UDS Annual Interdisciplinary Conference-2015

Transcription

Book of
Abstracts
UNIVERSITY FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
Book of Abstracts
UDS Annual Interdisciplinary
Conference-2015
Theme - Governance, Science, Technology and National
Development
2nd -3rd September, 2015
Wa Campus
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Book of
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Table of Contents
ICEIR in Brief ............................................................................................................................................. 6
About the Annual Interdisciplinary Conference (AIC) ......................................................................... 7
Programme for the Opening ceremony ................................................................................................... 8
HUMAN SECURITY AND MIGRATION .............................................................................................. 9
Re-Thinking Human Security, Exclusive Breastfeeding and Child Health Security: Yonso Area
Council in Perspective ................................................................................................................................ 9
Samuel Marfo and Bismark Osei ......................................................................................................... 9
Intervention Analysis of NRSS II on Road Traffic Accidents in Ghana................................................ 9
Ernest Zamanah .................................................................................................................................... 9
A Cross Sectional Study of Barriers to early Detection and Control of Tuberculosis in the Tamale
Metropolis of Northern Ghana ................................................................................................................ 10
Abdallah Iddrisu Yahaya .................................................................................................................... 10
Effects of Harmattan winds on motorists and pedestrians in Tamale Metropolis.............................. 10
Abdulai Hassan ................................................................................................................................... 10
Household Iodized Salt Utilization: Knowledge Level and Practices of Women in Bole District ..... 11
Abu Nurudeen Hudu Adam and Osman Abuku ................................................................................... 11
CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT .......................................... 12
The Prospects of Shea Trees in Climate Change Mitigation - A Case Study in Cheyohi in the
Kumbungu District of Northern Region ................................................................................................. 12
Shu-aib Jakpa Sumaila and Boamah Peprah Collins ......................................................................... 12
Relative Weed control efficiency of pre- and post-emergence herbicides in groundnuts (arachis
hypogaea l.) In the Guinea Savannah Zone of Ghana............................................................................ 12
I. K. Dzomeku M. Abudulai, M. Asante and W.K. Kokonu ................................................................ 12
Climate change Impact on Smallholder Agriculture and Adaptation strategies in the Sisili-Kulpawn
Basin of the Northern Region of Ghana.................................................................................................. 13
Mercy Obenewaah Owusu and Joseph Amikuzuno ............................................................................ 13
The Role of Under-utilized Traditional Crops in Climate Change Mitigation ................................... 13
Yakubu Balma Issaka and Richard Yeboah Nartey ............................................................................ 13
Flooding and Rental Values in Kumasi................................................................................................... 14
Elvis Attakora-Amaniampong, Dacosta Aboagye and Ebenezer Owusu-Sekyere .............................. 14
Climate Change, Rapid Urbanisation and Food Security as Causes of Vulnerability and Poor
Livelihoods in West Africa ....................................................................................................................... 14
D. Chirawurah, N. Santuah, J. Amikuzuno, E. Derbile and B. Konlaan ............................................ 14
Provision of Solid Waste Disposal Management Facilities: Assessment of User-Patronage in a
Nucleated Settlement in Wa, UWR ......................................................................................................... 15
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Kofi Osei and Stephen Ameyaw .......................................................................................................... 15
Climate change and livelihoods: The case of the Northern Savannah Zone ....................................... 16
Emelia Guo & Julius Bradford Lamptey ............................................................................................ 16
The Socio-economic Impact of Climate Change Adaptation On Smallholder Farmers in the Lawra
District, Upper West Region, Ghana ....................................................................................................... 16
Nana Yamoah Asafu-Adjaye and Joseph Amikuzuno.......................................................................... 16
Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Growth and Grain yield of Pearl Millet (pennicetum glaceum l.) In
the Guinea Savanna Zone of Ghana........................................................................................................ 17
Isaac K. Addai and Baba Salifu .......................................................................................................... 17
Assessing the Technical Efficiency of Maize Production in Northern Ghana: The Data Envelopment
Analysis (DEA) Approach ........................................................................................................................ 17
Shamsudeen Abdulai, Paul K. Nkegbe, Samuel A. Donkoh ................................................................ 17
Climate change and health: a case study at Bongo District of Upper East Region of Ghana ............ 18
Emmanuel Arhin, and Mercy Abarike................................................................................................. 18
Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation into Development Planning for Sustainable
Development in the Kassena-Nankana West District ............................................................................ 18
Raymond A. Atanga, Daniel K. B. Inkoom.......................................................................................... 18
PHYSICAL PLANNING AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT ............................................................ 19
From Local Risk to National Disaster: Risk Interpretation and Response to Disasters in Urban
Ghana ......................................................................................................................................................... 19
Ebenezer Owusu-Sekyere, Robert Adjuik Yakubu............................................................................... 19
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION ................................................................................... 19
Lifespan and Reproductive effects of Dietary Restriction on Daphnia pulex...................................... 19
Dzigbodi A. Doke Sherri L. Hudson and Julia M. Gohlke .................................................................. 19
Functional 1H-MRS of Human Brain Metabolism using Eight Radiofrequency Excitations ........... 20
Abdul Nashirudeen MUMUNI1 and John McLEAN ........................................................................... 20
Evaluation of the effects of Organic Materials of Groundnut shell, Rice husk and Rice straw on
Maize (zea mays l.) Productivity in the Guinea Savannah Zone ........................................................... 20
Israel K. DZOMEKU, Osman ILLIASU and Charles K. Adarkwah ................................................... 20
Nutrient use in smallholder small ruminant production systems in Northern Ghana ....................... 21
S. P Konlan, A. Ayantunde, W. Addah, H. K. Dei, F. K. Avornyo and N. Karbo ................................ 21
Globalizing Innovation: Telecommunications Literacy and Development in Ghana......................... 22
George Gyadare.................................................................................................................................. 22
Count data Models of Information Technology Innovations in Banking: which best describes
Customers‟ Adoption Behaviour in Northern Ghana? ......................................................................... 23
Abdallah Abdul-Hanan, Baba Hananu and Haruna Abdul-Rasheed ................................................. 23
Evaluation of Groundnut (Arachis Hypogaea L) Genotypes for Improved Agronomic Traits in the
Northern Region of Ghana ....................................................................................................................... 23
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I. K. Addai, N.N. Denwar and A. Rasheed Masawud ......................................................................... 23
Microbial Quality of Fresh Cabbage and Lettuce in a Ghanaian City: Are Vegetable Farmers
Producing Superbugs from the Farms Here? ........................................................................................ 24
Courage KosiSetsoafia Saba, Seidu Mariam and Francis Ayimbila .................................................. 24
Prevalence of Faecal Coliform (Escherichia Coli) on Students‟ Mobile Phones ................................. 24
Courage Kosi Setsoafia Saba, Stephen WilsonKpordze and Frederick Adzitey ................................. 24
Computer Technology use and its Challenges in Science Education at the Senior High School Level
in the Upper East Region of Ghana......................................................................................................... 25
Bayuo Jonas, Abukari A. Moses, and Samari A. Jonathan ................................................................. 25
Comparative Study on the Hatchability and Survival rates of Crosses between Wild and Farmed
Catfish (clarias gariepinus) Larvae Produced: using Catfish Pituitary Hormone .............................. 26
Akwasi Ampofo-Yeboah, Francis Adjei, Kwaku Amoa, Seth Mensah Abobi, ..................................... 26
Elliot Haruna Alhassan, Sandra A. Atindaana, Emmanuel Delwin Abarike and Daniel Nsor
Akongyuure ......................................................................................................................................... 26
Chlorination of water to disinfect microbes using „Rice paper‟ ........................................................... 26
Abukari Moses Abdullai, Masakazu Kita, Samare Jonathan Ayelsoma ............................................. 26
Application of Optical Activity in Biodegradation of a Synthesised Polylactic Acid .......................... 27
Abukari Moses Abdullai, Masakazu Kita, Samare Jonathan Ayelsoma ............................................. 27
ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE ................................................................................................................ 27
Drivers of North-South Migration in the Wa West District: Economic Returns or Migrants‟ Subculture? ...................................................................................................................................................... 27
Elijah Yendaw, Francis Dakyaga and Augustine Tanle ..................................................................... 27
Supporting incremental housing with housing microfinance in Ghana: Current status and
prospects for expansion ............................................................................................................................ 28
Samuel B. Biitir, Stephen Ameyaw and Baslyd B. Nara ..................................................................... 28
Why they consume indigenous food and beverage in Ghana: The international tourist perspective29
Frederick Dayour................................................................................................................................ 29
SOCIAL INCLUSION AND PROTECTION ........................................................................................ 29
Enhancing the economic capabilities of People with Disabilities through the Presbyterian
Community Based Rehabilitation Micro Credit Scheme Project of the Builsa District..................... 29
Benjamind Baneza Nuodio, Mathias Awonnatey Ateng and Joseph Abazaami .................................. 29
Challenges of Targeting as an Approach to Social Protection in Ghana: Assessment of the
Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty Programme in Wa Municipality, Upper West Region.. 30
Fauster Agbenyo ................................................................................................................................. 30
Democratic Dividends?: the Politics of Social Protection in Ghana..................................................... 30
George M. Bob-Milliar ....................................................................................................................... 30
Does Micro-credit improve or impoverish Rural Female Micro-agro Distributors? Evidence from
Tamale Metropolis in Ghana ................................................................................................................... 31
Alhassan Iddrisu ................................................................................................................................. 31
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Motivation and Activity Participation of Spa-Goers in Ghana ............................................................ 31
Charles Atanga Adongo ...................................................................................................................... 31
Rent Income analysis of an Emerging Real Estate Market: Lessons from the Wa Hostel Market in
Ghana ......................................................................................................................................................... 32
Stephen Ameyaw, Abugbila Adam Azabre and Surv Samuel Banleman Biitir.................................. 32
Knowledge and Perception of Adolescents on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights in Ghana: A
Case Study of Yamoransa in the Mfantseman Municipality ................................................................ 32
Elijah Yendaw, Ebenezer Martin-Yeboah and Daniel Bagah ............................................................. 32
Childhood Lived Experiences of Juvenile Sex Offenders Incarcerated for Sexual Offenses in Ghana
.................................................................................................................................................................... 33
Elijah Yendaw ..................................................................................................................................... 33
Are we our own Enemies? Leisure constraints of People with Visual and Physical Disabilities in
Ghana ......................................................................................................................................................... 33
Issahaku Adam .................................................................................................................................... 33
Effects of Organic Mango Outgrower Scheme on Participants‟ Livelihood in Savelugu/Nanton
Municipality, Northern Region Ghana ................................................................................................... 34
Imoro Abdul-Razak, Samuel A. Donkoh and Richard Yeboah............................................................ 34
HIGHER EDUCATION, LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE ....................................................... 34
E-Learning And Distance Education: An Innovative Strategy For Promoting Higher Education In
Ghana ......................................................................................................................................................... 34
Felicia S. Odame ................................................................................................................................. 34
Hard Nut to Crack? Indiscipline as a Challenge to Education Governance in Second Cycle
Institutions in Tamale, Ghana ................................................................................................................. 35
Abdulai Abubakari .............................................................................................................................. 35
Examining the Effects of Teacher and Self-Efficacy on the Performance of Senior High School
Students and Teachers in the Tamale Metropolis.................................................................................. 36
Thomas Asante and Issifu .................................................................................................................. 36
Infusing Competencies and Skills of Vocational Instructors: Innovations to Boost Science and
Technology for National Development .................................................................................................... 36
Clement Ayarebilla Ali and Peter Akayuure ....................................................................................... 36
The State of Teaching and Learning Design and Technology in Junior High Schools. A Case Study
of Bolgatanga Road Zone in the Tamale Metropolis ............................................................................. 37
Kere, Osman DAUD ........................................................................................................................... 37
Investigating the Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Experienced Science Teachers of Senior High
Schools in Kassena-Nankana Municipality on “States of Matter and its Cchanges‟‟ ....................... 37
Abukari Moses Abdullai, Alhassan Selima Nakro and Samare Jonathan Ayelsoma ......................... 37
TRADITIONAL AND MODERN GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS .......................................................... 38
Utilizing Indigenous Magico-religious Practices to complement Healthcare Delivery: Empirical
evidence and lessons from the use of divination in health-seeking in Northern Ghana ..................... 38
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Thomas Bavo Azongo and Adadow Yidana ....................................................................................... 38
A Critical Look at the Performance of Traditional Funeral Rites amongst the Dagaaba in the
Jirapa Traditional Area: Its Health Implications .................................................................................. 39
Kpieta B. Alfred .................................................................................................................................. 39
Infection control among Traditional Undertakers: The Bayaasis of Northern Ghana ...................... 39
Mustapha Issahaku and Joseph K. Ogah ,Patrick Ofori.................................................................... 39
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ............................................................................................................. 40
An Evaluation of the Efficacy of Reforms from 1957-2010 and the Role of the Auditor General in
the fight against Fraud and Corruption in Ghana................................................................................. 40
Stephen Delle Donpaala ..................................................................................................................... 40
The Hybridity of Authority Structures in Local Governance: Evidence from Ntonoaboma in the
Eastern Region of Ghana ......................................................................................................................... 41
Patrick OSEI-KUFUOR...................................................................................................................... 41
GOVERNANCE OF SOCIAL SERVICES ............................................................................................ 41
Crisis of Governance in the 21st Century: Enhancing Leadership as a Solution to Judgment Debts
in Ghana: A case Study of Judgment Debts from 2009-2011................................................................ 41
Stephen Delle Donpaala ..................................................................................................................... 41
ICEIR in Brief
The Institute for Continuing Education and Interdisciplinary Research (ICEIR) was established
in the year 1992. It was upgraded from a Centre to an Institute in April 2013. As one of the first
units of UDS, it is responsible for undertaking basic, applied and action oriented research that is
directly related to the development and environmental needs of Northern Ghana.
ICEIR‟s research agenda is driven by the philosophy of UDS which emphasizes communitybased problem solving and learning approach to development. To achieve its mandate, ICEIR
adopts the interdisciplinary and problem solving approach to research and capacity building in an
effort to improve the quality of lives of deprived rural communities
ICEIR exists to promote research and collaboration for socio-economic advancement in Northern
Ghana in particular and Ghana as a whole. It conducts inter-disciplinary research in the domain
of development and social sciences, facilitates and coordinates research activities in the faculties
and liaises with Civil Society Organizations to disseminate research findings for development
and policy advocacy. It organizes professional and capacity building support for grass-root
development. Apart from its quarterly seminars, ICEIR also organizes the Annual Harmattan
School in February every year, the Inter-faculty Lectures now Annual Interdisciplinary
Conference in September every year.
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
About the Annual Interdisciplinary
Conference (AIC)
This year‟s Annual Interdisciplinary
Conference (AIC) will be held at Wa
Campus of UDS on the 2nd and 3rd
September, 2015. The Theme for the
conference is: “Governance, Science,
Technology and National Development”.
The conference is being organized by ICEIR
with support from UDS management.
The main objective of the conference is to
provide a platform for academics, scientists,
industrial professionals and researchers from
all over the world to present the results of
their research activities from diverse fields.
The conference will also provide
opportunities for the delegates to share their
knowledge, ideas, innovations and problem
solving techniques. Submitted papers will be
reviewed by a technical committee of the
conference and published in a peer review
journal.








Climate Change and Natural
Resource Management
Physical planning and disaster
management
Science, Technology and Innovation
Economic Governance
Social Inclusion and Protection
Higher Education, Leadership and
Governance
Traditional and Modern Governance
Systems
Corporate Governance
Governance of Social Services
Sub-themes

Human security and migration
University for Development Studies
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Institute for Continuing Education and Interdisciplinary Research (ICEIR)
Programme for the Opening ceremony
Date: 1st to 4th September, 2015
Venue: In-Service Training Centre, Wa, Campus
1st September- arrival of ICEIR Staff and preparation of grounds for the Conference
2nd September,2015
Time
Activity
Responsibility
8: 00 -8:50 Arrival and Registration
All participants
9: 00 -9:05 Opening Prayer
Rev. Ps Dr. Alfred B. Kpieta,
Lecturer
Introduction of Chairperson
Dr. E. S. Mahama, Snr Research
Fellow, ICEIR
Chairperson‟s Acceptance Remarks
Prof. Herbert K. Dei
Welcome Address by Dean of SBL and Dean Dr. Daniel A. Bagah
in-Charge of Wa Campus
Rationale of the Annual Interdisciplinary Prof. Seidu Al-hassan, Director,
Conference by the Director of ICEIR
ICEIR
Keynote Address by the Vice Chancellor
Prof. Haruna Yakubu
Opening of Conference by Upper West Hon. Alhaji Amidu Sulemana
Regional Minister
Chairman‟s Closing Remarks
Vote of Thanks
Dr.Joseph Abazaani
Closing Prayer
Dr. Hardi Bolaji
Announcements and Group Photographs
MC
10:45
- SNACKS
All participants
11:00
MCs
Dr. Felix Longi Y. T. and Mr.
Fabian Yelsang
Rapporteurs: Abdul-Rahaman I., Emilia G. Abdulai A. and M.A. Akudugu
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HUMAN
SECURITY
MIGRATION
AND
Re-Thinking Human Security, Exclusive
Breastfeeding and Child Health Security:
Yonso Area Council in Perspective
Samuel Marfo and Bismark Osei
Abstract
Health is one of man‟s most precious
possessions. Without health, life is deprived
of its usefulness. In the light of this, Ghana
has over the years adopted various
pragmatic health measures including
exclusive breastfeeding with the view of
salvaging its citizens, especially children
from the scourge of diseases and its
attendant morbidity, which is a major
concern of human security. Interestingly, the
exclusive breastfeeding concept has been
received with a mixed reaction. While some
nursing
mothers
practice
exclusive
breastfeeding, others do not.
It is against this development that an
exploratory study was conducted in the
Yonso Area Council in the Ashanti Region,
to establish among others, the contributory
and inhibiting factors to the practice of
exclusive breastfeeding. Data gathered
through interview of 91 nursing mothers
revealed that, the awareness of nursing
mothers about exclusive breastfeeding and
its effects on the health security of the child
has been very high due to health education
from the Ghana Health Service. However,
such high awareness rate has not translated
into full adoption of the concept by all
nursing
mothers
due
to
poverty,
unemployment, erroneous understanding
and inadequate family support. The paper
advocates for a more health education and
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counselling as well as aggressive economic
reforms especially, among the rural poor as
a means of promoting and sustaining
exclusive breastfeeding practice and its
concomitant child health security in the
country.
Key words: Yonso Local Council;
Exclusive Breastfeeding; Child Health
Security
Intervention Analysis of NRSS II on Road
Traffic Accidents in Ghana
Ernest Zamanah
Abstract
Over the years, the National Road Safety
Commission of Ghana together with various
road safety stakeholder organizations in the
country has embarked on various activities
to safeguard the road. The National Road
Safety Strategy II (NRSS II) was introduced
in 2006 as an intervention technique to bring
a desired downward change in the levels of
road accident occurrences in Ghana. This
research work therefore used the concept of
Interrupted Time Series Analysis and its
applications to investigate the effect of the
intervention technique on the levels of road
accident occurrences in the country. The aim
was to develop an ARIMAX model to assess
the impact of the road safety intervention
technique.
Nationwide
quarterly
observations of road accidents cases in
Ghana from 1993 to 2010 were used in this
study and ARIMA(1, 1, 1) tentative noise
model given by (1 − 𝜙1 B) (1 − 𝐵)Nt =
(1 − θ1 𝐵)𝜀𝑡 identified. The effect of the
NRSS II intervention technique was then
hypothesized by developing the ARIMAX
(1− θ 𝐵)
model given by Zt = 𝜔oIt + (1−𝐵)(1 −1 𝜙 B) 𝜀𝑡
1
. Parameters of the intervention model were
estimated using the method of maximum
likelihood estimation. Results from the
parameter
estimation
revealed
the
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intervention did cause some downward
change in the levels of road traffic accident
occurrences but the change was not
statistically significant. The study concluded
by indicating the need for a proper
reexamination and evaluation of the factors
militating against road safety issues in the
country in order to holistically deal with the
problem of road traffic accidents.
A Cross Sectional Study of Barriers to
early Detection and Control of
Tuberculosis in the Tamale Metropolis of
Northern Ghana
Abdallah Iddrisu Yahaya
Abstract
This study used a qualitative research
approach
to
explore
the
causes,
manifestations and consequences of
tuberculosis (TB) stigma in Tamale
Metropolitan Area (TMA). It examined
reasons why TB is stigmatised and
elucidated how TB stigma manifests within
the community setting and the healthcare
system. It also explored the feelings and
experiences of TB patients, to highlight how
the fear of stigmatisation may affect case
finding and treatment adherence.
Eight focus groups (6 with the community
members, 1 with health workers, 1 with TB
Patients. Forty (40) individual interviews
(20) community members, 10 with patients
and 10 with health staff) were conducted.
Data was analysed, using SPSS.
Eleven causes of TB stigma were identified:
fear of infection; physical frailty of TB
patients; association of TB with HIV/AIDS;
perceived causes and spread of TB; outdated
societal practices about TB; public health
practice and discourse; attitudes of
healthcare workers towards TB patients;
health staff‟s own fear of TB; selfstigmatisation by TB patients; judgment,
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blaming and shaming TB patients; and past
experiences with TB. Elements of physical
and moral threats were identified in all these
causes of TB stigma. The threat the disease
poses to community members led to
imposition of socio-physical distance,
participatory restrictions and rules for
unexpected interactions on those suffering
from TB in society. Within the healthcare
system, the threat of TB affected the
attitudes and behaviours of healthcare
workers towards TB patients and TB work.
Health managers also cited TB units/wards
in isolated parts of the hospital, and failed to
provide adequate tools and equipment,
support and supervision to enable the
provision of quality TB services. The fear of
stigmatisation made the patients deny the
obvious symptoms of the disease, and report
to the hospital only after prolonged period of
self-medication in the community.
Effects of Harmattan winds on motorists
and pedestrians in Tamale Metropolis
Abdulai Hassan
Abstract
Harmattan is characterized by heavy dust
and low humidity which may have varying
effects on individuals. This study assessed
the perceived effects of harmattan on
motorists and pedestrians in the Tamale
metropolis.
A cross sectional study design was used in
which 100 respondents (motorists and
pedestrians) were randomly selected from
three business districts in Tamale:
Lamashegu market, main taxi station and
main
market.
A
semi-structured
questionnaire was administered to assess
perceived effects of harmattan. Data coding
and analysis was done using SPSS version
21. Responses from motorists and
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pedestrians were compared and p < 0.05 was
considered significant.
More than 50 % of the respondents were
males, pedestrians and were within the age
range 20-35 years and more than 30% were
traders, taxi drivers and not employed.
About
77%(62.3%
pedestrians
and
37.7%motorists) said harmattan affected
their skin and 28.6% pedestrians and 18.2%
motorists out of this reported dryness of the
skin. Being careful with their skin as a
protective measure was reported by
72.7%(42.9%
pedestrians
and
29.8
motorists) out of the 77%.About 81%
reported effects of harmattan on the lips and
out of this 49.4% (35.8% pedestrians and
13.6% motorist) said harmattan leads to
cracking of lips and 43% used lip gloss as a
protective measure. About 55% said
harmattan affected their vision and out of
this majority (87.3%) of them said
harmattan leads to blurred vision and 72.7%
used goggles as a protective measure. About
65% of the respondents said harmattan
affected their breathing pattern and out of
this 55.4% said they had difficulties in
breathing and 40% did not have any
protective measure.
Larger proportion of pedestrians reported
perceived effects of harmattan more than
motorists.
Key words: Harmattan, perceived effects,
heavy dust, motorists, pedestrians.
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the world, particularly for pregnant women
and young children. The objective of the
study was to assess the knowledge level and
practices of women on household iodized
salt utilization.
Cross sectional study design was used with
sixty four (128) households randomly
selected from six sub districts in Bole
district. In all, 384 household wives were
recruited for the study. Interviewer
administered questionnaire was used to
collect data on knowledge level and
practices of women. Iodine levels of salts
were measured using iodine test kits.
The study revealed that majority (98.2%) of
the respondents had heard about iodized salt
and 99.2% of them knew that iodized salt is
good for their health. The study again
showed that 68% of the respondents used
adequately iodized salt (>15ppm) and 32%
had their salt inadequately iodized (<15ppm
and 0ppm).The study further revealed that
half (56%) of the respondents stored their
salt in covered containers and 86.7% did not
expose their salt to sunlight while 71.1%
used packed salt. It was also discovered
from the study that 77.1% of the respondents
added salt to food during cooking at the
beginning and middle during food
preparation.
Though awareness about iodized salt and
IDD was very high, utilization was very
poor due to poor practices of household
wives in the district.
Household Iodized Salt Utilization:
Knowledge Level and Practices of
Women in Bole District
Abu Nurudeen Hudu Adam and Osman
Abuku
Abstract
Iodine deficiency disorder is a major public
health problem for populations throughout
11
CLIMATE
CHANGE
AND
NATURAL
RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT
The Prospects of Shea Trees in Climate
Change Mitigation - A Case Study in
Cheyohi in the Kumbungu District of
Northern Region
Shu-aib Jakpa Sumaila and Boamah Peprah
Collins
Abstract
This research was conducted to find out the
prospects of shea trees in climate change
mitigation in the Kumbungu District. A
Randomized Complete Block Design with
three replications was used to set up the
experiment and the data were analyzed using
analysis of variance (using Genstat). The
results were interpreted in simple descriptive
statistics in the form of graphs. The research
identified 3 cropping systems practised by
farmers and these were developed into sole
shea tree parkland model (SS), mixed shea
trees and crops model (MS) and sole crops
model (SC). Findings of the study show that
there was no significant difference at
(p<0.05) between SS and MS in carbon
stock. SS however stored more carbon (2.49
Mg ha-1 C) than MS which recorded 2.21
Mg ha-1 C. There was also no significant
difference between SS and MS (p<0.05) in
terms of C sequestered, although SS
sequestered more C (0.0246 Mg ha-1yr-1)
than MS which had 0.0217 Mg ha-1yr-1 C.
SS had the highest capacity to generate the
highest income from the sale of shea
products (CO2seq, shea nuts and fuel wood).
This was followed by MS, with SC having
the least potential. SS is therefore
recommended for adoption by farmers.
Alternatively, MS is also recommended as it
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has an almost equal potential to generate
high income and sequester C and CO2. It has
an added advantage of producing food crops
for both domestic consumption and for sale
to generate income for the upkeep of the
family.
Relative Weed control efficiency of preand post-emergence herbicides in
groundnuts (arachis hypogaea l.) In the
Guinea Savannah Zone of Ghana
I. K. Dzomeku M. Abudulai, M. Asante and
W.K. Kokonu
Abstract
Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is the
most popular leguminous crop cultivated for
food and cash in the Guinea savannah zone
of Ghana. A field experiment was conducted
to study the effect of pre-emergence and
post emergence herbicides for weed control
in groundnuts at the Savannah Agricultural
Research Institute during the 2011 and 2012
cropping seasons. The study determined the
most suitable combination of herbicides
with hand weeding that could enhance
efficient weed control and promote yield and
yield components in groundnuts. A single
factor experiment was laid out in
randomized complete block design with four
replications. Plant height, canopy spread,
plant stand, nodulation count, weed biomass,
haulm yield, weed density, number of pods
per plant and pod yield were assessed.
Pendimenthalin
at
0.15kg
a.i/ha
supplemented with Haloxyfop at 0.03kg
a.i/ha applied 4WAP gave the highest pod
yield, but similar to farmer check of twice
weeding.
Weed
biomass
correlated
negatively with nodulation count whilst
haulm yield had positive coefficient with
pod yield. WCE was maximized by the
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application of Bentazon at 0.14kg a.i/ha plus
1HW at 7DAP or Pendimenthalin at 0.15kg
a.i/ha plus Propaquizafop at 0.02kg a.i/ha at
4WAP.
WI
was
minimized
with
Pendimenthalin at 0.15kg a.i/ha plus 1HW at
4WAP (8%) and Bentazon at 0.14kg a.i/ha
at 28DAP plus 1HW at 49DAP (24%,
2012). Summed dominance ratio of weed
species amplified broadleaves, namely
Ageratum conyzoides (L), Corchorus
olitorius (Linn) and Ludwigia abyssinica (A.
Rich). Season-long unweeded control gave
pod yield loss of 43 to 69%. Overall,
herbicide treatments performed better than
the weedy check under moderate rainfall in
2012,
implicating
good
agronomic
management on the performance of the
chemicals.
Keywords: Herbicides, Groundnut, Pod
yield, Weeds and weed control efficiency.
Climate change Impact on Smallholder
Agriculture and Adaptation strategies in
the Sisili-Kulpawn Basin of the Northern
Region of Ghana
Mercy Obenewaah Owusu and Joseph
Amikuzuno
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and poverty rates using Trade-Off Analysis
Minimum Data (TOA-MD) approach. The
study is based on a survey of 200 farm
households randomly sampled from the
SKB during the 2013/2014 production
seasons. The study combined simulated and
expected crop and livestock yields under
three different climate scenarios and
projections made for the year 2030. An
intensive
and
expanded
irrigation
technology was introduced as climate
change adaptation strategy. The findings
revealed that farmers lack the optimal input
level needed for an acre of land; farmers
were overusing the production inputs and
needed to scale-down their usage per an acre
of land in order to reap the maximum gains
from the inputs used. Also, livelihood
outcome variables like income and poverty
levels were sensitive to the different climate
scenarios, whereby climate change will
reduce yields, income, mean net revenue and
resilience of farmers in the study area
without appropriate adaptation strategies to
offset such effects.
The Role of Under-utilized Traditional
Crops in Climate Change Mitigation
Abstract
Yakubu Balma Issaka and Richard Yeboah
Nartey
This study analyzes the impact of climate
change on smallholder agriculture with and
without adaptation in the Sisili-Kulpawn
Basin (SKB) of the Northern Region (NR)
of Ghana. The study estimated the
significant effects of the production inputs
used on output levels under the current
production systems assuming no change in
the climate using the Cobb-Douglas
production function. In addition, we
estimated the economic outcomes of climate
change on farmers‟ livelihood indicators
namely, net returns per farm, net income,
Abstract
Climate change is expected to have dire
consequences for agricultural production
especially, in poorer and developing
countries including Africa where agriculture
is mainly low input, rain-fed and subsistence
in nature (Antwi Anna, 2013). Added to this
is the fact that smallholder agriculture
accounts for about 70% of employment in
rural areas in developing countries (IPCC,
2007).Ultimately, climate change has a
direct link to food security, more so, for
smallholder and resource poor farmers
13
whose survivals depend solely on their
ability to eke a livelihood during the short
and increasingly unreliable rainy season.
The need for crop diversification, from the
few staples in order to fight climate change
has been called for( Ebert A.W., 2014). In
Northern Ghana, the use of traditional crop
and forest products in supplementing
household diets in rural areas is well known.
However, they have often been considered
as „minor‟ crops and have, consequently, not
been accorded much attention by researchers
and policy makers. This paper explores the
role of this category of important but underutilized products in relation to promoting
household food security among rural
households and boosting their resilience to
mitigate the negative effects of climate
change. The study combines extensive
literature review with empirical field-based
studies to explore this subject. Various field
studies were conducted over the period
between 2010 and 2014 to examine the
importance of less utilized forest and crop
products in household food security in the
Northern Ghana comprising the Northern,
Upper West and Upper East Regions. The
studies employed a combination of
quantitative and qualitative data collection
methods that included questionnaire
administration, focus group discussion and
in-depth key informant interviews. The
results reveal that rural households depend
on a large number of crops and forest
products for food and income. The reliance
of poor households on these products during
periods of drought and poor harvests has
been underscored. The literature review also
revealed that traditional forest and crop
products are a good source of micronutrients that contribute significantly to
improved health in rural areas most of which
lack regular access to health services.
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Flooding and Rental Values in Kumasi
Elvis Attakora-Amaniampong, Dacosta
Aboagye and Ebenezer Owusu-Sekyere
Abstract
Not many empirical studies have examined
the flood impact on the rental values of
residential properties. By addressing this gap
in the literature, this study examined the
impact of floods on rental values of single
room, chamber and hall, two bedroom and
three bedroom residential property types in
Kumasi, Ghana. Again, this work estimated
the difference between the non-flooded
rental values and flooded rental values.
Based on the repeated sales model with an
experimental block design, data were
analysed by T-Test. In addition, the
Confidence
Interval
Estimator
was
employed to gauge the difference between
the non-flooded rental values and flooded
rental values on average for all contacted
property types. The study demonstrated that
rental values of non-flooded residential
properties in the study area were generally
higher than those of the flooded counterparts
by a margin of GH¢ 62.66 ± 0.09 annually.
Also, rental values of each of the residential
property
types
exhibited
different
responsiveness to floods impact. This study
indicates that more studies on the property
rental value impact of ﬂood events should be
done in all the regions of Ghana.
Keywords: Floods, Residential Property
rental value,T-Test, Kumasi, Ghana.
Climate Change, Rapid Urbanisation and
Food Security as Causes of Vulnerability
and Poor Livelihoods in West Africa
D. Chirawurah, N. Santuah, J. Amikuzuno,
E. Derbile and B. Konlaan
Abstract
14
Growing frequency and severity of extreme
climate change-related events such as
droughts, floods, heat waves and shifting
rainfall patterns threaten to overwhelm the
natural resilience of African communities,
risking livelihoods, deepening poverty and
food insecurity. Widespread poverty, fragile
ecosystems,
weak
institutions,
uncoordinated policy frameworks, and
fragmented information systems compound
Africa‟s vulnerability to climate change
risks. What makes people and systems
vulnerable? What resilience dimensions and
indicators mark peoples livelihoods? What
entry points and interventions are needed to
fortify capacities, reduce vulnerabilities and
create
resilience
among
affected
populations? The West Africa Resilience
Innovation Lab (WA RILab) seeks to
strengthen the resilience of communities via
data-driven
approaches
to
tracing
vulnerabilities, resilience dimensions and
entry points for livelihood improvements in
five urban areas across Ghana, Senegal and
Mali. This paper presents WA RILab‟s
findings from multiple perspectives. The
aim is to strengthen the resilience of African
communities to climate change-related
shocks and stresses.
Key words: Vulnerability, Resilience,
Climate Change, West Africa, Livelihoods,
Food Security.
Provision of Solid Waste Disposal
Management Facilities: Assessment of
User-Patronage in a Nucleated Settlement
in Wa, UWR
Kofi Osei and Stephen Ameyaw
Abstract
Purpose: The problem of environmental
sanitation is the negative impact it has onthe
people who suffer from outbreak of diseases
like, cholera, malaria, diarrhea etc.
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Empirical evidence is that such diseases are
caused by indiscriminate waste disposal and
stagnant water created by the people without
regard to waste disposal facilities. The
purpose of this research was to find the link
waste disposal facilities has with userpatronage. The aim was to ascertain the right
quality or quantity of waste disposal
management facilities that suit the tradition
of the people.
The research gathered data from the nucleus
settlement of Wa Township within one-mile
radius from the centre. The sample size of
houses and sample population and their
individual ratios to the available waste
disposal facilities were worked out.
Residents‟ behaviours were identified from
questionnaires and interviews. The five
point Likert Scale was used to measure the
level of residents‟ patronage in waste
disposal.
The study shows that low polluted areas had
high patronage measurement than high
polluted areas. Surroundings of waste
disposal management facilities proved to be
unkempt and dangerous to go near. Disposal
facilities remained full at their positions for
weeks without empting them. Tradition and
demography did not matter much when it
came to indiscriminate pollution.
The Wa Municipal Assembly must enforce
environmental
control
laws
with
traditionally respected rules to support the
effective supervision of waste disposals. The
Ghana Education Service has to impart
knowledge of community hygiene into
pupils to change their behaviours towards
wastes disposal outside and not only inside
homes. The community member self-help
projects may work for good sanitation and
sustenance.
This research was based on primary survey
linking the people‟s patronage with the
available waste disposal management
facilities. The value lay in the type, quality
15
and quantity suitable for particular set of
people.
Key words: Solid waste, indiscriminate
disposal,
user-patronage,
nucleated
settlement, Wa.
Climate change and livelihoods: The case
of the Northern Savannah Zone
Emelia Guo & Julius Bradford Lamptey
Abstract
The issue of climate change represents a
serious threat to livelihoods dependent on
natural resource exploitation, particularly
agriculture. Experts acknowledge that it is a
critical risk to food security and the most
vulnerable people are already being affected
the most. In Ghana, the Northern Savannah
Zone (NSZ) is endowed with many natural
resources consisting of renewable and nonrenewable resources. Natural resource
exploitation, including agriculture which
remains a dominant activity, serves as a
means for survival and livelihood strategy to
individuals, family, and the community at
large. Based on data obtained from the
NSHDR survey, the paper addresses climate
change and livelihoods in the NSZ. Some of
the commonly reported incidence of climate
change on farm based livelihoods are
droughts, flood and unpredictable winds
which can erode the viability of coping
strategies overtime. Other effects on
agricultural based livelihoods include crop
failure, high agricultural inputs, low
agricultural products, and emergence of new
disease in terms of numbers and frequency.
There are limited opportunities for off-farm
and non-farm economic activities. Local
residents now perceive agriculture in general
as arduous and a risk activity. Despite these
challenges, efforts have been channeled to
developing short term coping strategies that
lead to long term adaptation and mitigation.
However, the sustainability of these coping
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strategies depends on the ability of local
people to translate them to long term
adaptation. The paper recommends that
future adaptation and mitigation efforts must
focus on practices that ensure effective land
and water management; building rural
infrastructure and commercial capacity to
facilitate access to markets; supporting
activities that strengthens the productivity of
small holdings under food security;
strengthening
local
institutions
and
promotion of inter-ethnic dialogue; and
disseminating research and development
innovations,
including
improved
technologies and new agricultural practices
that promote triple gains of food security,
sociopolitical stability and ecological
integrity.
Keywords: climate change; livelihoods;
Northern
Savannah
Zone;
resource
exploitation; adaptation; mitigation.
The Socio-economic Impact of Climate
Change Adaptation On Smallholder
Farmers in the Lawra District, Upper
West Region, Ghana
Nana Yamoah Asafu-Adjaye and Joseph
Amikuzuno
Abstract
Climate change is severe in sub-Saharan
Africa where agriculture is an important
source of livelihood for a majority of rural
populations. This implies that, as
smallholder farmers strive to overcome
poverty, climate change threatens to deepen
their vulnerability and undermine their
prospects for development. In this, the
empirical evidence of the economic impacts
of climate change in semi-arid Ghana,
specifically in the Lawra District of the
Upper West Region is presented. The tradeoff analysis minimum data model was used
to estimate the economic impact of climate
16
change on smallholder farmers. The focus is
on three staple crops namely maize,
groundnut and cowpea and the aim is to
determine the impacts of climate change on
poverty rates among smallholder farmers;
examine the proportions of farms that would
gain or lose from climate change with and
without adaptation; and analyze the
associated income effects for adopters and
non-adopters
of possible adaptation
strategies under climate change using five
key climate model scenarios. The findings
reveal negative impacts of climate change
on farmer‟s net revenue, per capita income
and poverty rates without adaptation and
with adaptation for mid-century. However,
adaptation (irrigation) results shows that
farms will have an increase in net revenue
gains by as much as 10% to 17%, per capita
income increases between 1% and 7%
within upland farms but shows a decrease
between 2% and 9% for lowland farms.
Accordingly, poverty rates are shown to
decline from 16% to 8% in the Lawra
district across all farms household.
Key words: climate change, impacts, Ghana,
mid-century, adaptation.
Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Growth
and Grain yield of Pearl Millet
(pennicetum glaceum l.) In the Guinea
Savanna Zone of Ghana
Isaac K. Addai and Baba Salifu
Abstract
Gamma irradiation is one of the physical
mutagen widely used for mutation breeding.
In the present study, irradiation techniques
were applied to investigate its effect on
growth and yield of pearl millet in the
Guinea Savannah agro-ecological zone of
Ghana. Pearl millet (Var. Naara) seeds were
irradiated with gamma rays (100, 200, 300
Gy and a control). Irradiated seeds and the
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control were laid out in a Randomized
Complete Block Design with four
replications at the experimental field of
University for Development studies in
Ghana. Observations were made for plant
height, tiller and productive tiller numbers,
earliness to flowering, head length, width
and weight, 100 seed weight and grain yield.
Gamma irradiation at 100 and 200 Gy
revealed stimulatory effect for all characters
studied in the segregating M2 generation
relative to the control and 300 Gy, which
performed similar in most of the characters.
Superior strains were screened based on
variation in growth and yield traits in the M2
for advancement to M3 generation. Result
obtained will as well be published in the
near future
Keywords: Gamma, irradiation,
variety, mutation, mutagen.
dose,
Assessing the Technical Efficiency of
Maize Production in Northern Ghana:
The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)
Approach
Shamsudeen Abdulai, Paul K. Nkegbe,
Samuel A. Donkoh
Abstract
This study used the input oriented data
envelopment analysis model to examine the
technical efficiency of maize production in
northern Ghana using cross-sectional data
for the 2011/2012 cropping season. The
input oriented technical efficiency model
determines how much input quantities could
be proportionately minimized without
affecting the output quantities produced. The
mean technical efficiency of 77% in this
study gave credence to the existence of
technical inefficiency of 23%. The efficient
farmers used an average of 395.80kg of
fertilizer, 27.04 kg of seed, 4.04 litres of
weedicides and employed 3 persons on a
3.37 hectare plot to produce a yield of
17
2.34tons/ha of maize. In order for the
inefficient farmers to climb up to the
production level of the efficient (reference)
farmers, they would have to increase plot
size by 0.16 hectares, reduce fertilizer use
by 55.53kg, seed use by 4.72kg and
weedicides use by 1.07 litres. Largely,
maize production in northern Ghana
exhibited increasing returns to scale. The
determinants of technical efficiency were
access to agricultural extension service,
mechanization service and formal. Among
others, the extension system should be
strengthened by government to provide
regular extension service to farmers to
enable them improve on their technical
efficiency.
Key words: Data Envelope Analysis; Maize;
Northern Ghana; Technical Efficiency.
Climate change and health: a case study
at Bongo District of Upper East Region of
Ghana
Emmanuel Arhin, and Mercy Abarike
Abstract
Climate change has both benefits and a bane
to human development. Reports on climate
change indicate unprecedented rates of
global warning of which the expected causes
may come from a combination of natural
and human activities. Evidence of stresses
on climate system impacting on earth‟s
surface include rising surface temperatures,
frequent flooding and drought, changes in
natural ecosystems and chaotic rainfall
patterns. All of these changes are intimately
linked to the health of human society.
Climatic conditions affect human well-being
both directly through the physical effect of
climatic extremes and indirectly through
influences on the levels of pollution in the
air, on the agricultural, marine and fresh
water systems that provide food and water
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and on the vectors and pathogens that cause
infectious diseases. This paper reviewed
climate anomalies and their impact on
human health in Bongo District of Upper
East of Ghana.
Key words: Climate change, Pollution,
Infectious diseases, human health, Bongo
District
Mainstreaming
Climate
Change
Adaptation into Development Planning
for Sustainable Development in the
Kassena-Nankana West District
Raymond A. Atanga, Daniel K. B. Inkoom
Abstract
Climate change is one of the biggest threats
to the growth and development of Ghana.
The 2007 and 2010 flood disasters in
Northern Ghana are manifestations that
climate change can undermine or even
reverse the success and sustainability of
development interventions. Because the
frequency and severity of climate change
induced disasters are expected to increase
overtime, the need to mainstream climate
change adaptation into development
planning at the national and sub-national
levels cannot be ignored. Consequently, this
paper argues that sustainable development
outcomes under climate change are the
products of proactive/planned adaptation
processes involving mainstreaming. In this
vein, the paper examines the extent to which
climate change adaptation has been
mainstreamed into planning in the KassenaNankana West District. Using the qualitative
research approach involving the use of indepth interviews, focus group discussions
and content analysis of district development
plans and annual reports, the study found
that, the level of awareness and institutional
capacity for mainstreaming climate change
adaptation at the district and sub-district
levels were low. Also, district development
18
plans failed to address climate change
adaptation. Therefore, building resilience
against climate risk through district level
planning still remains a challenge. It is
therefore, necessary to raise awareness and
build institutional capacities at the district
and sub-district levels to facilitate the
mainstreaming of climate change adaptation
for sustainable development in Ghana.
PHYSICAL PLANNING AND
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
From Local Risk to National Disaster:
Risk Interpretation and Response to
Disasters in Urban Ghana
Ebenezer Owusu-Sekyere, Robert Adjuik
Yakubu
Abstract
This study contributes to the existing
literature on disaster risk management in
sub-Saharan African cities. The paper argues
that recent scale of losses from catastrophic
fire and flood disasters in urban Ghana
epitomizes the prize humanity pays for
failing to build resilience to risks. The
effects of such disasters do not only
manifest in the number of lives and property
lost, but also vital livelihood support
systems are perpetually ruined. The basic
infrastructure necessary to respond to
disasters is also severely damaged inflicting
a terrible toll on communities. Taking the 3rd
June, 2015 twin disaster (flood and fire) in
Accra as a point of departure and drawing
on insights from a wide range of data
sources, the emerging evidences suggest that
lessons gleaned from historical disasters
have provided clueless viewpoint on how to
avert future disasters. Disasters are still
viewed to be one-off, unpredictable and
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natural events. From that perspective, the
future is virtually treated as independent of
the
present.
Consequently,
disaster
management, which offers a collective
safety net in order to protect communities
against setbacks, is envisioned to be a post
disaster activity focusing mainly on rescue,
relief and rehabilitation with emphasis on
state-centric
approaches.
The
paper
concludes that while there is the need for
deeper understanding and documentation of
the causes of past events, risk reduction and
preparedness should be the new paradigm if
disaster impacts are to be mitigated.
Keywords: Disasters, Fire, Floods, Risk
Management, Urban Ghana.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND
INNOVATION
Lifespan and Reproductive effects of
Dietary Restriction on Daphnia pulex
Dzigbodi A. Doke Sherri L. Hudson and
Julia M. Gohlke
Abstract
Test Organisms are used in toxicology
research as a surrogate for human exposure.
Rodents and other small mammals are
usually the models of choice, but new
research methods include other models
mainly because of its cost-effectiveness.
Daphnia is one such new model. In this
current study, we explore the effects of
dietary restriction using the Daphnia pulex
(D. pulex) as test organisms. Dietary
restriction has been shown to increase
lifespan in a variety of organisms, from
yeast to primates. Here we examine lifespan
and reproduction in Daphnia pulex in
19
response to two different food rations. We
cultured D. pulex in either full ration
(80,000 cells/ml) or reduced ration (40,000
cells/ml)
of
the
algae,
Ankistrodesmusfalcatus. We also measured
consumption of algal cells through
estimation
of
Ank.
falcatus
cell
concentration before and after media
changes in each food ration condition. Data
collected suggest that, adult Daphnia fed the
low food ration consumed 44% of the algal
cells consumed by Daphnia given the
standard food ration. At this consumption
level, our experiments provide no evidence
of differences in lifespan at the two different
food rations. A reduction in reproduction
and smaller brood sizes were observed in
those fed reduced ration versus those on a
standard ration. Our current data do not
support lifespan extension through a reduced
food ration, although additional levels of
food ration will be important to explore in
future research.
Functional 1H-MRS of Human Brain
Metabolism using Eight Radiofrequency
Excitations
Abdul Nashirudeen MUMUNI1 and John
McLEAN
Abstract
Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
(1H-MRS) acquisition focusing on the blood
oxygenation level dependent (BOLD)
contrast mechanism was implemented in this
study to investigate the impact of spectral
averaging (determined by the number of RF
excitations, NEX) on the dynamics of
cerebral metabolism during neuroactivation.
Using NEX = 8, the BOLD effects on
cerebral water and six metabolites were
studied at 3.0 T. Spectra were recorded from
the visual cortex of four healthy volunteers
during single and interleaved visual
stimulation. Generally, single stimulation
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was found to induce greater BOLD effects
on the spectra than interleaved stimulation
(p = 0.02). The water resonance showed
significant (p < 0.01) increase in peak height
(18.4%) and decrease in line width (-3.5%)
in the single, but not in the interleaved
stimulation. The water peak area however
did not change significantly in both
stimulation paradigms. Only Cr showed
significant line width decrease (-3.1%) in
the interleaved stimulation paradigm (p =
0.04). In the single stimulation paradigm,
both NAA (11.2%; p = 0.01) and Cr (7.2%;
p = 0.02) showed significant increases in
their peak areas, while Cho was the only
metabolite that showed significant increase
in its peak height (2.2%; p = 0.01). None of
the minor metabolites (Glu, Gln, and mI)
showed significant BOLD response in both
paradigms (p > 0.05). The results of this
study were consistent with previous studies
at higher fields, indicating that NEX = 8
could improve accuracy of functional MRS
studies at lower fields through quicker
spectral averaging to eliminate motionrelated artifacts.
Key words: BOLD; MRS; brain; NEX;
visual stimulation; metabolite; cerebral
water.
Evaluation of the effects of Organic
Materials of Groundnut shell, Rice husk
and Rice straw on Maize (zea mays l.)
Productivity in the Guinea Savannah
Zone
Israel K. DZOMEKU, Osman ILLIASU and
Charles K. Adarkwah
Abstract
Integrated soil nutrient management is the
best approach to supply adequate and
balanced soil nutrients to increase maize
20
productivity in sub-Saharan Africa due to in
situ nutrient deficiencies. The main
objective of the study was to investigate the
synergistic effect of untreated organic and
inorganic fertilizers on soil properties and
yield of maize (Zea mays L.). Three types of
organic materials (grounded groundnut
shells (GGS), rice husk(RH), and rice straw
(RS)) on dry matter basis at three levels (2.5
t/ha, 5 t/ha and 7.5 t/ha) were combined in
factorial experiment (3×3×3) with three
levels of inorganic NPK (0- 0-0 kg/ha, 4530-30 kg/ha and 90-60-60 kg/ha) plus a pure
control and laid out in Randomized
Complete Block Design with four
replications. The highest grain yield (P≤
0.05) was obtained from application of
GGS3 + Full NPK, GGS3 + ½ NPK, RS3 +
Full NPK, RS3 + ½ NPK, RH3 + Full NPK
and RH3 + ½ NPK. 100 seed weight was
maximised with RH3 + Full NPK, RH3 + ½
NPK, RS3 + Full NPK, RS3 + ½ NPK,
GGS3 + Full NPK and GGS3 + ½ NPK.
Treatments GGS3 + Full NPK, GGS3 + ½
NPK, RS3 + Full NPK, RS3 + ½ NPK, RH3
+ Full NPK and RH3 + ½ NPK gave the
longest cob length hand. Application of RS3
+ Full NPK, RS3 + ½ NPK, RS2 + Full
NPK, RS2 + ½ NPK, GGS3 + Full NPK,
GGS3 + ½ NPK, RH3 + Full NPK and RH3
+ ½ NPK supported the highest cob weight.
Stover weight was maximum at GGS3 +
Full NPK, GGS3 + ½ NPK, RH3 + Full
NPK, RH3 + ½ NPK, RS3 + Full NPK and
RS3 + ½ NPK. The regression analysis
showed cob weight (R2 = 0.9458) and stover
weight (R2 = 0.8224) supported grain yield.
Soil properties of soil pH, organic carbon,
nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium were
improved. The integrated soil nutrient
management strategy tested is a sustainable
technology that could fit into the status of
the resource poor farmers in the Guinea
savannah zone.
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Key words: Integrated soil nutrient
management, maize productivity, organic
material.
Nutrient use in smallholder small
ruminant production systems in Northern
Ghana
S. P Konlan, A. Ayantunde, W. Addah, H. K.
Dei, F. K. Avornyo and N. Karbo
Abstract
A study was conducted in Northern Ghana
(Northern, Upper East and Upper West
regions) to quantify seasonal and regional
nutrient use of small ruminant production
system in smallholder farms under two
levels of intensification in terms of inputs
application (appropriate concentrate feed
supplementation and medication verses no
or low application of the former referred to
as farmer practice in this study) and its
implication to sheep productivity. Six farms
(3 from each level of intensification) were
selected per community from six
communities in the study area. These farms
nutrient inputs in supplementary feed offer,
animals‟ grazing on natural pasture and crop
residue and faecal output were monitored in
the dry season by sampling of feed, and
faecal matter for laboratory analysis to
determine amount of nutrient inflow and
outflow in the system and weighing of
animals for growth performance. The data
collected was compared between the two
intensification levels, among the 3 regions in
northern Ghana and between two monitoring
period in the dry season (early dry and late
dry season) to determine the existence of
differences. The study suggests that feed
supplementation and medication offered to
the small ruminants as high level of
intensification (treatment two) have led to
high nutrient intake generally than those on
21
treatment one with CP and N daily intake
being significantly higher (P<0.05) in
treatment two group than animals on
treatment one. Consequently, higher average
daily gain of 83.7 g/animal/d was recorded
in treatment two significantly higher
(P<0.05) than 32.7 g/animal/d for the
control
animals
(farmer
practice).
Significant seasonal effect (P<0.05) on
supplemental feed intake was also observed
with early dry season recording higher
(P<0.05) supplemental feed intake of 12 g /
kg LW/d than the late dry seasons‟ value of
8 g / kg LW/d. Values of the various
nutrients compositions of commonly grazed
pasture were not significant (P>0.05) in all
the regions and between early and late dry
season. The treatment applied did not affect
the mean daily faecal output. Similar
amount of faecal matter was voided daily by
both control and treatment groups of
animals. The faecal output of the rams
however, differed significantly (P<0.05) in
the two monitored periods with late dry
season faecal output recording a higher
mean of 278.10 g /ram / d on DM basis than
the early dry season. The cost of the
concentrate supplementary feed and
medication is however challenging to
smallholder farmers but increased in
economic returns through sales of good
conditioned animals and year round flock
overall productivity such as increase in birth
rate, multiple births and reduce lambs and
kids mortality will increase profitability
thereby making it sustainable if the
technology is adopted.
Key words: smallholder farmers, nutrient
use, farmers practice, medication, dry
season.
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Globalizing Innovation:
Telecommunications Literacy and
Development in Ghana
George Gyadare
Abstract
This paper explores the developmental
implications of mobile phone technology in
Ghana‟s development. The paper aims at
contributing potential findings that may be
more broadly applied in the understanding
of new technological innovations in Ghana‟s
development quest and other developing
countries and regions of the world. This
research would be of interest not only to
academic scholars, but also policy makers,
policy implementers, advanced technology
industry and those interested in the realm of
development. In Africa, governments, the
private sector, development agencies, nongovernmental organizations and global
organizations have been incorporating
technological considerations in the goal to
drive development efficiency in the socioeducational, economical, political and
cultural sectors. Such trends rhyme with the
contemporary modern environment of the
global technology age.
This paper is an exploratory account on the
education and participation of Ghana in the
contemporary
mobile
phone
telecommunications technology as part of
broader
information
communications
technology (ICT) age. It mainly explores the
implementation of the mobile phone
communication device in the development
context of Ghana. In a globalized world of
technologically driven modernity, this paper
narrates the transformation of Ghana‟s
access and use of mobile phones within the
national development context of Ghana.
Mining a range or primary, secondary and
electronic sources it focuses on the
following two questions: In what context did
22
the mobile phone emerge in Ghana? Does
knowledge of the role that the mobile phone
technology plays educate Ghana to
successfully confront the challenges of
development?
Count data Models of Information
Technology Innovations in Banking:
which best describes Customers‟
Adoption Behaviour in Northern Ghana?
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Key words: Adoption, banking, count data
models, IT innovations, Ghana.
Evaluation of Groundnut (Arachis
Hypogaea L) Genotypes for Improved
Agronomic Traits in the Northern Region
of Ghana
I. K. Addai, N.N. Denwar and A. Rasheed
Masawud
Abdallah Abdul-Hanan, Baba Hananu and
Haruna Abdul-Rasheed
Abstract
The quest for survival, global relevance,
maintenance of existing market share and
sustainable development had left no option
for organizations but placed them within the
framework of binary choice: either to
compete to survive or die. A choice to
compete means choosing to offer quality
services to customers which are facilitated
by modern Information Technology (IT)
innovations. This paper examines the extent
to which customers have adopted IT
innovations introduced in banking by
Ghanaian banks. Multi-stage sampling
procedure was used to obtain 476 customers
for the study. The Poisson and Negative
Binomial models are employed to estimate
the intensity of adoption of banking
innovations. The Poisson model fits to the
data better than the Negative Binomial
model. The Poisson model results indicate
that number of visits made by a customer to
a bank, relative advantage, triability,
compatibility and perception of family
members and friends are the main
determinants of intensity of IT innovation
adoption. This thus, highlights the
importance of introducing innovations that
are not only user-friendly, but beneficial in
terms of cost especially when compared
with other innovations.
Abstract
Studies were conducted at the experimental
fields of the Savannah Agricultural Research
Institute (SARI) in the Northern Region of
Ghana from July to October 2012 and
repeated during the farming season 2013 to
evaluate some selected groundnut genotypes
for their yielding ability, early maturing and
resistance to Cercospora leaf spot diseases.
Five groundnut varieties namely „Nama‟,
„Chinese‟,
„Nkatiesari‟,
„Adepa‟and
„Florunner‟, and the following eight
breeding lines 06GAF1649, 06GAF1675,
06GAF1665, 06GAF1693, 06GAF1713,
06GAF1714, 06GAF1723 and 06GAF1748
were evaluated using randomized complete
block design with three replications in the
field. Results obtained indicated that, the
higher the incidence of Cercospora, the
lower the seed yield, and the higher the
canopy spread and/or haulm weight of
plants, the greater the seed yield. Genotype
06GAF1748 was early in terms of flowering
and would therefore escape drought in the
Guinea Savannah agroecology but was
susceptible to Cercospora leaf spot.
Genotypes 06GAF1723 and 06GAF1665
recorded relatively low incidences of
Cercospora leaf spot and had high grain
yield. Genotype 06GAF1723 produced high
haulm weight similarly to Adepa and
Nkatiesari which are already released
23
varieties. Genotype 06GAF1723 would thus
be suitable for feeding livestock and also
serve as soil conditioners. The study
recommends the following breeding lines:
06GAF1748, 06GAF1723 and 06GAF1665
for multilocational trials for possible release
as commercial varieties in the study area.
Key
words:
groundnut
genotypes,
cercospora leaf spot, canopy spread,
earliness, grain yield.
Microbial Quality of Fresh Cabbage and
Lettuce in a Ghanaian City: Are
Vegetable Farmers Producing Superbugs
from the Farms Here?
Courage KosiSetsoafia Saba, Seidu Mariam
and Francis Ayimbila
Abstract
The study was to determine the microbial
quality and safety of cabbage and lettuce
sold on the markets and Streets of a
Ghanaian city in order to have a baseline
data for Hazard Analysis and Critical
Control Point measures for the reduction of
heavy microbial contamination of prepared
salads that are sold mostly with street foods
in Ghana. A total of 82 Cabbage and
Lettuce samples were collected from more
than 50 local groceries from various
locations in the Tamale Metropolis to isolate
E. coli and Shiga-Toxin producing E.
coli(STEC) and further performed antibiotic
susceptibility test for all the isolated
organisms to determine the extent of
resistance to commonly used antibiotics.
Total Cabbage samples collected was 50 and
32 for Lettuce. E. coli was isolated from 19
(38%) cabbage samples and 19 (59%)
lettuce samples. STEC was determined in 4
(8%) cabbage samples and 3 (9%) lettuce
samples. Three of the STEC isolates from
cabbage were E. coli O157 (75%) while one
lettuce sample was E. coli O157 (25%). Six
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antibiotic disks were used to test for
susceptibility
namely
ampicillin,
tetracycline, chloramphenicol, gentamicin,
ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime. Ampicillin
recorded the highest resistance rate of 84%
in cabbage isolates and 79% in lettuce
isolates. Seventy nine percent (79%) of
cabbage isolates and 74% lettuce isolates
were resistant to cefotaxime. Prevalence rate
of 53% cabbage isolates and 42% lettuce
isolates were resistant tochloramphenicol.
Also STEC isolates from both cabbage and
lettuce showed 100% resistant to
cefotaxime. The observation made from the
results in the study showed that, there is
high prevalence of E. coli than STEC from
the cabbage and lettuce samples collected
from the Tamale Metropolis and both E. coli
and STEC isolates have high resistance to
ampicillin, cefotaxime and chloramphenicol.
The resistance to especially cefotaxime,
which is a third generation cephalosporin is
alarming since it is a drug of last resort and
may be of public concern when these
resistance genes are acquired just by eating
unhygienically processed cabbage and
lettuce. Measures must be taken to reduce
the microbial load on both cabbage and
lettuce since some of them are produced
with wastewaters here in Ghana.
Prevalence of Faecal Coliform
(Escherichia Coli) on Students‟ Mobile
Phones
Courage Kosi Setsoafia Saba, Stephen
WilsonKpordze and Frederick Adzitey
Abstract
Mobile phones can be good sources of
infections among all classes of people
especially those who use them frequently
without regular cleaning.
The study
assessed the prevalence of faecal coliform
(E. coli) on mobile phones of Students from
24
UDS, Nyankpala Campus. One hundred and
twenty students were interviewed with
structured questionnaires about how they
handled their mobiles phones and swab
samples of their mobile phones were also
taken. Sterile swabs moistened with sterile
demineralized water were rubbed over both
surfaces of the mobile phone and casing.
Sampled swabs were plated on MacConkey
agar and incubated for 24 and 48 hours at a
temperature of 44.5 oC. All lactose
fermenting colonies with the typical E.
colipheno types were counted under a
magnified colony counter. Presumptivepositive colonies from MacConkey testing
were aseptically transferred by streaking
onto Simmons citrate agar plates for
confirmatory test using sterilized tooth pick
following incubation at 35 oC (± 2 oC).
Negative pure E. coli colonies observed
were then isolated from the MacConkey
agar plates and streaked on nutrient agar
plates and stored for future use. Findings
indicated that 99.17 ± 0.5% mobile phones
of all types sampled carried faecal coliforms
with a mean colony-forming unit of
51±1.5.Fifty eight percent (58%)of the
respondents did not clean their phones
regularly while 42% do clean their phones.
It is recommended that mobiles phones
should be cleaned with rubbing alcohol
(70%) at least ones in a week to reduce the
levels of faecal coliforms on mobiles
phones.
Key Words: Mobile phones, Faecal
Coliforms, Infections, Students,
Sterile
swabs.
Computer Technology use and its
Challenges in Science Education at the
Senior High School Level in the Upper
East Region of Ghana
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Bayuo Jonas, Abukari A. Moses, and Samari
A. Jonathan
Abstract
The use of ICT in the classroom is very
important for providing opportunities for
teachers and students to learn to operate in an
information age. Studying technology and
its challenges in teaching and learning
environments may assist educators to
become successful technology adopters in the
future. A cross-sectional survey design with
mixed quantitative and qualitative data was
gathered for the study. Questionnaire was
used as an instrument for the study and was
based on the technology requirement in the
SHS science curriculum. The data collected
were analysed using both qualitative and
quantitative methods. The population of the
study comprised all science teachers and
students in the Upper East Region. A
stratified sampling method was used to
select 40 teachers and 240 students. The
findings indicate that teachers and students
had a strong desire to integrate ICT into
education; but that, they encountered many
challenges that de-motivate them from using
it in the classroom. The major barriers were
skills and previous experiences in using
technology, knowledge of integrating
technology
into
teaching/learning,
availability of appropriate teaching/learning
materials, technical support, time and
opportunities to learn. The findings revealed
that teachers and students use of technology
in teaching and learning was quite minimal
due to the technological challenges. The
results of the study also suggest that there
must be strong support of both the
instructional and administrative aspects of
ICT in the schools so that teachers and
students will be able to embrace ICT fully in
teaching and learning science in their
classroom.
25
Key Words; Computer Technology,
Science, Information and Communication
Technology, Teaching and Learning.
Comparative Study on the Hatchability
and Survival rates of Crosses between
Wild and Farmed Catfish (clarias
gariepinus) Larvae Produced: using
Catfish Pituitary Hormone
Akwasi Ampofo-Yeboah, Francis Adjei,
Kwaku Amoa, Seth Mensah Abobi,
Elliot Haruna Alhassan, Sandra A.
Atindaana, Emmanuel Delwin Abarike and
Daniel Nsor Akongyuure
Abstract
Commercial breeding of African catfish,
Clarias gariepinus for culture is achieved
using hormones, including the catfish‟s
pituitary extract which is also used in this
present study. This study looked at whether
there are remarkable differences in the
fecundity, hatchability and survival rates
between crosses of wild and farmed C.
gariepinus.
Twenty-four
broodstock
weighing 700g -900g for cultured and 400g800kg for wild catfish. Fish were put into
four treatments: A(Farm Female, FF-Farm
Male, FM) also the control, B(FF-Wild
Male, WM), C(Wild Female, WF-FM), and
D(WF-WM), with three replications each.
Males were sacrificed their pituitary gland
and testes removed, and preserved at 4°C in
fridge. Females under each treatment were
injected with 2ml pituitary gland solution.
Mean weight of stripped eggs after 14 hours
latency period were A 39.5g (12,719 eggs),
B 37.2g (11,978 eggs), C 32.4g (9,882 eggs)
and D 30.6g (9,333 eggs).
Hatching
commenced 24 hours after incubation,
lasting for 33 hours at 23°C temperature.
Percentage hatchability were A (75%), B
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(68%), C (57.5%), and D (40%). There were
significant differences p <0.05 between
treatment A, and the rest of the treatments.
Percentage survivals were A (65%), B
(53%), C(48.9%), and D (23.6%) after the
14- day of hatching, with significant
differences p <0.05 between the means of A,
and the rest. Treatment A (FF-FM) gave the
highest fecundity, hatchability and survived
fries; hence should be used during the
induced breeding of catfish.
Key Words: African catfish, Hatchability,
Survival rates, Fecundity, Pituitary glands,
Testes.
Chlorination of water to disinfect
microbes using „Rice paper‟
Abukari Moses Abdullai, Masakazu Kita,
Samare Jonathan Ayelsoma
Abstract
A hand-made Cadmium Silicon-light
emitting diode (CdS-LED), reflection
photometer was used to determine
resistances, in mega ohms, of the intensity
of the colour developed by „rice paper‟ in
water when KI-I2 solution drops were put on
a „rice paper‟. The intensities of the blueblack colour of the „rice paper‟ signified the
different starch depletion action of microbes
in pond, river and distilled water and soil
solution. The blue-black colour of the „rice
paper‟ decreased in the order of distilled
water, river, pond and soil solution.
Chlorination of water disinfects microbes
using „rice paper‟ and that the intensity of
the blue-black colour was used to determine
microbial action on „rice paper‟ starch in
water. Chlorine water produced by
electrolysis of brine was effective in
disinfecting microbes in water samples from
Ghana, Tamale and Japan, Okayama city. In
Tamale, microbial presence in water was in
the order: Bulpiela dam > Nawuni River >
26
tap water, whilst in Okayama the trend was:
Pond (near Asahi Gawa) > Asahi River
(gawa) > tap water. Microbial presence in
the Bulpiela dam in Tamale was most
prominent and that of tap water in Okayama
was least. Residual chlorine in tap water at
Tamale and Okayama as obtained by
iodometry and Diethyl-p-phynelinediamine
(DPD) respectively was within the optimum
standards for domestic drinking water, 0.3 to
0.5mg/l. „Ocha‟ a popular local herbal drink
in Japan and Moringa herb tea in Ghana
were effective in reducing residual chlorine
in tap water and in chlorinated water to
domestic drinking water standards.
Key words: Rice paper, Chlorination of
water, Tamale,
Okayama, Microbial
presence.
Application of Optical Activity in
Biodegradation of a Synthesised
Polylactic Acid
Abukari Moses Abdullai, Masakazu Kita,
Samare Jonathan Ayelsoma
Abstract
Lactic acid and its corresponding polymer,
polylactic acid (PLA), are optically active
and can change the direction of linearly
polarised light when it passes through them.
The PLA was synthesized by dehydration
(heating).
Decomposition of the synthesised polylactic
acid by microbial metabolism and
hydrolysis of the ester bonds/linkages
disintegrated the helical structure of the PLA
to form carbon dioxide, water and other
biomass. The destruction of the polymer
decreased its. The phenomenon was then
used to determine the biodegradation of the
synthesised PLA over a period time.
Decomposition of the synthesised polymer
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by microbial action was faster than that
hydrolysis with time.
Key Words: Lactic Acid, Polylactic acid ,
Carbon Dioxide, Biodegradation.
ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE
Drivers of North-South Migration in the
Wa West District: Economic Returns or
Migrants‟ Sub-culture?
Elijah Yendaw, Francis Dakyaga and
Augustine Tanle
Abstract
This study attempts to provide an answer to
the seldom researched controversy on
whether economic returns or migrants‟ subcultural values determine rural out migration
in the Wa West district. Using the mixed
method approach, the study was conducted
in six purposively selected communities in
the Wa West District. A total of 120
respondents were surveyed and 12 key
informants
for
in-depth
interviews,
comprising both return and non-migrants.
The study has shown that both economic
returns and migrants‟ sub-culture are the
factors
determining
the
north-south
migration in Ghana. Specifically, subcultural values, such as quest for modern
lifestyles
and
improved
physical
appearances, use of southern names and
enhanced community/family status (self
respect) were the key factors shaping rural
out-migration in the Wa West District. The
study further revealed that job availability
and modern lifestyles were the main factors
that influence the choice of destination in
the southern parts of the country. Finally,
significant relationship was observed
between the background profile of the
respondents and motivation for migration.
27
The study recommends that government and
other relevant stakeholders such as the
International Organization for Migration
(IOM) should consciously promote socioeconomic development in northern Ghana so
as to bridge the development gap between
the north and south which existed since the
colonial era. There is the need for public
education to educate the youth in the district
about the negative implications associated
with north-south migration.
Keywords: Economic returns, migrants‟
sub-culture, north-south migration, Ghana.
Supporting incremental housing with
housing microfinance in Ghana: Current
status and prospects for expansion
Samuel B. Biitir, Stephen Ameyaw and
Baslyd B. Nara
Abstract
Empirical evidence from Latin America and
some parts of Africa suggests that housing
microfinance is an economic and efficient
tool that addresses incremental building
practices generally undertaken by low
income population in the realisation of their
housing needs. It is also a viable opportunity
for financial institutions to expand and
diversify their lending portfolios. In Ghana,
some financial institutions have developed
housing microfinance products as a way of
leveraging the
incremental
building
practices engaged by many Ghanaians. The
paper aims at examining the current status
and the prospects of future expansion of
housing microfinance lending in Ghana.
The paper reviews empirical studies on
housing microfinance with reference to the
lending methodologies, and financial
institutions currently providing the housing
microfinance loan products. The paper then
includes an empirical study of Sinapi Aba
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Trust and the Wa Municipality to examine
the future prospects. Systematic sampling
technique was used to select 300 landlords
and tenants. Landlords and tenants were
randomly selected in a systematic pattern
where the researcher identified the main
streets in each suburb in north –south or
east-west direction. Starting from one end of
the street and at the first house on the right,
houses were selected on an „every other
house‟ basis. Half the respondents were
selected from one side of the street and the
other from the other side. This method was
chosen because of the long list of the desired
sample, making sure that the element of
periodicity did not influence the data
obtained. Interviews with structured
questionnaires were used to collect data.
The study revealed that Sinapi Aba Savings
and Loans Ltd has made 360 loans
nationwide since the introduction of the
programme three years ago. These loans
cover home improvement and Incremental
Home Build. Loan fungibility was found to
be a challenge where clients divert housing
micro-loans to businesses because the
interest rate for the business loans is higher
than the housing micro-loans. Besides, there
is insufficient knowledge on the product by
prospective clients. Significant percentage
of landlords and tenants (45%) expressed the
interest in using the product to build if
available. The findings suggest that the
prospect for expansion is great if there is
increased awareness creation on the product.
The findings imply that giving adequate
attention through advertisement and public
education on the existing products can
enhance the expansion of housing
microfinance lending in Ghana. The findings
also show that the product has the potential
to address the housing needs of a greater
percentage of low and middle income
groups.
The study is among the few studies that have
evaluated the potential of housing
28
microfinance in addressing the housing
needs of Ghanaians. The findings will
enhance the design, targeting and promotion
of the housing microfinance products.
Why they consume indigenous food and
beverage in Ghana: The international
tourist perspective
Frederick Dayour
Abstract
The consumption of indigenous food and
beverages can add to the competitive
marketing of tourist destinations. The study
attempted to examine the factors that
motivate tourists to consume indigenous
food and beverage in Ghana. Using a survey
approach, data were collected from 891
tourists using questionnaires. Respondents
were accidentally sampled at various
eateries, entertainment centres, attractions
and streets across the cities involved. The
factor analysis, t-test, ANOVA and some
descriptive statistics were used in the data
analyses. The results revealed a four-factor
reason made up of cultural experience,
excitement, interpersonal reasons and health
concerns as explanatory variables of
tourists‟ motivation to consume local food in
Ghana. It was also found that while some
motivations differed by tourists‟ background
characteristics, others did not. It was,
therefore, concluded that the primary factor
that motivated tourists to consume local
food/beverage in Ghana was the quest for a
cultural experience. The study recommends
that service providers in the Ghanaian food
industry should focus attention on providing
quality
and
authentic
indigenous
food/beverage services to tourists. The
Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and other
event organizers could encourage the
packaging of local food bazaars, specially
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targeted at enhancing the cultural experience
of international tourists.
SOCIAL
INCLUSION
PROTECTION
AND
Enhancing the economic capabilities of
People with Disabilities through the
Presbyterian Community Based
Rehabilitation Micro Credit Scheme
Project of the Builsa District
Benjamind Baneza Nuodio, Mathias
Awonnatey Ateng and Joseph Abazaami
Abstract
Globally, it is estimated that People with
Disabilities (PWDs) are among the poorest
of the poor and account for one in five of the
world‟s poorest. This has resulted in People
with Disabilities to most likely experience
stigma and discrimination in terms of social
and economic opportunities. Considering
these barriers and challenges faced by
PWDs, this paper examines how the
Presbyterian
Community
Based
Rehabilitation Micro Scheme Project has
enhanced the economic capabilities of
PWDs in terms of their income levels and
ability to repay loan facilities contracted.
Employing the case study approach, primary
data was collected using interview schedules
and questionnaires from 143 respondents
who were randomly selected from 227
clients of the scheme. Using the paired
sampled t-test analysis technique at a 95%
confidence level and a normal frequency
distribution, the findings of the research
suggest that there is a significant difference
in the income levels of PWDs before joining
the scheme and after joining the scheme.
Similarly, there is an improvement in the
29
ability of PWDs (clients) to repay loans
contracted from the scheme (93.7%) as
against 6.3% who had defaulted. The study
concludes that, there has been a significant
improvement in the economic capabilities of
PWDs through the Presbyterian Community
Based Rehabilitation Micro Credit Scheme.
This research calls for the adoption of the
Presbyterian
Community
Based
Rehabilitation Micro Scheme module in
improving the economic capabilities of the
poor especially women and PWDs.
Key
Words:
Disability,
Capabilities, Micro Credit.
Economic
Challenges of Targeting as an Approach
to Social Protection in Ghana:
Assessment of the Livelihood
Empowerment against Poverty
Programme in Wa Municipality, Upper
West Region
Fauster Agbenyo
Abstract
The paper seeks to investigate the challenges
confronting the Livelihood Empowerment
against Poverty (LEAP) as a targeting
approach under social protection of the
vulnerable, marginlised and excluded in
Ghana. A survey approach, using
questionnaires and interview schedules was
adopted for data collection in the Wa
Municipality of the Upper West Region. It
has been found out that the programme has
benefitted many households which could not
afford a square meal a day and has also
helped them to provide for their children‟s
educational needs as well as access to health
services under the National Health Insurance
Scheme. There is also a demonstrably strong
government commitment to the success of
the programme. It was, however, revealed
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that even though majority of the
beneficiaries are the vulnerable including
the aged, females, widowed and the
destitute, the communities are divided with
beneficiaries accusing non-beneficiaries of
jealousy while non-beneficiaries claim that
the real vulnerable people have been
excluded from coverage of the programme.
Other findings include politicization of the
programme, spotted cases of bribery and
corruption, and low coverage of the poor
under the programme. It is thus
recommended that, the activities of
Community LICs be strictly monitored to
avoid issues of bribery, corruption and
politicization
in
the
selection
of
beneficiaries. Efforts should also be made to
increase the coverage of the programme and
public education be included in the
programme in beneficiary communities.
Democratic Dividends?: the Politics of
Social Protection in Ghana
George M. Bob-Milliar
Abstract
What political factors have facilitated the
provision of social protection programmes
in Ghana? This paper examines the
politicization of social protection in Ghana
by the two ruling coalitions – the National
Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic
Party.Ghana attained full liberal democracy
status in 2000. The alternation of power
between two rival groups gave legitimacy to
the claim that liberal democracy is the most
desirable political system that can guarantee
a peaceful alternation of power in the Fourth
Republic. Nevertheless, Ghana‟s version of
liberal democracy has been described as
“democratic elitism” whose periodic
elections has produced negative rights and
generated inequalities; nationally and
regionally. Consequently, social protection
30
has emerged as a key policy strategy to
counter the adverse effects of liberal
democracy by providing some safety nets
against
poverty,
vulnerability
and
marginalization.
Theoretically,
social
protection is understood through the right
based approach, with the state subsidizing
the provision of basic social services such as
education, health, and water. Operationally
and in its minimalist form, social protection
programmes provide cash transfers to the
poor. Drawing on an analysis of policy
documents/party manifestos, newspapers,
and interviews with government, and NGO
officials; I argue that social protection is
high on the development agenda because of
the adverse effects of liberal democracy.
Nonetheless, the implementation of social
protection programmes is highly politicized
because the two main parties gain
electorally.
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times the within 16 week period in order to
earn a reasonable profit and also to pay off
their loans. However, the schemes were
found to be very useful and helpful to the
women. The hard working ones reported
significant improvements in their livelihood,
though they have to battle with the cutthroat
interest rates charged by the MFIs. The
study recommended training support for its
clientele of the MFIs as it was revealed that
some of the women beneficiaries needed
guide and support to develop workable and
viable business ideas in order to find
judicious use for their loans.
Key words: micro-agro distributors,
microcredit, marginal costing, break- even,
livelihood.
Motivation and Activity Participation of
Spa-Goers in Ghana
Charles Atanga Adongo
Does Micro-credit improve or impoverish
Rural Female Micro-agro Distributors?
Evidence from Tamale Metropolis in
Ghana
Alhassan Iddrisu
Abstract
This study investigated microcredit schemes
of MFIs and the extent to which these
schemes improves or impoverishes female
micro-agro distributors in the Tamale
Metropolis.
The study used Baobab
Microfinance Company limited, one of the
dominant MFIs which has been operating in
the study area since 2008 as reference point.
Using the marginal costing and break-even
models, the quantities to be sold in order for
the women traders to earn a reasonable
profit were computed. The study found that,
the women beneficiaries of the MFI‟s
microcredit schemes are stressed. They
require to turn over stock not less than 14
Abstract
Growth in visitor numbers to spas, both in
proportional and absolute terms, have been
appreciable globally. However, cleavage of
information exists on why people patronise
spa services and the kind of activities that
are undertaken. This study therefore sought
to examine the factors that underlie spa
visitation and how these influence activity
participation of spa-goers in Ghana. A crosssectional survey of 314 spa-goers was
carried out using systematic sampling.
Employing a covariance-based structural
equation
modelling
approach,
five
theoretical dimensions of spa-goers‟
motivation were established. These included
escape-relaxation, spa-features, health,
spirituality, and beauty. The study also
observed
that
holiday
motivation
significantly affects activity participation
with the most engaged in activity being
massages,
sauna,
games,
pedicure,
31
manicure, liposuction and yoga. Likened to
mainstream tourists, the study concludes that
spa-goers are diverse in their motivation and
activity participation. The Ghana Tourism
Authority and spa operators can leverage
these needs of spa-goers as benchmarks for
marketing, service design and delivery.
Rent Income analysis of an Emerging
Real Estate Market: Lessons from the Wa
Hostel Market in Ghana
Stephen Ameyaw, Abugbila Adam Azabre
and Surv Samuel Banleman Biitir
Abstract
The study was designed to ascertain the
current net nominal and real levels of rent in
the Bamahu submarket of the emerging
hostel market in Wa, Ghana; and to examine
the market indicators that affect net
operating income.
The study is a property referencing survey.
Purposive sampling was employed in
selecting the particular market segment.
Simple random sampling was then used in
selecting ten (10) from a list of 112 purposebuilt hostels (PBHs) in the study area.
Interviews and observations were the basic
data collection approaches adopted using
structured questionnaires and observation
checklist.
The study shows very high occupancy
figures but low net operating incomesin the
market. Most of the twelve (12) typical
outgoings identified in the market, mostly
borne by the hostels managers, did not have
cost estimates; indicating poor records
keeping and maintenance in the study area.
Insurance and capital reserve were
management items that received no attention
in the market. All the hostels studied
recorded positive nominal and real net
operating incomes (NOIs), although they
were found to be very low. The least
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reduction in market indicators would results
in net operating losses (NOLs) for most of
the investments in the market.
The results of this study do not support the
call for rent control in the market as
suggested by some stakeholders. Investors
who may be considering entry into the
hostel market should do their forecasts with
public tertiary education policies in mind.
The design and construction of hostels must
also be such that the buildings can be
converted easily into other uses within the
shortest possible time and at a minimal cost.
This is the first rent income analysis of the
hostel segment of the emerging Wa real
estate market.
Keywords: Occupancy, Outgoings, Net
operating income (NOI), Real rent, Nominal
rent.
Knowledge and Perception of Adolescents
on Sexual and Reproductive Health
Rights in Ghana: A Case Study of
Yamoransa in the Mfantseman
Municipality
Elijah Yendaw, Ebenezer Martin-Yeboah
and Daniel Bagah
Abstract
According to the 2010 Population and
Housing Census report of Ghana,
Yamoransa has one of the highest number of
young adolescents in the Mfantseman
Municipality. However, it appears there is
no evidence of empirical study conducted on
adolescents‟ knowledge and perception of
sexual and reproductive health rights.
Meanwhile, sexual and reproductive health
rights (SRHR) are the foundation of sexual
and reproductive health outcomes of young
people. To fill this literature gap, this study
32
Book of
Abstracts
assessed adolescents‟ knowledge and
perception of SRHR using 209 adolescent
residents in the study area. Data for the
study were collected through the survey
approach. The study has shown that over
80% of the respondents have heard and
known some aspects of SRHR. However, a
higher proportion of female adolescents
(56%) as compared to male adolescents
(46.2%) lacked knowledge on how
ignorance of one‟s SRHR could lead to
sexual rights violations. The view that men
should be the sole decision makers on sexual
issues was held by some adolescents. The
study,
therefore,
recommends
that
government and other relevant stakeholders
such as UNICEF should educate and
empower young people to exercise their
SRHR during adolescence and in adulthood.
Keywords:
Knowledge, Perception,
Reproductive Health Rights, Adolescents,
Ghana.
The results revealed that most of the
juvenile sex offenders suffered severe
physical and verbal abuses during childhood
and almost all the perpetrators of these
abuses were step parents. The respondents
also experienced parental neglect while
growing up as children and the majority of
them reported that they have negatively
associated with bad friends prior to the
offenses. It was, however, observed that
none of the respondents was sexually abused
by adults. The study recommends that
school counselors and the Ghana prison
service should offer juvenile sex offenders
effective guidance and counseling on
healthy and responsible sexual education.
Meanwhile, parents (in particular step
parents) should be educated on appropriate
parenting skills in order to avert placing
children at risk of sexually offending.
Keywords: Previous lived experiences,
Juvenile Sex Offenders, Senior Correctional
Centre, Ghana.
Childhood Lived Experiences of Juvenile
Sex Offenders Incarcerated for Sexual
Offenses in Ghana
Are we our own Enemies? Leisure
constraints of People with Visual and
Physical Disabilities in Ghana
Elijah Yendaw
Issahaku Adam
Abstract
This study interrogates the previous lived
experiences of juvenile sex offenders
incarcerated for various sexual offenses at
the Senior Correctional Centre of the Ghana
Prison Service. The intent of this study was
not to establish causality but to ascertain
whether juveniles who commit sexual
offenses suffer abusive childhood treatments
and bad peer influences prior to their
sexually abusive behaviours. The study
adopted the qualitative approach to research
using 11 inmates of the Senior Correctional
Centre of the Ghana Prison Service. The
inmates were purposively selected and
interviewed using in-depth interview guide.
Abstract
Leisure constraints are important in
advancing the discourse on leisure
participation
particularly
amongst
marginalized populations such as People
with Disabilities. Research on the leisure
constraints of People with Disabilities in
African is lacking in the literature. Using
data obtained from people with visual and
physical disabilities through focus group
discussions in Ghana, this study unearthed
their leisure constraints. It was revealed that
inaccessible physical environment, negative
attitude of non-disabled members of society
towards PwDs, Inadequate support from
family and friends and exclusion in social
33
and national programmes were the leisure
constraints encountered by the PwDs.
Consequently, it was concluded much of the
leisure constraints encountered by the PwDs
are human induced and human centred. In
order to minimise the leisure constraints of
PwDs, there is the need for vigorous
education and sensitisation to change ablebodied people‟s perceptions and relations
with PwDs.
Keywords: Constraints, Ghana, Leisure,
People with Disabilities, Social exclusion.
Effects of Organic Mango Outgrower
Scheme on Participants‟ Livelihood in
Savelugu/Nanton Municipality, Northern
Region Ghana
Imoro Abdul-Razak, Samuel A. Donkoh and
Richard Yeboah
Abstract
The study examined factors affecting
participation of farmers in the Integrated
Tamale Fruit Company (ITFC) Organic
Mango Outgrower Scheme (OMOS) in
Northern Region, Ghana. A descriptive
research approach was employed using a
semi-structured questionnaire
and
a
checklist for data collection. Purposive and
stratified random sampling techniques were
used to select 158 Outgrowers and 10 Key
Informants for the study sample. The study
found that farmers strongly agreed that the
following were their anticipated benefits of
joining the scheme: improved income;
poverty alleviation; and community
development. They also agreed that access
to farm inputs, credit, extension, and
employment opportunities were other
reasons that influenced their participation.
Majority (95.6%) of farmers had transferred
the good agricultural practices (GAP)
learned under the scheme to the cultivation
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of food crops in the area. It was revealed
that they had benefitted from the programme
and that there had been positive changes on
their various forms of capital. For instance
farmers‟ average annual income increased
from GHC650.00 to GHC900.00 per acre.
There is the need for additional logistics that
were initially not envisaged to be provided;
farmers must not be complacent, they need
to step up their adoption of the best
practices; and the ITFC technical unit should
step up their monitoring to ensure
compliance of the recommendations.
Key Words: Outgrower Scheme, Contract
Farming, ITFC, Organic Mango, Northern
Region, Ghana.
HIGHER
LEADERSHIP
GOVERNANCE
EDUCATION,
AND
E-Learning And Distance Education: An
Innovative Strategy For Promoting
Higher Education In Ghana
Felicia S. Odame
Abstract
Current trends in the field of distance
education has necessitated a paradigm shift
from pedagogical to andragogical ways of
learning where new skills are learnt through
electronic means (e-learning). The success
of e-learning depends on improvement in
communicational technology which is often
lacking among countries in the Global
South, Ghana inclusive. Although emerging
literature posits that e-learning as part of a
broader programme, offers a vast range of
opportunities for promoting collaboration in
both synchronous and asynchronous
learning environments, distance education
34
programs face challenges that may limit the
implementation of e-learning technologies.
This paper explores the prospects and
challenges of e-learning in Ghana drawing
on the experiences of two public
universities. Qualitative methods were used
to collect data from students and lecturers
involved in and/or connected to distance
education in these universities. Though the
findings revealed some prospects such as the
increase in capacity building and reduction
in time on contact, there were challenges
such as the change of learning practice from
print to electronic based learning through the
use of ICT, unreliable power supply and
telecommunication network services leading
to difficulty in accessing computers to
facilitate learning. The paper argues that:
making
efficient
power
supply/
telecommunication services and teaching
and learning of ICT from the basic level of
education will curtail the challenges of elearning today. The paper concludes on the
notion that e-learning can be a real
innovative tool for the promotion of higher
education in Ghana.
Keywords: ICT, e-learning, distance
education, pedagogy, innovative, Ghana.
Hard Nut to Crack? Indiscipline as a
Challenge to Education Governance in
Second Cycle Institutions in Tamale,
Ghana
Abdulai Abubakari
Abstract
The onus always lies on school authority,
especially teachers to ensure discipline
among students so as to maintain law and
order for excellent academic and moral
development of students. Indiscipline among
second cycle students in Ghana in recent
times has devastating consequences not only
on the academic performance of the
students, but also on the lives and properties
in the schools. In Northern Ghana, students‟
Book of
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riots resulting from indiscipline behavior
often become virulent and destructive and
pose a lot of challenge to school governance.
This paper expatiates on the emerging trends
of indiscipline in second cycles institutions
(causes and effects) and delves into the
consequences of the situation and the need
for strict enforcement of school laws and
policies to ensure the achievement of high
academic and moral standards. The paper
contributes to the ongoing debate on falling
academic and moral standers in the second
cycle institutions in Ghana. It also sensitizes
the policy makers, educationists, parents and
the public to be wary of the emerging trends
of indiscipline behavior among students in
the second cycle institutions
Data for the paper was collected from
parents, students, communities around the
selected schools Tamale and also from
teachers in four selected second cycle
institutions in Tamale metropolis. The major
instrument for data collection was
interviews and but this was complemented
by observations.
The
relationship
between
student
indiscipline
and
school
governance
is explicit; it leads to truancy, incontinent
conduct, and immoral behavior, destruction
of school properties, poor academic
performance, and abandonment of schooling
altogether. Peer influence, pleasure seeking,
weak parental control, overcrowding in
schools, lavish spending of parents on their
wards, and ICT are the major causes for this
situation in the second cycle institutions in
Tamale. In turn, the students often feel they
deserve comfort, better treatment and
freedom by exhibiting indiscipline behavior
to achieve these. By indiscipline behavior,
students spell a blink future, pose danger to
other students, teachers and school
governance.
35
This situation can be achieved, paying
particular attention to the underlying causes
and enforcing strict school laws on students‟
code of conduct. Policy on counseling for
the students, the parents, teachers and
communities around the schools must be
enforced. Nevertheless, the code of conduct
and policy on counseling should be given
legal backing and official communication on
how to implement and enforce them in
schools.
Hence there is the need to reserve the
emerging trends of indiscipline in the second
cycle institutions in an attempt to win back
and maintain high academic and moral
excellence among the students.
Examining the Effects of Teacher and
Self-Efficacy on the Performance of
Senior High School Students and
Teachers in the Tamale Metropolis
Thomas Asante and Issifu
Abstract
Teacher efficacy relates to teachers ability to
organize and execute courses of action
needed to bring about desired results. The
construct of teacher efficacy is very much
related to students‟ academic achievement.
This implies that the more efficacious
teachers are, the higher the achievement of
their students. The construct of teacher
efficacy has also become a pillar in the
research on Teachers Personal Professional
Development. Despite the expressed interest
in this construct, there are still gaps in our
understanding of teacher efficacy.
The present article seeks to explore the
potential inconsistencies in the way teacher
efficacy has been defined and measured
within the Tamale Metropolis. The purpose
of this study is two- fold.
Book of
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First of all, it is to determine whether the of
construct teacher efficacy has any
relationship with students achievement
within the Tamale Metropolis, and secondly,
to determine whether or not the construct of
teacher efficacy has any bearing on
Teacher‟s Professional Development.
To achieve the aforementioned purpose, the
Albert Bandura instrument for data
collection and analysis was used.
Participants
(N=150-70
teachers;
80students) were purposively drawn from
Eight Public Senior High Schools within the
Tamale Metropolis of the Northern Region
of Ghana.
The results of the analysis of the data
gathered for the study indicated that Senior
High School Teachers within the Tamale
Metropolis who are able to organize and
execute courses of action needed to bring
about desired teaching outcomes always
have their students achieving higher
academic results.
Additionally, teachers who are conscious of
teachers‟
efficacy
always
develop
professionally.
Key words: Construct; Teacher Efficacy;
Students achievement; Teacher professional
development.
Infusing Competencies and Skills of
Vocational Instructors: Innovations to
Boost Science and Technology for
National Development
Clement Ayarebilla Ali and Peter Akayuure
Abstract
The study explored how teacher-training
institutions could infuse the Community
Development Vocational and Technical
Institutes to boost competencies and skills of
instructors as an educational innovation to
36
boost science and technology for national
development. Despite the restructuring that
changed Women Vocational Training
Institutes to Community Development
Vocational and Technical Institutes, and
introduction of Core Mathematics, it is still
not clear whether the instructors have gained
sufficient competencies and skills to
implement the curriculum. This exploratory
survey randomly sampled fifty instructors in
three districts of Upper East Region, and
issued with questionnaire that was divided
into personal information, and competencies
and skills and analysed with SPSS software.
The findings showed that for Ghana to
propel science and technology for national
development, instructors need to boost their
competencies and skills in the Science and
Technology domains to create jobs, reduce
migration and reduce poverty.
Keywords:
national
development;
pedagogical competencies and skills.
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include all the 44 teachers and 26 head
teachers in the schools. Questionnaire was
the instrument used to elicit responses,
whilst statistical frequencies and percentages
were used to analyse the data. Data analysis
and interpretation indicated that quality of
teaching is hampered by shortage of
qualified teachers, non-availability and / or
inadequacy of relevant instructional
materials as well as insufficient time allotted
to the teaching of the subject. Further
investigation revealed that the methods and
strategies employed were classroom (theory)
based. There was limited use of practical
and industrial-visit approach to the teaching
of the subject. In the light of these findings,
suggestions for improvement in the quality
of teaching were made. Areas for further
studies were also suggested.
Key
words:
D&T,
Recommended
Strategies, Census- Sampling, instructional,
improvement, industrial-visit, improvement.
The State of Teaching and Learning
Design and Technology in Junior High
Schools. A Case Study of Bolgatanga
Road Zone in the Tamale Metropolis
Investigating the Pedagogical Content
Knowledge of Experienced Science
Teachers of Senior High Schools in
Kassena-Nankana Municipality on
“States of Matter and its Cchanges‟‟
Kere, Osman DAUD
Abstract
Abukari Moses Abdullai, Alhassan Selima
Nakro and Samare Jonathan Ayelsoma
The study set out to investigate the state of
teaching and learning Design and
Technology (D&T) in Junior High Schools.
Specifically, the study investigated the
resources available, the recommended
strategies being used; the problems
encountered by teachers in teaching and
learning, as well as the performance of
pupils in the (2014) Basic Education
Certificate Examinations results. Cluster
sampling was applied to select the schools in
the metropolis for the study after which the
census-sampling procedure was used to
Abstract
This study investigated the nature of
pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) held
by three experienced science teachers on the
topic “states of matter and its changes” and
how the knowledge influenced students‟
performance in science. A qualitative
research approach using case study was
employed. Purposive sampling was used in
selecting the sample of the study.
Magnusson et al. (1999) PCK model served
37
as the conceptual framework for the study.
Data collection instruments included science
teaching observation, pre-lesson interviews,
lesson plan, questionnaire and Science
Achievement Test. The data collected using
the science achievement test was analyzed
using paired data T-test, one-way ANOVA
and Fisher‟s Least Squared Difference to
examine the influence of each teacher‟s
PCK on students‟ performance on the topic
taught. Findings revealed that the three
experienced teachers held a constructivist
and knowledge-transmission orientations
towards science teaching. The study also
found that the teachers had limited
knowledge on instructional strategies and
knowledge of students‟ learning difficulties
on the topic taught. The study again revealed
uniquely that the long teaching experience
of the teachers was not a key factor in
contributing to their effectiveness in
teaching science in the classroom. The study
further revealed that the PCK held by the
teachers on the same topic differ and all had
an influence on students‟ performance on
the topic. The study recommends that
teachers be exposed to workshops and
teacher development programmes on
contents of science topics and also their
instructional
strategies
and
learners
difficulties on the topics.
Key
words:
Pedagogical
Content
Knowledge,
Students
performance,
Instructional
Strategies,
Science
Achievement
Test,
Constructivist
orientation,
knowledge
–transmission
orientation.
Book of
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TRADITIONAL AND MODERN
GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS
Utilizing Indigenous Magico-religious
Practices to complement Healthcare
Delivery: Empirical evidence and lessons
from the use of divination in healthseeking in Northern Ghana
Thomas Bavo Azongo and Adadow Yidana
Abstract
Spiritual and ancestral consultations are
often ignored or outlawed from formal
development programmes; but research
suggests they can be useful.
A recent study in the Upper-East Region
showed that about 71% of respondents
would consult diviners in the course of
health-seeking.
Also,
healthcare
practitioners were ambivalent about the
efficacy of the diviners in healthcare
delivery – while some of the healthcare
practitioners viewed the activities of
diviners to be inimical to healthcare
practice, others had very strong views that
the use of divination had many
complementary roles in healthcare delivery.
In an earlier study in the same area
researchers conducted interviews, through
divination, with lineage heads to solicit the
ancestors‟ views about their reproductive
preferences. Comparing pairs of lineage
heads and corresponding ancestral spirit
responses to determine the role of traditional
religion
in
influencing reproductive
preferences, they found a shared preference
for sons and large family size. However
some ancestral spirits preferred small family
size. This suggested that some ancestral
spirits can be open to modern ideas.
These studies among many others, not only
demonstrate that not all outcomes of
divination are negative but also provide
38
useful insights into how culture, faith and
values which provide moral and practical
basis for daily decision-making of our local
people, can be used to complement our
rather scarce healthcare resources.
Recommendations are then made on how we
could integrate diviners into our modern
healthcare system to work in tandem with
our orthodox healthcare practitioners to deal
with the myriad of health problems that
confront us.
A Critical Look at the Performance of
Traditional Funeral Rites amongst the
Dagaaba in the Jirapa Traditional Area:
Its Health Implications
Kpieta B. Alfred
Abstract
Funeral rites, one of the rites of passage, is
celebrated by every tribe or group of people
the world over in accordance with the
cultural practices passed to them by their
forebears. The corpse is disposed off by
cremation or buried. In Ghana, the dead is
accorded a befitting burial using diverse
customary rites. The survey on the
Traditional Funeral Rites of the Dagaaba
was carried out in the Jirapa Traditional
Area using key informant interviews and
observations. Death in the belief system of
the Dagaaba people indicates a transition
from the land of the living to the land of the
dead called “Dapare”. A funeral is called
“kuore” and the traditional funeral rites are
called “komaale”. Four different funeral
rites were identified in the study area. In
performing a funeral rite of a family
member, the study found that the dead body
and the living become extremely close; in
that, reserved beautiful regalia are used in
dressing the corpse for the rites; also
clothing, cooking utensils and other items
are displayed beside the corpse for the dead
Book of
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person to use these utensils and items in the
next world. However, before the corpse is
buried, the dead body is undressed of the
beautiful regalia and redressed with burial
clothes.
After burial, the regalia, the
clothing‟s and the cooking utensils are
returned to their respective owners in the
family which are used without being
disinfected. Again, all new comers to the
funeral are required to throw some money
on the corpse. These monies are picked–up
by the undertakers; also, the level of
communal food eating at the funeral grounds
and the practice of wake keeping, altogether,
are endangering the health of the living
because of the increasing incidence of
infectious diseases in the study area.
Key Words: Death, Traditional, Funeral,
Rites, Health.
Infection control among Traditional
Undertakers: The Bayaasis of Northern
Ghana
Mustapha Issahaku and Joseph K. Ogah
,Patrick Ofori
Abstract
This project is work in progress of a PhD
thesis that seeks to produce a manuscript on
the “Public Health Implications of
Traditional Burial Practices among the
“Bayaasis” of Northern Ghana”
The fact that death and dying is a cardinal
social norm (Atinga, 2006; Barret 1987),
every ethnic tribe of northern Ghana have
institutions that conduct activities of dying,
death and burial, they also cleanse and
purify physical and spiritual sicknesses that
are acquired through indulgence in acts that
mutilate the sanctity of the cult of Bayaam.
The Bayaasis go through a solemn but
rigorous initiation rite characterized by the
39
ingestion, inhalation and skin contact with
decomposed animal and plant matter, a
process they lay claim to for fortification
and insulation from infections through
contact with dead human bodies ,the stench
,extent of decomposition and the cause of
death notwithstanding . This is in defiance
of the public health theory of Germ
Causation propounded by Lois Pasteur and
Ignaz Semme lweiss and the Miasmatic
theory Udo (1984).
The paper seeks to investigate the
philosophical basis of the Bayaasis world
view about “death” and “dirt” , examine
how modernity affects the Burial practices
of the Bayaasis and assess the level of
knowledge of the Bayaasis about the effects
of their Burial practices on their personal
and community health?
The study design is an exploratory cross
sectional one using Holistic ethnography to
collect purely qualitative data. The data was
sourced using
non participatory
observation, street and film ethnography and
interviews as posits by Mead (1970), Good
enough (1971) Cobin and Morse (1979) and
Millar, Harverkot and Apusiga (2003).
The paper found among others that the
majority of the Bayaasi are polytheists who
believed that diseases are visited on people
who incurred the wrath of ancestors.
Secondly, the Bayaasi knowledge of the
death implications of their practices is high.
The study concludes that the Bayaasi have
built immunity due to their constant
exposure to infectious agents. The study
recommends that the Bayaasi should be
given health education on infection control
guidelines and also be provided and
encourage to use
personal protection
equipments.
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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
An Evaluation of the Efficacy of Reforms
from 1957-2010 and the Role of the
Auditor General in the fight against
Fraud and Corruption in Ghana
Stephen Delle Donpaala
Abstracts
This paper evaluates the efficacy of reforms
by various government of Ghana to curb
fraud and corruption and the role of the
Auditor General in particular. The paper
adopted a qualitative methodological
approach in carry out the research. The
finding shows that various reforms from
1960 to 2010 are not being enforced in
practice to deter any fraudster or potential
offender. Others are also found to be
outdated and narrow in scope to be able to
combat the current sophisticated fraud and
corruption network. There are also
conflicting state departments that involves in
the administration of justice and government
therefore need to separate the Ministry of
Justice and Attorney General Department.
Similarly, the 1992 Constitution should be
amended to reflect that the appointment and
remuneration of the Auditor General should
be determined by Parliament other than the
President. Finally, it is the position of this
paper that corruption should be seen as a
community wide catastrophic gene hence
traditional leaders and other formation
centre‟s support in enhancing the moral and
spiritual capital of Ghanaians.
40
The Hybridity of Authority Structures in
Local Governance: Evidence from
Ntonoaboma in the Eastern Region of
Ghana
Patrick OSEI-KUFUOR
Abstract
This paper uses ethnographic research from
Ntonoaboma, a resettlement community in
the Kwahu-North district of Ghana to
question the over reliance on state-based
local government authority structures in
Ghana‟s
local
government
system.
Indigenous authority systems play a critical
role in community governance but have not
been fully integrated into the formal local
government system in Ghana. This paper
furthers understanding on the hybrid nature
of governance at the community level. The
paper argues that exercising public authority
at the community level is not legitimised by
legal instruments of the state, but rather it is
negotiated in daily practice, reflecting the
processual nature of the concept. Using
qualitative data from Ntonaboma, the paper
illustrates how in everyday interactions,
diverse authority structures negotiate, forge
alliance and compete in their attempt to
exert authority. The paper discusses how
local leaders and community members
strategically engage with state-based and
customary governance institutions and their
associated authority structures in order to
fulfil communal needs. The paper concludes
that at the community level, there are two
separate sets of authority structures, that is,
state-based and customary, that shape the
outcome of governance. These authority
structures are interdependent and overlap in
practice.
Therefore,
Ghana‟s
local
government set-up must depart from the
over reliance on new state based local
authority structures and focus more on
approaches that interweave state based local
government units with existing customary
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authority structures to improve the outcomes
of local governance.
GOVERNANCE
SERVICES
OF
SOCIAL
Crisis of Governance in the 21st Century:
Enhancing Leadership as a Solution to
Judgment Debts in Ghana: A case Study
of Judgment Debts from 2009-2011
Stephen Delle Donpaala
Abstracts
This paper argues that the primary motive
behind every governance structure is to
smile in the faces of the citizens. The Public
Sector in Ghana from 2009 to 2011 suffered
a legal risk leading to payments of judgment
debts which had never been budgeted for.
This has negatively affected the government
projected incomes with its attendance harsh
borrowing conditions externally. The paper
adopted a qualitative methodological
approach in conducting this research.
The paper contends that leadership, seen as
either the behavior of an individual as a
values or character-base end-product creates
a culture of impunity or a culture of
discipline that integrates into its believes and
how leaders actually behaves in a critical
element complying with existing regulations
and also in optimizing performances. It
argues further that leadership should thus
make the leader more relevant, create and
propose innovative problem solving
solutions, and see to that policies which
were introduced to address the all forms of
risks being brought about by modernization
and
transformation,
are
effectively
implemented without fear or favour. It
recommends that government should make
41
Book of
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reforms and statutory laws and other
measures to combating judgment debt in
Ghana. It further recommends that reducing
or avoiding it requires a dynamic and multifaceted strategy or strategies that use scarce
resources effectively on a constructive and
shared basis. Hence there must therefore be
a
comprehensive
National
Debt
Management Policy .It however caution
that in developing such a strategy and
policy, it should not purely develop it for
compliance with legislative frameworks, but
should be developed out of necessity guided
by the environments to ensure that the
outcomes of these reforms actually
addresses the likelihood of judgment debt
re-occurrence in Ghana.
42

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