ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
The moderating role of working experience in the relationship between time management and employee performance a case of Christian Service University College (CSUC), Kumasi

The study investigated the moderating role of working experience on the relationship between time management and employee performance. The purpose of this research is to explore the effect of time management on employee performance within Christian Service University College (CSUC), the moderating role of working experience. The objectives were to examine the effect of time management on the performance of employees and to examine the moderating role of working experience in the relationship between time management and employees’ performance in Christian Service University College, Kumasi.The study used the descriptive research design to obtain information concerning the current status of the phenomenon. Self administered questionnaire was the only instrument used for gathering data for the study. Data were analysed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version sixteen v21. The study revealed that, effective time management plays an important role in employee job performance. The study further revealed that the working experience of employees have an effect on the relationship between time management and employee performance. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that time management training workshops and seminars be organized for workers to teach them basic principles and techniques of time management. The advantage of this is in equipping staff with the right set of information and skills for effective time management which will in turn result in high performance both at the individual and organizational levels. It is recommended that Christian Service University College, Kumasi should institute appropriate measures to check the effective use of workers’ time.

Source: UEW
Modification and construction of a cassava dough single screw press machine

The new method of extracting juice from cassava dough for gari processing is done by the use of cassava dough single screw pressed machine. The concept of this was first introduced to Asia in the 17th century and to Africa in about 1558 according to Quadri A.H (2010). However, despite the importance of this technology a number of deficiencies could be found using the machine. This dissertation is focused on modification and construction of the existing cassava dough screw pressing machine which would be useful for home-use, retailers and small-scale farmers and also to promote healthy consumption of cassava products. Some design considerations used in this dissertation include; the efficiency of the machine during usage in the household; the portability of the machine among others. Another problem considered in this construction was the fact that cassava produces a large amount of cyanogenic glycosides, so in selecting materials for construction, adequate care was taken not to use materials that cannot degrade/ corrode easily due to the acidic content in cassava. The volume and the surface area of the perforated cylinders were 0.024m3 and 0.47m2 respectively. Also, the outer cylinder has a volume and surface area of 0.031m3 and 0.549m2 respectively. The inner cylinder has been modified with the use of stainless steel whereas the outer cylinder and bevel gears used are the new invention made. The object or machine runs by man power. It is recommended that the efficiency and the speed at which the machine operates can further be improved. This could be done by weight reduction and the reduction of vibration.

Source: UEW
Modified designs of Dipo costumes for the contemporary Ghanaian society

The performance and adherence of Ghanaian customs and traditions are cherished by society. The Dipo Rite among the Krobos is one such cherished traditions conducted to prepare adolescent girls into womanhood. The study sought to explore modified designs of Dipo costumes for the contemporary Ghanaian society. A descriptive survey was adopted for the study. Qualitative and quantitative techniques were adopted and sample size of 68 (organisers) and 60 (community and other stakeholders) were selected for the study. Data were collected through the use of questionnaires and interviews. The study found that Dipo was meant to prepare girls into womanhood, promote chastity before marriage but this has not achieved its intended purposes since teenage pregnancy continues to rise despite the initiation. Some costumes used for the rite includes red cloths (Sabue), headgear, necklace, wristbands, anklets, wristlets, beads and the like. It was realized that most of the respondents were of the view that costumes used for the rite ought to be modified since it exposes parts of girls to the public which is against fundamental human rights. It is expected that a careful review of the costumes used for the rites are done by the traditional leaders of Krobo incharge of Dipo.

Source: UEW
Monetary policy and macro economic indicators: A review of a developing country�s perspectives 2002�2017

The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of monetary policy on key macroeconomic indicators in Ghana. The study used annual time series data from 2002 to 2017, which was sourced from the World Development Indicator (WDI) and the Bank of Ghana (BOG). The data were converted to Quarterly data between 2002Q1 and 2017Q4, which covers a sample period of sixteen years. The study employed the Autoregressive Distributed Lagged Model (ARDL) for analyzing the data. Unit root test was conducted using the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) tests, and the results of the analysis exhibited a cointegration realtionship among the variables of order one (1). Monetary policy changes affected lending rates by (0.32%) compared to the other variables. Overall, the results suggests that monetary policy affects macro economic indicators performance in Ghana. Based on the foregoing, the paper recommends that, in efforts to enhance the effectiveness of monetary policy, the need for policy intervention in determining the stance of fiscal policies, develop financial markets, and liberalize controlled interest rates. � 2021 The Author(s). This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.

Source: UEW
Monetary policy decisions and bank profitability: evidence from an emerging economy

Purpose: This study provides empirical evidence for the first time on how different measures of monetary policy affect banking profitability in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach: Providing empirical evidence on how different measures of monetary policy affect banking profitability in Ghana using 29 banks for period between 2006 and 2016, new monetary indexes are developed and a robust panel random effect models is employed with year effect controls. Findings: The results show that while increase in monetary policy basis point reduced banking profitability, average monetary policy rate stimulated banking profitability. Interestingly, the monetary policy basis point and rate indexes developed reduced and enhanced banking profitability, respectively. While these results may sound contradictory, they have both theoretical and empirical backing. Thus, basis point increments serve a monetary policy tightening condition which leads to higher loan prices, lower borrowing and declined profitability in the short run. However, in the long run, banks adjusted their loan prices and deposits to reflect basis point changes in their favor, hence the positive effect of average monetary policy rate on banking profitability. Additionally, monetary policy easing which represents decline in monetary policy basis point and rate enhances banking profitability. Practical implications: These findings imply bank managers may take advantage of monetary policy easing to maximize profits in the banking sector of Ghana. Also, the monetary policy committee must be mindful of monetary policy tightening through basis point change since upward basis point increments reduce banking profitability. Originality/value: This study provides empirical evidence for the first time on how different measures of monetary policy (developing indexes from monetary policy basis point and monetary policy rate) affect banking profitability in an emerging economy as Ghana. � 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Source: UEW
Monetary policy, institutional quality and economic growth in Ghana

The study was aimed at investigating the relationship between Monetary Policy,Institutional Quality and Economic Growth in Ghana. More specifically, the study aimed at examining the long run and short run impact of Monetary policy on economic growth in Ghana and as well test the causal relationship between monetary policy and economic growth in Ghana. The data period was 1980 to 2022 on annual basis. The study adopted both (ARDL) and the Granger Causality Test for the estimations. The study found that there exist a long run association between Monetary policy, rule of law, control of corruption, regulatory quality and economic growth in Ghana. Money Supply has a positive significant impact on economic growth, Monetary policy rate had an insignificant impact on economic growth however, in the short run, Monetary Policy Rate had a negative significant impact on economic growth in Ghana. The estimated tests reveal joint relationship among the variables. The findings of the estimated linear model shows that economic growth responds positively to monetary policy whist control of corruption and regulatory quality are inversely related to monetary policy with rule of law being and statistically significant, thus, suggesting that, economic growth is susceptive to changes in institutional quality while effective monetary policy exert positive and insignificant effect on economic growth. In addition, the results reveal that economic growth is engendered by the variables of monetary policy and economic growth. Finally, on the granger causality test, the study suggested that Economic growth granger causes monetary policy without a feedback effect hence a unidirectional causality. In view of this, consistent, prudent and effective monetary policies and measured institutional quality will aid to grow the Ghanaian economy through Money Supply in the long run, and both Money Supply and Monetary Policy Rate in the short run.

Source: UEW
Moral decadence among students of fodoa community day senior high school in the kwahu west municipality

The purpose of this study is to examine the causes and effects of moral decadence among secondary school students. The continual occurrence of chaotic and sometime criminal behaviour not only by the examined population but also the students of this country in recent times has since began to give cause for concern, particularly to parents, school administrators and the Government. The study deals with moral decadence among secondary school students in Fodoa Community Day SHS. The study adopted a qualitative research approach which aimed at finding the effect of moral decadence on the academic performance and social life of secondary school students. The phenomenological design was used for the study. Fodoa in the Kwahu- West Municipality is the area of the study. Population of the study comprised the students of Fodoa Community Day. The study examined the implication of moral decadence on the academic performance of students in Senior High Schools in in the Kwahu- West Municipality. Four research questions were formulated to form the study. The population of the study was 300 students. A total sample size of seventeen (17) students drawn through the purposive sampling technique was used in the study. Semi- Structured interviews were used for data collection. The result of the study showed that the causes of moral decadence are Poor parenting style, poverty and bad peer influence among others. The implication of moral decadence to academic performance among students of Senior High Schools are an exhibition of illicit sexual behaviour affects the academic performance of students, parent’s negligence to their parental role has a negative impact on their academic study, indulging in prostitution affect the academic performance of students and environmental violence affects students’ academic performance. The study revealed that there are many forms of decadence among secondary school students. These forms include weed smoking, illicit sex, disobedience to authority and truancy and absenteeism. The causes of the decadence were revealed as having effect on their academic and social life, and possible strategies for restoring the problem. Based on the above findings, recommendations were made to restore good morals among the students. The study recommends the need for the schools to periodically organize seminars and workshops for students, vigorous counselling sessions should be held for the students and parents should be empowered through awareness creation on the risks of irresponsible parenting.

Source: UEW
A morpho-pragmatic and structural analysis of Nzema proverbs

This study is a morpho-pragmatic and syntactic analysis of proverbs in Nzema, a Kwa language spoken predominantly in the South-West part of the Western Region of Ghana. Specifically, the study aimed at investigating some morphological structures that occur at the lexical level in the syntactic string of Nzema proverbs and examining how these morphological structures contribute to the general interpretations and understanding of the proverbs. The study further discusses the sentential structures and functions of proverbs in Nzema. It is a qualitative study that combines Chomsky‘s (1965) Descriptive Adequacy Grammar Theory, which deals with assigning structural description to well-formed sentences and Goddard‘s (2006) Ethno-pragmatic Model, which relates to understanding discourse in cultural-context. Data for the study (115 Nzema proverbs) were purposively gathered from primary and secondary sources. Three (3) scholars in Nzema who are also indigenous speakers were consulted to crosscheck and elicit useful clarifications on the data. The discussions at the morphological level focused on word formation processes such as reduplication, inflection, derivation, lexical borrowing and compounding; which are prevalent in the structure of Nzema proverbs. The study demonstrates that these word formation processes manifest in Nzema proverbial structures to contribute to the pragmatic interpretations and the entire messages intended to be communicated through the proverbs. At the syntactic level, the study identifies simple, compound and complexembedded sentences. The proverbial structures were also noted for performing sentential functions such as declarative, imperative and interrogative. Overall, the study shows that the oral constructions of proverbs in Nzema are grammatically insightful; and thus, provide a window to the morpho-syntactic description of the language.

Source: UEW
Morphological and genetic diversity of Persea americana Mill. (Avocado) in two regions of Ghana

This paper establishes the awareness levels of the Factories, Offices and Shops Act 328 (FOSA), which relates to occupational safety and health (OSH) in Ghana. Data collection involved administering questionnaires to sampled individuals and key informants from the campus of KNUST. Questionnaires were designed to capture data on FOSA awareness levels, compliance and respondents’ perception of its effectiveness. There is generally low awareness level of FOSA and other existing laws on health and safety. Less respondents, between 40% and 25% from the general and key informant surveys respectively were aware of OSH laws. There is relatively high awareness level associated with the Labour Act 651 representing 60%, followed by FOSA (27%) and finally Workmen’s Compensation Law 187 (13%). On compliance, while over 90% have access to sanitary facilities, findings on fire-detecting and fire-fighting equipment availability, and reporting of incidents to authorities are worrying. Also most emergencies exits have no inscriptions to guide premises users incase of any emergencies. It is recommended that nationwide study should be conducted to establish the extent of low OSH awareness levels. Discussions on exploring the opportunities to incorporate OSH into Ghana’s educational and job trainings should be stimulated.

Source: UEW
Morphological characterisation of indigenous chickens and its application to compare ecotypes from three districts in the Northern Region of Ghana

This study was to characterize the qualitative and quantitative morphometric traits of indigenous chicken populations reared in three districts in the northern region of Ghana. Data on both qualitative and quantitative traits of the indigenous chicken populations were collected from 200 randomly selected households of the three districts. Visual appraisals, body weight and linear body measurements were taken from 600 adult indigenous chickens of both sexes in the selected households. The results indicated that the average chicken flock size, clutch size and annual egg number per hen per year were 8.68, 3.6 and 44, respectively. In males, yellow shank colour (61%), red earlobe colour (80.7%) and yellow skin colour (56%) were the dominant phenotypic traits. However, female chickens were characterized by white shank colour (33.3%), white earlobe colour (44.2%) and white skin colour (75%). The overall mean values of body weight, body length, wingspan, back length, keel bone length, chest width, shank length, and shank circumference were 1.31 kg, 38.6 cm, 38.8 cm, 18.4 cm, 10.3 cm, 26.1 cm, 7.49 cm and 3.59 cm, respectively. The values of all linear body measurement traits deferred significantly (P < 0.01) across the study districts. Body weight and linear body measurements showed strong associations. The present finding suggests that indigenous chickens in the study area possess unique genetic potentials that would be used for further breeding programs for optimum utilization of these genetic resources by the rural communities.

Source: UEW
Morphological characterization of indigenous laying chickens in three regions of Ghana

This experiment was conducted to identify, characterize and assess the variation in morphological traits of indigenous laying chicken populations in Wassa Amenfi Central District, Wassa Amenfi East and West Municipals in the Western Region, Ga East, West and North Municipals in the Greater Accra Region and Nsawam Adoigyiri Municipal, Upper West Akim District and Akuapim South District in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Purposive sampling was used to select twenty-seven laying chickens from twenty-seven farmers in each region. A total of twenty morphological traits were identified and measured successfully. Data collected was subjected to the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) model using GenStat 12.1 (2009) software. The results of this study showed significant difference (P<0.05) in Ornithological measurement, skull with, beak length, neck width, back length, leg length, and tarsus length in birds between the three regions. The performance of birds in the Western and Eastern Regions were higher than the performance of birds in the Greater Accra Region. The result also revealed a non- significant difference (P>0.05) in body weight, one wing, wing span, rectal temperature, skull length, wattle length, neck length, tail length, thigh length, thigh width, tarsus width, central toe length and claw length. It could be concluded that variation exists among certain morphological traits in indigenous laying chicken.

Source: UEW
Morphological processes in MO

The study investigates morphophonological processes in Mo under the framework of Item and Arrangement (Hockett, 1954). Interviews and documents were the instruments used to arrive at the data. Four morphological processes were identified, namely; compounding, affixation, reduplication and multiple formations. The study established that N+N, N+A and N+V are the various patterns of compounds found in Mo and with their accompanying prominent phonological processes such as vowel, lateral and syllable deletion, vowel shortening, vowel lengthening and homorganic nasal assimilation. The study also revealed that two semantic types of compound words exist in Mo: endocentric and exocentric compounds. The study equally identified the suffixes –ι, -a, -i, -nῖ, -nã, - la, -ra, -nar, -e and -rι as inflectional suffixes for plural marking on nouns in Mo whereas the suffixes –yie, -wie, -tι/-tιna, -i, -a, -ga, -ͻ, -u, -υ, -lι, -rι and -ι were identified as derivational suffixes in the language. The study revealed that verbs with different syllable structures undergo both full and partial reduplication with some phonological instances of vowel shortening and consonant elision. Additionally, the study discovered that the formation of agentive nouns in Mo involves the amalgamation of two morphological processes, reduplication and suffixation, and with vowel harmony as the phonological process that characterises their formation. The study established some unique functions of the morphological processes in Mo. Compounding was identified as a derivative mechanism, affixation as pluralisation (inflectional) and nominalisation (derivational) mechanisms, and reduplication as an adverbialisation (derivational) mechanism

Source: UEW
Morphological, biochemical and molecular identification of rhizobacteria isolates with potential for biocontrol of fungal plant pathogens

Rhizobacteria have huge potential for biocontrol activity against many plant pathogens. Isolation and identification are therefore crucial to understand their microbial diversity and ecological importance. The study sought to identify eight yam (Dioscorea sp.) rhizobacterial isolates found to be inhibitory in a previous study to several fungal pathogens, using polyphasic approach (morphological, biochemical, and molecular approaches). Morphological and biochemical characterizations were carried out at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon-Accra, Ghana while the Molecular characterization was done at Functional Biosciences Inc., Wisconsin, USA. Morphological and biochemical characters determined were texture, consistency, the morphology of cell growth on nutrient agar, citrate utilization, catalase reaction, Gram reaction, and endospore formation. Molecular identification was achieved through the amplification and sequencing of the 16SrRNA and gyrB regions of the eight rhizobacterial genomic DNA followed by BLAST analysis. Sequencing data were also deposited at GenBank to obtain accession numbers for the rhizobacteria. All the eight bacterial isolates were shown to possess rod-shaped bacilli cells, Gram-positive, and were endospore producers. The amplification of the 16SrRNA and the gyrB regions of the bacterial DNA and subsequent BLAST of these two regions revealed that they were all members of the Bacillus subtilis group at percentage similarity between 99-100%. Four out of the eight isolates were, Bacillus subtilis, three were B. amyloliquefaciens and the last, B. velezensis. Sequence data of both the 16SrRNA and gyrB deposited at the GenBank provided GenBank accession numbers for nucleotide sequence of 16SrRNA as GenBank MT535846-MT535853 and gyrB as GenBank MT908225-MT908232 respectively. This is the first attempt to identify these rhizobacteria, which have huge potential as fungal antagonists of many plant pathogens in Ghana. � 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Source: UEW