ghanaopendata/ghanaian-research-english huggingface dataset:
In-service training towards the performance of teachers in the Offinso south municipality of Ghana

This study investigated the effectiveness of in-service training (INSET) programmes on the performance of teachers in the Offinso South Municipality. The study targeted all the 32 Junior High Schools with a total teacher population of 270. Simple random sample was used to select 19 schools while stratified sampling method was used to select five (5) teachers from each of the selected schools. Five (5) Circuit Supervisors responsible for the schools were added. Questionnaire and interview guide were used in the data collection. Overall result of the study indicated that in-service training courses were actually provided for teachers in the Municipality however, follow-up programmes were non-existent. Almost half of the teachers were found to have had teaching experience of over ten years. Inadequate financial support, lack of adequately qualified resource persons to handle various aspects of INSET programmes and insufficient communication and untimely notices to teachers were the major factors preventing the effective organisation of INSET programmes in the study area. Implications of the findings were discussed and the study recommended that the Ministry of Education (MoE) should work together with the Ghana Education Service (GES) to increase the budgetary allocation for staff development and training of teachers.

Source: UCC
In-vitro Antioxidant and Wound Healing Properties of Combretum dolichopetalum Engl. & Diels (Combretaceae

Combretum dolichopetalum Engl. & Diels (Combretaceae) is a medicinal plant used in the Kpando Traditional Area for treating wounds. However, it has received little attention by the scientific world. The study was designed to evaluate the wound healing potential and antioxidant activities of the plant to confirm its folkloric use. Excision wound model was used with Penicillin as the standard reference drug. Sensitivity test was carried out on the extract against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia using disc diffusion method. The antioxidant activity was measured by three different spectrophotometric assays. The content of total phenolics and total flavonoids were also determined. The extract significantly caused wound healing and reduced microbial load. Similarly, the methanol extract significantly inhibited the growth of S. aureus and K. pneumonia at higher doses. Almost all results from the antioxidant activity models were concentration dependent with no significant difference from the standard Ascorbic acid except at very low concentrations. Tannins and flavonoids were present whose synergistic effects may be responsible for the high antioxidant activity. Correlation analysis between the values of DPPH and TAC (r2 =0.7790) indicates the viability of the two models for evaluating antioxidants from medicinal plants

Source: UCC
In-vitro Antioxidant and Wound Healing Properties of Combretum dolichopetalum Engl. & Diels (Combretaceae)

Combretum dolichopetalum Engl. & Diels (Combretaceae) is a medicinal plant used in the Kpando Traditional Area for treating wounds. However, it has received little attention by the scientific world. The study was designed to evaluate the wound healing potential and antioxidant activities of the plant to confirm its folkloric use. Excision wound model was used with Penicillin as the standard reference drug. Sensitivity test was carried out on the extract against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia using disc diffusion method. The antioxidant activity was measured by three different spectrophotometric assays. The content of total phenolics and total flavonoids were also determined. The extract significantly caused wound healing and reduced microbial load. Similarly, the methanol extract significantly inhibited the growth of S. aureus and K. pneumonia at higher doses. Almost all results from the antioxidant activity models were concentration dependent with no significant difference from the standard Ascorbic acid except at very low concentrations. Tannins and flavonoids were present whose synergistic effects may be responsible for the high antioxidant activity. Correlation analysis between the values of DPPH and TAC (r 2=0.7790) indicates the viability of the two models for evaluating antioxidants from medicinal plants.

Source: UCC
In-Vitro assessment of antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of methanol extracts of six wound healing medicinal plants

In this study, quantitative values of antioxidant activity of crude methanolic extracts of five Wound healing medicinal plants (Amaranthus spinosus, Anogeissus leiocarpus, Spondia monbin, Corchorus olitorius, and Mallotus oppositifolia) were investigated. The investigation used DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) free radical as a substrate and Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay to determine both scavenging ability and the reducing properties. Antioxidant was further analysed quantitatively for flavonoid content, total phenolic content in the crude methanolic extracts using spectrophotometric assay. The result showed that all plants exhibited scavenging ability and strong reducing activity although the ability differed markedly among the various plant samples. The highest scavenging ability (% inhibition) was exhibited by A. leiocarpus (95.86 ± 0.1) followed by C. olitorius (94.19 ± 0.06) while the lowest was from A. spinosus (40.87±2.5). The reducing power was also highest in A. leiocarpus followed by S. monbin; while A. spinosus showed the least reducing power. In quantitative analysis, again A. leiocarpus was found to have the highest phenolic content (1294.81± 3.0 mg/g) with A. spinosus recording the least phenol and flavonoid content. The crude methanol extracts were also screened for their antimicrobial activity against four common pathogenic microorganisms (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Citrobacter sp.) associated with wound infection by well diffusion method. All the extracts were found to inhibit the growth of both gram (+) and gram (-) bacteria organisms tested

Source: UCC
Inbound tourists’ views on safety at the mole enclave in the Northern region of Ghana

Ensuring the safety of tourists has become an indispensable element in a destination’s offering in order to ensure the maximum receipt from the tourism industry. This is because safety issues in these times highly influence tourists’ choice of a destination. This thesis assesses inbound tourists’perception of safety at Mole Enclave in the Northern Region of Ghana. The Cultural Theory of Risk was used to analyse the perception of safety of inbound tourist.With the use of accidental sampling method and questionnaires, data was collected from 128 inbound tourists that visited the Mole Enclave. Data was analysed with the use of SPSS version 16. Simple descriptive statistical presentations like frequency table, bar chart and pie charts were used to analyse the data. Chi-Square test was also used to test the significant relationships in the background characteristics and inbound tourists’ pre-trip conception of safety and also overall perception of safety of the destination. Generally, the study found that inbound tourists perceived the Mole Enclave to be safe for tourism activities. However, they had some concerns about the levels of some of the safety attributes especially on health matters as well as security.Based on these findings, it was concluded that among other things, inbound tourists will select the Mole Enclave as a safe destination to visit. It is recommended that stakeholders in the promotion of tourism at the destination put in place additional measures such as streamlining tourism activities at Larabanga, improving quality of food service rendered by local food vendors and improving road network at the enclave to further enhance safety levels.

Source: UCC
Incentives and Employee Performance in the Public Sector: Evidence from the Volta River Authority, Ghana

Incentives are considered to be one of the most important tools used by organisational managers to increase the level of motivation of employees to ensure improved performance. In view of this, the study was carried out to investigate the influence of incentives on employee performance at the Volta River Authority of Ghana. Using a positivism paradigm, the study embraced an explanatory research design while the research approach used was quantitative. A simple random sampling technique was used to sample 152 out of 250 staff of the Volta River Authority. Quantitative data was collected using a structured questionnaire. With the help of the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 software programme, the quantitative data was processed, analysed, and interpreted accordingly using descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistical tool (linear regression). The findings of the study revealed that financial incentives and non-financial incentives were found to be the forms of incentives available to the employees at the Volta River Authority of Ghana. The findings of the study also showed that both financial and non-financial incentives have a statistically significant effect on employee performance at the Volta River Authority. The study, therefore, recommended that there should be a constant upward review of both financial and non-financial incentives by the management of the Volta River Authority to positively influence and enhance employee performance.

Source: UCC
Incentives and rural area teaching: A case study of Abura -Asebu- Kwamankese district

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether incentives would be able to draw teachers from urban areas to accept posting to teach in the rural areas and to retain the, and if so what type of incentives. The theoretical review centred on incentive offers for teachers. Factors underlying the perception of incentives and theories of teacher migration were reviewed. The study was a descriptive survey. Two hundred and eighty seven (287) constituted respondents. The study revealed several causes leading to teachers refusing posting to the rural areas. Among these were feeding accommodation, health care facilities and lack of teaching/learning materials. The study also show that even though some incentive packages were purported to have been sent to rural area teachers, only a few teachers seemed to be aware of them. Recommendations were made to the means of getting teachers accepting posting to the rural area schools. Pertinent among these recommendations was the need for provision of residential accommodation for rural area teachers.

Source: UCC
Incidence and distribution of downy mildew disease (peronosclerospora sorghi) of sorghum in Uganda.

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) ranks as the third most important staple cereal food crop in Uganda after maize and millet. The crop is hampered by several biotic stresses of which Sorghum Downy Mildew disease is one of the most devastating diseases. The disease is caused by a soil-borne fungus Peronosclerospora sorghi but it is also air-borne through conidia. Incidence and severity of downy mildew were conducted between March-June, 2016 and September-December 2016 growing seasons in 13 sorghum-growing districts across ten agroecological zones. Data collected were subjected to analyses of variance, correlation and linear regression. Significant (P < 0.001) differences were recorded for disease incidence and severity across the different agro-ecologies. The mean downy mildew disease incidence varied significantly (P< 0.001) from 49.4 % for Pader to 78.9 % for Namutumba. Disease severity varied significantly (P < 0.001). A significant (P

Source: UCC
The incidence and impact of bullying on students in second cycle schools in Ghana: A case study of selected schools in the Bawku Municipality

This piece of work sought to find out the incidence and impact of bullying on students in the two second cycle schools in the Bawku Municipality namely; Bawku Senior High School and Bawku Technical Institute. The researcher looked at the physical, psychological, personal-social, and academic impact of bullying on students. A mixed study design was used. It comprises partly quantitative and partly qualitative aspects. A questionnaire was first administered on students and was followed up with an interview. Population of 1,879 made up of all first and second year students in the two schools were used. The sample frame was 300 respondents. Multistage sampling procedure was used in arriving at that figure. From the 300 respondents, 18 were purposively sampled and interviewed. A research questionnaire made up of 40 items was designed for the respondents to answer. Data collected were coded and analyzed using the Statistical Product for Service Solution (SPSS) version 15.0. Simple frequencies and percentages were used to analyze the data for answering the research questions. From the analysis, it was found that the incidence of bullying in the two schools was high. Major effects found were; “victims fell sick easily and were living under constant fear”. Again, students had difficulties in concentrating on their academic work. It was recommended that students be sensitized on bullying and its adverse effects on victims. Victims should be encouraged to report bullying issues to the appropriate authorities for redress. Finally, students’ views should be collated and considered when designing anti-bullying programmes.

Source: UCC
Incidence and severity of citrus quick decline virus in Abura-AsebuKwamankese district, Ghana

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is one of the most important causal agents of citrus diseases and has varying strains of the tristeza virus. Production of sweet orange in Abura-AsebuKwamankese District is highly constrained by quick decline and stem-pitting variants of the Tristeza virus. For better cognition of CTV prevalence, a survey on incidence and severity of CTV was conducted between May 2012 and February 2013 in the six major citrus growing communities in Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District, Ghana. A total of 4200 sweet orange trees from 60 farms in six communities, were systematically observed for CTV disease incidence and severity during the survey. Symptoms such as stunted growth, leaf cupping, vein clearing, leaf curling, leaf chlorosis, twig die-back, leaf defoliation, reduced fruit size and stem back breaks were used at assessing incidence. Rough lemon were the most preferred rootstock used by farmers in all the locations in establishing sweet orange farm. A severity scale of 1–5 was used. The analysis of variance for both incidence and severity showed a significant difference at across all locations. Disease incidence was highest in Asebu, Amoanda and Edumifa at 75%, 73.5% and 74.6% respectively. There was a significant difference in the severity index between and across four locations; Asebu (3.5), Amoanda (2.7), Abakrampa (3.1) and Nsanfo (2.8) with the exception of Edumifa (2.1) and Bantanya (2.0). The use of CTV free (clean) bud-wood and resistant rootstocks in establishing Citrus farms will help the management of the disease

Source: UCC
Incidence and severity of maize streak disease: The influence of tillage, fertilizer application and maize variety

Maize streak disease (MSD) is one of the most destructive diseases of maize (Zea mays L.) estimated to cause a yield loss of about 20% in Ghana. Field experiment was conducted at Nkwanta in the Volta Region of Ghana during the cropping seasons of 2015 to assess the effects of tillage practices, fertilizer application and maize variety on the incidence and severity of MSD. The MSD severity was assessed using 1 to 5 visual scale (1=no symptom and 5= very severe symptom). The relationship between total N, available P and exchangeable K contents of soils and maize leaves sampled at silking stage and MSD incidence and severity were elucidated with Pearson correlation coefficients. Although symptoms were observed in both fertilized and non-fertilized plants, fertilizer addition effectively reduced the MSD impact on growth and yield. Incidence and severity of MSD under no-tillage system were significantly lower than under conventional tillage. Severe MSD, particularly, of plants on the plots with no added nutrients led to stunted growth and reduced grain yield. The severity of MSD correlated positively with maize leaf N content, while increasing leaf K content resulted in reduced MSD severity. It can therefore be concluded that tillage and plant nutrition affect the severity of MSD in tropical soil

Source: UCC
Incidence and severity of maize streak disease: The influence of tillage, fertilizer application and maize variety

Maize streak disease (MSD) is one of the most destructive diseases of maize (Zea mays L.) estimated to cause a yield loss of about 20% in Ghana. Field experiment was conducted at Nkwanta in the Volta Region of Ghana during the cropping seasons of 2015 to assess the effects of tillage practices, fertilizer application and maize variety on the incidence and severity of MSD. The MSD severity was assessed using 1 to 5 visual scale (1=no symptom and 5= very severe symptom). The relationship between total N, available P and exchangeable K contents of soils and maize leaves sampled at silking stage and MSD incidence and severity were elucidated with Pearson correlation coefficients. Although symptoms were observed in both fertilized and non-fertilized plants, fertilizer addition effectively reduced the MSD impact on growth and yield. Incidence and severity of MSD under no-tillage system were significantly lower than under conventional tillage. Severe MSD, particularly, of plants on the plots with no added nutrients led to stunted growth and reduced grain yield. The severity of MSD correlated positively with maize leaf N content, while increasing leaf K content resulted in reduced MSD severity. It can therefore be concluded that tillage and plant nutrition affect the severity of MSD in tropical soil.

Source: UCC
Incidence and severity of viral and fungal diseases of chili pepper (capsicum frutescens) in some districts in Ghana.

Aims: To assess the incidence and severity of viral and fungal diseases infecting pepper in some major producing areas in Ghana and to identify farmers’ agronomic practices that influence disease incidence and severity. Study Design: Descriptive survey involving household and field surveys. Place and Duration of Study: Sekyere South district of the Ashanti Region, Komenda-EdinaEguafo-Abirem district of Central Region, Kintampo South district of Brong-Ahafo Region and North and South Tongu districts in the Volta Region, between April 2013 and September 2013. Methodology: Questionnaire with both open ended- and closed ended- questions was administered to 30 pepper farmers purposively selected from each of the selected district in each Region in order to determine the farmers’ awareness of the fungal and viral diseases and their agronomic practices which could affect the disease spread in their farms. Thirty hot pepper fields from each district were selected randomly and forty (40) plants from each of the fields were observed for disease incidence and severity. Pepper diseases assessed were pepper mosaic, phytophthora leaf blight, cercospora leaf spot, fruit rot and leaf anthracnose. Results: There were high incidences (up to 86.3%) and severities (11.8-32.1%) of pepper mosaic disease, leaf anthracnose, anthracnose fruit rot, phytophthora blight and cercospora leaf spot in all the fields surveyed. Majority of the farmers use seeds from their own farms (30-60%), practice monocropping (50-73.7%), rotate their pepper crops with tomatoes and garden eggs (43-60%) and manage diseases in their farms using synthetic pesticides (50-70%). Conclusion: The adoption of poor agronomic practices by the farmers was the major contributing factor for the high incidences and severities of viral and fungal diseases in their farms

Source: UCC
Incidence of adverse events after discharge from a secondary hospital in northern Ghana

Background: Adverse events involve unintended injuries or complications resulting in death, disability, harm or prolonged hospital stay that arise from health care management. This paper aims at giving insight into the incidence, types and severity of adverse events after hospital discharge in the context of the management/care patients received from the hospital. Methods: A descriptive cohort study design was used in a secondary hospital in Ghana. The study population involved patients discharged from the medical, surgical and emergency wards of the Hospital. A total of 206 patients were recruited through a consecutive sampling technique. Results: The findings revealed an adverse events rate of 25.7%. The study also identified adverse events related to medications to be the leading type of adverse events recorded after discharge from the hospital. There were 3.9% death rate among participants 21 days after discharge from the hospital. The study revealed that adverse events usually occur after discharge from the hospitals which differ in several forms and in severity. Conclusions: These, therefore offer nurses and other service providers an opportunity to target the areas for improvement of services.

Source: UCC
Incidence of Examination Malpractices in Senior High Schools in the Asante Akim South Municipality

This study explored the incidence of examination malpractices in Senior High Schools (SHS) in the Asante Akim South Municipality of the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. Using a questionnaire and an interview guide, primary data were sourced from SHS students and head teachers within the Asante Akim South Municipality. The population of the study comprised 5,497 students and 5 head teachers. The simple random sampling technique and purposive sampling technique were used to select 361 students and 5 head teachers respectively. The findings showed that most students engage in examination malpractice due to their desire to score high marks, poor preparation towards the exam, fear of failure, and low self-esteem. The findings also indicated that students engage in various forms of malpractices such as smuggling of notes written on tiny pieces of paper into the examination room, writing of short notes on their palms, and thighs. The findings revealed that poor performance at the workplace, high cost of conducting examinations due to the possibility of cancellation of examination results, dishonest attitude of students which will later lead to corruption and nepotism at workplaces were some of the major effects. It was concluded that students desire to be successful and pass their examination causes them to engage in malpractices. It was recommended that headteachers through the school guidance and counselling programmes should intensify sensitizations to learners on the dangers of engaging in examination malpractices.

Source: UCC