ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Osteometric Assessment of Bones of Ghanaian Males

Osteometric assessment of human skeletal remains for sex, age and stature estimation has been an important activity of forensic anthropologist and other skeletal biologists. The need for establishment of population-specific standards using osteometric methods has been emphasized due to intra-population and inter-population sexual dimorphism. While some populations have made several strides to standardize their samples, very little attempt has been made using Ghanaian samples. This study was carried out primarily to develop baseline data for sampled Ghanaian male skeletal remains, and also compare them with other samples for regional variation. A total of 300 different paired postcranial bones- femora, humeri, tibiae, radii, ulnae, fibulae, os coxae and articulated pelves housed at the Department of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences (SMS), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) were measured for various osteometric indices using a sliding caliper, measuring tape, a pair of dividers and a flat wooden board. The Ghanaian male femoral length was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of Thais, Chinese, Indians and Hong Kong Chinese. Humeral epicondylar breadth was also significantly different from Thais, Hong Kong Chinese, South African Whites and South African Blacks. However, the Ghanaian sample was similar (p>0.05) to Thai, Hong Kong and South African black males and females in innomate height and iliac breadth. Based on the studied sample, the ulna was dissimilar from the comparative sample populations in all its measured variables. The findings of this study further suggest that regional osteometric variation exists. Osteometric isolation of skeletal remains of Ghanaian males would be best achieved by combination several variables of a particular bone or by femoral, radial and ulna lengths as well as tibial proximal breadth, humeral epicondylar breadth and acetabular diameter.

Source: KNUST
Organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticide residue levels in water bodies in cotton growing areas in Savelugu/Nanton District, Northern Region, Ghana

Organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticide residue levels in water bodies in cotton growing areas in Savelugu/Nanton District in the northern region of Ghana were investigated. Water samples were collected from twelve boreholes and four hand-dug-out wells from sixteen communities in the district and analyzed using the US EPA Method 3510 for aqueous matrix for the analysis of semi-volatile and non-volatile organics. In total, eight different insecticides were detected. Concentrations of Cyhalothrin, Chlorpyriphos and Flubendiamide in the water samples were 0.910, 0.870 and 0.621 μg/L, respectively, and were higher than the maximum residue limit of 0.5 μg/L set by the Ghana Standard Authority and the acceptable limit of the European Economic Commission standard for drinking water (0.1 μg/L) . Concentration of cypermethrin, acetamiprid, Flubendiamide, profenos and imidacloprid were below the detection limit by 12, 43, 37, 25 and 44%, respectively in the water samples analyzed. The results of this study provide information on levels of various insecticide residues in the water bodies in the cotton growing areas in the district and the potential health risks to users and farmers. The further also revealed that insecticide handling among cotton farmers in the District is inadequate.

Source: KNUST
Organophosphorous Insecticide Residues in Tomatoes and Cabbage Sold at Nkawkaw Market in the Eastern Region of Ghana

The use of insecticides in controlling different types of pest is one of the essential measures of modern food crops production. However, the residue resulting from misapplication of pesticides on vegetables is a crucial concern not only to the people of Ghana but the international community at large. The aim of this project was to determine the usage of organophosphorus insecticides, the types and their residue levels in tomatoes and cabbage sold at the Nkawkaw market. The objectives were to determine: the sources of production of Cabbage and Tomato sold at the Nkawkaw market, the types of Organophosphate insecticides sold to tomato and cabbage farmers by the agrochemical sellers, the frequency and times of administration by the farmers and the concentrations of Organophosphate insecticides identified in the Cabbage and Tomato sold in the above mentioned market. Questionnaire interviews showed that of fifty sellers, only 17 (34%) dealt with the farmers directly, while 33 (66%) took their suppliers from those who go to the farmers directly (middle women). Out of the seventeen (17) farmers, eleven (65%) have their farms located in Nkawkaw and nearby areas; three (18%) of them have their farms in the Asante Akim District, whilst the remaining three (18%) have their farms at Kumawu in the Ashanti region. It was also realized that, farmers sprayed their vegetables throughout the growing season of the crop. Most of the pesticides used by the farmers were organochlorine. From the results of the laboratory test, only Ethoprophos and Phorate with mean concentrations of <0.01 and 0.02mg/kg respectively were detected in the cabbage samples. Malathion, Chlorpyrifos and Profenofos with their mean concentrations as <0.01, <0.01 and 0.47mg/kg respectively were detected in the tomato samples.

Source: KNUST
Our Past, Our Guide: A Study of the Performance of Apoↄ Festival Songs of the People of Techiman in the Bono East Region of Ghana

ABSTRACT This study examined the content of songs performed at traditional festivals in Ghana. The song texts are information source mostly forsaken in the study of traditions and cultures, yet, they hold a significant part of oral history. This paper specifically analyses the song texts of Apoɔ festival songs which is performed by the people of Techiman. Apoɔ song texts are enriched with ethical and moral values. This study examines how these positive values are used to control the behaviour of the indigenes of Techiman. The paper relies on primary data gathered through personal interviews conducted with citizens of Techiman, songs recorded through participant observation and their transcription. The study also examines Apoɔ songs from the perspective of performance drawing on the major theories of Richard Bauman. Some of the findings are that despite the incursion of foreign culture and modern methods of controlling the society, Apoɔ festival songs are still used as a medium for social control in the Techiman Municipality. It is concluded that the society has got its own in-built mechanism for morality. Chiefs and policy makers must therefore work assiduously to help sustain our rich heritage which seems to be diminishing in recent times. Apoɔ festival songs reveal the virtues and vices, as well as project the culture, customs and traditions of the people of Techiman.

Source: KNUST
Outsourcing in the Procurement of Building Structures and its Effect on Project Delivery in Ghana

Construction has become very sophisticated and diverse with new designs, technology and products being adopted in the procurement of contemporary building structures. Construction organisations in their bid to be competitive and meet their clients demand outsource various services to able external vendors. The organisations outsource primarily because it may not be their core function or they lack the necessary requisite technical expertise and resources. This study identifies the various resources and services construction organisations outsource and the effect on project delivery in Ghana. Open ended, Close ended and Likert type questionnaire were developed and distributed to construction organisations in the Ministry Of Water Resources, Works and Housing category D1K1 to D4K4 in Accra. Each questionnaire had 22 questions with the Likert Type having a maximum magnitude of 5. SPSS version 17 was used to analyze the data. The result indicated that skilled labour were predominantly outsourced in Accra compared to the unskilled in the labour category. Excavators were outsourced more in Accra in the earthmoving equipment category as compared to bull dozers, backhoe/site master and trenchers in that order. The most outsourced concreting plant in Accra was the truck mounted concrete mixers in that category. Architectural Services were outsourced more in the consultancy service category with contract management being the least outsourced. Electrical works was the most outsourced services with tiling/terrazzo being the finish most outsourced in their respective categories. External vendors predominantly met their completion schedules. There is the need for appropriate measures to be taken to enhance outsourcing in Ghanaian Construction to ensure value for money to client and maximum productivity to construction organisations. This can be done through efficient and effective outsourcing and proper monitoring and supervision of outsourced external vendors. Keywords: Outsourcing, Procurement, Building Structures, Effect, Project Delivery, Ghana.

Source: KNUST
Outdoor Ceramic - Sculpture

Art is defined as self-expression, a creative process and is also said to be a projection of one’s environment through one of such self-expressive activities. It behoves the researcher to delve into the subject and come out with some unique form of art. As far back as the prehistoric era sculpture has been known to deal with the creation of two or three-dimensional solid forms using clay, stone, bone, wood and other plastic media. The clays were fired for permanence either accidentally or consciously. “Sculpture is not a fixed term that applies to a permanently circumscribed category of objects or sots of activities. It is rather the name of an art that grows and changes and continually extending the range of its activities and evolving new kinds of objects. The scope of the term is much wider in the second half of the 20th Century than it was only two decades ago, and in the present state of the visual arts nobody can predict what its future extensions are likely to be. The pre-20th Century art of sculpture was mainly representational but the 20th century has seen non-functional, non-representational three-dimensional forms of sculpture. Also, traditional materials like stone, wood, metal, ivory, bronze and clay have now got additions too. Present day sculptors are also using any materials that may serve their purposes. But, the fact still remains that sculpture is a branch of visual arts, that is especially concerned with the creation of expressive forms in three-dimension” 1 Pottery, as it appears always attached to ceramics, is the art of creating from clay’ like cups, jugs, vases and pots and subjecting them to biscuit firing between 700°C and 900°C without glazing them”2 “Ceramics, like pottery, also refers to such works from clay given a first firing up to 900° C. it is further given a glaze coating which is fired even up to 1200° C and more. It embraces works like sewerage pipes, insulators and dielectrics most of which require high heat. Often described as a field of high temperature technology.”3 Ceramic Sculpture therefore is the marriage between the two aspects of visual arts with each .showing a reflection of the other in the finished piece of work, mainly in clay. In light of this the Ceramic Sculptor therefore usurps the situation and works within the two areas of art to his advantage. Some cement sculptures including cemetery or tomb sculptures are also found painted realistically with enamel paints. We sometimes cover walls of bathrooms, toilets, kitchen, swimming pools, cenotaph’s church buildings and fountains with glazed tiles to protect, decorate or beautify and give value to the structure in question.

Source: KNUST
Overview of surface to near‑surface atmospheric profles over selected domain during the QWeCI project

Assessing the evolution of surface to near-surface atmospheric fuxes is key to improving our understanding of their interactions, while further advancing climate applications. In this paper, an overview of the diurnal to seasonal evolution of some surface to near-surface atmospheric fuxes, coupled with their interactions, have been provided. Fluxes of downwelling and upwelling radiation (SW↓, SW↑, LW↓, LW↑), soil heat fux (ΔH), relative humidity (RH), rainfall (RR) and surface air temperature (T), measured from two diferent locations (Owabi and KNUST) and at a temporal resolution of 10 min, encompassing the quantifying weather and climate impact (QWeCI) Project period (2011–2013), were used to assess their relationship on diurnal to seasonal scales. First, diurnal assessments of the various profles were performed. These provided information on the relatively active daytime, with the earth surface exposed to substantial SW↓, initiating rising and sinking thermals which subsequently increased T and ΔH, with reductions in RH until few hours after midday, beyond which a reversal was observed. Also, ΔH from the vegetative terrain (Owabi) was found to be directed into the surface at daytime, and released from the sub-surface layer back into the atmosphere at night time, compensating the energy loss by LW↑ from the surface. Furthermore, rainfall (RR) in both locations were found to be generally convective and occurring mostly between 1500 GMT and 2300 GMT. The relationship between net radiation (RN) and RR is presently statistically unclear, although rainfall peaks were found to be occurring at low RN and relatively warmer T, accompanied by high RH. Thereafter, seasonal assessments were performed to capture the monthly-averaged diurnal variabilities in the measured surface to near-surface parameters. These showed heightened daytime T, ΔH and RN, coupled with relatively low RH within the dry seasons, and more reduced profles within the monsoon season. Additionally, countrywide assessments were performed using ERA-5 datasets which showed similarities with the in situ data. However, convective rains over the domain were not fully resolved in ERA-5. Nonetheless, the fndings of this study are essential to understanding surface energy balance processes in tropical, humid climates, which is important for various climate-impact modeling applications and policy formulations over the region.

Source: KNUST
Overriding the financial challenges of state mass transport companies in Ghana: A Case Study of Metro Mass Transit Company Limited

In Ghana, many transport companies have collapsed; among them are City Express Services (CES), Omnibus Service Authority (OSA), Kingdom Transport, Opoku Transport and the near collapse of State Transport Corporation (STC). The public transport sector of Ghana is on the verge of collapse, largely due to mismanagement, unproductive attitudes of employees and ticket racketeering This study identifies the various solutions that can override the numerous financial challenges facing Metro Mass Transit Co. Ltd. The objective is to examine the management practices, it effectiveness and effects on the performance of Metro Mass Transit Co. Ltd. In order to achieve the objectives of the study both primary and secondary data were obtained to assess the financial performance and identify the enormous challenges facing the company. Data collection instruments used were questionnaires and audited annual financial reports of Metro Mass Transit Limited for the period 2009 to 2013. The collated primary data was processed and analysed using the Statistical Software Programme for Social Sciences (SPSS version 17), whereas the secondary data with regards to the performance and management financing decisions or practices was analysed using Microsoft-Excel version 2010. Financial ratios were employed as tools for measuring the performance of MMT and to determine their financing decisions from 2009 to 2013. The result of the study showed that performance of MMT has been abysmal over the years and most of the financial management practices or decisions have had a negative impact on the profitability of the company. Staffs of the company are also distraught about their conditions of service. MMT Ltd has long and positive cash vi conversion cycle implying that it takes the company longer days to convert its inventory into cash to pay its suppliers for goods and services thus suppliers are paid through external financing such as overdraft. The liquidity ratios were too high which suggest inefficient use of short-term financing facilities. The company is also highly leveraged though the leverage level of 4.36 in 2009 has reduced to 1.24 in 2013; this has affected profitability negatively as Operating profit Margin also reduced from 20.25% in 2009 to 2.92% in 2013. The study recommends that management of MMT must improve on their working capital management and also reduce their operational cost to remain competitive in the transport industry.

Source: KNUST
Overview of surface to near‑surface atmospheric profles over selected domain during the QWeCI project

Abstract Assessing the evolution of surface to near-surface atmospheric fuxes is key to improving our understanding of their interactions, while further advancing climate applications. In this paper, an overview of the diurnal to seasonal evolution of some surface to near-surface atmospheric fuxes, coupled with their interactions, have been provided. Fluxes of downwelling and upwelling radiation (SW↓, SW↑, LW↓, LW↑), soil heat fux (ΔH), relative humidity (RH), rainfall (RR) and surface air temperature (T), measured from two diferent locations (Owabi and KNUST) and at a temporal resolution of 10 min, encompassing the quantifying weather and climate impact (QWeCI) Project period (2011–2013), were used to assess their relationship on diurnal to seasonal scales. First, diurnal assessments of the various profles were performed. These provided information on the relatively active daytime, with the earth surface exposed to substantial SW↓, initiating rising and sinking thermals which subsequently increased T and ΔH, with reductions in RH until few hours after midday, beyond which a reversal was observed. Also, ΔH from the vegetative terrain (Owabi) was found to be directed into the surface at daytime, and released from the sub-surface layer back into the atmosphere at night time, compensating the energy loss by LW↑ from the surface. Furthermore, rainfall (RR) in both locations were found to be generally convective and occurring mostly between 1500 GMT and 2300 GMT. The relationship between net radiation (RN) and RR is presently statistically unclear, although rainfall peaks were found to be occurring at low RN and relatively warmer T, accompanied by high RH. Thereafter, seasonal assessments were performed to capture the monthly-averaged diurnal variabilities in the measured surface to near-surface parameters. These showed heightened daytime T, ΔH and RN, coupled with relatively low RH within the dry seasons, and more reduced profles within the monsoon season. Additionally, countrywide assessments were performed using ERA-5 datasets which showed similarities with the in situ data. However, convective rains over the domain were not fully resolved in ERA-5. Nonetheless, the fndings of this study are essential to understanding surface energy balance processes in tropical, humid climates, which is important for various climate-impact modeling applications and policy formulations over the region.

Source: KNUST
An Overview of Teaching/Learning of Creativity in the Colleges of Education in Brong-Ahafo Region: A Case Study of Berekum College of Education

Many students in Ghana’s Colleges of Education lack the confidence and ability to create art works. This situation negatively affects them not only in their personal attitudes but also in internal and external examinations in creativity as a subject of study in the Colleges of Education in Ghana. Creativity is a subject that is taught within the Fundamentals in Visual Arts Related curriculum. It is compulsory for first year students of Colleges of Education in Ghana and examined in the first semester examinations. This study was conducted to find out the problems associated with the teaching and learning of Creativity as a subject of study; as well as ascertain the students’ understanding of creativity and how this is interpreted in the artworks produced in the three Colleges of Education in the Brong-Ahafo Region. This study employed the qualitative research method to identify and describe the challenges of teaching and learning of creativity in the Berekum College of Education as a case study, touching on appropriate methods, techniques, and importance of creativity and how to combat students’ inability to perform well in the subject. This study revealed that many of the students were not exposed to the teaching and learning of Creative Arts activities at the basic and secondary levels of education; the College Art tutors find it difficult promoting creativity among teacher trainees because the time allotted for this topic is inadequate for practical activities. Although teaching strategies that were adopted for this study yielded positive results it cannot be taken for granted that all is well. The study found that teaching creativity in Visual Arts using techniques such as brainstorming, motivation, practical skills development; and teaching methods such as inquiry- discovery, demonstration and field trips assisted in the development of the sampled students’ creative knowledge and skills. Problems identified in the study include the College tutors’ inability to use appropriate teaching methods to help their students to understand the concept and process of creativity since the school system in Ghana does not expose students to Visual Arts early enough to enable them develop creative skills. The study recommends that in the study of creativity, the students should work in teams and have regular practice exercises so that they would generate ideas together and work without copying from their colleagues and hence improve the aesthetic quality of works they produce. In addition, the Ministry of Education must enforce the teaching and learning of Creative Arts at all levels of education, including the Colleges of Education to promote and enhance development within the school and college curricula. The study also recommends that workshops must be organized periodically to make teachers at all levels aware of the appropriate methods of teaching Creativity.

Source: KNUST