ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
Citrus sinensis seed as a potential source of quality edible and industrial oil

Seeds of sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis) were analyzed for oil and fatty acid composition. The crude oil was extracted by the use of soxhlet extraction. The results showed that oil content is as high as 71 %. The physico-chemical assessment gave the following results: refractive index (1.457), peroxide value (4.12 meq/kg) and iodine value (34.06 Wijs). The ATR-IR spectrum of oil showed prominent bands at 3008.6, 2921.73, 2852.7, 1742.86, 1709.23, 1460, 1167.66, 1117.39 and 1051.16 cm-1 that identified fatty acid composition. The percentage compositions of various classes of fatty acids present in the oil were polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs, 39.82 %), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs, 57.08 %) and saturated fatty acids (SFAs, 3.09 %). The oil has linoleic acid (18:2, n-6) as the only PUFA and the second highest fatty acid composition (25.63 %). Palmitoleic acid is the highest MUFA (56.30 %) as well as the highest fatty acid composition while capric acid (C10:0) is the lowest fatty acid (0.02 %). These results and in addition to the low compositions of erucic acid, behenic acid and lignoceric acid indicated that the seed oil of sweet orange is possible suitable for both human consumption and industrial purposes

Source: UCC
Civil rights violation in acts 16:16-40: Implication for Ghana

Civil right violations appear to be increasing in Ghana. Some of the events leading to civil rights abuse are similar to what happened to Paul and Silas in Philippi. While Paul was aware of his right as a Roman citizen, many Ghanaians are unaware of their rights. This work examined the arrest of Paul and Silas in Acts 16:16-40. Through critical analysis of the relevant verses of the passage, elements of civil right violations were identified. This was then related to the Ghanaian situation where aspects of civil rights abuse were also identified. Remedial lessons were drawn from the text and applied to the Ghanaian context. The study recommends the need for intensive civil right education in Ghana. Moreover, it is necessary that the judiciary and police force should be independent and the law of the nation be applied indiscriminately. The study concludes that these issues could serve as some of the possible corrective actions that can address the challenge of human right violations in Ghana

Source: UCC
Civil society organisations and state relations in the management of mining-related conflicts in the Asutifi North District, Ghana.

The study examined the relations between CSOs and government institutions in the management of mining-related conflicts in the Asutifi North District of Ghana. The qualitative research approach was adopted for the study. Through the purposive sampling procedure, key respondents from government institutions, CSOs and individual members of the district were interviewed. Although the Asutifi North District was relatively peaceful before the arrival of Newmont Gold Ghana Limited (NGGL), there were pockets of conflicts ranging from land and boundary disputes between paramountcies and families and unlawful hostage of properties belonging to community members. However, the trend of conflicts changed following the establishment of NGGL in the district. The study identified conflicts over compensation, spillage, displacement, unemployment etc., as a major cause of conflict in the district. It was realized that the success of maintaining a relatively peaceful environment in the wake of the conflicts, centred on series of committees and meetings organized by both CSOs and government institutions on matters affecting their coexistence and their development in general. Ineffective monitoring by government institutions such as EPA and Minerals Commission was noted as a likely trigger of conflict. Further, delay in the payment of royalties and the police reactions towards demonstrations were seen as an impediment to peaceful relations. The study recommended that the historical boundaries between Kenyase No. 1 and 2 which the Asantehene (Otumfuor) seek to resolve should include the active participation of all stakeholders in the district and witnessed by government actors. It was also recommended that royalties be paid on time by the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands, and a well-established office provided for EPA, Lands and Natural Resources and Water Resource Commission for efficient and effective monitoring of mining activities in the district.

Source: UCC
Civil Society Sustainability in Ghana: A Study of Governance and Executive Transitions in Selected Non-Profit Organisations

In Ghana, very little attention has been given to civil society sustainability, particularly, with regards to leadership and governance. Whilst previous studies have sought to understand the phenomenon from either a general viewpoint or emphasise only the financial dimension, the aspect of governance and leadership remains largely ignored. This present study therefore examined the governance systems of selected civil society organisation (CSOs) in Ghana and their effectiveness in managing executive transitions. It involved a cross-section of CSO practitioners, board members and experts of the sector in the Greater Accra Region. Underpinned by social systems and structuration theories, the study adopted a cross-sectional exploratory research design. It relied mainly on questionnaire administration, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and observation in the collection of the data. Governance systems were found to be poorly instituted in many cases and participants’ assessment of their effectiveness was equally less than satisfactory. The poor institutionalisation of governance and particularly, ineffective management of executive transitions, abrupt departures and the lack of succession plans and roadmaps were identified as key threats to the sector's sustainability. The study recommends a regulatory regime for non-profit organisations, education of the citizenry about their stewardship and legal responsibilities for accepting to serve on non-profit boards, institution of comprehensive orientation programmes for boards. Also, boards should step up and own the management of executive transitions through the development of formal succession plans with clear exit strategies, compensation packages, and plans for managing post succession events.

Source: UCC
Classification of Selected Anti-malarial Herbal Drugs Using Laser-induced Autofluorescence (Liaf) Combined With Multivariate Data Analysis

ABSTRACT Laser-induced autofluorescence (LIAF) was used to characterize and classify some selected commercial anti-malarial herbal drugs (AMHDs) to avoid sample destruction. Results from deconvoluted peaks of the LIAF spectra of AMHDs showed secondary metabolites belonging to derivatives of alkaloids and classes of phenolic compounds (tannins, lignin, flavonoid, and coumarins) present in all the AMHDs samples. Analyses with unsupervised methods (Principal component analysis (PCA), K-means clustering and Hierarchical Clustering Analysis (HCA)) classified the AMHDs that were similar in physicochemical properties. Based on two PCs, supervised pattern recognition methods such as Supervised Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (QDA), and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) models generated were used to identify and classify unknown AMHDs with 100.00, 100.00, 99.52 and 99.04 % accuracy respectively. LIAF technique in combination with multivariate analysis may offer non-destructive characterization and classification of AMHDs.

Source: UCC
Classification of soils derived from amphibolite parent material in south-western Nigeria

Soils formed from amphibolite parent material in southwestern Nigeria were characterized and classified according to FAOIUNESCO soil map legend and USDA Soil Taxonomy. The soils had characteristically Jaw silt content. Clay and fine sand contents were high. The soils varied from slightly acidic to acidic. Organic carbon, extractable phosphorus and total nitrogen contents decreased with increasing depth. Cation exchange capacity (by NH. OAc) values of the soils ranged from 2.32 to 15.19 cmol(+)/kg soil. Base saturation (on CEC by NH. OAc) basis) values were quite high (35.4-87.7%). According to FAOIUNESCO soil map legend, the soil at the summit was Rhodic Ferralsol while the soil of the upper slope belonged to Ferric Acrisol. Soils of the middle and lower slopes of the toposequence were classified as Rhodic Nitisol and Haplic Lixisol respectively. The valley bottom soil was Gleyie Lixisol. All the soils belonged to Ultisol of Soil Taxonomy except the soil of the summit which was classified as Oxisol

Source: UCC
Classroom Assessment Practices of Lower Primary School Teachers in the Upper Denkyira West District

The study investigated classroom assessment practices of lower primary school teachers in the Upper Denkyira West District. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, a descriptive design was used. An adopted questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 137 lower primary school teachers who were selected through purposive sampling technique. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data that were gathered. The key findings of the study revealed that lower primary school teachers use varied forms of classroom assessment practices and the most dominant assessment method was the use of objective type test. It was also revealed that the prevalent strategy employed by teachers was the use of question-and-answer technique. The results also indicated that teachers generally portrayed a higher confidence in their assessment practices. Furthermore, teachers faced challenges such as poor attitude of students towards classroom assessment practices, large class size and teacher‟s workload. Also, there was no statistically significant difference between primary school teachers‟ classroom assessment practices with respect to their professional qualification. Finally, primary school teachers did not differ significantly in their classroom assessment practices with their years of teaching experience. It was recommended that school heads set up assessment unit in their respective schools and ensure frequent training of primary school teachers on various classroom strategies and assessment practices. Also, Ghana Education Service should put measures in place to help combat challenges teachers face in their classroom practices.

Source: UCC
Classroom implementation of national sexuality education curricula in four low- and middle-income countries

School-based comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) can help adolescents acquire crucial knowledge and skills to achieve their full potential, particularly in low- and middle-income countries with higher rates of negative sexual and reproductive outcomes. While many low- and middle-income countries have developed CSE curricula, little is known about how these are implemented in the classroom. This multi-country mixed-methods study analyzed challenges to the implementation of national CSE curricula in schools in Ghana, Kenya, Peru and Guatemala, based on surveys of secondary school principals, teachers and students aged 15–17 years, and in-depth interviews with central and local government, NGOs and youth organizations. In all four countries, inadequate teacher training remained a major hurdle to effective implementation, manifesting in teacher discomfort and inaccurate messaging. This was compounded by a lack of comprehensive teaching resources. CSE classes were focused mainly on biology at the expense of contraception, gender and rights, despite students’ desire for greater coverage of these topics. Teaching methods lacked interactive activities necessary to develop skills and values. Findings offer useful lessons to improve school-level implementation in these and other countries facing similar challenges. Increasing teacher training and distributing comprehensive CSE materials responsive to adolescents’ needs remain priorities in all countries

Source: UCC
Classroom Management Practices on Academic Performance of Senior High School Students in Kwahu South Municipality

The aim of the study was to ascertain the effects of the classroom management techniques employed by teachers at Public Senior High Schools (SHS) on the academic performance of students in the Kwahu South Municipality of the Eastern Region of Ghana. The use of a descriptive survey method allowed for the acquisition of quantitative data. The targeted population of the Public SHS students was 4,102 with a sample size of 364. The simple random sampling method was used. A questionnaire and a performance assessment test were used. The following metrics were used: frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, as well as correlation analysis. According to the findings of the study, the most important classroom management strategies of teachers were verbal instructional management, instructional supervision, behavior and instructional management, delegation of authority, and the use of corporal punishment. Additionally, the performance of students in Public SHS was not influenced by the classroom management practices adopted by the teachers. In consequence, there are other factors that induce students to study, and not how their teachers manage classrooms. The positive link identified also suggests that more effective classroom management techniques would boost students' academic performance. Based on the findings, it was recommended that teachers should set classroom rules and regulations against disruptive behaviour to improve students' academic achievement. Also, to have a favourable impact on students' academic progress, teachers should constantly work on improving their classroom management techniques.

Source: UCC
Clean Energy Financing and Sustainable Development: Evidence from the Electricity Market of Ghana

This thesis examines four related objectives on clean energy financing and sustainable development: (1) describe the state of clean energy financing and sustainable development; (2) assess the determinants of clean energy financing; (3) estimate an optimal level of integrating clean energy in the electricity market; and (4) synthesize an improved system of clean energy financing. Data was obtained through questionnaire, information request fact sheet, and interviews. The research used descriptive statistics, correlation, linear regression, binary logistics, optimization, and system improvement as the main analytical procedures. The findings revealed evidence of clean energy financing valued at US$ 221 Million. Market factors and enabling infrastructure are significant predictors of clean energy financing. The electricity market has the potential of integrating 1,358.8 MW of clean energy. The electricity generated from clean energy sources influenced the price of electricity negatively. Weak off-taker credit worthiness can be mitigated by a payment mechanism that prioritizes payment of clean energy. For an improved system, this thesis suggests the following: adopting and integrating an enhanced market surveillance system to guide policy and regulatory decisions and reviews; providing technical assistance in structuring bankable projects; undertaking periodic economic and financial analysis of system planning; and prioritising the payment of clean energy.

Source: UCC
Clearing or subverting the enemy: Role of autophagy in protozoan infections

The protozoan parasites are evolutionarily divergent, unicellular eukaryotic pathogens representing one of the essential sources of parasitic diseases. These parasites significantly affect the economy and cause public health burdens globally. Protozoan parasites share many cellular features and pathways with their respective host cells. This includes autophagy, a process responsible for self-degradation of the cell's components. There is conservation of the central structural and functional machinery for autophagy in most of the eukaryotic phyla, however, Plasmodium and Toxoplasma possess a decreased number of recognizable autophagy-related proteins (ATG).Plasmodium noticeably lacks clear orthologs of the initiating kinase ATG1/ULK1/2, and both Plasmodium and Toxoplasma lack proteins involved in the nucleation of autophagosomes. These organisms have essential apicoplast, a plastid-like non-photosynthetic organelle, which is an adaptation that is used in penetrating the host cell. Furthermore, available evidence suggests that Leishmania, an intracellular protozoan parasite, induces autophagy in macrophages. The autophagic pathway in Trypanosoma cruzi is activated during metacyclogenesis, a process responsible for the infective forms of parasites. Therefore, numerous pathogens have developed strategies to impair the autophagic mechanism in phagocytes. Regulating autophagy is essential to maintain cellular health as adjustments in the autophagy pathway have been linked to the progression of several physiological and pathological conditions in humans. In this review, we report current advances in autophagy in parasites and their host cells, focusing on the ramifications of these studies in the design of potential anti protozoan therapeutics

Source: UCC
Client exit in microfinance: a case study of Christian rural aid network (CRAN), Cape Coast

Repeat borrowing is essential for long term financial sustainability of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs). This long term financial sustainability is threatened by high client exit, that is, premature termination of the borrowing relationship. In view of the above, the purpose of this study is to investigate the reasons for clients exit and to determine the factors that influence the length of the MFI-client borrowing relationship. A duration model (semiparametric model) is used to empirically examine the factors that affect the borrowing relationship length. To obtain data for this study, structured questionnaires were prepared and administered on 103 exit clients selected from Christian Rural Aid Network (CRAN) microfinance data base. The results of the study reveal that first; the reasons for client exit are frequency of repayment schedules, high cost of borrowing, obligatory inaccessible savings, dissatisfaction with group leadership, seasonality of business activity, threat of prosecution on default among other things. Second, loan size, age of client, dependency ratio, group repayment problem, household income shock and competition from informal financial service significantly affect the length of the borrowing relationship. It is recommended that CRAN should conduct loan needs assessment and come out with loan sizes that meet the business needs of their clients. It is also recommended that CRAN should design repayment schedule that takes into account the cash flow pattern of its clients.

Source: UCC
Clients’ perception on national health insurance scheme in jomoro district

The National Health Insurance Scheme was introduced in 2003 with the passing of the National Health Insurance Act, Act 650, with the objective of improving healthcare delivery services to all residents in Ghana, especially the poor and the vulnerable in society upon realising the problem that the ‘cash and carry’ was posing in healthcare delivery. The study therefore examined how clients perceived the services of national health insurance scheme, the basic healthcare services received from healthcare providers by clients and staff relationship with clients in the Jomoro District. Data was collected from 150 clients of the District scheme through questionnaire administration, interviews and observations. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and SPSS software package. The study revealed that NHIS is working to improve the health status of Ghanaians, by reducing financial barrier and promoting access to basic healthcare. Clients were satisfied with the premium fees and staff behaviour. However, there were long waiting times for registration, renewal of memberships and the issuance of NHIS membership cards. There is lack of knowledge on NHIS benefits package; and non availability of drugs at health facilities due to delay in reimbursement of claims. The study recommends for an urgent need for NHIA to streamline the reimbursement procedure to curb the delay in claims payment, spearhead the biometric registration programme, a periodical review of the benefit package and drugs list; and intensive education on the minimum benefit package by the district scheme.

Source: UCC
Climate change adaptation mainstreaming at the sub- national level development planning: a case of the Sekondi-takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (stma), Ghana

Climate change has been recognised as a key development issue in sub-Saharan Africa. This might be explained by the region’s peculiar vulnerabilities that could be related to climate change. Climate change is expected to significantly affect food security, increase flooding and droughts in specific areas of the sub-region, affect the production of major export cash crops in Africa and affect the economies and livelihoods with the resultant negative impact on poverty reduction. One major way to offset or reduce the impact of climate change is climate change adaptation mainstreaming in the development planning process. This will acknowledge the expected development challenges posed by climate change and to fashion out strategies to deal with the impacts of climate change. This paper assesses climate change adaptation mainstreaming measures in the development planning process of the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) in Ghana. The research focuses on two Medium-Term Development Plans (MTDP) of the Metropolitan Assembly. The objective is to assess the climate change resilient readiness and adaptation at the sub-national level and to draw local policy makers’ attention of the consequences of ignoring climate change realities

Source: UCC