Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research

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    Institutions and African Economic Development
    (Working Paper, 2022) Fosu, A.K.
    In light of the increasing importance of institutions in economic development and Africa’s desire to catch up, the present paper provides an account of this crucial subject, ‘Institutions and African Economic Development. First, adopting the usual definition of ‘institutions’ as ‘rules of the game’, the paper shows that improvements in economic institutions, such as economic freedom, had begun by the early 1990s, and accelerated about the mid-1990s, consistent with observed improvements in economic and development outcomes. Also improved are measures of political institutions: an index of electoral competitiveness, constraint on the executive branch of government, and polity 2 as an indicator of the level of democracy, beginning in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Second, based primarily on a review of the extant literature, the paper observes that these improvements in the measures of economic and political institutions are positively associated with the increasing economic development in Africa. Third, indicators of institutional instability, measured by the frequency of civil wars and the incidence of coups d’etat, have been diminishing since the early 1990s, with implications for improved growth and human development. Fourth, some evidence is provided in support of the notion that African countries with better performance on institutional quality during the period of growth resurgence have also exhibited greater progress in poverty reduction. Finally, the paper concludes by flagging the potential risk of African countries backtracking on their respective trajectories toward achieving the democratic consolidation required to sustain the gains in growth and development.
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    Productivity Losses and Firm Responses to Electricity Shortages: Evidence from Ghana
    (The World Bank Economic Review, 2021) Abeberese, A.B.; Ackah, C.G.; Asuming, P.O.
    One of the commonly cited obstacles to firms’ operations in developing economies is inadequate access to electricity. This paper explores the impact of electricity outages on firm productivity using arguably exogenous variation in outages, induced by an electricity rationing program, across small and medium-sized Ghanaian manufacturing firms. The results indicate that eliminating outages in this setting could lead to an increase in firm productivity. Further analyses of the strategies firms use to cope with outages show that changing the firm’s product mix to favor less electricity-intensive products mitigates the negative impacts of outages on productivity. However, using a generator, a common strategy in many parts of the world, is unable to insulate firms from the negative impacts of outages on productivity.
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    Factors influencing the use of adequately iodated salt in Ghana
    (African Journal of Food Science, 2012) Ahiadeke, C.; Ackah, C.; Aryeetey, R.; Acquah, A.
    Ghana is one of the largest producers of salt in the West African region yet, access to and the use of adequately iodized salt is not widespread. Using the Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2006, this paper examined the factors influencing the use of adequately iodized salt in Ghana. Factors that influence the use of adequately iodized salt include knowledge, access to information, and wealth status. Where access to formal education opportunities was not available, access to information through media still served as an important instrument to educate the public and increase the community’s knowledge on the nutritional value of consuming adequately iodized salt. Based on these findings, it was recommended that the cost of iodized salt should be reduced to make it more affordable particularly for the poor since wealth is an important factor influencing the use of adequately iodized salt. Furthermore, monitoring and ensuring enforcement of the law of salt fortification with iodine would help Ghana achieve universal salt iodization.
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    Commodity exporter’s vulnerabilities in times of COVID-19: the case of Ghana
    (Canadian Journal of Development Studies / Revue canadienne d'études du développement, 2021) Asante-Poku, N.A.; Huellen, S.V.
    The measures put into place to mitigate the COVID-19 health crisis around the world have disrupted global supply chains and sent commodity prices tumbling. We argue that, while the nature of the The COVID-19 crisis is unprecedented, and the unfolding consequences for primary commodity export-dependent economies are not. By developing a state-centred adaptive supply chain resilience framework and drawing on past experiences, we identify three impact channels that are specific to commodity exporters: a price, a supply chain and a financial channel. Taking Ghana as a case study, we show how the interplay of these three channels can be particularly damaging.
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    Nested Patriotism: Revisiting Collaboration, Resistance and Agency in Colonial Ghana
    (International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society, 2019) Asante, K.T.
    This paper presents an account of the Gold Coast elite in the nineteenth century and their patterns of interactions with the emerging colonial state. Known as the merchant princes, they acted as intermediaries and played essential roles in colonial administration. Their government involvement was consistent with the belief among some British administrations that ‘allies must be purchased over to our side’ to evoke a friendly spirit favorable to our purposes’. Drawing on archival documents, including petitions, official correspondences, and newspaper reports, the paper shows that the relationship between merchant princes and colonial administration was a fundamentally ambivalent one. There was equivocation on both sides, the merchant princes often vacillating in their responses to colonial policy, while colonial officials constantly viewed them with suspicion. This ambivalence shaped political developments on the Gold Coast in the nineteenth and turn of the twentieth century. The merchant princes straddled their natal societies and the emerging colonial order, embodying a nested patriotism. The fundamental roles that they played in the emergent colonial order necessitate revisiting the contentious ‘collaboration versus resistance’ debate which reduced responses to colonial rule to either opposition to colonial domination or betrayal of one’s country. The paper argues that these concepts could be useful analytical tools if employed in the analysis of actions rather than actors.
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    Antiretroviral therapy maintenance among HIV-positive women in Ghana: the influence of poverty
    (AIDS Care, 2019) Poku, R.A.; Owusu, A.Y.; Mullen, P.D.; et.al
    This study examines the role of poverty in the acquisition of and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and prescribed clinical follow-up regimens among HIV-positive women. We conducted in-depth interviews with 40 women living with HIV (WLHIV) in Ghana and 15 stakeholders with a history of work in HIV-focused programs. Our findings indicate that financial difficulty contributed to limited ability to maintain treatment, the recommended nutrient-rich diet, and clinical follow-up schedules. However, enacted stigma and concurrent illness of family members also influenced the ability of the WLHIV to generate income; therefore, HIV infection itself contributed to poverty. To further examine the relationship between finances, ART adherence, and the maintenance of recommended clinical follow-up, we present the perspectives of several HIV-positive peer counselor volunteers in Ghana’s Models of Hope program. We recommend that programs to combat stigma continue to be implemented, as decreased stigma may reduce the financial difficulties of HIV-positive individuals. We also recommend enhancing current support programs to better assist peer counselor volunteers, as their role directly supports Ghana’s national strategic HIV/AIDS plan. Finally, additional investment in poverty-reduction across Ghana, such as broadening meal assistance beyond the currently limited food programs, would lighten the load of those struggling to combat HIV and meet basic needs.
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    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.
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    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.
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    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.
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    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.