ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Cattle blood as a suitable medium for cultivating Bacillus sphaericus

The large scale production of microorganisms depends on the suitability of the medium, its availability, cost and easy method of preparation. For culturing a species known to be suitable for insecticidal actions, protein as a basal medium is necessary. One of such rich basal media is blood. Cattle blood, a noted environmental pollutant, was used as a growth medium for the preparation of an effective bacterial insecticide, Bacillus sphaericus. Blood was selected for this study because of its high nutrient content, availability and low cost. Its growth and sporulation supporting capabilities for the test organism were compared with nutrient medium as the standard. The serum fraction in the blood was used as the main medium. Using Bacillus sphaericus strain IAB 1520, the medium was first compared with the standard in a pilot test to assess the general extent of comparison. Among various dilutions of serum tested against the standard medium, the 12.5% dilution was found to perform closest to the standard. It was therefore adopted for detailed study, which involved: plate counting, spectrophotometric measurements, colony diameter measurements and median lethal concentration determination. Colony counting units (CFU) of 3.7 x 107 were counted for the serum medium; the highest absorbance obtained was 1.94. The maximum colony diameter obtained was 22.7mm. Median lethal concentration of 1 o” was obtained from a log-probit graph sheet. Chi-square analyses of this value proved the serum medium efficacious. All the nutrients required by the bacterium were identified in the two media. In all cases, higher values were recorded in the serum broth. Sodium, however, was higher in the nutrient broth than in the serum broth. Finally it was observed that, as the price of the commercial nutrient media keep on increasing, the cattle blood on the other hand, could be obtained free of charge. This makes it relatively cheaper.

Source: KNUST
Causes and effects of delays in procurement of works at pre-tender stage in Upper Denkyira East Municipal Assembly

Procurement is part of the fiscal policies and programs directed towards achieving effective and efficient public financial management and national development. As an economic instrument for guaranteeing national development, when well planned, has the potency of contributing to the realization of improved resource mobilization, promote debt sustainability, effective management of debt, improves public expenditure management, enhances national income generation and reduce economic and financial dependency. However, procurement of works which controls government medium contracts has, for long, been overshadowed with inefficiency, corruption and disregard of fundamental "value for money" considerations. This has adversely impacted the rate and quality of progress in realizing the objectives of district development fund projects, especially in developing and transition countries. It delays project implementation which further increases costs, leads to poor project execution performance and delays the delivery of benefits to the beneficiaries. This study takes an integrated approach and attempts to analyze the impact of effects. A questionnaire survey was conducted to identify the causes and effects of delay from procurement entities. The population constituted a total of forty-five (45) purposively selected stakeholders made up of members of entity tender committee, tender evaluation panel, and procurement and management staff of upper Denkyira East Municipal Assembly; out of this number 30 questionnaires were received and analyzed. The outcome of the studies revealed that, a lot of time is spent on evaluating tenders and that certainly delays the procurement Process and also the delay of procurement of works at pre tender stage results in the delay of using the District Development Fund (DDF) to execute projects in the District. It was recommended that, quick releases of the DDF by the common fund Administrator to enable District Assemblies meet their budgeted expenditure commitment and able to execute their projects and programs on time. Government should attempt to review the Act to limit the number of steps in procurement process so as to reduce the level of bureaucracy in the system.

Source: KNUST
Causes and effects of loan defaults in the banking sector: (A case study of Okomfo Anokye rural bank Ltd)

A lot of improvement has been made since the first rural bank was established in 1976 at Agona Nyarkrom.In as much as deposits have been mobilized, as well as loans been granted, the habit of savings and thrift have been inculcated in the minds of our rural dwellers, as well as jobs also been created for our rural people. The study was therefore aimed at addressing the following issues: identifying the causes and effects of loan defaults, determining ways of reducing loan defaults in the banking industry and identifying the category of clients who default to enable banks take decisions on how to reduce the incidence of bad loans. The use of both self-administered well-designed paper questionnaires and interviews of some respondents after thorough explanation of the objectives of the study are the main techniques of primary data collection. SPSS and Eview were the main statistical software’s used. Frequency tables and graphs were used to draw data where applicable and analyzed adequately with the view of making financial sense from the data collected. Other statistical methods like the Categorical Regression, Linear Regression, Chi-Square Analysis, Analysis of Variance, among others were all employed to answer various research questions. The results of the study showed that, the major causes of loan default according to Bank Officials were diversion of loan, under financing, ineffective monitoring, poor weather conditions, marketing problems, lack of managerial know-how and terms of the loan whiles high interest rate, high processing fees, delayed in loan disbursement, short term of loan repayment and size of loans all accounted to defaults from the views of clients. From the study it was established that high rate of loan defaults affected the asset quality of the bank as well as reduction of profit of financial institutions. The following recommendations were made to reduce loan default by clients: Being due diligence and having prudent credit analysis to scrutinise prospective loan applicants of the Bank, regular monitoring of loans by Credit Officers, it is recommended that loans granted to customers should be well secured in terms of adequacy of the collateral provided and also ensure that proper legal documentation is put in place

Source: KNUST
The causes and health effects of river pollution: a case study of the Aboabo River, Kumasi

The rivers in the Kumasi Metropolis in recent times have become repositories for filth and human waste. The Aboabo River is one such river that is heavily polluted through varied human activity along its course. Despite the potential health hazards that the pollution of water bodies has for persons who use the water bodies, river pollution persists. A sample of 396 households living in the Aboabo River basin was studied. Structured questionnaires, observation, in-depth interviews and water quality analysis were employed. The study identified rapid population growth, institutional failures and industrial activities as remote anthropogenic causes of pollution of the Aboabo River. The main anthropogenic causes were identified as indiscriminate dumping of refuse, channeling of raw sewage, open defecation, discharge of untreated effluents and dumping of industrial waste into the Aboabo River. Physical tests showed that the Aboabo River was polluted since it had exceeded WHO Drinking water quality guidelines for color, taste, turbidity and odor. Faecal coliform count for water sampled at all stations was above 300 ×104 /100ml and had exceeded the WHO Drinking water quality guidelines of 0/100ml indicating pollution from human sources. The pollution of the river reduces its water quality and yields a significant health effect to people living in the river basin. Frequency of playing in the polluted river was positively correlated with occurrence of water related diseases in 322 children who frequently played in the river. The financial and logistical strengthening of institutions as well as proper enforcement of laws were recommended. In addition, the provision of adequate sanitation infrastructure and education was encouraged in order to ensure good healthy environments in the home, neighborhood and community levels.

Source: KNUST
Causes of construction delays in Ghana

In Ghana it is common for a construction project to encounter delays. Projects can be delayed for a number of reasons. The effects of delays are quite remarkable and it is an effort in the right direction if an attempt is made to find solutions to the causes of delays of construction projects in Ghana. The research sought to identify the most important significant factors that affect delays of construction projects in Ghana and strategies to minimise them. The literature review established fifty significant delay factors. The research comprised a questionnaire survey supplemented with interviews among consultants, clients and contractors (mainly Dl and D2) with the aim of identifying the most important factors that cause construction delays in Ghana. The research revealed that payment to contractor for work done. poor site management and supervision, shortage of liquidity, inadequate contractor experience, shortage of materials on the market, inaccurate materials estimating and necessary variations are the most important factors that cause delays from the point of view of consultants, clients and contractors in Ghana It was also revealed that defective work that must be removed and replaced, long waiting time for approval of test samples of materials, strikes, unforeseen general conditions, act of God, variations, inadequate contractor experience and delay in design information are the greatest contributors to the discrimination between clients, contractors and consultants.

Source: KNUST
Causes of delays in building construction projects with regular cash inflow: A survey of some selected projects in the Accra Metropolis

The study was conducted to determine the major factors that cause delays on project with regular cash inflow, know the tools used in addressing the issues of delays in the construction sector, and finally, investigate how project management practices are adopted to help minimize delays in projects with regular cash inflow. Using quantitative research design, questionnaires were issued to collect data from respondents and the data was analyzed using SPSS data analysis software (Version 22.0). results of the analyses were discussed and presented using figures/charts, frequencies and percentages. The study found that there had been delays in project management that affect the execution process. In addition, it was found that efforts are made to address such challenges to reduce their impacts on the overall project success levels. The study recommends that there should be much education and coordination for project parties to achieve the expected objectives.

Source: KNUST
CD27 expression of T-cells discriminates IGRA-negative TB patients from healthy contacts in Ghana

IFN-g release assays (IGRAs) have suboptimal sensitivity for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection and cannot discriminate between tuberculosis (TB) patients and healthy -potentially Mtb infected- contacts (HCs). In a case-control study, we determined T-cell phenotypes of IGRAs in TB patients (n ¼ 20) and HCs (n ¼ 20) from Ghana. CD27 expression of T-cells was significantly lower in TB patients as compared to HCs independent from Mtb-specificity. CD27 expression discriminated both study groups - including TB patients with low or indeterminate IGRA results - effectively. We conclude that CD27 is a promising biomarker for diagnosis of TB patients with inconclusive IGRA results.

Source: KNUST
Centre for African history and Arts, Kunsu, Brong Ahafo Region

The Centre for African History and Art is a design proposal which will house exhibits of African artworks and reminiscences of African history. This proposal will be sited in Kunsu, Ghana, and would be a monument for African identity. The design of this facility shall satisfy most of the architectural design requirements for tropical climate. The materials and architectural features used would produce an outstanding tropical and African architecture which will be aesthetically pleasing. The history and arts of Africans have got an impact on the type of architecture practiced in Africa. The forms, spaces, materials and architectural features of buildings in Africa can portray the culture, history and art of Africans. The transition in the cultures and arts of Africans over the years has also reflected in their architecture. The construction technology and finishes used for buildings can be related to the works of arts and crafts of Africans. Tropical architecture is the type of architecture adapted in the Tropics in order to solve the problems imposed on building design by the harsh tropical weather conditions. The materials, finishes and architectural design features employed in vernacular and contemporary tropical architecture would be evaluated in this dissertation. The Centre for African History and Art will collect and exhibit art from throughout Africa. The collection, which dates from antiquity to the present, would include traditional masks and figures, textiles, costumes and jewellery, furniture, household objects and architectural elements, as well as modern sculpture, paintings, prints and ceramics. This facility will be very beneficial to all Africans in the world.

Source: KNUST
Centre For Non Formal Education Programme

Emphasis is placed on the process of learning to read and write as a means of developing critical awareness of social and economic life. It became more generally recognised that literacy by itself does not lead to social improvement, and that a wider definition of Social Literacy was needed. The Declaration of persepolis in 1975 reflected this view when it defined literacy as a “contribution to the liberation of man and his full development”. The Declaration stated that literacy should make people capable “of acting upon the world, of transforming it”. LITERACY: A HUMAN RIGHT By the 1980s the broader definition of literacy as being central to human development itself had become generally accepted. Attention shifted to the continued failure of many literacy programmes and to the mounting levels of illiteracy. Emphasis was put on people’s right to literacy and on the priority of universal literacy as a component of development itself. The Declaration of Paris (1985) takied about the “right to learn, the right to read and write, the right to question and analyse, the right to imagine and create, the right to read one’s world and to write history. By the start of international year (ILY) in 1990 such pressures had been summarised in the call for “Literacy for all by the year 2000’.

Source: KNUST
Centre for the development of people (CEDEP) resource centre

The development challenges facing Ghana in the last decade of the twentieth century call for sound effective and efficient national leadership in development activities in all sectors of the economy. In the past, various programmes and institutions were established like tertiary institutions, polytechnics, training colleges and vocational schools to equip the human resource with some skills. However, because of the low development activities in the country job opportunities is non-existence hence causing 19.5% unemployment growth rate. The situation has become acute because of a number of reasons which include: 1. Governments’ embargo on employment within the public sector 2. Redundancy and unemployment exercise currently going on in the public service and the State Owned Enterprises and Corporations 3. Under developed private sector To ease the unemployment situation, the Government Policy now is to encourage the Private Sector to create more jobs. This has then led to the establishment of several non-governmental organizations such as the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), Ghana Association of Private and Voluntary Organizations in Development (GAPVOD) as well as the Centre for Development of People (CEDEP). It must be noted that the problem of unemployment does confront both those in the formal and informal sectors as well. This is because the skills one acquires after going through some kind of training does not necessarily make him an entrepreneur. The present economic problems that confront our nation as at now have hampered the development initiatives of dynamic groups and talented individuals in our communities. The role of CEDEP therefore, is to evolve a network of groups and individuals engaged in development initiatives and provide resources that will enhance their skills. However, because of limited facilities, in terms of space, the organizations, activities have been hampered. Thus, as part of my contribution towards CEDEPs operations, I decided to undertake this study as a student architect to help make their dreams a reality. The study therefore aims at providing a permanent Resource Centre for CEDEP where our skilled labour could go for assistance. In conclusion, I would say even though the potential and resources for development are available, most Ghanaians sit without jobs because they lack direction and guidance which the Centre for Development of People is ready to provide.

Source: KNUST
Ceramic art and expression: experimenting with mosaic art

Mosaic art has been practiced all over the world and generally in two dimensional forms. The main objective of this project is to depict Clay beads mosaic in a three dimensional form for better appreciation and artistic grandeur in clay medium. Inspired by the wisdom of the Egret bird, a design was developed to produce a thought- provoking piece titled “Wisdom Bead Mosaic”. This work was achieved through design thinking, systematic procedure and a tandem of artistic skills and studio practice. The materials used were clay, iron rods and binding wire. The nine (9) feet work provided stimuli among both artist and non-artist. It became evidently clear that mosaic art can be expressively executed in three dimensional and be a resource for beautifying the environment. The project has argued for extrapolation of techniques into different dimensions and also the exemplification and careful repetition of beads and material culture

Source: KNUST
Ceramic mural for Offinso District Library

Mural, which forms an integral part of architecture, is any form of pictorial scene created on the wall or floor of a building mostly as a means of decoration, and identification. In modern architectural, murals do not only perform these functions but they also educate. This project therefore in the form of ceramic mural for the Offinso Library Complex is to, decorate, advertise and educate the reading public and especially pupils and students. This is the researcher’s contribution to promote reading with the aim of improving the falling standard of education in the Offinso District. To achieve this objective, attempts were made to come out with an appropriate drawing, of a library scene made up of a cross-section of everybody who quests for knowledge. After reviewing the literature of the topics, the necessary tools and materials were assembled. To achieve a successful result, experiments were conducted in order to secure the best clay for the project. Equally, the tests for the glazes were given attention. All the necessary tests for the clay which include porosity and Shrinkage were made. The glazes were also tested against using samples of the fired clay bodies which were fired to the required temperature before the final work was executed. Unfortunately the finished work was not successful due to frustrations experienced in the glost firing as a result of the poor nature of the kiln. This compelled the researcher to compose a new clay body and the use of acrylic to paint the work instead of glazing. This finally, yielded a fruitful result for the final work. It is therefore recommended that to come out with a colourful ceramic mural painting, acrylic is more appropriate to avoid any problems in glazing and glost firing which will finally mar the finishing of the work. The extensive use of photographs and illustrations intended to create clear understanding of the project and to educate ceramic and non-ceramic artists who may wish to undertake similar projects.

Source: KNUST
Ceramic furniture (an experimental project)

The objective of the research on Ceramic Furniture is to design and produce samples of ceramic furniture pieces. Furniture in wood has dominated any efforts in producing furniture in ceramic materials. The problem posed to the researcher is to explore ‘clay’ as a viable and reliable material that would singularly or in combination with other materials produce furniture. The depleting of wood forest is forcing man to explore other materials for making furniture. The research into the art of Ceramic Furniture is to introduce a new craft into the curriculum of schools. The research goes in to prove a hypothesis that ceramic materials like clay and cement can supplement wood in furniture production. Samples of clays were experimented upon to find an appropriate clay body that would be suitable for furniture production. Designs were carried out and some of them depicting some Ghanaian symbols were adopted. Sample pieces produced ranged from miniatures to life sizes. In every sample case, a different clay body was experimented. Clay wares made for furniture have existed in rural ethnic communities. .However, little effort has been made intentionally to produce furniture from clay or other ceramic materials, notably; cement stands out widespread in the production of garden furniture for parks, homes and schools. The researcher gathered most information from the inter-net, libraries and local traditional sources. Lack of sufficient information on clay furniture or the research into its production made the craft unknown particularly in Ghana. The researcher recommends that the subject of Ceramic Furniture be introduced into the Visual Arts programmes of schools, colleges and the universities.

Source: KNUST