ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Approximate Bayesian estimates of Weibull parameters with Lindley's method

One of the most important lifetime distributions that is used for modelling and analysing data in clinical, life sciences and engineering is the Weibull distribution. The main objective of this paper was to determine the best estimator for the two-parameter Weibull distribution. The methods under consideration are the frequentist maximum likelihood estimator, least square regression estimator and the Bayesian estimator by using two loss functions, which are squared error and linear exponential. Lindley approximation is used to obtain the Bayes estimates. Comparisons are made through simulation study to determine the performance of these methods. Based on the results obtained from this simulation study the Bayesian approach used in estimating the Weibull parameters under linear exponential loss function is found to be superior as compared to the conventional maximum likelihood and least squared methods. © 2014, Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
Aptian-Maastrichtian palynomorphs from the offshore Tano Basin, western Ghana

Cretaceous dinoflagellate cysts and miospores have been recovered from the Tano 1-1 and 1S-3AX wells, offshore of western Ghana. Based on marker palynomorphs (Afropollis jardinus, Elaterosporites klaszii, Elaterocolpites castelainii, Sofreipites legouxae, Reyrea polymorphus, Cyclonephelium vannophorum) an Aptian-early Cenomanian age has been assigned to sediments from the well Tano 1-1. The taxa Auriculiidites reticulatus, Spinizonotriletes echinatus, Buttinia andreevi, Longapertites spp., Echitriporites trianguliformis, Dinogymnium spp., Trichodinium castanea, Andalusiella spp., which are elements typical of Campanian-Maastrichtian sediments have been recognized in the sediments from 1S-3AX. Palaeoenvironmental interpretation based on identified palynomorphs in the light of their ecological preferences and also on the relative proportions of palynomorph groups, indicate that the Aptian-lower Cenomanian sediments were deposited in a marginal marine environment with vegetation on wetlands, under a relatively dry climate. The Campanian-Maastrichtian sediments suggest a fluctuation between marginal to open marine (inner shelf) conditions. The sediments have characteristic elements indicative of the Albian-Cenomanian "Elaterate Province", and the late Cretaceous "Senonian Palmae Province", which supports a warm tropical climate. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
Aquatic Insect Fauna of Three River Systems in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional area of The Eastern Region of Ghana

Three river systems in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area: Ayensu, Birim and Densu were sampled over a period of one year during the wet, dry and intermediate seasons for aquatic insect fauna. Fifteen sampling sites were chosen based on certain parameters such as accessibility as well as the inclusion of high and low impact sites (i.e. close to or far from a town or village) or near areas with high human activity. Four sampling methods were employed: sweeping, core sampling, sieving and washing of stones, wood fragments and submerged objects as well as aquatic plants and leaves. Fifty seven (57) species of aquatic insects belonging to 26 families of 7 orders were recorded. Hemiptera, Ephemeroptera and Odonata were the most diverse and abundant orders with Hemiptera being the most diverse order with 17 species from 8 families. The most abundant species was Rhagovelia obesa (Hemiptera: Veliidae). The highest number of insects was collected in December whiles July recorded the lowest numbers. River Densu recorded the highest number of insects whiles River Birim recorded the highest diversity of insects with 36 species. River Ayensu had both the lowest numbers and diversity of insects.

Source: UG
Aquatic invertebrates as unlikely vectors of Buruli ulcer disease

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
Aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblages of Ghana, west Africa: Understanding the ecology of a neglected tropical disease

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
The Arab Spring: Implications for Africa

The Arab Spring is an ongoing wave of demonstrations and protests in the Arab world, which began in December 2010. Popular protests have led to the overthrow of regimes in Tunisia and Egypt; a civil war in Libya; civil uprisings in Bahrain, Syria and Yemen; major protests in Algeria, Jordan, Morocco and Oman; and minor protests in a number of other countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This study examined the political, economic, social and security aspects of the African continent with respect to the implications of the Arab Spring that recently plagued the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region. Exploratory research design was used to examine the implications of the Arab Spring for Africa. The needed data and information for this study was primarily gathered through secondary sources. The exploratory nature of this study was a factor with regards to primary data sources. In-depth readings were done and vital lessons from them were inculcated into this study. Thematic data analysis indicated among other things that, indeed the Arab Spring has a greater influence on the political dynamics of Africa than on the social sphere. Again, the existing weakness in the economies, coupled with the rippling effect of weapon proliferation due to the Arab Spring has grave socio – political implications for Africa. Furthermore, social media plays a less likely role in democratization in sub Saharan Africa than it did in the Arab spring. A number of recommendations are made in light of the findings.

Source: UG
Arabic Manuscripts Production and Distribution in Ghana: A Close Study of Jumucat's al-Lāmiyyat al-Ṣughrā

This study focuses on a manuscript entitled 'al-Lāmiyyat al-Ṣughra' composed by Malam Jumu'at in 1939 on the occasion of the death of his teacher and brother, 'Ustādh Muḥammad Bāko, who was then the Chief Imam of Accra. The manuscript appears to be an original one, with no accession number, albeit, it is not clear whether it was handwritten by Jumu'at himself or by another scribe. It was found accidentally among the manuscripts photocopied and preserved at Herskovits library in Northwestern from the collection of Institute of African Studies (IAS), University of Ghana, and therefore was sent back to IAS in 2007 by Dr. Andrea Brigaglia. In terms of content, the manuscript is quite similar to IAS/AR 195, but the hand-writings differ appreciably: IAS/AR 195 was collected from 'Ustādh Adam b. Uthman in Amakom Kumasi on October 5, 1963, while the manuscript under consideration was acquired from 'Ustādh Sacd 'Itan in Zango, Accra on July 7, 1971. The manuscript is written in thin central Sudanic script on a brownish white semi-thick paper with two sets of inks: local black ink and artificial blue ink. The black ink was used for writing the lines of the poem, while the blue ink was used for writing names of persons, places and dates cited in the poem, including the numerous marginal notes across the five folios. Overall, this manuscripts is by far more legible than IAS/AR/ 195. IAS/AR/ 195 has already been a subject of study by K.O. Odoom (1971) who sought to demonstrate the historical value of this manuscript, insisting it is unique in the sense that it is the only document by a Muslim scholar on pioneering Muslim communities in Accra. Far from this, this particular study seeks to explore this manuscript in order underscore some of the intricacies connected to manuscripts production in Ghana, ranging from the occasions that inspire the authorship of Arabic manuscripts, the choice of appropriate titles, mode and format of writing, the relevance of accompanying marginal notes, alterations in manuscripts by scribes, mode of distribution, and interconnectedness of manuscripts in terms of the subject matter they address

Source: UG
Arabic Manuscripts Production in Ghana: A Close Study of Jumcat's al-lāmiyyat al-Ṣughrā

The study contributes to an ongoing discussion on the need to engage with the content of the Arabic and Ajami manuscripts deposited in archival centers across West Africa. Using one of the primary manuscripts from the Arabic and Ajami collection of the Institute of African Studies in the University of Ghana, the study vividly describes three core iterant processes that recur in manuscripts writing in Ghana and in West Africa. These processes comprise the occasions that necessitate the production of Arabic and Ajami manuscripts, the choice of appropriate titles and thematic interconnectedness of various Arabic manuscripts. The essence of the study is to demonstrate how these three processes have been catered for in the selected manuscript relative to a few manuscripts from the IAS collections. To contextualize the discussion, the paper began with an overview of Arabic manuscripts production in Ghana, accompanied by a brief description of the manuscript under study. The study revealed that akin to several Arabic manuscripts from the IAS collections, the occasion that necessitated the manuscript under consideration has been elaborated in a prelude. Indeed, for emphasis, the purpose of writing the manuscript has also been explicitly stated in the third lines of the poem. The two-worded title of the manuscript (al-lāmiyyat al-ṣughra) although catchy, barely reflects the content. Nonetheless, the manuscript share a close thematic affinity with a few manuscripts from the IAS collection and many others from West Africa. Notwithstanding, it is unique in many respects. It qualifies as a funeral dirge, a genealogy and obituary poem apiece. Above all, it contains invaluable information for historical and anthropological enquiries

Source: UG
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Associated with Rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Ghana: E ect of Regional Locations and Soil Factors on Diversity and Community Assembly

Understanding the community composition and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in an agricultural ecosystem is important for exploiting their potential in sustainable crop production. In this study, we described the genetic diversity and community structure of indigenous AMF in rain-fed rice cultivars across six di erent regions in Ghana. The morphological and molecular analyses revealed a total of 15 di erent AMF genera isolated from rice roots. Rhizophagus and Glomus were observed to be predominant in all regions except the Ashanti region, which was dominated by the genera Scutellospora and Acaulospora. A comparison of AMF diversity among the agroecological zones revealed that Guinea Savannah had the highest diversity. Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance (PERMANOVA) analysis indicated that the available phosphorus (AP) in the soil was the principal determining factor for shaping the AMF community structure (p < 0.05). We report, for the first time, AMF diversity and community structure in rice roots and how communities are a ected by the chemical properties of soil from di erent locations in Ghana.

Source: UG
Archaeological manifestations of cross-cultural encounters along the Dixcove coastline, Western Region, Ghana

Using both archaeological and historical data, this paper examines the consequences of the British presence at Dixcove in the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries and how their encounter with local Ahanta populations there impacted the body polity of Ahantaland and the local economy. It shows that prior to the advent of the British and their construction of Fort Metal Cross, Dixcove was a small coastal chiefdom with fishing and salt production constituting the mainstays of the local economy. The period subsequent to British arrival then witnessed the rapid development of vibrant commercial relations between the two groups and the evolution of Dixcove from cosmopolitan to urban status.

Source: UG
Archaeology and world heritage sites in west africa

The need to integrate world heritage curriculum in the academic programmes of African educational institutions has become the clarion call of UNESCO and the African World Heritage Fund to African institutions. According to UNESCO, Africa boasts of a heritage of unrivalled natural and cultural diversity that constitutes the very essence of its identity. Yet, sub-Saharan Africa is underrepresented on the World Heritage List. With 93 properties (51 cultural sites, 37 natural sites, 8 mixed sites), Africa is the most under-represented region on the List. Despite the adoption of the Global Strategy for a representative balanced and credible World Heritage List, the continent hosts only 9 per cent of all World Heritage sites, while the European and North American Regions account for 47 per cent of properties inscribed on the List. Thus, the call for African educational institutions to implement the World Heritage Convention is an undeniable expectation that we must champion; as a credible regional body in Africa. This conference among other things offers the platform for us to brainstorm and dialogue on how to facilitate our contributions to the existing curricula related to research, conservation and management of world heritage sites in West Africa.The low inscription rate has been adduced to factors such as; i) the poor quality of the nomination dossiers, which often results from the lack of close collaboration between academic institutions, specialized institutions in World Heritage and the governments of African member states; ii) the limited budget allocated to the national heritage sector in many African countries; especially concerning the process of archaeological research and inscription on the Tentative and World Heritage Lists; iii) the limited number of experts specialized in the field of heritage management and conservation of Africa’s heritage as well as insufficient academic guidance and lack of sufficient integration of world heritage studies into the existing programmes of academic institutions in Africa. How do we convince government institutions to support academic institutions in the creation or strengthening of curricula oriented towards increasing heritage professionals and with a view to expanding job prospects and supporting Africans in taking ownership oftheir unique heritage? It is in this context that this conference would like to complement the efforts of our international partners. The sessions and papers cover, but not limited to, issues and case studies on the role of archaeology in world heritage research, documentation and inventory of sites, site management and conservation practices, the preparation of tentative lists and nomination files, innovation and job creation with archaeotourism and heritage resources as well as the creation of homegrown academic theories and practices to enhance this discourse.

Source: UG
The Archaeology of German and British Colonial Entanglements in Kpando-Ghana

In talking about the cultural diversity of Africa's past, the archaeological assessment of West African sites with mangled tangible and intangible fragments of German and British and/or French colonial encounters should not be ignored but rather discussed. This research explores how specific daily material cultural practices of German and British colonizers and Kpando indigenes in the Volta Region of Ghana were enmeshed in a medley of geopolitical, ideological and exchange connections. Through the use of archaeological, archival and ethnographic sources, this paper examines how daily practices of the people of Kpando were impacted by pre-colonial and dual colonial political economic pressures from the seventeenth through the twentieth centuries. This paper archaeologically explores how colonial officials maintained and renegotiated the norms of domesticity/gentility/Europeaness in their encounter with Akpini domestic technology, foodways and cultural practices. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Source: UG
The Archaeology of Shrines among the Tallensi of Northern Ghana: Materiality and Interpretive Relevance

The material culture of the Tallensi is, comparatively speaking, somewhat analytically neglected in comparison to the wealth of ethnographic material available. The present paper seeks to redress this dearth of archaeological data by focusing on the history of a particular Tallensi shrine in the Tongo Hills of northern Ghana. Shrines, especially in the West African context, appear to serve as symbolic repositories of information and shared understanding about regional social processes, and ethnohistory and archaeological excavation of shrines and associated material culture can reveal much about settlement patterns, resource utilization, and ethnicity.

Source: UG
Architecture and Politics In Africa

Review books or articles provide a critical and constructive analysis of existing published literature in a field, through summary, analysis, and comparison, often identifying specific gaps or problems and providing recommendations for future research. These are considered as secondary literature since they generally do not present new data from the author's experimental work. Review articles can be of three types, broadly speaking: literature reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. It also the researcher to stay abreast of new literature in the field.

Source: UG
Architecture of Denial: Imperial Violence, the Construction of Law and Historical Knowledge during the Mau Mau Uprising, 1952–1960

Review books or articles provide a critical and constructive analysis of existing published literature in a field, through summary, analysis, and comparison, often identifying specific gaps or problems and providing recommendations for future research. These are considered as secondary literature since they generally do not present new data from the author's experimental work. Review articles can be of three types, broadly speaking: literature reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. It also the researcher to stay abreast of new literature in the field.

Source: UG
Are competitive microfinance services worth regulating? Evidence from microfinance institutions in Sub‐Saharan Africa

In recent years, there is increasing appetite for regulation of microfinance services after the 2008 financial crisis. Policy questions such as whether competitive microfinance institution (MFI) requires strong regulation to reduce, for example, credit risk or competition and regulation operate in the opposite direction, which each tends to dampen the effect of the other, are an empirical issue that this paper provides answers based on data on Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) for the period 1995–2015, utilizing panel data approaches. Finding from the study indicates that low competition increases credit risk among MFIs in SSA, which regulation helps reduce such behaviour. The effect of regulation on credit risk is conditional on the level of competition, at the first percentile of competition (imply more competition); regulation does not reduce credit risk behaviour of MFIs but does at competition level above the 25th percentile (imply less competition). Regulation, on the other hand, does not affect operational risk at any level of competition. These findings have implications for policy formulation on the regulation and operations of MFIs in SSA. Our findings suggest that the MFI industry could be regulated efficiently if policymakers develop policies targeted at reducing credit risk exposures of MFIs than their exposure to operational risk.

Source: UG
Are currently deployed artemisinins neurotoxic?

In vitro, animal, and human clinical studies suggest currently deployed artemisinins possess neurotoxic potential. A specific and consistent pattern of brainstem injuries that includes auditory processing centers has been reported from all laboratory animals studied. Hearing loss, ataxia, and tremor are reported from humans. Neurotoxicity appears mediated in part through artemisinin induced oxidative stress in exposed brainstems. In vitro studies suggest that artemisinin neurotoxicity does not manifest immediately upon exposure, but that once commenced it is inevitable and irreversible; extrapolation from in vitro data suggests that 14 days may possibly be required for full development, casting doubt upon some animal safety studies and human necropsy studies. Uncertainty remains over the neurotoxicity of currently deployed artemisinins, and their safety profile should be reviewed, especially in pediatric use. The development of non-neurotoxic artemisinins is possible and should be encouraged.

Source: UG
Are Ghanaian MFIs’ Performance Associated with Corporate Governance?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine whether in Ghana, corporate governance, outreach to clients, reduced dependence on subsidies and use of modern technology (together called corporate governance plus) are associated with the performance of rural and community banks (RCBs), which are microfinance institutions (MFI), in the context of newly adopted codes of conduct and regulations, ownership rules and quality of management. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 30 randomly sampled RCBs were categorized into four groups based on analysis of several dimensions of financial performance. Next, RCBs were again categorized into four groups based on their corporate governance plus. A chi‐squared test of independence between the two groupings was performed. Findings – The authors found no association between RCBs' categories based on corporate governance plus and their categories based on financial performance. Practical implication – To enhance performance, corporate governance plus must impact financial performance as documented by OECD. Laws and codes of conduct recently designed to guide the conduct of business should be allowed to work. The restriction on individual ownership of RCBs to 30 percent should be relaxed. And RCBs should pay attention to developing the competencies of their boards and senior management. Originality/value – This is the first formal test of the association between state of corporate governance plus and financial performance of microfinance institutions in Ghana.

Source: UG