ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Analyzing And Forecasting Cocoa, Gold, And Oil Prices For Economic Stability In Ghana

Ghanas economic resilience is intricately tied to the global prices of cocoa, gold, and oil commodities that are highly vulnerable to external shocks and market volatility. Accurate forecasting of these prices is vital for enabling policymakers to design proactive fiscal strategies, stabilize national revenue, and safeguard economic growth. This study integrates traditional econometric methods (ARIMA, SARIMA) and advanced machine learning approaches (Long Short-Term Memory networks and AutoML- based Transformers) to forecast the prices of cocoa, gold, and oil over a historical period from 1980 to 2024. Data were sourced from the Bank of Ghana and World Bank, with preprocessing steps including interpolation, stationarity testing (ADF, KPSS), seasonality detection (Kruskaerformed traditional econometric models in capturing nonlinear temporal dependencies, commodity interdependencies, and seasonal patterns. Notably, LSTM models demonstrated superior forecasting accuracy across all commodities, with significant improvements over ARIMA and SARIMA baselines. AutoML models offered additional promise, particularly for operationalizing forecasting pipelines. The findings highlight the transformative potential of machine learning for commodity price forecasting in Ghana. By adopting advanced predictive models, policymakers can enhance fiscal planning, anticipate market shocks, and design more resilient economic strategies. Future work should focus on extensive hyperparameter tuning, developing hybrid models, incorporating real-time data streams, and addressing external shocks like geopolitical events and climate risks to further bolster economic forecasting capabilities.

Source: Ashesi
Analyzing cybersecurity issues associated with mobile money usage in Malawi

Mobile money has become a popular way to manage finances in Malawi, but it's not without risks. Cybersecurity threats are on the rise, and mobile money users are vulnerable to attacks that could result in the loss of their hard-earned money. This study aimed to identify the security challenges associated with mobile money usage in Malawi. Twenty-five mobile money users were interviewed through snowball sampling to investigate social engineering mobile money-based attack vectors. The study found that voice phishing (vishing) and text message phishing (smishing) are the most common attack vectors in Malawi that are executed successfully with a simple pretext (fake scenario from scammer). From the interviews, it was revealed that lack of awareness of social engineering attacks is a key reason why there is so much fraud in mobile money usage in Malawi. To address this issue, the study proposed that an awareness model be embedded in mobile money operations to educate people about social engineering attacks and how to prevent them. A low fidelity mockup representation of this awareness model is presented as an example solution. A sub-sample of the participants have found the proposed awareness model as being helpful in preventing mobile money based social engineering attacks.

Source: Ashesi
Animation as a tool for development communication: An HCI perspective

Information sharing through animation is a major step in influencing today's society to improve their lifestyles for better future. Organizations and government affiliates globally utilize animation in public awareness campaigns to share vital information relevant to societal problems. Interpretation of character movements, gestures and other visual aids vary in cultures but relays pertinent information just the same. This research addressed design issues that affect viewer's comprehension of content and their ability to retain valuable information. A study that sought after the elements of animation design that improves viewer's retention of material found that visual aids are more effective in communicating complex information. To gather data for the observational study I conducted, there were questionnaire and a few interviews to prove which attributes of animation are preferred. The results showed that a mixture of audio and visual aids in the form of cueing create an intriguing animation that everyone can appreciate. As stated from literatures, these findings clearly emphasize the usefulness of HCI design principles to creating animation that communicates development. Furthermore, character designs should also have these principles included for a remarkable user interface.

Source: Ashesi
Application of Reinforcement Learning to Route And Inventory Optimizationin Supply Chains With Real-Time Fleet Tracking

The cost of transporting goods in Africa remains among the highest in the world, with B2B operations still relying on static routes, drivers' personal knowledge, and manual coordination through phone calls rkbile interfaces for logistics managers and drivers. Testing demonstrated the system's ability to reduce reliance on static routes, minimize manual coordination, provide real-time visibility, and optimize stock distribution across warehouses. Despite these achievements, the implementation faces limitations including dependence on simulated training data, reliance on external traffic information accuracy, and the absence of real-time route recalculation during unexpected events. Future work will focus on extending the RL framework to optimize multiple objectives like sustainability, expanding to multi-vehicle systems with varying capabilities, and enhancing resilience against disruptions. This research establishes a foundation for intelligent, end-to-end logistics optimization platforms in challenging transportation environments.

Source: Ashesi
Applied project report on the development of the online examination system

Examination writing in Ghana seems to be a location based process. This is so because most examinations taken, be it school exams or other external examinations, are taken at specific selected locations. If exams are to be taken in a school like Ashesi University for instance, there is a time table drawn which includes a course, date, time and place of the exam. The processes that precede it include typing and photocopying of questions which can use up a lot of paper, time and space even for a relatively small school such as this. For larger societies or institutions where space is an issue, examination writing can get very uncomfortable since people are crammed into one examination room. This can even lead to cheating on a large scale with after effects such as examination cancellation, grade cancellation, and etcetera. A lot of this can be reduced by developing computer based online examination software systems for use by the institutions that need them.

Source: Ashesi
Appraisal on local manufacturing of agricultural farm tools in Ghana: Using local herbs for mechanical optimization

There is a rising concern from farmers about the rate at which their farm tools, especially their machetes, break and easily corrode. The inefficiency in the performance of these farm tools greatly affect the rate of food production in Ghana. Hence, there is a need to analyze the performance of machetes produced by the Crocodile Matchetes Company, the only farm tool manufacturing company in Ghana.

Source: Ashesi
Appraisal on local manufacturing of grinding plates used in food processing in Ghana: The use of local herbs for surface optimization

Corn milling is a common practice in Ghana due to a high consumption of local delicacies. The manufacturing of the corn mill plates used in the corn milling process is still done at a lower scale by a few artisans who have experience but little knowledge of metallurgy. There is still a gap in the manufacturing of these corn mill plates which poses the need to evaluate locally manufactured cornmill plates relative to the imported ones that are more expensive but durable. The locally manufactured corn mill plates are made of cast iron with 95wt% iron composition that wears out 3-4 times more than the imported. There is little metal debris deposited in the ground food posing a potential health risk once exceedingly exposed to those particles. This study aims to surface optimize the locally made corn mill plates using a plant extract Birsana to inhibit corrosion and toughen the sample. Microstructure, chemical, hardness corrosion tests were made on the treated and untreated samples and made the foreign sample a control. Results show the hardness value increased in samples quenched in low concentration increase in samples quenched in high concentration. The corrosion rates were not significantly different, and the corrosion rates and hardness values had no significant relationship.cas

Source: Ashesi
AQUILA – A smart bin designed for waste management using Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things

This project elaborates on the design of a smart bin which incorporates Artificial Intelligence to promote source sorting of waste. Waste is a menace that has persisted in Ghana and in spite of the many efforts of the government and other private entities, there is still a lot that needs to be done to fully address this issue. One of the major proven causes of poor waste management is the inefficient sorting of waste at source (usually in households or offices) which results in a composite of waste of different waste types which makes the treatment of waste very difficult and inefficient. In this project, a bin capable of sorting waste at source and also deploying relevant waste data to a cloud server is developed.

Source: Ashesi
Artificial Intelligence (AI) use in sustainability reporting under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) S1 and S2: Perspectives of accounting professionals in Ghana

This study explores how accounting professionals in Ghana who are familiar with the IFRS S1 and S2 standards and AI perceive the use of AI in sustainability reporting under these new standards. Adopting a qualitative research methodology, data was sourced from semi-structured interviews lasting 15 to 35 minutes with 20 accounting professionals working in different organizations and industries. The findings show that, while many accounting professionals were aware of AI tools, their ability to apply them effectively depends mainly on organizational support, such as a supportive environment that embraces technology adoption and training. This aligns mainly with facilitating conditions under the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Additionally, accounting professionals working in organizations that have already adopted IFRS S1 and S2 expressed a good level of understanding and practical use of the standards compared to those who have not. The study highlights that real-world exposure and hands-on experience help build a high level of understanding of both AI and IFRS standards. Based on these findings, the study recommends that organizations in Ghana create a culture that encourages innovation and supports the adoption of new technologies. This includes providing the necessary resources, training, and support to help accounting professionals understand the benefits of AI. Overall, the study contributes to filling the gap in understanding how accountants in developing countries, specifically Ghana, perceive, adopt AI technologies and how it can enhance sustainability reporting in Ghana, particularly under IFRS S1 and S2 standards.

Source: Ashesi
Ashesi academic advisory toolset: Enhancing student learning and success

The significance of an academic advisor in a learning environment is emphasized by the fact that they give students the educational guidance they need. The continuous interactions between the two entities are essential to this relationship. This project aims to create an interactive system enabling Ashesi students to access academic advisory support whenever needed. Users of this system will have access to a planner tool to help them plan their courses for the duration of their time at Ashesi, an automated degree audit tool to help them keep track of their course progress, an allocator tool to help them connect with academic advisors, and a news portal where they can access campus-related news at any time.

Source: Ashesi
Ashesi Aegis: A cyber security awareness and training web application made for Ashesi

The rapid advancement of technology has brought with it integral benefits to society across various sectors. From health care to education, technology has greatly enhanced efficiency and accessibility. However, this innovation also escalates the potency and threat of malicious tools, introducing unprecedented challenges in the realm of cybersecurity. Threats in cyberspace are incredibly varied; among organisations, the most significant risk stems from the humans within them. The factors contributing to this risk range from ignorance due to insufficient education to outright malicious intent. Ashesi Aegis addresses this critical issue with a dedicated web application tailored for Ashesi University. It aims to raise cybersecurity awareness and strengthen digital defences. Through modular learning formats, including video lessons, text breakdowns and interactive quizzes, users build on both theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

Source: Ashesi
Ashesi Entrepreneurship Management System - Revolutionizing the entrepreneurship ecosystem

An increased unemployment rate has characterized the world for the past fourteen years due to different events, such as the world financial crisis. That situation brought the need to promote entrepreneurship which created more jobs for many people, reducing unemployment. Nonetheless, the problem has always been the communication and coordination of stakeholders in the entrepreneurship ecosystem; each stakeholder operates in their space with little contact with the other actors. That lack of cooperation hinders the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems globally, especially in Africa. More research has been done on entrepreneurship ecosystems in different parts of Africa, such as Rwanda. However, the limitation is that most of these ecosystems have been unsuccessful due to unfavourable and uncooperative environments. Also, little research has been done on the feasibility of entrepreneurship ecosystems in institutions like schools with different stakeholders and needs. The Ashesi entrepreneurship management system would ensure communication and interaction between actors in the Ashesi entrepreneurship ecosystem. The main stakeholders targeted are investors, incubators, and Ashesi businesses.

Source: Ashesi
Ashesi Football Management System: applied research project

In the realm of sports, data analysis is crucial. It gives a platform for teams to enhance their performance. Players with access to a platform that summarizes their overall gameplay can choose which aspect of their game requires improvement to be effective. This also offers them access to their opponent's data, allowing them to plan effectively and develop countermeasures, ultimately improving the quality of the games. Again, it allows viewers to better grasp the abilities of the various players and teams through analytics or commentary. This project's client is the Ashesi Football Association (A.F.A). This project aims to help them increase their statistics collection and use these statistics for player development, prize distribution, and analysis. This project intends to create a web application called Ashesi Footstats that consists of two parts, the Ashesi Football Management System, and a commentary assistant.

Source: Ashesi
Ashesi network traffic analysis

The web has evolved from an information exchange system to a data mining, knowledge creation or Knowledge dissemination platform where the internet is viewed as a critical and vital component of success by students, lecturers and researchers in higher institutions particularly within universities and colleges. There is thus pressure on network directors managing network services within these institutions to provide regular and correct utilization of the available bandwidth. Network directors are being pressured to ensure that there is sufficient bandwidth available for every network user and also ensure the bandwidth is used productively. With the expansion of digitally made contents and Internet computing demands in the last couple of years, network users often complain of insufficient bandwidth available to completely satisfy their wants. In an attempt to attend to users complains, network directors ought to determine the main objective or purpose of the offered bandwidth and identify unproductive applications eating the bandwidth. In this paper, an attempt is made to investigate network traffic on the Ashesi University network system and to prioritize applications on the network based on user needs and based on what the bandwidth is purchased for. A policy framework is additionally outlined for best utilization and management of the university`s network system. The findings of the study indicate that there is the need to prioritize applications on the network because it was made clear that users access certain types of applications during school hours and some other type of applications after school hours. There is also the need to install certain servers locally in alternative to scaling back the traffic caused during peak days and also during peak hours of the Ashesi network system.

Source: Ashesi
Ashesi Premier League application

The growth of technology has seen most institution developing ways to reach a wider range of people. The soccer industry is not left out in this race. Most leagues and clubs have come up with different ways to reach their supporters and enhance engagement. One of such ways is the development of applications. The development of these applications does not only enhance user engagement but provides a convenient way to reach soccer fans. The Ashesi Premier League (APL), an upcoming league for the ashesi community can also benefit from this technological growth in the soccer industry. This application will help disseminate information about the league to the community. It will also promote student engagement through predictions and allow students express their views on various issues. This is therefore necessary for the application to be easy to use by the students and serve the different classes of students in the community.

Source: Ashesi
Ashesi Smart Diner

The growing student population and the limited capacity of the existing cafeteria management systems at Ashesi University have led to longer queues, increased wait times, and operational inefficiencies. This project, Ashesi Smart Diner, aimed to resolve these issues by developing a comprehensive smart cafeteria management system. The system incorporates an automated food ordering process, inventory management, and personalized meal recommendations. Leveraging technologies such as machine learning for personalized recommendations, a microservices architecture for scalability, and intuitive user interfaces, the project sought to enhance the dining experience, reduce operational overhead, and improve overall efficiency. The methodology involved a thorough requirement analysis, system design with a focus on modularity and scalability, and iterative development and testing. The implementation utilized a tech stack comprising JavaScript, HTML, CSS for the frontend, PHP for backend logic, and MySQL for the database, alongside Python for machine learning components. Rigorous testing, including unit tests, system-level tests with Postman and Selenium, and user acceptance testing, validated the system

Source: Ashesi
Ashesi Student Advising System

This paper describes a project that seeks to bridge the communication barrier that comes with student-advisor interaction. Advisors in academic institutions range from career advisors to academic advisors to peer advisors and each play a vital role in the life of a student. Nevertheless, aside from setting up meetings via mail and direct phone calls, there is no system allocated to this essential part of the university experience. That is when the student advising system comes in. It is a portal that grants students and advisors a designated platform to seek and share all kinds of advice. To address proper communication, it will be web-based and would consider the focal points in advising procedure to make the experience appreciable. The project would be a semester long project which would have various milestones to track progress over the specified time. This project would be beneficial in the Ashesi community where student life is a top-most priority.

Source: Ashesi
Ashesi Tutor Management System

The focus of this project is centered on the problem of understanding courses at Ashesi University and the implementation of a Tutor Management System to help address this problem. The topic of this project is relevant because the ultimate goal of an academic institution is to ensure that they equip students with the knowledge so they can positively contribute back to society. Hence the failure of students to thoroughly acquire understanding adversely affects them and the society at large. In this project, we would look into the problem of understanding university-level courses from the perspective of other related works and the thorough procedures followed in the implementation of the Ashesi Tutor Management System. Users' responses were obtained from a survey after the implementation of the Ashesi Tutor Management System. 100 % of the users described the approach in implementing the functionalities as excellent whiles 75% described the coloring and design of the application as outstanding.

Source: Ashesi
ASHESI UNIVERSITY

It was December 2007 and Patrick Awuah, founder and president of Ashesi University, began updating his school's business plan. He looked back on the university's short history with pride-in only 10 years Awuah and his team had turned a lofty vision into reality. Ashesi had become one of the most respected educational institutions in Ghana, with about 100 top-notch students enrolling in its liberal arts program each year. But many challenges still lay ahead, not least of which was raising the $7.2 million needed to complete the first phase of construction for the permanent campus. There was the issue of academic dishonesty, which seemed to be on the rise at Ashesi and was directly at odds with the school's mission. Awuah also wondered how much longer it would be until he felt ready to begin replicating the model in other parts of Africa, which had always been part of the long-term strategy.

Source: Ashesi
Ashesi University: Facilitating research with Research Hub

Research is an essential aspect of how faculty teaches at an institution. With the knowledge attained, they cannot only share it with their students but also provide more practical examples for them. Researching at Ashesi University can be challenging for their faculty, however. One of the problems faced is the lack of a platform for them to store and track research. Another issues would be not being aware of grant opportunities would help fund their research. The existing system involves the storing and distribution of research information through various communication channels. This project seeks to expland the scope of the current system by building a central and online research hub. For instance, administrators can post grant opportunities on the research hub for faculty members rather than sharing them via email.

Source: Ashesi