ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Consumers’ Attitude towards Foreign and Domestic Chocolates

Globalization has exposed consumers in Ghana to a wide range of foreign chocolates on the market than ever before and these are competing with the domestic brands. The main purpose of the study was to investigate the Ghanaian consumers’ attitude towards foreign and domestic chocolates and make recommendations for enhancing patronage of the domestic chocolates. A non-probability, convenience sampling technique was employed to gather the data through a structured questionnaire from 226 participants in the Greater Accra Region. The Fishbein attitude model and Consumer Ethnocentrism Tendencies Scale (CETSCALE) were used to measure the consumer attitudes and ethnocentrism respectively. The importance of country of origin of chocolates was also determined on a seven point likert scale. The relative importance of some attributes: brand name, price, packaging and the type of chocolate were determined using the conjoint analysis. The studies revealed that majority of the consumers had a positive attitude towards foreign chocolates (mean=164.03) than domestic chocolates (mean=153.97). Consumers however, showed ethnocentric tendencies (mean=5.8, on a scale of 1 to 7) towards the Made-in-Ghana chocolates. Chocolates from Ghana were also more important to the consumer than chocolates from the United Kingdom or Switzerland. These tendencies seem to be rooted more in morality, rather than it transcending economic and functional considerations. Brand name was the most important attributes of chocolate (38.10%). The best cue combination that affect the purchasing decision of the consumer was a Goldentree milk chocolate packaged in laminated flow wrap that sells below GH¢ 5.00 per the 100g bar. It can be concluded that consumers have greater attitudes towards foreign chocolates than domestic chocolates. It is recommended that the manufacturer of the domestic chocolate finds more effective ways to reduce their cost of production in order to reduce the prices of their chocolates to levels competitive with those coming from abroad. The domestic brand should also be rebranded for it to be competitive. Government on their part should provide conducive environment for the local manufacturers to thrive.

Source: KNUST
Consumers’ perception of attributes and related benefits of soy and its consumption in Ghana

Soybean is an important food and oil crop in Ghana, but little is known about the consumer perception of related benefits of soy products. A total of 370 respondents were interviewed with equal samples of 70 taken from Bimbilla, Yendi, Techiman, and Madina; while 45 each were selected from Ejura and Tilli respectively. In this study, four binary logit models were developed to assess the effects of socio demographic factors, perceived soy attributes and perceived soy health benefits on consumers’ decision to participate and consumer soy products. Results from the four models show that among socio demographic factors, ethnicity, age, and income have a direct positive effect that significantly influence soy consumption while education significantly influences soy consumption in a positive way while price has a significantly negative influence, on soy consumption as expected. However, perceived convenience showed a negative significance, contrary to prior expectation. Furthermore, among the general health related variables, nutritional awareness and health motivation indicated positive influences on soy consumption and perceived soy health benefit respectively, while surprisingly health knowledge did not show any significance in determining consumption. This study therefore demonstrates that the soy food market can be segmented, based among others, on age, education, income, the individual’s health motivation and nutritional awareness as well as certain attributes such as perceived taste and health benefits.

Source: KNUST
Consumption pattern, heavy metal content and risk assessment of Akpeteshie-local gin in Ho municipality of Ghana

Akpeteshie is a locally distilled alcoholic beverage produced by fermentation of palm wine and other substrates. This study investigated akpeteshie consumption patterns in Ho municipality and assessed the content of ethanol and contaminants (methanol, lead, copper and iron) in the akpeteshie samples. Alcohol consumption pattern of 140 participants was determined using the Daily Drinking Questionnaire in a cross-sectional study in Ho municipality, Ghana. The levels of ethanol and methanol in ten (10) samples of akpeteshie obtained from distillers across the municipality was determined using AOAC methods. Heavy metals were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The health risk associated with akpeteshie consumption was also assessed. About 67.86% of the respondents preferred Akpeteshie as their alcoholic beverage. Majority of respondents who consumed akpeteshie were males (93.6%), however the female participants (66.67%) exceeded the recommended number of drinks. Although methanol and lead were not detected, copper (1.39–4.12 mg/l) and iron (1.98 mg/l) were present and exceeded allowed standards. The study observed high akpeteshie consumption levels among males, but increased alcohol abuse among females beyond the recommended limits of 1–2 drinks/day. Although iron (1.98 mg/l) and copper (4.12 mg/l) levels in the akpeteshie samples were high, risk assessment of the consumed toxic metals through akpeteshie posed no adverse health effects on the populace of the various locations. However excessive consumption of akpeteshie could lead to incremental life cancer risk due to the minute accumulation of these toxic metals hence the need to intensify regulatory and health promotion efforts.

Source: KNUST
Consumer Stratification in Response to Cocoa Products Preference

Food stratification is a scientific approach of classifying consumers in accordance with unique characteristics that binds the individual groups together. Consumers are best served when they are grouped according to the social status and sensory preferences. The study seeks to establish the impact of demography and sensory evaluation in stratifying consumption pattern of cocoa products. Questionnaires and sensory assessment were used in collecting data from respondents. Trained and untrained panalists were used in measuring variations in consumer sensory attributes. Responses were inputted into SPSS statistical software for both descriptive and Chi-square cross-tabulation analysis. The results indicate that nearly 53.60% of the respondents consume cocoa products. It was establish that 40.40% of the respondents prefer GH¢5 bar chocolate. The results show that larger families (8-11) do not regularly consume cocoa products apparently due to the household income. The study confirmed about that 53.30% of the respondents patronise cocoa products during Christmas whilst 51.30% during National chocolate days. Moreover, respondents expressed much interest in products 245, 283 and 516 due to its sensory characteristics. The results from Chi-square and cross –tabulation shows significant (p= 0.05) association between consumption pattern of cocoa products, sensory attributes and demographic characteristics of respondents. It was establish that about 84.70% of the study population have no knowledge about the health benefits of consuming cocoa products especially dark chocolate and raw cocoa powder with its high antioxidant content. The results from both trained and untrained panalists did not vary much and therefore manufacturers of cocoa products could improve product quality by considering consumers sensory and demographic attributes as established by the survey report.

Source: KNUST
Contamination and Human Health Risk Due to Toxic Metals in Dust from Transport Stations in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

The purpose of this study was to assess the contamination levels and human health risk that heavy metals in the dust from transport stations pose to the inhabitants of the Kumasi metropolis, Ghana. Dust samples were collected from 18 transport stations and analyzed for metals including As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Fe, Sb, Ni, and Zn using X-ray fluorescence spectrometer prior to confirmation on an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer. Mercury concentrations were determined using Lumex RA-915M Zeeman automatic mercury analyzer. The average concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Fe, Hg, Sb, and Zn were 6, 10, 130, 54, 30, 22, 16,518, < 1, 15 and 120 mg/kg, respectively. All the measured metal concentrations were higher than their background concentrations and the dust were heavily polluted with the metals. Pollution load indices revealed metal pollution was high in the metropolis. However, hazard indices for all the metals across the three exposure pathways were < 1, indicating no non-carcinogenic risk for both adults and children. Exposure to multiple metals was the main potential non-carcinogenic risk to children. Cadmium showed high carcinogenic risk index exceeding the safe limit of 1E0-4 for children, indicating that children are at risk. The study generally observed a higher health risk to children via ingestion compared to adults.

Source: KNUST
Contemplating mine closure -a case study

Mining is a temporary use of the land, and irrespective of one’s point of view, its operations will come to an end. The preparedness with which mining companies approach the issue of closure is becoming of great concern to a variety of stakeholders. Planning for closure right from the start of a project pre-empts the fears and concern of the stakeholders. Acknowledgement of mine closure issues, the legal framework under which these issues can be effectively tackled, the mode of financing the closure program, and the commitment to carry it out to the satisfaction of all becomes paramount. The attempt by Ashanti Goldfield, Ayanfuri Mine to fulfill its closure requirement forms the basis of this study. Pre-mining or baseline condition cannot be achieved in the short term and further work should be undertaken to arrive at the conclusion that post mining monitoring is over and custodial transfer can be made.

Source: KNUST
Contamination of Raw Eaten Lettuce with Pathogenic Salmonella, Aeromonas, Listeria and E.Coli at Production (Farm) and Market Sites in Urban and Peri-Urban Kumasi

Some pathogenic microorganisms; Salmonella, Listeria, Aeromonas and co//, associated with urban vegetable production that uses wastewater for irrigation was assessed amongst smallholder urban and peri-urban farmers within the Kumasi r Metropolis. A total of 76 lettuce samples were collected under normal harvest and purchase conditions from some selected farm and market sites in Kumasi. The samples were analyzed for the presence and levels of Salmonella, Listeria, Aeromonas and E.coli using standard methods. Lettuce leaves from all the farms were contaminated and carried bacterial populations with mean values of 2.4 x 102, 3.6x 103, 8.1 x 102 and9.3 x 104 g"1 wet weight respectively for Salmonella, Aeromonas, Listeria and E.coli Lettuce from the markets were also contaminated with mean bacterial populations of 1.5 x 10 , 4.4 x 10 , 1.2 x 103 and 6.6 x 106 g-1 wet weight respectively for Salmonella, Aeromonas ^Listeria and E.coli. Levels of Salmonella, Aeromonas and E.coli on lettuce leaves at all the farm and market sites and of Listeria numbers at the Railways market did not meet the recommended PHLS guidelines making their consumption unacceptable and potentially dangerous to health. The levels of Aeromonas and E.coli on the lettuce leave samples at European market were higher than that of Gyenyase farms whiles that of Salmonella and Listeria recorded lower levels at European market compared to Gyenyase farms. Also bacterial numbers on lettuce leaves at Railways market were higher than that of Karikari farms with the exception of Salmonella that had lower numbers at the Railways market compared to Karikari farms. The study shows that although wastewater is a contributor to contamination of most and peri-urban produced vegetables sold and consumed in Kumasi there are other sources. Therefore using better quality water for irrigation may be desirable but not be sufficient safety procedure as it does not always ensure vegetables are of Salmonella, Aeromonas, Listeria and E.coli.

Source: KNUST
Contamination Levels and Sources of Heavy Metals and a Metalloid in Surface Soils in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

Environmental contamination with heavy metals and metalloids due to industrial, smelting and mining activities have become common in large and growing cities. Kumasi is one of the most industrialized cities in Ghana and experiences metal pollution due to recent and past activities. Although metals are naturally abundant in the area, their accumulation in soils could potentially lead to adverse effects on local ecosystems. Objectives. The aims of this study were to determine the distribution, enrichment, geo-accumulation and sources of metals in Kumasi soils and to estimate the contamination factor (CF) and pollution load index (PLI) of these metals in soils. Methods. Concentrations of eight heavy metals and a metalloid were determined in 112 soil samples randomly collected from 31 sampling sites in the area. In addition, 5 soil samples were collected from a pristine site (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Botanical Gardens) for data comparison, to determine the local background values for metal concentrations and to evaluate the extent of metal pollution in the study area. Results. Heavy metals such as zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr) were enriched in 65, 32, 58 and 93% of the sampling sites, respectively, and geo-accumulation indexes for Cr, Zn, Cd, mercury (Hg) and Pb showed moderate to extreme contamination in 100, 97, 77, 65 and 45% of the sampling sites, respectively. Principal component and cluster analyses revealed that industrial activities including mining were the major sources of metals in Kumasi soils with high metal input in the community of Suame. Distribution maps revealed hotspots of Cd, nickel (Ni), arsenic (As), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu) and Pb in Suame. The highest CFs for Cu, Cd, Ni, As, Co and Pb highlighted anthropogenic inputs in Suame, while Hg was highest in Mbrom, Zn in Suntreso, and Cr in Aboabo. Conclusions. The PLI of metals revealed Suame as the most polluted study site, while Anomangye and Bomso were the least polluted. Competing Interests. The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Source: KNUST
Contemporary African Art of Ghana and the development of the Accra Metropolis

This thesis is about Contemporary African Art of Accra and the contribution of fine artists to the environmental and socio-economic development of the Accra Metropolis. The objectives of this thesis seek to study and document the major trends of Contemporary African Art of Accra. It also examines the role of the artist in enhancing the environmental outlook of the city. The results of this study are aimed at improving the aesthetics of the metropolis, through the establishment of Sculpture gardens at sites and parks which have been turned into refuse dumps. It is also to provide areas of artistic interest within the city. The thesis also looks at the economic gains from tourism as a result of the artist’s contribution towards the development of tourism in Accra. Finally, the results are expected to add to the existing information on Contemporary African Art in general and that of the metropolis in particular.

Source: KNUST
Contemporary pottery - means and ends

The current vocational-oriented educational reforms introduced by the P.N.D.C government though laudable is beset with a number of problems such as the lack of specialist teachers in vocational subjects appropriate text-books and other basic materials, technical tools and equipment. Art ii most secondary schools involve drawing and painting with little or nothing said about training in graphic design, sculpture1textiles and pottery. In few cases some cane work and. Tie-dyeing is added to drawing and painting. Though clay, the most abundant art material is available throughout the country, the teaching of pottery at the pre-university level is just inadequate. To alleviate some of these inherent problems, there is the need for improvisation, the target of this essay which provides ideas for producing basic pottery, tools and equipment from local resources. Secondly, it is directed at rekindling student’s interest in pottery especially at the pre-university level. It also examines simple methods of winning clay, its washing and storage as well as accompanying tools and which include locally made potters’ wheels. Fundamental pottery processes suitable for junior secondary school level are described in detail and well illustrated to facilitate understanding. A teacher’s guide to the use of the essay is provided at the end of every chapter. The guide however only serves as resource material for construction on the subject and teachers are at liberty to use it as such.

Source: KNUST
Contraceptive Characteristics of Women Living with HIV in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

Objectives: Contraceptive use among women living with HIV is important to prevent the transmission of the infection to their partners, prevent unintended pregnancies and prevent the mother-to-child transmission of the infection. The study sought to determine the contraceptive characteristics of women living with HIV in the Kumasi metropolis. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from July to August 2012 at two HIV/AIDS clinics in the Kumasi Metropolis in the Ashanti Region, Ghana. Interviewer- administered questionnaires were used to collect data from two hundred and ninety five women. Data from one hundred and eighty three women living with HIV and who were sexually active were analyzed. Factors associated with contraceptive use were examined using logistic regression. Results: The overall contraceptive use was high; 84.7% were using a modern contraceptive method. The male condom was the commonest contraceptive method (77.0%) used and this was the main contraceptive method promoted at the HIV/AIDS clinic. Dual method usage was low (4.4%). Multivariate analysis showed that the significant predictor of contraceptive use was HIV status disclosure to partner (AOR = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.07-0.87; p = 0.03). Conclusions and Public Health Implications: The integration of family planning and HIV/AIDS services could stress dual method use and encourage HIV status disclosure to partner.

Source: KNUST
Contextual Issues Affecting the Use of Contraceptives among Women in the Offinso District, Ghana

The negative effect of high fertility rate on women and their children, and the benefits of fertility control are well known. Too many or too closely spaced pregnancies, and pregnancies of a woman at too young or too old an age, give rise to health risks for mothers and the infant, with associated higher maternal and neonatal mortality rates. The health of other children in the family is also affected. These factors, among others provide health rationale for fertility regulation and family planning, which is now considered an essential element of preventive health care. A descriptive study with a cross sectional design was conducted. The study was to assess the extent to which prospective users perceived and were influenced by local factors in using contraceptive and also to examine the contextual factors that had facilitated the consistently low contraceptive coverage in the Offinso District. Three-hundred-and-thirty women who were in their reproductive age between 20-49 years were interviewed. Five healthcare providers from five sub-districts in the Offinso District were also interviewed. Focus group discussion guide was administered as well. The study period was from August to December 2008 The major findings were that ninety-six percent (96%) of the respondents had heard about family planning. Out of the 330 respondents interviewed, 316 had heard about FP methods, out of which 29% indicated that they had ever used FP. The reason accounting for the non-use of FP method included fear of infertility effect (38%) fear of side effect(22.8%) wanting a child(19.6%) and that it can be harmful(8.5%). Generally staff attitudes towards clients were found to be friendly. Out of the 92 clients who had ever used FP method,51% indicated that health staffs were very friendly ,26% said they were friendly and 23% not friendly. It is therefore recommended that there is the need for intensification of public education at the community level with major emphasis on the use of FP. FP should form part of the curriculum of social studies at the basic level .this would make it possible for the children to be introduced to FP at the early stage in their lives. FP centers should be established in the communities and to be manned by trained personnel to address the geographical accessibility to contraceptive use, The DHMT can make adequate use of the religious bodies especially Christians to teach women and their husbands about the need to use contraceptives.

Source: KNUST
Contextual versus compositional effects on cumulative fertility in Ghana – a multilevel analysis.

Ghana has experienced an unexpectedly rapid fertility decline over the past 30 years, which has not been adequately explained in light of the concurrent persistently low usage of contraception. Factors at both the individual and contextual level have been investigated for their role in the determination of fertility levels and differentials in Ghana however, the relative contributions of the contextual factors compared with the individual factors to variation in fertility has rarely been studied. This study investigated how much of the observed district level fertility differentials are attributable to contextual versus compositional effects using a multilevel framework. Data from the second round of the Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020 survey were analyzed using a 2-level multilevel framework with individuals as the first level and districts at the second level. Age, education, wealth, marital status, history of family planning use and age at first sex were used as individual-level predictors while urban/rural residence was included as a district-level explanatory variable. Multilevel multivariate regression models with interaction terms included were used to determine how much of the variance was attributable to each level. Age, education, marital status, age at first sex and history of family planning were found to significantly influence cumulative fertility, however, most of the observed effects of these variables were significantly attenuated when age interactions were included in the models. The models also found that only 3-4% of the variance in cumulative fertility could be attributed to contextual effects as opposed to individual effects. Cumulative fertility is primarily determined by individual-level characteristics, and how these characteristics change with age and over time. Thus, policies aimed at fertility regulation should pay particular attention to improving the socio-economic circumstances of women.

Source: KNUST