ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Assessing the physico-mechanical properties of plantation grown albizia lebbeck from the savannah ecological zone

The increasing scarcity of major commercial tropical hardwood species has necessitated the utilization of lesser known/used exotic wood species as a possibility of sustaining the wood resource base in Ghana. In order to make lesser known/used exotic wood species as good substitute for the dwindling scarlet species their wood properties must be investigated to expatiate their utilization potentials. This experiment was carried out to assess the physico-mechanical properties of a plantation grown Albizia lebbeck from Tamale fuel wood plantation reserve in the Savannah ecological zone. Three matured timber species with diameters (45-50 cm) at breast height (1.3 m) from the ground level were purposively selected and sampled at four stem height levels (0-25%, 26%-50%, 51%-75% and 76%-100% of tree height). The samples were prepared and sawn into the required sizes in accordance to the British standards, BS 373(1957) for testing. The morphology of the heartwood and sapwood proportions were evaluated and the samples further tested for oven-dry density at 12% MC, compression strength parallel to grain, shear strength parallel to grain, hardness, bending strength (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE). Data collected were analysed and presented using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study showed that Albizia lebbeck has significant heartwood percentage than sapwood. The study also revealed that, Albizia lebbeck is a heavy timber with an overall mean density values of 868.64 kg/m3, 806.36 kg/m3, 695.26 kg/m3 and 564.7 kg/m3 at 12% MC for tree sections 0 - 25%, 26 - 50%, 51 - 75% and 76 - 100% respectively. In general the wood properties of the plantation grown Albizia lebbeck studied exhibited high strength values suggesting that it is endowed with outstanding properties for being an alternative species to supply the wood industry.

Source: UEW
Assessing the place of the vulnerable in public service broadcasting programmingcoverage a case study of Gbc’s Radio Upper West

This study examines the ways by which Public Service Broadcasting programming and coverage serve the vulnerable using GBC Radio Upper West as a case study. The study was anchored on the tenets of Public Service Broadcasting, the concept of vulnerability and the Political Economy Theory of the Media. It used the qualitative research approach and the multiple methods of data collection such as in-depth interviews, focus group discussion and document analysis, to collect data from eight respondents from the period of May, 2019 to October, 2019. The data which was thematically analysed found out that Radio Upper West programming and coverage of the vulnerable respond to their special needs through diversified programming, advocacy and socio-economic empowerment, with the aim of breaking the cycle of negative societal practices against the marginalised. Also, the study discovered that the sustainability of Radio Upper West programmes and coverage relating to the vulnerable is seriously threatened by market forces such as competition and high cost of production. As the station attempts to stay afloat through revenue generation, it is forced to prioritise commercialisation over public service and by extension service to the vulnerable. This study also found that though the station, to an extent, seeks to operate in compliance with the Public Service Broadcasting principles of universal access and diversity, the participation of the vulnerable in programming and coverage is not much encouraging. The study argues that journalists at Radio Upper West are vulnerable themselves and susceptible to being at the beck and call of the powerful elite to the detriment of the vulnerable. It is one of such reasons that this study affirms the real threats posed to the Public Service Broadcasting value of universal access and participation. This study recommends to public service broadcasters to find innovative ways of making conscious allocations to the programming and coverage of the vulnerable in order to give true meaning to the principle of universal access and participation.

Source: UEW
Assessing The Potential of A Natural Wetland in Grey Water Treatment (A Case Study in Cape Coast - Central Region of Ghana)

Grey water has been discharged onto this wetland for more than thirty years without any measurement of the quality of the influent and effluent. The effluent eventually joins a stream (Kakum River) which is a source of water for recreation, farming, drinking and fishing. The quality of the effluent which enters the receiving water as well as the potential of the wetland in the treatment process has not been determined. The purpose of this research is to assess the potential of the wetland in grey water treatment. Three communities in Cape Coast, the formal capital of Ghana were selected for this work. The wetland under study has an area of about 17,928m2 and hydraulic loading rate of 0.0164m/d. Field studies were conducted to demarcate the borders as well as to confirm the communities which discharges into the wetland. The results indicate that the wetland has very high potential in treating grey water, with suspended solids showing high removal efficiency. It was also inferred from the results that the wetland’s treatment is influenced by the precipitation pattern of the area and this is clearly shown in the removal efficiency of manganese. The findings will help decision makers to make proper laws concerning wetland use in Ghana. It will inform decision makers to officially consider wetlands as alternatives for grey water treatment. This paper assesses the potential of natural a wetland and makes recommendations on its proper use as well as its limitations.

Source: UEW
Assessing the prevalence and determinants of childhood overweight and obesity among basic school pupils in Effutu municipality

Childhood obesity is one of the serious public health challenges of the 21st century owing to its higher prevalence and the complications that are associated with it. Urban cities in Ghana have experienced a gradual increase in the rate of prevalence in childhood obesity and overweight. The study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of overweight and obesity among basic school pupils in Effutu Municipality. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Effutu Municipality. Multi stage sampling technique was used to select a total of 333 basic school pupils from primary four to primary six. Pre-tested questionnaires and anthropometric data gathering methods were used in data collection. Data were analysed using both inferential and descriptive statistics. The overall combined prevalence of overweight and obesity among the basic pupils in Effutu Municipality was 15.6 %. Findings show that being male or female had no association with being overweight or obese. Combined overweight and obesity prevalence was higher in private schools compared to public schools (21.1 % vs. 9.1 %, p < 0.001). Among the various socio-demographic factors which were tested, the age of respondents, number of siblings, family history of obesity, educational attainment of their mothers and occupation of their mothers, and how much money given to pupils were the factors that were significantly associated with overweight/obesity at the bivariate level. Family history of obesity and occupation their mothers were significantly associated with overweight/obesity at the multivariate level. Getting food from the school feeding program, and bedtime had a significant association with overweight at the bivariate level whereas having a snack at lunchtime and buying food in school had a positive association with obesity on the multivariate level. Also, getting food from the school feeding program, and the time the pupils went to bed had a positive association with obesity on the bivariate level while the time the pupil had their last meals and the time, they went to bed had a positive association with obesity at the multivariate level. School-based interventions such as physical education is needed to promote healthy lifestyles among school children. Parents of pupils in private schools need to be educated by the Ghana Health Service about the prevalence of overweight/obesity in their wards, the consequences of overweight/obesity in the life of their wards. This would go a long way to help the parent to reduce the obesogenic environment around their kids as well control the type of food their wards consume.

Source: UEW
Assessing the prevalence, sources and selective antecedents of organizational stressors among elite football players and coaches in the Ghana premier league: Empirical evidence for applied practice

Globally, job-related stress has been classified as a health epidemic which is common among many individuals across diverse populations. Despite this established knowledge, research has primarily focused on the general population and among health workers. Therefore, understanding stress related experiences in the context of professional sport would help design appropriate stress management interventions for effective coping. The overarching aim of this research was to assess occupational stress related experiences among players and coaches in the Ghana premier league. The study sought to assess: (1) the prevalence and sources of stressors among players and coaches, and (2) how age and years of experience influenced the stressors they experienced. Using a census survey, 44 premier league coaches and 424 players who were officially registered by 17 premier league clubs completed the intensity dimension of the Organizational Stressor Indicator for Sport Performers which has 5 subscales namely: Goals and Development, Logistics and Operations, Team and Culture, Coaching and Selection. Descriptive statistics (means and standard deviation) and multivariate analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that stressors were prevalent among football players and coaches, with these being significantly more dominant among coaches, p < 0.001. Selection was identified as the most predominant stressor for coaches (i.e., selecting players to play) and players (i.e., being selected). Age and experience were found not to be significant predictors of stressors for players and coaches in Ghana. Findings suggest that generally, stressors are common among football players and coaches, especially on issues related to selection. Sport psychologists and team managers in the various premier league clubs should incorporate appropriate interventions (e.g., stress inoculation training) aimed at providing adequate psychological support to promote players' and coaches' wellbeing. Copyright � 2022 Srem-Sai, Hagan, Ogum and Schack.

Source: UEW
Assessing the professional development needs of hotel workers in the Ho Municipality

Any industry's growth and development is dependent on professional development. It helps to build the technical capacities of employees on the professional practices and tenets of the industry to ensure that the needed quality of service is maintained. This research is aimed at determining the needs of hotel staff in the Ho Municipality in terms of professional growth. It aimed at examining the professional background of hotel workers, training programmes organised to boost the professional development of hotel workers, training needs of hotel workers, and operational challenges of hotel workers. The quantitative analysis methodology was used to direct the study. A total of 200 hotel employees were chosen at random for the analysis. The findings were evaluated using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, and means, as well as inferential statistics such as the chi-square test of freedom. The study found that most (63.5%) of the workers in the hotel sector in the Ho Municipality did not have academic specialisation in the industry and did not receive any professional training (65.5%) related to the industry prior to their engagement in the sector. Some of the training programmes organised for the workers were on room designs, bed laying, towel folding, and cooking different dishes. In as much as the training programmes had critical effects on the professional development of the workers in the hotel sector, the study further found that the workers still had some technical weaknesses, including lacking administrative skills, inability to prepare some continental cuisines, lacking professionalism for the hotel sector, and lacking self-confidence in their lines of duty. The study recommends that hoteliers through the regional association and in collaboration with the Regional Office of the Ghana Tourism Board should develop regular training programmes for hotel workers.

Source: UEW
Assessing the quality management practices of building electrical services contractors in Ghana

Quality management has increasingly been adopted by construction companies as an initiative to solve quality problems and to meet the needs of the final customer. However, poor quality performance of construction projects due to poor implementation of effective quality management practices is major concern in the construction industry. The aim of the study was to assess the quality management practices of building electrical services contractors in selected regions in Ghana. A cross sectional descriptive survey design was used for the study. The target population of the research comprised site managers of all service contractors registered with their respective associations in the selected regions (Ashanti Region, Bono East Region). Purposive sampling technique and snow ball sampling techniques were used to select the study’s respondents. The findings of the study suggest that the level of implementation of quality management practices among building electrical services contractors for attaining high quality standards was acceptably high. The survey respondents demonstrated a general awareness of the need for effective quality management practices. The study revealed that the most significant role of main contractors in building electrical services contractors’ quality performance included proper and more effective planning followed by training services contractors’ personnel on quality issues, enhance reputation of the project team members/client, effective/efficient site management, ensuring general and special attendance for services contractors meets their needs, and certifying works carried out by services contractors. Also, findings suggest that the most significant barriers inhibiting the application of quality management included; lack of regular or intermittent training and workshop for capacity building, lack of adequate resources and low skill levels of building electrical services contractors’ personnel. The study established that there is a statistically significant and positive correlation between quality management practice of building electrical services contractors and construction project delivery. It was recommended among others that efforts should be made by the top management of construction firms to create a quality management culture throughout the entire organisations.

Source: UEW
Assessing the quality of borehole water in Tafo-Akim in the Eastern Region of Ghana

Water samples collected from the boreholes in Tafo-Akim were analysed for groundwater quality and its suitability for drinking. The purpose of the study is to determine the quality and hence the health implications of borehole water in Tafo- Akim in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Two sets of samples were taken from each of the four boreholes, Site 1-4, were analysed. One set of samples were taken in the dry season while the other was taken in the raining (wet) season. Major heavy metals, physicochemical and microbial parameters of drinking water were used as quality indicator. All instruments and methods (spectrophotometer, comparator, titrimetric and plate count method) used in this study are based on international standard recommendation, availability, proximity to the laboratory and cost involved. The results obtained from the water samples analysed shows that, all physical parameters analysed except pH, conductivity, colour and turbidity, are within the WHO’s standard for drinking water. Heavy metal concentrations observed are also within the WHO’s standard for drinking water except for iron at Site 3. All values obtained for phosphate are outside the WHO’s standard for drinking water while all other chemical parameters are within the standard. Values observed for microbial analysis are unacceptable considering the WHO’s guidelines for drinking water. Statistical comparison of results obtained in the dry and raining season using one way ANOVA shows no significant difference for all parameters measured. The level of probability at which significant difference existed between the groups was set at p<0.05 at 95% confidence level. It was concluded that, water at Site 1 is fairly good for drinking while those at Site 2, 3 and 4 are unacceptable. Some form of treatment and monitoring needs to be done on boreholes in the community.

Source: UEW
Assessing the quality of customer satisfaction in hotel industry in kumasi metropolis

The purpose of the study was to assess the quality of customer satisfaction in Hotel Industry in Kumasi Metropolis. This study adopted the case study strategy. The researcher used quantitative research methods for the study. The population for the study was two hundred and seventy (270). The population of the study was made up of customers and hotel operators in the Kumasi Metropolis. Random sampling and purposive sampling methods were adopted to select a sample size of two hundred and fifty nine (259) respondents for the study. The main instrument used for data collection was questionnaires. Primary data was collected through a field survey of selected hotel operators and customers in the Kumasi Metropolis. The data were analysed using SPSS and Microsoft excel. The study results revealed that the services provided by hotels in Kumasi is good but needs to be improved to sustain the growth of the hospitality business. Most of the customers were willing to continue doing business with the hotels. The customers recommended that to improve customer satisfaction in the hospitality industry, the hotel must provide more customer service professionals, provide quality food and drinks, the hotel workers must clean rooms and wash bed sheets regularly and must provide moderate charges to enhance customer satisfaction. The study concluded that hotels in the Kumasi Metropolis have state of the art offices, rooms, conferences rooms etc. Moreover, the Service provided by staff is quality and professional. Furthermore, the hotel Staff are friendly and courteous. The hotel customers periodically inform customers about new products and services. The hotel’s Promotions to reward customers are regular and consistent. It is recommended that, there is the need to organise periodic workshops and seminars to educate hotel workers regarding modern hospitality management techniques to satisfy customers. This is because customers’ expectations are not static but changes.

Source: UEW
Assessing the relation between parental involvement and students’ academic performance a case study of Patasi Municipal Assembly JHS

It is certain that parental involvement in their wards’ academic performance is of essence because it has an influence on the education of their children. In line with this, the study sought to assess the effect of parental involvement on students’ academic performance at Patasi MA JHS. In particular, the study to investigate parents’ perception, about their children’s academic performance, explored the barriers of parent involvement in students’ academic performance, and determined the strategies to increase parent involvement in students’ academic performance. The study employed the case design. The use of this design was appropriate in collecting the study was descriptive in nature. Moreover, the use of quantitative research design was suitable to interpret the required study findings. Also percentages were used to analyse data collected. The study revealed that the key barriers to parental involvement in students’ academic performance were poverty, lack of parents’ formal education and poor parent-teacher relationship. However, various key strategies like using school counselors, involving parents in home-based activities of the children, application of laws to force parents to be responsible, among others were identified as useful in increasing parental involvement in students’ academic performance.

Source: UEW
Assessing the relation between parental involvement and students’ academic performance a case study of Prempeh junior high school in the Kwadaso Municipality

It is certain that parental involvement in their wards’ academic performance is of essence because it has an influence on the education of their children. In line with this, the study sought to assess the effect of parental involvement on students’ academic performance at Prempeh JHS. In particular, the study to investigate parents’ perception, about their children’s academic performance, explored the barriers of parent involvement in students’ academic performance, and determined the strategies to increase parent involvement in students’ academic performance. Simple random sampling technique was used for the study. Structured questionnaire was used as data collection instrument for the study. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to analyse the data. The study revealed that the key barriers to parental involvement in students’ academic performance were poverty, lack of parents’ formal education and poor parent-teacher relationship. However, various key strategies like using school counselors, involving parents in home-based activities of the children, application of laws to force parents to be responsible, among others were identified as useful in increasing parental involvement in students’ academic performance. It recommended that school heads should endeavor to provide proper orientation for parents as they bring their wards to school. This will ensure that they will appreciate their roles in their wards’ education and as such contribute meaningfully to it.

Source: UEW