ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Transition from MDG 2 to SDG 4: A Study of the Contributions of the „Right to Play‟ In Promoting Quality Education in Ghana

The „Right To Play‟ (RTP) is a non-state actor that uses play-based approach to educate students in some countries across the world with the aim of promoting inclusive and equitable quality education and ensuring peaceful and just societies. This dissertation studied the contributions that the play-based approach of RTP made to the attainment of MDG 2 in Ghana and the contributions that the play-based approach is likely to make towards the attainment of SDG 4 in Ghana. The study is hinged on the theory of Pluralism. Pluralism is chosen as the relevant theory for this study because of its ability to explain the capabilities of non-state actors, such as the RTP, which enable them to influence and contribute significantly to the educational development of several states including Ghana. The dissertation is a case study research and it adopts a qualitative approach, using both secondary and primary data. The researcher used semi-structured interview guides to collect the requisite primary data from the target population in Northern Ghana. The findings revealed that, the play-based approach contributed significantly to the attainment of the 1st and 3rd indicators of MDG 2, which respectively measured the enrolment rate in primary schools and the literacy rate of youth who fall within the age bracket of 15-24 years in Ghana. The findings of the study also show that the play-based approach is likely to make positive contributions towards the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th and 7th targets set for the attainment of SDG 4 in Ghana. Apart from SDG 4, the approach will also make significant contributions towards the attainment of SDGs 5, 10 and 16. In conclusion, the study indicates that, if the Ghanaian Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service integrate the play-based approach into the complete curriculum of basic schools (KG to primary 6) in Ghana, it will be possible for many children from typically difficult-to-reach groups (which include children from disadvantaged economic and ethnic groups; children with disabilities; and children of nomadic people) within the rural areas of the Northern Region and other rural areas in Ghana to have access to inclusive and equitable quality education.

Source: UG
The transition of Ghana’s cooling appliance sector to a circular economy via a small wins governance framework

Air conditioning poses environmental, socioeconomic, and political challenges, especially in sub-Saharan countries such as Ghana, where almost all devices are imported. Thus far, socio-economically feasible path ways for a cooling transition to a circular economy are unclear. Drawing on qualitative interviews, field ob servations and survey data, this study analyses the potential of small wins governance as a pathway to sweeping system change along Ghana’s air-conditioners’ lifecycle. The research analyses the status quo and identifies potential small wins that could lead to transformative shifts in the cooling sector. Through a mixed-methods approach encompassing interviews, surveys, and field assessments, the study uncovers small wins at four stages of the air conditioner lifecycle, from (1) import, (2) retail & purchase, (3) usage & service, and (4) end-of life management practices. For policymakers and practitioners, our results imply that they should (a) system atically encourage and reap small wins in public-private spaces in the short-term, e.g. changing the incentive structure for staff controlling imports of air conditioners, (b) adjust supporting policies as learning dynamics unfold over time (e.g., energy and refrigerant standards and labels, tax system), but (c) also keep pushing for big wins in the mid-term (e.g., constructions of a recycling plant for refrigerants in West Africa). The findings emphasize the need for a behavioural, consumer-oriented perspective for the pragmatic potential of small wins towards a circular economy. Overall, the study addresses significant gaps in the literature and suggests that bottom-up approaches may offer more success than attempting broad top-down system changes. The paper contributes to the wider discourse on social-ecological transitions and offers valuable insights for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers aiming to foster sustainable practices in the cooling sector.

Source: UG
Transitional Experiences of New Graduate Nurses (Degree) within their First Year of Practice: A Study in the Eastern Region

There are plethora of challenges that New Graduate Nurses (NGNs) are faced with as they make the journey from the role of a student into professional practice as Nursing Officers in Ghana. The study sought to explore the experiences of new graduate nurses as they make this stressful journey. A qualitative exploratory descriptive design was used for this study involving twelve new graduate nurses working for less than one year after their National Service in five (5) selected Hospitals in the Eastern Region of Ghana. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect the data. The interview was audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was done through thematic content analysis. Five (5) major themes emerged after the data analysis. These are physical experiences, emotional experiences, intellectual experiences, socio-cultural and developmental experiences, and coping strategies adopted by NGN. The first four (4) themes were in line with the Transition Conceptual Framework used as the framework for the study. The findings of the study revealed that NGNs had to deal with numerous challenges such as lack of accommodation, financial constraints, lack of resources (both human and material), stressful workload, lack of support from the hospital management. This study also shows that theory-practice gap still existed despite the changes in Ghanaian educational curriculum in recent to allow for more practice. There is the need for a collaboration between the academia and hospitals to bridge the reality shock experiences by NGNs. The hospitals must put in place measures to ease the challenges NGNs go through during their initial stage of work by providing allowances, accommodation, and the needed resources required for work.

Source: UG
Transitional Experiences of New Nurse Educators in the Eastern Region of Ghana

The transitioning of a clinical nurse expert to a new nurse educator comes with a new experience of different roles, responsibilities, and prospects. The nurse educator role is challenging to the new nurse educators and even more so when preparation, mentorship, orientation and support are lacking or ineffective. New nurse educators who enter the academic environment are expected to demonstrate knowledge of both the clinical and classroom environment. Such an expectation creates anxiety, role ambiguity, role strain, stress and frustration. This study sought to explore the experiences of new nurse educators as they pursue their academic goals. A qualitative exploratory descriptive design was used. Eleven full time new nurse educators who have been teaching for at most two years were purposively sampled from the Nursing and Midwifery Training Schools in the Eastern Region of Ghana. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect the data and the analysis was done using Braun and Clarke’s phases of thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2013). The five themes (5) that emerged from the data were: expectations of new nurse educators, challenges of new nurse educators, information seeking strategies, identity formation strategies and adaptation strategies. The findings of the study revealed that new nurse educators had to deal with numerous challenges such as learning to teach without any formal preparation, poor mentorship and orientation programmes, stressful workload, unclear job description and lack of pedagogical knowledge. The study recommends that nursing education should focus on creation of structured mentorship, orientation, teacher preparation and faculty development programmes at Nursing and Midwifery Training Schools.

Source: UG
Transitioning from donor aid for health: perspectives of national stakeholders in Ghana

Background Ghana’s shift from low-income to middle-income status will make it ineligible to receive concessional aid in the future. While transition may be a reflection of positive changes in a country, such as economic development or health progress, a loss of support from donor agencies could have negative impacts on health system performance and population health. We aimed to identify key challenges and opportunities that Ghana will face in dealing with aid transition, specifically from the point of view of country level stakeholders. Methods We conducted key informant interviews with 18 stakeholders from the government, civil society organisations and donor agencies in Ghana using a semistructured interview guide. We performed directed content analysis of the interview transcripts to identify key themes related to anticipated challenges and opportunities that might result from donor transitions. Results Overall, stakeholders identified challenges more frequently than opportunities. All stakeholders interviewed believe that Ghana will face substantial challenges due to donor transitions. Challenges include difficulty filling financial gaps left by donors, the shifting of national priorities away from the health sector, lack of human resources for health, interrupted care for beneficiaries of donor-funded health programmes, neglect of vulnerable populations and loss of the accountability mechanisms that are linked with donor financing. However, stakeholders also identified key opportunities that transitions might present, including efficiency gains, increased self-determination and self-sufficiency, enhanced capacity to leverage domestic resources and improved revenue mobilisation. Conclusion Stakeholders in Ghana believe transitioning away from aid for health presents both challenges and opportunities. The challenges could be addressed by conducting a transition readiness assessment, identifying health sector priorities, developing a transition plan with a budget to continue critical health programmes and mobilising greater political commitment to health. The loss of aid could be turned into an opportunity to integrate vertical programmes into a more comprehensive health system.

Source: UG
Transitioning from river blindness control to elimination: Steps toward stopping treatment

The Department of Parasitology conducts research into parasitic diseases of public health importance with the overall goal of reducing their transmission and the heavy disease burden that they impose on affected populations. The Department maintains focus on parasitic diseases in general. These include major diseases such as malaria, and others listed under the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) control initiative such as, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

Source: UG
Transitions to adulthood among young entrepreneurs in the informal mobile telephony sector in Accra, Ghana

The rapid expansion of the mobile telephony sector in African countries has been accompanied by the establishment of a wide range of informal support businesses, mostly run by young people. Little is known, however, about the lived experiences of young entrepreneurs working in this rapidly changing, technologically-driven sector. Drawing on qualitative research conducted in Accra, this paper explores young people's experiences of running informal businesses within the mobile telephony sector, including the sale of mobile phones and accessories, repair and technical support services, and the sale of airtime and mobile money services. Fateful and critical moments relating to personal and family events, as well as social networks and structural factors, are shown to mediate young entrepreneurs' chances of success in this new ‘niche' economic sub-sector. Despite the challenges they face, the paper illustrates how many of these young people have been able to achieve financial independence, afford rental accommodation, provide support for family members, and establish and sustain households. The mobile telephony sector is shown to be offering young people the opportunity to carve out a living, facilitate transitions into adulthood, and even enable some to move up the social ladder. By highlighting the agency of this group of young people, and for some their success in achieving the status of adulthood through their hard work and ingenuity, this study offers an important counter balance to images of young people in sub-Saharan Africa as being ‘stuck' or in ‘waithood'.

Source: UG
Translocation of pesticide residues in cabbage

The occurrence of pesticide residues in food matrices has become a necessity due to the toxicity and permanence of these xenobiotics. Translocation of pesticides in local and imported cabbage samples was investigated using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrophotometer (GC/MS) procedures. Cabbage samples were fractionated with respect to distance from the skin to the core and prepared for analysis. Results showed that organochlorine, organophosphate and synthetic pyrethroid residues were translocated in cabbage samples analysed. With respect to cabbage fractions, the outer pulp retained more of the residues than the pulp and the central core. On chemicals species, organochlorines were retained more in the outer pulp than the other fractions of the vegetables. Synthetic pyrethoid residues were restricted to the outer and inner pulp samples. All the chemical species identified were tanslocatable across the fractional parts of the vegetable with the exception of synthetic pyrethroid residues. There were significant differences in translocation and residue accumulation of pesticide among the fractional parts of the vegetable.

Source: UG
Transmission Assessment Surveys (TAS) to Define Endpoints for Lymphatic Filariasis Mass Drug Administration: A Multicenter Evaluation

The Epidemiology Department contributes to the mission of the institute through basic and applied epidemiological research on, but not limited to, malaria and other diseases of public health importance. It is also home to the Social Science Unit of the Institute, including the Health Support Centre for HIV/AIDS and other communicable and noncommunicable health problems.

Source: UG
Transmission indices and microfilariae prevalence in human population prior to mass drug administration with ivermectin and albendazole in the Gomoa District of Ghana

Abstract Background The Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination Programme in Ghana involves annual mass drug administration (MDA) of ivermectin and albendazole to persons living in endemic areas. This is repeated annually for 4–6 years to span across the reproductive lifespan of adult worms. In order to stimulate participation of community members in the MDA programme, this study was carried out to understand local views on transmission, management and prevention of the disease. The study also presents baseline transmission indices and microfilariae prevalence in the human population in eight endemic communities of coastal Ghana prior to the MDA. Methods A descriptive survey was carried out to explore perceptions on causes, treatment and prevention of lymphatic filariasis. Perceptions on community participation in disease control programmes were also assessed. After participants were selected by cluster sampling and 100 μl of blood sampled from each individual and examined for mf microfilariae. A similar volume of blood was used to determine the presence of circulating filarial antigen. Mosquitoes were collected simultaneously at all sites by human landing catches for 4 days per month over a six-month period. All Anopheles mosquitoes were dissected and examined for the larval stages of the parasite following which molecular identification of both vector and parasite was done. Results Eight hundred and four persons were interviewed, of which 284 (32.9 %; CI 31.1–34.5) acknowledged elephantiasis and hydrocoele as health related issues in the communities. Thirty-three people (3.8 %; CI 2.1–5.5) thought sleeping under bed net could help prevent elephantiasis. Microfilariae prevalence was 4.6 % (43/941) whiles 8.7 % (75/861) were positive for circulating filarial antigen. A total of 17,784 mosquitoes were collected, majority (55.8 %) of which were Anopheles followed by Culex species (40 %). Monthly biting rates ranged between 311 and 6116 bites/person for all the eight communities together. Annual transmission potential values for An. gambiae s.s. and An. funestus were 311.35 and 153.50 respectively. Conclusion Even though the highest mf density among inhabitants was recorded in a community that had the lowest Anopheles density with Culex species constituting 95 % of all mosquitoes collected, Anopheles gambiae s.s. and An. funestus remained the main vectors.

Source: UG
Transmission indices and microfilariae prevalence in human population prior to mass drug administration with ivermectin and albendazole in the Gomoa District of Ghana

The Department of Parasitology conducts research into parasitic diseases of public health importance with the overall goal of reducing their transmission and the heavy disease burden that they impose on affected populations. The Department maintains focus on parasitic diseases in general. These include major diseases such as malaria, and others listed under the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) control initiative such as, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminthiasis, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.

Source: UG
Transmission power minimization for a multi-application user in OFDMA systems

When a user in Beyong third generation (B3G) mobile communication systems launches multiple applications simultaneously, the user's radio resources (subcarriers, symbols, power,⋯) need to be efficiently allocated to these applications while maintaining their quality of service (QoS) requirements and user utility. In this paper, a power minimization subcarrier, symbol, and power allocation problem is formulated, solved, and algorithms are derived. The problem formulation differs from those in existing works in that all the applications are from the same user. This relaxes some subcarrier allocation constraints that exist in multiuser single-application-per-user cases, leading to different solution techniques. Furthermore, the multiuser diversity which is the basis for many existing algorithms does not exist in the context of this paper. © 2012 IEEE.

Source: UG
Transmission-Blocking Vaccines: Old Friends and New Prospects

The Department of Immunology conducts research in the field of immunology of infectious and non-infectious diseases. The Department has the overall goal of contributing knowledge to better diagnosis, management, control and prevention of infectious and non-infectious diseases in Ghana and worldwide. This is consistent with the overall strategy of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) and in line with the strategy of the College of Health Sciences of the University of Ghana.

Source: UG
Transnational Actors and the Politics of Pension Reform in Sub-Saharan Africa

Drawing on recent scholarship on transnational actors and on the role of ideas in policy change, this paper analyzes the regional context of the pension reform debate in Sub-Saharan Africa, and shows that, at least since the 1980s, there was significant attention to pension reforms in Africa by global policy actors, including the World Bank. However, unlike in Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe, where the World Bank proved dominant, the regional environment of pension reform in Sub-Saharan Africa was characterized by a fierce competition between the World Bank and the International Labour Organization (ILO), with each institution promoting different policy preferences. As demonstrated, in Sub-Saharan Africa pension reform, the ILO has proved more influential than the World Bank. Theoretically, the paper stresses the role of transnational actors in the global diffusion of social policy ideas. Recognizing the need to explore the interactions between national and transnational actors, as well as between transnational actors themselves, the analysis explores the dialogical and competitive nature of the global politics of ideas

Source: UG
Transnational corporations, financialization and community development in West African cocoa

This article examines the role of financial capital in the cocoa industry of Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. It argues that the processes of structural adjustment in the 1980s and 1990s brought two important elements into play. Firstly, transnational corporations taking advantage of the opening of global markets to gain control over the cocoa sector, and secondly, financial institutions promoting ‘country platforms’ that encouraged public–private partnerships to mobilize foreign investments and define development objectives. This has led to a distinct pattern of investment, which is intimately connected with governance reforms underpinned by a diverse set of public and private alliances at different levels. The article traces these alliances which have given rise to community development programmes. However, these programmes are underpinned by a drive towards greater intensification of production through the use of inputs supported by credit, which threatens to entangle farmers in debt and lock them into the poverty inherent in the cocoa industry

Source: UG
Transnational Economic Engagements: The Africa-Australia Nexus

Review books or articles provide a critical and constructive analysis of existing published literature in a field, through summary, analysis, and comparison, often identifying specific gaps or problems and providing recommendations for future research. These are considered as secondary literature since they generally do not present new data from the author's experimental work. Review articles can be of three types, broadly speaking: literature reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. It also the researcher to stay abreast of new literature in the field.

Source: UG
Transnational Human Trafficking and Its Security Implications for African Countries: A Case Study of Ghana

Globalization has enhanced the interconnectedness and interdependence of states. No state can solely depend on itself, globalization as a phenomenon however has both positive and negative sides. One of such negatives is the intensification of transnational crimes such as human trafficking. Human trafficking poses serious threats to developing countries like Ghana. This study therefore examines the security implications of human trafficking in African countries using Ghana as a case study. The study also examines some of the measures that have been adopted by successive governments and civil societies to fight human trafficking in Ghana and the challenges faced in the fight against the menace. Analysis of both primary and secondary data shows that human trafficking has very serious security implications for the individual and the state. Human trafficking specifically for the purpose of sexual exploitation leads to the spread of diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Human trafficking is also associated with other serious crimes such as terrorism, money laundering and drug trafficking. The study further reveals that Ghana has put in place measures in the form of laws and institutions to alleviate human trafficking. Despite these efforts, the work further reveals that the fight against human trafficking has been marred with some challenges that frustrate the efforts of the various stakeholders in countering the activity in Ghana.

Source: UG