation is about the CAP 30 Pension Scheme in Ghana. The objective is to discuss the main problems and attempt to identify some of its weaknesses and to make suggestions to overcome these weaknesses. It also aims at identifying additional provisions that could be introduced into the current CAP 30 Pension scheme to serve as incentives for members of the scheme. The methodology employed by the researcher for the study included the administration of questionnaires to 20 pensioners and 10 officers of Controller and Accountant General’s Department. The following is a summary of the main findings in the review of the scheme. Currently the CAP 30 pension scheme is funded by direct budgetary allocations from the consolidated fund. However, public servants who qualify for CAP 30 still contributes the 5% of their monthly salary (deductible at source) while the government (employer pays 12.5% of their employees’ respective salaries to SSNIT. Beneficiaries mostly take 6 to 18 months before they are paid. Meanwhile, names are also removed from the payroll one month after retirement. Benefits provided by the scheme are old age pension, invalidity pension and Death/survivors’ lump sum benefit. The study further noted that the basis of computation of benefits was a contributing factor to the inadequacy of pension payments under the scheme. It is also envisaged that the inclusion of workers in all sectors in the pension scheme will enable them to save towards their retirement or old age. This will improve their living standards and guarantee income security in their old age. It will also reduce anxiety, self-exclusion, dependency, and other hardships associated with unplanned retirement.

Source: KNUST
The problem of waste management: a case study of Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Waste Management Department

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly - Waste Management Department (KMA - WMD ) is the sole body responsible for waste management in the Kumasi Metropolis as provided for in the Local Government Act, 1971. This all important responsibility has not been carried out effectively and efficiently to a great extent resulting in mounting heaps of refuse in most parts of the city. As the Waste Management Authority of a city in a developing country, the KMA-WIVED had no option but to use the open dumping method of Waste Disposal. The Kumasi City Waste was thus dumped at Ahenema Kokoben which met the international criteria for waste disposal. However, in February 1993, the residents of Ahenama Kokoben physically barred the KMA from dumping any more waste in their village because of the failure of the KMA to meet their demands. The primary object of this study is to find out the health and environmental hazards posed to the people living in the vicinity of the dump site and suggest ways to improve the waste management system in the metropolis. The inhabitants of Ahenema Kokoben were subjected to stench, smoke and smog nuisance originating from the dump site. Though questionable the inhabitants claimed they suffered from pests and diseases which they attributed to the dumping. Among the prescribed recommendations is autonomy for the KMA-WMD, waste minimisation and educational campaigns.

Source: KNUST
Problems facing the sale of locally produced pharmaceuticals: (A Case Study of Some Selected) (Pharmacies in Kumasi)

According to Martin and Cook (1961), drugs are substances or preparations intended for administration to human beings and animals for the purpose of restoration of health, or the prevention or diagnosis of a disease. The drugs may be administered in various dosage forms such as tablets, syrups, powders, capsules suspensions or injections. Drugs include vaccines and sera administered generally to produce immunity to certain disease causative organisms by exciting the body to produce antibodies. Drugs play a very important role in the health care delivery system in the country. The health needs of any country cannot be met without the provision of very good quality drugs. In addition to the provision of essential drugs which is needed to cure people, four other components, immunisation, preventive medicine, treatment of common diseases, and maternal health depends upon the use of essential drugs. The government is highly concerned with the increasing demand for drugs and therefore highly in favour of local production. These essential drugs do not only have to be available but also their quality in all aspects must be assured whether produced locally or imported.

Source: KNUST
Problems of agricultural production in resettled communities in the Krachi district - Ghana

The construction of the Akosombo Dam in 1965 to generate hydro-electric power in Ghana resulted in the formation of the Volta Lake, covering a surface area of 8515km2. This led to the displacement of 78,000 inhabitants of the Volta basin. In the Krachi District, the formation of the Volta Lake led to the destruction of villages, agricultural land and communication routes. Inhabitants of the submerged villages were grouped into ten (10) resettlement towns in the district. This study examines the problems of agricultural production in resettled communities in the Krachi District in the Volta region of Ghana. Primary Data were derived from a field study involving the administration of questionnaires to 110 farming households in eight out of the ten resettlements in the district, and 44 farming households in four non-resettlements. The survey of farming households in non-resettlements was to provide a basis for comparison of agricultural production problems in resettlements and non-resettlements. Additionally, documentary research was conducted through reviewing various publications on resettlement programmes in general and the Volta Lake resettlement programme in particular. Informal interviews and personal observations also form part of the methodology. Analysis of the data revealed that the plots of land allocated to resettled farmers were inadequate even under intensive, high input cultivation using modern technology. Worst still, the agricultural programme meant to modernize agriculture in the resettlements failed woefully. So farmers still use traditional farming methods even under the given land constraints. This has led to a reduction in soil fertility thereby leading to decrease in yields. It was revealed that productivity for all major crops was higher in non-resettlements. Similarly, average household incomes in non-resettlements were higher than average income in the resettlements. Other agricultural production problems identified include low extension service coverage, limited source of finance for agricultural activities lack of improved farm inputs, rapid outmigration of active labour force due to lack of farming land and adequate accommodation. Based on the findings, recommendations aimed at reversing the declining agricultural situation in the resettlements were made. These include increasing the farm holdings of farmers, intensifying agricultural extension and the establishment of agricultural credit institutions. The recommendations are followed by an implementation strategy. This provides a strategy for implementing the recommendations made.

Source: KNUST
Problems and prospects of the manufacture and sale of clay products: (a look at the Tano Valley Clay Products)

Clay production has flourished for centuries all over the world. In Ghana the art has been practiced in most areas where clay can be found. However, the origin of clay production in the country like other parts of the globe is not known. It is, however, believed that clay production was necessitated by man’s need. Throughout the ages man’s distinguishing characteristic has been that he is a maker and has always made things to meet his needs. The things he has made range from those which met his immediate needs such as food, shelter, clothing and so on. For instance, pots were made to meet the storage and cooking needs of man. Clay production has also been practiced to meet the religious and cultural demands of man. Unfortunately clay production in the country has undergone little scientific changes in spite of its long history. There has been very little innovation and the industry largely remains rudimentary and untouched as compared to other parts of the world. Strangely, traditional clay production has persisted and enjoys increasing patronage and has made inroads into sophisticated modern markets despite the influx of industrial wares from industrialized countries. The reason for this phenomenum is that traditional clay industry service the low income groups and the increasing number of indigenous restaurants (Chop-bars) found all over the country. Simplicity of form, low cost and easy availability of traditional pots compensates for its low quality and makes it a favorite for many homes. Throughout the country, traditional pottery or clay products production employs rudimentary practices and it involves: a. Clay winning by digging with hand implements. b. Conveyance by manual labour c. Preparation by poinding d. Molding by manual implements and e. local oven firing. Given that clay products contributes significantly to some household incomes in the Tanoso Township and the region as a whole make it an ideal case for a study.

Source: KNUST