ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Assessment of the satisfaction of workers regarding welfare Facilities at project site

An improved construction worker satisfaction is a major factor to sustainable productivity in the construction industry. Worker satisfaction is an imperative factor in terms of retaining the services of workers and also influencing their productivity on site. The aim of this study was to evaluate worker satisfaction with the provisions of construction site welfare necessities. In order to achieve the aim of the study, four objectives were set for the study being to establish the minimum requirements for welfare facilities on construction sites; to ascertain the key welfare facilities provision policies on construction sites; to examine the adequacy of welfare provisions on site; and to explore factors that influences worker gratification with the site welfare facilities. The study employed the use of both primary and secondary data. An extensive review was done on extant literature centred on site welfare facilities and worker gratification. The identified variables were compounded into questions and administered to respondents (clerk of works and site agents) in D1K1 – D4K4 contractor firms. Out of a total of 66 questionnaires distributed, 43 questionnaires representing 65.15 percent responded, and these were retrieved and analyzed. The data gathered was analysed with Relative Importance Index and Mean Score Ranking. The Cronbach’s Alpha was used to test the internal consistency of the scale adopted for the study. The study employed quantitative research methods. It was identified from the study that drinking water, provision of changing rooms as well as uniform and protective clothing were seen as key welfare facilities. The analysis revealed that site welfare facilities that leads to worker gratification was convenience and comfort during work as well as promoting safe working behavior among workmen

Source: KNUST
An Assessment of the Service Quality Delivery in Tertiary Education – A Case Study of Pentecost University College, Ghana

Quality in tertiary education is one key issue which is gaining awareness in the increasing global knowledge society. In Ghana, the situation is not different. With the increasing number of tertiary education providers, attention is now being focused on the student-customer in order to provide quality services to achieve customer satisfaction and profitability at the same time. The study attempted to assess the service quality delivery in the Pentecost University College (PUC), Ghana, with the view of understanding how various factors or dimensions of service quality affected students’ satisfaction within a university setting. It also sought to assess Management and staff perception of service quality in the University. The methodology adopted the case study approach for the study. Data were collected using questionnaires from a sample of 230 respondents selected from the study population of 2733. SPSS was used in the analysis of primary data collected and the results were presented in the form of tables and figures. The findings were that both students and staff were satisfied with the service quality delivery in PUC. Both students and staff agreed that the current level of service quality in PUC was high. Additionally, it was found that quality dimensions such as empathy, assurance, tangibles, processes and procedures were important factors to students and staff. For instance, the study concluded that 66% of the students were not satisfied with how results are released in the University. Finally, it was found that course of study was the main factor which influenced local and international students to enroll at PUC. The study concluded that assessing service quality delivery enable tertiary education providers to prioritise factors which are considered important to students and staff for customer satisfaction, effective allocation of resources and for building and sustaining competitive advantage in a globally competitive higher education environment.

Source: KNUST
An assessment of the status of occupational health and safety at Bulk Oil Storage and Transport Company Ltd (BOST) Kumasi Terminal

Oil and gas industries remain the backbone for many oil producing economies. The discovery of oil in Ghana raised high anticipation among Ghanaians for a remarkable rise in the living standards. The industry is, however, challenged with safety issues as more occupational accidents and injuries dominate the news headlines globally. Interruption in oil production caused by fires and accidents easily lead to huge economic losses and potential hazards to humans and the environment. This study is focused on an assessment of the status of occupational health and safety at Bulk Oil Storage and Transport Company, Kumasi branch. A sample of 100 respondents was purposively selected for the study. Data gathered were analyzed using statistical tools embedded in the Statistical Product for Service Solution Software (SPSS) and also Microsoft Excel. The results indicates that regulatory requirements and enhanced hazards management are the major motivating factors for complying with health and safety standards. Also, the highest contributing factor to the success of health and safety system design, implementation and continued improvement is education and training. Lack of access to adequate information, insufficient technical knowledge and skills, blame culture, resistance to change and lack of government support were the major challenges encountered during the implementation and continuous improvement of safety management system. The study recommends for various stakeholders to strengthen the regulatory requirements for the oil and gas industries. It is also recommended for BOST to consider motivation of employees as a major means for safety standards implementation. Finally, it is also recommended for a further study to be conducted on the implementation of safety standards in the oil and gas industry in a wide coverage beyond BOST- Kumasi.

Source: KNUST
An assessment of the service delivery of GWCL/AQUA Vitans: a case study of the Sunyani Municipality

The water supply and sanitation sector in Ghana faces severe problems, partly due to a neglect of the sector until the 1990s. Tariffs were kept at a low level which was far from reflecting the real cost of the service. Economic efficiency still remains below the regional average, resulting in a lack of financial resources to maintain and extend the infrastructure. This thesis assessed the challenges facing water supply in Sunyani Municipality. A questionnaire was designed using structured questions to collect primary data from workers and households served by the GWCL. Personal interviews were held to solicit views and comments from some respondents. The study showed that 15% of the customers received water supply within 16 - 24 GMT in a day whilst 45% received water supply within 8 - 16 GMT and 40% received water supply within 0-8 GMT in a day. Generally flow of water has improved since AVRL merged with GWCL for operation of the supply of water. The flow was best in the South districts (76%) and worst in the Central district (56%). Overall it was 59% to 41% improved service and deteriorated service respectively. Customers were also satisfied with the quality of water supply service delivery. Many (77%) customers did not have problems with the smell of the water whilst 80% of the customers had no problem with the taste of the water supplied. The major complaints (67%) was with the colour of the water which needs to be looked at. Complaints were mostly made in person (86%). This in terms of DALY (Disability Adjustment Life Years) could amount to several thousands of cedis lost in a year. The attitude of GWCL/AVRL staff to complaints was very poor. Sixty-nine percent (69%) were not satisfied with the response to complaints. However meter readers were generally found to be customer friendly with sixty-two percent (62%) of the customers satisfied with the meter readers. Overall the customers perception on the price of water was relatively high (97%) and an increase in the water tariff may create problems.

Source: KNUST
Assessment of the state of development of automobile design and manufacturing in Ghana

Vibrant automobile design and manufacturing industries have played significant roles in the industrial growth of many countries. Ghana however, has yet to develop an automobile design and manufacturing industry comparable to that of the developed countries. There is therefore the need to take a closer look at the automobile design and manufacturing industry in the country. To this end, a combination of research methods comprising interviews, questionnaire and observation are employed in collecting data, targeting auto-manufacturing firms in both the formal and informal sectors of the economy. The study focuses on several relevant issues including the caliber of personnel engaged in the industry, types of machine tools employed, engineering materials and processes used in the design and production of parts. Key findings from the study are that qualified automobile design and manufacturing engineers are in short supply, resulting in the production of low quality parts and components. The sector is characterised by the use of conventional machine tools, rudimentary welding and forming processes to produce parts in small quantities. Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine tools are virtually non-existent in the sector. The government could play a key role by supporting the domestic auto-parts manufacturing centres in the informal sector, particularly those at the Suame Magazine to promote their growth and development in the industry.

Source: KNUST
Assessment of the storage of cold chain drugs in the Kumasi Metropolis

Drugs play a crucial role for the expansion and provision of health care delivery. Whilst it is true that no product is stable indefinitely, instability may be exacerbated by poor formulation, poor packaging and poor storage conditions. Maintaining the cold chain drugs is an essential part of drug storage conditions. This ensures stable, effective, potent and safe drugs for patients. In a developing country like Ghana, faulty procedures for cold chain drugs storage may occur. In spite of hundreds of thousands of dollars spent in past few years for the provision and maintenance of suitably constructed and equipped storage facilities and training at every level in the public and private sector for the distribution, cold chain drugs are still poorly managed. In response to increasing complaints from Pharmacy Council and the concern by patients of receiving a quality healthcare, the demand for an assessment of the storage of cold chain drugs could not be ignored in view of the potential benefits of such studies. The study assessed the cold chain drugs available, level of training of personnel who handle the cold chain, equipment used for the storage, the temperature monitoring system. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. An open-ended questionnaire was used to interview 19 cold managers and checklist to ascertain the number, types of equipment and temperature monitoring system. Out of the 19 cold chain managers interviewed 13 were Pharmacists, 5 Nursing Officers and I Technical Officer, with 6 having undergone In-service training. Of the 20 cold chain rooms visited all had refrigerators/freezer for cold chain drugs storage. Only 12 (40%) had a thermometer and also for monitoring the internal. 32 refrigerators/freezers inspected 18 (56%) had their internal temperatures higher than the expected. Moreover, other faulty procedures such as storage of food and drugs on door shelves of refrigerators indicated that the storage of cold chain drugs in the Kumasi Metropolis was inadequate. Provision of adequate equipment and In-service training for the cold chain managers will ensure a better cold chain system.

Source: KNUST
Assessment of the suitability of sludge from Dompoase faecal sludge treatment plant as a building material

Faecal sludge collected from the anaerobic pond at Dompoase Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (DFSTP) in Kumasi was treated with lime for stabilization. The sludge was characterized by determining its physical, chemical and microbial parameters according to Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. Results showed that 76-79 % and 57-69 % level of stabilization were achieved for BOD and COD respectively. 40% removal of total volatile solids was recorded and up to 75 % removal efficiency of helminth eggs was observed. Optimum stabilization of sludge was achieved at pH 12.3 with a lime dose of 500 g/kg sludge for 120 minutes contact time. Chemical composition analysis of major and minor oxides was carried out on the lime-stabilized sludge and results indicated that the lime stabilized sludge consisted of chemical composition essentially contained in limestone. The lime-stabilized sludge was investigated for its suitability as brick material. The use of the lime-stabilized sludge as brick material provided a viable solution for alleviating disposal problems, closing the sanitation loop, improving economic design of buildings, pollution control and conservation of natural resources. Four different mixing proportions of sludge at 10 %, 20 %, 30 % and 40 % of total weight of sludge-clay and cement-sludge-clay were studied and used as clay supplement in brick making. The hand-moulded bricks were subjected to firing in a heat controlled furnace at high temperatures of 850 oC, 900 oC, 950 oC and 1000 oC for 10 h. Compressive strength, water absorption and shrinkage of the manufactured sludge-clay brick were determined and evaluated according to British Standard Specifications for Clay Bricks (BS 3921, 2003). Performance evaluation of the burnt bricks as construction materials was also carried out according to standards. The results revealed that between 10 % – 20 % of the lime-stabilized sludge addition could be utilized to make good quality brick for various engineering applications in building and construction. It was also observed that firing temperature and sludge percentage were the main factors that determine the quality of bricks. Increasing sludge content resulted in decreased compressive strength and increased water absorption. The results also demonstrated that increasing the sludge content improved workability of sludge-clay mix.

Source: KNUST
Assessment of the sustainability of West Gonja Hospital Health Insurance Scheme in the West Gonja District, Damongo, Ghana

Medical care after Independence was free for Ghanaians until the 1980’s when the Ministry of Health could no longer afford to provide such free services. As a result of the removal of subsidies, user fee was introduced to recover cost based on the advocacy of WHO, The World Bank and International Agencies. The West Gonja Hospital, located In Damongo in the Northern Region, a facility of the Catholic Church also faced the problem of increasing cost in providing health services to the people. In 1995, the hospital management initiated a community health insurance scheme as an alternative means of financing the services. This study assessed the sustainability of the scheme taking into consideration the management and performance of the scheme as well as perception of the communities on the scheme. A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out with variables such as service utilization, financial status, risk management, service satisfaction, membership, management/administration and perception as the basis of assessment. Primary and secondary data were collected and analyzed. Focus group discussion was also carried out as well as consultations with key informants and stakeholders of the schema. Purposeful sampling method was used to select the villages and individuals who were interviewed using structured questionnaire. Data analysis and findings of the study revealed that people in the study area have fairly positive knowledge and perception about the scheme. It was, however, realized that the scheme has a high moral hazard and adverse selection as well as management problems which threaten its financial sustainability. The technical sustainability of the scheme is also at stake as the four staff on the scheme have no professional or expert training in management of health Insurance. Weak community participation was also revealed despite the strong desire of the people to be involved in the management of the scheme to enhance its sustainability. Despite its increasing accessibility to health service utilization, it is concluded that though the scheme has increased accessibility to some extent to health service utilization the is facing sustainability crisis due its poor design and management problems. The following are suggested as solutions to the sustainability problem: - the community be actively involved in the management of the scheme -some aspects of the design of the scheme should be reviewed to facilitate effective and efficient management. Areas of concern include the benefit package which has no limitations as regards treatment protocol and procedures level of financial package for the insured and number of times / days an insured person is entitled to when on admission - the scheme staff be given technical and professional training in management of insurance scheme with special reference risk management and marketing.

Source: KNUST
Assessment of the sustainability of the activities of the NGO hope Cote D’ivoire.

The purpose of the study was to explore the problems facing the NGO Hope Côte d’Ivoire in the process of care of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) due to HIV/AIDS in the country in order to make recommendations to help the organization overcome their challenges. In doing so, a qualitative approach with a case study design was employed. Nineteen (19) research participants were selected using the purposive sampling technique including thirteen (13) staff members of both the NGO Hope Côte d’Ivoire and staff members from various local NGOs with which the NGO Hope Côte d’Ivoire worked on its last project and also six (6) beneficiaries of that project. The sources of data for this study were primary data collected through observation (participant and non-participant observation) and in-depth interviews and secondary data collected from scholarly articles. The data collected were analyzed using thematic analysis. It was established that the NGO Hope Côte d’Ivoire works with other local NGOs specialized in the area of the fight against HIV/AIDS to help OVC infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and their families. It discovered that there were several challenges affecting the organization, thereby threatening the sustainability of the activities of the NGO and its implementation partners. Those challenges were structural (organizational) and particularly financial challenges. It was recommended that the NGO provides a secure environment for its staff in order for them to be well motivated and also focus on maximizing the usage of internal funds as a way of ensuring the sustainability of the activities of the organization.

Source: KNUST
Assessment of the sustainability of community‑managed water supply services in Ghana

The study assessed the sustainability of community-managed water supply services drawing empirical evidence from a small town water supply system in Ghana. The study followed a fully quantitative research approach. Data were collected from 387 respondents who were almost all public standpipe users (98.45%) using a structured survey questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were reported, and MACBETH was the method of analysis. The study revealed that quality drinking water and reliability are the most important criteria in the opinion of survey respondents for small town water supply system. Building on this empirical understanding, the differences in importance that respondents attributed to each of these criteria were measured, and, for example, implementation of policies and public disclosure was their lowest priority. The results revealed that survey respondents believe that all criteria are currently within a range that indicates a sustainable water supply system. The paper recommend among other things that management of communitymanaged water supply system should be well positioned to ensure continuous water quality testing while designing drinking water quality improvement plans.

Source: KNUST
An assessment of the use of Automated Teller Machine (A.T.M) of Barclays Bank Ghana Limited Akim Oda Branch

The study explores the use of the ATM services at Akim Oda branch of Barclays Bank Ghana Limited. The main objective of the study is to determine the reasons underlining the low patronage of ATM services at the branch. This was done by analyzing customer knowledge on ATM services, determining customer perception on the benefits and problems of the ATM services and also determining strategies the customers prefer the bank management adopts in order to improve upon ATM services at the branch. The study adopted the descriptive approach which uses quantitative method of data collection and analysis. Questionnaires were the main instrument used for the data collection and it was solicited from 295 respondents using stratified sampling method to break the sample unit according to their level of education. Both primary and secondary data sources were used for the study. Questionnaires was used in gathering the primary data. The secondary data sources included the branch teller transaction reports, branch customer complain file, journals and the internet. It was found that most of the customers have a good knowledge on the services offered by the ATM. A major problem found through the study was that there is a high perception that the branch ATM is associated with technical problems such as frequent network failures and frequent breakdowns. It was also found out that the ATM withdrawal charges for savings account holders were high. It was therefore concluded that majority of ATM subscribers have a good knowledge on the services offered by the branch ATM. The motivating factors for using the branch ATM services are privacy in carrying out banking transactions, time saving element and the flexibility in use. The demotivating factors that prevented respondents from using the branch ATM are high charges, technical failures and unfavourable daily withdrawal limit.

Source: KNUST