Browsing by Author "Oppong, M."
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Item Black Soldier Fly Larvae-Based Fish Feed Production: Financial Feasibility and Acceptability Analysis(University Of Ghana, 2017-07) Oppong, M.Conventional feed, which uses fishmeal is expensive and expected to be limited in the future due to potential decline in capture fisheries. Researchers have suggested the use of insects such as the Black Soldier Fly larvae (BSFL) as an alternative to fishmeal in fish feed. The major objective of the study was to ascertain the financial viability of BSFL meal and BSFLbased fish feed production and fish farmer’s acceptance of BSFL-based fish feed. Indicators such as Net Present Value (NPV), Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) were used for the financial viability analysis. A sample of 150 farmers were interviewed and a three point Likert scale used to solicit farmer’s responses to perception statements. The bidding game and the Tobit regression model were used to determine the maximum amount farmers were willing to pay and factors influencing the willingness to pay (WTP) amount respectively. Finally, a partial budget was used to estimate the gains made by fish farmer from substituting conventional feed with BSFL-based feed. The results of the study showed that the production of BSFL meal is viable with NPV of GH¢5.7m, BCR of 2.4, IRR of 32%. The production of BSFL-based fish feed is viable with NPV of GH¢8.1m, BCR of 1.95 and IRR of 30%. There was a high degree of acceptance amongst fish farmers as farmers perceived BSFL feed to be beneficial and were willing to pay an average of GH¢ 186.00/20Kg for the BSFL-based feed. The factors affecting WTP were marital status, annual income and awareness of insects as feed. A gain of GH¢6.53 can be made by fish farmers in replacing 14.6kg of conventional feed with 14.6 kg of BSFL-based fish feed. The study recommended the sensitization of entrepreneurs on the profitability of BSFL meal and BSFLbased fish feed production in order to encourage investment. Also, potential entrepreneurs should recognise the mean WTP amount when making pricing decisions in order to penetrate the market and allow fish farmers to make savings from substituting conventional fish feed with BSFL-based fish feed.Item Culture and country choice of international students: evidence from Ghana(JOURNAL OF MARKETING FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, 2019-11-08) Mahmoud, M.A.; Oppong, E.; Twimasie, D.; Husseini, M.M.; Kastner, A.N.A.; Oppong, M.This study seeks to examine the influence of the cultural elements on international students’ country choice. It also examines whether individual values moderate the influence of cultural elements on the country choice of international students. Drawing upon a sample size of 223, the data was analysed using structural equation modelling technique. Among the five cultural elements, education, language and social institutions were found to have a positive significant influence on the international student’s country choice. When moderated by individual values education was found to be the only key significant value to international students when selecting a country to further their education. The cultural elements should be given much attention by marketers, government and managers of academic institutions. An improvement in the standards of education in developing countries would attract more students from developed countries.Item An empirical analysis of the sustainability of Ghana's trade deficits(International Journal of Economics and Business Research, 2015) Owusu-Afriyie, K.; Oppong, M.Trends in the trade balance of Ghana show a consistent and excessive deficit in the Ghanaian economy (but for brief episodes of surpluses). The key concern regarding this trend is that Ghana could be on the path of insolvency as they build up excessive net foreign debt from financing the trade gap with capital inflows. Using the inter-temporal budget constraint model of Husted (1992), this study assesses the sustainability of Ghana's trade deficits via a test of the country's inter-temporal budget constraint. Employing time series data of Ghana for the period 1983-2012 and using the bounds testing approach to cointegration under the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model, the study found the existence of a long-run relationship between Ghana's exports and imports. The results of the Wald's restriction test imposed on the long-run parameter indicate that Ghana fails to satisfy the sufficient condition for sustainability of its trade deficits. The study also established the existence of a bidirectional causality between Ghana's exports and imports both in the short run and the long run. The overall conclusion drawn from the study is that Ghana fails to satisfy its international budget constraint and that its trade deficits are unsustainable. Copyright © 2015 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.Item Suitability of IgG responses to multiple Plasmodium falciparum antigens as markers of transmission intensity and pattern(PLoS ONE, 2021) Kyei-Baafour, E.; Oppong, M.; Kusi, K.A.; Frempong, A.F.; Aculley, B.; Arthur, F.K.N.; Tiendrebeogo, R.W.; Singh, S.K.; Theisen, M.; Kweku, M.; Adu, B.; Hviid, L.; OforiI, M.F.Detection of antibody reactivity to appropriate, specific parasite antigens may constitute a sensitive and cost-effective alternative to current tools to monitor malaria transmission across different endemicity settings. This study aimed to determine the suitability of IgG responses to a number of P. falciparum antigens as markers of transmission intensity and pattern. Antibody responses to multiple malaria antigens were determined in 905 participants aged 1–12 years from three districts with low (Keta), medium (Hohoe) and high (Krachi) transmission intensity in the Volta region of Ghana. Blood film microscopy slides and dry blood spots (DBS) were obtained for parasitaemia detection and antibody measurement, respectively. Sera were eluted from DBS and levels of IgG specific for 10 malaria antigens determined by a multiplex assay. Results were compared within and among the districts. Total IgG responses to MSPDBL1, MSPDBLLeucine, MSP2-FC27, RAMA, and PfRh2a and PfRh2b were higher in Krachi than in Hohoe and Keta. Seroprevalence of IgG specific for MSPDBLLeucine, RON4, and PfRh2b were also highest in Krachi. Responses to RALP-1, PfRh2a and PfRh2b were associated with patent but asymptomatic parasitaemia in Keta, while responses to MSPDBL1, MSPDBLLeucine, MSP2-FC27, RAMA, Rh2-2030, and PfRh2b were associated with parasite carriage in Hohoe, but not in Krachi. Using ROC analysis, only PfRh2b was found to predict patent, but asymptomatic, parasitaemia in Keta and Hohoe. Antibody breadth correlated positively with age (r = 0.29, p<0.0001) and parasitaemia (β = 3.91; CI = 1.53 to 6.29), and medium to high transmission (p<0.0001). Our findings suggest differences in malaria-specific antibody responses across the three transmission zones and that PfRh2b has potential as a marker of malaria transmission intensity and pattern. This could have implications for malaria control programs and vaccine trials.