ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Financing small and medium scale enterprises in madina municipality: the case of gcb bank

The study investigates the Financing of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Madina Municipality: The Case of GCB Bank. Descriptive and explanatory research design were used. Sample size of 300 respondents was selected using purposive sampling technique. Data on responses was obtained using questionnaire and was analysed quantitatively using descriptive statistics and regression model. The study established that Cash-flows from portfolio of securities, Deposit mobilization, and Net income were the major smes financing sources adopted by the bank which has a positive relationship with the bank’s profitability. Again, the challenges associated with smes financing includes the Inability of smes to provide Collateral for loans. Cost of securing a loan was too high, inability of smes to present audited financial statement, lack of education on fund credit officers. Also, GCB’s smes financing have a significant positive effect on smes Financial Performance. The study recommends that in expanding small enterprise lending, banks need to develop alternatives to property as collateral to secure loans, such as personal guarantors, sales contracts and lien on equipment financed

Source: KNUST
Financing of SMEs in Ghana. A case study of banks in Kumasi.

This research work examines financing of SMEs by Banks with emphasis on Owner Characteristics (that is Age, Education, Gender, Personal attributes). This is as a result of the fact that most banks concentrate on collateral as one of the determinant of loans assessment by SMEs. Most SMEs are unable to meet these collateral requirements by banks hence a hindrance to the loan acquisition by SMEs. This current study revealed that amidst the challenges, SMEs owner characteristics was identified as a variable that banks could depend on to some extent to grant credit facilities to SMEs. A structured questionnaire was employed with a sample size of 120 respondents among banks with interest in SMEs activities to gather data in Kumasi. A simple linear regression was used in the analysis of data to generate the desired or appropriate results. The results of the analysis showed that Education, Age of Business, Personnel attributes are a significant variables that influence SMEs access to loans from banks. Gender did not play a role to influence SMEs access to loan unless the SMEs loan is gender specific. The policy direction for this research work is that banks and non-banks financial institutions should also pay attention to SMEs owner characteristics even though collateral forms a major part in access to loans by SMEs.

Source: KNUST
Financing Rural Dwellers Development: The case of Kuapa Kookoo from 2000-2005, in Ashanti

Corporate bodies are critical to African’s quest for solutions to the continent’s development challenge. Over the past decade, organisations, both governmental and non-government organisations attention have been devoted to improvement in standard of living of rural dwellers and their communities which no government has the financial capacity to address the social and developmental needs of every town under its jurisdiction. This paper examined the poverty alleviation strategies being used by Kuapa Kookoo to improve the standard of living of their rural farmers. The paper also investigated the various sources of finance available for the development project undertaken by the organization as well as the types of project involved. Pearson product moment correlation was applied to measure the strength of linear relationship between the cash inflows and the cash spent on the project between 2000 and 2005. Likewise Gordon’s growth model was applied to determine the growth rate of the cash inflows. The paper further elaborated on the positive impacts on the rural dwellers and their communities as well as the company itself with regards to improving standard of living of the farmers. The paper concluded wit some policy recommendations including the need for government to encourage corporate bodies to extend its hands in improving the lives of the rural poor and their communities.

Source: KNUST
Financing small and medium scale enterprises in Madina municipality: the case of GCB bank

The study investigates the Financing of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Madina Municipality: The Case of GCB Bank. Descriptive and explanatory research design were used. Sample size of 300 respondents was selected using purposive sampling technique. Data on responses was obtained using questionnaire and was analysed quantitatively using descriptive statistics and regression model. The study established that Cash-flows from portfolio of securities, Deposit mobilization, and Net income were the major SMEs financing sources adopted by the bank which has a positive relationship with the bank’s profitability. Again, the challenges associated with SMEs financing includes the Inability of SMEs to provide Collateral for loans. Cost of securing a loan was too high, inability of SMEs to present audited financial statement, lack of education on fund credit officers. Also, GCB’s SMEs financing have a significant positive effect on SMEs Financial Performance. The study recommends that in expanding small enterprise lending, banks need to develop alternatives to property as collateral to secure loans, such as personal guarantors, sales contracts and lien on equipment financed.

Source: KNUST
Financing Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in the Oil Palm Producing Sector in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region.

Financing business has been a major problem facing most businesses, both the small and large companies as well as the medium ones. Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) is of no exception of the problems faced by businesses. These enterprises were mostly managed by people of low income to serve as income provider for their families. Some of these enterprises cannot grow into large companies because of lack of funds. The study therefore identified the various means of financing SMEs in the oil palm producing sector in the Ahanta West District of the Western Region. The study had the various objectives as to identify the various forms of funds available to SMEs in the oil palm producing sector of the Ahanta West District of the Western Region, find out the funds that have been actually accessed by oil palm producers in the Ahanta West District, and identify some other means of financing the oil palm production. Descriptive research design was used for the study. The instruments used to gather data for the study was questionnaire for oil palm producers and unstructured interview for Ahantaman Rural Bank bank which is situated in Ahanta West District. Fifty respondents were sampled from the oil palm producers using convenience, quota and simple random sampling techniques while four respondents were sampled from the bank using purposive sampling technique. Data collected were analyzed with both quantitative and qualitative methods. The study revealed that majority of oil palm producers in the Ahanta West District financed their operation with personal savings and have not access any loan from the bank. It was recommended that Ahanta West District Assembly should set funds aside to provide for financial needs of SMEs in the district.

Source: KNUST
Financing Small – Scale Agro – Based Industries (SSAI) in the South Kwahu District

The Gap between the level of socio-economic development and well - being of the rural and urban dwellers in Ghana continue to widen despite attempts by the government and other development institutions to narrow it. As a result, it has dawned on the rural dwellers to contribute effectively in the improvement of their own welfare by harnessing all the resources they have. An attempt to do this requires the diversification of the rural economy so as to improve on their income level. One way of doing this is the development of Small - Scale Agro-Based Industries (SAI) which can have integrative and multiplier effects on agriculture and. the rural economy as a whole. However, the development of SSAI in the rural areas is faced with serious financial constraints which impede their growth. The South Kwahu District is no exception to this problem. The study, therefore, sought out to analyse the characteristics of the financial constraints facing SSAI in the South Kwahu District. It was revealed that formal sources of finance such as the banking institution do not play any significant role in the financing of SSAI in the district as a result of their cumbersome lending procedures. Informal sources such as money lenders friends, relatives and ‘susu’ however, form the backbone for financing SSAI in the district, But the infernal sources also have such disadvantage as low capital base which cannot satisfy all the financial requirements of the industrialists. This also limits the sources of finance for SSAI. Policy guidelines for financing SSAI wore therefore, suggested within a long torn strategic framework and short terra action policies which centred, among others, on: improving access of industrialists, to sources of finance; improving marketing outlets and management skills and the formation of cooperation. It is hoped that these suggested policies could help in solving the financial constraints to the development of SAI in the South Kwahu District, and SSAI in other rural areas with similar financial constraints, so that the rural dwellers can improve on their socio - economic well-being.

Source: KNUST
Financing small-scale farmers in the Techiman District, Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana

The desire for food self-sufficiency in C-ham has been a dream of all succeeding governments since independence. However, this dream has become an enigma, for a long time, as the country continues to rely on massive food importation and food aid to supplement her food requirements. One way of realising this dream of self-sufficiency in the country’s food needs is by increasing the productivity of the small-scale farmer. However, the growth andtdeve1opmen of the small-scale farmer is beset with many problems, most important of them being inadequate financing. Small-scale farmers in the Techiman District are no exception to this problem. The study, therefore, set out to analyse the characteristics of the financial constraints facing the small-scale farmers in the Techiman District and the reaction of the financial institutions in solving their financial problems. It was revealed from the study that most of the farmers are illiterates, use traditional implements, depend on rain-fed agriculture, have limited farm sizes and depend on family hands as farm labour. The characteristics of the existing sources of finance also revealed that the formal sources of finance play an insignificant role in financing small-scale farmers in the district not only because of their rigid lending procedures but also due to the poor repayment rate, diversion of loans from the purposes for which they were acquired, refusal to pay the loans and the dispersed nature of the small-scale farmers. These factors combine to make the banks very repulsive in granting loans to farmers. Informal sources such as money-lenders, personal savings, friends and relatives and cash advances from middlemen and traders, therefore, form the backbone for financing small-scale farmers. It was revealed that the informal sources are not only unreliable but also charge high interest rates which means that after repayment of the loan most farmers cannot have enough to meet their social expenditure and for further reinvestment in agriculture. It is against the background of the unreliability and. the high rate of interests of the informal sources that recommendations have been offered to help small-scale farmers get out of their financial problem. These recommendations include the need to increase extension services, formation of co-operative associations, fanner education, opening of more rural banks, the integration of formal and informal sources of finance and improvement in the marketing and distribution networks. It is hoped that these recommendations could help in solving the financial constraints, to the growth and development of small-scale farmers in the Techiman District and. other food producing areas in Ghana.

Source: KNUST
Financing smes through savings and loans companies, a study of utrak company ltd.

The contribution of Small and MediumEnterprises (SMEs) to development in Ghana is very significant. This study aimed to examine some sources of finance available to SMEs, the contribution of Savings and Loans companies to SMEs growth, the challenges Savings and Loans companies face in dealing with SMEs and finally, the challenges SMEs in Kumasi face.The study adopted case study approach and focused on UTRAK Savings and Loans in Sunyani. The researcher used convenience sampling technique to select a sample of 100clients and 13 staff of UTRAK Savings and Loans. The data gathered were analyzed with the help of Microsoft Excel and SPSS. It was established from the study that SMEs used internal sources of finance and trade credit more than they used external credit.High interest rate and taxes were some challenges the SMEs face. Collateral security was identified as an essential requirement for loan applications in thefinancial institutions. UTRAK makes available support packages in the form of workshops and loan advances with friendly payment terms. Other support packages such as book-keeping skills, advice on succession planning strategies and growth planning were offered to clients in varying degrees. UTRAK’s operations is bedeviled with high default rates resulting in rising nonperforming loans. The recommendations that areproffered herein are that;microfinance institutions, banks, business angels and venture capitalist assist the SME sector, so they can start operations on a relatively large scale. Secondly, the requirements for accessing financial support should be reduced so that entrepreneurs could readily approach and secure assistance; and lastly, beneficiaries of loans must be trained on sound business practices. Moreeducational sessions and training packages should be rolled out to enhance benefits from loans and support secured.

Source: KNUST
Financing the health care delivery budget in the Ghana Armed Forces (The Case of the 37 Military Hospital)

Health care delivery is undoubtedly an important factor for raising and maintaining the morale of troops in the Ghana Armed Forces. Financing healthcare delivery in the Ghana Armed Forces seriously constrains the effective administration of the hospital. As the financial pressure increases, the debate on factors that account for the influence of the sourcing of finance becomes more central to Military planners. This study was undertaken to assess the financing of the health care delivery at the 37 Military Hospitals. The study was descriptive and employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches. The quantitative approach involved exit poll interviews of 200 patients while the qualitative involved Key Informant interviews of eight key staff members in the Ghana Armed Forces. In addition to these data collection methods, background information was also gathered through a review of medical records of the 37 Military Hospital and records in other health facilities. Findings from the study indicated that sources of financing the healthcare delivery at the hospital were obtained from budgetary allocations as well as internally generated funds (IGF) from user fees. IGF constituted more than 50% of the total yearly revenue of the hospital. The study also showed that non-entitled clients use the services of the hospital more than the entitled. The main reasons were the fact that” staff at Military Hospital do not go on strike” and the availability and affordability of drugs at the chemist in the hospital. The study further revealed that malaria, upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), diarrhoea, skin and worms related diseases, body (musculoskeletal) and abdominal (peptic ulcer) pains, hypertension, asthma and chicken pox were the top ten leading causes of outpatient visits. The calculated average cost of treatment per outpatient was ¢52,772.88 for the entitled (total estimated cost was ¢884,737,500 divided by 16765 cases) and ¢56,458.63 for the non-entitled (¢1,272,182,500 divided by 22533 cases). The study also revealed that the 2000 budgetary allocation of ¢2,782,000,000 meant to cater for the 68079 (implying an average cost of ¢40,864.29 per a visit) entitled clients was inadequate, as the estimated treatment cost for the outpatient visits alone by the entitled (¢52,772.88) was more than the budget allocation (¢40,864.29). A significant recommendation (based on the findings of this study) is that the transparency in the finances of the Military to Civilians and donors might increase their understanding of the needs of the military and makes more resources available to the military health sector. The budget of the hospital should also reflect cost of services. In short the financial claims of the hospital must be rationally assessed in terms of cost-effectiveness to ensure the adequacy of the budgetary allocations.

Source: KNUST
Financing the Production and Marketing of Shea Butter in Tamale Metropolis

Recently, shea butter has emerged as a promising economic commodity and has gained international recognition because of its therapeutic properties. It is the potentials of the commodity that informed this research. The study basically sought to find out the peculiarities of shea butter processing, the level of financing, financial products used to deliver financial services, constraints of the sector as well as examine the policy and regulatory environments of the industry. In view of these objectives, case study research methodology was adopted. This research approach was deemed suitable because it allowed the researcher to collect information from multiple stakeholders to facilitate understanding of the dynamics and peculiarities of financing of production and marketing of the commodity in the Tamale Metropolis. The research however, revealed several pressing issues among which include the lack of effective government policy framework document, inadequate micro finance services, dominance of contract financing, high private sector involvement in the shea industry and lack of marketing finance. NGOs and a few financial organizations have taken steps to respond to these critical issues and realized some successes like the establishment of contract financing transactions and technical support services for producers, but much still needs to be done. In view of the constraints and potentials, major recommendations proposed in the short term include the need for: the establishment of equipment and marketing financing scheme for shea butter processors, the expansion of micro finance services, the provision of support services to sustain financing schemes, literacy training for producers, effective collaboration among stakeholders, monitoring and evaluation of financial and technical support services, among others. Additionally, in the long term, there is the need for a policy framework document to regulate activities of the shea industry in order to facilitate wealth creation and development. Production finance which is handled basically by private entrepreneurs is fairly appreciable. Marketing finance and support services were however deficient. In view of this, effective implementation of the suggestions could lead to the improvement of production and marketing of shea butter in Northern Ghana and eventually result in poverty reduction and development especially among rural women.

Source: KNUST
Fingerprint recognition using ridge feature-base approach for human identification

In recent years’, fingerprint recognition is gaining more and more acceptance. The aim of this research is to propose fingerprint recognition using ridge feature base matching. The research was conduct using Valley View University (Techiman Campus) each of the subjects' fingerprints were capture for analysis. The thumb and index were captured four times at difference time, and three were used for the data set and one for test data. The thumb and index finger were captured three-times and store in a database also the number ridge end feature are extracted from each finger and store in the database. The thumb and index fingerprint of each subject were taken for test data and compared with the database for matching. The study showed that ridge feature base fingerprint matching is very effective and efficient as compared with other approach or techniques. The ridge image is a compact representation of the fingerprint image. There is the possibility of ridge images being effectively approximated by polygonal lines leading to a reduction of the template file. Also, ridges, unlike minutiae, cover the entire region of the fingerprint. Hence with a reduction of the effective region of the two fingers, the performance of the ridge-based system is not compromised greatly. Additionally, the system produces higher matching scores as compared to the conventional minutiae system rendering the proposed system more efficient than the conventional minutiae system.

Source: KNUST
Fingerprinting and criminal identification – a case study of Ashanti regional criminal investigation department

Fingerprinting technique is a new age technology, specifically used for the identification of humans. The technology has been adopted by various institutions including the Ghana Police Service in order to link suspects to crimes. However, records on fingerprinting in Ghana’s security services have not been the best for successful criminal identification. Therefore, the present study was to evaluate the level of efficiency of fingerprint capturing and matching techniques adopted by the Ghana Police Service. A cross sectional design was used where descriptive method was adopted. A sample size of 210 criminal investigators within the Ashanti Region of the Ghana Police Service was selected via simple randomization. The investigators were taken through structured questionnaires which focused on the use, impact and challenges associated with fingerprint technique application in the Ghana Police Service. Criminal records at all the stations within the Ashanti Regional Command for 2018 were also analyzed to ascertain the cases that were linked to the technique. The results showed that the criminal investigators with the technological know-how on the application were more than 75% at all the divisions; however, only few successful cases (at most 0.71%) were linked to the technique. The investigators also had a lukewarm attitude towards the use of the technique even though they highly acknowledged the positive impact (approximately 4.00 ± 1.20, meaning highly agreed). Some of the significant impacts provided by the respondents include enhancement of productivity, speeding of criminal proceedings and reduction in ambiguity during criminal investigations. The major challenge to the application of fingerprint technique at the Ashanti Regional Command was the inadequate availability of resources (approximately 4.00 ± 1.52). The other mild issues relating to the application included improper fingerprint capturing and matching equipment, poor infrastructure for the technique and less training for personnel. All these findings clearly revealed the need to significantly improve on the application of fingerprint capturing and matching technique at the Ashanti Regional Police Command to facilitate criminal identification and prosecution in the region.

Source: KNUST