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Item Determinants Of Postnatal Care Attendance In Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipal.(University of Ghana, 2023-02) Atura, J.O.Postnatal care is essential in maintaining the health and well-being of mothers and children. This study explored the determinants of postnatal care attendance in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri municipal in the Eastern region. The study was hinged on three main objectives which were: to assess the knowledge level of mothers regarding postnatal care; to assess the knowledge of mothers about postnatal care attendance and to find out factors that affect postnatal care attendance. A total of 300 mothers from five health facilities in the Nsawam- Adoagyiri municipality were purposively sampled and surveyed. The analysis centered on knowledge of mothers on postnatal care; knowledge of mothers concerning postnatal care for newborns and knowledge of danger signs as well as factors affecting postnatal care attendance. The study revealed that 89% of mothers have good knowledge of postnatal care. Using the chi-square test of independence, the study showed that age, education level, and marital status of mothers have no significant influence on the knowledge of postnatal care. The bivariate analysis results showed that 64.7% women have a good knowledge of postnatal care for newborns; 84.3% of mothers have good knowledge as mothers during postnatal care and 93.0% of the mothers have a good knowledge of responding to danger signs in newborns. The chi- square test on the knowledge of mothers regarding newborns showed significant influence of occupation on knowledge of newborn care. In addition, educational level had a significant influence on the knowledge of postnatal care as mothers. Using the probit regression, the study revealed factors such as income, occupation, marital, and educational status of respondents, national health insurance card and awareness of postnatal care as significant and had a positive influence on postnatal care attendance. However, distance to health facility was significant and had a negative influence on postnatal care attendance. The study therefore recommended that the NHIS should be well managed and financially resourced to ensure increased access and quality postnatal care; the need for continuous counselling of pregnant mothers by midwives in and out of health facilities to ensure increased utilisation of postnatal care during antenatal visits. Moreover, there should be increased efforts by the municipal health directorate at Nsawam-Adoagyiri to expand postnatal outreach programs to mothers who stay far away from health care centers.Item Effects Of Collapse And Delicensing Of Some Microfinance Institutions On Microentrepreneurs In La Nkwantanang-Madina Municipality(University Of Ghana, 2020-11) Asante, A.The microfinance sector in Ghana witnessed rapid growth in the late 2000s across the country without effective regulation and licensing, resulting in frequent collapse. In response, in 2011 the Bank of Ghana issued a licensing regime to regulate the microfinance sector. Despite the licensing of MFIs, the industry still faced liquidity issues and insolvency, causing significant loss of deposits across the country. Later in 2019 BoG revoked the licenses of hundreds of MFIs that were insolvent or dormant, without realistic prospects of bouncing back as part of the restructuring of the financial sector. The purpose of this exercise was to restore confidence in the microfinance sector and salvage depositors’ funds. The extent to which the goal has been achieved is yet to be investigated. This study aims at identifying the effects of delicensing on microentrepreneurs in the La Nkwantanang- Madina municipality. This study interviewed 450 microentrepreneurs to ascertain their perceptions about the delicensing, how it has affected their business, and their willingness to patronize microfinance services. The study initially used stratified sampling in selecting microentrepreneurs, while the snowball technique was used to overcome the challenges of getting clients of defunct MFIs. Logistic regression was used to identify the relationship between willingness to patronize microfinance and their perception towards the delicensing exercise. Ordered logit regression was used to find the relationship between the confidence level and their demographic characteristics and type of microfinance client or non-client. T-test of different means was used to compare microentrepreneurs’ perceptions before and after the restructuring. The study found that delicensing has reduced the perception of risk in the MFIs, created a positive perception in MFIs, and also somewhat increased the confidence in the sector. Additionally, it was realized that perception about the delicensing positively affected the microentrepreneurs’ willingness to use microfinance services. The study recommended that a customer services desk should be created to provide information and address customers’ problems relating to microfinance services. The study also recommends BoG collaborate with Apex Bodies to conduct monthly or quarterly spot monitoring checks to ensure adherence to practices and report to the BoG. Additionally, recommend the extension and scale-up of the Coronavirus Alleviation Program Business Support Scheme and Ghana Cares Guarantee scheme program beyond the pandemic to lighten the financial constraints that microentrepreneurs encounter.Item An Extreme Value Analysis Of The Sea Level At Axim(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Opoku, E.Assessing the probability of the sea level rising because of heavy rains and tidal waves is an important issue to engineers and coastal development planners. In the case of Axim, the sea level rise leads to flooding, loss of lives and the destruction of properties in communities such as Brawie, upper and lower Axim. This has led to the commencement of a sea defence project in Axim to protect the community from floods and further destruction of properties. The data used in this study were hourly sea level data from the Axim sea spanning the period January 1980 to January 2019. In this study, we used Extreme Value Theory (EVT) to estimate the exceedance probabilities and return periods of high sea levels that can result in flooding and its associated effects. The study began with an assessment of the domain of attraction of the tails of the Axim sea level data. The Generalised Pareto distribution (GPD) was used to fit the excess data above a chosen high threshold. The Probability Weighted Moment (PWM) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) methods were used to estimate the shape parameter 𝛾 of the GPD. The study showed that the tail distribution of the Axim sea level data is in the Weibull domain of attraction, that is, it has a negative shape parameter (𝛾<0). Also, the study revealed that the probability of the sea exceeding the maximum observed data of 1.83 meters (above mean sea level) is 0.0031. Finally, the study concluded that based on theory and data at hand, there is a negligible chance of the Axim sea rising above 2 meters.Item Maize Farmers’ Willingness to Pay for Weather Index Insurance in Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipality(University of Ghana, 2020-10) Bartrop-Sackey, E.A.Agriculture in Ghana is dominantly dependent on rainfall and hence putting farmers at a high risk of crop failure due to the unpredictability of weather conditions. This is a chronic problem for farmers as annual crop failure puts farmers at the risk of poverty. The objectives of this study were to determine the level of awareness of weather index insurance among farmers; to estimate the average amount these farmers are willing to pay as premium for weather index insurance; and to examine the factors that influence their willingness to pay for weather index insurance. The study is based on a survey of 100 maize farmers sampled from ten communities located in one of Ghana’s local government areas—Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipality. Bivariate descriptive analytical tools, as well as multivariate regressions models, were employed for inference. Specifically, for the regression models, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and Tobit regressions were used. The results showed that only 15% of the maize farmers were aware of weather index insurance, but 93% of the sampled maize farmers were willing to pay for the facility. Maize farmers were willing to pay a mean amount of about GHC229 per acre annually. The results further show that being a male, the level of on-farm income and previous disaster experience were positively correlated with willingness to pay for weather index insurance. Also, I found that farm size and having a secondary occupation are negatively correlated with the willingness to pay for weather index insurance. Given the low levels of awareness of weather index insurance but a positive attitude towards the facility as shown through the willingness to pay for the facility, the study recommends that more effort be devoted by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture at the district level towards educating farmers. The Ministry could also link insurers to the farmers to help mitigate the risk of crop failure.Item Dynamics Of Housing Among Poor Migrants: A Case Study of Agbogbloshie / Old Fadama In The Ashiedu-Keteke Sub-Metropolitan Area.(2006-07) Bangu, J.Access to housing is a key social issue in Ghana. The housing market is characterized by insufficient existing stock, inadequate housing delivery frameworks, limited financial provision and hence ongoing under-supply. Large numbers of Ghanaians, even informal employment, find it difficult to access housing. The Poor bears a disproportionate burden of the housing shortage especially in the city of Accra. This has resulted in the proliferation of slums in major cities including Accra and the subsequent housing market in these settlements. Target II of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is specific on achieving a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers world wide by 2020. Implicitly this recognition highlight slums as a development tissue which needs to be faced because of its effects on the life of individuals and families. In Ghana, the GPRS I in line with the declaration propose the upgrading slum settlements targeting 500 thousand people. All these initiatives suggest the urban poor have a unique form of housing themselves that might not conform to acceptable international and national standards. The study essentially sought to identify the extent of the housing challenge the poor migrants encounter and the processes they go through in housing themselves. The Agbogbloshie / Old Fadama located in the city of Accra is patronized by migrants from the different regions of Ghana largely employed in the informal sector of the economy. Two main category of dwelling units were identified, namely the shacks and the kiosks, shacks are however the dominant and preferred dwelling units in the settlement. A large group of renters live along with owners also known as slum landlords. The shack seems to suggest permanency as well as best fit to withstand the threats of the weather. For those renting, the daily rental unit cost ¢4500and ¢7000respectively for a shack and kiosk respectively. Occupancy is very high beginning from 10 to as high as 20 people depending on the size of the unit. Contrary to the often repeated reports on the settlement as a chaotic place, the study observed a highly organized informal housing market regulated by slum land lords with considerable influence. In the context of housing, the study observed a trend in which migrants graduate from a lowly placed new migrant to a sophisticated middle income individual, who may reside outside the settlement yet has vested interest in the settlement. The pace of graduation seems to depend on the rate of integration into the urban setting as well as improvement in income.Item Assessing the Comprehensiveness of Community Participation in the Planning and Implementation of Development Projects. A Case of the Women and Children’s Ward (WCW) Facility in Abokobi, Ghana.(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Safianu, R.J.Community development projects requires the use of participatory approaches in the formulation of plans to reflect the needs and aspiration of the people. Participatory development perceives local people as experts within their own circumstances, thus highlighting the need to draw on their strengths and indigenous capabilities. Active participation ensures that the beneficiaries of the development project are empowered to become actively involved in all stages of a project cycle. The nine-month long (October 2018 to July 2019) study, took place in Abokobi in the Ga east municipality and examined the pattern of community participation in development project in the Abokobi municipality. Using a qualitative research approach, the study investigated the roles handed to different category of community members through in-depth interviews conducted amongst twenty-two (22) respondents in other to analyze the comprehensiveness of community participation within the study location. The study also examines some factors that hinder or enhance the involvement of community members or beneficiaries in the development process of the Municipality. The study found that there was active engagement of people at the initial stages of project execution by the Assembly. However active engagement of community members reduced as the project progressed to the implementation stage. The study also found that grassroot mobilization and the formation of community organizations were key social factors that enhanced the participation of people in the development process because the Assembly found it convenient engaging community organized groups. The study also found that the assembly uses incentivization and community sensitization as a strategy to raise awareness and encourage community members to attend meetings. The study therefore concludes that the Assembly continuously uses this strategy because the community members themselves condones it and sees it as a pre-requisite for their involvement in town hall meetings. The study also concludes, that the low pace at which the Assembly attends to the developmental needs of the people was a disincentive for community participation. The study recommends that the assembly establishes an effective channel of information transfer between the community and the assembly to enhance share of knowledge and information towards successful community project planning. The study also recommends the deepening of education and sensitization programs to educate the people on the need for their participation and the influence they wield over their own projects.Item Examining the Adoption of Green Energy Technologies in the Hospitality Industry from 2010 to 2018 in La Dade-Kotopon Municipality(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Danquah, S.K.The global campaign against the use of conventional energy sources due to its resultant harmful effects coupled with the erratic nature of power supply in Ghana, high-energy consumption of hotels as well as issues surrounding environment sustainability necessitated the study. The study examined the adoption perspectives of GETs in the La Dade-Kotopon Municipality from 2010 to 2018, with focus on the types of adopted GETs, factors contributing to the adoption and non-adoption of green energy technologies and a review of the national policy frameworks in promoting the adoption of GETs. A census was conducted to study all the fifteen (15) registered hotels in the LADMA to assess the measures that were taken during the load shedding (dumsor) period with concentration on GET adoption. In addition, key resource persons were purposively selected and interviewed based on their roles in the promotion of GETs whilst private entrepreneurs were also interviewed to gain more perspective on some issues raised by the hotels. The findings of the research revealed that hotels largely adopted solar PVs due to their knowledge of the product and its availability on the market. Again, hotels adopted green energy technologies in order to cut down cost of electricity and to gain constant supply of electricity. However, the cost of the GETs coupled with lack of proper understanding of its associated benefits were the major reasons that led to the non-adoption of green energy technologies by some hotels. Furthermore, the country having laid down policies that can largely influence the adoption of GETs, has failed in implementing majority of its provisions. As a result of these findings, the study recommends an educational and awareness campaign for all hotels on GETs, granting of subsidizes on components of GETs, implementation of key provisions within the national policy framework and proper coordination between the regulatory bodies in charge of the activities of hotels to promote the uptake of GETs.Item Agricultural Information Needs and Information Seeking among Urban Vegetable Farmers in the La Dade-Kotopon Municipality(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Chime, C.C.Farmers’ access to relevant and useful agricultural information is key to improving their productivity. Research shows that the information needs of farmers differ and that the behaviour of farmers in seeking information is as varied as their production systems. The study was conducted to identify the information needs and assess the information seeking behaviour of urban vegetable farmers whose activities supplement the food needs of an increasingly urbanised population in sub-Saharan Africa. The study employed quantitative methodology and collected secondary and primary data in the La Dade-Kotopon municipality. Secondary data was collected from the Directorate of agriculture of the municipal assembly and primary data was then elicited from 60 vegetable farmers in the municipality using face-to- face interviews on their information search activities in the previous six months. Results were analysed using means, frequencies and chi-square, and were presented using descriptive statistics. The majority of farmers (62%) reported a need for information for their agricultural activities. This need for information had no significant relationship with the farmers’ age, educational level, sex, major occupation, and their membership in farmer associations. Of the percentage that needed information, 38% needed information on disease and pest control with a third indicating this need was ‘important’ to them and 61% reporting the need only as ‘somewhat important’. Information on pest and disease control was the highest (43%) information type obtained by the farmers in the six-month period. Most respondents (75%) contacted other farmers for information with at least five such contacts in the reference period by a majority (51%) of the farmers. However, farmers’ preferences for information sources did not match their information-seeking behaviour: extension officers from the district assembly were the most preferred source of information (67% of respondents) but were second to ‘other farmers’ in terms of the frequency of contact. A large majority (85%) of farmers reported being most constrained by their inability to use the internet. The study concludes that the information needs of farmers are varied, and farmers attach different levels of importance to these needs. It also concludes that farmers prefer inter-personal information sources to other sources of information, and that farmers’ inability to use the internet is a major barrier to information seeking. Thus, the study recommends that information should be tailored to meet the needs of farmers, especially information on the control of pest and diseases. Finally, the study recommends that, since extension officers from the district officers were the most preferred source but not the most contacted, more should be done to make them more accessible by the farmers.Item Road Infrastructure Construction Dynamics: Causes of Delays and Its Effects on Pedestrians’ Safety in Ghana(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Acheampong, S.K.The purpose of the study is to research into road infrastructure construction dynamics with focus on causes of delays and its effects on pedestrians’ safety in Ghana. Using a comparative analysis to examine dynamism in road infrastructure construction delays and its effects on pedestrians’ safety, Lapaz (N1) and Madina (N4) highways in Accra Metro and La-Nkwantanag Madina Municipality respectively were selected for the study because N1 was successfully completed on time while N4 is suffering delay. The study looked at pedestrian safety on the two highways. These roads were constructed within the last 10 years. The objectives of the study were to examine the causes of delays in road infrastructure projects and road construction project cycles on the Lapaz (N1) and Madina (N4) highways that accompany the construction of footbridges, zebra crossings and street and traffic lights, to identify the effects of the road construction delay on government, contractors and pedestrians on the Lapaz (N1) and Madina (N4) highways, and to identify measures adopted by both contractors and government to curbing delay of road infrastructure projects and its effects on pedestrians’ safety on the Lapaz (N1) and Madina (N4) highways. The study employed mixed method approach which consists of qualitative and quantitative methods. In-depth interviews and questionnaire were instruments used for data collection and the sample size was 190 respondents in all. The findings revealed that pedestrians relatively felt safer using the Lapaz (N1) Highway than Madina (N4) Highway. The study confirmed the three main stages in road project construction which are inception stage, construction stage and after construction stage. Delays were found to mostly occur at the construction stage. Also, factors contributing to the delay were found to be financial constraints, politics, and bad weather conditions, land acquisition difficulties, technical and design related causes, utilities and site related causes. The study revealed that, road infrastructure delay affects both government and contractors in terms of time and cost overrun. Other effects were litigation, total abandonment of projects and company breakdown. These effects were found to have telling effects on pedestrians’ safety because of uncompleted footbridges, zebra-crossings and traffic lights. Pedestrians who ply the road were at risk of getting knocked down by vehicles, died through road accident or injured, fractured and others. All these effects lead to economic and psychological stress on families, loss of productivity, traffic congestion and among others. Financial causes of delay are difficult to curb but other causes of delay such as bad weather, design changes, land acquisition difficulties can be managed and controlled. To avoid delay and improve pedestrian safety, it was found out that enough financial resources and other necessary documents should be inplace before construction begins with respect to the weather and the nature of the environment. When road infrastructure delay occurs during highway construction as in Madina (N4) highway, speed ramps should be constructed to reduce drivers speed and allow pedestrian time to cross safely.Item The Dynamics of Urban Poverty in Ashiedu Keteke Sub-Metropolitan Area: Youth Unemployment and Coping Strategies(University of Ghana, 2006-07) Oduro, C.This study examines three main issues concerning the youth in the Asbiedu Keteke Sub-metropolitan Area. These include their poverty profiles, unemployment problems and coping strategies. Central to the increase in urban poverty is the rise in unemployment especially among the youth. This provides the point of departure for this dissertation. The first section shows how Ashiedu and its environs, although constituting the commercial heartland of Accra, have not reached its potential in economic development. The Sub metro houses all the important commercial facilities like markets, restaurants and lorry parks in Accra, as well as all the major financial institutions. But it is the most deprived Sub-metro in the Greater Accra Region. It also accommodates almost an the poor communities in Accra like Old Fadama (Sodom and Gomorrah), Salaha, and Jamestown among others. Being the commercial center of the Metropolis, it has become densely populated and also attracts migrants from all parts of the country. The commercial activities in the area, 'low cost areas' (slums) as wen as fishing activities have made the place a haven for the youth who did not go to school or have dropped out of school and do not have regular employment. The study identifies rural-urban migration as one of the main causes of urban unemployment especially among the youth. Low level of education as a result of high drop out rate was also seen as one of the major problems that lead to poverty and unemployment in the Sub-metro. The survey sampled tine deprived communities in Ashiedu Keteke (one from each electoral Area) for the study. Having outlined the causes and dimensions of this sluggish economic position of the Sub-metro, the study considers how the unemployed youth survive through both economic and non-economic strategies. Most of the youth living in these areas are living in extreme poverty. Their living standard is low and most of them face accommodation problem. They have low level of education; they do not have regular jobs and are involved in so many activities to survive. Some also use immoral and illegal means to survive. Family support and support from network groups as well as involvement .in non-formal sector money making activities were also seen as some of the survival means for the youth. With this in mind it is argued that addressing the current situation of urban youth unemployment, growing poverty and inequality (as well as redressing the legacy of past inequities) requires broad municipal response to urban youth unemployment. Instead of the current tendency to view poverty simply as the product of income and consumption deprivation, a more widely defined response to urban poverty reduction, based on a livelihoods framework, is proposed.Item Green Business Practices among Star-Graded Hotels in Ghana: The Case of Ladadekotopon Municipality(University of Ghana, 2018-07) Kenney, P.L.Hotels have been identified as a ‘resource-hungry’ sector that consumes a considerable amount of natural resources and generates large volumes of waste. This negative impact of the sector raises concerns for environmental sustainability. Green business practice has been identified as a subtle but significant medium in combating the adverse impacts of hotels on the environment. The quest to ascertain the availability of green management policies, practices and factors that influence the adoption and practice of green initiatives among star-graded hotels informed the focus of this study. With the qualitative research approach, four (4) star-graded hotels in the La-dadekotopon municipality in the Greater Accra Region were sampled. In-depth interviews with key informants from key regulatory agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and hotel managers were conducted. The study revealed that, though the low-grade hotels had some ‘reactive’ green initiatives, the high-grade hotels were more committed to environmental sustainability in terms of the availability of a written green management policy. Water management and rationing, energy efficiency and economy and waste generation and management were broad green initiatives employed by hotels in this study. However, high-grade hotels in this respect were again identified having a more robust green initiative such as in-room energy management systems and large liquid waste treatment plants than low-grade hotels. The study again identified cost savings and regulatory compliance as popular drivers influencing the adoption of green business initiatives in hotels. This study proposes the provision of infrastructure, support, and education for hotel owners and consumers on the need to embrace environmental sustainability in their operations.Item Effects of Urbanization on the Availability of Land for Crop Farming: A Case Study of Ga East Municipality(University of Ghana, 2019-08) Opoku, S.K.The city of Accra currently accommodates about four million people. The city has now expanded to the fringes that were previously rural settlements. Most of these rural settlements were farming communities that provided food for the city. However, urbanization has affected agricultural production and farmlands are being lost to other land uses. This study examines the effect of urbanization on the availability of land for crop farming in the Ga East Municipality. The study used a mixed method approach involving a survey of 100 farmers, in-depth interviews and focused group discussions conducted in selected communities in the Ga East Municipality in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Regression analysis was used to examine the association between farmer income and size of cultivated land. As expected, the results of the study show that the Ga East Municipality is undergoing rapid urbanization. Agricultural lands have been converted into residential estates. The change in land use, mainly from agriculture to housing, has had some negative effects on agricultural production, incomes, and employment. The study revealed that the rate of loss of arable land has intensified in the last fifteen years as a result of urbanization as showed by NDVI data. The survey revealed a positive association between size of land cultivated and income. This suggests that the decreasing size of farmland, due to land use change, has implications for livelihoods in an area where half of the sample reported that farming is their main employment activity. The study also identified alternative jobs, alternative farmland, and intensive farming as coping strategies adapted by farmers. Given that the urban plan of the Ga East Municipality has not allocated space for farming, it is recommended that some land be demarcated for agriculture to ensure sustainable agricultural livelihoods and food security.Item Assessing the Challenges Women Entrepreneurs Face in Balancing Work and Housework Responsibilities in Madina.(University of Ghana, 2018-07) Adjin, S.A.Work-life balance is an important issue in the life of women most especially married women. The study sought to assess the challenges that women entrepreneurs face in balancing their work and domestic work responsibilities using a nationally represented data obtained from the Gender and Enterprise Development Survey conducted by ISSER in 2014. The study employed a mixed method approach to analyze responses from a sample of 835 married and ever married women. The data helped to unravel the determinants of work-life balance, and the predictors of job satisfaction among female entrepreneurs. In addition to the quantitative data, 22 married and ever married women entrepreneurs were purposively sampled in the La Nkwantanang-Madina municipality and interviewed in other to ascertain the challenges and coping strategies adopted by the women to attain a balanced life. The study found a significant relationship between some socio-demographic factors such as age, level of education, household size, and region, children between 5-12 and dependents and work-life balance. Religion was however found to be insignificant in determining the work-life balance of women entrepreneurs. Economic challenges and stress were the main challenges facing women entrepreneurs as ascertained by the study. Spousal support, support from family members such as children, good time management, having a caretaker and waking up early were the methods or techniques used by the women entrepreneurs to balance their work and domestic work responsibilities. Factors that influence the job satisfaction of women entrepreneurs include age, educational level, dependents, years of work, hours spent on work, profit or cash flow into the business, the presence of a caretaker and competition in their sectors of work. An insignificant relationship was found to exist between hours spent on domestic work and job satisfaction. The women indicated economic benefits, work autonomy and the flexibility of work as the major influencers of job satisfaction.Item Adolescents’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions Regarding Sexual and Reproductive Health and Teenage Pregnancy in La, Greater Accra Region(University of Ghana, 2018-12) Abdul-Hamid, I.This study came about as a result the identification of the persisting problem of teenage pregnancy in La. The study sought to assess adolescents’ knowledge, perception and attitudes of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in the La community. To achieve this purpose, 386 teenagers (15-19 years) living in La were purposively selected from schools as well as some key informants (counsellors and peer educators) through a multi stage sampling technique. Data was gathered from the students through the use of a structured questionnaire whilst data was obtained from the key informants through the use of interviews. The data that was gathered was analysed using inferential and descriptive statistics. Results from the study showed that majority of the respondents did not have much knowledge about modern family planning methods, how to use contraceptives and the menstrual cycle. Majority of them had begun consuming alcohol, watching pornographic films, engaging in sexual activities as well as not using contraceptives whilst having sex. Also, most of the respondents had the perception that becoming pregnant or impregnating someone was a way of proving one’s fertility. They also had the perception that their families would support them in case they either got pregnant or impregnated someone. In relation to the teenage pregnancy situation in La, it was found that there was an association between teenage pregnancy and the adolescents’ knowledge of STDs/STIs, how to prevent STDs/STIs, knowledge of contraceptives, entering into sexual relationships, engaging in sex, not using contraceptives whilst having sex and the perception that pregnancy proves one’s fertility. A probit regression that was run further showed that sex of the respondents, educational backgrounds of the respondents and living with non-relatives all had marginal effects on the teenage pregnancy situation in La. It also showed that there was a positive relationship between teenage pregnancy in La and the risky sexual behaviour exhibited by the teenagers of La.Item Assessing the Adoption of Improved Cook Stoves in Kwabenya in the Ga East Municipality(University of Ghana, 2018-07) Dadzie, S.S.Governments of Ghana have endeavored over the years to promote the use of cleaner energy and stoves for domestic use, but about 70% of Ghanaian households still rely on biomass fuel for their main household energy sources. This, therefore, makes the adoption and use of improved cook stoves (ICSs) important to curtail the adverse health, economic and environmental effects associated with using biomass fuel and traditional cook stoves. The aim of the study was to assess the status of adoption and frequency of use of the energy efficient improved cook stoves in Kwabenya. The study also sought to identify potential barriers to the uptake of the ICSs in urban areas. The study employed the mixed method approach and sampled 350 households from a population of 1965 households for the quantitative interviews. The Energy Commission (EC) of Ghana and producers of ICSs were also interviewed for the qualitative data. Findings from the study indicated that 41.2% of households interviewed had adopted the improved cook stoves. Among the adopters, 50.4% used their technological stoves frequently. The findings also revealed the majority of households in Kwabenya practiced energy stacking even though Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) was the main (69.8%) source of cooking fuel in the area. Perceived benefits, ownership of a separate kitchen room and household member more responsible for cooking food were factors that influenced the frequency of use of the improved cook stoves among adopters. Finally, the study showed that low public information on the benefits derived from using ICSs, the absence of the product on the market and level of education of household heads were identified as potential barriers to the adoption of improved cook stoves in urban areas. Based on these findings, it was recommended that Ministries and Institutions responsible for promoting the uptake of ICSs intensify public awareness creation, especially through the mass media (radio and television) communication channel. The government was also admonished to provide special interventions for easy access to credit for producers.Item Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies to Perennial Urban Flooding: A Case Study of Flood-Prone Communities in La Dade-Kotopon Municipality(2017-07) Mokwah, S.Flooding has been a major problem over the years for cities of most developing countries across the world. In Ghana, the major cities especially Accra are noted for the prevalent occurrence of flood and its related menace. Like other districts in Accra, La Dade-Kotopon Municipality has not been spared by the phenomenon in recent times. Year by year, the municipality is hit by various degrees of floods resulting in loss of lives and destruction of hard-earned properties. Though the phenomenon is witnessed by the entire municipality, it is most prevalent in some identified communities within the municipality. This study therefore sought to look at the adaptation and mitigation measures adopted by various stakeholders to address the flood disaster phenomenon in the flood-prone communities within the La Dade-Kotopon Municipality. To analyze the problem, five flood-prone communities were randomly selected for the study and out of this a total of 191 households were sampled to participate in the study. Primarily, the mixed methods research approach was adopted; and on that basis quantitative data was gathered through face to face household survey using structured questionnaires which was supported by qualitative data gathered through key informant interviews of key officials of the municipalities; in-depth interviews of the Assemblymen and some community members from the study communities and through direct field observations. Findings of the study show that, flood events in the study communities are primarily caused by some anthropogenic factors such as lack of drains; building on waterways; defective drainage design; choked drains; congested settlements; poor solid waste disposal practices among others even though they can also be attributed to some natural factors such as impervious nature of soil, low lying nature of the land and heavy downpour. It was also found that floods have posed several negative effects on the households in the study communities including loss of lives; physical injury to people; destruction of buildings and valuable properties; destruction of households’ livelihood activities; pollution of the environment; erosion; disruption in the provision of utility services among others. The findings of the study also show that households employ several adaptation measures before, during and after floods to enhance their adaptive capacities. These include using sand bag to block water; digging flood diversion trenches; fixing pipelines to drain water out of the building; packing valuable properties on top of tables and wardrobes; leaving the building temporary to stay with neighbours; drying affected items; cleaning the rooms and compound after floods; mending roof of the building and repairing damaged items. Similarly community members collectively support adaptation by helping in evacuation of flood victims; providing temporal accommodation to some affected members; engaging in general cleaning and clearing choked gutters. The Municipal authority through NADMO also aid in adaptation by providing relief items to flood victims and providing emergency evacuation services to victims of flood. On mitigation however, the findings show that, it is predominantly done by households which are usually insufficient; on some occasions the community members also mitigate floods collectively through clean-up exercises, flood awareness campaigns, clearing choked gutters among others. Government institutions however have not really done much to mitigate the future occurrence of floods in the study communities. Also, it is established that households and other stakeholders are faced with some challenges in their efforts to adapt and mitigate floods: these include lack of funds; lack of cooperation among community members and stakeholders and reckless behavior of some community members among others. The study recommends that stakeholders, especially government should be very proactive in providing lasting solution to floods menace through the provision of storm drains; improved flood awareness campaigns, improvement in solid waste collection and management and through effective enforcement of building regulations.Item Access to Education for Poor Children: A Case Study of Compassion International in the Agbogba Community, Ghana(2017-12) Darku, E.N.D.Education has been recognized as an important tool in reducing poverty, especially due to its intergenerational effects. Thus poverty reduction efforts have often targeted the educational sector with national governments leading the way. Government interventions have however been unable to adequately ensure educational access for all. As a result, Non-Governmental Organisations such as Compassion International (CI) have stepped in to provide complementary programmes to make education attainable to poor children. The research aims to analyse the role of personal characteristics (gender, parent’s education, family size, school type) and membership to the Compassion International (CI) intervention to explain the difference in educational attainment of students in Agbogba. In order to achieve this aim, data was collected on students’ performance and personal characteristics for 162 students between the ages of 15-19 in the Agbogba community. These constitute two groups of students: one group that are beneficiaries of the CI intervention and another that did not benefit from the intervention. Regression methods are applied to identify the roles of these factors for the two groups of students. Results show that parental education and being on the intervention are important determinants of school performance, with positive and negative association, respectively, with performance on the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). Further analysis showed however that lower BECE scores of beneficiaries of the intervention did not impede their educational progress, and that CI actually improved the participants’ progress holistically.Item A Methodology for Stochastic Monitoring Of Macro-Economic Variables in Ghana(2018-07) Dickson, A.A.The study is based on the stochastic monitoring of Macroeconomic variables in Ghana. The macroeconomic variables that were considered in the study included Inflation rate and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The data covered the period from 2009 to 2017 for the monthly inflation rate and 1961 to 2017 for the GDP. All analyses were done using the R software. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller test was used to test the data and the results showed that all the data were stationary after the data was transformed by differencing the data once. The performances of the models were tested using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). The models with the least AIC values were selected and subjected to the Box Pierce and L-Jung diagnostic tests. Based on the diagnostics tests, the ARIMA (1,1,2) with the highest p-value of 0.9669 at 5% level of significance was selected as the best model for the Inflation rate time series analysis and the ARIMA (1,1,1) with the highest p-value of 0.9892 was chosen as the best model for the GDP time series data. The residuals were obtained from the appropriate models to obtain the quantile values to set upper and lower bounds around the forecasted values using the expected trend lines. Both the linear and curve-linear expected trend lines were employed in the study. In monitoring the achievement of the set targets, the forecast accuracies were estimated using the Mean Absolute Percentage Error. The results showed that both variables performed well when preceding values were around a linear expected trend line. It also showed that the methodology performs well for both high targeted and low targeted variables. It is recommended from the study that Policy makers and governments should employ the methodology in monitoring achievement of set targets. It is also recommended that researchers should consider further studies using other non-linear models and different periods for the forecasting.Item Access to Education for Poor Children: A Case Study of Compassion International in the Agbogba Community, Ghana(University of Ghana, 2017-12) Darku, E.N.D.Education has been recognized as an important tool in reducing poverty, especially due to its intergenerational effects. Thus poverty reduction efforts have often targeted the educational sector with national governments leading the way. Government interventions have however been unable to adequately ensure educational access for all. As a result, Non-Governmental Organisations such as Compassion International (CI) have stepped in to provide complementary programmes to make education attainable to poor children. The research aims to analyse the role of personal characteristics (gender, parent’s education, family size, school type) and membership to the Compassion International (CI) intervention to explain the difference in educational attainment of students in Agbogba. In order to achieve this aim, data was collected on students’ performance and personal characteristics for 162 students between the ages of 15-19 in the Agbogba community. These constitute two groups of students: one group that are beneficiaries of the CI intervention and another that did not benefit from the intervention. Regression methods are applied to identify the roles of these factors for the two groups of students. Results show that parental education and being on the intervention are important determinants of school performance, with positive and negative association, respectively, with performance on the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). Further analysis showed however that lower BECE scores of beneficiaries of the intervention did not impede their educational progress, and that CI actually improved the participants’ progress holistically.Item Women’s Socio-Demographic Characteristics And Their Experience Of Domestic Violence: A Case Study Of Awutu Senya East(University of Ghana, 2016-07) Addai, B.K.Domestic violence is a universal problem found in all societies around the world. Victims feel reluctant to speak of it in public. This is because of the shame and stigmatization associated with it. The focus of this study was to investigate women’s socio-demographic characteristics and their experience of domestic violence using Awutu Senya East District as a case study. The research employed a quantitative approach which administered close ended questionnaire to 120 women above age 18 years selected from the district. Using descriptive statistical analysis, it was found that physical abuse was the commonest form of abuse. The least reported form of domestic abuse among the sample was economic and psychological abuse. Using Multivariate Pearson Correlation analysis with a significance value of 0.05, the study found that respondents’ income, education, relationship status and employment status were not associated with domestic violence. However, age was correlated with domestic violence; older women were less likely to face domestic violence compared to younger women. Some victims felt reluctant to report issues of domestic violence, however the study found that 53 percent of respondents who have experienced abuse said they reported violence meted to them. Out of the abused respondents (12.5 percent), 76.5 percent reported the abuse to their relatives. The study also found that 40 percent of the study respondents opted for education as the best intervention to reduce domestic abuse. The study recommended that the Awutu Senya East District Assembly, National Council for Civic Education (NCCE), and Non-Governmental Organizations intensify their campaign to encourage more women to engage in economic activities, go to school to improve their status in society. This will reduce domestic violence. Public awareness creation that domestic violence is a criminal act and perpetrators are liable to be arrested is also recommended.