ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Sand Mining And Local Livelihoods In The Ga South Municipality And Gomoa East District, Ghana

Globally, investment in housing and urban infrastructure to match the pace of urbanisation has led to high volumes of unsustainable sand extraction. In Ghana, farming and other land-based livelihoods account for the majority of the jobs held by locals in the sand mining regions. The main objective of the study was to assess how terrestrial sand mining in the Ga South Municipality and Gomoa East District affects local household livelihoods. A mixed-methods approach was used to gather quantitative data from 278 household heads and qualitative data from 32 key informants, including landowners, truck drivers, sand contractors, local government authorities, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Minerals Commission, and Focus Group Discussions with women and youth groups. Descriptive statistics, the chi-square test of independence, Kruskal-Wallis and the Median test were employed to analyse the quantitative data, while the qualitative data were transcribed and analysed thematically. The study revealed the following findings: first, sand mining was widespread and largely illegally undertaken by mainly non-natives of the mining communities, with the most common interest among the actors being monetary. Second, the negative impact of terrestrial sand mining on local livelihoods was more experienced by most of the local residents than its positive effects. Third, the rules governing sand mining were inadequately applied by the regulatory agencies. It is recommended for policymakers to resource the regulatory agencies to perform their mandate, while strict sanctions should be applied to illegal sand miners. The Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority, local government authorities, and landowners should work together to zone the study communities to ensure that land is reserved for traditional livelihoods.

Source: UCC
Sandwich Students’ Attitude Towards the Sandwich Programme

The study was carried out in order to ascertain the attitude of sandwich students to sandwich programmes. The study made use of one hundred and eighty respondents who were randomly selected from three second year centers of the Institute of Education Bachelor in Basic Education. Data from respondents were gathered by the use of questionnaires. The results of the findings revealed that students of the Institute of Education had negative attitude towards the Sandwich programme. Again, there is no significant difference between science and humanities students with regards to their attitudes towards sandwich programmes. It was recommended that counsellors be appointed in each college during sandwich periods. It was again recommended that comprehensive orientation be given to the students as their rights and responsibilities as sandwich students.

Source: UCC
Sanitation: A drawback to achieving the Millennium Development Goals? The situation in Ghana

In sub-Saharan Africa, socio-economic development tends to generate all kinds of sanitation problems which in turn lead to unhygienic and poor health conditions. This means that improvement in sanitation has direct effects on human health and productivity. However in Ghana, basic sanitation coverage in 2010 was about 14 per cent, although the country is expected to achieve 54 per cent coverage in basic sanitation by 2015 (Target 10 of MDG 7). This paper examines the implications of low sanitation coverage in Ghana using secondary data from GDHS, 2008, GLSS, 2008, 2006 Multiple Cluster Indicator Survey (MICS) and other relevant sources. The paper adapted the transmission pathways of faecal-oral disease as its conceptual framework. The results indicate that poor sanitation is prevalent in most communities in Ghana due to low coverage of improved sanitation facilities. Access to improved sanitation at the household level is based on affordability (neo-liberalism) which the poor cannot afford. Consequently, sanitation-related morbidity and mortality are common among the poor who must pay a higher fee for ill-health. With poor health status, productivity is lowered and the vicious cycle of poverty is entrenched. The provision of improved sanitation facilities that separate faeces from human contact and good hygiene practices are the two most effective ways to reduce ill-health due to poor sanitation. This paper has policy implications on the quality of the population and human capital development which is one of the four thematic areas of government’s development agenda.

Source: UCC
“SANKU” CONCERTO (An African Concerto for Piano and Indigenous Ghanaian Percussion)

The main focus of this project was on how an artist familiar with both traditional music and western contemporary practices can produce a novel Piano Concerto that is a fusion or hybrid of the two world, so far as interculturalism in Art music is concerned. The project adopts the set theories of Anku and African pianism theories of Euba as well as Webster’s creative thinking model as its conceptual framework. The first movement, structured in the classical sonata form, is in the style of Gabada (A type of music performed by the Northern Ewes of the Volta Region of Ghana). The second, which is crafted in the style of Adowa (Performed by the Twi speaking people of Ghana in the Ashanti region) is based on the rondo form whilst the third movement is in the style of Kpanlogo (from the greater Accra region of Ghana) in free fantasy. This project can be described as an African Concerto with the techniques of twentieth century music displayed. The selected instruments (Indigenous Ghanaian percussions) are based on sounds that appeals to the composer to be able to achieve his craft, rather than the original ensembles specifically chosen for the genres. Some techniques involved in the work include the use of shifted accents, the twelvetone lines, nonharmonic materials, systematic modification of rhythms, nontertial sonorities, polychords and tall chords, changing meters, free relation of quality, superimposed thirds, clusters, direct and modified imitations, and many other traditions of the twentieth century compositional techniques. The report also provides an insight into the thought processes of the composer, offering a guide for listeners to think creatively through the music. It also presents an analysis that gives a panoramic view of the Concerto. Finally, the perspectives highlight all the social, moral and educational relevance of the project.

Source: UCC
Satisfaction of senior high school teachers in the Bolgatanga Municipality

The retention of trained teachers in senior high schools is a major problem confronting the delivery of education in Ghana. Governments over the years have worked to address this problem. However, it still persists. Job dissatisfaction is identified as a factor responsible for the situation (Dilworth, 1991). Studies conducted elsewhere also attributed the problem to the demographic characteristics of teachers (Narayana & Rao, 2000; Shamail, Tariq, Jalil, & Szabist, 2004). This study, therefore, sought to find out whether the demographic characteristics and the job satisfaction of trained teachers in senior high schools in the Bolgatanga Municipality are related. A fourteen item questionnaire was used to collect data from 66 randomly selected trained teachers in senior high schools in the Bolgatanga Municipality. The gathered data were analysed using chi-square test of independence and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The study revealed that trained teachers in senior high schools in the Bolgatanga Municipality were not satisfied with their job. However, they found satisfaction in some aspects of their job and not satisfied with their work environment. Also, their demographic characteristics, such as sex, age, level of education, and years of teaching experience, were found not to be related to their job satisfaction.

Source: UCC
Saving and investment behaviour of rural families in the Ho municipality of the Volta region of Ghana

The general objective of the study was to explore the savings and investment behaviour of rural families in the Ho Municipality of Ghana. The study was conducted using 160 rural households in four rural communities in the Ho Municipality. Interviews were used to collect data from the sampled families. Pearson’s product moment correlation coefficient, chi-square and percentages were used to analyse the data collected. It was found that the savings and investment among rural families in the municipality were low and rural households in the Municipality preferred informal forms of savings to the formal forms of savings. There was a negative correlation between age and savings as well investment. No significant relationship was found between family size and savings and investment; as well as knowledge in saving and investment as against actual savings and investment of the respondents. Inadequate income, over-reliance on natural conditions and other societal demands were found as constraints to respondents’ investment, while inadequacy and fear of safety of income were constraints to their saving. The level of knowledge of respondents on savings and investment was also found to be low. The study concluded that rural households’ low saving and investment is the result of economic, social and organisational factors. Based on these findings, it was recommended that education on savings and investment be made accessible to rural families in the form of financial counselling and introduction of basic concepts in family management into the school curriculum.

Source: UCC
Saving Behaviour in Ghana: A Study of Rural Households in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region

The main objective of the study was to explore the savings behaviour of rural household in the Ho Municipality. The population used for the study was rural families in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region of Ghana. The sample size of 160 households was drawn from the population using the multi-stage cluster sampling technique. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data collected. The findings showed that in general, the family heads’ knowledge about savings is low and that the families save more in the informal forms than in the formal forms. The findings also revealed that personal, societal and organisational constraints inhibit the respondent families’ ability to save. The studied families also do not have any particular pattern for saving as they save as and when they have an excess income. Based on these findings, it was recommended that an outreach programme be instituted to help educate the rural families on the use of their income as well as on the savings avenues that are available for them. The findings have serious implication for eradicating rural poverty in the study area and in Ghana as a whole.

Source: UCC
Savings and investment practices of rural women in Wassa Amenfi central district

Most rural households as a result of poverty have lower levels of savings and investment, however rural women are the most disadvantaged with significantly lower savings and assets than their male counterparts. The general purpose of the study was to explore rural women‟s savings and investment practices in Wassa Amenfi Cental District. Specifically, the study identified the level of awareness towards savings and investment among rural women; identified the forms of savings and investment patronized by rural women and examined the factors that influence their savings and investment practices. A structured interview schedule was used to collect a total of 367 rural women residing in Wassa Amenfi Central District who were sampled using the multi-stage random sampling technique and purposive sampling procedure. Means, standard deviations, frequencies, chi-squared and binary logistic regression analyses were employed. The study found that generally, rural women know about savings and investment and most of them are able to save part of their earnings. They prefer informal means of savings because of ease of accessibility and concerns of safety. Similarly, they indicated their preference for an informal investment tool (farming) for reason that farming is a lucrative venture. Level of income and level of education was found to significantly influence the savings and investment practices of rural women in Wassa Amenfi Central District. Based on these findings, it is advised that family management fundamentals be incorporated into the school curriculum in order to make knowledge on investing and saving more accessible.

Source: UCC
Scaling up gender mainstreaming in rural transport: analysis of policies, practices, impacts and monitoring processes

Wide gender disparities have persisted in various forms within Ghanaian society including the transport sector. Previous gender mainstreaming efforts in this area have not always achieved their purpose, but even when successful, these initiatives are seldom up-scaled. This study explored the scalability potential of gender mainstreaming initiatives in Ghana using the second phase of the Transport Rehabilitation Programme (TRP-2) and the ongoing Cocoa Roads Rehabilitation project as case studies. The research found that Ghana’s gender policy landscape to be adequate but not necessarily optimal in operationalizing gender mainstreaming. This study emphasised the male dominance in the provision of rural transport infrastructure and services. Absence of gender issues in budgeting and a silence on gender issues in legislation and regulation points to weak gender responsiveness in the transport sector. A key observation is that gender mainstreaming components are more visible in donor funded programmes as compared to nationally funded programmes

Source: UCC
A scanner system for high-resolution quantification of variation in root growth dynamics of Brassica rapa genotypes

The potential exists to breed for root system architectures that optimize resource acquisition. However, this requires the ability to screen root system development quantitatively, with high resolution, in as natural an environment as possible, with high throughput. This paper describes the construction of a low-cost, high-resolution root phenotyping platform, requiring no sophisticated equipment and adaptable to most laboratory and glasshouse environments, and its application to quantify environmental and temporal variation in root traits between genotypes of Brassica rapa L. Plants were supplied with a complete nutrient solution through the wick of a germination paper. Images of root systems were acquired without manual intervention, over extended periods, using multiple scanners controlled by customized software. Mixed-effects models were used to describe the sources of variation in root traits contributing to root system architecture estimated from digital images. It was calculated that between one and 43 replicates would be required to detect a significant difference (95% CI 50% difference between traits). Broad-sense heritability was highest for shoot biomass traits (>0.60), intermediate (0.25–0.60) for the length and diameter of primary roots and lateral root branching density on the primary root, and lower (<0.25) for other root traits. Models demonstrate that root traits show temporal variations of various types. The phenotyping platform described here can be used to quantify environmental and temporal variation in traits contributing to root system architecture in B. rapa and can be extended to screen the large populations required for breeding for efficient resource acquisition

Source: UCC
A scanner-based rhizobox system enabling the quantification of root system development and response of Brassica rapa seedlings to external P availability

Rhizoboxes are soil-root compartments that may well provide the closest naturalistic conditions for studying root systems architectures (RSAs) in controlled environments. Rhizobox-based studies can however lead to mis-estimation of root traits due to poor recovery of roots and loss of fine root features during washing of roots. We used a novel scanner-based rhizobox system to evaluate: (i) RSA traits of Brassica rapa genotypes; (ii) the relationship between root traits recorded from rhizoboxes and those of harvested roots and (iii) genotypic variation of seedlings in response to external P ([P] ext) availability. Brassica rapa genotypes were grown in soil-filled rhizoboxes abutting flatbed scanners and were watered once with either deionised water or a solution of 600 μM KH2PO4 to approximately 80% field capacity on a weight basis. Shoot and root P concentrations ([P]shoot and [P]root) of the B. rapa lines grown on different [P]ext were quantified. Visible root length at the surface of rhizoboxes constituted 85% of the total root length recovered from harvested root samples. High P supply induced a strong increase in [P]shoot in all genotypes (P < 0.001) whereas low P supply generally led to greater partitioning to roots. Seed P concentration and tissue P concentration were correlated only at low [P]ext. Total root length was strongly correlated with tissue P content under both low [P]ext (r = 0.81, P < 0.05) and high [P]ext (r = 0.82, P < 0.05) conditions. The novel scanner-based rhizobox system used addresses the substantial limitations associated with current use of rhizoboxes to study root growth dynamics

Source: UCC
Scanning digital holography at 10.6μm for large scene reconstruction

We demonstrate amplitude reconstruction of a very large scene hologram recorded by means of digital holography at 10.6 microns. Infrared digital holography is characterized by a low vibration sensitivity and a large field of view with respect to the analog technique in the visible range and it is, therefore, particularly suited for outdoor remote monitoring of large scenes. However, given the typical infrared sensor sensitivities, the power density scattered back by a large irradiated scene is usually not sufficient to produce a high signal to noise ratio hologram unless very high power lasers are used. Here we show that Mid Infrared Scanning Digital Holography can solve this problem. In particular, we report on the hologram amplitude reconstruction of a 6 m × 6 m scene from a distance of 30 m in outdoor condition using a compact 60 W CO2 laser and a microbolometric camera

Source: UCC
Scatter radiation dose assessment in the radiology department of Cape Coast Teaching Hospital-Ghana+5

During the operation of an X-ray machine, if the radiation protection of X-ray room is insufficient, not only the patient but also clinical staffs as well as public are exposed to high X-ray exposures. In this research work, leakage and scattered radiations were measured from X-ray machine in the radiology department of Cape Coast Teaching hospital in the Cape Coast Municipality of Ghana. The scattered radiation exposures of X-rays in some selected areas within the facility were measured. The X-ray machine was operated for a range of kilo voltage peaks of kVp 77, 70, 63 and 66 with intensities 20, 6.3 and 8.0 mAs, which represents the main technique factors of some body parts such as chest, lumbar spine and extremities during radiographic examinations. The measurements were performed using a RADOS-120 Universal survey meter. The radiation doses rates measured in the various locations in the Radiology Department of Cape Coast Teaching Hospital of Ghana were in the range of 0.10 µSv/hr to 0.12 µSv/hr. These values were all within the background measurement of 0.10 µSv/hr. Moreover, there were no risks of high radiation doses to patients, staffs and people visiting the X-ray department. The results obtained indicated that within the radiology department of the Hospital, all the selected locations were very safe to patients, occupational workers and the general public which could be attributed to adequate shielding in the facility

Source: UCC
Schemes and Tropes in Borbor Mfantse Funeral Libation Texts

The thesis seeks to examine the Borbor Mfantse Funeral Libation Text to ascertain how the content gains extra effectiveness through the utilisation of repetitive constructions and figurative expressions in communicating the intended message. In realising this objective, funeral libation texts were recorded from funeral celebrations from ten towns and villages in the Nkusukum Traditional Area of the Mfantseman Municipality. The texts were transcribed and translated into English and analysed. The study revealed that the Borbor Mfantse Funeral Libation text demonstrates a mix of repetitive constructions such as anaphora, anadiplosis, epistrophe, antis(rophe, parallelism and free repetition in imbuing the content with emotion and intensification; and figurative expressions such as euphemism, synecdoche, hyperbole, metaphor and metonymy which succeeded in ameliorating the effect of the loss on the bereaved family. Predominantly, metaphor, euphemism, parallelism, anaphora and epistrophe featured prominently in the texts. The creative use of Schemes and Tropes thus places the Borbor Mfantse Funeral Libation Texts in the realm of oral poetry.

Source: UCC
Schistosoma Haematobium Co-infection with Soil-Transmitted Helminthes: Prevalence and Risk Factors from Two Communities in the Central Region of Ghana

Schistosoma haematobium co-infection with S. mansoni and soil-transmitted helminthes afflict most-at-risk populations in endemic communities in the developing world. Aim: This study investigated S. haematobium co-infection with soil-transmitted helminthes, and host risk factors in two communities in the central region of Ghana. Methods: Schools and children were selected by stratified cluster and random sampling methods respectively. A total of 250 school children (aged 5 - > 20 years) were recruited. Teachers issued questionnaires to obtain information on host risk factors, water-contact activities and knowledge of S. haematobium infection. Urine and stool samples were examined for S. haematobium infection and S. mansoni and soil-transmitted helminthes using sedimentation quantitative and direct smear/formol-ether sedimentation concentration techniques respectively. Results: S. haematobium infection (1 - 50 eggs/10 ml urine) prevalence at Apewosika and Putubiw were 27.5 % and 17 % respectively. Males were more at risk of S. haematobium infection than females. S. haematobium co-infection with soil-transmitted helminthes (A. lumbricoides, E. histolytica, and T. trichuria) was recorded in Putubiw, with females more at risk than males. Children aged 16-19 and 10-15 were more at risk of S. haematobium infection and helminthic co-infection respectively. Haematuria and proteinuria were predictive of S. haematobium infection. School children had poor knowledge of S. haematobium infection. Water-contact activity was common. Conclusion: S. haematobium prevalence and its co-infection with soil-transmitted helminthes were common in Putubiw. Water contact activity and poor knowledge about S. haematobium infection were major risk factors. Increased education on preventive and control measures especially in schools is recommended.

Source: UCC