ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practices towards inguinal hernia among adult-male in the East Mamprusi District

Globally, inguinal hernia is the most common type of hernia, comprising of approximately 75% of all abdominal wall hernias. It is one of the most common general surgical operations worldwide accounting for 10 to 15% of all surgical procedures. There is paucity of published data on the knowledge, attitudes and practices towards inguinal hernia in our environment as there is no local study which has been done in the East Mamprusi District. This study was a community-based cross-sectional study with the aim of assessing the knowledge, attitudes and practices towards inguinal hernia in the East Mamprusi District among adult-males. A sample of 216 respondents was selected through a multi stage sampling technique. It was revealed that the knowledge about inguinal hernia was inadequate, even though majority (61.6%) attributed the cause of inguinal hernia to hereditary factors, with more than half (52.7%) reporting food/drink to be the cause. Majority (34.5%) indicated they would prefer to see a medical doctor upon suspicion of inguinal hernia, with 1.4% reporting that they would rather inform a priest/pastor about the medical condition in question. The predominant attitude towards the treatment of inguinal hernia was found to be fear of surgery (28.8%), followed by adverse effects of surgery (25.4%) and high hospital cost (24.5%). About one-fifth believed inguinal hernia is as a result of ancestral curse. Eighty percent of the respondents reported to have ever engaged in heavy lifting, with almost an equal proportion (84.1%) reporting the frequency of lifting to be occasional. xii The study indicates inadequate knowledge about inguinal hernia among adult-males in the East Mamprusi District. Intervention programmes by stakeholders particularly the East Mamprusi District Health Directorate could, therefore, address the issue of inadequate knowledge about the condition by intensifying IEC programmes in the communities.

Source: KNUST
Assessment of Land use Induced Land Surface Temperature Changes in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana

This study explored the application of geospatial technology in understanding change pattern of Land use/Land cover (LULC) and associated Land Surface Temperature (LST) variability in the Greater Accra region between 1986 and 2018. Landsat satellite imagery between the months of December and February (dry season) were used for LULC analysis and LST Estimation. MODIS LST data for 1986, 2002 and 2018 were also utilized for the validation of satellite derived LST. The aim of this research was to investigate how LULC changes affects LST. The results of analysis show that LULC in Greater Accra region has changed significantly over the 32-year period. Four major LULC types identified were; vegetation, built-up, bare land and waterbody. Bare land cover type indicated decrease from 1986 to 2018 of 60.22%. Water bodies experienced varying trend of 7.84% decrease representing 9.11 Km2. Vegetation cover indicated 16.20% increase in 2002 and 28.02% decrease in 2018. This amounted to a total of 11.82% decrease in vegetation cover. On the contrary, built-up increased by 654.03% (724.3 Km2) between 1986 and 2018. LST was observed to have increased by 3.05 over the 32-year period of this study across the Greater Accra region. with the highest LST of 36.95 and the lowest of 20.19 , both recorded in 2002. The trend however indicated a significant increase between 1986 and 2002 but a decrease in LST from 2002 to 2018. The increasing trend in LST over time was found to be consistent with the observed urban expansion of the study area. High temperatures are also more apparent along the coastal belt of the region stretching northwards as development spread in the same direction. Total change in LST for the entire period of the study show increases of 3.53 , 3.04 , 2.78 and 2.65 for bare land, vegetation, built-up and waterbody land use/land cover types respectively. LULC association with LST shows that bare land experienced the highest negative change of 60.22% and this corresponded to the highest increase in LST of 3.53 over the same period. Correlation analysis and Coefficient of variation indicated largely that, MODIS LST data validated derived LST from Landsat satellite imagery. Trend of both LST values follow identical pattern with few instances where derived LST is greater than MODIS LST. Both NDBAI and NDBI exhibited a positive correlation with LST. NDVI demonstrated a negative linear correlation while NDWI indicated the strongest negative linear correlation with LST. Land use/Land cover change can be linked to rising Land Surface Temperature Changes in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. The research stresses the need to ensure effective land use planning by relevant regulatory bodies to control urban development and address anthropogenic causes of surface temperature changes.

Source: KNUST
Assessment of Lignocellulosic Crop Waste Biomass Potential for Biofuel Production in Lawra-Nandom District

The aim of this study was to assess crop residue biomass potential for second generation biofuel production in the Lawra-Nandom district of Ghana. The specific objectives of the study were: (1) to estimate present and future crop residue biomass with corresponding second generation biofuel production potential and compare with present fuel demand; (2) to evaluate energy balance of ethanol production from crop residue biomass and; (3) assess the financial viability of possible projects. The methods used in this study for data collection included interviews, survey, field and laboratory experiment. The residue to product ratio of four major crops‒maize, sorghum, millet and groundnut stalks as determined in the field were 1.15, 4.75, 5.53 and 1.73 respectively. The findings show that the total annual crop residues production in the Lawra-Nandom district was about 272,000 tonnes. Among the major crops grown in the district, sorghum crop generates the largest quantity of residues, contributing 59% by weight of the total residues. Ethanol production potential was estimated to be 40 million litres if 40% of the average residue generated between 2003 and 2012 were used for energy purposes. The research also estimated that the crop residues produced in the Lawra district will be able to produce enough bioethanol to meet the current and future fuel demand of the district. The net energy balance of the biofuel production process was estimated to be 1,718.7 MJ with a ratio of energy output to input being 1.31‒ this means the production process is beneficial. From the financial analysis, the net present value was calculated to be GHC 2 million with an internal rate of return of 19.3% ‒ this implies that it is financially viable to establish a bioethanol plant in the district.

Source: KNUST
Assessment of landuse induced land surface temperature changes in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana

This study explored the application of geospatial technology in understanding change pattern of Land use/Land cover (LULC) and associated Land Surface Temperature (LST) variability in the Greater Accra region between 1986 and 2018. Landsat satellite imagery between the months of December and February (dry season) were used for LULC analysis and LST Estimation. MODIS LST data for 1986, 2002 and 2018 were also utilized for the validation of satellite derived LST. The aim of this research was to investigate how LULC changes affects LST. The results of analysis show that LULC in Greater Accra region has changed significantly over the 32-year period. Four major LULC types identified were; vegetation, built-up, bare land and waterbody. Bare land cover type indicated decrease from 1986 to 2018 of 60.22%. Water bodies experienced varying trend of 7.84% decrease representing 9.11 Km2 . Vegetation cover indicated 16.20% increase in 2002 and 28.02% decrease in 2018. This amounted to a total of 11.82% decrease in vegetation cover. On the contrary, built-up increased by 654.03% (724.3 Km2 ) between 1986 and 2018. LST was observed to have increased by 3.05 over the 32-year period of this study across the Greater Accra region. with the highest LST of 36.95 and the lowest of 20.19 , both recorded in 2002. The trend however indicated a significant increase between 1986 and 2002 but a decrease in LST from 2002 to 2018. The increasing trend in LST over time was found to be consistent with the observed urban expansion of the study area. High temperatures are also more apparent along the coastal belt of the region stretching northwards as development spread in the same direction. Total change in LST for the entire period of the study show increases of 3.53 , 3.04 , 2.78 and 2.65 for bare land, vegetation, built-up and waterbody land use/land cover types respectively. LULC association with LST shows that bare land experienced the highest negative change of 60.22% and this corresponded to the highest increase in LST of 3.53 over the same period. Correlation analysis and Coefficient of variation indicated largely that, MODIS LST data validated derived LST from Landsat satellite imagery. Trend of both LST values follow identical pattern with few instances where derived LST is greater than MODIS LST. Both NDBAI and NDBI exhibited a positive correlation with LST. NDVI demonstrated a negative linear correlation while NDWI indicated the strongest negative linear correlation with LST. Land use/Land cover change can be linked to rising Land Surface Temperature Changes in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. The research stresses the need to ensure effective land use planning by relevant regulatory bodies to control urban development and address anthropogenic causes of surface temperature changes.

Source: KNUST
Assessment of linkages between the JSS Pre-Vocational Skills Programme and the SSS Visual Arts Programmes: A Case Study Of Selected Schools in Akwapim South District of Eastern Region, Ghana.

School education in Ghana has undergone many transformations. One of the major ones of our time is the Education Reform of 1987. One of the pillars of these reforms is to develop the need to recognise Technical and Vocational Education. Secondly to improve upon the teaching and learning of the programmes. Finally to improve the linkages between the JSS Pre-Vocational Skills and SSS Visual Arts programmes. In spite of these objectives there appears to be a gap between the JSS Pre- Vocational Skills and SSS Visual Arts programmes. The researcher therefore investigated the problems associated with the gap between the JSS Pre-Vocational Skills and SSS Visual Arts programmes in three (3) out of five (5) SSS in Akwapim South district, namely Adonten Secondary School, Saint Martins Secondary School, Aburi Secondary Technical School and forty (40) out of seventy- one (71) JSS in the Akwapim South District. Questionnaire were designed and administered to sample opinions from two hundred (200) Students, eight (8) Visual Arts Teachers and forty (40) Pre- Vocational Skills teachers from selected Schools in the district for the study. Findings made include: 1. Lack of qualified professional Art teachers to teach the Art related subjects in Pre- Vocational Skills at the JSS level. 2. Lack of Studios, teaching and learning materials to help promote the basic training in the JSS Pre-Vocational Skills and SSS Visual Arts programmes in the district. 3. Lack of linkages between the JSS Pre-Vocational Skills and the SSS Visual Arts programmes studied by students. ii Recommendations made were that emphasis should be made in the teaching of Art related Vocations in the JSS, more qualified professional Art Teachers should be posted to the JSS to teach the Art related courses in the Pre-Vocational Skills; the various vocations offered in the SSS should be offered directly in the JSS and basic Visual Art skills should be introduced at the JSS for pupils to prepare them for the SSS Visual Arts Course.

Source: KNUST
An assessment of leadership styles and their impact on employees’ performance: a case study of Kumasi Technical Institute

Leadership is vitally important at all levels within the company. Leadership is the moral and intellectual ability to visualize and work for what is best for the company and its employees (Mullins, 2006). This research assessed leadership styles and their impact on employees’ performance at Kumasi Technical Institute. The underlying problem for the research was that the employees of the institute did not really comprehend the reason why the Principal was occasionally strict on his decisions and sometimes flexible on certain issues. This according to some of the employees had made it very difficult to predict the behaviour of the leader. Accordingly, he had won the approval of some employees while at the same time had encountered the discontentment of some of them. The literature reviewed, covers areas such as traits, behavioural, styles, and contingency and situational theories of leadership. The rest are: educational leadership, ‘fellowship’, performance management, and motivation. The conceptual framework of the study was also formulated. The research methodology involved interviews conducted with the Principal as well as the vice principal administration (VP1) of the Institute. Questionnaires were also administered to the Heads of department (HODs), course officers (COs) as well as the sampled teaching staff. The interviews and the questionnaires were used to solicit data on leadership style, employees’ performance, motivation and the contribution of employees to leadership at Kumasi Technical Institute. Data obtained from each of the research instruments were then analyzed. Thus it was realized that employees always need to have leaders in other to achieve high levels of performance; but the leader(s) might not necessarily be almost always present at the work environment before employees perform. Again it came to light that there is no specific leadership style that really has the ability to influence employees’ performance in general and that multiplicity of leadership style could improve performance at KTI. Through Pearson’s chi-square test it was concluded that there is a relationship between leadership characteristics and sensitivity to employees needs at KTI. However, no significant relationship was found between employees’ performance at the institute and leadership style. Suitable recommendations have been suggested accordingly and this could be found at last segment of this work.

Source: KNUST
An assessment of liquidity risk among listed commercial banks in Ghana

The aim of the current study was to explore the liquidity risk of four listed banks. Specifically, the current study intended to evaluate the influence of predictors such as bank size on liquidity risk and also assess the liquidity risk of the chosen banks over a time of ten years. The study used panel data from the four commercial and listed banks in Ghana spanning the period 2002 to 2011. The financial gap ratio (FGAPR) and the net loans to total deposits (NLD) ratio (dependent variables) were used to evaluate liquidity risk among the banks. The panel data was analysed to evaluate the strength of association between these ratios and predictors of bank liquidity (independent variables), i.e., bank size, bank concentration, bank ownership, risky and less risky liquid assets, non-deposits dependence, and inflation. The panel data regression results have revealed that bank size, the rate of inflation and non-deposit dependence had a positive and a statistically significant relationship with liquidity risk while liquid assets and bank concentration in the industry show a negatively significant relationship with bank liquidity risk. The study recommends among other things, that banks in Ghana place particular importance into monitoring the indicators and determinants that were identified to impact liquidity positively or adversely, i.e., the size of the bank, the components of liquid assets which may be either risky or less risky liquid assets, non-deposit dependence, industry concentration and the change in inflation. The study further recommends a yearly update of liquidity risk assessment in light of the burgeoning competition among banks in Ghana and as a follow up, the study also suggests measuring how liquidity risk relates or impacts on profitability among these listed banks

Source: KNUST
Assessment of liquid waste management in health care facilities in Kumasi

In developing countries, hospital liquid waste management is an issue of major concern. The main objective was to assess the hospital wastewater management practices in three Community-based Health Planning and Service (CHPS compounds), two (02) primary hospitals, and one (01) Specialist hospital in fertility within Kumasi Metropolis. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used in the methodology for this study. Wastewater samples were collected from main effluent points (pipes, inspection chambers, manholes and drains) inside the health care facilities, in situ measurement and laboratory analysis were performed for the Physical, chemical, biological and heavy metal parameters. The study revealed that five (05) health care facilities discharge their wastewater (grey water) without any treatment directly into drains to be conveyed into the urban drainage system, and only one CHPS compound dispose of it wastewater (grey water) into a soakaway through inspection chambers. The wastewater discharged from the health facilities were estimated between 160 to 480 litres/day for the CHPS compounds and 5,600 to 15,840 litres/day for the hospitals. Findings indicated acceptable iron, chromium, zinc and manganese concentrations, however high COD and BOD values were observed ranging between 98 to 832 and 31.09 to 68.15 mg/l respectively. Nitrate concentration ranged from 2.9 to 424.95 mg/l and phosphorus values were between 1.7 and 4.49 mg/l and above EPA acceptable guideline values. Heavy metals (lead, cadmium and mercury) presence and microbiological contents were found above Ghana EPA effluent guideline values. One out of six health care facilities had a high mercury concentration of 0.014 mg/l, lead concentration were found higher than EPA permissible levels, cadmium concentration for two CHPS compounds were above EPA acceptable levels (0.1 mg/l), thus the need of proper disposal and adequate treatment of hospital wastewater.

Source: KNUST
Assessment of Long-term Spatio-temporal Rainfall Variability over Ghana usingWavelet Analysis

Rainfall variability has serious implications on food security and livelihood in West Africa since it modulates the socio-economic activities in the sub region. The interannual, inter-seasonal and inter-decadal rainfall variability in rainfall over Ghana has been studied and their periodicities analysed using wavelet analysis. A rainfall time series from 1901 - 2010 from GPCC was used in this analysis. It was observed that, high cumulative rainfall amounts ranging from 900 - 1900 mm are recorded over the entire nation per year with very high rainfall amounts between 1500 - 1900 mm recorded at the south-western part of the country and low rainfall amounts (900 - 1200 mm) recorded in the Savannah and east coast of the country. In general a decreasing trend is observed for the inter-annual rainfall over all the agro-ecological zones except for the coastal zone where a slight rise in trend of 0.1600 mm per year is seen. The seasonal trend analysis reveals a significant decreasing trend at 99% confidence level in all the agro-ecological zones except for the Savannah during the DJF season indicating an intensification of the Harmattan. The Coastal zone records lowest mean rainfall values for all the seasons with the highest of about 150 mm recorded in MAM. The Forest zone on the other hand records very high rainfall values for all the seasons with the highest of about 200 mm recorded in JJA followed by about 170 mm in MAM. The Transition zone however records almost similar rainfall values (varying between 120 and 170 mm) for all the seasons except for DJF where a lower mean value of about 50 mm is recorded. On inter-decadal time scale, below normal rainfall values is observed between the 1901 - 1920 and 1980 - 2010 periods for all the agro-ecological zones except for the Savannah which shows above normal rainfall values within the 1901 - 1940 period. These variabilities confirm the effects of strong El Niño and La Niña episodes on the region. The wavelet analysis also revealed a strong annual periodicity over all the agro-ecological zones except for the Coastal and Forest zones where the annual periodicity is accompanied by 4 - 8 months signal. The results of both the 5 year moving average and the inter-decadal anomaly confirm that rainfall amount is significantly decreasing even in the transition zone which is the food hub of the country. This will likely have negative consequences on agricultural practices, water resource management and food security.

Source: KNUST
Assessment of Maize Ear Rot in Major Maize Growing Areas of Ashanti Region of Ghana

Maize ear rots reduce grain yield quality with implication on food security and health. Information on the types and prevalence of maize ear rots in the major maize growing areas of Ashanti Region of Ghana is scanty. A surveywas, therefore, conducted during the major and minor maize growing seasons to determine the prevalence of maize ear rots and types of fungal pathogens associated in this region. The survey considered 39 and 20 communities in metropolis, municipals and districts during the major and minor seasons, respectively. A total of 44 farmers were interviewed during the survey. The field survey showed a 70% female dominance amongst respondents and a predominantly middle-age farming population. Majority (77%) of the farmers interviewed had only primary school education and about 43% had over two decades of experience with maize cultivation. Most of the farmers obtained their seeds from the Ghana Seed Company, and Obaatanpa appeared to be the variety of choice amongst farmers in the region. About 66% of the respondents alluded to planting their seeds in the month of April and majority (84%) of the farmers observed symptoms of maize ear rot at maturity of the crop. The survey also considered management practices used by farmers to combat maize ear rot. The results showed that majority (68%) of the farmers had no prior knowledge of any fungicides. Roundup, a weedicide, appeared to be the chemical of choice but none of the farmers interviewed used a fungicide. Sun drying of debris appeared to be the popular control method used in the region.The maize samples collected from the communities were taken to the laboratory and analyzed for ear rot pathogens. During the major season, a total of seven fungal pathogens were isolated. For this period, the prevalent fungal pathogen of maize ear rot was Aspergillus flavus, followed by Colletotrichum sp. and the least being Curvulariasp. For the minor season, a total of five fungal pathogens were isolated. During this period, the prevalent fungal pathogen of maize ear rot wasColletotrichumsp., followed by A. flavus and the least being Penicillium sp. The types of maize ear rot identified wereAspergillus flavus,Colletotrichum sp., Trichoderma sp., Fusarium sp., Aspergillus niger, Penicillium sp. and Curvulariasp.Results from the field survey showed that majority of the farmers did not perceive the occurrence and impact of maize ear rots.

Source: KNUST