ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
An assessment of Cost Control Practices for construction projects by MMDAS in Ghana

Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) form an essential part of the development process in Ghana under the Local Government Services since as they serve a division of the general population at the Lower Government Decentralization Policy. Development and infrastructure projects play significant roles of the function of the MMDAs who have to depend on the governmental, donors and internal generated funding for their project activities. As a fact, such funding is not unlimited, it is always important to ensure that there is always the need for cost control practices of construction projects undertaken by the MMDAs. Thus, this study assessed MMDAs in Ghana regarding their efficiency in cost control practices for construction projects. The study used purposive sampling to target the Works Department of the MMDAs in the Central Region of Ghana. Respondents were presented with the structured questionnaire for collecting primary data. A total of 100 questionnaires were distributed. 88 questionnaires were received, giving a success rate of 88%. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics and mean score ranking. In achieving the first objective which was to determine what are the practices for cost control of construction projects, works programme and consistent works inspection as the most significant and ranked detailed estimation as the most tool identifiable. With the second objective, which was to determine the effectiveness of the cost control practices in delivering projects to set performance standards, respondents ranked detailed works programme as the most effective. With the challenges associated with the use of the cost control practices as the third objective, respondents ranked control project changes as very negative. The study also recommended MMDAs to invest in training of staff in the most current practices in cost control for delivery of their construction projects.

Source: KNUST
An assessment of credit risk management among savings and loan institutions in Ghana: A case study of Sinapi Aba savings and loans

Savings and Loan institutions are not exempted from the challenges that come with credit exposure. Given their importance to the economy every effort should be made to help the sector deal with the problem of credit risk. This study therefore examined the credit risk management among savings and loan institutions with the aim of helping the sector address this problem. The study was purposive using both primary and secondary source of data. Data was analyzed with the help of the SPSS. It was found that the bank has recorded an annual increase in its credit supply of more than 18%. The study found a rising trend in loan default from 2010 -2012 but fell sharply in 2013. Default rate was found to have increased from 7.83% in 2010 to15.39% in 2012 but fell again to 7.56% in 2013. It shows therefore that the bank is gradually reducing the rate of default. It was revealed that the most significant contribution is from the SME and Group loan which stood at 25%. It was found that the bank manages risk in its credit supply through its credit policy. Consequently, the bank has maintained significant adherence to formal laid down policies and principles that have been put in places by the board of directors on how to manage credits, including the process of credit granting. Generally, the bank‘s credit standards specify the profile of the minimally acceptable creditworthy customer to be considered for credit. Again, the bank considered collaterals to be very important in the credit granting process. In risk management consequently, the bank exercises the necessary due diligence in assessing collaterals that have been provided by prospective clients or even existing ones. It was found that the bank‘s management of credit risk is confronted by a number of challenges identified to include: the credit complexity, monitoring and reporting as well as managing the credit origination of process. Key recommendations included the need for savings and loan institutions to strengthen and stick to their laid down policies and principles that have been put in place. Again, the necessary due diligence should be undertaken by credit officers to ensure that collateral properties are not the subject of intense litigation. This will help the bank in the event that it has to dispose it off to offset default. Further, there is the need for savings and loans to invest in risk management system that has good capability to maintain and archive the customer static data.

Source: KNUST
An assessment of credit risk management practices of Agricultural Development Bank Limited

Credit risk management is a key concept in banking which is given much attention among banks across board. This study assessed the credit risk management practices of ADB Bank Ltd. The study employed a qualitative descriptive approach in its research methodology. The Head of Credit of ADB, head office, served as the respondent for the study. The credit portfolio of ADB from the years 2012 to 2014 also served as a key source of data for the study. The findings of the study proved that ADB has a good credit risk management practices which is being reflected in its loan granting, evaluation and monitoring processes. Per the findings of the study, loan applicants are assessed by credit officers based on their capacity, character, capital, conditions and collateral which is popularly referred to as the five C‟s of credit. Further the credit officers together with the relationship managers are responsible for ensuring the repayment of loans by clients. The study further showed that ADB Bank complies to all the regulations enshrined by the Bank of Ghana which comprises of provision of restrictions on lending and investment by banks (Bank of Ghana Act 2004, Act 673/ PART VI), regulation on Liquidity of banks (Bank of Ghana Act 2004, Act 673/PART IV), regulation on Capital and Reserve of banks (Bank of Ghana Act 2004, Act 673/PART III). The study concludes that to a greater extent ADB Bank Ltd has good credit risk management practices that ensure a considerable level of profitability. However, the researcher augments that there are key loopholes in the management of credit risk at ADB due to the fact that they are exposed to a considerable level of credit loss. The study therefore recommended the need for the training of credit officers on better ways of assessing the creditworthiness of clients in order to reduce the rate of repayment defaults among clients. Further the study recommended the need for management of ADB to come up with a policy that will ensure the disbursement of current loans whiles cutting down drastically the approval of loans which have the potency of becoming doubtful or loss to the bank.

Source: KNUST
Assessment of Credit Risk Management at Rural Bank (Case Study: Juaben Rural Bank Ltd)

Credit risk management is very crucial in Rural Banks since credit delivery constitutes the core function that stimulates economic activities to promote wealth creation and improve standard of living. However, a bank’s inability to recover substantially the credit facilities granted over a period of time has the tendency of creating liquidity crises and insolvency problem that lead to an imminent bank failure. To forestall such unfavourable situation, it is pertinent for Rural Banks to institute and observe sound credit management practices as a means of controlling and minimizing credit risk. Rural Banks have been vulnerable to high loan default, which led to 23 of them becoming distressed in 1999. It is for this reason that the research is conducted on the credit risk management of rural banks, with reference to Juaben Rural Bank in the Ashanti Region to identify the inherent weaknesses in the credit delivery practices, which contribute to repayment difficulties and to the commend measures to minimize high incidence of loan default. The researcher used questionnaire and interview guide to obtain the needed data for this work. Thirty credit files of loan defaulters were selected from each branch. Data so obtained were analyzed using percentiles. The research revealed among other issues that there is laxity in monitoring, supervising and controlling credit facilities which accounted for the increase in loan default. It is recommended that monitoring and supervision of credit facilities should be effective by way of constant review of repayment performance, sending demand letters for repayment defaults, documented field visits to assess state of affairs and provision of needed logistics to ease mobility and frequency of working visits to loan beneficiaries.

Source: KNUST
An assessment of current and emerging issues of pre-construction planning practices of road contractors in the construction industry of Ghana

Pre-Construction Planning (PCP), a vital and effective tool for construction management, is defined by Laufer as the process of defining what activity should be done, how these activities are to be done or completed, who should be responsible for the completion and how long the activities should take. This study aims to assess emerging issues of pre-construction planning practices of road contractors in the Ghanaian Construction Industry. To achieve this aim, three (3) objectives were set which sort to assess the current pre-construction planning practices of road contractors in the construction industry, to examine the underlying barriers to effective preconstruction planning activities of road contractors and finally, to explore emerging preconstruction planning issues pertinent to the development of the construction industry. The quantitative research method was adopted for this study. Structured questionnaires were used in collecting data from the respondents. This research was limited to key stakeholders in the A1B1, A2B2, A3B3 and A4B4 registered road construction firms including Project Managers, Engineers, Site Supervisors as well as Quantity Surveyors in the Kumasi Metropolis. Using the purposive sampling technique, Fifty-five (55) out of the sixty-two (62) questionnaires distributed were retrieved. The data was analyzed using descriptive analysis for the background of the respondents and Relative Importance Index (RII) and mean score ranking to rank the various variables. Findings from the analysis revealed that Road Contractors as well as other stakeholders in the construction industry need to be adequately educated and sensitized on the pre-construction planning practices. With these findings, it was recommended that more researches or studies be done in the area of the road sector to address more issues in this subject matter. This is to establish measures in the identified areas that will help to achieve the full benefits of pre-construction planning during the execution of road project

Source: KNUST
Assessment of customer business characteristics on loan defaults in financial institutions

The main objective of this thesis is to identify the customer business characteristics in relation to loan defaults at First Allied Savings & Loans Limited. Other purposes meant for the study include factors contributing to loan defaults, measures put in place by First Allied Savings and Loans Limited in reducing loan defaults and the trend of loan defaults in the last six years. The objectives were achieved through field survey using questionnaires and interviews by convenient and purposive sampling method to elicit information. The research had certain findings of which these are prominent. It was observed that high interest rate and fees accounted for the default of loans by customers. Loan officers also reneged on their ability to do due diligence on the facilities as stipulated in the credit manual. Some customers also divert the loan amount to acquire assets rather than what the amount is intended for. In conclusion, loan default is caused by the customers themselves, the financial institution which is lending and also external factors such as delay in release of contractor’s funds for government projects, fire outbreak, decongestion etc. This affects the institution as it decreases its profit margin and impinges on its operational sustainability and viability. It is recommended that when screening clients for loans, Customer’s character, capacity, capital, collateral and conditions under which loans are given should be thoroughly examined and also loan amount should not be diverted by customers to acquire assets and also interest rates which are normally high should be reduced.

Source: KNUST
An assessment of credit delivery practices of microfinance institutions in Ghana, a case of Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans Ltd.

The concept of credit delivery has conventionally been considered an essential part of the microfinance institutions operation management, which is most vital to the success of these financial institutions. In spite of the various credit delivery procedure laid down by the central bank which must be followed by financial players, many of these rural microfinance institutions do not deliver credit prudently which has made many microfinance institutions unable to recover credit advance to clients resulting in the declaration of many credit as bad debts. This study assessed the credit delivery of microfinance institutions in Ghana, A Case of Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans ltd. This study employed both qualitative and quantitative research in which both descriptive and regression analyses were employed to assess the credit delivery in Microfinance Institutions in Ghana. The researcher collected data from all the departments of the organization for the purpose of eliciting information on the bank’s credit delivery management and performance. This consisted of 1 head and 4 other senior staff from each of the 9 departments. In effect, a total of 45 respondents were selected. Regression analysis was employed to analyse secondary source of data on bank capital, profit, loan and amount of non-performing loans from 2006 to 2014.After assessing the level of credit delivery system in Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans ltd, the study found that there is high level of competition in the microfinance sector and so players in the sector are implementing measures to ensure that strategic credit delivery policies are carried out. In analyzing credit delivery management techniques using microfinance credit delivery processes and operations technique developed by Teresa (2002), the study found out that loan application is very important, Loan Appraisal and Recommendation are important in credit delivery system in Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans ltd. More than half of the respondents indicated that they are not sure whether Approval/Deferment or Rejection is important in credit delivery system in Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans ltd or not. Again loan agreement, loan disbursement, loan repayment process are very important in credit delivery system in Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans ltd. Among the barriers hindering credit policies of the bank include inadequate credit assessment personnel, inadequate regular training on current trend in strategic credit delivery polices in microfinance institutions in Ghana, a lot of bureaucracies, accusations of bribery, corruption and conflict of interest in some credit delivery practices.The study recommends that Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans ltd should be able to employ qualified personnel who are well vexed in credit delivery policies of the bank, organize adequate and regular training on current trend in strategic credit delivery polices and that credit delivery polices should be simplified in order to dwell more on results oriented rather than strict procedure.

Source: KNUST
An Assessment of Customers’ Perception on Acceptability of Dangote Cement in Tema Metropolis

The study assessed customers’ perception on acceptability of Dangote cement in Tema metropolis with the aim of determine customers perception on durability of the product, factors taking into consideration before accepting or purchasing the product, trend in sales, and strategies management adopted to promote the sales of Dangote cement. The survey method was used to collect data from 381 respondents using simple random sampling methods as a first stage in selecting 4 communities out of 25 communities in Tema for the study after which stratified sampling methods were used to categorise customers according to whether they are domestic or commercial (contractors). Samples were drawn proportionally from each stratum until the intended sample size was reached. Major findings of the study are that, majority of the customers are males between the ages of 40 and 49 years, majority of the customers have the perception that Dangote cement is durable because it binds better and does not lead to cracks, factors taken into consideration before purchasing or accepting the cement are the cost and accessibility. The sale of products is high in the first half of every year than the second half. Major recommendations are that, management should increase field supervision in order to ensure the distributors comply with the price ceiling policy in stabilizing Dangote cement and more distribution centres should be established to enhance access to the product.

Source: KNUST
An assessment of customer service delivery in a 3-star hotel in Kumasi: the case study of Sir Max Hotel Ahodwo - Kumasi

The development in Ghana, whereby most women are no more house wives but working mothers has increase the patronage of eating out or buying already cooked food from food service joints to be consumed at home. Secondly, for Ghana to attract and widen its tourist base, its hotel industry must be developed with elite customer service delivery. This has enlightened customers as to the type of service delivered to them at the food service joints to an extent of comparing one spot another. Hotels are one of the most important demand for a tourist, and in Kumasi, the problem is how to deliver good customer service in the hotels especially the 3- star hotels which are rated higher. Thus the study evaluates customers expectation as to the perceived service received from hoteliers. Sir Max, a 3-star hotel at Ahodwo in Kumasi the garden city of Ghana, was studied to determine the customer service offered to attract, satisfy and retain customers. The research method used was a case study approach whereby management of the hotel was interviewed with unstructured questions and questionnaires administered to both internal and external customers. In addition was a participatory observation of the researcher as a confirmation to the responses. The study also examined hotel management’s standards put in place, whether these are customer oriented. Besides, it seeks to determine whether internal customers are trained to put customers first in their dealings. And also if the service delivered actually gives the customers satisfaction. Furthermore the determinants of good customer service delivery were used to measure the level of delivery such as reliability, communication, competence, courteousness and others. The study showed the customer service approach in place, the skill and knowledge of staff about customer service, the ambience, facilities, comfort, cleanliness, guest relation, motivation and security of Sir Max Hotel. The most significant factor to achieve successful customer service in a hotel is to have a good customer service strategy and plan in place by management; because these are very important in developing a valuable marketing weapon. The results of the study generally indicated that, management did not have a customer service approach in place but rather took note of customers’ problems. Secondly the hotel had skilled and knowledgeable staff that practiced customer service attributes to the uttermost. The facilities of the hotel on the average were good; likewise the level of customer turnover and customer satisfaction. Through good customer service, (moment of truth) Sir Max Hotel though in a less- than prime site and area out performed their counterparts in superior locations. This is because they have a lot of loyal customers who through word of mouth advertised the hotel. To conclude management need to put in place customer service strategies and plans; and both staff and management should be ready to implement changes at all times to meet customers’ need and satisfaction.

Source: KNUST
An assessment of decentralisation as a strategy for rural development in Ghana: a case of Ahanta West District

Rural development has been vigorously pursued in Ghana since the colonial era. In this contemporary era, decentralisation has been adopted to promote development in the rural areas. Authority and resources have been devolved from the central government to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) which are sub government structures created in 1988. By virtue of their geographical proximity to the grassroots, it was envisaged that these sub-government structures would better understand and respond to the developmental concerns of the local people. Using the Ahanta West District as a case study, this study explores the extent to which the decentralization programme has been an effective rural development strategy. Secondary data comprised of previous researches and reports. Primary data was collected through questionnaire survey administered to 200 household heads selected by cluster sampling. Data was also collected through face-to-face interviews with six chiefs, six Assembly members, six Unit Committee members and eight officials of the District Assembly. The survey data was analyzed using the Predictive Analytics Software (PASW) whilst the interview data was analysed based on themes developed for the research. The study revealed that, apart from the provision of basic schools, the contribution of the District Assembly has been woefully inadequate to tackle the myriad of concerns in the settlements. The expectations of basic infrastructure, employment opportunities and improved living conditions have largely not materialized. Decentralisation has also failed to tackle chieftaincy disputes, disunity, apathy and rural outmigration. Major constraints to service delivery are inadequate logistics and funding arising from erratic release of the Common Fund and lack of local revenue base. Another obstacle to progress is the politicization of the programme although it is said to be apolitical The research contends that policy makers need to have a rethink of the implementation of decentralisation. Enhancing revenue generation through private-public partnerships and District Assembly levies, depoliticisation of the programme through the election of the District Chief Executive; as well as massive sensitization on the concept would go a long way to improve the performance of the District Assemblies.

Source: KNUST