ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Drivers and barriers to effective construction project monitoring and evaluation at the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (mmdas) in the greater Accra region

MMDAs play a crucial role to national development. They ensure that orderly development of infrastructure within their jurisdiction. The study explored the drivers and barriers to effective project monitoring and evaluation by MMDAs in the Greater Accra Region. The aim of the study is to identify and evaluate the drivers and barriers faced by the MMDAs in the implementation of project monitoring and evaluation within their jurisdiction. In order to achieve the aim, the following objectives were set; to critically examine the project monitoring and evaluation practice of the assemblies, to identify the drivers to effective project monitoring and evaluation by the MMDAs, to identify the barriers to effective project monitoring and evaluation by the MMDAs and to propose the processes required for effective project monitoring and evaluation by the MMDAs. Literature was reviewed and subsequently a questionnaire developed to gather data from the relevant respondents from the major stakeholders in the MMDAs. The data was analyzed by using descriptive statistics which included normal frequency distribution as well as the relative important index (RII). The study revealed that monitoring and evaluation of physical development at the MMDAs is key to addressing problems such as collapse of buildings, flooding, gas explosion, fire outbreak among others the country has been experiencing. It was revealed again that despite the effort of the MMDAs, EPA and Fire service departments on the above subject, there exist problems with monitoring and evaluation of developmental projects by the Assemblies. It was evident that inadequate logistics for monitoring, inadequate funding or budgetary allocation, lack of public education on the assembly’s bylaws and weak institutional capacities constituted the most significant contributing factors to the implementation of monitoring and evaluation within the MMDAs. The study thus recommended that budget allocation for the departments responsible for project monitoring and evaluation should me be made available on time to expedite their works and also the Assemblies should be provided with adequate logistics for effective project monitoring and evaluation.

Source: KNUST
Drivers and impact of Financial Development on Exchange Rate Volatility in Sub-Saharan Africa

The role of financial development in promoting economic growth is well known among economists. Thus, it is not surprising that financial market development has engaged the attention of researchers and policymakers. While policymakers continue to depend on researchers for ideas to deepen the financial market, much of the studies on this area tend to be dominated by the impact of financial development on other variables with less on its drivers in sub-Saharan Africa. Other scholars also recognized the fact that, literature is inconclusive on the drivers of real exchange rate uncertainty. Therefore, the goal of this study is to investigate the drivers and impact of financial development on exchange rate volatility in SSA. Two sets of panel data were compiled for the study. The first panel comprises 17 SSA countries over the period 1996 – 2015. The second panel covers 14 SSA countries for the period 1980 – 2015. Data for the study were gleaned from the World Development Indicators (WDI) and the Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) databases. We employ the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH, 1:1) in the estimation of volatility and subsequently use system dynamic Generalized Methods of Moment (GMM) in our analysis. The results indicate that output growth, inflation, trade openness and institutional quality all matter for the depth of the financial sector. On the finance – exchange rate volatility nexus, we found an inverse relationship between the two. The study also uncovers a linear relationship between financial development and real exchange rate volatility. Further, the evidence shows that the finance – exchange rate volatility nexus is insensitive to the measurement of financial development. It is recommended that policy makers in SSA should put in place measures to grow their economies and deepen the financial systems since this could reduce the volatility of the exchange rate.

Source: KNUST
Drought preparedness plan for Kumasi water supply system

Droughts are inevitable consequences of the natural variability of the water cycle and are phenomena driven by complex natural factors that are not well understood or easily predicted. Droughts affect the availability of water resources and ultimately water supply, which is necessary for socio — economic development. Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana is a nodal city, linking the northern sector to southern sector and a destination point for m any Investors to the country. Water supply to Kumasi is from two surface water sources, which are affected by drought. It is therefore timely and important to plan and prepare to mitigate the effect of drought on a city such as Kumasi. The objective of this research is to produce an efficient water management (water allocation) plan necessary to meet the water demand with the available water resources during droughts in Kumasi. As such, the drought preparedness plan should reflect the actual situation such that it can be adopted by the utility, the Ghana Water Company. The research utilizes hydrological drought which is defined as “period during which streamflows are inadequate to supply established uses under a given management system”. The safe yields of the reservoirs are designed to cater for 25-year drought, therefore droughts with intensity of 25 years and beyond were looked at. The study examined the water demand projection for the city for the next 15 years. Based on past stream flow data and rain fall data the intensity of the historical droughts were studied. The operating yields of the reservoir for the various drought scenarios (25 — 100 year droughts) were estimated from historical streamflow values and other relevant information such as reservoir capacity, evapotranspiration, seepage and leakage in the dam. A 50-year drought will reduce safe yield by 8% whiles a 100-year drought will also reduce safe yield by 15%. The current water production in Kumasi is only 45% of the demand. Planned production by GWCL will meet 37% — 60% of demand within the study period. The occurrence of drought in Kumasi will affect resource but not production because as planned by GWCL, by 2020 production will be 75% of safe yield which is lesser than operating yield (85% of safe yield). The drought preparedness plan can be effective when water production is affected by drought. Water demand in Kumasi grows at an exponential rate of 5% with population growth contributing 2.26% and socio-economic growth of Kumasi contributing 2.74%. The water demand of Kumasi will exceed the current safe yield by the year 2007. Alternative sources are needed as an option to meet demand. The plan identifies areas within Kumasi with good groundwater yield (21.6- 30m3/hour). It is suggested that groundwater be incorporated into the distribution system of these areas to augment supply from the surface water source. Recommendations are that GWCL should change the production plan by increasing it to meet demand. Water demand management has been suggested as an option to control the increasing water demand.

Source: KNUST
Drug Addiction Centre, Korle-Bu, Accra

No problem in the world, Ghana inclusive has been more costly in lives, misery and money than drug addiction, and no problem has generated more stubborn conflict and confusion in all areas of society. Its effect on an individual is felt within the family circle, then in the micro society and the macro society of a nation. Drug addiction, a separate and distinct disease, which was formally viewed as a social or character defect, seriously requires a specialised facility much larger than the Drug addiction clinic at the Korle-bu teaching hospital, to appropriately handle this issue and its related problems. This will enhance the entire healthy delivery system of the country since most hospital eases are drug addiction related. The Narcotic Control Board was inaugurated in 1991 when it became apparent that drug issues were becoming rampant in the country. The hoard was formed together information on drug related issues from the various Psychiatric and drug addiction treatment centers. To help ascertain the level of drug problem at hand, they have also been empowered to cause the arrest of drug traffickers as well as users and. proved research public education on the effects and dangers of drugs In 1984, a proposal was made by a board led by the Director of the Psychiatric Division for the location of a drug rehabilitation center at Gcmoa Budumnbura the Central Region. This did not materialize due to the Liberian Refugee Camp’s location on the proposed site. Before 1990, a medical officer was sent to the United States of America to undertake a speriaist course in Drug addiction to provide the appropriate medical treatment and attention to the addicts. This led to the establishment of the Drug addiction clinic at Korle-bu This was implemented with the view of extending such appropriate specialist service to the regional health centers by training mere specialist and aides. As a contribution to the national health delivery system, realizing the need for such a project, it has been chosen to compile, analyze and synthesize the needed background information and present a design proposal or such a facility for implementation as a design these for the Post Graduate Diploma in Architecture. A general background of Drug addiction issues in Ghana focusing on the Psychiatric hospitals and the Drug Addiction clinic at Korle-bu was first on the procedure used for the thesis. Then feasibility studies were undertaken to review the Psychiatric hospitals and the Drug Addiction clinic to establish the need and viability of the project in the light of present economic, social and health conditions in Ghana Comparative studies were made on certain disciplines selected as critical areas for a health delivery facility of this sort.

Source: KNUST
Drought-Heatwaves’ Dynamics with Land Use Land Cover Types under the West African Monsoon System

Heatwaves are prolonged periods of abnormal heat that can adversely impact human and animal well-being, public infrastructure, agriculture, wildfire occurrence and severity, and workplace efficiency. With increasing global warming, heatwaves and droughts are predicted to worsen. However, there are only a few documented cases of heatwaves in Africa, and less research in West Africa has explored the thermodynamics of heatwaves in the region. This study seeks to comprehensively investigate the dynamics of heatwaves, particularly their interaction with landatmosphere processes and droughts as compound events in three climate zones in West Africa. The research compares heatwave and heat-stress occurrences and their coincidental intensity with drought, using satellite, reanalysis, and in-situ datasets from 1981 to 2020. The study uses Cumulative Heat (CumHeat or Heatcum) and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) to measure heatwaves, Standardized Precipitation (Evapotranspiration) Index (SPI or SPEI) for drought, and Normalized CumHeat for temperature (Tmax and Tmin), UTCI, and Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) to examine heatwave dynamics. The study employs the ECMWF Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP) dataset to determine the main temperature advection and tendency terms that contribute to heatwaves in selected cases (2018, 2019, and 2020) covering different climate zones, from 1000 hPa, 925 hPa, to 850 hPa, and 700 hPa. The study also uses validated coupled RegCM-CLM simulation outputs initialized with soil moisture to compute SPEI and the normalized heatwave indices. The Drought-heatwave (D-HW) events from observational data showed lower frequency and intensity than the gridded dataset. The West African monsoon system is experiencing an increase in the intensity and duration of UTCI and Tmax heatwaves, mainly before or after the monsoon phase, with some occurrences during the monsoon phase. An increasing trend in the intensity and duration of heatwaves, up to 40 days, has been observed in the gridded dataset, and there is a higher likelihood of WBGT occurrence during the night. The study found that the differences in heatwave indices are primarily due to the sensitivity to moisture and wind. The intensity of heatwaves exhibits asymmetric statistical responses to moisture content deficits, particularly in the Guinea zone and some parts of Sudan (Coast of Senegal). In the Eastern part of West Africa, the opposite reaction to mid-latitudes is observed, where there is an increase in moisture before and during a high heatwave. The impact of soil moisture on heatwaves extends to the 6th level (8th level) about 0.492912 m (1.38283 m) into the soil. These findings could help improve weather forecasting, predict the impacts of heatwaves, and design adaptation strategies to reduce the vulnerability of populations to heatwaves. Additionally, the results contribute to developing more accurate and robust climate models that can better simulate the behaviour of heatwaves and their interactions with other climate variables.

Source: KNUST
Drug Inventory Management at Hospitals in the Greater Accra Region and its effect on Patient Care

The purpose of the study was to analyze the effect of drug inventory management in hospitals in the Greater Accra Region and its effect on patient care. The study looked at how the pharmacy departments at the various hospitals in Greater Accra Region were managed. Another objective was to determine how inventories are controlled at the pharmacies in the hospitals. Data was collected at two levels; one with the pharmacists and the other with the patients using a combined sample size of 158 from thirty hospitals in the Greater Accra region. Descriptive statistics were used to present the data to establish the relationship between drug inventory management and it effect on patient care. The research findings showed that although all the sampled hospitals in the region have well experienced and professional pharmacist manning the units, majority have not computerized their inventory systems. It was revealed that almost all the drug stock are purchased from the district or regional medical stores and in some cases from the open market through vendor selection process that follows the procurement Act, hence, cases of frequent drug stock-out. The result is that Patients are not always given all their prescription when they go the pharmacies in the hospital. Finally, the situation of unavailability of drug stock at the pharmacies in the hospitals has led to patients becoming anxious about their medical condition hence leading to health deteriorations and worsening their medical conditions. It is recommended that all the stakeholders in the health industry should help to address the issue of properly managing drug stock in the hospital pharmacies in Ghana since this has an effect on patients care.

Source: KNUST
Drums and drum languages as cultural artifacts of three Asafo Companies of Oguaa Traditional Area of Ghana

Drums and drum languages, as cultural artifacts, are very pivotal in the Asafo system as far as their activities in the various communities are concerned. However, much documentation has not been done on Asafo drums and their drum languages. Therefore, it is imperative to document the types of drums used by the Asafo groups as well as their aesthetic aspects hence the title “Drums and Drum Languages as Cultural Artifacts of Three Asafo Companies of Oguaa Traditional Area of Ghana”. Interviews, direct observation, recording (audio and video) and description techniques were used to obtain all relevant data as well as accessing the knowledge and understanding of the drum languages from the prospective respondents. The research revealed that Asafo drums are a set of four but only one, that is the Asafokyin (tuaakwan), is used to perform all drum languages. Again, members of the various selected Asafo communities and even some members of the Asafo groups do have foreknowledge about Asafo drum languages but cannot interpret or comprehend some of the drum languages. The decline in the natural role of the Asafo activities due to modern governance system, western religion, elitism and so on has greatly affected the use and performance of the drums and drum languages respectively. A documentation and translation of the drums and drum languages by the respective Asafo are highly recommended. Institutions like schools, radio and television stations and IT companies have been encouraged to use digitized drum languages as part of their system to enhance the fore knowledge and understanding of Asafo drum languages as well as the drum as a cultural artifact. This is an eighty-nine page thesis by Johannes Atta Sam (BA IRAI) and supervised by Dr. Stephen Kquofi (PhD. African Art and Culture).

Source: KNUST
Dry matter accumulation, partition and yield in three Cowpea (vigna unguiculata (l) walp) varieties as influenced by phosphorus fertilizer application

Phosphorus is a major limiting nutrient in Ghanaian soils. Selection of cowpea varieties that produce good seed yield under low soil phosphorus or those with high phosphorus response efficiency can be a low input approach in solving this problem in Ghana. Two field experiments were conducted in 2012 at the Plantation Crops Section of the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to evaluate the effect of phosphorus fertilizer application on dry matter accumulation, partition and yield in three cowpea varieties. The design used in both studies was a 3×4 factorial arranged in randomized complete block design with four replications. Three cowpea varieties Asetenapa (IT81D-1951), Asomdwee (IT94K-410-2) and IT89KD-347-57 combined four P rates (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1) application. The land was ploughed, harrowed and plots were laid out. Plot size was 3 m × 5 m. Each plot consisted of nine rows in both seasons and planting was done at the beginning of the rains at a spacing of 60 × 20 cm. All agronomic practices were observed. Response variables measured were phenological observations, growth and yield components, and nodulation. The results indicated that growth and growth components varied significantly with cowpea varieties. Asetenapa flowered earlier followed by Asomdwee and IT89KD-347-57. Phosphorus fertilizer application significantly reduced days to 50 % flowering. Dry matter production and distribution were significantly affected by cowpea varieties. Asetenapa and Asomdwee were more efficient in partitioning photosynthate into the economic parts. Yield and yield components were significantly affected by cowpea vi variety and P fertilizer application rates over the control. Asomdwee produced the greatest seed yield of 1557.00 kg ha-1 and 1415.00 kg ha-1 for major and minor seasons respectively. P fertilizer application resulted in increased seed yield with each increase in P rate. The highest seed yield of 1682.00 and 1476.00 kg ha-1 for major and minor seasons respectively was produced when 60 kg P2O5 ha-1was applied. The interaction of variety and P fertilizer application was not significant for seed yield.

Source: KNUST
Drums and drum languages as cultural artifacts of three Asafo companies of Oguaa traditional area of Ghana

ABSTRACT Drums and drum languages, as cultural artifacts, are very pivotal in the Asafo system as far as their activities in the various communities are concerned. However, much documentation has not been done on Asafo drums and their drum languages. Therefore, it is imperative to document the types of drums used by the Asafo groups as well as their aesthetic aspects hence the title “Drums and Drum Languages as Cultural Artifacts of Three Asafo Companies of Oguaa Traditional Area of Ghana”. Interviews, direct observation, recording (audio and video) and description techniques were used to obtain all relevant data as well as accessing the knowledge and understanding of the drum languages from the prospective respondents. The research revealed that Asafo drums are a set of four but only one, that is the Asafokyin (tuaakwan), is used to perform all drum languages. Again, members of the various selected Asafo communities and even some members of the Asafo groups do have foreknowledge about Asafo drum languages but cannot interpret or comprehend some of the drum languages. The decline in the natural role of the Asafo activities due to modern governance system, western religion, elitism and so on has greatly affected the use and performance of the drums and drum languages respectively. A documentation and translation of the drums and drum languages by the respective Asafo are highly recommended. Institutions like schools, radio and television stations and IT companies have been encouraged to use digitized drum languages as part of their system to enhance the fore knowledge and understanding of Asafo drum languages as well as the drum as a cultural artifact. This is an eighty-nine page thesis by Johannes Atta Sam (BA IRAI) and supervised by Dr. Stephen Kquofi (PhD. African Art and Culture).

Source: KNUST
Drying Characteristics and Effect of Different Drying Methods on the Behavior and Nutritional Content of Ripe Banana (Musa Sapientum) Discs

The focus of this research was to analyse the drying characteristics and nutritional quality of banana (Musa sapientum) slices of 5mm thickness using different drying methods namely: Oven(OV), open sun (OSD), natural convection solar (NC) and forced convection solar (SD) systems...

Source: KNUST
Drying and adhesive properties of novel surface coatings derived from peanut skin extract and cashew nutshell liquid

Purpose – This study aims to synthesize pigment and resin from agro-wastes and use them in the formulation of eco-friendly surface coatings. Design/methodology/approach – The pigments and resin were synthesized through a chemical modification of agro-wastes. The pigments were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and were screened for their antimicrobial activities. The physicochemical characteristics of the cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL)-modified resin were evaluated. These precursors and other natural additives were used to formulate surface coatings, and their drying and adhesive properties were evaluated using international testing methods. Findings – It was observed that the curing of the CNSL-modified resin depended on time and temperature. The pigments exhibited antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus and had high melting points, affirming their stability. The chemically modified precursors successfully yielded surface coatings with acceptable drying times and adhesion to the base substrate. Practical implications – The use of agro-wastes as the main components of the surface coatings implies waste valorization, a reduction in production costs and the creation of job opportunities for sustainable development. To increase the chemical, physical, corrosion resistance and antimicrobial qualities of paint compositions, chemically modified peanut skin extracts and CNSL can be used as pigments and resins, respectively. This could be a green approach to achieving the targets of Sustainable development goals 11 and 12. Originality/value – The paper outlines a prospective approach to use unwanted waste (peanut skin, cashew nutshells) and other natural additives as industrial raw materials. These novel surface coating precursors are cost-effective, readily available, eco-friendly and could replace conventional precursors

Source: KNUST