Browsing by Author "Oduro, A.D."

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Achieving Gender Equity in Ghana: How useful is the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy?
(Lexington Books, 2008) Oduro, A.D.
The overarching goal of Ghana’s first poverty reduction strategy paper was to ensure equitable growth. One of the means to achieve this outlined in the strategy was the achievement of gender equity. This chapter uses a gender lens to examine the strategies of GPRS I with a view to determining whether their implementation would result in progress towards achieving gender equity. It does this by assessing the adequacy of the gender analysis in the document and whether the monitoring plan utilises gender-sensitive indicators. It finds that the gender analysis of poverty in GPRS I was weak and the opportunities to develop and report on gender-sensitive indicators were not always exploited.
African Countries and the Green Box
(Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2009) Oduro, A.D.
The paper argues that the green box subsidies of the WTO’s Agreement on Agriculture provide African countries the policy space to implement measures to support agriculture. Evidence from African countries that notify the WTO of their domestic support to agriculture suggests that a large proportion of this support falls under the green box. In addition not all the available green box measures are used by African countries or may be considered priorities at this point in time. The categories of spending that may be considered priorities to African agriculture are all available under the green box measures with limited restrictions on their use. The effective use of spending on green box measures will go a long way to reduce the constraints facing African farmers.
Changing Patterns of Wealth Distribution: Evidence from Ghana
(Routledge, 2018) Oduro, A.D.; Doss, C.R.
A largely unexplored feature of structural transformation is the change in the composition of an economy’s asset holdings. In most poor economies, assets are concentrated in land. In rich economies, physical and human capital are more important. This paper focuses on the changes in the composition of household wealth and the share of assets owned by women in Ghana over two decades of relatively rapid growth and significant structural changes. We find that land’s share of household portfolios decreased and the share of financial assets increased. Women’s share of land, savings and business assets rose over the period. © 2018 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Closing the Gender Gaps in Ghana
(Oxford University Press, 2017) Oduro, A.D.; Ackah, C.G.
This chapter assesses gender issues in the national discourse and policy agenda since independence and presents evidence on trends in gender gaps in education, employment, time use, and asset ownership. Although progress has been made in introducing legislation and policies to promote gender equality, important legislation remains to be enacted. Gender parity in primary enrolment has been achieved but gender gaps persist in other education levels and in education outcomes. More women are in wage employment, but the proportion of working women classified as unpaid family workers remains stubbornly high. The gender gap in time spent on unpaid domestic work persists despite women’s increased labour force participation and there is a gender gap in asset ownership. Closing the gender gap will require crafting appropriate strategies based on a clear understanding of gender relations in order to change values, norms, and behaviours.
). Delayed primary school enrolment among boys and girls in Ghana
(Elsevier Science, 2016) Seshie-Nasser, H.A.; Oduro, A.D.
Using the fifth Ghana Living Standards Survey, this paper examines whether delayed entry is as likely among girls as it is among boys and the importance of the household's poverty status in understanding delayed entry. No gender difference is found in the likelihood of delayed entry. However boys are much older for their grades than girls suggesting that they may experience a more extended period of delayed entry. The poverty status of the household is not an important correlate of delayed entry among girls or children in urban households but is important for boys and rural children.
Delayed primary school enrolment among boys and girls in Ghana.
(ELSEVIER, 2016-03) Seshie-Nasser, H.A.; Oduro, A.D.
Using the fifth Ghana Living Standards Survey, this paper examines whether delayed entry is as likely among girls as it is among boys and the importance of the household's poverty status in understanding delayed entry. No gender difference is found in the likelihood of delayed entry. However boys are much older for their grades than girls suggesting that they may experience a more extended period of delayed entry. The poverty status of the household is not an important correlate of delayed entry among girls or children in urban households but is important for boys and rural children.
The economy of Ghana sixty years after indpendence
(Oxford University Press, 2017) Oduro, A.D.; Ackah, C.J.
his chapter assesses gender issues in the national discourse and policy agenda since independence and presents evidence on trends in gender gaps in education, employment, time use, and asset ownership. Although progress has been made in introducing legislation and policies to promote gender equality, important legislation remains to be enacted. Gender parity in primary enrolment has been achieved but gender gaps persist in other education levels and in education outcomes. More women are in wage employment, but the proportion of working women classified as unpaid family workers remains stubbornly high. The gender gap in time spent on unpaid domestic work persists despite women’s increased labour force participation and there is a gender gap in asset ownership. Closing the gender gap will require crafting appropriate strategies based on a clear understanding of gender relations in order to change values, norms, and behaviours.
Engendering economic policy in Africa.
(Taylor & Francis, 2015) Oduro, A.D.; van Staveren, I.
Despite Africa's relatively commendable growth performance since 2000, growth has not been accompanied by structural transformations. First, there has been little diversification from agriculture into industry, particularly manufacturing. Second, the poverty headcount and inequality remain high in many countries, even as African countries continue to rank lowest on the United Nations Development Programme's Gender Inequality Index. This contribution goes beyond the individualistic approach of supply-side policies and unveils deeper mechanisms that need to be tackled for the two transformations (diversification and inequality reduction) to occur. It demonstrates that gender inequality relies on unwritten but dominant social norms, hence, informal institutions. The removal of formal legislation that constrains women's agency, the enactment of formal laws, and the implementation of economic policies designed specifically to create incentives for behavior change are recommended.
Engendering economic policy in Africa.
(2015-07) Oduro, A.D.; van Staveren, I.
Despite Africa's relatively commendable growth performance since 2000, growth has not been accompanied by structural transformations. First, there has been little diversification from agriculture into industry, particularly manufacturing. Second, the poverty headcount and inequality remain high in many countries, even as African countries continue to rank lowest on the United Nations Development Programme's Gender Inequality Index. This contribution goes beyond the individualistic approach of supply-side policies and unveils deeper mechanisms that need to be tackled for the two transformations (diversification and inequality reduction) to occur. It demonstrates that gender inequality relies on unwritten but dominant social norms, hence, informal institutions. The removal of formal legislation that constrains women's agency, the enactment of formal laws, and the implementation of economic policies designed specifically to create incentives for behavior change are recommended.
Exploring firm performance and growth among own-account and micro enterprises in Ghana
(International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2019-10-30) Owoo, N.S.; Oduro, A.D.; Ackah, C.
Using micro-level data from the 2013 nationally-representative GENDA survey on approximately 1,200 own-account and micro enterprises, we examine firm performance and business growth between men and women entrepreneurs in Ghana. Using OLS and multinomial logit (MNL) regression techniques, we find differential effects and constraints for men and women-owned businesses: men generally perform better than women, controlling for a host of characteristics. We find that among women-operated firms, locating a business at home has negative performance implications. Additionally, women-operated firms report more positive growth experiences when their businesses are formally-registered. While credit constraint has negative effects for both male and female-operated firms, the effects are felt stronger among men. We also find some evidence of ICT use-age on performance of firms, with differential effects for men and women. These findings provide significant scope for policy targeting in order to enhance business performance and growth among own-account and micro enterprises in Ghana.
Export Diversification and Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa
(2015) Hodey, L.S.; Oduro, A.D.; Senadza, B.
Most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have been associated with low and volatile growth performance over the years. Export diversification has been identified in the literature as growth-inducing. This study provides evidence on the relationship between export diversification and economic growth using panel data of forty-two (42) SSA countries. Employing the system Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) estimation technique and three different measures of diversification, we find that export diversification has a positive and significant effect on economic growth in SSA. Our results are robust to the measures of export diversification. The results do not however support a hump-shaped (non-linear) relationship between export diversification and economic growth in SSA. The findings have relevant implications for policy.
Export Diversification and Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa
(University of Ghana, 2013-06) Hodey, L.S.; Oduro, A.D.; Senadza, B.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of Economics
Most economies in Sub–Saharan Africa (SSA) have been associated with low and volatile growth performance over the years. Export diversification is identified in the literature as growth–inducing. However, the assessment of the effect of export diversification on economic growth has not received much attention in Sub–Saharan Africa. The study provides evidence on the relationship between export diversification and economic growth using panel data of forty–two (42) Sub–Saharan African (SSA) countries for the period 1995–2010. The study adopts the system GMM estimation technique in order to obtain consistent and efficient estimates of the effect of export diversification on economic growth. In relation to most previous empirical studies, this study accounts for time series variations in the data, captures the unobserved country–specific time–invariant effects, and also controls for endogeneity in the estimation model. The estimation results attest to a positive effect of export diversification on economic growth. Evidence from the regressions does not support a hump–shaped relationship between export diversification and economic growth in SSA. The study further shows that other control variables such as gross fixed capital formation, human capital, and foreign direct investment are significant positive determinants of economic growth in SSA. Population growth rate on the other hand is found to have a negative significant effect on economic growth in SSA. It is recommended that governments in SSA should promote export diversification together with investment in human and physical capital, keep population growth under control, and pursue policies that will attract foreign direct investment into growth–enhancing productive sectors of their economies.
Export diversification and economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa.
(2015) Hodey, L.S.; Oduro, A.D.; Senadza, B.
Most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have been associated with low and volatile growth performance over the years. Export diversification has been identified in the literature as growth-inducing. This study provides evidence on the relationship between export diversification and economic growth using panel data of forty-two (42) SSA countries. Employing the system Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) estimation technique and three different measures of diversification, we find that export diversification has a positive and significant effect on economic growth in SSA. Our results are robust to the measures of export diversification. The results do not however support a hump-shaped (non-linear) relationship between export diversification and economic growth in SSA. The findings have relevant implications for policy.
Foreword
(Current Perspectives in the Archaeology of Ghana, 2014) Aryeetey, E.; Agyei-Mensah, S.; Ayee, J.A.; Oduro, A.D.
Formal and Informal Credit Demand by Rice Farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana
(University of Ghana, 2013-07) Muhammed, M.A.; Oduro, A.D.; Asante, Y.
Limited access to credit is one of the fundamental problems faced by rice farmers in the Northern Region of Ghana. As such, it is the aim of government and other organizations such as the Food Security and Rice Producer Organization (FSRPOP) to increase rice farmers‟ access to credit. However, studies on the demand side of the credit market of rice farmers that would help formulate appropriate policies essential for increasing rice farmers‟ demand for credit are missing. The study provides evidence on the demand side of credit market of rice farmers by identifying the sources of credit to rice farmers, estimating the demographic as well as socio-economic factors that affect rice farmers‟ demand for formal and informal credit, and ascertaining whether formal and informal credit are substitutes or complements using survey data of 200 rice farmers. The study adopts the probit estimation method to estimate the overall determinants of credit demand and the bivariate probit estimation technique to jointly estimate the determinants of demand for formal and informal credit and to ascertain whether formal and informal credits are substitutes or complements. The results of the study revealed that formal sources of credit to rice farmers comprised of universal banks, rural banks, and other formal credit sources. Informal credit sources on the other hand comprised friends and relatives and money lenders. Specifically, formal credit demand is significantly influenced by the gender of the farmer, household size, education, agricultural commercialization and location. Informal credit demand on the other hand in addition to being negatively influenced by age and education, is positively influenced by household size, level of agricultural commercialization, engagement in other economic activities in addition to rice farming and value of assets. The result of the bivariate probit suggests that formal and informal credits are perfect substitutes to rice farmers. The study recommends that formal banks should be motivated to grant credit to farmers, policies should be designed to encourage farmers become more commercially oriented, credit schemes provided by government should target those farmers with high level of agricultural commercialization since they are more likely to demand credit, the government and policy makers should initiate specific policies that will either mandate or motivate formal financial institutions to get representatives in rice producing villages educate farmers on their lending procedures, assist farmers fill loan application forms, thereby making the access and use of formal credit more convenient to farmers.
Gender, Migrant Remittances and Asset Acquisition in Ghana
(Ghana Social Science Journal, 2014-06) Oduro, A.D.; Boakye-Yiadom, L.
The growing importance of migrant remittances has been the subject of many studies in recent decades. The remittance literature has however not addressed extensively the role of remittances in the accumulation of assets by members of remittance-receiving households. In this paper, we analyze the extent to which households in Ghana use migrant remittances – sent from former household members – to finance the purchase of assets, using data from the 2010 Ghana Household Asset Survey (GHAS). The paper also explores the interplay of gender, migrant's location, and the use of migrant remittances to acquire specific asset types. The study's findings suggest that the three asset types most likely to be acquired using migrant remittances are savings, the place of residence, and businesses. The findings further suggest that the use of migrant remittances to finance specific asset types is linked to the sex of the remitter, as well as the location – internal versus international – of the migrant
Gendered Paths to Asset Accumulation? Markets, Savings, and Credit in Developing Countries
(Feminist Economics, 2019-02) Doss, C.R.; Deere, C.D.; Oduro, A.D.; Swaminathan, H.; Catanzarite, Z.; Suchitra, J.Y.
An extensive literature shows how property inheritance is biased against women in many developing countries, yet relatively little attention has been given to gender bias in other means of acquiring physical assets, such as the market. Using individual-level data from Ecuador, Ghana, and Karnataka, India, this study analyzes modes of acquisition and financing of housing, agricultural land, other real estate, and businesses. The findings show that women acquire fewer of their assets through the market than men, and that in asset markets, both men and women are more likely to use their own savings than to use credit. The study also analyzes current loans for asset acquisition and finds that, in general, women tend to be somewhat disadvantaged in securing formal bank loans. The results suggest that financial inclusion to promote more gender equal access to accumulation of assets should focus on both savings and credit, with priority to savings.
Innovation and employment in manufacturing and service firms in Ghana
(Small Business Economics, 2018-11) Baffour, P.T.; Turkson, E.F.; Gyeke-Dako, A.; Oduro, A.D.; Abbey, E.N.
While the importance of innovation as a primary source of economic growth has never been in dispute, its impact on employment has remained indeterminate. On one hand, the pessimists indicate that firm innovation destroys jobs because of the immediate indirect labour-saving nature of the effect of innovation, while the optimists argue that there are several compensation mechanisms that are known to counterbalance the initial effect of innovation and render the final effect indeterminate. Using data on a panel of 421 firms in Ghana, the paper investigates the relationship between innovation introduced at the firm level and employment. Relying on the panel fixed effects and Hausman-Taylor estimation techniques, this study finds a robust statistically significant positive impact of product innovation on employment but not for process innovation. In terms of policy relevance, this finding reemphasizes the need for policy makers in Ghana to intensity efforts in promoting technology diffusion particularly through FDI. This study thus contributes to the literature on innovation in Africa by providing evidence on why technological innovation in the form of product innovation can be a panacea to alleviating employment challenges in Ghana.
Introduction
(Changing Perspectives on the Social Sciences in Ghana, 2014-05) Ayee, J.R.A.; Agyei-Mensah, S.; Oduro, A.D.
The social sciences are disciplines, which have been taught in most universities and colleges across the world. They mainly deal with society, aspects of the group life of human beings and their relationships. In other words, the social sciences may be regarded as the scientific study of social, cultural, psychological, economic, and geo-political forces that guide individuals in their actions (Kuper and Kuper, The Social Science Encyclopedia, 1985; Hunt and Colander, Social Science: An Introduction to the Study of Society, 2004). Even though they are closely related to the humanities in that both deal with human beings and their culture, they are, at the same time, different. While the social sciences are mostly concerned with those basic elements of culture that determine the general patterns of human behaviour, the humanities deal with special aspects of human culture and are primarily concerned with attempts to express spiritual and esthetic values and to discover the meaning of life. In addition, whereas the social sciences study issues in a systematic, scientific way, the focus of the humanities is more on emotions and feelings (Hunt and Colander, Study Guide for Social Science: An Introduction to the Study of Society, 2010). © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht. All rights reserved.
An Investigation into the Gender Dimensions of Taxation in Ghana
(Routledge and IDRC, 2010) Aryeetey, E.; Osei-Akoto, I.; Oduro, A.D.; Osei, R.D.
Little attention is paid to gender biases in taxation. This chapter fills this gap by addressing three questions: (1) do the personal income tax laws in Ghana ensure formal and substantive equality for women and men (2) who bears the burden of indirect taxation in Ghana and (3) what can be learnt about the gender dimensions of tax burden in Ghana. The analysis finds that there is considerable formal equality in the personal income tax structure. Tax laws do not explicitly differentiate between women and men and tax rates are the same for both sexes. In terms of substantive equality the personal income tax system discriminates against the single-earner households many of which are headed by women. Policy reforms are needed to lessen the burden of taxation on poor households that have more children. Tax reforms should target and reduce the burden of taxes on commodities such as fuel for household use, since such taxes are disproportionately regressive for households in which females are the majority.