ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Assessing the role of consultants in enhancing value for money in infrastructural projects in selected regions in Ghana

Construction projects in Ghana suffer from many problems and complex issues such as cost, time, and quality. This research sought to identify and evaluate the major roles played by project consultants in ensuring value for money on public infrastructural projects in some selected regions in Ghana. The philosophical underpinning of the study was positivism. Also, the study employed a cross sectional survey design using deductive research approach characterized by descriptive and explanatory elements based on the research objectives. The target population covered consultants (architects and quantity surveyors) in building construction within the Upper West and Ashanti Region. Purposive and snow ball sampling techniques were used. Two hundred and twenty-four (224) questionnaires were administered and a response rate of 43% was achieved. Several factors were identified as the role played by project consultants leading to ensuring value for money. This included; consultants are responsible for advising the project management team on the most likely completion date, they ensure that the project is executed to the highest possible standard, in accordance with technical specifications and design guidelines, advising on schedule, and budgetary control. The study found that timely decision making has an impact on the efficiency of consultants working on public infrastructural projects. Political pressure from higher authorities, and desire to complete project within a short period of time are some militating factors against ensuring value for money. Also, project management teams sometimes overlook the necessity of Construction Audit at the early stages of project conception and poor contract administration are some challenges to achieving value for money on public infrastructural projects. It was concluded that, urgency of the project at hand, project duration in terms of time spent getting the work done, political influence from higher authorities affecting project delivery, timely decision making on the part of the consultancy team, and experience of the design team on the project are the key factors affecting value for money on public infrastructural projects. It was recommended that consultants should be more interested in design and cost by employing multi-criteria analysis and selecting the most cost-effective criterion. Consultants should plan properly to ensure that contract processes are duly followed.

Source: UEW
Assessing the role of internally generated revenue at public universities in Ghana – a case study of UEW

This study examines the role of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as an unavoidable alternative funding source for Ghana's public universities. Underfunding is one of the most serious issues confronting Ghana's public universities today. The study offers a descriptive analysis of the components of internally generated revenue. The study employed a qualitative method approach to assess the role of internally generated revenue. The study was conducted in University of Education, Winneba, with a sample size of 107 and 95 respondents answered questionnaire that was administered to them. The study drew on available literature to revalidate the IGR's inevitability over government subsidies, which fail to provide adequate funding for universities' operating and capital needs. The main sources of IGR are student fees and non-student fees. The study revealed that there are numerous IGR generation sources, some have a significant impact on the university’s financials such as sale of admission forms, residential facility fee, sandwich fees, and sale of farm products whilst others like re-sit fees, hire of university properties, medical examination fees and environment sanitation fees have a minor impact on the university’s financials. The study recommend that university management should put in place effective measures to ensure that IGR sources that contribute huge amount to the university’s revenue should be improved and efficiently managed.

Source: UEW
Assessing the role of microfinance in poverty alleviation among market women in Ablekuma south

The concept of microfinance has become an important poverty alleviating tool in many parts of the world. This study was therefore conducted to assess the role of microfinance in poverty alleviation among women in Ablekumah South Sub – metro in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Four research questions were formulated to guide the study. Purposive sampling technique was used to obtain a sample size of fifteen women for the study. Data was collected through interviewing participants and analysis was done using descriptive statistics based on the themes in which they emerged guided by the research questions. The study revealed the following among others. Although the microfinance credits were given out to help the poor women to enable them work themselves out of poverty, the beneficiaries were confronted with some challenges. Their trading activities helped them to save with some formal banks. Based on the findings, certain recommendations were made. Microfinance agencies should engage professionally competent staff in performing the operational task such as education and monitoring beneficiaries. There should be a mechanism to control the issue at guarantors. The beneficiaries should be given at least three months graced period to begin repayments of their credits. Future studies should be conducted in other Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in Ghana as well as investigating the effective management of microfinance credit schemes.

Source: UEW
Assessing the role of School Management Committees (Smcs) in improving quality teaching and learning in Ashanti Mampong Municipal Basic Schools

The study sought to assess the role of School Management Committees (SMCs) in improving quality teaching and learning in Ashanti Mampong Municipal Township Basic Junior High Schools through the views of head teachers, teachers and SMC Members. The design adopted for the study was a descriptive survey. A simple random sampling method was used to select a sample size of thirty (30) respondents. Questionnaire was used to collect (ed) data from the respondents, validated by the researchers and analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics. The findings indicated that SMCs were ineffective in the monitoring and supervision of head teachers', teacher's and pupils' attendance. Even though SMC’s are not doing enough to assist teachers to improve teaching and learning, they are seen as very effective in solving school community relations since SMCs are relatively on task on the issue of serving as a vehicle for promoting community participation in the provision of quality education. Finally, it was recommended that much effort is needed to be done by SMCs in the Ashanti Mampong Municipal to raise the standard of basic education. It is hoped that the findings will serve as tools for change of practice of supervision of all stakeholders in the quality of teaching and learning in basic schools. __________________________________________________________________________________________ Keywords: quality teaching and learning, SMCs, assessing, school management, education reform, programme evaluation

Source: UEW
Assessing the role of School Management Committees (SMCs) in improving quality teaching and learning in Ashanti Mampong Municipal Basic Schools

The study sought to assess the role of School Management Committees (SMCs) in improving quality teaching and learning in Ashanti Mampong Municipal Township Basic Junior High Schools through the views of head teachers, teachers and SMC Members. The design adopted for the study was a descriptive survey. A simple random sampling method was used to select a sample size of thirty (30) respondents. Questionnaire was used to collect (ed) data from the respondents, validated by the researchers and analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics. The findings indicated that SMCs were ineffective in the monitoring and supervision of head teachers', teacher's and pupils' attendance. Even though SMC’s are not doing enough to assist teachers to improve teaching and learning, they are seen as very effective in solving school community relations since SMCs are relatively on task on the issue of serving as a vehicle for promoting community participation in the provision of quality education. Finally, it was recommended that much effort is needed to be done by SMCs in the Ashanti Mampong Municipal to raise the standard of basic education. It is hoped that the findings will serve as tools for change of practice of supervision of all stakeholders in the quality of teaching and learning in basic schools. __________________________________________________________________________________________ Keywords: quality teaching and learning, SMCs, assessing, school management, education reform, programme evaluation ____________________________

Source: UEW
Assessing the role of social capital in wood cluster industries. The case study of wood cluster industry in Sunyani municipality

The study examines the role of social capital in wood cluster industries in Sunyani Municipality. Descriptive survey was used for the study. The population of the study consists of artisans in Sunyani wood cluster, wood suppliers, machine operators, buyers, sellers of wood products and financial institutions in the Sunnyani wood cluster. Convenience method of sampling was employed to arrive at a sample size of 200. Questionnaires were used as data collection instruments for the study. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used to process and analyse the data. Findings from the study indicated that the wood cluster industry consist of two groups of actors; the core actors and the supporting actors. The core actors are the artisans and they produce the wood products in the cluster. The supporting actors are members in the cluster who provide the needed goods and services to complement the activities of the artisans. The study further showed that the wood cluster facilitates the activities of the actors in terms of availability of materials, tools and equipment which resulted in reduction in production cost, improved sales and profit margins, number of artifacts produce, market price control and access to new market. The study also reviewed that social capital plays major roles in the wood cluster industry; these resulted in easy access to information, sharing of ideas and tools among artisans, networking, social ties and easy access to sub-contract. It is also worthy of note that the wood cluster industry has a lot of challenges that affect the activities of the actors. These include access to credit, high interest rate, raw materials, promotion and marketing of wood products, utilization of wood residue, cost of utilities, lack of interaction between firms and educational institutions and unavailability of research findings to firms.

Source: UEW
Assessing the sanitation and hygiene practices among bakers and bread vendors in selected parts of the Kassena- Nankana east municipality

The study was conducted within the Kassena-Nankana East Municipality. It assessed the sanitation and hygiene practices among bakers and bread sellers. The design for the study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey. Twenty (20) bakers and one hundred (100) bread sellers were sampled for the study via the simple random and convenient sampling techniques. Data was gathered using questionnaire (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.76) and semistructured observation guide. The data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Scientist (SPSS) version 21. The results were presented in tables and figures or charts as frequency counts and percentages. The study revealed that most of the respondents had poor and/or inadequate knowledge of food hygiene and sanitation. The bakers and bread sellers had no or insufficient knowledge of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP); the regulations governing food vending in Ghana; food safety standards in Ghana; and Food and Drugs Act 1992 (PNDCL) 305B. More than 90% of the bakers and bread sellers were relatively clean with regard to food hygiene and sanitation practices. They had a quite clean personal appearance; clean and hygienic work materials, ingredients, tools, facilities and general work surroundings. It was recommended, among others, that the Kasena-Nankana Municipality Environmental Health Department should intensify health education regarding food hygiene and sanitation to both food handlers and consumers. They should in collaboration with the health directorate conduct periodic inspection of bakeries and sales points of bread, medical examination or screening for bakers and bread sellers along with necessary treatment such as de-worming, typhoid and hepatitis ‘B ’screening, and vaccination.

Source: UEW
Assessing the sanitation practices of traders in the takoradi market circle

Takoradi Market Circle is currently experiencing poor environmental sanitation. Open spaces and gutters around the market place are littered with garbage, which in most cases clogs drains thereby creating conditions for disease vectors and posing health risks to traders. The main objective of the study was to assess the sanitation practices of traders in the Takoradi Market Circle. The convenient sampling technique was used to select 90 respondents to whom questionnaire were administered. Descriptive analysis was used to analyse the work. Field observation helped in describing the sanitation conditions, questionnaires administered to market sellers and buyers in the market enabled the researcher to understand the people’s perception of the environment, causes and effects of poor sanitation conditions in the market. Also, interviews and focus group discussions were conducted by the researcher. From the interviews, the causes, perception and the effects of poor environmental sanitation in TMC were revealed. The study revealed differences in sanitation behaviour among market users at the TMC. However, the general environmental sanitation condition in the TMC is not up to expectations. Some recommendations pointed to the need for public education and engineering to promote a positive attitude for environmental sanitation in the TMC. In addition, enforcement of the environmental sanitation bye-laws is also recommended to make every individual responsible for good environmental sanitation in the market place.

Source: UEW
Assessing the service quality of roadside auto garages compared to the standard garages in Ghana. The case of cape coast metropolis

The automobile repair industry is chosen for this research because it is considered as one of the most important and strategic industries that support all sectors of the economy. The main purpose of the study is to do assessment of service quality of roadside garages compared to standard auto garages in Ghana. This study adopted the case study strategy and used questionnaires to gather data. The targeted population for the study was three hundred (300) which was made up of costumers of auto garages (commercial drivers, private drivers, and transport managers), workshop managers, and master mechanics of both the standard and roadside garages in the Cape Coast Metropolis. Thus 70 customers and 27 mechanics, from standard and road side garages were sampled using random sampling methods. The SPSS version 18, MS Word and MS Excel was used to analyse the data. Data was presented in tabular form. The study revealed that a large number of the auto-mechanics in both the roadside and standard garages have considerable years of auto repair working experience, but the roadside garages lack the ability to diagnose and repair modern automobile vehicles due to low educational and technical levels. The study also revealed that the basic hand tools were available at both roadside and standard garages; however, only the standard garages had diagnostic and power equipment in the cape coast metropolis. The major findings concluded that the challenges facing roadside garages are difficulty in securing funding for operations, inadequate facilities to organise in-service training to upgrade the skills of mechanics, difficulty in acquiring land for the establishment of garages. The government should provide funding to both road side garages and standard garages to enhance their operations. Institutions and all stakeholders in the automobile industry should be adequately resourced to periodically organise in-service training to upgrade the skills of the mechanics.

Source: UEW
Assessing the skills of roadside mechanics in diagnosing and fixing problems of vehicle systems and components in the Tamale metropolis

This dissertation assesses the skills of roadside mechanics in diagnosing and fixing problems of vehicle system and components in the Tamale Metropolis. In the study, the various vehicle repair and maintenance skills used by roadside mechanics, challenges facing them and the satisfaction level of drivers who patronize their services were investigated using a questionnaire. Table 1 revealed that a large number of the automechanics in the Tamale Metropolis have considerable years of auto repair working experience, but lack the ability to inspect and repair modern electronic vehicles due to low educational and technical levels. Table 2 also indicates that, the auto mechanics lack the ability to use modern diagnostic equipment, manufacturer’s manuals, computers and internet which have characterized modern vehicle repairs, in their repair practices. They also lack adequate tools, equipment and other logistical supports. It can be concluded that most of the drivers are not satisfied with the quality of service rendered by the automotive service garages especially in the area of electronics. It is recommended that, government assist in training roadside mechanics to upgrade their knowledge and skills in the area of electronics. Government of Ghana could also give these tools (scan tool) to the mechanics on hire purchase. Training institutions and organizations such as the universities, polytechnics, National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), etc., should assist particularly in the form of education, training and equipment to these local garages. This is to enable them remain in business and prevent garage closures due to their inability to repair modern automotive vehicles.

Source: UEW
Assessing the solid waste management practices in some selected Senior High Schools in the Adansi North District of Ghana

This study examines the level of awareness of solid waste storage and collection methods, the understanding of environmental and health impacts resulting from improper solid waste management practices, and the sources of information on solid waste management among students in selected senior high schools in the Adansi North District of Ghana. A descriptive quantitative research design was employed, targeting 900 students from three senior high schools. The sample size consisted of 277 students selected through stratified, convenience, and simple random sampling techniques. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire, achieving a response rate of 96.8%. The findings reveal that most students (40.3%) reported that their school primarily utilizes landfilling for solid waste management, followed by incineration (26.9%) and composting (8.6%). Although 76.5% of students reported the presence of designated areas for solid waste storage on their school's campus, only 10.1% reported regular waste collection services, and a mere 6.0% reported any school-wide campaigns or initiatives promoting sustainable waste management practices. Additionally, 65.3% of students were uncertain about the school's level of involvement in waste management, and 78.0% were unsure about the overall effectiveness of their school's waste management practices. Regarding awareness of environmental and health effects resulting from improper waste management practices, students displayed a moderate level of awareness. They recognized that improper waste management leads to environmental pollution (mean = 4.36) and health problems for local communities (mean = 3.51), but displayed relatively low agreement on the impact on wildlife and their habitats (mean = 2.69). Students exhibited a moderate level of awareness that recycling and composting can mitigate negative impacts (mean = 3.08), while perceiving improper waste management as a global issue requiring international cooperation received the lowest level of agreement (mean = 2.13). The study also found that the majority of students (65.3%) were not involved in waste management practices, and only 6.0% were aware of any schoolwide campaigns or initiatives promoting sustainable waste management. These findings emphasize the need for increased student engagement and awareness in waste management practices within the school community. The study recommends that policymakers, educators, and local authorities in the Adansi North District take necessary steps to improve waste management practices in schools and raise environmental awareness among students. While the study provides valuable insights, it has several limitations.

Source: UEW
Assessing the solid waste management practices in some selected Senior High Schools in the Adansi North District of Ghana

This study examines the level of awareness of solid waste storage and collection methods, the understanding of environmental and health impacts resulting from improper solid waste management practices, and the sources of information on solid waste management among students in selected senior high schools in the Adansi North District of Ghana. A descriptive quantitative research design was employed, targeting 900 students from three senior high schools. The sample size consisted of 277 students selected through stratified, convenience, and simple random sampling techniques. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire, achieving a response rate of 96.8%. The findings reveal that most students (40.3%) reported that their school primarily utilizes landfilling for solid waste management, followed by incineration (26.9%) and composting (8.6%). Although 76.5% of students reported the presence of designated areas for solid waste storage on their school's campus, only 10.1% reported regular waste collection services, and a mere 6.0% reported any school-wide campaigns or initiatives promoting sustainable waste management practices. Additionally, 65.3% of students were uncertain about the school's level of involvement in waste management, and 78.0% were unsure about the overall effectiveness of their school's waste management practices. Regarding awareness of environmental and health effects resulting from improper waste management practices, students displayed a moderate level of awareness. They recognized that improper waste management leads to environmental pollution (mean = 4.36) and health problems for local communities (mean = 3.51), but displayed relatively low agreement on the impact on wildlife and their habitats (mean = 2.69). Students exhibited a moderate level of awareness that recycling and composting can mitigate negative impacts (mean = 3.08), while perceiving improper waste management as a global issue requiring international cooperation received the lowest level of agreement (mean = 2.13). The study also found that the majority of students (65.3%) were not involved in waste management practices, and only 6.0% were aware of any school wide campaigns or initiatives promoting sustainable waste management. These findings emphasize the need for increased student engagement and awareness in waste management practices within the school community. The study recommends that policymakers, educators, and local authorities in the Adansi North District take necessary steps to improve waste management practices in schools and raise environmental awareness among students. While the study provides valuable insights, it has several limitations.

Source: UEW