ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
A history of British Gyaman 1874-1957

The circumstances leading to the claim and influence over a part of Gyaman Kingdom by the British was quite fascinating and deserves scholarly accounts for others to learn. British Gyaman in Asante in the Gold Coast was established by a treaty in Europe (Paris) but not in the Gold Coast in Africa. Though secondary materials were used, the researcher relied mainly on archival materials and oral traditions in the collection of data. The study discussed the factors relating to how the European and African imperial powers competed for influence over the Gyaman Kingdom. In the end the collaborating European powers (Britain and France) subdued the conflicting African powers, ( Asante and Samori). By the Delimitation Treaty signed in Paris in 1898 the British and the French divided the Kingdom into British and French spheres of influence. British Gyaman was created in 1898. However, 1874 -1957 has been chosen for the study in order to give room for the discussion of the background events leading to the creation of British Gyaman. A brief background information about how the whole Gyaman Kingdom evolved was considered to give clear understanding of how some major historical events developed in the region. The British colonial local government system, Indirect Rule, in British Gyaman has also been discussed. For administrative convenience British Gyaman remained part of the Asante territory. To facilitate the local government administration, the Drobohene was made the head chief of British Gyaman. The appointment of Drobohene as the Gyamanhene was regarded by other prominent chiefs as a “warrant chief”. This brought about some bitterness among these chiefs. Protests ensued, leading to the creation of another division; Suma-Kwatwoma Division in 1948 .Conflicts, protests and secession movements became the order of the day during the rule of the British Gyaman. This affected the smooth operations of the Native Authorities, Native tribunals and the Native Treasuries in the area. Despite the ethnic conflicts and some other shortcomings in the British part of Gyaman, as a result of indirect rule, colonialism in general set the modern socio-economic foundation for British Gyaman.

Source: UCC
A history of Konkomba medical culture till 1956

People of the savanna ecological zone had frequently found themselves under the control of neighbouring chiefdoms and states before and throughout the colonial period. The Konkomba of the Northern Territories of the Gold Coast (Ghana) were such a people. Throughout much of their history, in both the pre-colonial and colonial periods, they have come under the political control of the Dagomba, Nanumba, Mamprusi, Gonja, Asante, and later, Germans, French and British. However, throughout these political and economic experiences, the Konkomba have maintained their health by utilising plants and herbs that grow in their neighbourhood. This was complemented by adapting and utilising external health practices introduced by their neighbours in the maintenance of their health. Through analyses of the Konkomba conceptualisation of health (ngbanpuan), disease (tebubund) and treatment (ntem), this study employs the qualitative historical method to examine the medical culture of the Konkomba up to 1956. It uses a multi-disciplinary approach to demonstrate that the worldview of the Konkomba and other indigenes of the savanna ecological zone informed their medical practice. As a result, they resorted to both the spiritual world and the natural world of herbs, roots, leaves and various parts of trees to counter sicknesses in their community.

Source: UCC
A History of Politics in Education in Ghana: 1852-2008

This thesis interrogates the politics of governments that shaped and directed the formulation and implementation of educational policies and reforms in Ghana from 1852 to 2008. Using various sources such as archival documents, old newspapers, white papers, articles, books, and through the use of the qualitative method of historical studies, the thesis examines the visions of such governments in their efforts to achieve accelerated socio-economic growth and emancipation and how education was used to achieve such goals. Furthermore, the thesis discusses how the pre-colonial and colonial philosophies were applied to education in the Gold Coast. It notes that some of the educational interventions of the early European nations, missionary societies and colonial government which introduced and spread Western education such as sending brilliant students overseas for further studies, supplying of free school materials, introducing industrial and vocational programmes in the curriculum are still relevant for governments to draw lessons to shape their educational policies. Moreover, the thesis explores how education was reshaped during the post-colonial era and how Ghanaian leaders linked education to the nation’s development and its socio-economic emancipation. This called for the expansion of education at all levels—basic, secondary, tertiary and the establishment of various education committees to advise governments on the clear focus of education. This, resulted in frequent educational restructuring and reforms, especially in the 21st Century, where education was used for the realization of the national developmental goals of poverty alleviation and wealth creation.

Source: UCC
A History of the Central Region Development Commission (Cedecom): 1990 to 2012

ABSTRACT The Central Region Development Commission (CEDECOM) was established in April, 1990 by the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) to advance the development of Central Region of Ghana through policies and programmes. Since its inception it has contributed tremendously to the development of Central Region. However, its contribution is largely ignored in the literature of economic history of Ghana. For this reason, this thesis sets out to explore the evolution and contribution of CEDECOM. The thesis established that CEDECOM was a very significant quasi-government agency in the development of Ghana. It was governed by a board of directors headed by an executive director and a secretariat. It had a number of departments and units that performed various functions that helped it to achieve its core mandate. The thesis found that CEDECOM undertook activities in tourism and hospitality, entrepreneurship, vocational skills training, salt production and a whole range of agricultural activities such as oil palm production, cassava production and pineapple cultivation. It was also concerned about the promotion of information and communication technology, health, potable water supply, education, commerce and security. The funds for all those activities and operations of CEDECOM largely came from lobbying with government, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) and International partners. As a regional institution, CEDECOM contributed to the alleviation of social and economic poverty in the Central Region. However, the commission was faced with some challenges. The main one being lack of funding leading to its over-reliance on government subventions and other external donor partners. The existence of the commission was threatened by the Subverted Agency Act 2006 (Act 706) which empowered government to withdraw or close down some public agencies including CEDECOM.

Source: UCC
A history of the people of Nandom 1660-1955

The histories of the Northern territories, present-day Northern, Savannah, North East, the Upper East and Upper West regions have had a great deal of attention by scholars. This conclusion is based on a broad review of literature on the history of the people to the Northwest of Ghana mostly by Colonial Anthropologists and contemporary African scholars. Although there is a great deal of research work on the North-West of Ghana, there is very little conscientious study on the origins of the Nandom people, their aboriginal traditions and institutions, and their interaction with both their neighbours and European colonial agents to the nineteenth century. It is simply astonishing that Nandom, which is affectionately called the “Home of Interdisciplinary Professionals” has no far-reaching historical document about its clan origins, their role in domestic slavery and the slave trade, the institutions they acquired and built upon and the like. This missing link is to be the thrust of this thesis. This thesis examines the preliterate society of the Nandom people from 1660 to 1955. The study focuses on the origins of the first three clan settlements in Nandom and the later arrival of the other ethnic groups from 1660 to 1955. Using qualitative evaluation of archival documents, direct interviews in the early communities and the associated palaces of sub-chiefs and divisional chiefs of Lawra-Dikpe, Tom-Zendaagang, Puopiel, Nandomlee, Nardom, Builegang, Ekimpa-Lambusie, Tuopare, Gungunkpe, Zimuopare, the Ninbule (Zongo community) and some secondary documents of historical evidence, this study delineate the origins of Nandom in order of chronology beginning with Zenuo, the grant ancestor of the Dikpielle, followed by the arrival of the Bekuone and the Kpielle clans, and later in the mid-1700 arrival of the Ninbule constituting the Nandom Zongo community. This chronology produced a striking historical narrative of how the early villages came to settle in the current location.

Source: UCC
A HISTORY OF TRADITIONAL BIRTH ATTENDANTS AND MATERNAL HEALTH IN GHANA, 1931 – 1992

Before the introduction of conventional midwifery, Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) or indigenous midwives were the only maternal healthcare providers. With the introduction of conventional midwifery came the introduction of policies to scrutinize the practices of TBAs. These policies depicted efforts to ban TBAs and eradicate the reliance of pregnant women on TBAs. No research has explored policies affecting TBAs and how they affected their status as the original providers of maternal healthcare. This thesis historicized the policies affecting TBA practices from 1931 when the Midwives Ordinance was passed, to 1992, when the National Reorientation project for TBAs ended. Using archival documents including official government documents such as legislative debates, annual reports and policy briefs amongst others, this research has shown that the policy that affected indigenous midwives or TBAs during the colonial and postcolonial period mainly sought to gradually remove them from the system, to allow a dependence on conventional healthcare. These policies affected the roles that TBAs played over the years, and also caused certain undesirable perceptions about TBA practices. However, TBAs could not be removed from the system due to the inability of the government to provide conventional healthcare to all areas in Ghana. TBA reorientation and inclusion into the formal healthcare system became necessary for the government to use already available resource. In rolling out these reorientation programmes however, the government and policy makers failed to consider the social and cultural dispositions of TBAs.

Source: UCC
A history of Wa, 1500 – 1900.

Motivated by the works of scholars on the histories of ethnic groups like the Dagomba, Mamprusi, and Asante, the aim of this study is to delineate the origins of the Waala from the earliest period to the eve of British Colonial rule in 1898. Political, economic, and social developments between 1500 and 1900 led to the rise of Wa and the creation of the Waala Kingdom. Trans-Saharan trade routes passing through Wa exposed Wa to all participants in the trade and attracted some to settle in Wa. The mixing of different peoples in the area created socio-political institutions and blended various cultures, distinguishing the people of Wa from other peoples. To facilitate good governance, the Mamprusi ruling lineage involved the main social groups - autochthons and Muslims - in the administration of the Kingdom. Continuous developments in Wa soon caught the attention of external forces, both Africans and Europeans, who for diverse reasons struggled to capture and control Wa from the 1880s. In 1898, the British won the race for Wa. This study, therefore, chronologically examines the history of Wa from the earliest times critically looking at the various influences which transformed Wa for more than 400 years.

Source: UCC
A history of women in politics in Ghana (1957-1992)

The making of conscious efforts to include women in political decision making at all levels has come to be seen as an integral part of development in contemporary times. Though this is not an absolutely new phenomenon. the last quarter of the twentieth century which began with the declaration of 1975 as the International Year of Women marked a watershed in the collectivization of hitherto singular efforts at women's empowerment. The United Nations and other gender-sensitive Non Governmental Organisations were key in this drive. Though this work has not made a single suggestion as to the way forward, it stands to be considered a part of this clarion call for women's empowerment for it traces how far women have come in all the efforts they have made in the post-colonial politics of Ghana. This work seeks to erase the conception widely held, even by academics, that women in Ghana have not played any meaningful political role. To do this, this work has traced the political history of Ghana in the post-colonial era and within this broader picture, highlighted women where their roles were felt. Though emphasis, as far as this work is concerned, is on the post-colonial period, a chapter has been devoted to an overview of the situation prior to independence. One sub-theme which has also been treated because of its connection with politics is women's mass movements. The most accommodating regimes for women as far as access, participation, influence and impact are concerned were the regimes of Nkrumah and Rawlings' Provisional National Defence Council. In these regimes, the impact of women was felt both in the women's mass movements and the governments. In between these two regimes, one sees a nearly apolitical situation with women struggling to make a contribution both to the economic and political life of the country even where they were clearly unrecognized and unappreciated.

Source: UCC
History Teachers and Curriculum Enactment: Examining the Social Component of the Subject Department

This study examined the social component of the history subject department in senior high schools in the Cape Coast Metropolis. The concurrent research design informed the methodological consideration of the study. A sample size of eighteen (18) history teachers was used. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaire and interview guide. The questionnaire data were put into frequencies and percentages while the interview data were analyzed into themes. The study revealed four types of history teachers’ interactions in the history departments. These included collaboration, individualism, contrived collegiality and balkanization. The study also established that social interactions in the various departments influenced history teachers’ curriculum enactment to benefit history teacher instructional practices. It is important that these interactions are regulated professionally to avoid any negative effect on teachers’ professional work. It is also important for instructional leaders to ensure that those engagements among teachers in the history departments continue to be appropriate to enhance the effective teaching and learning of the subject.

Source: UCC
History teachers'perception of ICT in promoting teaching and learning

Ghana, through her I.C.T. for Accelerated Development (ICT4AD) policy, has provided a number of ICT equipments to some schools in order to promote the integration of ICT into the teaching and learning process. This research study sheds light on History teachers' perception and use of ICT tools in Senior High schools, by considering various variables which affect the success of the implementation of these tools. A questionnaire was completed by 67 History teachers who teach in Senior High Schools in both Kumasi and Cape Coast metropolis. Two hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.5 significance level using SPSS version 16. The results showed that although History teachers are willing to use ICT resources and are aware of the existing potentials, they are facing problems in relation to accessibility to ICT resources and lack of in-service training opportunities. The hypothesis tested proved that there was no statistically significant difference between males and females history teachers perception of ICT. It further showed that there was no statistically significant difference between those who have their personal computer and those who lack it. It is recommended that the government, through the Ministry of Education, provides schools and teachers with computers and other ICT infrastructure. Again, training opportunities should be made available for History teachers to familiarize themselves with skills of integrating ICT .into their professional task.

Source: UCC
History Teachers‘ Understanding of Historical Empathy: A Case Study of Public Senior High School History Teachers in the Sunyani West Municipality in the Bono Region of Ghana

Using a case study design, the study examined history teachers‘ understanding of the concept of historical empathy as a critical tool to drive history teaching and learning. Four (4) elements of historical empathy were assessed: affective connection, perspective taking, multi-perspectivity and shared normalcy. All the history teachers in the public senior high schools in the Sunyani West Municipality were involved in the study through the use of the census method. Four historical narratives on the four elements were provided to the participants as a written assignment for data collection. Thematic data analysis technique and the constant comparative method were employed to determine how individual teachers display evidence of empathic engagement. The findings revealed that of the four (4) elements examined; teachers exhibited an understanding of perspective taking and multi-perspective. They could not, however, demonstrate knowledge of affective connection and shared normalcy. Therefore, academic institutions that train history teachers, such as universities and colleges of education, should use pedagogical practices that support historical empathy in teacher preparation. Besides, the study recommends that the Ghana Education Service be proactive in introducing teachers to new development trends in history. This could be done through periodic in-service education and training to improve history teachers' skills, knowledge and professional competencies in areas such as historical empathy.

Source: UCC
HIV diagnosis disclosure to infected children and adolescents; Challenges of family caregivers in the Central Region of Ghana

Disclosure of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) to infected older children and adolescents is essential for both personal health maintenance and HIV prevention within the larger population. Non-disclosure of HIV status has been identified as one of the potential barriers to optimum adherence especially in children and adolescents. Like many other countries in the SSA region, Ghana has significant number of children and adolescents infected by HIV, who have increased survival times, due to increased access to ART. However, both family caregivers and healthcare workers face an array of challenges with the disclosure process, including the timing, what information about the child’s HIV status should be shared with him/her and how to go about it. The aim of the study was to identify family caregiver factors associated with non-disclosure of HIV status to infected children and adolescents accessing Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) at the three main ART sites within the Central Region of Ghana.

Source: UCC
HIV diagnosis disclosure to infected children and adolescents; challenges of family caregivers in the Central Region of Ghana

Background: Disclosure of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) to infected older children and adolescents is essential for both personal health maintenance and HIV prevention within the larger population. Non-disclosure of HIV status has been identified as one of the potential barriers to optimum adherence especially in children and adolescents. Like many other countries in the SSA region, Ghana has significant number of children and adolescents infected by HIV, who have increased survival times, due to increased access to ART. However, both family caregivers and healthcare workers face an array of challenges with the disclosure process, including the timing, what information about the child’s HIV status should be shared with him/her and how to go about it. The aim of the study was to identify family caregiver factors associated with non-disclosure of HIV status to infected children and adolescents accessing Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) at the three main ART sites within the Central Region of Ghana. Methods: A quantitative analytical survey was conducted among 103 family caregivers of HIV infected children (aged 6–17 years) assessing ART services in the Central Region of Ghana. Data were analyzed using SSPS version 21. Results: The age range of caregivers was 20–69 years. The study found a low disclosure rate (23.3%) among caregivers. Majority of the caregivers (80.6%) lacked knowledge on the process of disclosure (how and what to tell child), and majority (64%) also had never received guidance about the disclosure process from their healthcare providers. The main barriers to disclosure were caregiver lack of knowledge regarding the disclosure process and when to disclose, the fear of child’s reaction, and fear of stigmatization and associated negative social consequences. Conclusion: These findings suggest a lesser involvement of health care providers in preparing caregivers for the disclosure process. This therefore highlight the need for the National HIV/AIDS/STI Control Program to strengthen the involvement and training of healthcare providers in HIV diagnosis disclosure to infected children, based on context-specific policy guidelines informed by the WHO recommendations.

Source: UCC
HIV-1-Specific Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Spot Assay Responses in HIV-1-Exposed Uninfected Partners in Discordant Relationships Compared to Those in Low-Risk Controls

A number of studies of highly exposed HIV-1-seronegative individuals (HESN) have found HIV-1-specific cellular responses. However, there is limited evidence that responses prevent infection or are linked to HIV-1 exposure. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from HESN in HIV-1-discordant relationships and low-risk controls in Nairobi, Kenya. HIV-1- specific responses were detected using gamma interferon (IFN-g) enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISpot) assays stimulated by peptide pools spanning the subtype A HIV-1 genome. The HIV-1 incidence in this HESN cohort was 1.5 per 100 person years. Positive ELISpot responses were found in 34 (10%) of 331 HESN and 14 (13%) of 107 low-risk controls (odds ratio [OR] 5 0.76; P 5 0.476). The median immunodominant response was 18.9 spot-forming units (SFU)/106 peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Among HESN, increasing age (OR 5 1.24 per 5 years; P 5 0.026) and longer cohabitation with the HIV-1-infected partner (OR 5 5.88 per 5 years; P 5 0.003) were associated with responses. These factors were not associated with responses in controls. Other exposure indicators, including the partner’s HIV-1 load (OR 5 0.99 per log10 copy/ml; P 5 0.974) and CD4 count (OR 5 1.09 per 100 cells/ml; P 5 0.238), were not associated with responses in HESN. HIV-1-specific cellular responses may be less relevant to resistance to infection among HESN who are using risk reduction strategies that decrease their direct viral exposure

Source: UCC