ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Land conflicts and human rights abuses in Ghana, a study of Nyanyano and Kokrobitey from 1979

This study which is purely qualitative examined the extent to which the Nyanyano and Kokrobitey land conflict has undermined human rights of the people of the two communities. Sixteen (16) study participants were sampled via purposive and snowball sampling techniques for the study. Face-to-face interview, personal observation and documentary review were used to gather data. Data collected was analyzed using thematic and content analysis as well as narratives (verbatim quotes). This study revealed that there is unresolved land conflict between these two towns, which is due to the refusal or unwillingness of one party to adhere to the findings of Stool Lands Boundaries Settlement Commission of 1984. The conflict is said to be historical, intractable and cyclical, violent and volatile in nature. This defiance has led to further encroachment and subsequent clashes between the ethnic groups. In recent times, actions of successive governments to create administrative political boundaries and failure and lackadaisical approach of state and law enforcement agencies has rekindled the conflict. The violated, had suffered arbitrary arrests, unlawful detentions in police cells; loss of life and properties; assaults and brutalities; torture and displacements, and deprivation of right to education. These acts constituted the abuse and violation of their human rights. The communities and government institutions have adopted a relaxed approach to manage and resolve the conflict, and to protect loss of life and property. It was recommended that the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the conflict areas should liaise with the communities, Ghana Police Service, and other state institutions to educate or sensitize the feuding communities on the need to manage and resolve the conflict; and to adopt the campaign on zero tolerance for land conflict.

Source: UEW
Land rights of widows in the matrilineal system of inheritance the case of Badu Community in the Tain District

This research was undertaken to examine how the matrilineal system of inheritance affects widows and children's access to land in the Badu community in the Tain District of the Bono Region. Badu was selected as a location because, it is one of the Districts in Ghana that practice matrilineal inheritance. The study adopted the qualitative research approach to obtain data from chiefs, elders, spouses and children with practical experience, knowledge and understanding of matrilineal system of inheritance. The study include use of purposeful sampling technique. Interviews were conducted as primary data collection instruments together with documents and online articles as the secondary data for the study. It emerged in the study that, matrilineal system of inheritance has effects on widows’ access to land in the Badu Community. It was revealed that access to shelter, farmlands, instances of inequality, injustice and gendered stereotypes and widows’ land rights, were some of the effects widows have to battle with. Also, statutory laws and the cultural compliance of land ownership in the Badu Community shows the inaccessibility of formal legal system, lack of information about the laws and dangers of lineage reprisal for violating customary laws. Human rights implications of land ownership in the matrilineal system of inheritance in Badu Community revealed violation of right to access and use of land and violation of the right to shelter as the major land rights challenges in the Badu Community.

Source: UEW
Land tenure and land development in Ghana (a case study of Nkawkaw Township).

The significance of land for building is undisputable. The concept of property right and the nature of rights prevailing on a particular piece of land and land development issues are the core of the study. The purpose of study is to investigate the challenges associated with land tenure and development issues in Ghana. Using a survey and case study research design, simple random sampling, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussion and observation as the field instrument, the dynamics of land tenure and development issues in the Nkawkaw area were studied. The results of the study has revealed that the activities of unqualified land surveyors and non-availability of planning scheme in the area have resulted in cases of multiple sales of land, encroachment and disputes. Land registration and the acquisition of permit before building was not their priority. Among the findings of the study is that some client out of ignorance acquired land from unauthorised source. It also showed that most of the time these clients manage to execute project either with or without approval. The study recommended that pragmatic measure must be put in place to resolve the challenges facing land tenure and development in the area. The allocation of land must be streamlined. The customary land rights in the area must be codified and Town and Country Planning Department must be empowered to enforce planning decisions. The land registration regime currently operational must be decentralized to ensure timely service delivery and cost reduction. Above all there should be more educational campaigns to inform the people on new development in the area.

Source: UEW
Land use land cover dynamics and fragmentation-induced changes in woody plant community structure in a mining landscape, Ghana

The study assessed the dynamics of mining land use land cover changes and consequent fragmentation impacts on woody plant community structure in the Ahafo Region, Ghana. Landsat images were utilised to determine land use and cover changes using a supervised classification method. Plant community structure was determined within 60 (20 � 20 m) plots that were randomly laid in equal numbers in fragmented and intact forests. Our findings showed that the mining landscape experienced a substantial land use/cover change between 2003 and 2018, with considerable forest cover loss at the expense of increasing cover of plantation, settlement/bare surface, mine site, and waterbody. Woody plant species diversity was significantly lower in the fragmented forest around the mine. Likewise, fragmentation caused a shift in plant species composition in the fragmented forest, whose composition was less homogenised compared to the intact forest. Plant abundance did not differ significantly between the two forests, but it was invasive and cultivated tree species that increased the total abundance of woody plants in the fragmented forests. The mining landscape was dominated by an invasive alien species, Broussonetia papyrifera which poses an ecological threat to native species. In conclusion, our findings suggest that mining contributed to intense land use/cover dynamics and fragmentation that impaired woody plant community structure around the mine. There is the need to accord priority to management intervention that would seek to manage and conserve the remaining forest fragments and its biodiversity in the mining landscape. � 2021 The Author(s)

Source: UEW
Landscape dynamics and related geo hazard in the Ga South Municipality, Ghana

Given the extent of human activities and the level of excavations taking place, the Mile11 Hills have become a potential geo-hazard zone. This study sought to investigate the extent of landscape change, it causes and possible geological hazards between 1986 and 2018 where explanatory sequential design and the mixed-method research approach was adopted to achieve the study’s objectives. The study used spatial cartographic tools (GIS and Remote Sensing) to examine the extent of landscape change. As well, forty participants were purposively sampled and interviewed for the qualitative analysis. The results confirmed the landscape was undergoing both degradational and depositional geomorphic changes. About 56.11% of the landscape underwent degradation while 43.89% underwent deposition. Geomorphic change in the municipality was largely due to anthropogenic change rather than geological changes which were evidenced by the activities of urbanisation, sand mining and quarrying, posing a potential geo-hazard risk to residents in the area. The area was rapidly losing vegetative cover to urbanisation between 2003 and 2018. Possible geological hazards envisaged included earthquake, landscape influenced flooding, mudflow and landslide. It is therefore recommended that drastic measure should be taken to zone and relocate residents from the area. Proper coordination between traditional land owners, EPA, GGSA and GSMA be ensured to enhance proper planning in the municipality. Hazard prone areas should also be zoned and residents relocated to prevent future fatalities.

Source: UEW
Landscape dynamics and related geo-hazard in the Ga South Municipality, Ghana

Given the extent of human activities and the level of excavations taking place, the Mile11 Hills have become a potential geo-hazard zone. This study sought to investigate the extent of landscape change, it causes and possible geological hazards between 1986 and 2018 where explanatory sequential design and the mixed-method research approach was adopted to achieve the study’s objectives. The study used spatial cartographic tools (GIS and Remote Sensing) to examine the extent of landscape change. As well, forty participants were purposively sampled and interviewed for the qualitative analysis. The results confirmed the landscape was undergoing both degradational and depositional geomorphic changes. About 56.11% of the landscape underwent degradation while 43.89% underwent deposition. Geomorphic change in the municipality was largely due to anthropogenic change rather than geological changes which were evidenced by the activities of urbanisation, sand mining and quarrying, posing a potential geo-hazard risk to residents in the area. The area was rapidly losing vegetative cover to urbanisation between 2003 and 2018. Possible geological hazards envisaged included earthquake, landscape influenced flooding, mudflow and landslide. It is therefore recommended that drastic measure should be taken to zone and relocate residents from the area. Proper coordination between traditional land owners, EPA, GGSA and GSMA be ensured to enhance proper planning in the municipality. Hazard prone areas should also be zoned and residents relocated to prevent future fatalities.

Source: UEW
The language of advertising_analysis of lanaguage use in MTN Ghana print advertisement

The purpose of this study is to investigate the language of advertising and analyse its use in MTN Ghana print advertisements. The study looked at the language devices the MTN Ghana copywriter uses in writing the advertisements and how these devices are manipulated to lure potential customers to sign onto the network. It also investigated the most used language devices in MTN Ghana print advertisements. Qualitative case study design was employed for the study. Data for the study was all the MTN Ghana print advertisements running in the system from June, 2015 up to June, 2016. Fifty (50) advertisements were purposively selected and analysed. The analysis was based on Nord’s (1997) theory of Functionalist Interpretation of Text Typology. The study found out that the language devices in the MTN Ghana print advertisements were: phonological levels- rhyme, alliteration, assonance, and unpredictable spellings; lexical levels- nouns, adjectives, verbs, and pronouns; morphological levels conversion, acronymy, and coinage; syntactic levels- imperative sentences, declarative sentences, interrogative sentences, exclamatory sentences, ellipsis, and incomplete sentences; semantic levels- personification, hyperbole, and repetition; and lastly, code-switching. It was also found out that the most frequently used language devices are imperative sentences and adjectives which are used to influence the target audience to sign onto the MTN Ghana network.

Source: UEW
The language of alcholic advertisement in Ghana

This research focuses on the language of alcoholic advertisement texts in Ghana. The purpose was to investigate the linguistic features embedded in alcoholic advertisement texts as well as their communicative functions. Picture taking, interviews and snapshots of televised alcoholic advertising texts were used for data collection. In all, ten pictures and three people were interviewed. The Layered meaning theory (Clarks, 1996) was used for the qualitative analysis. The findings revealed that lexical, morphological sociolinguistic features, discourse and pragmatic as well as syntactic features were embedded in alcoholic advertisement Text. Moreover, the communicative functions were that, alcoholic advertisement texts demonstrate the uniqueness of the drink, increases the persuasion among viewers and listeners and also communicates the actual composition of the drinks as well as enhances memorability and readability by creating product brand awareness.

Source: UEW
The language of deception transitivity analysis of scam email messages

The increasing use of the internet has also increased the chances of receiving scam emails. Several linguistics approaches have been used by researchers to conduct several studies on deception. Even though these approaches have helped to detect deception, they focus on aspects of the texts as opposed to a holistic analysis of the functional orientation of the texts. This study examines how deception is construed through linguistic choices, by first breaking up email texts into clauses, and then following up with a detailed clause-by-clause analysis. The focus of the study is on the transitivity choices used by email scammers to construe fraud in an attempt to manage information in order to manipulate email recipients. The data consist of forty scam email messages solicited from various recipients and also downloaded from a website. The study made several findings: first, transitivity patterns of the material processes in scam email messages show that the scammers variously position themselves as negotiable, vulnerable and generous; second, transitivity patterns associated with the relational processes reveal the identity of the scammers as credible and respectable persons in society; third, the identified mental clauses demonstrate that scammers feign commitment and dedication in the scam email messages; fourth, the patterns show that the Sayers in verbal processes are usually thanking the recipients, blessing the recipients, and seeking for assistance from the recipients. The behavioural process was used to urge recipients to respond to the scam emails while the existential process was used to motivate the recipients to reply to the emails. The study finally concludes that various linguistic strategies were deployed by the scammers to manipulate target recipients.

Source: UEW
The language of deception, transitivity analysis of scam email messages

The increasing use of the internet has also increased the chances of receiving scam emails. Several linguistics approaches have been used by researchers to conduct several studies on deception. Even though these approaches have helped to detect deception, they focus on aspects of the texts as opposed to a holistic analysis of the functional orientation of the texts. This study examines how deception is construed through linguistic choices, by first breaking up email texts into clauses, and then following up with a detailed clause-by-clause analysis. The focus of the study is on the transitivity choices used by email scammers to construe fraud in an attempt to manage information in order to manipulate email recipients. The data consist of forty scam email messages solicited from various recipients and also downloaded from a website. The study made several findings: first, transitivity patterns of the material processes in scam email messages show that the scammers variously position themselves as negotiable, vulnerable and generous; second, transitivity patterns associated with the relational processes reveal the identity of the scammers as credible and respectable persons in society; third, the identified mental clauses demonstrate that scammers feign commitment and dedication in the scam email messages; fourth, the patterns show that the Sayers in verbal processes are usually thanking the recipients, blessing the recipients, and seeking for assistance from the recipients. The behavioural process was used to urge recipients to respond to the scam emails while the existential process was used to motivate the recipients to reply to the emails. The study finally concludes that various linguistic strategies were deployed by the scammers to manipulate target recipients.

Source: UEW
The language of WhatsApp, a case of students of St. Martin’s senior high school, Adoagyiri-Nsawam

The present research adapted Crystal’s (2008) analytical model to investigate the language of WhatsApp used among students of St. Martin’s Senior High School, Adoagyri-Nsawam. Through documentation and semi-structured interviews, the informants who comprised of 35 students with 10 males and 25 females, helped collect 115 chats out of which 100 were sampled for the analysis. The results revealed hybridized language permeated into the linguistic continuum of the students’ mode of WhatsApp chatting, meaning students’ WhatsApp language choice is characterized by informal linguistic features; thus, reactive tokens, paralinguistic and prosodic features, acronyms/initialisms, contractions, clippings, letter/number homophone, punctuations and capitalizations, emoticons/similey, phonetic/misspellings, syntactic reduction, pidgin and code-mixing. Among the features, contractions, clippings and letter/number homophone were the most preferred choice of the students whilst the least popular features were acronyms/initialisms and paralinguistic/prosodic features. The present study is, therefore, significant as it may attract lexicographers and other researchers who wish to undertake related study. Also, the findings may help individuals pursuing courses in English language studies. Finally, it offers both teachers and students a premise of awareness of WhatsApp language and its repercussions when used in a formal setting. Keywords: WhatsApp, Chats, Computer Mediated Communication and Language features

Source: UEW
Language performance and mathematics/science performance: A correlational case study of JHS students in Sekondi/Takoradi and Shama districts.

This paper is a correlational study aimed at finding out the relationship between language (English and Fante - a Ghanaian language) performance and mathematics and science performances. The main hypothesis tested in the study was whether there is a positive correlation between performance in language (English and Fante) and mathematics and science and whether it is significant or not. The data used for the study involved Basic Education Certificate Examination results of 740 Junior High School students from 10 schools in two district; Shama and Sekondi-Takoradi. The statistical tool used in testing the hypotheses was the Spearman Correlation (t-test) of the SPSS (a statistical package for social sciences). The study identified that there was strong positive correlation between language (Ghanaian language - Fante and English) performance and that of mathematics and science. The correlation between Ghanaian language and mathematics (r = 0.803) and between Ghanaian language and science (r = 0.809), and the correlation between English and mathematics (r = 0.850) and the correlation between English and science (r = 0.873) (a = .05) were found.

Source: UEW
Language practices of the Ewe in Adeiso

This study investigates language practices of the speakers of Ewe in the Adeiso speech community. Specifically, the study investigates language choices across domains among the Ewe in Adeiso and aims at identifying the consequences of such language behaviour on the speaking of Ewe in the Adeiso speech community. The descriptive design and mixed approach were employed in the study which was done in three Ewe speaking communities - Ayigbe Town, Ndoda and Dzakpatra in Adeiso with a total of one hundred and twenty-six (126) participants. Data was gathered using survey and interviews. Responses from the questionnaire were analysed with the SPSS, employing descriptive statistics aided by the Sociolinguistic Variationist Approach. Findings were then explained within the framework of the Marked Bilingualism Model. The results show that Ewe dominates the life of its speakers in Adeiso as it is the main language used in the home, neighbourhood, religious gatherings and the school to some extent. Language mixing also pervades the speech of the Ewe bilingual as they switch between Ewe and Akan, and English in the case of those who have formal education. The study also reveals that the speakers of Ewe are strongly attached to their language and desire for its continuity. The study concluded that the Ewe in Adeiso are maintaining their language to a large extent, but with some instances of code switching.

Source: UEW
Language regulation in the English Language classroom the case of the Eastern region

The effects of language regulation have been seen to be positive as it makes learners more aware of their errors and allows for learner generated repair (Lyster & Ranta, 1997). In spite of this, studies in the area of language regulation place little or no emphasis on language regulation. This study investigated language regulation, or the negotiation of acceptability and correctness in language, in English as a second language classroom. The study examined the practices of language regulation in the classroom, to understand the factors that inform the regulation of language in the classroom and to determine who takes on the responsibility of language regulation in the classroom. Through purposive sampling, data were collected from recordings of classroom interactions and interviews from eight classrooms (360 students; 24teachers) in senior high schools in the Koforidua Township. The findings showed that second language speakers reject the idea of anything goes and take on language expert roles, resulting in explicit and implicit regulation of language. The study also showed that the language regulation of one’s language was triggered mostly by nonconformity or mutual understanding. Finally, the results revealed that language can be regulated by language teachers, students, other teachers and the native speaker (in this case, the dictionary). Based on the findings, it is argued that classroom language needs to be regulated in order to improve L2 learners’ competence and performance.

Source: UEW
Language, Education and Linguistic Human Rights in Ghana

The use of the familiar language of learners as medium of instruction (MoI) promotes quality education. However, sixty years after independence, Ghana is still grappling with the issue of which language to use in education. Currently, the language policy of education in Ghana mandates the use of the child’s first language as MoI only up to Primary Three. This paper uses both primary and secondary sources to argue that the current language policy violates the Linguistic Human Rights (LHR) of the Ghanaian child. To end this violation, the paper argues for the addition of more L1s as MoI, the cultivation of a positive attitude towards the use of L1 as MoI, the constitutional provision on the obligatory use of L1 as MoI, the establishment of structures to monitor the implementation of the language policy and a sociolinguistic study of language representation in the lower primary classroom

Source: UEW