ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Assessing the effects of the Procurement Act (663) on public financial management in Ashanti Region

The government has since 2001 made various efforts to correct the uncontrolled expenditure of public funds that characterised the national economy and led to a rather unstable economic climate. The government therefore set itself the task of regulating expenditure and instilling discipline in public finances through Public Procurement Act (663) and Financial Administration Act (654). According to Osafo-Marfo (2003) government embarked upon an exercise to reform the Public Procurement System in 1996 as an integral part of a wider Public Financial Management Reform Programme (PUFMARP). Public procurement accounts for about 50% to 70% of total government expenditure, represents 14% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and accounts for about 24% of total imports (Ministry of Finance, 2003). This study sought to find out how far the Public Procurement Act has achieved transparency in the use of state resources, causes of delays in the procurement process and effects of the Procurement Act on government expenditure. Geographically, Ashanti Region was the focus of the study, the reason being that, there were a lot of agitations in the region about lack of transparency in procurement activities and long delays in payment of contractors and suppliers. Explanatory research design was used to explain and analyse causal relationship between the Public Procurement Act and public financial management in Ashanti Region. The study relied on both probability and non probability sampling techniques. The study revealed that procurement activities and procedures were transparent in that decisions on procurement activities followed the rules and regulations of the Act and these decisions were available and accessible to the public. The study again revealed that contractors were not paid on time after execution of contracts and this affected their organizational management. It was concluded that the Procurement Act had reduced government expenditure considerably in the sense that the Procurement Act has reduced wastage and leakage of financial resources through effective auditing, expenditure monitoring and cost effectiveness and competition which has brought value for money. It was therefore recommended that Procurement entities comply with the contractual agreement with contractors/suppliers by honouring prompt payment upon completion of contracts/projects. In addition, Government should endeavour to review the Act to limit the number of steps in the procurement process so as to reduce the delays in the procurement process.

Source: KNUST
Assessing the effects of training and development on employee performance: a study of cocoa marketing company (gh) limited, Kumasi

Employees’ training and development enables organizations to meet their goals and objectives as it equips employees with organisational work ethics and skills needed at the job setting. It has been given a lot of importance, impetus and accolade in performance management. Despite the increasing effects on training of organisational employees, there is still limited effort which has become an issue by management and the Human Resource Department of Cocoa Marketing Company. The study sought to determine the impact of training and development on employee performance. The study adopted quantitative approach where simple random sampling technique was used to select fifty-seven (57) employees in the various units in the Cocoa Marketing Company in Kumasi. The data were collected mainly through the use of self-administered questionnaire. The responses were processed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 for easy analysis and interpretation of the field data. The study found that some of the training and development methods used by the Cocoa Marketing Company were seminar presentations, demonstrations, and discussions. The study also found that although the organisation provided training and development to its employees, there were many gaps on the existing training and development programmes in the Company. The study concluded that a lot of training programs in the organisation were ineffective.

Source: KNUST
Assessing the effects of training on employee performance: a case of UT life (a subsidiary of UT group of companies).

The study aimed at assessing the effects of training on employee performance at UT Life (a subsidiary of UT Group of Companies). Specific objectives include: to identify the type of training received by employees at UT Life limited; to assess how training builds the capacity of employees at UT Life limited; to identify how performance of employees is measured at UT Life limited and to examine the effects of training on the performance of employees at UT life limited. The study adopted the survey approach using questionnairesto gather primary data. Data collected was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences computer (SPSS) version 20.0 where frequencies, descriptive statistics, correlation and regression tables were generated. The study found out that orientation training is the most practiced type of training whilst formal classroom training represents the least practiced type of training. The study also revealed that the role performed by training in capacity building is the improvement of skills, knowledge and attitudes of employees whereas facilitation of organizational learning, human capital and resource development represents the least role of training in building the capacity of employees. The study also revealed that exists a strong positive relationship between training and employee performance at UT Life Insurance Limited. It is therefore recommended that in order to promote effective self-training and selfdevelopment of employees at the firm, the company could provide study leave and extended time to allow employees undertake formal classroom training. It is also recommended that employees who are sponsored by the firm to undertake training and development be bonded to return and work for the firm.

Source: KNUST
Assessing the effects of Volta River Authority resettlement programme on the socio-economic development of rural communities: a study of the Asuogyaman district.

Large dams are constructed mainly for creation of waterways, flood control and provision of water for agricultural activities. In the case of Akosombo dam, it was constructed with the purpose to generate hydroelectricity. Despite the fact that a number of factors are advanced to justify the construction of large dams, experience has shown that the concerns emanating from their construction are sometimes irreversible and painful, for instance resettlement. The research was undertaken to assess the effects Volta River Authority Resettlement Programme (VRARP) on the socio-economic development of rural communities. The study assessed the various socio-economic activities for which the VRARP has been designed. It focused on health, education, agriculture, water and sanitation, housing and finance. The study also tried to find out how the resettlement communities have been integrated into the VRARP. Case study approach was adapted to assess the effects VRARP on the socio-economic development of five resettlement communities at Asuogyaman district in the Eastern region of Ghana. These resettlement communities are Nkwakubew, Apegusu, Mpakadan, Aadjina and new Senchi. These resettlement communities were selected because even though there are other resettlement communities in the area these are the communities under the Volta River Project. The study used eclectic approaches of personal observation, questionnaire survey and key informant interviews to obtain data. By way of quantitative and qualitative analyses, the study showed that there have been positive improvements in many facilities with the exception of sanitation and housing. The study revealed that, majority of the people were not adequately involved in the programme activities and as a result most of the people are not satisfied with the level of rehabilitation. The study concluded that resettlement schemes should receive serious attention in developing countries.

Source: KNUST
Assessing the efficiencies of using GPS and total station technologies in district boundary demarcation and survey in Ghana

Revenue mobilization is an important component of the socio-economic development of any country in general and at the district level in particular. Therefore, it is important that every district has its district boundaries clearly defined, set out (demarcated) on the ground and surveyed to avoid confusion, misunderstanding and open hostilities between adjoining districts as has been happening recently in Ghana. Hence the adoption of a good survey technique and data collection strategy that will show the exact location of district boundaries on the ground is a crucial factor in order to gather information accurately and efficiently at any given time in the district. This thesis is aimed at assessing the suitability of GPS and Total Station technologies in the setting out and survey of district boundaries by comparing the parameters of accuracy, cost and time per the two survey methods. Ga East and Ga West District boundaries having a rural setting and Ga South and Ga West, having urban settings were used for the experimental process. Thirteen boundary points selected in both rural and urban districts were observed with Static GPS measurements for thirty minutes and were processed using Topcon tools software. The results were adjusted using least squares methods. The results of the coordinates from this adjustment were held as reference. These same selected points were also surveyed using RTK GPS, Fast static GPS (5-, 10-, and 15-minutes) and a Total Station technique and their results also adjusted using least squares method. The coordinates of the boundary points from each of the methods were compared with the reference, which was the outcome of the 30-minutes Static GPS measurement. All the methods used satisfied the cadastral accuracy requirement. However, the 15-min Fast static GPS method achieved the best positional accuracy of 0.03m± 0.03m for Northings and 0.03m ±0.02m Eastings coordinates respectively. The RTK-GPS obtained the lowest Positional accuracy of 0.06m±0.01m for Northings and 0.05m ±0.02m Eastings coordinates respectively. The RTK-GPS spent shortest operational time. The Total station method with a Positional accuracy of 0.05m±0.05m for Northings and 0.05m±0.05m Eastings coordinates respectively is the most expensive technique operationally with a cost of GHȼ 2500.00 for the rural district and GHȼ2170.00 for the urban district respectively while the 5min-Fast static GPS technique was the least expensive for both the urban and rural district boundary survey. The most efficient technique in terms of accuracy, cost and time for setting out (demarcation) and subsequent survey of the district boundaries for both the rural and urban settings was the combination of the 10-minutes Fast iv static GPS Technique in conjunction with a high resolution satellite image. However, when boundary conditions vary a combination of the 10-minutes Fast Static GPS and the Total Station techniques together with the high resolution satellite imagery is the preferred option.

Source: KNUST
Assessing the Efficiency of the Akosombo Wastewater Stabilization Pond

The efficiency of the Akosombo wastewater stabilization pond in Ghana was assessed over a three month period. Bimonthly samples were collected from four points (raw sewage, facultative pond, maturation and final effluent) and the pH, temperature, total dissolved solid, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, ammonia-nitrogen, nitrate, phosphorus, total suspended solids, total coliform and faecal coliform were determined using standard methods. The study revealed that the ponds achieved mean overall TSS, BOD and COD removals of about 75.2%, 78.9%, and 64.2%, respectively. The mean overall removal efficiency of ammonia- nitrogen, nitrate and phosphorus were 95.5% 64.9% and 25.4% respectively. Total and faecal coliforms removal was as high as 100%. Most of the ammonia (80.1%), total coliform (96.9%) and faecal coliform (99.0%) present in the raw sewage were removed in the primary facultative pond whereas biodegradables in the raw sewage were reduced in the maturation pond attaining efficiency of BOD (70.3%) and COD (42.8%) respectively. An average overall effective reduction was 86.5% for the stabilization pond. The levels of compliance of effluents with the physicochemical and microbial parameters were all below the EPA permissible levels except faecal coliforms.

Source: KNUST
Assessing the entrepreneurial skills of real estate developers in Ghana.

Shelter is one of the physiological needs of mankind. Providing housing to every family has become a major issue, in view of higher population growth and rural-urban migration. Real Estate Developers are expected to be major contributors to the solution of the housing problems in Ghana. However, their impact is not felt. The study investigated the entrepreneurial skills and characteristics of Real Estate Developers in Ghana as a means of determining how they impact on their performance. The survey method was used to identify the entrepreneur’s skills and characteristics of Real Estate Developers. Upon rating the various skills and characteristics the results were later ranked. It was realized that those characteristics and skills that enables Real Estate Developers to plan for long-term and to invest as such were ranked low. Rather, those ones which drive them into the Real Estate Business received high ranking. It was also realized that only 10.5% of the members come from the built environment. It was concluded that the needed education be given to Real Estate Developers to have long and sustainable planning. It was also recommended that entrepreneurs with background in the built environment be encouraged to undertake Real Estate Development as their business.

Source: KNUST
Assessing the Efficiency of the KNUST Sewage Treatment Plant

It is well known that successive stages of treatment at a sewage plant reduce the quantity of suspended solids, the organic matter content, the nutrient constituent, the microbial load and the bio- chemical oxygen demand of sewage, so that the polluting strength of the final effluent becomes a small fraction of that of the sewage received at the plant. A performance efficiency investigation was therefore conducted on the KNUST sewage treatment plant which treats sewage via percolating filters and humus tanks. Samples taken at various stages of treatment over a period of four months were subjected to microbiological and physico chemical examination to find the reductions in levels of pollutants as the sewage goes through the treatment system. The studied parameters included Temperature, Hydrogen ion concentration, Turbidity, Nitrate, Phosphate, Biochemical oxygen demand, Total suspended solids, Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Total coliform to assess the performance efficiency of the plant in reducing their polluting strength. Plate count on nutrient agar of E. coli, Salmonella and Coliforms were performed. Laboratory Chemical analyses were done for the physic- chemical parameters including temperature, pH, Turbidity, TSS and BOD5, Nitrate and Phosphate. The data as a whole gave a general picture of the extent to which treatment at the works reduced the parameters at the various treatment units of the plant. The data were analyzed using Microsoft excel and Statistical Package for Social Scientist (SPSS) software packages. One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was ran to determine significant differences of the parameters per treatment unit of the plant. After analyzing the data, it was evident that plant’s performance efficiency is below the EPA Ghana standard as most of the parameters were not treated to meet standard for discharge. The effluent discharged into the Wiwi River has pollutant levels of TSS, vii BOD5, Total Coliform, E. coli Phosphate and Nitrate being higher than the EPA permissible levels for discharge. Turbidity was reduced by 82%, TSS by 86%, BOD5 by 68.9%, Phosphate by 72.8%, Nitrate by 70.5% E. coli by 91%, Salmonella by 77% and Total coliform by 91.1%. Upon critical assessment of the performance of the KNUST Sewage Treatment Plant, it was found that operational design and administrative factors combined to cause the poor performance of the plant. The plant lacked process monitoring and testing on which to base control decisions. Excessive hydraulic loading (too much wastewater for the capacity of the STP) impaired the performance of the plant. It is highly recommended that regular maintenance of the plant should be ensured and also competent and well resourced crew should be recruited to manage the plant.

Source: KNUST
Assessing the effects of training and development on employee performance: A study of cocoa marketing company (Gh) limited, Kumasi.

Employees’ training and development enables organizations to meet their goals and objectives as it equips employees with organisational work ethics and skills needed at the job setting. It has been given a lot of importance, impetus and accolade in performance management. Despite the increasing effects on training of organisational employees, there is still limited effort which has become an issue by management and the Human Resource Department of Cocoa Marketing Company. The study sought to determine the impact of training and development on employee performance. The study adopted quantitative approach where simple random sampling technique was used to select fifty-seven (57) employees in the various units in the Cocoa Marketing Company in Kumasi. The data were collected mainly through the use of self-administered questionnaire. The responses were processed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 for easy analysis and interpretation of the field data. The study found that some of the training and development methods used by the Cocoa Marketing Company were seminar presentations, demonstrations, and discussions. The study also found that although the organisation provided training and development to its employees, there were many gaps on the existing training and development programmes in the Company. The study concluded that a lot of training programs in the organisation were ineffective.

Source: KNUST
Assessing the environmental and health impact of small-scale mining in the Amansie West District of Ashanti region, Ghana

Small-scale mining activities (both legally and illegally) continue to be sighted in mineral prone communities in Ghana. Little is known of the health consequences of such activities in a relatively new and heavy mining area of Amansie West District. This study used both qualitative and quantitative data analysis to follow the footprint of both the environmental and health impacts of small-scale mining activities in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region. A total of nineteen (19) soil samples were purposively collected from twelve (12) mining communities in the Amansie West District, prepared and analysed at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission for Arsenic (As) and Mercury (Hg) heavy metals. A further 424 questionnaires were randomly administered in the twelve mining communities from October to November 2014 to assess the environmental and health impacts of small-scale mining activities in the District. Analysis of the results showed mean concentrations of Hg in both soil and water were respectively higher than optimal regulatory limits of the Dutch Environmental standards of 0.30ppm and 0.05ppm, with mean concentrations of As in both soils and water from the sampling sites lower than the optimal regulatory limit of the Dutch Environmental standard of 29ppm and 10ppm in soil and water respectively. The results indicated a significantly negative correlation between Arsenic and Mercury in soil but a weak correlation between same in water samples. The degree of contamination assessment showed six zones among the areas considered as very highly contaminated sites. Destruction of forest and farm lands alongside water pollution were reported as the main environmental impacts experienced by respondents while malaria, respiratory and skin diseases were reported by respondents as the main health concerns of the people in these studied communities. Government, both national and local, community leaders, public health workers and the miners need to play their respective roles of enforcing regulation, promoting public health education and practicing environmentally sound small-scale mining activities so as to reduce the health and social risks and the rising concerns of environmental degradation from small-scale mining.

Source: KNUST
Assessing the Factors Affecting Service Delivery in the Public Sector of Ghana, the Effect of Public Procurement Reform: The Case Study of Institute of Local Government Studies

This thesis studied the effect of public procurement reforms on service delivery in the public sector, a case study of the Institute of Local Government Studies. The objectives of the study were to identify the procurement system that was in place before the procurement reform in Ghana and also to assess the effect of the procurement reform on service delivery. Data was gathered from the field through the use of self administered questionnaire and face to face interview. The study used purposive sampling techniques to draw 100 representatives from population size of 170. 30 respondents were sampled from the staffs of the Institute, 5 respondents from the procurement committee and 65 respondents sampled from the local authorities. The study established the procurement system that was in place before the public procurement reform and further identified and assessed the effect of the procurement reform on service delivery in the Institute. It was discovered that the Ghana National Procurement Agency (GNPA) was the main procuring institution for public departments and agencies in Ghana before the reforms in 2003. The study was able to examine the roles of different stakeholder in procurement planning which includes defining procurement requirements, dividing requirements allocated to single procurement process into separate lots and also ensuring the availability of sufficient funds to run the plan. Factors that were discovered to be affecting service delivery where corruption, lack of finances, and challenges of getting the right service provider. The findings of this study confirmed a positive effect of public procurement reforms on procuring entity. It is also recommended by the study to reduce corruption by enforcing of strict rules and giving penalties. Continuous training of recruited workers on the new procurement system is necessary so as to enhance clear understanding of the Public Procurement Act 663, (2003) to its full potential as a finance and budget control mechanism.

Source: KNUST