ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Divine kingship of Asante: a model for sustainable development of self and community

This thesis is predicated on these objectives: to study the nature and history of Asante divine kingship; investigate whether the kingship is a model for sustainable political, social and economic development of self and community and of the environment of Asante; whether the kingship’s administrative principles provide adequate philosophy and training for Asante and other political leaders to address the political challenges of Asante and the rest of the world. Assumptions were made to make the researcher focus on these objectives. The research questions include why is the kingship a model for sustainable political, social and economic development of self and community, and of the environment in Asante? Do the kingship administrative principles provide adequate philosophy and training for Asante and other political leaders to address the political challenges facing the world? The research design is mainly phenomenological and descriptive. Random and nonrandom sampling techniques were employed to select a sample size of 300 from a population of a little more than 4,000,000 people. However, 275 people responded to questions. Information was obtained from libraries and the field. The data collection instruments were interviews, questionnaire, and opinionnaire. The data were organized, analyzed and interpreted with the aid of maps, pictures, statistical tables, bar and pie- charts. The findings reveal that the kingship is theocratic. The king is believed to be God’s viceroy. The kingship has existed since the pre-colonial period. It is largely a model for sustainable political, social and economic development of self and community, and of the environment of Asante. But today the environment is being degraded. The kingship’s administrative principles greatly provide adequate philosophy and training for Asante and other political leaders to iv address political challenges facing the world. Advantages and disadvantages emanate from the kingship but the former outweigh the latter. And this thesis is important because it deals with a kingship that largely helps to develop human and environmental resources. Finally, recommendations intended to make the kingship a better model for sustainable political, social and economic development of self and community and of the environment have been made.

Source: KNUST
Divine kingship of Asante: a model for sustainable development of self and community

This thesis is predicated on these objectives: to study the nature and history of Asante divine kingship; investigate whether the kingship is a model for sustainable political, social and economic development of self and community and of the environment of Asante; whether the kingship’s administrative principles provide adequate philosophy and training for Asante and other political leaders to address the political challenges of Asante and the rest of the world. Assumptions were made to make the researcher focus on these objectives. The research questions include why is the kingship a model for sustainable political, social and economic development of self and community, and of the environment in Asante? Do the kingship administrative principles provide adequate philosophy and training for Asante and other political leaders to address the political challenges facing the world? The research design is mainly phenomenological and descriptive. Random and nonrandom sampling techniques were employed to select a sample size of 300 from a population of a little more than 4,000,000 people. However, 275 people responded to questions. Information was obtained from libraries and the field. The data collection instruments were interviews, questionnaire, and opinionnaire. The data were organized, analyzed and interpreted with the aid of maps, pictures, statistical tables, bar and pie- charts. The findings reveal that the kingship is theocratic. The king is believed to be God’s viceroy. The kingship has existed since the pre-colonial period. It is largely a model for sustainable political, social and economic development of self and community, and of the environment of Asante. But today the environment is being degraded. The kingship’s administrative principles greatly provide adequate philosophy and training for Asante and other political leaders to iv address political challenges facing the world. Advantages and disadvantages emanate from the kingship but the former outweigh the latter. And this thesis is important because it deals with a kingship that largely helps to develop human and environmental resources. Finally, recommendations intended to make the kingship a better model for sustainable political, social and economic development of self and community and of the environment have been made

Source: KNUST
Documentation of some studio works in the Department of Art Education (1987 - 1992)

Books have their own history which is linked with the time to which they belong and which they in turn help to influence and shape. Art can be said to be three faceted: First, it is the satisfaction from imaginative desires and wishes. Secondly it provides objects of utility. Thirdly art is harmony, which brings together the language and imaginative projections. Therefore art can be summerised as the provision of satisfaction through the imagination, social significance and harmony. Art is both descriptive and evaluative. Thus, anything that can be given value and or described is art. The artistic intellect of a person is aroused and nourished by his ability to make visible things. Art education involves the teaching and learning of art and its subsequent application to other aspects of life. The teacher provides learning experiences that steer the child toward greater aesthetic consciousness and creative power. It is virtually not possible to plan creative work ahead in detail: thus works of previous people are shown or studied to give inspiration to the learner. They are not expected to reproduce exactly what they see but rather study the method of production and creation. One should not forget that the producers of these works had the urge to satisfy their own innermost feeling, therefore, what we see may be alien to us.

Source: KNUST
Documentation of Queen Mothers’ regalia in the Kwawu Traditional Area

The purpose of this research was to identify and document on Queen Mothers’ regalia in the Kwawu Traditional Area. The study was based on a survey conducted in nine major towns in the Kwawu Traditional Area, namely The descriptive survey method was used in the data analysis, Questioniare and interview schedules were the instruments used to collect the data. The simple random sampling method was employed to select 50 respondents for the purpose of the research. Libraries such as the Balme Library (University of Ghana), the KNUST Libraries etc, were visited for essential and related literature. The research revealed that most Kwawu Queen Mothers’ are within 40 years and above. It also indicated that Queen Mothers’ of the Kwawu Tradtional Area have some regalia and characteristics in common with other Akan traditional areas .The study brought to light that Kwawu Queen Mothers wear headkerchief and crown as a result of their interaction and trade with other cultures which normally does not happen in Asante and Bono. The study also revealed that there were regalia for ceremonies such as mourning, marriage, naming, anniversaries and other joyous occasions. The cultural values, significance and symbolism of these regalia were also identified. The research will serve as a source of reference for teaching in Art Education and other areas such as sociology, History, Anthropology and Etimology and so on. It will also serve as a source of guide to tourists and citizens who will want to visit the area.

Source: KNUST
Documentation of the Fante Asafo flags since the year 2000 and their socio-cultural significance

The absence of appropriate documentation in some societies has led to the loss of vital information or adulteration of very important data. The Cape Coast Asafo Companies have suffered this unfortunate fate with respect to their Asafo flags. Whiles few Cape Coast Asafo flags have been documented without written information on their significance, many have not been recognized at all. It was clear from the research that the rate at which the Asafo flags are commissioned has reduced significantly due to the fact that there is high level of poverty among the Asafo members. Others decline to such positions because of financial commitment that goes with the position of Safohene. Some custodians of the flags could not give dates on which some flags were commissioned, the name of Safohene who commissioned a particular flag and even the social and cultural interpretation of some vital symbols in some of the Asafo flags commissioned in the pre- and post-independence. Interviews were used to obtain historical background of the Asafo flags from the chiefs, custodians and the Asafo members. The flags were then observed for detailed description and analysis. The research revealed that a greater number of the indigenes of Cape Coast were aware of the Asafo flag but were unable to interpret their significance whiles others would not like to be associated with them due to the perception that they are fetish. There was no written documentation of the flags in all the Asafo posts visited. It is recommended that the flags of Cape Coast Asafo companies be properly documented for posterity. An endowment fund be instituted as a matter of urgency to support the Asafohene and the management of their respective Asafo activities.

Source: KNUST
Documentation of clinical interventions by Pharmacists at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (Kath), Kumasi, Ghana

Hospital pharmacists make clinical interventions as part of their services to optimize medication therapy, but only few are believed to be documented in notebooks or records kept in the pharmacy. Such documentation may be accessible only to few pharmacists who know about it. This makes it difficult for other health professionals involved in managing the patient to acknowledge and utilize the intervention made to optimize patient care unless notified verbally. Aim: To determine if pharmacists are involved in undertaking healthcare and/or drug therapy interventions at KATH; and if so, how the interventions are documented or could be documented and kept as part of the patient records maintained in the hospital including case notes. Methods: All pharmacists employed at KATH were targeted for inclusion in this study which started from 7th April, 2014 to 9th May, 2014. A structured questionnaire was designed and used to collect data through face-to-face interviews and review of case notes and other records on clinical interventions made by the pharmacists at KATH. Results: All the pharmacists studied claimed that they had made an intervention before. Sixtyone percent (n=35) indicated that their recommendations to the medical team were always taken. Thirty-one percent (n=22) claimed their recommendations were not always taken. Forty-five percent (n=26) documented their interventions but not in patients’ folders, 32 %( n=18) documented it occasionally and 23 %( n=13) did not document the interventions at all. Based on extensive search and responses obtained, a model clinical intervention form was designed to be kept in patient folders to record pharmacists’ notes/interventions for optimal patient care. Conclusion: Pharmacists at KATH do make clinical interventions as part of their services for pharmaceutical care. More than half do not often document the clinical interventions made. The vi | P a g e majority have noted that their services were recognized. A model intervention form was designed to help the pharmacist keep record of their interventions made in patients’ folders. This was reviewed by Faculty members and some senior pharmacists at KATH and has been recommended for widespread use to document interventions made by pharmacists.

Source: KNUST
Documentation of traditional musical instruments: case study of Okuapenhene’s palace, Akropong-Akuapem

Akuapem is located in the south of Ghana on the southern-most extension of the Togo Atakora Range. The Akuapem land is mostly rocky. Akuapem comprises of four diverse ethnic components. The Kyerepong Guan occupies the seven towns of Abiriw, Dawu, Awukugua, Adukrom, Apirede, Aseseaso and Abonse; whiles the other Guan people are Larteh-Ahenase and Larteh-Kubease. The Akans reside in Akropong and Amanokrom and Twi-speaking Guans reside in Mamfe Abotakyi, Mampong, Tutu, Obosomase, Ahwerease and Aburi. The people of Akuapem were originally concentrated on the ridge towns. As the population increased, they began to migrate to the outlying areas of the state. Major occupation for the people of Akuapern is farming. They cultivate mainly fruits, cereals, tubers and oil palm. The name “Akuapem” has three interpretations. These interpretations are “Nkoa Apem” (thousand subjects), “Akuw Apem” (thousand groups) and “Akuafo Apem) (thousand farmers). Akuapem used traditional musical instruments. The origins of traditional musical instruments are difficult to trace because some Akan drums are similar to those used by other ethnic groups in Ghana. There are beliefs that some repertoires

Source: KNUST
Does auditor tenure, audit fees and audit firm size affect audit quality? Empirical evidence of listed firms in ghana

The general objective of the study was to examine audit tenure, audit fees and audit firm size on audit quality of listed firms in Ghana. The study’s design was explanatory. Sixteen non-financial businesses registered on the Ghana stock exchange provided data for this study. The period covered was from 2010-2021. The dependent variable was audit quality. The independent variables were audit fees, audit firm size and auditor tenure. The control variables were firm size, leverage, audit committee size and profitability. The data was analysed using random effect regression. The study found that auditor tenure had a significant positive effect on audit quality. Audit fees had a significant negative effect on audit quality. However there was no significant effect between audit firm size and audit quality. Firms should engage in open and transparent fee negotiations with audit firms, clearly communicating the importance of maintaining audit quality and the potential impact of fee reductions on the resources allocated to the audit engagement. They should emphasize the balance between cost considerations and the resources required for a comprehensive and effective audit. They should prioritize audit firms that demonstrate a commitment to delivering high-quality services.

Source: KNUST
Does energy consumption improve human capital development? Empirical evidence from panel non-linear autoregressive distributed lag in Africa

The contributions of human capital to improvement in socio-economic outcomes have generated significant interest in its determinants. On one hand, there is the orthodox view which states that energy consumption does not promote human capital development. In contrast, the heterodoxies argue that energy consumption is an essential driver of human capital development. Thus, we explore the asymmetric effects of energy consumption on human capital development for 22 African countries from 2000 to 2018 within the framework of panel non-linear ARDL (NARDL). The long-run results indicate that energy consumption is vital for human capital development. Specifically, in the long-run, positive and negative shocks to energy consumption significantly improve human development. In addition, we find that economic growth, government effectiveness and foreign direct investment improve human capital only in the long-run, while carbon dioxide emission retards it in both the long- and short-runs. We found similar results for oil and non-oil producing countries, ECOWAS, SADC, CEN-SAD and COMESA countries

Source: KNUST
Does Stock Market Development Enhance Private Investment in Ghana

The paper investigates the extent to which stock market development enhances private investment in Ghana. Quarterly times series data for the period 1991(Q1) to 2011(Q4) are used. Stock market development is proxy by market capitalization. The paper adopts the Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) method of estimation. The results for deposit interest rates, GDP per capita, and public investment confirm complementarity hypothesis, accelerator principle, as well as “crowding-in” effect for Ghana in the long-run in their respective cases. Market capitalization also increases private investment in the long-run. However, inflation reduces private investment. In the short-run, one quarter lag and two quarters lag values of private investment and public investment respectively increases private investment, while one quarter lag value of market capitalization reduces current levels of private investment. The paper recommends further development of the stock market since doing so will attract more investors and ultimately enhance private investment

Source: KNUST
Does the choice of cooking fuel empower Ghanaian women? An empirical analysis

Cooking, an important household activity is often done using heavy polluting fuels by a majority of households in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA). In this study, we examine how the choice of cooking fuel affects women empowerment using nationwide household level data from Ghana. We examine whether fuel choices could lead to women’s social and economic empowerment. By employing the Survey-based Women Empowerment Index (SWPER) and Principal Component Analysis to construct comprehensive indices of women empowerment, we find that using clean cooking fuel has significant positive associations with women empowerment across all domains and could consequently help reduce inequality to the advantage of women. Other socioeconomic factors such as household size and wealth were found to significantly determine women empowerment status. Both clean cooking fuel use and the reduction of social and economic inequalities are important targets to be met under the Sustainable Development Goals.

Source: KNUST
Does supply chain complexity drive supply chain integration?

Due to the competitive advantage of enterprises’ performance, the sustainable supply chain environment is drawing more and more attention from supply chain (SC) management. One of the major dangers in reaching the organizational objective is believed to be growing supply chain complexity (SCC), which can have a negative effect on cost, on-time delivery, profitability, operational effectiveness and customer satisfaction. Supply chains are incredibly complicated due to increased globalization, fluctuating client demands, expanded product lines, uncertainty over supplier performance and several other associated variables. The literature is conflicting, despite prior studies suggesting that supply chain complexity is a key factor in determining performance results. Consequently, a more detailed analysis is needed. The study aimed at examining the relationship between supply chain complexity and supply chain integration. The study adopts a quantitative research design. A structured questionnaire was developed which was used in the collection of data from 80 respondents. The data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential analysis. From the analysis, it was realized that there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between supply chain complexity and supplier integration. The study further shows that there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between supply chain complexity internal integration. The model showed a positive and statistically significant relationship between supply chain complexity and customer integration. Based on the study’s findings, management was advised to have an in-depth understanding of supply chain complexity and supplier integration to avoid potential delays in receiving goods from their suppliers and to enhance supply chain performance. The findings imply that when the number and diversity of suppliers rise along with the degree of uncertainty and volatility in both downstream and upstream linkages, supply chain managers should pay attention to the integration process to protect operational performance.

Source: KNUST
Does the data tell the true story? A modelling assessment of early COVID-19 pandemic suppression and mitigation strategies in Ghana

This paper uses publicly available data and various statistical models to estimate the basic reproduction number (R0) and other disease parameters for Ghana’s early COVID-19 pan demic outbreak. We also test the effectiveness of government imposition of public health measures to reduce the risk of transmission and impact of the pandemic, especially in the early phase. R0 is estimated from the statistical model as 3.21 using a 0.147 estimated growth rate [95% C.I.: 0.137–0.157] and a 15-day time to recovery after COVID-19 infection. This estimate of the initial R0 is consistent with others reported in the literature from other parts of Africa, China and Europe. Our results also indicate that COVID-19 transmission reduced consistently in Ghana after the imposition of public health interventions—such as border restrictions, intra-city movement, quarantine and isolation—during the first phase of the pandemic from March to May 2020. However, the time-dependent reproduction number (Rt) beyond mid-May 2020 does not represent the true situation, given that there was not a consistent testing regime in place. This is also confirmed by our Jack-knife bootstrap esti mates which show that the positivity rate over-estimates the true incidence rate from mid May 2020. Given concerns about virus mutations, delays in vaccination and a possible new wave of the pandemic, there is a need for systematic testing of a representative sample of the population to monitor the reproduction number. There is also an urgent need to increase the availability of testing for the general population to enable early detection, isolation and treatment of infected individuals to reduce progression to severe disease and mortality

Source: KNUST