ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
The Importance of financial reporting to capital market development in Ghana

The finance literature suggest that investment decisions are largely influenced by the quality of corporate financial information released by firms in their financial statements, and that capital market participants use corporate financial information released by firms for investment decisions. Factors that influence the development of capital markets in developing markets include: appropriate legal and regulatory framework, effective securities exchange commission, an active stock exchange market, availability of accurate and reliable information about firms’ financial performance and position. An improved financial reporting environment that produces accurate and high-quality financial reports on a timely basis contributes significantly to the development capital markets in developing economies. It is therefore important that the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG), regulator of accounting practice in Ghana should strengthen its regulatory role to ensure that accountants in Ghana helping generate financial information for firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange are sufficiently knowledgeable and skilled in matters regarding financial reporting and provide financial reports guided by sound reporting ethics and the principle of integrity

Source: UCC
The importance of theory, analysis and practice to integrated disaster research: Introduction to the IRDR Conference Special Issue

The Second Integrated Research on Disaster Risk Conference was held in Beijing, China, on the 7th to 9th of June, 2014. This event gathered a diverse international combination of researchers, policy makers, practitioners, funders and disaster risk reduction agencies, to discuss the applied integration of disaster risk research. The current special issue consists of papers with an explicitly social focus which were presented at this conference. These papers are discussed in terms of vital elements for integrated disaster risk science, namely: analysis, theory and links to practice. The special issue papers include a landmark case study of community-led disaster recovery, amongst indigenous Māori affected by the earthquakes of 2011 and 2012 in Canterbury, New Zealand. Another paper takes an international approach, to analyzing the use of the term ‘disaster’ in English speaking contexts. A paper on vulnerability and response to disasters provides a detailed account of needs for disaster risk reduction in low-income countries, such as Ghana. Vulnerabilities are also explored in a paper about the challenges faced by people with disabilities during an earthquake. The special issue concludes with a thought-provoking paper on concepts of modernity, which takes an expansive and historical view of the disaster risk domain. In sum, special issue authors have produced relatively unique combinations of disaster risk analysis, theory and links to practice. This special issue therefore represents an important illustration of integrated disaster risk research

Source: UCC
Imprecation In Contemporary Ghanaian Political Activities: The Case Of The Asante

The thesis examined the use of imprecation in Ghanaian political activities. The motivation of the study is about the contention between African Traditional Religion (ATR) writers on whether or not ATR has a place in the lives of Africans. Thus, the study sought to prove that, the beliefs and philosophies of African Traditional Religion continue to influence the decision making, behaviours and total life of Ghanaians by relating it to the rampant usage of imprecation in contemporary political arena in Ghana specifically among the Asante. The purpose of the study is to bring to realisation reasons where some Ghanaians prefer the use of imprecation in resolving electionrelated issues to the laid down adjudication systems and mechanisms. Using semi-structured interviews, the study explored the nature of imprecation among the Asante, the role imprecation plays in their socio-cultural life and the various reasons for its employment. Also, questionnaires were given to respondents to investigate how widespread the practice is, taking into consideration especially the religious affiliation, and educational background since duabͻ is a phenomenon peculiar to ATR practitioners. From interviews, the study also reveals that imprecation was once part of the Asante arbitration. Yet its use in contemporary times is not limited to the social life of the people alone but also in politics especially during elections processes. This is mostly as a result of challenges and weaknesses in the processes on the part of the electoral resolution agencies namely, the court and disciplinary committee in political parties. Hence, imprecation is used to serve as a tool for check and balances during electoral processes. Again, imprecation creates a platform for political actors to air out their frustrations and discusses certain malfeasances to which electoral officials do not pay much attention. The use of imprecations in Ghanaian elections is a symptom of mistrust in the electioneering process and avenues for seeking redress on election related grievances. There is a high possibility of violent conflict in Ghana if the „red flag‟ of duabͻ is not addressed.

Source: UCC
Improved Detection of Abnormal Glucose Tolerance in Africans: The Value of Combining Hemoglobin A1c With Glycated Albumin

In African-born Blacks living in America, we determined by BMI category 1) prevalence of abnormal glucose tolerance (Abnl-GT) and 2) diagnostic value and reproducibility of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fructosamine, and glycated albumin (GA). Participants (n 5 416; male, 66%; BMI 27.7 6 4.5 kg/m2 [mean 6 SD]) had an oral glucose tolerance test with HbA1c, GA, and fructosamine assayed. These glycemic markers were repeated 11 6 7 days later. Abnl-GT diagnosis required 0 h ‡5.6 mmol/L (‡100 mg/dL) and/or 2 h ‡7.8 mmol/L (‡140 mg/dL). Thresholds for HbA1c, GA, and fructosamine were the values at the 75th percentile for the population (39 mmol/ mol [5.7%], 14.2%, and 234 mmol/L, respectively).

Source: UCC
Improved energy recovery by anaerobic grey water sludge treatment with black water

This study presents the potential of combining anaerobic grey water sludge treatment with black water in an up-ﬂow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor to improve energy recovery within source-separated sanitation concepts. Black water and the mixture of black water and grey water sludge were compared in terms of biochemical methane potential (BMP), UASB reactor performance, chemical oxygen demand (COD) mass balance and methanization. Grey water sludge treatment with black water increased the energy recovery by 23% in the UASB reactor compared to black water treatment. The increase in the energy recovery can cover the increased heat demand of the UASB reactor and the electricity demand of the grey water bio ﬂocculation system with a surplus of 0.7 kWh/cap/y electricity and 14 MJ/cap/y heat. However, grey water sludge introduced more heavy metals in the excess sludge of the UASB reactor and might therefore hinder its soil application

Source: UCC
Improved spatial ecological sampling using open data and standardization: an example from malaria mosquito surveillance

Vector-borne disease control relies on efficient vector surveillance, mostly carried out using traps whose number and locations are often determined by expert opinion rather than a rigorous quantitative sampling design. In this work we propose a framework for ecological sampling design which in its preliminary stages can take into account environmental conditions obtained from open data (i.e. remote sensing and meteorological stations) not necessarily designed for ecological analysis. These environmental data are used to delimit the area into ecologically homogeneous strata. By employing Bayesian statistics within a model-based sampling design, the traps are deployed among the strata using a mixture of random and grid locations which allows balancing predictions and model-fitting accuracies. Sample sizes and the effect of ecological strata on sample sizes are estimated from previous mosquito sampling campaigns open data. Notably, we found that a configuration of 30 locations with four households each (120 samples) will have a similar accuracy in the predictions of mosquito abundance as 200 random samples. In addition, we show that random sampling independently from ecological strata, produces biased estimates of the mosquito abundance. Finally, we propose standardizing reporting of sampling designs to allow transparency and repetition/re-use in subsequent sampling campaigns

Source: UCC
Improving Agricultural Extension Human Resource Capacity in a Decentralized Policy Context: A Ghanaian Case Study

Agricultural extension provision in many developing countries is affected by the quality of the extension staff. To understand the factors that can improve the capacity of extension staff in a decentralized extension context, a single-case study of a successful district level public extension organization in Ghana was studied. To improve the capacity of extension staff, the case study emphasized the importance of combining formal needs-based training and an organizational learning culture. The study suggests that traditional training in technical areas and extension methods is not sufficient in this context. With the shift from a top-down to bottomup management approach, managerial staff need a new training in participatory management and administration. With a cross-sector pluralistic system, they also need training about the mechanisms that will facilitate coordination, collaboration and lobbying within the extension system. Also, with a broader focus and roles of district extension, the field staff would need a broader knowledge base of technical expertise that takes into consideration indigenous knowledge of farmers, and attitudes of searching for knowledge that they do not have, or for seeking out others to provide the necessary knowledge. The study highlighted the importance of fostering an open environment where extension staff feel comfortable to meet, interact, share information and ideas, and motivated to work

Source: UCC
Improving Chemistry Students’ Conception of Redox Reactions Using the Participatory Teaching and Learning Approach

The study was intended to design and develop the participatory teaching and learning approach (PTLA) to the teaching and learning of oxidation-reduction reactions. The research approach for the study was design-based research, using qualitative and quantitative methods. The design-based research approach consisted of four stages as preliminary, design and development, prototype, and systematic reflection and documentation stages. At the preliminary stage, six teachers and 213 third year students were sampled and at the prototype stage, 15 and simple random sampling procedures. At the preliminary stage, teachers were interviewed on teaching of and the third year students responded to diagnostic test and interviews on conception of oxidation-reduction reactions. The findings show that teachers used unstructured teaching strategies and students showed alternative conceptions and other conceptual difficulties in oxidation-reduction reactions. The PTLA was designed and developed by the researcher and validated by three experts at the design and development stage. At the prototype stage, the 15 students were taught using PTLA which helped improve their conception of oxidation-reduction reactions. It was therefore recommended that the leadership service training to train the school chemistry teachers on using PTLA in teaching chemical concepts.

Source: UCC
Improving Child Survival in Sub-Saharan Africa: Key Environmental and Nutritional Interventions

Many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), did not achieve the Millennium Development Goal 4 target of reducing under-five mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. A large proportion of under-five deaths in SSA and other developing regions have been attributed to undernutrition and poor household environmental conditions. Failure to address nutritional deficit and household environmental pollution in SSA will therefore likely result in many countries not meeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.2 target which aims to reduce under-five mortality to less than 25 deaths per 1000 livebirths by 2030. This paper pinpoints the nutritional and environmental threats to child health in SSA, and identify interven- tions that will work best to improve child survival in countries. It is important to broaden the spectrum of interventions for improving child survival beyond health systems strengthening to enable countries meet the SDG 3.2 target. The following interventions are thus proposed: strengthening child welfare clinics through digital technologies; investment in school feeding programmes; addressing household air pollu- tion; and improving water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in basic schools. There are certainly barriers to effective implementation of the proposed interventions in countries but are surmountable with strong political will and involvement of the private sector.

Source: UCC
Improving class attedance and punctuality through systematic supervision in Achimota Preparatory and Junior Secondary School

The study was conducted with a view to finding out if supervision could be used 5 an intervention to improve class attendance and punctuality in Achimota Preparatory tld Junior Secondary School. The Action Research method was used and this enabled the researcher to compare the effect of supervision on the pupils during the pre-intervention tld the post-intervention stages. The sample was made up of 85 pupils. The research looked at issues such as the causes of lateness to school, as well as class attendance, and the effect of supervision as an intervention, to improve the attendance of pupils to class and their punctuality to school. After analyzing the data, the conclusion drawn was that supervision can be used as an intervention to improve class attendance and punctuality of pupils in the school. Based on the findings the researcher made some recommendations, which will help improve on the pupils' attendance and punctuality.

Source: UCC
Improving collaboration between traditional and local government authorities for development in the Central region of Ghana

Ghana is still battling with a dual governance system nearly 60 years after attaining independence. The situation has resulted in misunderstandings and claims of superiority of authority between state officialdom and traditional rulers which derail local development efforts. The study set out to explore ways of integrating traditional authority with the local government system of governance. The Central Region was selected and categorised into three types of paramountcies within the jurisdiction of four Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs). The mixed method approach guided the study and a total of 658 respondents and discussants were sampled using both probability and non-probability sampling procedures. The new institutional, subsidiarity, modernisation, endogenous and the interactive governance theories were used to explain the tradition-modernity debate within the broader context of local level development. The study found that traditional authorities would like to be integrated into the local government system. This meant improving collaboration in all important deliberations such as serving as chairpersons on all relevant sub-committees of the District Assemblies. TAs felt that their direct involvement would be more beneficial to their people because they would be in a better position to press home the demands of their people and thereby avoid any possible conflict between the TAs and the District Assemblies. The study recommends that collaboration of the two authorities would require a more concerted effort on consultations and the amendment of the Chieftaincy Act 651 by Parliament with the view to introducing District House of Chiefs in consonance with the decentralised system of governance in the country.

Source: UCC
Improving community participation in administration of newly established senior secondary schools in the Eastern region through intense public education

The study was an action research to help improve community participation in the Administration of newly established senior secondary schools in the Eastern Region through intensive public education. The data for the study were collected from five selected community senior secondary schools with a sample size of 100 at each of the data gathering stages of the study. There were 20 respondents from each community made up of 7 from the schools and 13 from among the citizens in the towns. The duration for the study was one academic term. The data gathering instrument for the study was a questionnaire, which was used to gather data at both the pre-intervention and post-intervention stages. The preintervention data were meant to determine the real nature of the problem envisaged as it existed between the school and community members. The data results were analysed by using simple percentage of the responses. The most outstanding finding during the pre-intervention stage was that some of the newly established schools in the Eastern Region were experiencing poor community participation and undue interference by some of the community members. On the basis of the findings from the pre-intervention data, an intervention was put in place, which included, among others, the sensitization of the community members about their roles and responsibilities towards their schools and their wards' education. The post-intervention data were collected and analysed to find out the extent to which the intervention had helped to change people's perception and attitudes towards improving the situation. It was found that when regular public education was organized in the selected communities for opinion leaders and community members, community participation in the administration of the schools improved. Among the recommendations made is that, there is the need to continue educating members of the community on their regular involvement in the schools' administration for the development and proper management of their schools.

Source: UCC
Improving complementary feeding in Ghana: reaching the vulnerable through innovative business—the case of KOKO Plus

Reaching vulnerable populations in low-resource settings with effective business solutions is critical, given the global nature of food and nutrition security. Over a third of deaths of children under 5 years of age are directly or indirectly caused by undernutrition. The Lancet series on malnutrition (2013) estimates that over 220,000 lives of children under 5 years of age can be saved through the implementation of an infant and young child feeding and care package. A unique project being undertaken in Ghana aims to bring in two elements of innovation in infant and young child feeding. The first involves a public–private partnership (PPP) to develop and test the efficacy and effectiveness of the delivery of a low-cost complementary food supplement in Ghana called KOKO PlusTM.

Source: UCC
Improving complementary feeding in Ghana: reaching the vulnerable through innovative business—the case of KOKO Plus

Reaching vulnerable populations in low-resource settings with effective business solutions is critical, given the global nature of food and nutrition security. Over a third of deaths of children under 5 years of age are directly or indirectly caused by undernutrition. The Lancet series on malnutrition (2013) estimates that over 220,000 lives of children under 5 years of age can be saved through the implementation of an infant and young child feeding and care package. A unique project being undertaken in Ghana aims to bring in two elements of innovation in infant and young child feeding. The first involves a public–private partnership (PPP) to develop and test the efficacy and effectiveness of the delivery of a low-cost complementary food supplement in Ghana called KOKO PlusTM. The second involves the testing of the concepts of social entrepreneurship and social business models in the distribution and delivery of the product. This paper shares information on the ongoing activities in the testing of concepts of PPPs, social business, social marketing, and demand creation using different delivery platforms to achieve optimal nutrition in Ghanaian infants and young children in the first 2 years of life. It also focuses on outlining the concept of using PPP and base-of-the-pyramid approaches toward achieving nutrition objectives

Source: UCC
Improving delivery of construction projects in Ghana’s cities: a lean construction approach

The construction industry plays a vital role in the physical and socio-economic development of cities. However, poor execution and frequent breakdown of construction works such as roads and houses obstruct the overall development of cities since most social and economic activities depend of these projects. This paper sought to assess the extent to which lean construction principles are utilised in construction activities in Ghana’s cities and ways that these principles can be applied effectively to improve the delivery of construction works. The study concentrated in Accra, Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi cities whilst officials from the Metro Works Departments of the selected cities and various construction professionals constituted the target population. Questionnaire was the research instrument employed and Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient Test was used to analyse the results. It was revealed that various lean construction principles such as value, value stream, flow, pull and perfection are poorly implemented with each of these principles having less than 50 percent rate of application. Barriers such as long lead time, poor procurement system and contracts, cultural and human factors, political influence, and lack of financial and management commitment were found to be responsible for that. To successfully apply the lean construction principles and enhance the sustainability of construction projects, measures such as benchmarking, process mapping, last planner procedures and continuous training of workers in the construction industry have been recommended

Source: UCC
Improving discipline in Christ Ebenezer preparatory and junior high school, Darkuman, Accra

Indiscipline in schools in Ghana is a concern to administrators, teachers, parents and even students. Most common acts of indiscipline among students include stealing, cheating in examinations, lateness to school and absenteeism. The objectives of this study were to identify the factors contributing to students indiscipline, prevalence of these acts of indiscipline and measures to adopt to deal with indiscipline among the students of Christ Ebenezer Preparatory and Junior High School, Darkuman in Accra. The study was guided by four research questions. The study was carried out using students and all teachers from the Christ Ebenezer Preparatory and Junior High School as respondents. Data were collected using questionnaire as instrument. The questionnaire was validated by experts. The reliability coefficients from 0.933 to 0.979 were established using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient reliability technique. The data collected were analysed using frequency and percentage values. The findings showed that peer pressure and imitation of negative attitudes from films mostly contributed to student indiscipline in the school. Also, stealing and lateness to school ranked topmost among disciplinary problems. Lastly, some recommendations which include the following had been put forward to address the indiscipline: Adults should get involved in school activities and act as mentors to counsel students to impart values that would endow students with acceptable social skills. Parents should play active role in nurturing their own children and propose norms and values to be respected and followed.

Source: UCC