ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
An Economic Valuation of the Kakum National Park: An Individual Travel Cost Approach

A major problem confronting environmental economists is the difficulty in valuing environmental resources and other public goods such as recreational sites since there are no markets or markets are imperfect in situations where they exist. The Kakum National Park, officially opened in 1994, is one of the most important parks in Ghana that protects a vast rainforest including its bio-diversity, habitats and natural processes, and houses the only Canopy Walkway in Africa which allows visitors to explore a tropical rainforest canopy from suspension bridges. Since the establishment of the Kakum National Park, not much has been done to assess its value to recreationers using the appropriate economic valuation techniques. This study seeks to address these questions by adopting the simple formulation of the individual travel cost method to derive the monetary value of Kakum National Park as well as factors that influence visits to the park using a survey of 246 visitors. Our results indicate that the annual per person value of the site is about 67.28 (US$ 46.40) which translates into an annual aggregate value of 8,481,653.20 (US$ 5,849,416) in 2009. Regression analysis using the zero-truncated negative binomial method indicate that travel cost, gender, knowledge of composite sites are the most important factors that influence visitation to the Park.

Source: UG
Economic Value of Children and Fertility Preferences in a Fishing Community in Southern Ghana

Although anecdotal evidence suggests that fertility levels in fishing communities, in Ghana, are very high, the influence of economic and cultural factors on fertility preferences in such communities has not been adequately explored. This article examines the fertility preferences of men and women living at Akplabanya, a fishing community in Ghana. Data were collected from a sample of 354 respondents. The findings of the study show that demand for labour, expectations of long term security, and gendered power relations have contributed to high fertility levels and preferences in the study area. It has been concluded that significant fertility decline in the area will only occur when fertility preferences of men have changed. Family planning programmes must therefore target both men and women. Improving economic status of women will also go a long way to bring about fertility transition in rural communities in Ghana.

Source: UG
The economic value of the environmental capital inputs used to Produce Gross Domestic Product in Ghana, 1993 to 2012

Ghana has been one of the fastest growing countries in the world over the last decade driven by exports of oil from newly-discovered offshore oil fields, the export of its traditional commodities of cocoa, gold and other extractive minerals, construction, and the expansion of services related to banking, information and communication technologies, and tourism. Measured by the change in real gross domestic product (GDP), the economy grew at a pace of 7.5% over the period from 2004 to 2013 and 8.6% from 2009 to 2013, and was among the top 15 performers in the world. The Ghanaian economy was formally classified as lower-middle-income in 2010 with a per capita income of over 1,300 United States dollars. Our study focuses on measuring the values of labour and capital inputs used to produce the goods and services incorporated in the GDP. We acknowledge the existence of two types of capital inputs used to produce final goods and services. These are (1) human-made or manufactured capital such as machinery and equipment and (2) environmental capital items such as proven oil and gas reserves, mineral deposits, forest and water resources that are required to produce final goods and services in the economy. We estimated the size of environmental or natural capital stock used to produce the GDP over the twenty-year period, 1993 to 2012 assuming that the economy as a whole exhibited a constant returns to scale feature. The results indicate that over the period, 1993 to 2012, the average share attributed to labour in the production of GDP was about 45%. Human-made capital inputs contributed on average about 19% of GDP. The remaining share of 36% was the estimated value of environmental capital inputs used to produce GDP. We also established that the aggregate environmental depreciation was significantly related to GDP in a positive log-linear fashion while its relationship to real interest rate was negative but not statistically significant.

Source: UG
Economics of aquaculture production: A case study of pond and pen culture in southern Ghana

This study was carried out in four regions in Southern Ghana with the objective of assessing the demographic profile of farmers and determining the profitability of the industry. A structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data from 74 pond and 13 pen farmers in the selected regions. The results showed that species mostly cultured were tilapia (O. niloticus), catfish (Clarias sp.), Heterotis sp. and snakehead (Parachanna sp.). Descriptive analysis showed the ponds were generally larger than pens. More than 50% of the total farmers had between one and two ponds or pens. The average net returns were US$ 0.55 and US$ 0.42 m-2 for pond and pen culture respectively, making both systems profitable. On a regional basis, pond aquaculture was most profitable in the Western Region. From the results, both pond and pen aquaculture are presently a profitable venture in Ghana that will continue to attract more potential investors even in the next decade. Pond aquaculture was classified into small-, medium- and large-scale operations. Results indicated that small-scale operations were economically non-viable under the present situation, with large-scale operations being the most profitable. The main constraints affecting production were lack of capital, fish predators and poaching. © 2014 John Wiley &amp; Sons Ltd.

Source: UG
The Economy and Regime Change in Ghana, 1992-2004

The Economy and Regime Change in Ghana, 1992-2004”, Ghana Social Science Journal Vols. 5&6 Nos. 1&2 The article examines the link between economic conditions and policies, on one hand, and regime changes, on the other. Ghana’s politics, since independence has been shaped by events on the economic front more than the popularized issues of ethnicity, regionalism and personal ambitions. Most of the political transitions were to a large extent influenced by economic circumstances. The early military coups that destabilized the democratic order appeared to have resulted from the unhappiness of army officers over the rising economic distress even though ideological and ambition factors were also important determinants. Even the ‘third wave’ of democratization took place within the context of economic crisis

Source: UG
The economy of Ghana sixty years after indpendence

his chapter assesses gender issues in the national discourse and policy agenda since independence and presents evidence on trends in gender gaps in education, employment, time use, and asset ownership. Although progress has been made in introducing legislation and policies to promote gender equality, important legislation remains to be enacted. Gender parity in primary enrolment has been achieved but gender gaps persist in other education levels and in education outcomes. More women are in wage employment, but the proportion of working women classified as unpaid family workers remains stubbornly high. The gender gap in time spent on unpaid domestic work persists despite women’s increased labour force participation and there is a gender gap in asset ownership. Closing the gender gap will require crafting appropriate strategies based on a clear understanding of gender relations in order to change values, norms, and behaviours.

Source: UG
The economy of Ghana: Analytical perspectives on stability, growth &amp; poverty

Review books or articles provide a critical and constructive analysis of existing published literature in a field, through summary, analysis, and comparison, often identifying specific gaps or problems and providing recommendations for future research. These are considered as secondary literature since they generally do not present new data from the author's experimental work. Review articles can be of three types, broadly speaking: literature reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. It also the researcher to stay abreast of new literature in the field.

Source: UG
An Ecotoxicologically Relevant Approach To Water Quality Monitoring For Contaminants Of Emerging Concern

Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) have been documented across the seven continents, including Antarctica, and are likely an impediment to the sustainable management of natural resources. Most studies to date have relied on sweeping chemistry surveys, reliant upon sophisticated instrumentation. This approach is expensive, relies on limited laboratory capacity, and generates results that are spatially and temporally constrained. Here, we review existing approaches that can overcome these limitations by focusing on

Source: UG
The ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods: Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward

Everywhere in Europe, Asia, Central and Latin America, and in Africa, some form of economic integration/cooperation has been established. This widespread enthusiasm for economic integration derives from the belief that integration is the most viable strategy for development. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which was formed to seek the well-being of its nationals among others, has adopted a number of protocols to help facilitate the integration process. These include the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, Goods and Services. Recognising that free movement of persons. goods and services constitute the bedrock of the integration process, ECOWAS has called on all Member States to take appropriate measures to remove all obstacles and impediments to the realisation of these noble objectives. The study analyses the ECOWAS protocol on free movement, examines the level of implementation, highlights some problems encountered in its implementation and provides some recommendations for its successful implementation. The study should, therefore be of interest not only to the academia and the implementing agencies but also to all ECOWAS nationals and non-nationals who see economic integration as a viable strategy for development.

Source: UG
ECOWAS Regional Action Plan 2010-2018 and the Fight against Illicit Drug Trafficking: The Case of Ghana

This study examines the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan and the Fight against Illicit Drug Trafficking in Ghana. It throws light on perceived challenges associated with controlling the drug situation in the country. Additionally, it analyses policy interventions, implemented to deal with drug trafficking and then finally, projects some achievements of the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan in Ghana and suggests measures for improvement. Using the case of security personnel from Narcotics Control Board (NACOB), Ghana Police Service (GPS) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration (MoFARI), a qualitative research approach was used to conduct personnel interviews with drug enforcement officers. The results indicated that Narcotics Control Board is the central coordinating body in the fight against illicit drug trafficking in Ghana. The results portray the lack of political will from government, low budget allocation to law enforcement institutions, personnel and logistic constraints, corruption and lack of collaboration and information sharing are some of the challenges faced by the security agencies in the fight against illicit drug trafficking in Ghana. The result further unravels the expansion of Narcotics Control Board, the introduction of demand reduction, establishment of specialist units at the Airports and the Harbours as well as collaboration with international agencies. It also highlights on organizations of training and operation programmes, creation of data collection centers and provision of logistics as some of the major achievements of the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan. Finally, the study recommends quality training exercises, collaboration of regional and international organizations in the fight against drug trafficking and provision of modern logistics from both government and the ECOWAS.

Source: UG
Ectopic Pregnancy in Ghana-Time for Change

Ectopic pregnancy continues to be an important health problem worldwide. Between the early 1970’s and the late 1980’s/early 1990’s there was a considerable increase in the incidence of ectopic pregnancies. Recent evidence, however, suggests that within the last decade the incidence may have been falling. In developed countries close to 90% or more of ectopic pregnancies are diagnosed unruptured, whereas in developing countries diag-nosis before rupture is uncommon. In Ghana rates of 1.9% and 8.5% have been reported for the diag-nosis of unruptured ectopic pregnancies since the early 1990’s

Source: UG
Ecumenical formation in the service of a renewed church

However important theology, formation, education, ministry, ecclesiology and ecumenism are, it is ecumenism that gives them perspective. They foster the develop- ment of the ecumenical imperative and a praxis founded in scripture, as well as the formation of persons to work in the service of ecumenism. Envisioning In some circles, especially in the World Council of Churches (WCC), envisioning is often understood as being “prophetic”. My aim is rather to forthtell, to articulate what we should or could be doing, so as to be viably church, faithful to the ecumenical imperative. Forthtelling engages with the contemporary reality of the context and lessons of history. Envisioning can also become ingenuous invention that does not exactly respond to the local contextual reality. For the vision to move peoples to live the ecumenical imperative, it must also be emotionally satisfying so that it challenges people to action. It should take seriously the language and idiom of the field of action. In the case of Africa, it may mean acquainting the people with the basic facts of ecumenism pre- cisely because ecumenical formation has been minimal.

Source: UG
Edentulism and quality of life among older Ghanaian adults

Background: Edentulism affects the quality of life and general health of an individual. But in ageing individuals, it has been observed to have greater impact, manifesting in functional, psychological and social limitations. With an increasing older adult population in Ghana, its burden is likely to increase. This study was thus carried out to explore the association between edentulism and quality of life among older Ghanaian adults. Methods: Secondary analysis of WHO's Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Wave 1 in Ghana was conducted using self-reported edentulism as the dependent variable. Participants included a nationally representative sample of adult's aged 50 years and older living in Ghana. Quality of life was measured using the 8 item WHOQOL measure and a single item measure which was a question "How would you rate your overall quality of life?". To assess the association between edentulism and the independent variables, a bivariate analysis was carried out. A Poisson regression model was then performed, adjusting for age, sex, income, education and the diagnosis of a chronic disease condition. A Spearman's correlation analysis was also carried out between the single and multi item measure of quality of life to assess how well they correlate. Results: Edentulism was observed to be associated with significantly lower levels of SWB among older adults using both the single-item and multiple-item measure (WHOQOL). It, however, showed no association with happiness. Among edentulous respondents, females and those with no formal education reported significantly lower quality of life. The WHOQOL correlated positively and strongly with the single-item measure. Conclusion: Edentulism may not be life threatening and yet it has been shown to have a negative effect on the quality of life of older adult Ghanaians. More emphasis may thus need to be placed on the oral health of the aging population in Ghana to avoid it. © Hewlett et al.; licensee BioMed Central.

Source: UG
Edible coating affects physico-functional properties and shelf life of chicken eggs during refrigerated and room temperature storage

Effects of chitosan, whey protein concentrate (WPC), mineral oil (MO) and/or soybean oil (SO) coating on egg quality were compared at 25 and 4 °C, respectively, during 5 and 20 weeks of storage. Storage time and temperature, and type of coating significantly affected Haugh unit, yolk index, weight loss, albumen pH and emulsifying capacity. Shelf life was extended 4 weeks by MO and SO and 2 weeks by chitosan and WPC longer than that observed for noncoated eggs at 25 °C. MO- and SO-coated eggs maintained AA grade for 20 weeks at 4 °C. Weight loss of SO-coated eggs was <1% after 5 weeks at 25 °C and after 20 weeks at 4 °C. Yolk index and emulsifying capacity were more correlated at 25 °C than at 4 °C. MO and SO were more effective coating materials, with SO providing a more cost-effective coating for extending egg shelf life. © 2010 The Authors. International Journal of Food Science and Technology © 2010 Institute of Food Science and Technology.

Source: UG
EDiP: the Epitope Dilution Phenomenon. Lessons learnt from a malaria vaccine antigen and its applicability to polymorphic antigens

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

Source: UG
‘Edited and Approved by Women for Maximum Benefit of all Readers’: Newsprint Journalism, the International Women’s Year and the Remaking of a Gendered National Public in 1970s Ghana

During the International Women’s Year (IWY) of 1975, United Nations bodies made concerted efforts to ensure global awareness and understanding of the IWY aims of equality, peace and development, via the mass media. In this article, we engage with these strategies of global information distribution from the vantage point of Ghana, West Africa. Drawing from interviews with women journalists and examples from the women’s pages of the national state-owned In the Daily Graphic newspaper, we argue that the onset of the IWY presented an important opportunity for women living under the constraints of military rule. A small but determined group of journalists capitalised on a longer history of readers writing into newspapers, and on lower levels of government surveillance of women’s pages. Working with and through multi-layered forms of address, they adapted the homey, gossipy women’s pages and turned them into spaces of engagement between men and women as co-citizens. During the IWY, connections were forged between interna tional events and agendas and ‘domestic issues’. By hosting older debates about widowhood, inheritance and polygyny, and newer debates about family planning, formal education and employment, the women’s pages positioned Ghanaian women as a key constituency in national development, but also enabled more assertive critiques of men’s privileges.

Source: UG
Editorial: Contextualizing psychological assessment in Africa: COVID-19 and beyond

Historically, the science of Psychology and the practice of psychological assessment have in Africa have been influenced by Western ideologies and practices (Nsamenang, 2007; Oppong et al., 2022). However, there are vast cultural differences among people of different social structures and value orientations. Therefore, there is a growing need for locally generated and validated tools to assess the strengths, capacities, and mental health of the African people (Oppong, 2017; Laher, 2019; Appiah et al., 2020; Oppong et al., 2022), who are often under-represented in global psychological research (Nielsen et al., 2017; Rad et al., 2018; Thalmayer et al., 2021). The overarching importance of generating and administering context-appropriate measures is that it strengthens the drive toward ensuring valid, reliable, and context-worthy assessment of mental health and psychological wellbeing among individuals, groups, and communities in the context of research and practice.

Source: UG
Editorial: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Socio-economic systems in the post-pandemic world: Design thinking, strategic planning, management, and public policy

The declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, led to unprecedented events. All regions of the world participated in implementing preventive health measures such as physical distancing, travel restrictions, self-isolation, quarantines, and facility closures. The pandemic started global disruption of socio-economic systems, covering the postponement or cancellation of public events, supply shortages, schools and universities’ closures, evacuation of foreign citizens, and a rise in unemployment and inflation, misinformation, the anti-vaccine movement, and incidents of discrimination toward people affected by or suspected of having coronavirus disease. Attempts have been made to protect the oldest age group at risk, but in many cases, this has led to over-restriction and age discrimination.

Source: UG
Editorial: Evolution and mechanisms of anti-malarial and insecticide resistance

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

Source: UG
Editorial: Global elimination of lymphatic filariasis: Fact or fantasy?

In 1997, the World Health Assembly resolved to eliminate lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem by the year 2020. By the end of 2004, almost half of the 83 endemic countries had initiated national programmes, providing mass drug administration to an at risk population of approximately 435 million. This remarkable achievement is the result of an enormous amount of technical, financial and political support from public and private sectors at the community, national, regional and global level. As the global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis enters its second quarter of operations, there are substantial opportunities to be taken and critical challenges to be addressed. These are the focus of this editorial.

Source: UG