RESEARCH ARTICLES

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A Micro-Level Empirical Analysis of Annual Household Food Budget Shares in Ghana
(Elsevier, 2024-02-05) Addai, Isaac
This study examines Ghana's annual household food expenditures and their Engel food curve using data from the 2017-2018 seventh round of the Ghana Living Standards Survey, which covered 14,009 household and lasted for one-year. Household demographics and specific variables influencing annual household food budget decisions in Ghana were examined, including income, household size, educational status of household head, household location, and household connectivity to electricity. The study establishes an inverse relationship between the share of the household food budget and the increase in household income, and a high annual household food expenditure elasticity with 0.49 pesewas out of every one cedi serving as an annual household marginal food budget share in Ghana, on average and ceteris paribus. The study provides additional statistical evidence that characterizes food as a necessity in Ghana and placed the country in the medium food insecurity zone. Economic development in Ghana means achieving food security at all times, which calls on the country to redouble its efforts to meet SDG Goal 2.
A theoretical model for Zika virus transmission
(PLoS ONE, 2017-10-04) Bonyah, Ebenezer; Khan, Muhammad Altaf; Okosun, K.O; Islam, Saeed
In this paper, we present and analyze an SEIR Zika epidemic model. Firstly, we investigate the model with constant controls. The steady states of the model is found to be locally and globally asymptotically stable. Thereafter, we incorporate time dependent controls into the model in order to investigate the optimal effects of bednets, treatments of infective and spray of insecticides on the disease spread. Furthermore, we used Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle to determine the necessary conditions for effective control of the disease. Also, the numerical results were presented
Accounting For Marginal Food Budget Share And The Engel’s Law Coefficient In Ghana: The Empirics From The Ghana Living Standards Survey Round Seven
(2021-02) Addai, Isaac
Using data from the Ghana Living Standards Survey seven, the paper established that the Engel’s Law is applicable to the economy of Ghana suggesting that a 10% rise in household expenditure reduces the share of the household budget allocated to food by 0.801 of one percentage point, on average, and that food is a necessity commodity in Ghana. The marginal food budget share is high at a 62 percent rate putting the economy of Ghana in the medium food insecurity category. Strenuous policy effort must be initiated to increase food production and supply in Ghana to make food not a necessity commodity anymore and move the Ghanaian economy away from the medium food insecurity category in the very near future.
AFETY ASSESSMENT OF ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS: A CASE STUDY IN SOME SELECTED BUILDINGS WITHIN SUAME ECG STRATEGIC BUSINESS UNIT.
(2023-07) MANTE BISMARK
The research seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of electrical installation safety systems installed in residential and commercial buildings within the Suame Strategic Business Unit of the Electricity Company of Ghana. Electrical installation practices of artisans in Suame ECG Strategic Business Unit (SBU) are assessed to evaluate the adherence of electrical installation works and safety standards including the practices of artisans. A test sheet was design to identify the potential issues in electrical installations and safety precautions. SPSS was utilised to determine the common electrical installation network within the SBU while FlashWorks and ETAP were employed to model the common electrical installations to assess the short circuit currents performance. The result highlighted electrical wiring practices and installation details encompassing protective devices, conductor details, contuinity, polarity, insulation resistance test and ground protection within the Suame ECG unit. concerns such as unlicensed installers, outdated wiring structures, preferred brands of circuit breakers (MCCBs), residual circuit current breakers (RCCBs), conductors, cable termination in distribution boards, earth electrode protection, and adherence to wiring color code standards. The findings showed variations in the ability of circuit breakers to manage short-circuit occurrences, emphasizing the need to select appropriate ratings of breakers based on their short-time current and thermal energy capacities. These further revealed that most residential and commercial buildings lack basic safety standards.
An Empirical Analysis of Ashanti Region Annual Household Education Expenditure Using the Ghana Living Standards Survey Round Six Data
(Elsevier, 2024) Addai, Isaac
Using data from the 2013 Ghana Living Standards Survey Round Six (GLSS VI), this paper analyses regional variables affecting regional household spending on education using the Tobit model. The results showed that households in the Ashanti region increased their education spending on all the four types of the education categories namely; basic education, secondary education, post-secondary education, tertiary education with the basic education expenditure accounting for 53% of households' education spending. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first study on the Ashanti region of Ghana to analyse the determinants of private education spending using data from the 2013 Ghana Living Standards Survey. This paper was unable to identify several other important factors that determine household spending on education in the Ashanti region because the GLSS VI data were not configured to examine these variables. 53% of Ashanti's private household spending on education goes only to basic education, which is worrying because it undermines the Education for All initiative being promoted by UNESCO.
An Empirical Analysis of Gender Earnings Gap in the Ghanaian Informal Sector Using the 1998/1999 Ghana Living Standards Survey
(2011-07-30) Addai, Isaac
This study used the 1998/1999 Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS 4), a new nationally representative survey carried out by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) and applied the Oaxaca (1973) decomposition to empirically analyse the phenomenon of gender gap in earnings in the informal sector labour market. The findings suggest the existence of discrimination in gender earnings in the Ghanaian informal sector labour market, and that females in the Ghanaian informal sector labour market are on average and ceteris paribus more skilful by 36%. However, males having sample average female characteristics earn on average and ceteris paribus 87% more in log monthly wages than their female counterparts.
Analysing household expenditure on education in Ghana: An update
(Elsevier, 2023) Addai, Isaac
The study analysed household-level data derived from the latest GLSS VII collected as part of a 2016-2017 national survey in Ghana and focused on examining households' annual expenditure on education. The driving force behind this study was the lack of an empirical analysis of household spending on education using this most recent data. The study results are that an increase in annual household income of 100 cedis per year increases actual household expenditure on education by about 26 cedis. Households in the Savannah Zones in Ghana show positive annual expenditure on education, while the Forest and Accra Zones show negative correlations with education expenditure. The positive education budgets of rural households have the potential to bridge an unequal society, as rural students' access to education leads to greater inequality in the production of specialized human capital in Ghana and this is a significant finding. And policy-makers in Ghana must take pragmatic steps to drastically reduce the 36 percent of households that do not spend on education as a public education policy measure to achieve SDG4.
Annual Household Budget Share in Formal Education Expenditure Using the Ghana Living Standards Survey Round Six Data: A Micro-Level Statistical Investigation
(Elsevier, 2024) Addai, Isaac
Using household-level data from the Ghana Living Standards Survey Round Six, this paper focused on examining factors that determine annual household expenditure on formal education in Ghana, using the annual share of household budget in total education expenditure as the dependent variable. The study established that households in Ghana spend an average of 5.6 percent of their annual income on basic education, and the estimated ordinary least squares (OLS) effect shows that rural households spend 6.7 percent less on education than urban households in Ghana. Policy wise, the central government of Ghana must take measures to ensure that household spending on basic education is reduced more and concerted efforts purposefully upgrading infrastructure and human resources in rural areas to a much level comparable to that in urban areas, and annual rural household education expenditure would also see a tangible increase, ceteris paribus, in Ghana.
Application of Machine Learning and Predictive Models in Healthcare – A Review
(MECS Press, 2024-06-08) Agbesi Benjamin Eli; Addo Prince Clement; Oliver Kufuor Boansi
The use of predictive analytics or models in healthcare has the potential to revolutionize patient care by identifying high-risk patients and intervening with targeted preventative measures to improve health outcomes. This makes the application of analytics in healthcare a concept of utmost interest, which has been explored in various fashions by several scholars. From predicting patients’ ailments to prescribing appropriate drugs, predictive models have seen massive interest. This work studied published works on predictive models in healthcare and observed that the implementation of predictive models in healthcare is experiencing a notable upswing, with a particular focus on research in the United States, where a majority of the top publications originated. Surprisingly, all of the leading nations in this sector have affiliations spanning many continents, with the exception of Africa and South America, together producing a substantially larger volume of research than other countries. The United States also shone out, accounting for 60% of the top five researchers. Notably, although it was published in 2017 (relatively later), Jiang et al. had the most citations (1,346). These studies' core themes were clinical standards, machine learning terminology, and model accuracy. The Journal of Biomedical Informatics topped among journals, with 54 articles, while Luo Gang emerged as the top-performing author, with 12 publications.
characterization of Wood cellular structure of Plantation Grown Anogeissus leiocarpa and Eucalyptus camaldulensis in the savannah Ecological Zone, Ghana
(2024-12-28) Tampori, Enoch Gbapenuo; Bih, Francis Kofi; Appiah-Kubi, Emmanuel; Chakurah, Issah; Awotwe-Mensah, Michael; Donkoh, Mark Bright
The decreasing availability of economic hardwood timber species throughout tropical countries has necessitated the need to adopt plantation grown exotic timber species into the mainstream of raw materials in the furniture and wood manufacturing industries. However, published research on the material properties of most of these exotic timber species grown in the Savannah Ecological Zone of Ghana is limited. The wood properties of these species when known could result in their optimal utilization and broad acceptance in the wood industries as an alternative for the extinct tropical t imber species. This study determines the anatomical properties of plantation grown Anogeissus leiocarpa and Eucalyptus camaldulensis trees grown in the Savannah Ecological Zone of Ghana. Wood discs were obtained from three stem heights (butt, mid and top) from which cubes measuring 40 mm x 20 mm x 20 mm were produced for the microtome sections and macerated tissues, viewed under a microscope with Motic Image Plus software. Descriptions of wood anatomy followed IAWA's microscopic characteristics. It was observed that in the sapwood, there were more vessels than in heartwood, though the vessels were smaller in diameters, suggesting resistance to sap conduction which gives wood high aesthetic value and dimensional stability during drying. The species vessel diameter fell within the medium category and large vessels, demonstrating that wood will possess a greater mechanical strength since it will be denser, consequently possessing significant mechanical strength that can be compared favorably to other commercial timber species. This might be a major breakthrough in the production of quality and durable furniture as well as other wood products by using the exotic plantation grown timber species.
Combustion, Physical And Mechanical Characteristics Of Briquettes Produced From Coconut Residues By Three Companies In Ghana
(2024) TETTEH, Clara Lily Korkor; ANTWI, Kwaku; DONKOR, Mark Bright; ZAKARIA, Joseph
Converting biomass into a product that can be utilised efficiently for energy production is vital for its proper use. During briquetting, agricultural waste is turned into a product that is easily transportable, easy to handle, and easy to handle, as well as solid blocks that are more beneficial than raw biomass. Because of their makeup and natural differences, it is essential to be aware of the ideal techniques that must be adopted for more durable and lasting fuel from individual biomass compacted into briquettes. The physical, mechanical, and combustion characteristics of the bio-briquettes samples were examined in this study. The moisture content, volatile matter, fixed carbon, density, ash content, calorific value, and compressive strength were analysed with existing standards and compared with the values from the other studies. Results revealed that the briquettes samples have a mean value of moisture content (7.02 - 8.76%), volatile matter (46.11- 61:03%), fixed carbon (41.64 - 26.26%), briquette density (1.16 -1.33g/cm³) ash content (55 - 63.8%), calorific value (22.35 - 21.45MJ/kg) and compressive strength in cleft (0.43-1.25N/mm²)-suitable for domestic use, packaging, storage and transportation. This study has revealed that durable and quality briquettes can be achieved with better combustion, physical and mechanical properties can be produced with coconut husk and shell with cassava starch as a binder and can serve as another way of accessing energy and controlling waste.
Conceptions of Digital Libraries: An African Perspective
(Emerald Publishing, 2020) Owusu-Ansah, Christopher M.
Purpose The purpose of this paper was to explore African conceptions of digital libraries from the perspective of the historical literature. This paper argues that the concept of digital libraries is a western creation and that there was a need for developing societies to develop their own conceptions to guide their own digital library development agenda. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on a literature review. The paper makes use of publicly-available literature on the theme of digital libraries from both the Western and African perspectives. The search terms used were “digital libraries”, “Africa digital libraries”, “electronic libraries”, “information communication technologies/libraries” and “institutional repositories”. A total of 89 publications were examined for this purpose. Findings The analysis revealed that most of the initial digital library initiatives in Africa emanated from the west with African countries benefiting from international initiatives to expand access to information resources to bridge the global digital divide. However, due to a number of contextual challenges such as lack of sustainable funding and inadequate capacity and strategy, the development of digital libraries was hampered. Thus, even though digital libraries enjoy considerable goodwill, there remain negative conceptions of digital libraries in Africa. Practical implications Information institutions in African countries must evolve a unified conception of digital libraries as this would largely drive the direction of digital library development towards achieving the developmental goals of the continent. Originality/value The study applies the attributes of innovation to explain contextual factors shaping African conceptions of digital libraries.
COVID-19: fear appeal favoring purchase behavior towards personal protective equipment
(Routledge, 2020-04-16) Prince Clement Addo; Fang Jiaming; Nora Bakabbey Kulbo; Li Liangqiang
The 2019 novel coronavirus is a non-segmented positive-sense RNA virus belonging to the Coronaviridae-Nidovirales family. We examined the swings in purchase behavior following the outbreak of the COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, and across the world based on the theory of fear appeal. We gathered published statistics (suspected, confirmed, and fatality) on the COVID-19 alongside the purchase of personal protective equipment to examine the swings in online purchase behavior. With a serial mediated analysis, we established that fear appeal is associated with the sharp dynamics in the online purchase as related to the COVID-19. The results confirmed that fear appeal promotes social presence in anticipation of seeking affection, acceptance, and social information. This feeling is a precondition for developing e-loyalty, which promotes purchase behavior. Even though our variables might not be conclusive enough, we believe the findings are fundamental to understanding the swings in the purchase trend in this and any similar situations.
Cultural orientations and product innovation in the Ghanaian banking sector
(Routledge, 2019-01-22) Atarisigna Jenkins Asaah; Yunfei Shao; Ansong Kwame Wadei; Nkrumah Frimpong Adasa Kofi
The Ghanaian banking sector plays a major role in the socio- economic development of the country. However, the banks are faced with many challenges which include growing customers’ demands, inadequate innovation practices and poor financial performance. With the advent of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), there are calls for the banks to be more innovative. The paper explores the influence of organizational cultural orientations on product innovation. It also examines the moderating effect of extrinsic motivators on such relationships. Hypotheses were formulated and tested using data collected from the banking sector in Ghana. The findings are that innovate- oriented and compete-oriented cultures have a direct positive influence on product innovation. Both Informational Extrinsic Motivators (IEMs) and Controlling Extrinsic Motivators (CEMs) moderate the relationship between innovate-oriented, compete- oriented cultures and product innovation such that they diminish the positive relationship that exists between such variables. The paper offers theoretical contribution and managerial implications which are discussed.
Customer engagement and purchase intention in live-streaming digital marketing platforms
(Routledge, 2021-03-12) Prince Clement Addo; Jiaming Fang; Andy Ohemeng Asare; Nora Bakabbey Kulbo
The lack of human and social cues and customer engagement impedes traditional e-commerce until the birth of social commerce. This study investigates how customer engagement in live-streaming digital marketing affects purchase intentions. The results of 1726 datasets from two e-commerce platforms suggest that customer engagement is significantly associated with followership and purchase intention in live-streaming digital marketing. Whiles price is a significant moderator, its effects become insignificant on their purchase intentions once consumers become followers. The results highlight the positive impacts of social elements, including likes, chats, visits, and exposure time in social commerce towards transactional (purchase) and non-transactional (followership) benefits. Finally, the paper introduces a new perception of measuring customer engagement in live-streaming digital marketing and calls for further research into this new paradigm of social commerce to promote business and service provisions even with the restrictions of COVID-19.
Darcy-Forchheimer flow of MHD nanofluid thin film flow with Joule dissipation and Navier’s partial slip
(Purpose-Led Publishing, 2018-11-14) Jawad, Muhammad; Shah, Zahir; Islam, Saeed; Bonyah, Ebenezer; Khan, Aurang Zeb
In this paper investigation is carried out on two dimensional liquid film with heat generation/ absorption and variable heat transmission of nanofluid MHD flow on an unsteady stretching sheet. Flow of nanofluid phenomenon is model from the basic governing time-dependent equations. By the use of suitable similarity transformation, these basic equations are transformed to differential equations system. The nanofluid is supposed to slip along the boundary of the sheet. To find the solution of the transformed modeled equations Homotopy Analysis technique is used. A numerical survey is presented for the convergence of the implemented technique. Effects of variations of different influential parameters like Nunumber and Cfx for fluid flow of liquid film with mass and heat transfer is observed. The effect of unsteadiness parameter S over thin film is explored analytically for different values. It is investigated that for large values of Mthatthenano fluid films velocity distribution decreases, where increase in the value of K1, are duction in the porous medium permeability. Thickness of thermal boundary layer decreases with increasing values of S, while increase of radiation parameter, the Nusselt number also increases. Furthermore, the embedded parameters used for comprehension of the physical presentation, like inertial parameter F1, magnetic parameter M, permeability parameter K1, Eckert number Ec, Prandtl number Pr, and parameters ε1, ε2 and γ has been presented by graphs and discussed in detail.
Determinants of mutual fund investment decision by second cycle teachers in Kumasi metropolis, Ghana
(Inderscience Publishers (IEL), 2015) Awunyo-Vitor, Dadson; Aveh, Felix Kwame; Donkor, Samuel; Addai, Isaac
This study investigated factors influencing teachers’ mutual fund investment decision using second cycle institution teachers in the Kumasi metropolis. Two hundred and fifty-two respondents were sampled for the study. A well-structured questionnaire was used in collecting data from the respondents. Descriptive statistics such as mean, percentages and the frequency distribution table were used in analysing the data. In addition, the logistic regression model was employed to identify factors influencing respondents’ decision to invest in mutual funds. From the study, it was found that 68.75% of the total number of respondents are aware of mutual fund as an investment option and 50% of them got to know of it through the advertisement of mutual fund products and services. From the logistic regression model; marital status, family size, other source of income and financial education had a positive relationship with mutual fund investment decision. The study therefore
Determination Of Anatomical Features, Physical And Mechanical Properties Of Cashew Wood (Anacardium Occidentale L) From Semi Deciduous Forest, Ghana
(2024) ASARE, Frederick Kwadwo; ANTWI, Kwaku; BIH, Francis Kofi
This study investigates the anatomical, physical and mechanical properties of cashew wood (Anacardium occidentale) sourced from a semi-deciduous forest in Ghana, addressing its potential as an alternative to threatened tropical hardwoods. Wood remains a crucial material for construction and furniture due to its versatility and sustainability. The research focuses on the anatomical, mechanical, and physical properties of A. occidentale to assess its potential for various applications, in the context of challenges regarding the raw material scarcity and ecosystem degradation. The study is based on a destructive testing method on two mature trees, revealing significant fibre characteristics and mechanical properties variations between trees. Results indicated that, the anatomical, mechanical, and physical properties revealed significant variations between tree 1 and tree 2, underscoring the species' versatility for interior design applications, emphasising the need for sustainable forestry practices.
Digital Library Readiness In Africa: A Strategic Human Resource Perspective
(Wits Institutional Repository On DSPACE, 2020) Owusu-Ansah, M. Christopher; Takyi, Lydia
The success of any digital library endeavour significantly depends on the human capital of the implementing organisation. Many African institutions and academic libraries in developing countries are focusing and channeling significant resources into planning and setting up digital libraries. However, the main hurdle for many of these efforts is the human resource capacity of staff expected to implement these projects as several studies show a considerable skills gap in many digital library projects leading to sustainability challenges. The aim of this paper is to propose the application of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) in evaluating digital library resources and services in Ghana to determine the readiness of academic libraries in implementing sustainable digital library services. As a result, the study examines the strategic plan of a multi-campus public university in Ghana with a view to aligning it to the same university’s library digital strategy using the BSC. The study proposes to academic libraries involved in digital initiatives to be mindful of the digital, financial and societal contexts in which they operate. The study is expected to contribute to efforts at finding strategic measures to drive the vision of the digital library African institutions.
Double-layer optical fiber coating analysis in MHD flow of an elastico-viscous fluid using wet-on-wet coating process
(Elsevier, 2016-12-05) Khan, Zeeshan; Islam, Saeed; Shah, Rehan Ali; Khan, Muhammad Altaf; Bonyah, Ebenezer; Jan, Bilal; Khan, Aurangzeb
Modern optical fibers require a double-layer coating on the glass fiber in order to provide protection from signal attenuation and mechanical damage. The most important plastic resins used in wires and optical f ibers are plastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and low and high density polyethylene (LDPE/HDPE), nylon and Polysulfone. One of the most important things which affect the final product after processing is the design of the coating die. In the present study, double-layer optical fiber coating is performed using melt poly mer satisfying Oldroyd 8-constant fluid model in a pressure type die with the effect of magneto hydrodynamic (MHD). Wet-on-wet coating process is applied for double-layer optical fiber coating. The coating process in the coating die is modeled as a simple two-layer Couette flow of two immiscible f luids in an annulus with an assigned pressure gradient. Based on the assumptions of fully developed laminar and MHD flow, the Oldroyd 8-constant model of non-Newtonian fluid of two immiscible resin layers is modeled. The governing nonlinear equations are solved analytically by the new technique of Optimal Homotopy Asymptotic Method (OHAM). The convergence of the series solution is established. The results are also verified by the Adomian Decomposition Method (ADM). The effect of important parameters such as magnetic parameter Mi, the dilatant constant a, the Pseodoplastic constant b, the radii ratio d, the pressure gradient X, the speed of fiber optics V, and the viscosity ratio j on the velocity profiles, thickness of coated fiber optics, volume flow rate, and shear stress on the fiber optics are inves tigated. At the end the result of the present work is also compared with the experimental results already available in the literature by taking non-Newtonian parameters tends to zero. 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND

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