ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Natural Resource Governance: A Study of Selected Communities in Ghana

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), according to the writings of Posey et al., (1995) is viewed as a treasured source of environmental information that allows traditional communities to protect and preserve their way of life and their natural resources. The study set out to examine the TEK and the natural resource governance (NRG) systems in Boabeng - Fiema, Tafi - Atome and the Amansuri resource areas. The specific objectives were to explain TEK, examine the NRG system and learn lessons from the integration of TEK into NRG at the three study areas. The study explored these objectives based on endogenous development, the assurance problem and the resilience theories. The study employed a multiple-case study approach using a qualitative study design. A combination of convenience and purposive sampling were used to select the respondents. Data collection was by interviewing, group discussion and observation. Qualitative data analysis involved thematic analysis, discourse analysis and cross site analysis. The TEK was founded on their cosmovision, history and traditional religious beliefs. The TEK of three study areas were also under the custodianship of the chieftaincy, the fetish priesthood and clan institutions. The major differences were the Spiritual deities to which they bear allegiance, the ecological restrictions and TEK processes. The family was the main agents of socialization in all three study areas and the motivation for their governance system was for; spiritual harmony, promotion of eco-tourism and social development. All three study areas had their governance system oriented towards observing age old traditions and making their communities exceptional eco-tourism centers. The lessons learnt centered on the effects of a resilient TEK on adaptive governance system. Major recommendations were that there is the need for the traditional authorities to fully document their TEK to facilitate public education on TEK. Additionally, there is the need for the Chiefs and governance stake holders in the three study areas to review their governance bylaws and make copies readily available for members of their community to improve transparency, accountability and participation.

Source: UCC
Traditional Environmental Ethical Values On The Protection Of Traditionally Protected Areas Among The Asante Sekyere People

In the traditional African societies, cultural practices provided sound ethical ways of protecting the environment against over exploitation. Thus, in the context of the Asante culture, qualitative ethnographic design was used to investigate the traditional environmental ethical practices supporting the conservation of Sekyere traditionally protected areas. Thirty-three participants comprising chiefs, elderly, traditional priests, linguists, grove attendants, clan heads, community leaders and folks were purposively interviewed in Sekyere Nsuta area; followed by field observations in the traditionally protected areas. The study revealed that Sekyere environmental values prohibit extraction of freshwater in large volumes; refuse dumping and defecation and farming closer to fresh waters, preserve vegetations along rivers, prohibit hunting, farming, tree cutting and fishing in sacred groves. It was revealed that fines, payments of drinks and sheep, deafness, blindness, incurable diseases and death are the consequences for violation of environmental protection norms. The study also revealed that Sekyere rivers are worshipped, sacred groves are protected for being abodes of the gods, a clan cemetery remains spiritual abode for ancestors; mountain sites are valued for being historical battle sites, abode of spirits and being aesthetical. Adherence of traditional ethical values remains very high in the small communities relative to the towns. Sekyere environmental ethical values are based on traditional system of beliefs. In view of this, non-religious incentives, environmental education, new traditional regulations and community-based environmental protection watch dog group will strengthen and safeguard the protected areas.

Source: UCC
Traditional institutions and environmental governance in gold mining areas: the case of Asutifi District, Ghana.

Mining has effects on the life of local communities. The negative effects have often led to tensions over issues undermining traditional livelihoods. This study examined the role of traditional institutions involved in environmental governance in mining communities within the Asutifi District. Institutions matter for development and a study of the relationships between governmental technologies and traditional institutional norms and practices offers a productive inquiry of implementation of development activities. A qualitative case study was designed and quota sampling used to select 59 respondents from communities, traditional institutions, mining business and state institutions in the Asutifi District and beyond. Interviews and documentary review were the main data collection methods used. The study reveals that the traditional authorities played the role of development agents as well as custodians of those natural resources not vested in the state. The informal interactions of traditional institutions with modem organisations also enhanced their contribution to the general development of their jurisdictions. The limitations imposed on the authority of chiefs only to advisory roles in governance had weakened their participation in decisions on how natural resources were exploited. It is recommended that the government recognises traditional institutions as key stakeholders in mining governance and therefore be involved in the processes of licensing of mining beginning at the reconnaissance license stage.

Source: UCC
Traditional knowledge systems in agricultural forms in the Akyem Awisa area of the Birim South district

Societies have for many years been governed by norms, values, beliefs and sanctions that are seen from a holistic standpoint as culture. Ghana has several cultures but how these impact on development with reference to harnessing the traditional knowledge systems (TKS) inherent in them to affect agricultural forms remain unanswered. This study looks at how the socio-cultural beliefs and traditional knowledge systems affect the achievement of sustainable development in the rural areas of Ghana using Akyem A wisa and its environs as a case study. With sustainable development gaining prominence in the minds of people, exploring how TKS have helped in the achievement of sustainable development goals is paramount. The overriding nature of modernity which is eroding the primary culture has caused the rural folks to desire to harness TKS for the development of methods that can support agricultural forms for the future generation. Solving practical problems associated with agricultural forms to ensure effective and increased achievement of sustainable development goals, has been found to be possible by the application of TKS. This reduces the over reliance on modern chemicals for high agricultural yield and improved food security, public health as well as good environmental management. The study thus recommends that the elements of African culture are given fundamental position in the development process of the country to allow the achievement of sustainable development in self confidence.

Source: UCC
Traditional methods of pest management in shifting cultivation after bamboo flowering in North-East India: Experience of Tamenglong District of Manipur

North East India is a landlocked region where hill, mountain and plateau account for72% which is cover by difference types of tropical and deciduous forests and bamboo. These forests are the main source for a large number of hill tribes of North East India where they can practise shifting cultivation for their subsistence. An estimated of 4, 43,336 families depend their livelihood on jhum cultivation and clear a forest area of 3,869 square kilometres every year. But the region has suffered from famine when the gregarious flowering of bamboo due to heavy damage to the crops in the jhum fields by the outbreak of rat population. Despite of employing a number of scientific methods to control the rat swam, Tamenglong district of Manipur has suffered from rat flood till today. Hence the present paper is attempted to reconstruct the traditional knowledge of pest management after bamboo flowering by using snow -balling method of sampling

Source: UCC
Traditions and Tensions in Leadership: the Ghanaian experience

This paper will explore some of the tensions that arise for Ghanaian headteachers in trying to resolve traditional and tribal expectations with ‘Western’ conceptions of leadership roles and competencies. These are particularly acute in rural communities where expectations of school leaders often reflect, and are constrained by, ascribed status in the tribe or village. Gender issues illustrate these tensions as successive governments initiate strategies to ensure that gender equality concerns are integrated into all their policies and programmes. The starting point for this paper—the process of research itself—sets the scene for an exploration of a complex multi-faceted leadership culture.

Source: UCC
Trainers‟ Self-Efficacy and Performance in Universities in Ghana: The Mediating Role of Trainer Preparation

Self-efficacy studies examining employee trainers‟ training room management, instruction and trainee engagement self-efficacies and their performance is overlooked in the literature. Also, though preparation is touted as vital in the self-efficacy – performance nexus, it has not been given much attention especially in relation to employee trainers. This current study, therefore, examined the mediating role played by trainer preparation in the effect trainer self-efficacy has on trainer performance in universities in Ghana. Using a census, data was collected from 154 employee trainers in two universities namely, the University of Cape Coast and the University of Education, Winneba. In testing the hypotheses, a partial least square structural equation modelling based on 10,000 bootstrap samples was employed and the BCa CI was used to establish the significance of the hypotheses. Additionally, an importance performance map analysis (IPMA) was conducted. This study revealed that trainee engagement self-efficacy and instruction self-efficacy have positive and significant effect on trainer performance and trainer preparation. Trainer preparation also had a positively significant effect on trainer performance. Again, it was discovered that trainer preparation played a complementary partial mediating role in the effect trainee engagement selfefficacy and instruction self-efficacy had on trainer performance. It is concluded that generally, trainer self-efficacy has an effect on both trainer preparation and trainer performance. Similarly, trainer preparation has an effect on trainer performance and is also a mediator between trainer selfefficacy and trainer performance.

Source: UCC
Training and development and organisational performance of Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly

Effective training and development has a positive impact on competent and committed employees. Studies in the training and development literatures show that organisational performance is a factor for the nation’s economic development. The study set out to establish the relationship between training and development and performance of the Bolgatanga Metropolitan Assembly. Thus, using quantitative approach and correlation as the study design, census sampling method in sampling the population, questionnaire for data collection, multiple linear regression to run and test hypotheses and Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) 20.0 for data transformation and analysis. The study revealed that job orientation; job rotation, workshop/conference and classroom lecture had significant influence on performance of organisation. It was discovered that job orientation, workshop/conference and classroom lecture significantly influence organisations’ output. Job rotation, group training/seminar and classroom lectures significantly influence quality of work delivery. Also, job rotation and workshop/conference influence employees’ commitment. The study recommends that managers and supervisors should consider using training and development methods with stronger predictions to drive organisational performance. It also recommends that managers and supervisors should consider job orientation, workshop/conference and classroom lecture to drive organisations’ output and job rotation, group training/ seminar and classroom lecture to improve quality work delivery. It also recommends that job rotation and workshop/conference should be taken seriously to ensure employee commitment.

Source: UCC
Training and Development Needs of Information and Communication Technology Teachers in Junior High Schools in Mfantseman Municipality of Ghana

The introduction of ICT as a subject into the JHS curriculum was a good and bold innovation but it was accompanied with numerous challenges including lack of proper training for the ICT teachers and inadequate ICT infrastructure which has led to non-performance of JHS students at the BECE. The study therefore investigated the training and development needs of the ICT teachers in the Mfantseman Municipality of Ghana. Descriptive survey was employed considering my desire to obtain first hand data from the ICT teachers. The data were collected by means of questionnaire and classroom observation instrument with the assistance of 5 field workers, using a census method of 120 ICT teachers from 120 JHS in the municipality over a period of 13 weeks .The mass survey data was collected and classified. The criteria ‘50% or above’ was adopted to make a value judgment to determine the training needs of the teachers. The results were presented in graphs and tables of frequencies and percentages to display the data. The findings revealed that 112 (93%) of teachers perceived the introduction of the ICT curriculum as ‘good’ based on its usefulness. ICT infrastructure was also relatively available and accessible except for internet connectivity. Also, 110 (91.7%), teachers need improvement in Hardware, 107 (89%) in Newer application, and 89 (74%) Spreadsheet. They also need improvement in pedagogy. Based on these findings some recommendations were proffered including conduction of In-service training relevant and responsive to the training needs uncovered.

Source: UCC
Training and development needs of public senior high school information communication technology teachers in the Accra metropolitan area

A major identifiable challenge facing the development of the full potential of ICT for education, research and development in Ghana has been the brain drain syndrome and inadequate ICT professionals. This study therefore sought to assess the training and development needs of the public senior high school ICT teachers in the Accra Metropolis. The study employed a cross sectional design. Questionnaires were used to acquire data. There were 19 public SHS in the Accra Metropolis with an ICT teacher population of 60 at the time of the study. This number in addition to the nineteen heads of the institutions as well as the ICT coordinator gave a total of 80 who formed the population for the study. The results indicated an inadequate and imbalance distribution of ICT teachers. Sixty teachers had to teach 26,789 students giving a ratio of 1 teacher to 446 students. Resources for teaching the subject were also woefully inadequate. The results also indicted that very few public SHS ICT teachers in Accra Metro could effectively express their knowledge and skills in ICT. Many of them (71.7%) exhibited average knowledge and skills in the subject. The study concluded that there was inadequate human resource to effectively handle the subject. Also, a gap existed between the knowledge and skills of ICT teachers in Public SHS in the Accra Metropolis and the knowledge and skills required to perform their job. It is thus recommended that the public SHS in the Accra Metropolis be provided the necessary resources whiles regular ICT training should be organized for the teachers.

Source: UCC
Training and development practices at the workplace of AngloGold Ashanti limited, Obuasi

In 1998, Anglogold Ashanti Limited set up the Management Training Centre (MTC) to train and develop its human resources to possess the right knowledge, skills and attitudes to meet current and future job demands. Hundreds of employees had undertaken diverse programmes since its inception. However, no empirical work has been done to assess the effectiveness of the services provided by the centre. There was, therefore, the need to carry out a study on how the company trains and develops its human resources to do their jobs effectively and efficiently. The objective of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the company's management training and development centre in Obuasi. The research design used was descriptive survey. Data for the study were analyzed with the aid of the Statistical Product and Services Solutions (SPSS) software to obtain descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages. One of the major findings of the study was that the programmes were beneficial to both the company and individuals. They were specific and tailored to suit the company's operations. In addition, the method of delivery ("4 MAT") took care of individual's learning styles and Kolb's ideas on stages of experiential learning. In order to realize the maximum benefits of training and development practices at the workplace, it was recommended that the company (through the MTC) should set-up a follow-up and training continuous improvement teams to ensure the achievement of the training and development programmes' objectives.

Source: UCC
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND EMPLOYEES’ PERFORMANCE IN THE “CHOP BAR” INDUSTRY

Extant literature on training and development process and its relationship with employees’ performance are silent. We explore this vacuity in the chop bar industry by interviewing 700 employees in two sub-metropolitan assemblies in Kumasi, Ghana. We propose that the stages of training and development process influence employees’ performance. The results support our proposition and also produce five stages which constituting the stages of the training and development process. In addition, the design stage emerged as the strongest predictor of employees’ performance---the most important stage of the training and development process in the industry.

Source: UCC
Training and development processes and post training performance of employees of commission on human right and administrative justice

This study is aimed to explore the training and development processes and post training performance of employees in public orgainsation. The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice was used as a case study. In order to test two contrasting theories on training, the study set out to investigate of the relationship between training/development processes and post training performance of CHRAJ. The sampleconsists of one hundred and seventeen employees of CHRAJ in the Greater Accra region. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted for the study. Principal component analysis and OLS regression models were used in data analysis. Three key findings were reported. Firstly,CHRAJ has embraced the concept of staff training and development but her employees have not achieved maximum benefits from these training activities. Secondly, training need assessment is the most essential training process but the least efficient process in CHRAJ. Thirdly, aside training related issues, employee specific variables such as age and experience play major role in ensuring higher post training performance. It is recommended that organisers of training programmes should find creative ways to receive input from the targeted trainees and incorporate the inputs into the training need assessment reports. Secondly, aside the practice of receiving written feedback from trainees after every training session CHRAJ should learn from these feedbacks. Finally, organisations should understand it is the quality of the training processes that leads to higher post training performance.

Source: UCC
Training and Employee Performance in the Ghana Education Service. The Case of Afadzato South District

Employee is a blood stream of any business. The accomplishment or failure of any establishment or institution depends on its employee performance. The purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate the effects of training on employee performance at the GES, using the ASD. In order to understand the study aim, three objectives were developed and these focused particularly on exploring the types of training programmes employed by the ASD of the GES; identifying the levels of employee performance in the ASD; and establishing a relationship between training and employee performance. A survey research design was used for this study. The study population was 250 staff of the ASD of the GES with a sample of 130 was drawn using random stratified sampling approach from a list of sample frame provided by the employee register at ASD of the GES. Questionnaires were the main instrument used to source for data from the respondents. The data collected were subsequently analysed qualitatively. The study revealed that employees performance at the ASD of the GES have improved as a result of training. The study recommends that GES should at all times determine skill gap of staffs. This will help determine the skill gap that has to be filled and who really needs to be trained. The study further gives directions for future research by applying different level of analysis on exploring the impact of training on employee performance.

Source: UCC
Training and Employee Performance of Senior Staff at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana

Employee performance is one of the most important factors that influence the existence of organisations. As a result, a number of researchers have looked at how training might affect employee performance. In this regard, this dissertation primarily looks at how training affects staff performance in University of Cape Coast. Our four main objectives include: to evaluate different forms of UCC employee training programmes; to examine how on-the-job affects performance of employee at the UCC; to examine how off-the-job training affects performance of employee at the UCC; as well as determine the UCC’s methods for measuring performance of employee. The study used quantitative research approach with questionnaires as method of data collection on sample size of 311 senior staff. The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics aided by SPSS 27 version. Findings were that coaching, further studies, job rotation, orientation, and workshop/seminar were the major training programmes. These include both on- and off-the-job training programs were complementarily practiced at UCC to take advantage of their unique benefits. Notwithstanding the positive effect of the existing training programmes, their restructuring was recommended for their enhancement and to align with current trends. Also in the future, this research work could be extended for a comparative analysis of more than one institution.

Source: UCC