ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Principal component analysis of early generation sorghum lines for yield-contributing traits and resistance to midge

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is a staple food crop in Niger. Its production is constrained by sorghum midge (Stenodiplosis sorghicola Coquillett 1898) and by the use of low-yielding, local sorghum varieties. To improve sorghum productivity, farmers need high-yielding and midge-resistant sorghum cultivars. The objective of this research is to evaluate genetic diversity among sorghum inbred lines for yield, yield-contributing traits, and resistance to midge. Two-hundred and eighty-two lines (280 recombinant inbred lines plus two checks) were evaluated at two experimental sites in Niger. An alpha (0.1) lattice design with two replications was used to conduct the trial. Principal component analysis was used to determine the relationship between grain yield and resistance to midge. The first three principal components (PC) accounted for 56.22% of the total genotypic variation. Based on the similarity of traits within and between members of clusters, genotypes were divided into 18 clusters. Genetic variability was present for the traits under study in the tested germplasm. Hybridization of midge-resistant genotypes from different clusters should be able to yield new genotypes combining high yield and other desirable yield-contributing traits.

Source: UG
Principal-agent problems in implementation of Ghana’s health insurance scheme

Principal-agent relationship exists between health service providers and their authority and clients. It asserts that health service providers as ‘imperfect agents’ of the authority and clients will take actions that aim to maximise profits at the expense of authority and clients (principal). The situation is possible when reimbursement is based on fee-for-service or a diagnosis-related groups. It looks at relationships between health service providers as agents and health insurance authority, and clients as principals in areas of provision of health services, supply of drugs, medicines and reimbursement. Results showed the private health service providers prescribed more drugs and medicines for clients towards profit maximisation (agency) than their public counterparts. Also, it was found that the public health service providers continued to provide health services and drugs despite health insurance authority indebtedness to them exhibiting more stewardship towards health insurance authority. It recommends strict regulations in tariffs/vetting claims and prompt reimbursement.

Source: UG
Prioritizing care and addressing distinct needs of older adults with disabilities in Ghana amidst challenges

Background: Older adults with disabilities face major barriers to quality healthcare, including chronic condi tions, mental health issues, and cognitive impairments yet their needs are often overlooked. This study examined experiences of nurses in Ghana caring for older adults with disabilities. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with 40 nurses in two hospitals in Accra, Ghana. Data were transcribed and analyzed using inductive content analysis. Results: Nurses viewed aging as natural and rejected negative attitudes toward older adults. The findings also revealed several ways of prioritizing and caring for older with disabilities. Discussion: Nurses help bridge care gaps by promoting autonomy and challenging ageism for older adults with disability. However, systemic changes are needed for sustained impact. Conclusion: Key challenges include limited resources, lack of geriatric services for older adults with disabil ities, and misconceptions about aging. Addressing these requires better training, funding, awareness, and policy reform. ©2025Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

Source: UG
Privacy Issues in Libraries with Online Services: Attitudes and Concerns of Academic Librarians and University Students in Ghana

This study surveyed librarians’ and students’ attitudes, perceptions, and concerns about privacy in Ghanaian universities to seek a better alignment of their perspectives in the online library context. The study adapted and applied the instrument developed by Zimmer that assessed the attitudes and practices of librarians in the United States on privacy rights and protecting patrons’ privacy in the library.1 The the study found that, between librarians and students in Ghanaian universities, there was a need for greater control over their data and a need for ethical responsibility on the part of data-collecting online library agents; both groups expressed dislike for state censorship and corporate monopoly over their data. However, despite their positive attitude about the strong role of librarians in guaranteeing their data, a significant number of them demonstrate little faith in library means to actualize the protection of their data. Finally, privacy attitudes and concerns of academic librarians were noted to align with those of university students in Ghana. Among others, it was recommended that Ghanaian academic librarians integrate privacy education and awareness creation in their universities, emphasizing the need to make informed online decisions and exposing the potential repercussions of their decisions while using online libraries and digital resources.

Source: UG
Privacy practices in academic libraries in Ghana: Insight into three top universities

This research contributes to knowledge on privacy practices in academic libraries, by comparing survey data of librarians and their student-patrons in three top Ghanaian public universities. Our research revealed that Ghanaian academic libraries have not been proactive in promoting privacy issues. There is a general lack of awareness among librarians and their student-patrons about library practices, policies and procedures relating to privacy in their institutions. Besides, very little has been done in terms of providing privacy education and communicating the library’s and vendors’ privacy policies to staff and student-patrons. Among others, recommendations were made for library leaders and the library professional association in Ghana to develop toolkits that will facilitate privacy education and privacy advocacy.

Source: UG
Private capital flows and economic growth in Africa: The role of domestic financial markets

This study examines the relation between private capital flows and economic growth in Africa during the period 1990-2007. We estimate the empirical relation with a panel Instrumental Variable Generalized Method of Moments (IV-GMM) estimator which allows for arbitrary heteroskedasticity and endogeneity. Decomposing private capital flows into its component parts, we find that foreign direct investment, foreign equity portfolio investment and private debt flows all have a negative impact on economic growth. Countries with strong domestic financial markets, however, benefit more by being able to transform the negative impact of private capital flows into a positive one. Private capital flows, thus, promote economic growth in the presence of strong domestic financial markets. These results suggest that strong financial markets are needed for private capital flows to impact economic growth positively. Our results are robust to the control of population size, savings, financial openness and institutional quality. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.

Source: UG
Private Capital Flows and Economic Growth in Africa: The Role of Domestic Financial Markets

This study examines the relation between private capital flows and economic growth in Africa during the period 1990–2007. We estimate the empirical relation with a panel Instrumental Variable Generalized Method of Moments (IV-GMM) estimator which allows for arbitrary heteroskedasticity and endogeneity. Decomposing private capital flows into its component parts, we find that foreign direct investment, foreign equity portfolio investment and private debt flows all have a negative impact on economic growth. Countries with strong domestic financial markets, however, benefit more by being able to transform the negative impact of private capital flows into a positive one. Private capital flows, thus, promote economic growth in the presence of strong domestic financial markets. These results suggest that strong financial markets are needed for private capital flows to impact economic growth positively. Our results are robust to the control of population size, savings, financial openness and institutional quality.

Source: UG
Private cities, land, and the transformation of Africa’s urban fringe

This paper explores the effects of large-scale land deals for a private city development project in Ghana—the Appolonia City of Light. From the conceptual lens of accumulation by dispossession, the This article sheds light on the new forms of urban inequalities that arise from this project. It is argued that land acquisition for urban development has exacerbated existing inequalities and transformed the socioeconomic, spatial, and institutional context of the community. The project is beneficial to multinational corporations that accumulate through “sweet land deals” legitimized by the state. At the community level, there is a centralization of wealth among local elites who brokered such deals to make economic and political gains. Conversely, livelihoods dependent on the environment suffer dispossession in various forms. First, the loss of farmlands creates livelihood uncertainties. Second, the commodification of communal land disrupts social relations, land tenure arrangements and exacerbates chieftaincy disputes in the community

Source: UG
Private Pensions and Income Security in Old Age: An Uncertain Future

By all measures the private pension system in Canada is in difficulty. One estimate suggests that at the end of 2005 there were significant funding shortfalls in about three quarters of the traditional defined benefit pension plans that fall under federal jurisdiction in Canada. In order to discuss how vulnerable the current system is, to identify possible directions of reform, and to consider how to implement them, the conference on “Private Pensions and Income Security in Old Age: An Uncertain Future” brought together researchers, those who design and manage pension plans, and those responsible for pension policy, both from Canada and abroad. It was organized by the SEDAP Research Program and held in Hamilton, Ontario, in November 2006. This paper summarizes the presentations that were given in 10 conference sessions, covering issues such as pension regulations, poverty and income security in old age, policy options, reform obstacles, an international perspectives. Many of the conference presentations, including tables and graphs, are available on SEDAP’s website

Source: UG
Private Sector Engagement, a Catalyst for a Successful ECOWAS Integration and Development: The Case of Ghana

The success of every economic integration process rest heavily on the effective engagement of all major stakeholders; the government, the civil society and the private sector. The private sector is undoubtedly a key stakeholder in the economic integration process since the sector is broadly the main player of trade which is the core of any economic integration process. The ECOWAS has therefore enacted policies and implemented mechanisms that seek to enhance the participation of the private sector in the economic integration of West Africa. To ensure the efficiency of these policies and mechanisms, there is the need to regularly and carefully examine these efforts. Unfortunately, there is no or little focus on how the sector has been engaged in the integration process. This study, therefore, explored the private sector engagement approaches the ECOWAS has used in promoting private sector participation in the economic integration process of West Africa, by using Ghana as a case study. It assessed how the ECOWAS has engaged the private sector in Ghana by identifying and evaluating the approaches that have been adopted since the ECOWAS institutional reforms as well as investigating the implication such engagement arrangements have had on the economic integration process of the sub- region. The study used a qualitative research approach that enabled the researcher to explore the issues that the study sought to address. The study identified that the ECOWAS key tools of private sector engagement are; policies and mechanisms. The study found that the ECOWAS engages the private sector at the national level through state institutions designated to handle the matters of the ECOWAS. Also, it was realized that such engagements are limited to only business associations. This indicates that the vase number of private businesses that are not members of any business association are left out of the ECOWAS private sector engagement arrangements and states can easily compromise on the ECOWAS policies and directives. To enhance effective private sector engagement within the ECOWAS, the study recommended; the building of synergies between national programs and policies and the ECOWAS programs and policies; the intensive sensitization on the programs and protocols of the ECOWAS for the private sector particularly those at the grassroot; the breakdown of complex bureaucratic and lengthy processes of the ECOWAS; and the filling of the gap between the policies of the ECOWAS and the practices at the national level.

Source: UG
Private Sector Involvement in Solid Waste Management in Ghana: The Case of the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA)

Solid waste management (SWM) is becoming a major issue in most cities where the provision of such public service had hitherto been the sole responsibility of central government. However, the costs involved and the rate of waste generation have virtually forced city authorities to seek new arrangements with the private sector. This paper reviews public–private partnership (PPP) in SWM in the Greater Accra metropolitan area (GAMA) and reveals that the policy worked well until one of the stakeholders failed to deliver. It maintains that harnessing the social support, acceptability and participation is key to sustainable PPP. The paper calls for institutional and private sector collaboration

Source: UG
Pro-poor decentralization in Ghana: Examining the facilitators and the limitations

While significant research exists on why decentralization should result in poverty reduction, how this actually happens and the limitations have received little empirical research attention. Such empirical evidence is important due to the widespread adoption of decentralization in many developing and transition countries, and the consequent expectation that decentralization should be pro-poor. With empirical evidence from ten selected districts in Ghana, this article provides fresh insights into the facilitators and the limitations of pro-poor decentralization. The evidence suggests that although decentralization holds many prospects for poverty reduction, there are major limitations on how this can happen. The article establishes that while participation and representation, transparency, and accountability remain important facilitating factors, the capacity of district assemblies, apathy of citizens, resource constraints, political interference, and the absence of collaborating nonstate actors, among other factors, have limited the effectiveness of decentralization in reducing poverty in Ghana. The overarching limitation is that decentralization, which is often designed largely with political goals, is expected to be pro-poor, perhaps, only as an afterthought.

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

The Department of Parasitology conducts research into parasitic diseases of public health importance with the overall goal of reducing their transmission and the heavy disease burden that they impose on affected populations. The Department maintains focus on parasitic diseases in general. These include major diseases such as malaria, and others listed under the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) control initiative such as, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

Source: UG
Probabilistic seismic hazard assessment of southern part of Ghana

This paper presents a seismic hazard map for the southern part of Ghana prepared using the probabilistic approach, and seismic hazard assessment results for six cities. The seismic hazard map was prepared for 10% probability of exceedance for peak ground acceleration in 50 years. The input parameters used for the computations of hazard were obtained using data from a catalogue that was compiled and homogenised to moment magnitude (Mw). The catalogue covered a period of over a century (1615–2009). The hazard assessment is based on the Poisson model for earthquake occurrence, and hence, dependent events were identified and removed from the catalogue. The following attenuation relations were adopted and used in this study—Allen (for south and eastern Australia), Silva et al. (for Central and eastern North America), Campbell and Bozorgnia (for worldwide active-shallow-crust regions) and Chiou and Youngs (for worldwide active-shallow-crust regions). Logic-tree formalism was used to account for possible uncertainties associated with the attenuation relationships. OpenQuake software package was used for the hazard calculation. The highest level of seismic hazard is found in the Accra and Tema seismic zones, with estimated peak ground acceleration close to 0.2 g. The level of the seismic hazard in the southern part of Ghana diminishes with distance away from the Accra/Tema region to a value of 0.05 g at a distance of about 140 km. © 2017, The Author(s)

Source: UG
Probing political paradox: Urban expansion, floods risk vulnerability and social justice in urban Africa

Urban managers in sub-Saharan Africa have recently come under intense pressure to prepare for and adapt to the footprints of rapid peri-urbanization and increased climate-related risks. Addressing spatial planning is integral to the urban expansion is not only because climate variability is becoming more prominent. Further, within peri-urban zones, people most often live and work in physical areas of hazard that are commensurate with their economic stability. This highlights the need for adaptation amidst inadequate resources imperative. These concerns find expression at the local level, where stakeholders’ priorities focus on the gap between adaptation needs and existing adaptation efforts. Drawing insights from our study in Accra, which combines the perspectives and experiences of practitioners, academics, and citizens, we show how decisions constructed around flood vulnerabilities and people’s Actions and planning processes are seldom neutral. We infer how prioritizing efforts to adapt to floods may privilege some residents and compromise others’ support, agency, and capacities to recover. We call for increased attention to how city authorities can creatively move urban planning toward more informed, inclusive, and supportive recovery visions in response to the consolidation of urban peripheries and increased climate exacerbated flooding in the quest for social justice for all.

Source: UG
Probing the composition of Plasmodium species contained in malaria infections in the Eastern region of Ghana

The Department of Immunology conducts research in the field of immunology of infectious and non-infectious diseases. The Department has the overall goal of contributing knowledge to better diagnosis, management, control and prevention of infectious and non-infectious diseases in Ghana and worldwide. This is consistent with the overall strategy of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) and in line with the strategy of the College of Health Sciences of the University of Ghana.

Source: UG
Problematic Porn Use and Cross-Cultural Differences: A Brief Review

Abstract Purpose of Review The proliferation of the internet and technological devices have enabled the upsurge of pornography use, especially during this coronavirus 2019 pandemic period worldwide. As there is a dearth of knowledge regarding pornography use across cultures, this brief review aimed to understand the problematic pornography use (PPU) situation across cultures (i.e., the five continents). Therefore, this review paper intends to provide an enhanced understanding of the PPU situation across cultures so as to get a holistic view of PPU throughout the world. Recent Findings European, American, and Oceanian countries seem to have deep literature on pornography, liberal beliefs, and attitudes towards pornography, as well as specialised treatment protocols and facilities. Asian countries are next in terms of literature although they are conservative in their beliefs and attitudes towards pornography which has limited the specialised treatment options and facilities for people with PPU. African countries share similarities with Asian countries except that there is a dearth of literature on pornography in Africa. All cultures revealed that PPU likely leads to aggressive sexual behaviours which may have a mental health impact on the victims. Nonetheless, European, American, and Oceanian countries strongly believe that pornography helps with sexual education. Summary The use of pornography has increased across cultures even in very conservative countries which has consequently led to an increase in PPU. Therefore, there is a need for further studies in each of these cultures in order to design bespoke treatment protocols for people with PPU.

Source: UG
Problems of part-time students in Ghana. Implications for Distance Education

Learning for self development and professional development has almost become a necessity in the face of rapid technological advancement, knowledge explosion and socio-economic change among others; and for most adults combining work with study may be the only way out for them to further their education. Part-time study is thus becoming trendy worldwide including Ghana. But it also comes with its challenges. This paper sought to find out what these problems are in Ghana. The survey design was used with the questionnaire being the principal instrument and data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. There were 160 students who were sampled from four institutions offering part-time study in Accra. Three of them were offering professional courses with City Campus of University of Ghana offering academic courses. The findings revealed that part-time students have problems relating to family responsibilities, work, institutional commitments and finance among others. The findings indicated that course deliveries at the distance need to be flexible in terms of structure and time. Distance education provision must consider fee payments in installments in order to retain the students in the learning activities

Source: UG