ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Financing Donor Projects: trends, challenges and opportunities

Many developing countries have had to rely on donor support to facilitate development in their countries. In recent times Ghana has moved to a middle-income status, suggesting improvements in living conditions. This change in status may have implications on size of funding and the nature of donor support to the country. Available literature on development projects supported by donors have not always been successful. However, fewer studies have been conducted in the Ghanaian context, especially in the area of socio-economic sectors. This study examined the trends of financing by donors (precisely, Department for International Development (DFID)) and investigated challenges associated with donor funded projects in Ghana. In addition, the study uncovered other opportunities for funding development projects in Ghana. Using thematic analysis, six key challenges (themes) emerged, namely: inadequate time to implement and yield benefits of project, issues of finance, variance in realities of implementation and proposed plan, aligning donor priorities with government/NGO priorities, lack of commitment and limited capacity. Inter-donor/beneficiary coordination and sustainability planning emerged as the main themes as a strategy to improve donor funded project. The study recommended that to sustains the gains of projects it is important for donors to coordinate among themselves and embed sustainability in the design of programmes. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings have been discussed.

Source: KNUST
Financing Health Care in Ghana: The Case of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)

Health financing is a growing problem in developing countries, hence the introduction of a social health insurance systems, such as National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). The aim for implementing NHIS in Ghana is to analyze payment mechanisms and identify gaps for improving health financing. Despite significant progress, challenges like inadequate funding, poor management practices, and fraudulent activities hinder its effectiveness. The research focuses on examining financing sources, evaluating internal and external tactics, and addressing difficulties in funding the NHIS. The study's objectives are to investigate the internal and external financing sources for the NHIS, assess the NHIS's effectiveness in terms of healthcare access and financial security, examine the tactics used to enhance the NHIS, and explore potential solutions to Ghana's funding challenges. The study examines Ghana's health financing system, focusing on the NHIS in the Oti regions. It reviews literature, discusses strategies for improvement, and evaluates performance. The research methodology employed aspects involving a combination of primary data from structured interviews and secondary data from existing sources. The data analysis involved examining the NHIS's payment mechanisms, assessing the NHIS's performance indicators, and identifying challenges in financing the scheme. The findings provided insights into the financing effectiveness of the NHIS in Ghana. Overall, the study contributed to the understanding of Ghana’s health financing structure and provided recommendations for strengthening the NHIS. The study addressed the gaps and challenges in healthcare financing, Ghana can enhance access to high-quality medical care for its citizens.

Source: KNUST
Financing Health Care in Ghana, an evaluation of the Mutual Health Insurance Scheme in Sunyani Municipality

The main aim of establishing the National Health Insurance Scheme is protecting the poor and putting health in the hands of the people. It also aims at providing healthcare for all by abolishing the “cash and carry” system where patients are asked to pay before they are treated. This study was carried out to assess the new methods of financing Health Care in Ghana, An Evaluation of the Mutual Health Insurance Scheme in Sunyani Municipality. A questionnaire was designed using structured questions to collect primary data from health facilities and clients of the NHIS. Personal interviews were held to solicit views and comments from some respondents. The results indicated that the availability of adequate funding for health care services is critical to the survival of health insurance schemes. Adequate financing of health care services would aid in meeting the health care service and delivery requirements of health service facilities and clients in Ghana. Meeting the health requirement of Ghanaians would require the application of effective guideline policies and principles that integrate the inputs and concerns of all stakeholders of the health care service industry.

Source: KNUST
Financing Healthcare in Ghana under National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the Subscribers Perspective

English proverb says that “Health is Wealth”. Your health is the most precious wealth that God has given you. Financing Health Care in Ghana has been a major challenge for the various passed Governments. The implementation of the cash and carry compounded the utilization problem by creating a financing barrier to health care access especially for the poor.The gap between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ keeps widening. Hence the appropriate way of financing healthcare in Ghana under National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the subscribers perspective. The objectives was determination of premium if it is based on sound actuarial principles, time taking to meet the expenses from service providers as they fall due, subscribers capacity to pay economic premium and how the health needs of the people are met as motivation for membership renewal. The study was conducted in Atebubu-Amanten district through a survey. Multi stage and simple random was used to select the sample size and data was collected using a questionnaire and interviews. The findings show that the scheme cannot meet it claims from service providers with it total premium collected. The people are poor and hence cannot pay economic premium, 58% earned monthly income between 50 Ghc – 150 Ghc as compared to treatment of healthcare cost of 58.08 Ghc to 182.50 Ghc. NHIS card guarantee unrestricted access for clients to service providers. There is no specialist in any of the health facilities in the area. Equally important finding was that premiums collected locally are not invested. This is a treat to sustainability of the scheme should subsidies from central Government stop coming. Based on the findings of the study the following recommendations were made: Economic premium should be charge to cover cost of healthcare. The Government should empower the people economically to earn enough to pay economic premium. Premiums collected should be invested in other investment portfolios to earn additional fund for claims payment.

Source: KNUST
Financing healthcare service delivery in Asamankese Government Hospital

A study to investigate financing of Health care delivery in Asamankese Government Hospital was conducted from March to August 2008.The study used descriptive survey design and self-made questionnaire and guided interview schedule as the main instrument for the study. The items on the instrument were made up of closed structured questions: The study sampled 150 health workers, patients and National Health Insurance Scheme workers for the study. The data collected from the respondents were coded and analysed using Excel and the results presented using frequencies and percentages. The results of the study revealed that National Health Insurance Scheme is becoming the major source of financing the health care needs of clients in the hospital out of contributions made from donor agencies, Government contributions, internally generated funds made up of NHIS card bearers and direct payments made by non-registered NHIS clients. The NHIS has enabled patients, indigents, and the aged and under aged to have access to health care specialized services and this has increased attendance of patients to hospitals and over crowding at the wards. In order to ensure efficient and quality health care to clients, the hospital has put in place keeping of adequate supplies in store, strict procurement plans, periodic inventory of stocks and internal audit units. Other mechanisms put in place were, authorizing only accounting staff to collect revenue, strict adherence to fund disbursement requirements, holding people accountable for their negligence and reward for diligent and hard working staff. * * Despite the major contribution of the NHIS to the health care needs of the people in the hospital they were faced with challenges, among which were tedious vetting of claims, inadequate skilled computer technicians, no job descriptions, no accommodation for the scheme, inadequate education of clients on their card renewal and high cost of drugs. The Hospital is faced with the challenges of inadequate human and material resources, ineffective managerial and administrative capabilities.

Source: KNUST
Financing health care service delivery in public universities in Ghana: case study of UG, KNUST, and UCC

Financing healthcare service delivery in Ghanaian Universities has been a major concern in recent times. At the end of 2005 the University authorities at KNUST alone were in arrears of over 3 billion as outstanding refunds to be paid to staff and students on mainly drugs and other medical expenses. This money is not readily available. This study investigates and analyses the financing of health care service delivery in public Universities in Ghana using the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Cape Coast as case studies. Analysis of data collected from the Universities over the period (1999/2000-2003) led to a number of findings, recommendations and conclusions regarding the state and number of health facilities, costs and revenue, hospital attendance, types of services rendered as well as sustainability of healthcare delivery in the Universities. The study revealed that out-patient attendance increased consistently from 1 l5, 014 in 2000 to 144,042 in 2003, representing an increase of 25% over the period under study. Attendance by staff and their dependants accounted for the bulk of attendance, constituting on the average 45%, followed by Non-University persons which was 37% and then students (18%) over the 4-year period. Revenue from students and Non- university persons was ¢2.3 billion in 2000 as against total expenditure of ¢6.3 billion: ¢7.7 billion in 2003 compared with a total of ¢24 billion, leaving a gap of approximately ¢17billon for the Universities to deal with. It is recommended among others that the Universities should take advantage of the National Health Insurance Scheme by establishing their own health insurance schemes. Other measures recommended in remedying the problem of quality and unsustainable health financing and delivery include increasing the user charges to reflect cost of services rendered, increase in government subvention to the Universities among others.

Source: KNUST
Financing Local Non-Governmental Organisations in Ghana: Issues and Challenges

Local Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) play a vital role in the socio-economic development of Ghana. They complement government’s efforts in providing sustainable development by filling development gaps where government is short. Despite these important roles local NGOs play in the development process they are faced with a number of challenges which raises concern about their sustainability. This study identifies and discusses some key issues and challenges in financing local NGOs in Ghana. The analysis first reviews the sources of funds for local NGOs by focusing on both external and internal sources. The study then discusses the methods local NGOs use to mobilize funds for their operations. Three methods were identified and they included proposal writing, partnership and social enterprise. The study sought to determine how local NGOs in Ghana finance their operations. A survey research approach was adopted to examine the local NGOs financing and issues and challenges that confront them. With a combination of purposive and simple random sampling, and 10 percent margin of error, 43 out of 76 local NGOs in Brong Ahafo Region were sampled for the survey. Issues such as governance and management of local NGOs, staff composition, sources of funding, conditions attached to funding sources, relationship between local NGOs capacities and funding as well as the utilization of local NGO funds were discussed in this regard. Others are the challenges local NGOs faces and the methods used to mobilise funds. The study revealed that local NGOs obtained their funding mostly from INGOs, governments through their embassies and agencies such Ghana AIDS Commission External funding accounted for 83 percent of local NGOs funding whilst internal funding accounted for 17 percent. The study also revealed that external funding to local NGOs is mostly available for small period of time like one year to 18 months and it has been reducing over the past five years. This limits the scale of local NGOs interventions. Local NGOs have not also been able to tap funding from local philanthropic and corporate bodies for their operations. It is thus recommended that local NGOs diversify their funding bases, approach local corporate bodies and philanthropist for funding support. It is also recommended prudent and sound organisational management of local NGOs. Giving the expected roles local NGOs have to play in the development of the less privileged communities, all other players in the development process must collectively re-examine their contributions towards the financing of local NGOs. Local NGOs on their part, should be able to assess factors that hinder them from enjoying public and corporate support and ensure effective collaboration between them and the public.

Source: KNUST
Financing Implications of Going Domestic Solar Photovoltaic Energy: A Case of Selected Homes in Brong Ahafo Region

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) energy has recently become the fastest growing renewable energy source. This thesis focuses on financing implications of going domestic photovoltaic energy. The Economic Evaluation and Analysis were done using MS Excel program to investigate the financing implications and cash flows from the Solar Home System and the Grid Power Supply for home owners with energy needs. A Life Cycle Cost analysis was adopted to evaluate and facilitate a prospective home owner to arrive at an optimal energy investment plan between Solar Photovoltaic generation and Grid Power Supply. It was seen that the Life Cycle Cost for Solar Home System and Grid power supply were GH¢11028.80 and GH¢10791.31 respectively. While the initial capital expenditure of these energy sources were GH¢16900 and GH¢2164 respectively. A 900W solar home system has payback period of 14 years. The revelations regarding Life Cycle Cost means that Solar Home System is 2.15% expensive than the grid power supply in Ghana and it is also 87.20% expensive than grid power supply in terms of initial capital expenditure. The high initial cost or capital expenditure account most likely for the relatively low usage of solar power systems in Ghana as compared to the grid. However, it is worthy to note that, the two alternatives compete well from consumers‟ perspective. It is thus economically attractive and prudent for a prospective energy consumer to give preference to solar energy due to its reliability, cost savings and environmentally friendly than the grid power supply given the current frequent power cuts in Ghana.

Source: KNUST
Financing Local Government in Ghana: an appraisal of the generation of property rates at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly for the period 1994-2003

This study delved into the operations of the Local Government system of Ghana, in comparison with eight selected countries worldwide. The life blood of every organization is money and therefore the generation of Revenues in general and specifically the factors underlying the generation of property rates of the KMA was put under the search light. Several interesting findings were made. One important finding was that, the assessment of property rate payable, based on the real calculated values of the properties, remains the most transparent, justifiable and reasonable method of assessing properties in the metropolis. In the absence of this arrangement the KMA loses several millions of cedis that should have come into its coffers. It was also realized that a lot of guesswork goes into the assessment, of property rates due to the unavailability of data at the offices of the KMA. It was therefore recommended that the KMA should as a matter of urgency capture data on all ratable properties in the metropolis and computerize these data to make them easily accessible to ratepayers. In comparison with the Japanese experiences, it was learnt that it was possible for the state to transfer over 50% of its total revenues to the local Government bodies for development purposes. This was real decentralization of the political structure and the transfer of means to ensure that the local government system is effective on the ground. Local Government system of administration remains the most viable means of transferring functions, powers, authority, means and competence from the center to the grassroots, and the most recommended system of administration for all countries — both developed and developing. It is therefore of utmost importance that the human resource that is vitally needed to implement any system is taken good care of in terms of remuneration and other conditions of service, for if the mouth of’ the OX that treads the corn is muzzled, then no one in his or her rightful mind should expect any treading of the corn to be done for the benefit of all. .

Source: KNUST
Financing micro and small scale enterprises in Ghana- problems and prospects

Research has shown that at the heart of any successful enterprise development among other factors is small enterprise financing. Without finance it is almost impossible to realize the dream of enterprise however well thought over the plans are. Finance therefore has pivotal role in enterprise promotion. The economy of Ghana is dominated by many small-scale enterprises. Ghana’s economic progress will very much depend on the development and nurturing of these small scale enterprises to the level where they can contribute to the generation of employment to absorb the abundant labour which this country is blessed with, to produce goods to meet local demand and above all to fulfill export requirements of our balance of payment. The study therefore seeks to identify the problems associated with financing small and micro enterprises. It considers the role some selected credit institutions play in making credit and other supports available to small and micro industries. The objectives of this study are to appraise the various sources of finance to micro and small-scale enterprises in Ghana, and to establish an empirical justification for the failure of the informal sector to finance small and micro enterprises. The research methodology adopted to collect the data in the field concerning the problem included questionnaire, interviews, and personal observations. The outcome of the study revealed that the informal sector has not made any significant strive in making credit available to micro and small scale industries. This is shown by the fact that apart from their small loan sizes, most of them do not provide initial capital and is also not accessible to most small-scale entrepreneurs. The study also revealed that among the problems of lending to small businesses include high delinquency and default, high cost of credit, lack of collateral, government policies among others. Suggestions were make on way of reducing some of the problem confronting the credit institutions to help develop the interest and capability of financing small and micro enterprises.

Source: KNUST
Financing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Ghana: A case study of Techiman Municipality

The dynamic role of micro, small and medium enterprises in developing countries cannot be disregarded because they have been the main mechanism for economic growth and development. Despite this, the MSMEs still encounter many challenges in sourcing funds to grow their businesses. This is averting their contribution to the achievement of developmental goals in many countries of which Ghana is included. The study sought to explore the various sources of finance and the constraints faced in accessing funds by the MSMEs in the Techiman Municipality of Ghana. It also inquired into the role governmental agencies have played in promoting the sector. The study adopted a descriptive research design. Primary data was collected by administering seventy-one questionnaires to MSMEs in the Techiman Municipality. Data were analysed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The findings of the study revealed that among the various internal source of finance, personal savings and retain earnings remain the chief sources of funds to the enterprises, but returns on businesses were too low to support the growth potential of the sector. Microfinance institutions remain the core external sources of funds to the enterprises but constrained by high interest rate and collateral requirement. Therefore it is recommended that, policy makers are to formulate strategies to remove the bottlenecks of accessing external funds to encourage enterprises to access external funds to aid them realize the appropriate growth in their business.

Source: KNUST
Financing municipal projects in upper Denkyira east municipal assembly: A comparison of build-operate- transfer and traditional procurement methods.

This study assesses the financing of municipal projects in the Upper Denkyira East Municipal Assembly (UDEMA): a comparison of Build- Operate- Transfer (BOT) system and Traditional Procurement Methods (TPM). The study employed a cross sectional survey research design. A purposive sampling approach was adopted in selecting the respondents who are the main participants in the procurement process. In all a total of 50 respondents were sampled. The study employed a well-structured questionnaire. The study reveals that among the factors causing delay of BOT projects include political risk, environmental concerns and restriction, delay in obtaining permission and financial risk. On the traditionally procured projects, contractors experience in planning and controlling, delays in the approval of design documents and delays in payment by owner and difficulties in financing are the causes of delays of projects. A comparison of the effectiveness of BOT and TPM indicate BOT is more effective than TPM on the basis of time taken to negotiate/award of contract, time taken to deliver the asset, cheaper transaction cost, funding arrangement and budget certainty, whole life maintenance and construction innovation. Critical success factors of BOT projections outweighs that of TPM projects in terms of strong construction and financial market. It was also revealed that clients, cost, time, risk, project characteristics and external environment statistically and significantly influence the selection of procurement methods. It can be conclude that the BOT as a variant of public private partnership has proved to be a viable alternative in financing municipal projects apart from the traditional procurement methods.

Source: KNUST