ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Labour Market Discrimination in Ghana: A Gender Dimension

Gender discrimination has consistently been a subject of national and international concern over a long period of time. The book basically sets out to measure the extent and changing trend of occupational segregation by sex and analyse gender wage differentials and find out whether this smacks of gender wage discrimination. Drawing on the census and household survey datasets, and applying four different segregation indices the book found a generally low and declining degree of sex segregation of occupation among paid-employed workers while a higher and an increasing trend of sex segregation of occupation were observed among self-employed workers. The book also found wages of females to be lower than that of males in the labour market as a whole, and within most broad occupations. The empirical results revealed larger gender wage differentials in favour of men in self-employment than in paid-employment. Men in lower-paid female occupations are marginally worse off relative to men in male dominated occupations while women in better paid male occupations are rather worse off relative to women in female occupations. The book also provides evidence to indicate a larger wage gap attributed to favouritism for males and a lower proportion of earning gap emanating from discrimination against females in the labour market as a whole. Discrimination against women accounted for a larger proportion of the gender wage gap among self-employed workers while favouritism for males and discrimination against females were equally matched in paid-employment. The book also confirmed the importance of education in explaining earnings of workers and established higher returns to labour market endowment of females than males.

Source: UG
The Labour Market Impact of COVID-19 Lockdowns: Evidence from Ghana

In this paper, we provide causal evidence of the immediate and near-term impact of stringent COVID-19 lockdown policies on employment outcomes, using Ghana as a case study. We take advantage of a specific policy setting, in which strict stay-at-home orders were issued and enforced in two spatially delimited areas, bringing Ghana’s major metropolitan centres to a standstill, while in the rest of the country less stringent regulations were in place. Using a difference-in-differences design, we find that the 3- week lockdown had a large and significant immediate negative impact on employment in the treated districts, particularly among workers in informal self-employment. While the gap in employment between the treated and control districts had narrowed 4 months after the lockdown was lifted, we detect a persistent nationwide decline in both earnings and employment, jeopardizing particularly the livelihoods of small business owners mainly operating in the informal economy.

Source: UG
The Labour Market Impact of COVID-19 Lockdowns: Evidence from Ghana

In this paper, we provide causal evidence of the immediate and near-term impact of stringent COVID 19 lockdown policies on employment outcomes, using Ghana as a case study. We take advantage of a specific policy setting, in which strict stay-at-home orders were issued and enforced in two spatially delimited areas, bringing Ghana’s major metropolitan centres to a standstill, while in the rest of the country less stringent regulations were in place. Using a difference-in-differences design, we find that the 3-week lockdown had a large and significant immediate negative impact on employment in the treated districts, particularly among workers in informal self-employment. While the gap in employment between the treated and control districts had narrowed 4 months after the lockdown was lifted, we detect a persistent nationwide decline in both earnings and employment, jeopardising particularly the livelihoods of small business owners mainly operating in the informal economy.

Source: UG
Labour market perceptions and experiences among Ghanaian– Canadian second-generation youths in the Greater Toronto Area

The study examines the perceptions and experiences of second-generation Ghanaian–Canadian immigrant youths in the Greater Toronto Area labour market and highlights some of the challenges they faced. Specifically, the study explores how some of these youths viewed and expressed their feelings in their process of navigating the labour market as well as the connections between their neighbourhood of residence and their performance in the labour market. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used to procure empirical data from youths residing in two localities in the Greater Toronto Area. The participants most frequently identified unemployment or underemployment as the main issues that highlighted the differences between the two study localities and that there were differences between male and females in this respect. The findings indicate that the youths’ performance in the labour market was influenced by a multitude of factors, including inefficient transportation, discrimination, lack of information, and dress code. In addition, the findings shed light on how neighbourhood characteristics influenced employment outcomes.

Source: UG
Labour migration during the colonial period to the Obuasi mines in Ghana

Migration has been part of human existence since creation. Many people migrate for various reasons underlying which is the element of survival or the search for an improved situation. It sometimes seems to be the only logical and rational thing to do when one is faced with situations that border on survival and is also faced with making a choice. The southern Akan forest of Ghana has a long history of receiving many labour migrants from all the other parts of the West African sub-region. Many of these migrants came to southern Ghana to work in the cocoa farms belonging to the Akans. A huge chunk of these migrating labourers came from mostly the northern parts of the country. People also came from as far-off territories as Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Sierra Lone, Nigeria etc. to work in the rich gold mines of Obuasi in Adanse. Many reasons advanced by various scholars to explain the cause of the labour migration have credited economic reasons as the major factor that compelled the influx of migrants to economically vibrant southern Ghana. This article seeks to contribute to the continuing discussion on labour migration in West Africa. It will also establish that there were other equally compelling and motivating forces that influenced people to migrate.

Source: UG
Lack of artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum in northwest Benin after 10 years of use of artemisinin-based combination therapy

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
Lack of association between maternal antibody and protection of African infants from malaria infection.

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

Source: UG
Lack of conservation effort rapidly increases african great ape extinction risk

A network of resource management areas (RMAs) exists across tropical Africa to protect natural resources. However, many are poorly managed and weakly protected. We evaluated how the lack of conservation effort influences the extinction risk of African great apes. We compiled information on presence/ absence of primary (law enforcement guards) and secondary (tourism, research) conservation activities and nongovernmental conservation organizations (NGOs) support for 109 RMAs over the last 20 years. Along with these data, we collected environmental and anthropogenic variables, including recent records of ape presence/absence for all RMAs. As expected, law enforcement as a primary activity was the best predictor of ape survival rather than tourism or research as secondary activities. Furthermore, long-term NGO support had a significant positive influence on ape persistence. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of evaluating the relative importance of different conservation activities, an important step towards more evidence-based approaches in ape conservation. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Source: UG
Lack of equal access to ICTs by women: An e-governance issue

This paper will explore the inadequacy of women's participatory role in governance due to lack of access to ICTs in Ghana using Ghana in West Africa as a Case Study. It will point out the recognition of women's limitations through international declarations; the usual obstacles that face women in the ICT industry; examine the Ghana government's gender policies, and also offer suggestions as to how to empower women, already marginalized in society, to gain from the new age of technology. Copyright 2008 ACM.

Source: UG
Lack of Evidence from Studies of Soluble Protein Fragments that Knops Blood Group Polymorphisms in Complement Receptor-Type 1 Are Driven by Malaria

Complement receptor-type 1 (CR1, CD35) is the immune-adherence receptor, a complement regulator, and an erythroid receptor for Plasmodium falciparum during merozoite invasion and subsequent rosette formation involving parasitized and non-infected erythrocytes. The non-uniform geographical distribution of Knops blood group CR1 alleles Sl1/2 and McC a/b may result from selective pressures exerted by differential exposure to infectious hazards. Here, four variant short recombinant versions of CR1 were produced and analyzed, focusing on complement control protein modules (CCPs) 15–25 of its ectodomain. These eleven modules encompass a region (CCPs 15–17) key to rosetting, opsonin recognition and complement regulation, as well as the Knops blood group polymorphisms in CCPs 24–25. All four CR1 15–25 variants were monomeric and had similar axial ratios. Modules 21 and 22, despite their double-length inter-modular linker, did not lie sideby-side so as to stabilize a bent-back architecture that would facilitate cooperation between key functional modules and Knops blood group antigens. Indeed, the four CR1 15–25 variants had virtually indistinguishable affinities for immobilized complement fragments C3b (KD = 0.8–1.1 mM) and C4b (KD = 5.0–5.3 mM). They were all equally good co-factors for factor Icatalysed cleavage of C3b and C4b, and they bound equally within a narrow affinity range, to immobilized C1q. No differences between the variants were observed in assays for inhibition of erythrocyte invasion by P. falciparum or for rosette disruption. Neither differences in complement-regulatory functionality, nor interactions with P. falciparum proteins tested here, appear to have driven the non-uniform geographic distribution of these alleles.

Source: UG
Lack of gender-specific antibody recognition of products from domains of a var gene implicated in pregnancy-associated plasmodium falciparum malaria.

The Epidemiology Department contributes to the mission of the institute through basic and applied epidemiological research on, but not limited to, malaria and other diseases of public health importance. It is also home to the Social Science Unit of the Institute, including the Health Support Centre for HIV/AIDS and other communicable and noncommunicable health problems.

Source: UG
Lack of insertional-deletional polymorphism in a collection of mycobacterium ulcerans isolates from Ghanaian buruli ulcer patients

The Bacteriology Department aims to improve the quality of life first for Ghanaians and the world at large by conducting research into bacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana and globally. In addition to working on enteric pathogens and sexually transmitted diseases, the department’s current main focus is on the two most important mycobacterial diseases of public health importance to Ghana, namely Buruli ulcer (BU) and tuberculosis (TB).

Source: UG
Lack of mental health career interest among Ghanaian social work students: implications for social work education in Ghana

Training mental health care providers is an emerging agenda in Ghana. Because traditional and religious healers are still a primary source for help seeking among those with mental health disorders, the social work education curriculum has yet to fully incorporate mental health training and practice. An exploratory, descriptive study was conducted on a sample of Ghanaian social work students (n = 207) to examine their interests in various career options, including mental health practice. Students indicated a marked preference for career interest in the areas of medical social work, community development, women and children’s empowerment, domestic violence/abuse, and administration/management. Of greatest importance to the field of international social work education is that no student indicated a career interest related to working with people with mental disorders/mental disabilities. This finding is consistent with other research showing that mental health stigma and lack of mental health knowledge discourages young Ghanaian medical students from showing interest in psychiatry. The authors discuss the move to establish a professional mental health workforce in response to Ghana’s Mental Health Act of 2012 and provide recommendations for incorporating mental health training in Ghana’s social work curriculum to train a future generation of mental health practitioners. © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Source: UG
Lactation counseling increases exclusive breast-feeding rates in Ghana

Exclusive breast-feeding (EBF) rates remain low despite numerous health benefits associated with this behavior. We conducted a randomized trial on the effect of lactation counseling on EBF, which controlled for the Hawthorne effect while also varying the timing of the intervention. Pregnant women attending prenatal clinics in Tema were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 intervention groups (IG) or to a control group (C), as follows: 1) EBF support given pre-, peri-, and postnatally (IG1; n = 43); 2) EBF support given only peri- and postnatally (IG2; n = 44); or 3) nonbreast-feeding health educational support (C; n = 49) that had an equal amount of contact with lactation counselors. Two educational sessions were provided prenatally, and 9 home follow-up visits were provided in the 6-mo postpartum period. Infant feeding data were collected monthly at the participant's home. The 3 groups did not differ in sociodemographic characteristics. At 6 mo postpartum, 90.0% in IG1 and 74.4% in IG2 had exclusively breast-fed during the previous month. By contrast, only 47.7% in C were doing so (P = 0.008). Similarly, the percentage of EBF during the 6 mo was significantly higher (P = 0.02) among IG1 and IG2 (39.5%) than among C (19.6%). The 100% increase in EBF rates can be attributed to the lactation counseling provided. Additional prenatal EBF support may not be needed within a context of strong routine prenatal EBF education. © 2005 American Society for Nutritional Sciences.

Source: UG
Lactic acid tolerance determined by measurement of intracellular pH of single cells of Candida krusei and Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated from fermented maize dough

Strains of Candida krusei and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were grown together at 30°C in MYGP broth, pH 2.5, in the presence of 106.4 mM undissociated lactic acid. The two C. krusei strains investigated grew within 48 h from initial counts of 2×104 to approximately 107 cells/ml whereas the two S. cerevisiae strains investigated survived but did not grow in the presence of 106.4 mM undissociated lactic acid at pH 2.5. To explain the differences in lactic acid tolerance of the two yeast species, we used fluorescence-ratio-imaging microscopy and a perfusion system to determine the short-term intracellular pH (pHi) changes in single cells of C. krusei and S. cerevisiae. The changes were investigated both in the presence of low (20.7 mM) and high (106.4 mM) concentrations of undissociated lactic acid. For both the investigated species 20.7 mM undissociated lactic acid did not seem to influence the initial pHi which for C. krusei was found to be approximately 8.0 and for S. cerevisiae 6.9-7.5. For both C. krusei strains, perfusion with 106.4 mM undissociated lactic acid induced only weak short-term pHi responses with a decrease in pHi of less than one pH unit. Contrary, for both strains of S. cerevisiae perfusion with 106.4 mM undissociated lactic acid resulted in a significant decrease in pHi from initially 6.9-7.5 to 6.2-6.4 after 1 min and further to a pHi of ≤5.5 after 3 min after which it remained constant. The results obtained show that C. krusei is more resistant to short-term pHi changes caused by lactic acid than S. cerevisiae, and this, in turn, may be part of the explanation why C. krusei is more tolerant to lactic acid than S. cerevisiae. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Source: UG
Lægen Paul Iserts Breve Fra Dansk Guinea 1783-87

Oltendc Bre\': Akracl'nes Dragt, Haarsretning og Pynt. - Akraerindernes Haarsretning, Sminkc, mykker og Paaklrednillg. - Parfyme af Desmcl'katten, as\'. - Negl'cncs Bygning, Farve, Ansigtstrrek og Haar. - Sprog. - Nreringsmidler. - Mad. - Dyretilbedelse og Ofrin gcl'. - Hvorledes Negl'cne spiser Fetish c. - Omskrel'cisc, Navnegivniug. - Amuletter. - Ded og Begrayclse. - Lovvrescl1. - Greld og iEgteskabsbrud. - Tyvcri og Roveri. - Klassedeling i Agerdyricerc, Jregcl'c og Fiskere. - Dans og Lege. - Danseskuespil, Fetishdans. - Spil og ~lusilc. - !\lusikinstrumenter. - Tobaksrygning. - Trendernes Pleje. - Flerkoneri. - Giftermaal og Bryllup. - Forreldre og Bern. - Ekscmpel paa sonlig I{rerlighed. - Familiesammenhold. - Guldgravcl'i. Sygdomme. - Negrenes Folelse for de Hvide.

Source: UG
The Lancet Commission on pollution and health

Executive Summary For decades, pollution and its harmful effects on people’s health, the environment, and the planet have been neglected both by Governments and the international development agenda. Yet, pollution is the largest environmental cause of disease and death in the world today, responsible for an estimated 9 million premature deaths. The Lancet Commission on pollution and health addresses the full health and economic costs of air, water, and soil pollution. Through analyses of existing and emerging data, the Commission reveals pollution’s severe and underreported contribution to the Global Burden of Disease. It uncovers the economic costs of pollution to low-income and middle-income countries. The Commission will inform key decision makers around the world about the burden that pollution places on health and economic development, and about available cost-effective pollution control solutions and strategies.

Source: UG
Land And Contestations Over Autochthony And Local Citizenship In Agrarian Ghana

This article examines the reimagination of communities in an industrial cassava frontier of Ghana in the wake of a contested land grab supported by state and community institutions. Qualitative and survey data were used to construct the existing social relations in the communities through the lens of earlier processes of agrarian change that have transformed the social base of the communities. It is argued that the expansion of capitalist production systems into agrarian areas results in local citizenship contestations centered on land and redefinition and reclassification of people and their access to land. The multiple claims and contestations that arose from the land grab and the political reactions from below are highlighted. It is further argued that differentiated dispossession and class differences determine the strategies used by affected people. While some farmers demonstrated agency by holding on to a “little pie” to enjoy greater community social cohesion, others draw from their local citizenship status, although contested, fought the land grab.

Source: UG
Land Cover Changes in Ghana over the Past 24 Years

Changes in land cover (LC) can lead to environmental challenges, but few studies have investigated LC changes at a country wide scale in Ghana. Tracking LC changes at such a scale overtime is relevant for devising solutions to emerging issues. This study examined LC changes in Ghana for the past almost two and half decades covering 1995–2019 to highlight significant changes and opportunities for sustainable development. The study used land cover data for six selected years (1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2019) obtained from the European Space Agency. The data was analyzed using R, ArcGIS Pro and Microsoft Excel 365 ProPlus. The original data was reclassified into eight LC categories, namely: agriculture, bare area, built-up, forest, grassland, other vegetation, waterbody, and wetland. On average, the results revealed 0.7%, 131.7%, 23.3%, 46.9%, and 11.2% increases for agriculture, built-up, forest, waterbody, and wetland, respectively, across the nation. However, losses were observed for bare area (92.8%), grassland (51.1%), and other vegetation (41%) LCs overall. Notably, agricultural land use increased up to 2015 and decreased subsequently but this did not affect production of the major staple foods. These findings reveal the importance of LC monitoring and the need for strategic efforts to address the causes of undesirable change.

Source: UG
Land Cover Mapping in West Africa: A Collaborative Process.

The availability of current land cover and land use (LCLU) information for monitoring the status of land resources has considerable value in ensuring sustainable land use planning and development. Similarly, the need to provide updated information on the extent of LCLU change in West Africa has become apparent, given the increasing demand for land resources driven by rapid population growth. Over the past decade, multiple projects have been undertaken to produce regional and national land cover maps. However, using different classification systems and legends has made updating and sharing land cover information challenging. This has resulted in the inefficient use of human and financial resources. The development of the Land Cover Meta Language (LCML) based on International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards offers an opportunity to create a standardized classification system. This system would enable easier integration of regional and national data, efficient management of information, and better resource utilization in West Africa. This article emphasizes the process and the need for multistakeholder collaboration in developing a standardized land cover classification system for West Africa, which is currently nonexistent. It presents the survey data collected to evaluate historical, current, and future land cover mapping projects in the region and provides relevant use cases as examples for operationalizing a standardized land cover classification legend for West Africa.

Source: UG