ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Responsible Community Behaviour or Exclusion: Interpreting I Cor 5:1-13 from Communicative Perspective

The purpose of this article is to show that there lies a deeper theological motivation beyond the exclusion of the offender recommended by Paul in 1 Cor 5:1-13: revealing the true identity of the Christian community and her responsibility in the face of moral disorder. Reading the pericope from a communicative perspective provides a frame for reflecting on how historically-minded Ghanaian Christian communities may practice church discipline in a manner that will reflect the injunctions in Paul.

Source: UG
Restitution Governance - Current Status and the Way Forward

Ever since the famous speech by French President Emmanuel Macron in Ouagadougou in 2017, the return of artworks looted during the colonial era, as well as of ancestral remains and other types of goods that were extracted without consent, has been discussed more widely and intensely than at any moment before – both in Africa and in Europe. There is both considerable hope and impatience and despair in regard to whether this will in the end lead to substantial returns. The manifold actors, processes and fora involved in this endeavour at times also create confusion, and issues of legitimacy, representation and inclusion abound. This contribution on restitution governance is based on a pilot test of a questionnaire completed by 36 experts. From an analysis of their responses, one may conclude that situations in which claims for restitution, negotiations and returns occur vary considerably. Experts in the field have seen significant progress in the way museum employees and directors as well as some media houses deal with the topic. While the debate on restitution has increased interest in the colonial past in general terms, what is lacking is a concrete translation of this debate into school and civic education.

Source: UG
Restitution, Return, Repatriation and Reparation (the 4Rs) in Africa: Reality or Transcultural Aphasia?

The topic of restitution of cultural materials in colonial contexts raises historical, political, and moral questions. This working paper summarizes the research findings of IFG 5 at MIASA, which moved the academic and political debates about restitution to more practical and epistemological levels. L’IFG 5 focused on one evolving restitution case study from the Akpini Traditional Area in Kpando (Ghana) demanding the return of their royal regalia from Germany, and it analysed the field within which the case unfolds. This paper, which is based on field research involving meetings and discussions with representatives from the Akpini Traditional Area, multiplies the voices/narratives of interest groups on local, national and international levels; widens the perspectives on the issues; and interrogates the ongoing limited multi-practices of restitution, return, repatriation and reparation (the 4Rs) in the post-colonial African context. The paper identifies a plethora of interest groups in the restitution case in Kpando with varying agendas. It concludes that the field of “restitution” is characterized by interest groups that do not conform to a simplified dichotomous vision and that their agendas go beyond the mere return of cultural materials.

Source: UG
Restorative justice ideology among High School teachers in Ghana: investigating the role of collectivism and personality

Studies on Restorative Justice (RJ) ideology in school settings have largely focused on Western societies, to the neglect of African societies. This means that variables relevant to the Ghanaian setting that might be associated with RJ ideology have not been examined. The current study investigates the association between High School teachers’ Collectivism, Openness to Experience (OE), and their idea of Restoration. Analysis of data from 191 (Male = 128, Female = 63) teachers in Accra indicated that Collectivism and OE both predicted the idea of Restoration. This suggests that both Collectivism and OE are important resources that may help teachers embrace the idea of restoring a student offender to morally acceptable behaviour. This and other findings are discussed.

Source: UG
Restricted or absent immune responses in human populations to plasmodium falciparum gamete antigens that are targets of malaria transmission-blocking antibodies.

We have studied the antibodies to sexual stage antigens of Plasmodium falciparum in human serum from Papua New Guinea where intense transmission of P. falciparum occurs as well as the less prevalent P. malariae and P. vivax. In extracts of gametes of P. falciparum we have studied the reactivity of serum antibodies with antigens labeled with 125I on the surface of the gametes as well as intracellular gamete antigens. A prominent 27-kD sexual stage-specific intracellular protein was recognized more or less in proportion to the general antibody response to gamete proteins. The response to the gamete surface proteins, however, was quite unrepresentative of the general antibody response to the intracellular gamete proteins. No antibodies were detected against Pfs25, a 21-kD protein expressed on zygotes and ookinetes of P. falciparum and known to be a sensitive target of malaria transmission-blocking antibodies. The antibody response to two other target antigens of transmission-blocking antibodies on the surface of gametes of P. falciparum, a 230- and a 48- and 45-kD protein doublet, was very variable and independent of the response to the internal protein antigens. Several possibilities are discussed that may account for the variable response to these gamete surface antigens in individuals with otherwise good antibody responses to internal sexual stage proteins. Among these is the possibility that there is MHC restriction of the immune response to the gamete surface antigens in the human population. This interpretation accords well with evidence for MHC-restricted immune response to the same P. falciparum gamete surface antigens in studies with H-2 congenic mice.

Source: UG
Results From Ghana’s 2014 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

Background: Limited evidence exists on indicators of physical activity (PA) and guidelines for children and youth in Ghana, despite the growing burden of physical inactivity, obesity, and related morbidity. A baseline description of PA indicators of Gha naian children and youth is hereby presented in the 2014 Ghanaian Physical Activity Report Card. Methods: Data for the report card were obtained from a very limited available literature on PA among children and youth in Ghana. PA experts independently assigned grades to indicators based on available evidence, which were then harmonized and agreed to by group consensus. Results: The report card is based on limited evidence. Thus, 2 indicators were not graded (Active Play, and Family and Peer Support). For sedentary behavior, a B grade was assigned based on evidence from the 2012 Ghana School Health Survey which indicated that 21% of children and youth were sedentary. Organized Sports was graded a C, while the remainder of indicators (Overall PA levels, Active Transportation, School, Community, and Government) were graded a D. Conclusions: About one-third of Ghanaian children and youth engage in inadequate PA. More research on PA behavior and enabling environments is needed to better grade the indicators of PA in the future and to inform policy and interventions in Ghana. Appropriate school physical education and after-school sports policies and programs are warranted.

Source: UG
Results from Ghana’s 2014 report card on physical activity for children and youth.

BACKGROUND: Currently, there is limited evidence on estimates for physical activity (PA) behavior and sedentary behavior (SB) in Ghana. This report card (RC) is intended to increase awareness and sensitivity about issues surrounding PA and SB in Ghana. METHODS: Data were collected from peer-reviewed literature, graduate students' theses, physical education and sports documents, and a survey of opinions of stakeholders covering the 10 key RC indicators and benchmarks. The principal investigator harmonized all grades. A consensus meeting of the RC team was held to assign the final grades. RESULTS: School and Community grades declined from a D in 2014 to an F in 2016. SB declined from B to D. Family and Active Play were not graded in 2014 and now received an F and a B, respectively. Family and Built Environment were graded F, Active Transportation received a C, and Government and Overall PA were graded D. CONCLUSIONS: A conscious national investment effort can increase overall PA among children.

Source: UG
Results From Ghana’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

Background: Currently, there is limited evidence on estimates for physical activity (PA) behavior and sedentary behavior (SB) in Ghana. This report card (RC) is intended to increase awareness and sensitivity about issues surrounding PA and SB in Ghana. Methods: Data were collected from peer-reviewed literature, graduate students’ theses, physical education and sports docu ments, and a survey of opinions of stakeholders covering the 10 key RC indicators and benchmarks. The principal investigator harmonized all grades. A consensus meeting of the RC team was held to assign the final grades. Results: School and Community grades declined from a D in 2014 to an F in 2016. SB declined from B to D. Family and Active Play were not graded in 2014 and now received an F and a B, respectively. Family and Built Environment were graded F, Active Transportation received a C, and Government and Overall PA were graded D. Conclusions: A conscious national investment effort can increase overall PA among children.

Source: UG
Results From Ghana’s 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.

Background: Currently, there is limited evidence on estimates for physical activity (PA) behavior and sedentary behavior (SB) in Ghana. This report card (RC) is intended to increase awareness and sensitivity about issues surrounding PA and SB in Ghana. Methods: Data were collected from peer-reviewed literature, graduate students' theses, physical education and sports documents, and a survey of opinions of stakeholders covering the 10 key RC indicators and benchmarks. The principal investigator harmonized all grades. A consensus meeting of the RC team was held to assign the final grades. Results: School and Community grades declined from a D in 2014 to an F in 2016. SB declined from B to D. Family and Active Play were not graded in 2014 and now received an F and a B, respectively. Family and Built Environment were graded F, Active Transportation received a C, and Government and Overall PA were graded D. Conclusions: A conscious national investment effort can increase overall PA among children.

Source: UG
Results from Ghana’s 2018 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

It is recommended that children aged 5 to 17 years should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) daily.1,2 However, there is limited empirical evidence on how much physical activity Ghanaian children and youth engage in. Although the Ghana Education Service requires at least 80 minutes per week of physical education3 in schools, in practice, this is often not achieved. When children and youth fail to achieve the minimum recommended physical activity levels, they are at risk of adverse health consequences. The purpose of this short paper is to summarize the results of the 2018 Report Card (Figure 1).

Source: UG
Resumption in the production of focused constructions in Akan speakers with agrammatism

Background: The distribution of pronouns varies cross-linguistically. This distribution has led to conflicting results in studies that investigated pronoun resolution in agrammatic indviduals. In the investigation of pronominal resolution, the linguistic phenomenon of “resumption” is understudied in agrammatism. The construction of pronominal resolution in Akan presents the opportunity to thoroughly examine resumption. Aims: To start, the present study examines the production of (pronominal) resumption in Akan focus constructions (who-questions and focused declaratives). Second, we explore the effect of grammatical tone on the processing of pronominal (resumption) since Akan is a tonal language. Methods & Procedures: First, we tested the ability to distinguish linguistic and non-linguistic tone in Akan agrammatic speakers. Then, we administered an elicitation task to five Akan agrammatic individuals, controlling for the structural variations in the realization of resumption: focused who-questions and declaratives with (i) only a resumptive pronoun, (ii) only a clause determiner, (iii) a resumptive pronoun and a clause determiner co-occurring, and (iv) neither a resumptive pronoun nor a clause determiner. Outcomes & Results: Tone discrimination .both for pitch and for lexical tone was unimpaired. The production task demonstrated that the production of resumptive pronouns and clause determiners was intact. However, the production of declarative sentences in derived word order was impaired; wh-object questions were relatively well-preserved. Conclusions: We argue that the problems with sentence production are highly selective: linguistic tones and resumption are intact but word order is impaired in non-canonical declarative sentences

Source: UG
Retailers’ knowledge and practices on the storage and handling of certified vegetable seeds: A case study of the Ashanti Region, Ghana

Poor seed storage and handling practices adversely affect seed quality. To investigate retailers’ knowledge and practices in handling and storing certified vegetable seeds to ensure seed quality maintenance, a survey was conducted with a questionnaire and a thermo-hygrometer in the Ashanti Region. Results indicated retailers were aware of the factors that affected seed quality during storage. Retailers stored seeds at room temperature, and repackaged seeds in smaller sizes due to challenges like lack of cold storage, lack of credits, seed pricing and seed package sizes. Retailers require cold storage facilities to ensure continuous supply of quality seeds to farmers.

Source: UG
Retention and sustainability of communitybased health volunteers' activities: A qualitative study in rural Northern Ghana

Background The shortage of formal health workers has led to the utilization of Community-Based Health Volunteers (CBHV) to provide health care services to people especially in rural and neglected communities. Community-based health volunteers have been effective partners in health care delivery at the community level for many years. The challenge is how to retain these volunteers and also sustain their activities. This study explored factors affecting retention and sustainability of community-based health volunteers' activities in a rural setting in Northern Ghana. Methods This was a qualitative study comprising thirty-two in-depth interviews (IDIs) with health volunteers and health workers in-charge of health volunteers' activities. Purposive sampling technique was used to select study participants for the interviews. The interviews were transcribed and coded into themes using Nvivo 10 software. The thematic analysis framework was used to analyze the data. Results Study participants reported that the desire to help community members, prestige and recognition as doctors in community mainly motivated them to work as health volunteers. Lack of incentives and logistical supplies such as raincoats, torch lights, wellington boots and transportation in the form of bicycles to facilitate the movement of health volunteers affected the work. They suggested that lack of these things discouraged them from working as health volunteers. Most of the dropout volunteers said lack of support and respect from community members made them to stop working as health volunteers. They recommended that community support, incentives and logistical supplies such as raincoats, torch light, wellington boots, bicycles, awards to hard working volunteers are mechanisms that can help retain community-based health volunteers and also sustain their activities. Conclusion Providing means of transport and non-monetary incentives would help to retain communitybased health volunteers and also sustain their activities at the community level.

Source: UG
Retention of Nurses in Ghana: Perspectives of Nurses at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital

A qualitative approach which is exploratory in nature was used to explore retention of nurses in Ghana: perspectives o f nurses at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, The research sought to explore what had made nurses stay in Ghana and what these nurses believe will enhance retention o f nurses in Ghana. Eleven participants were interviewed including a nurse administrator. The inclusion criterion was nurses who had worked in Ghana for at least ten years. The analytic strategy was content analysis and after verbatim transcription, checking, correcting and coding, personal convictions, monetary benefits and improved working conditions were found to be the reasons why nurses had been retained in Ghana. Personal convictions should be exploited in order to retain nurses. The Ghana Registered nurses Association should ensure that nurses are well paid. This they can do by lobbying. Ministry of Health should improve upon the working conditions of nurses.

Source: UG
Rethinking alternative livelihood projects for women of the pits: The case of Atiwa

Artisanal Small Scale Mining with its environmental, social, economic, and health impacts, is replacing agriculture as the main economic activity in sub-Saharan Africa. Mining activities have therefore become an economic activity in the rural mining areas, as a quick way to escape poverty. This exploratory qualitative study examines the factors behind the prevalence of women in the pit business, washing muddy sand for particles of gold, in the Atiwa district of Ghana. However, not much is known about the impact of the pit work on the women’s wellbeing. The goal is to understand the lived experiences of the women and explore ways they could be assisted. Findings from the study indicate that poverty, lack of economic opportunities, and unattractive rural poverty alleviation strategies have contributed to the plight of these women. The women could benefit from asset-based interventions that could redirect their work to projects that would enhance their livelihoods.

Source: UG
Rethinking gender: socio-economic change and men in some selected communities in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

With increasing changes in the economy as a result of modernization, industrialization, education, economic restructuring and globalization, several socio-economic changes have taken place in the lives of men and women which have led to changing gender dynamics in the work force, work places and households. Using qualitative data from the Greater Accra region, this paper highlights some of the socio-economic changes affecting men’s lives and their implications on gender roles and relations at the household level, from the perspective of men. The study revealed that economic reforms, lack of income earning opportunities and men’s inability to fulfill their social roles and expectations are leading to gender antagonism at the household level as well as anxieties and psychological stress. Moreover, male self identity and self-esteem have been linked to sexuality and sexual manifestations. However, these challenges of men and their associated consequences appear to have escaped the attention of governments, gender activists and donors. It is therefore important to have broad discussions on issues that have been considered as issues of importance to women only when in fact they are also issues of importance for men. There must be avenues and opportunities for men to express their needs and concerns and they must be engaged in discussions in intra-household power dynamics. This could generate insight into the social, cultural and political issues that influence gender inequalities and possibly lead to better strategies of addressing gender inequalities in society

Source: UG
Rethinking health systems in the context of urbanisation: challenges from four rapidly urbanising low-income and middle-income countries

The world is now predominantly urban; rapid and uncontrolled urbanisation continues across low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Health systems are struggling to respond to the challenges that urbanisation brings. While better-off urbanites can reap the benefits from the ‘urban advantage’, the poorest, particularly slum dwellers and the homeless, frequently experience worse health outcomes than their rural counterparts. In this position paper, we analyse the challenges urbanisation presents to health systems by drawing on examples from four LMICs: Nigeria, Ghana, Nepal and Bangladesh. Key challenges include: responding to the rising tide of noncommunicable diseases and to the wider determinants of health, strengthening urban health governance to enable multisectoral responses, provision of accessible, quality primary healthcare and prevention from a plurality of providers. We consider how these challenges necessitate a rethink of our conceptualisation of health systems. We propose an urban health systems model that focuses on: multisectoral approaches that look beyond the health sector to act on the determinants of health; accountability to, and engagement with, urban residents through participatory decision making; and responses that recognise the plurality of health service providers. Within this model, we explicitly recognise the role of data and evidence to act as glue holding together this complex system and allowing incremental progress in equitable improvement in the health of urban populations.

Source: UG
Rethinking health-care systems: A focus on chronicity

Health-care systems, including those in countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, face a crisis of an increasing burden of chronic disease aggravated by ageing populations and complicated by the continuing risks of infectious diseases and global pandemics. The issues for health-care systems in low-income and middle-income countries are compounded by persistent diseases of poverty, and the inadequately understood comorbidities of both infectious and non-communicable diseases. The structure of health-care systems reflects an underlying understanding of health and disease in which acute episodes result in help-seeking, with the expected outcome of a cure or death. In this model, chronic conditions are treated as serial acute episodes with multiple interactions with the health-care system. As the capacity to manage acute phases of chronic conditions improves, disease prevalence rises, resulting in a financial burden that will begin to dwarf costs in other parts of the health system. For example, Uganda, supported by international aid, has achieved 16% coverage of its HIV-positive population with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), moving the treated few from the category of acute to chronic.1 The expectation follows of a lifelong commitment to the already treated few, with an implicit promise to manage the remaining 84% as funds become available. Without ongoing global health funding, and in view of the cost of HAART and the cost to the health system of lifelong treatment, it is hard to imagine that this situation will be sustainable. Similarly, the cost of diabetes care per patient in Cameroon was US$489 per year in 2002.2 This cost exceeds the annual per head income by 1·5 times, and exceeds the per-head governmental health spending by around 50 times. Cameroon is not alone with emerging evidence of a diabetes epidemic across many of the poorest countries in sub-Saharan Africa.3 In essence, as the technology to lengthen the lives of those with chronic conditions is developed, the fixed costs of the health system increase. The financial burden will necessitate socially and politically uncomfortable trade-offs.

Source: UG