ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Budgeting Practices in Senior High Schools in Ghana; A Comparative Study of some selected Schools in Ashanti Region

Senior High Schools in Ghana are beset with problems which are mostly financial in nature. Due to resource constraints, school managers find it difficult to get enough resources to run the schools smoothly. As a matter of fact, budgetary allocations from the Central Government through the Ghana Education Service to the schools are not enough and even hardly hit the schools‘ accounts on time. In the midst of these inadequacies, at times the little financial support that is offered the schools is mismanaged by school authorities. Therefore, in order to ensure judicious use of resources and minimize waste, there is the need to examine the budgeting practices of Senior High Schools in Ghana. The population of the study was the entire management and staff of the selected Senior High Schools. In selecting the schools, a convenience sampling method was used to select five Senior High Schools in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Due to the peculiar characteristics of the population, a purposive sampling technique was used to select a sample size of twenty respondents from the five selected Senior High Schools. Data was collected through the administration of questionnaires and unstructured interviews with respondents and a database created using Excel and SPSS package for the analysis. The research revealed that all the schools prepared budgets and implement budgets prepared; poor forecast of budget estimates and changing demands from the environment posed a challenge on school budget and not all the schools have budget committees in place. It is therefore recommended that, the Ghana Education Service sees to the setting up of budget Committees and Units in the schools. Moreover, budget estimates should be properly forecast to minimize the impact of changing demands from the environment on the budget. Finally, School managers should be taken through refresher courses in budget planning and execution for them to fully appreciate the important role budgets play in management of schools.

Source: KNUST
Bui Dam Site Development (Mixed-Use Development)

Rising cost of energy. Shifting population demographics. Residential inequity. A highly ethnocentric populace that is always prone to conflict. The Bui Dam Project may be solving energy insufficiency in Ghana but at the same time has the potential to push the frontiers of development of Bui into a special economic development zone (SEZ). In the brink of oil discovery the nation is replete with forces to renew its commitment to economic and infrastructural development pushing simultaneously the development of the deprived three northern regions of the country by establishing Bui as SEZ. This thesis posits that there is both the need and an inherent potential for the emergence of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) at Bui due to its strategic geographical location on the transport corridor of the country. TOD is a mixed-use development around a « transit station with smart growth principles and its application in the proposed 'Bui City' will help solve the problems associated with congestion, housing deficit, and fragmented growth. Bui Dam Site has lain fallow ever since it was considered for a possible dam construction and the US$622 million loan for the project has come at the right time. The thesis analyses the factors for the possible development of a transit rail network through the 'Bui City', making it an interchange for travellers between the northern and southern part of Ghana. This is studied through a series of case studies that would be mapped and compared with a literature survey. This methodology is then tested on a selected site of the proposed master plan, where the confluence of the Black Volta and other site infrastructure makes an ideal site for a mixed-use (Transit Oriented) development. Findings are then translated into a three-dimensional architectural expression.

Source: KNUST
Budgeting, Budgetary Control and Performance Evaluation: A Case Study of Allterrain Service Group (ATS).

The prevailing uncertainties in Africa business environment today, most managers and stakeholders must poised to compete favourably under these rapidly changing conditions. In order to survive under these environmental complexities and vagueness, managers and stakeholders of the hospitality industry need a sharp tools, proven management techniques to forecast the major changes which are likely to affect the business while they choose future directions and dimensions of resources needed to attain selected goals. This research was work conducted with special reference to Budgeting, Budgetary Control and Performance Evaluation system of Allterrain Services Group with the view to ascertain the role that the budget plays in the company and how the key actors of the budget engage its uses in their daily operational activities. Budget as a profit planning device sets standard of performance of managers, while budgetary control is a tool implored by management to keep track of actual performance to ensure budgeted standards are met. In the course of this research work 44 workers at various managerial levels were taken as sample population. A well designed questionnaire was used to obtained data through personal interview and administration of the questionnaires, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in analysing the data collected, secondary data source was also used. The analysis of the findings conclusively indicates that most of the key actors do not work with the budget due to lack of proper induction and proper role profile of the office they occupied.

Source: KNUST
Build-up of insect pests and their natural enemies on rotated and non-rotated okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentus Mill) and egg plant (Solanum melongena (L.) Moench.) fields

Objective: The quest for increased food production requires crops to be protected from pests and diseases. The readily available means of controlling pests is the application of chemical pesticides, with its attendant negative effects on humans and the environment. The study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of crop rotation as a pest control measure and how this affects the population of natural enemies of the pests. Methodology and Results: The build-up of insect pests’ of tomato, okra and eggplant and their natural enemies on rotated and non-rotated fields were studied. The rotated and non-rotated fields were each replicated 3 times. The different insect pests that infested the crops were identified and counted. Aphids and whiteflies were assessed using a scoring scale from 0 to 5. Natural enemies of the pests were also identified and counted. Significantly, larger numbers of Bemisia tabaci, Aphis gossypii, Podagrica uniforma, Zonocerus variegatus and Locusta migratoria were sampled on the crops on the non-rotated than the rotated fields. Numbers of natural enemies, Dictynia sp Coccinella sp and Camponotus sp were not significantly different on the rotated and non-rotated fields but crop yields were significantly higher on the rotated field. Conclusion and application of findings: The results of the study indicated that rotating crops on the same piece of land resulted in reduction in pests’ numbers and an increase in crop yields. The reliance on pesticides alone to manage pests may not be the best option to reduce pests because of the negative effects of pesticides on the environment. Crop rotation can therefore be adopted as a cultural control option in the overall management of pests.

Source: KNUST
Building an effective performance management system: The role of internal communication.

As the world floods into the global and technological state, Communication has become unavoidable in the day to day operations of most organization within Ghana, Africa and the world at large. For this reason, the organization longed-for new technology and innovative ideas in communication that would help gear organizational performance leading to productivity. Communication specialists and experts see internal communication as a significant factor geared towards organizational success. Effective communication is the basic foundation and a key cornerstone in building organization’s success. Communication is not about brilliant or fluent in a language but rather the transfer and exchange of information which focus on achieving the purpose of your objective. The ultimate goal of communication is understanding, and the starting place for effective communication is active listening. This study is conducted to examine the role internal communication plays in building an effective performance management system in University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Ho. It also addresses the relationship between effective internal communication and employee performance as well as the impact internal communication has on employee performance in UHAS, Ho. Questionnaires and interview guides (for a focus group discussion) were the tools used in the data collection with a sample of 87 respondents and 7 participants respectively. The result of the study shows that a significant relationship exists between internal communication and employee performance. The study advances theoretical knowledge regarding the role of internal communication and how performance is affected by internal communication with practical implications. It also addresses the objectives which might be assigned to internal communication to support organizational success. The study recommends that there is the need for an effective orientation and education on the general operations of the University’s goals. This is in effect would enhance communication between employee and management. The study also recommends that the University must create an open-door policy that resolves employee’s grievances. The University’s management must make it a point to upgrade their communication and performance management policies periodically.

Source: KNUST
Building a Cadastral Information Systems for Land Records Management Using Hierarchical Approach and Geographic Information Systems: The Case of Ashanti Region, Ghana.

Humankind has since the times of human settlements, segmented and delineated the geographic environment in various ways to support their administrative, political and economic activities. The increasingly conflicting use-demands of land making it increasingly susceptible to pressure, has emphasized its importance as an important resource and made land issues a concern both locally and globally. Cadastral database which may be described as a component of Land Information system stores spatially defined cadastral plans and its related information. The Cadastral survey system provides land- related information to support the certainty of ownership and right to land, facilitate the process of conveyance and give legal protection to land tenure. As a result, cadastral system is primarily dependent on accurate individual cadastral survey and plans built from original survey observations. The Ashanti Regional Survey and Mapping Division has over the years continue using traditional analogue method of data keeping and management despite availability of technology to support modern trends of management and maintenance of cadastral records. Cadastral Information System (CadIS), custom desktop GIS application was developed to support the capture, maintenance, and the management of cadastral survey records for the Ashanti Regional Survey and Mapping Division. To achieve this objective, the challenges necessary for change in the Department were identified to include the absence of a common system that integrates all forms of geographic data, the difficulty in retrieving and managing archived cadastral records and the inability to share data among other land sector agencies among others. The developed system was tested with data obtained from the Ashanti Regional Survey and Mapping Division. The functionalities of the developed system were demonstrated and integrated with other geographic data sets held by the division in a well suited structure within a GIS environment. The result showed a developed practical system which achieved the objective of maintaining and managing cadastral records.

Source: KNUST
Building climate resilience through crop residue utilization: Experiences of Ghanaian smallholder farmers

Amajor limiting factor affecting the uptake of conservation agriculture practices in smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa is the limited availability of sufficient crop residues for use as surface mulch. This paper assesses the trade-offs in crop residue utilization among smallholder farmers and its implications for soil management in the face of climate change risks in northern Ghana. The paper triangulated data from 350 household surveys with participatory key informant interviews fromseven selected communities in three districts of northern Ghana. The problem confrontation index (PCI) was adopted to identify and rank the challenges associated with farmers’ decision to use crop residues, while a multivariate probit model was used to analyse and predict the factors that influence farmers’ choice of crop residue management practices. Results showed that crop residues were used as cooking fuel in households (21%), livestock feed (21%), left on the farm to decompose as mulch (34%) or burned to clear the land (24%). Key challenges identified included high labour cost (PCI = 404), high labour intensity (PCI = 388), the cost and transport for collection and storage of externally sourced crop residue (PCI = 383) and the low benefit from crop residue to farm output/soil fertility (PCI = 339). Results from the multivariate probit model revealed that household and farm variables, institutional and socio-psychological factors, and experience of some climate shocks all influence farmers’ choice of crop residue management practices.Crop residue use and management practices adopted were determined by factors including the crops being grown, challenges faced by farmers and the management options available. The study recommends the need for the Government of Ghana to empower farmers through the provision of technical knowledge and machinery for the sustainable utilization of crop residues due to the high labour intensity and cost associated with such practices.

Source: KNUST
Building competitive advantage in a changing banking Environment - repositioning of Ghana Commercial Bank Ltd

The financial world today is gradually becoming a global village in itself. Since the financial wheel is critical in any development paradigm, the role of banks is even more critical. Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), the largest state bank in Ghana since independent lost its position as the market leader to Barclays in 2007 but managed to reclaim the position in 2009 till present. This study, therefore, explored the strategies adopted by the management of Ghana Commercial Bank to reposition itself in the competitive banking industry. Personal interviews and the survey method were used in collecting data from the management and staff of Ghana Commercial Bank. Major findings of the study revealed that the bank is now aligned to give a greater focus on the customer and to offer services at lower prices than its competitors. This, the bank indicated is to position itself to become a business that is customer focused and efficient. Management is focusing on reviewing internal processes to remove all input-slackness deriving from underutilisation from production or service processes. The study recommended that Ghana Commercial Bank must introduce more innovative and electronic products, by first upgrading its technological infrastructure. In addition, the bank must also invest in the development of employees in order to survive in the fast changing environment in banking globally

Source: KNUST
Building information modeling (BIM) adoption and implementation in Ghana

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has been in the Architectural Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry over the world for the past decade and has gain roots in the developed countries. Countries who have advanced in the use of BIM have already benefited from its advantages which include productivity, reduction of errors and value for money. In developing countries and for that matter Ghana, the awareness and use of BIM is very low, therefore having a negative effect on the AEC industry. There is therefore the need to promote BIM awareness in the country. This thesis looks at the advantages of BIM, BIM patronization among AEC professionals and how to help increase BIM adoption and implementation among professionals. Professionals within the AEC industry of Ghana were identified. These professionals included Civil Engineers, Architects, Quantity Surveyors, and Mechanical / Electrical / Plumbing Engineers; who are members of their respective professional bodies such as Ghana Institute of Engineers, Ghana Institute of Architects, Ghana Institution of Surveyors and others. Snowball sampling was used in identify these professionals. A sample of 30 professionals was obtained from Kumasi including those in the private and public sectors. These professionals were selected on the bases of their experience and the complexity of the projects they are handling or have handled. Survey questionnaires were distributed among these professionals where they provided answers to the questionnaires which served as the source of data. Snowball sampling method was used in collecting data from these professionals. The data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Relative Importance Index method. From the analysis it was established that the usage of BIM among the AEC professionals is low. The challenges to the low patronization of BIM in Ghana was looked and the challenges included lack of BIM experts within the industry, poor technological edge, resistance at the operational level, cultural resistance, limited BIM knowledge, lack of financial resources,iii lack of demand from clients, management perceiving no need for BIM, no collaboration with other professionals and the procurement system. Measures to overcome these challenges were also discussed in this thesis and the following recommendations were made; participation of relevant professional bodies, government support through legislation, integration of BIM into the academic curricular and making BIM softwares / tools available.

Source: KNUST
A building information modelling (BIM) approach to improving collaboration among construction stakeholders in Ghana

Collaboration is essential to the success of construction projects but there seems to be no clear guide on the process of collaboration creating difficulties for stakeholders to effectively interact and achieve a common project goal within the bounds of cost, quality and time. The construction industry has most often used Collaboration as innovative tool towards the attainment of project objectives. This study sought to identify how Collaborative practices among Stakeholders in the Ghanaian Construction Industry can be improved using a Building Information Modelling (BIM) approach. Guided by the research objectives, this study elicited responses from construction professionals who have worked as consultants in their line of work. The data was analyzed with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), descriptive statistical tools and measures which included tables, mean and standard deviation. In identifying the challenges of the conventional collaboration, it emerged from this research that Lack of long-term relationship, Lack of reciprocal commitment, Lack of Resource sharing, The Fear of micromanagement in collaboration, Differences in organizational culture of partners, Undefined roles and responsibilities of partners, Lack of Management commitment, Incentive Alignment, Poor management by partners, and Interpersonal relationship emerged as the top ten (10) challenges. Data analyzed revealed that, the uncertainty/high initial cost of BIM, Lack of standardized guidelines and protocols for practice, Lack of Financial Resources, Lack of Professionals with BIM knowledge, Resistance to change, Lack of clarity on who bares possible incremental project cost, Information Accuracy, Lack of industry digitization, Lack of BIM training for professionals and Lack of network capabilities are the ten (10) topmost challenges to BIM adoption and implementation. In conclusion. The study concluded that collaboration is an essential part of the construction industry because of its fragmented nature which seems to converge so many professionals to a construction project with project success as its goal. Hence, Management of Consultancy firms must invest resources into obtaining Building Information Modelling (BIM) and train their professionals to be well equipped in its usage and Construction professionals must not allow their personal indifferences or disagreements to affect the efficient collaboration needed on construction projects.

Source: KNUST
Building permit compliance by developers (a case study in Kwaebibirem District)

The development of housing units must be regulated and monitored to ensure standards, safety of occupants and the effectiveness of all buildings in order to prevent collapse, loss of lives and properties. Accordingly, the Government of Ghana through Ministry of water Resources Works & Housing and Ministry of Local Government & Rural Development promulgated Legislative Instrument LI 1630regulatingdevelopment to comply with minimum design and construction standards. The MMDAs are therefore required to ensure enforcement, by vetting every development application before they are certified and issued in a form of Building Permit.Ones the Building Permit is issued, the developer is obliged to comply with all the conditions in it. If the developer wish to mak e any change in the original plan however, he or she is required to reapply for alteration from the approving authority(National Building Regulation, 1996). However, recent observations indicated that some developers obtain Building Permit and develop contrary to the conditions of the permit, putting the Building and the occupants at risk. This research was aimed at investigating the effects of noncompliance with building Permit on development. An extensive Literature review identified three main effects of noncompliance, namely 1) Slum development, 2) Weak Building and 3) Collapse Building. The strategy and method used include design of questionnaire to collect data which was analysed using SPSS and the results compared with the outcome of literature Review. The results revealed that 80% of the respondents are aware of building permit, and 93.33 did not comply with their building permit. iii It was recommended that National Building Commission be established to oversee and enforce Building Permit Compliance, and services extended to new buildings only on condition that the Building has a certificate of Construction Compliance.

Source: KNUST