ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Risk Preference And Child Learning Outcomes: A Study On Ghana

Although human capital investment increases the success rate of labour market participation and offers future welfare security for parents, empirical studies have established that it is a risky venture. Consequently, the risk preference of funders is pivotal in determining the optimal allocation of household’s scarce resources in educational investment. However, several studies that focused on improving education in Africa failed to consider the role of parental risk preference in achieving quality and equitable Education for all children, which is key to bridging the literacy and numeracy skills gap that exist in Africa. Against this backdrop, we leveraged the seventh round of Ghana Living Standard Survey data to explore the relationship between parental risk preference and child learning outcomes. The instrumental variable estimation technique was employed to solve the endogeneity problem associated with the two variables. We found that parental risk preference is a significant determinant of learning outcomes of children in Ghana given that children from risk loving homes have better learning outcomes. In addition, risk loving homes have better learning outcomes for girls and children in public schools. Further, children from risk-loving female headed households have better learning outcomes compared to children from risk-loving male headed households. Finally, risk loving household heads spend more on the education of their children than risk averse household heads. We therefore recommend that policy makers stakeholders need to implement programs induce risk loving attitudes in parents.

Source: UCC
River sediment discharge influence on short-term shoreline change of Anlo beach, Western Region, Ghana

Riverine systems are important due to sediment transport to the coast. However, this benefit is decreasing due to increasing rate of human influences that affect river flow pattern and sediment discharge to coastal areas, leading to coastal instability in many countries. This study assessed riverine sediment discharge contributions to the short-term evolution of the coastline of the Anlo Beach in Ghana. The Pra River catchment with focus on the coastal frontage (~3.5 km) and 1.6 km inland was studied, with field surveys for six months (May to October, 2022). River depths, sediment load, river velocities, and aerials photographs were collected for each survey, and subsequently processed and analysed with established protocols in ArcMap to produce shoreline changes, bathymetry maps, river sediment and water discharges and particle size distribution. Results from the study suggest a decreasing trend of average daily river discharges, sediment load and particle sizes. These results were however larger than what was reported in other rivers in and outside Ghana. Beach sediment and shoreline are also eroding at a rate of -105,695.72 m3 and -8.22 m for the six months period. The dynamics of the beach is associated with illegal small-scale mining that supplies smaller sediment particles to the beach, and reduction in longshore sediment transport by sea defence structures located to the west of this beach. Also, shallow bathymetry was observed at the Pra Estuary, which could lead to flooding during rainfall and high discharges.

Source: UCC
The RNA-binding protein SUP-12 controls muscle- specific splicing of the ADF/cofilin pre-mRNA in C. elegans

T issue-specific alternative pre-mRNA splicing is essen- tial for increasing diversity of functionally different gene products. In Caenorhabditis elegans, UNC- 60A and UNC-60B, nonmuscle and muscle isoforms of actin depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin, are expressed by alternative splicing of unc-60 and regulate distinct actin-dependent developmental processes. We report that SUP-12, a member of a new family of RNA recognition motif (RRM) proteins, including SEB-4, regulates muscle- specific splicing of unc-60. In sup-12 mutants, expression of UNC-60B is decreased, whereas UNC-60A is up-regulated in muscle. sup-12 mutations strongly suppress muscle defects in unc-60B mutants by allowing expression of UNC-60A in muscle that can substitute for UNC-60B, thus unmasking their functional redundancy. SUP-12 is ex- pressed in muscle and localized to the nuclei in a speckled pattern. The RRM domain of SUP-12 binds to several sites of the unc-60 pre-mRNA including the UG repeats near the 3 -splice site in the first intron. Our results suggest that SUP-12 is a novel tissue-specific splicing factor and regu- lates functional redundancy among ADF/cofilin isoforms.

Source: UCC
Road safety education in the Ashanti and greater Accra regions, Ghana: drivers' perspectives

The study assessed road safety education in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions in Ghana from the drivers' perspective. Defensive driving course model, Bergs Theory and Bloom's Taxonomy Domain for a choice guided the study. This culminated in the use of mixed method approach comprising qualitative and qualitative sources of data such as in-depth interviews and questionnaire administration. Five hundred drivers were selected through quota, accidentally and purposively sampling techniques for the questionnaire administration and fifteen in-depth interviews were conducted. Instruments used were questionnaire and in-depth interviews. Whereas the qualitative data were manually transcribed and SPSS was used to analysed the quantitative data. The results of the study revealed the dominant socio-demographic characteristics of drivers in the study sites. The majority of the drivers acquired driving knowledge via the formal mode of driver education (defensive driving). The results of the analysis further revealed the strengths and shortcomings of Defensive Driving Course Model (DDCM) as against Bloom's Taxonomy of Domain. The perceptions of the drivers against attributes of road safety knowledge were also elicited across sociodemographic characteristics. And the factor analysis indicated that cognitive analysis between facts and inferences and the application of acquired knowledge were the main factors of the drivers' views on road safety. It was recommended that government through DVLA should encourage would be drivers to undergo formal mode of driver education and design graduated licensing for experienced or older drivers.

Source: UCC
Road Transport Governance, Travel Planning and Mobility in Greater Accra Metropolitan Area of Ghana

The use of car is both necessary but devastating. The search for solutions has been skewed in favour of motorization. This study explored governance as a tool to balance the trade-offs between indispensable motorization and sustainable urban mobility. The respondents for this study were policy makers from the transport sector agencies, ministries and departments in Ghana, as well as formal and informal transport service providers. The research design was mixed method, largely qualitative with minimal quantitative research instruments. Some qualitative research instruments used were interview, focus group discussions and observations. The quantitative data was obtained through a manual number plate matching technique to physically collect speeds of vehicles in GAMA during rush hours. The study concludes that the triple function of GAMA strangulate planning capacities of the Local Authority. Again, conventional road construction designs do not promote mobility, leaving GAMA with low Time Mean Speed of 1.05 km/h. To address these mobility problems in GAMA, the study recommends, government must earmark a percentage of the road fund contribution to the assemblies to empower the local authorities in their planning capacities. Again, government must amend its approaches to road transport development in GAMA by harnessing means of accessibility and also, promote application of modern intelligent transport systems in traffic management. These would help manage the prevailing recurrent traffic congestion in GAMA particularly during peak periods for improved turn-around time of commuters.

Source: UCC
Road Transport Infrastructure and Mobility: Views of Students With Physical Disability in the University of Cape Coast

ABSTRACT Education financing has been a major challenge to both government budget and household meagre income. Most research has been on education financing by government and its related issues and limited empirical study on micro level data on household education financing. This study therefore examines the household education financing and the crowding out effect with household education financing on other consumable goods and services. The main dependent variable of the study was household education expenditure. The study used Ghana Living Standard Survey round seven conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service to analyse the determinant of household education expenditure and the crowding out effect of the household educational expenditure on other goods and services. Two econometric approaches used in this study were the Tobit model and the Fractional response model with endogenous regressor. The results from the study on the Tobit model revealed that household size is positive and significant in explaining household education expenditure. Again, it was observed that education expenditure crowds out basic necessities such as clothing and footwear, utility and housing. The study then proposed these recommendations both to the government and the household, following from the empirical test conducted. That is a pragmatic measure should be taken on the household size by way of educating household heads on birth control measures and also Ministry of Education should organize non-formal education to household heads with lower education, since education level of household head influences education positively

Source: UCC
Road transport infrastructure and mobility: Views of students with physical disability in the University of Cape Coast

Though the Persons of Disability Act 715 calls for the provision of an accessible environment, attention on the mobility needs of commuters with disability has focused on persons with disability access to public buildings like library without paying attention to the walking environment connecting the homes of commuters to these public facilities. This study was carried out to examine the road transport infrastructure and mobility needs of students with physical disability in UCC. Specifically, the study sought to assess the extent of physical barriers that impede the movement of students with physical disability, determine the extent of usage of university shuttles by students with physical disability and examine the roles of stakeholders in providing accessible facilities. A sample of 28 visually impaired, 1 wheelchair user and 3 key stakeholders were engaged in the study. The visually impaired were selected by the use of snowballing and the rest were purposively selected. The results revealed that, the dominant passenger facility on campus was the sidewalk but these sidewalks were saddled with path obstructing objects such as potholes and electric poles. When it comes to crossing aids, none of the traffic lights on campus was augmented with audible transmitters to aid the visually impaired. With reference to the passenger environment, the absence of a documented policy to offer free ridership to these students provided the platform for drivers of privately owned shuttles to deny these students from enjoying free shuttles services. The study recommends documentation and enforcement of the free shuttle services for students with disability as well as the modification of the existing pedestrian and passenger facility.

Source: UCC
Robust Variational Bayes Analysis of Linear Change-point Problem

ABSTRACT The deterioration of the condition of a physical system that produces output with linear relationship with the input can manifest in the data generated by such system via change-points. As a result, timely detection and analysis of a change-point in such systems form a significant element in providing pragmatic solutions towards the smooth operation of the system. In this regard, the thesis considered novel Variational Bayes methods for modeling, detection, and inference of change-point in linear systems. In particular, Variational Lower Bound Difference(VLBD), Variational Bayes Information Criteria (VBIC), and Variational Akaike Information Criteria (VAIC) ratio- based change-point detectors are developed for a single change-point detection in linear systems. The methods are assessed with linear change-point datasets in both simulation and real data of a refinery process, and their utility is soundly illustrated. Interestingly, the Variational lower bound difference- based detector shows robustness over its VBIC and VAIC counterparts in situations where there exist multiple change-points. This was evidenced by the real-data application.

Source: UCC
The Role of Academic History on the Academic Performance of Accounting Students in Universities in Ghana

This study investigated the assertions made by early researchers on the role prior knowledge in Accounting has on the academic performance of university students in Ghana. It was designed to make a comparison on the differences in academic performance between students with Accounting background prior to gaining admission to pursue Accounting degree and those without prior Accounting knowledge. All the respondents included in the sample were university students pursuing a Bachelor degree programme in Accounting in both Private and Public universities in Ghana. A total of 250 students were sampled. This was made of 130 who pursued Accounting programme and 120 students who did not pursue Accounting programme at the Senior High School. Correlation and regression analyses were carried out and the finding was that, the subjects pursued at the senior high school has a relationship with the academic performance of university accounting students. In addition to this, a T-test was performed to assess the difference in the performance of the students, and it was revealed that there was no significant difference between students with prior Accounting background and those without accounting knowledge. It was also revealed that the performance of students without Accounting background was as a result of other courses in the accounting programme but not accounting-related courses. It is therefore recommended that a balanced background should be provided to the students at the Senior High School level so that those students who would be admitted to pursue a bachelor degree in Accounting would have Accounting background prior to entering the university.

Source: UCC
The role of African women in the political development of Pre-colonial Africa: A historical analysis

‘Women in Development’ has considerable implications for historical research, since it provides a focus for the attention of historians. Historiography is largely a matter of focus, and the issue of women’s contribution to the development of the various facets of the life of society has drawn attention to a class of society whose conditions of life have been infrequently and incompletely explored. In contemporary times, several useful works have appeared in the general area of the study of women in the past. These studies have had serious implications for the way society perceives and treats women as they have contributed towards liberating women from the shackles of male dominance and ‘intimidation’. The present study seeks to contribute in this direction by examining the role of African women in the development of the African continent. To this end, the contributions of women are analysed from the perspective of the political life of Africa. Thus, using the multi-disciplinary approach, the study does a critical examination of the contributions African women made to the political development of their respective societies in pre-colonial Africa. It first makes a survey of the pre-colonial African political terrain and reappraises the ‘political image’ of women in society. It then makes a selection from the historical record and evaluates the circumstances out of which some African women rose to become political leaders in their societies and the contributions they made to ensure the smooth administration and survival of those policies. Per the findings of the study, the paper concludes that the contemporary political stage of Africa owes much of its success to the contributions of some African women in the past. Finally, it maintains that there is the need for the contemporary generation to appreciate the political capabilities of women and place them in key political positions

Source: UCC
Role of asafo groups in the Effutu chieftaincy conflict in the Effutu municipality in the central region of Ghana

Chieftaincy is one of the oldest and most cherished of Ghana’s traditional institutions which interpret our indigenous system of governance as it has evolved through centuries. Chiefs, through cultural activities like festivals are seen as agents of development. However, this colourful and vibrant part of our culture is fraught with long standing chieftaincy disputes in many parts of the country. The chiefs and people of Winneba have had their fair share of conflicting encounters which have affected their developmental efforts over the years. The two main Asafo groups in Winneba, seen as vanguard organizations, have also been deeply involved in the chieftaincy disputes in the area. This study therefore sought to look at the role of the Asafo groups in the Effutu chieftaincy conflict in Ghana. It also identified the causes of the conflict and the perception of the Asafo groups on the conflict and how the conflict could be resolved in sustained way. Data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources for the analysis which was mainly descriptive. The study found that the conflict is a long standing one between the two royal families; the Ghartey’s and the Ayirebi-Acquah’s over right to succession of the royal stool. Political interference was also identified as playing a key role in the conflict in the Effutu traditional area. To ensure peace and development in the Effutu area, it is recommended that the Asafo groups should be seen as key and integral part of the traditional system and must therefore be involved in all efforts at resolving the conflict.

Source: UCC
The Role of Audit Committees in Enhancing Internal Control in MMDAs in the Brong Ahafo Region

The study's objective was to test the role of Audit Committees in MMDAs in the Brong Ahafo Region. The study used the quantitative survey. A sample of 100 members of 20 selected MMDA ACs were chosen from a population of all 27 MMDAs in the Brong Ahafo Region. This entails examining MMDA risk management strategies and putting steps in place to prevent fraud, ensuring effective internal control systems, and ensuring that MMDAs comply with relevant laws, regulations and ethical standards guiding their operations. The results appeared to suggest that MMDA internal control systems are very effective in improving assembly budgeting and budgetary procedures, and in complying with relevant laws and regulations guiding assembly activities. To ensure the effectiveness of ACs in improving MMDA internal controls, it was suggested that their objectives, duties, and responsibilities be clearly defined before they officially begin their tenure. Also, since the work of ACs is heavily reliant on accounting and finance, it was suggested that AC members be chosen based on their expertise in these fields. Thus, the study seemed to support the importance of ACs in MMDA financial reporting and internal controls.

Source: UCC
The Role of Chaplaincy in Public Universities in Ghana: A Study of the University of Cape Coast: 1969-2019

The study was a historical appraisal of the Chaplaincy of the University of Cape Coast from 1969 to 2019. The study first examined the history of the Chaplaincy in the University of Cape Coast. Secondly, it explained the profile of chaplaincies in the University of Cape Coast. It also examined the contributions of the Chaplaincy of the University of Cape Coast. The study further identified the challenges facing chaplaincy work on the University campus and offered practical ways of overcoming them and finally, it evaluated the perception about the future of the Chaplaincy. Documentary sources, interviews and focus group discussions, observation, and content analysis were employed to answer questions about the subject under study. The study was conducted on members of the Chaplaincy Committee: chaplains, representatives from chaplaincies and ex-officio members (ordained priests on campus); patrons, teaching and non-teaching staff, executives and members of religious groups, students, and other members of the University community; external stakeholders (mother churches, founders among others) of groups, independent individuals or bodies in the society. The study revealed that the Chaplaincy Committee which was established in 1969 by the University Council as at the time of the research is made up of four main chaplaincies namely: the Anglican Chaplaincy, the Catholic Chaplaincy, the Protestant and Pentecostal Chaplaincy and the Muslim Chaplaincy. The study concluded that the Chaplaincy through its activities has contributed to the religious, social, psychological, economic and political (peace) development of its members as well as the University despite its challenges.

Source: UCC
Role of chemokine receptors in inflammation- induced haematopoietic progenitor cell mobilisation

Background: There is a high cellular turnover in the haematopoietic system which necessitates that new cells are continuously produced to replace old and senescent ones. The haematopoietic stem cells and its progenitors meet this requirement. In adults, haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) generally occupy a unique microenvironment in the bone marrow called the niche. However, recent findings have shown that approximately 0.06% of HSPCs circulate between bone marrow and periphery in steady state. Evidence shows that HSPC express cytokine receptors and pathogen recognition receptors [e.g. Toll-like receptors (TLRs)], which suggest that HSPCs may directly respond to inflammation and infection. The capacity of HSPCs to directly respond to infection is demonstrated in models of bacterial infection using LPS injection that significantly increases the number of circulating HSPCs. However, the underlying mechanism is not clearly understood. As chemokines orchestrate in vivo cellular migration, it was hypothesised that HSPC inducibly express inflammatory chemokine receptors that enable them to respond to circulating chemokines during infection and inflammation. Methods and results: Here, the impact of systemic or peripheral inflammation on HSPC of mice was investigated using LPS injection and topical imiquimod cream/TPA treatment respectively. Using haematopoietic progenitor colony-forming assays, RT-QPCR on isolated progenitors, gene-knockout mice, flow cytometric analysis and in vivo antibody- mediated neutralisation experiments, data are provided showing that HSPC inducibly express chemokine receptors in response to inflammation. Critically, the topical imiquimod inflammation model required functional chemokine receptor 2 (Ccr2) for HSPC mobilisation in contrast to both systemic LPS and topical TPA models, which were Ccr2-independent. Furthermore, dermal inflammation was necessary for imiquimod-mediated HSPC mobilization, as subcutaneously administered imiquimod did not result in significant HSPC mobilization. Conclusion: The data suggest that, in addition to the established CXCR4-CXCL12 axis that regulates homeostatic HSPC trafficking, the inflammatory chemokine-chemokine receptor axes may also be crucial in modulating HSPC functions during infection and inflammation.

Source: UCC