Ghana Social Science Journal

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://197.255.125.131:4000/handle/123456789/7515

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    ''People have been Paid to Sweep the Place!"- Exploring the Antecedents of Littering Behaviour in Ghana.
    (University of Ghana, 2020-06) Amankwah-Poku, M.
    This study explored why Ghanaians litter their environment indiscriminately in spite of its adverse consequences. Twelve students from the University of Ghana were interviewed and the data analyzed using thematic analysis. Three themes emerged, reflecting participants' 1) Knowledge concerning littering, 2) Reasons why they litter their environment and 3) Ways of curbing littering. Participants knew what littering was but still littered their environment because, among other things, they did not feel responsible for the proper disposal of litter, littering felt like "it's part of you". titter begets littering and there were no bins or none close by. It is important that individuals are educated on the dire consequences of littering and that the government enforces the laws governing littering. Reward and punishment systems should be instituted to acknowledge clean communities and enforce penalties in unclean communities.
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    'Westernizing, Solid Waste Management Practices in Accra, Ghana - a Case of 'Negotiated Waste Collection'
    (University of Ghana, 2020-06) Oteng-Ababio, M.; Nikoi, E.
    Managing solid waste in Ghana remains a critical challenge. To date, attempts to remediate the problem using 'best practices' prototype from Western countries have yielded elusive responses in low-income communities where such models are incompatible with local development trajectories. While city authorities remain defiant to this policy mismatch, the environmental and health Implications associated with the practice are mounting in urgency. Using Accra, the national economic and administrative hub, as a case study, we argue that waste policy designed to reduce unsanitary conditions can be counter-productive if it ignores context-specific complexities. Contrary to popular wisdom, this paper argues that there is no 'one size fits all' answer for the quest for an efficient, effective, and affordable waste management system. Instead, each solution must be tailored to its specific social, cultural, and political context, with the direct involvement of service beneficiaries, and integrated with indigenously derived strategies. While not a cure-all 'solution,' the paper is optimistic that this kind of publicly engaged process can provide some understanding and create approaches for coping with waste management complexity.
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    A Decade of Oil Discovery in Ghana: Implications for Politics and Democracy
    (Ghana Social Science Journal, 2020-06) Graham, E.; Gyampo, R.E.V.; Tuokuu, F.X.D.
    Ghana discovered oil in June 2007 and commenced production in December 2010 under a peaceful democratic political order that is being hailed by all across the world as a beacon of hope. Based on a desktop review, this paper examines how oil affects politics and democratic development in Ghana. It argues that even though there are efforts to protect Ghana from the 'oil curse' or potential adverse socio-economic effects of oil production, conscious efforts have not been made to check the possible impact of oil production on the nation's democratic gains. Consequently, oil production has resulted in tendencies that undermine democratic development, including politics of resource-patronage; high spending on social services such as infrastructure; high borrowing that increases national debt; and high corruption and perception of corruption and security threats. The paper concludes with some theoretical and policy implications of the findings for oil-producing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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    Growing Up With Disability in Ghana: Experiences and Perspectives
    (Ghana Social Science Journal, 2014-06) Moasun, F.Y.; Sottie, C.A.
    Despite the international conventions and national laws that exist to ensure the welfare of people living with disabilities, major issues of abuse and neglect continue to persist in Ghana. The paper looks at the challenges associated with growing up with disabilities in Ghana. It examines the factors that contribute to the maltreatment of children living with disabilities (CWDs), and the nature and effects of such maltreatment. In-depth interviews were held with children and adults with disabilities, community members and officials working with or on behalf of CWDs. The findings indicate that poverty, ignorance and societal perceptions, and the general inadequacy of facilities for the care of CWDs contribute to their abuse and neglect. The study recommends communitywide education on the causes of disability and the need for social workers to act to influence policy implementation
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    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
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    Changing the Dynamics of Human Resources Management in the Public Services of Ghana: An Organizational Learning Perspective
    (Ghana Social Science Journal, 2016) Ohemeng, F.
    The quality of human resources is critical to the development of any country. To enhance sustainable development and poverty reduction, governments need human capacities, especially in the public sector, to transform their commitments on these issues into results. In view of this, in 2015, the government of Ghana through the Public Services Commission developed a new human resources management policy for the public sector. The principal idea is that the new policy will lead to the transformation of the Public Service into an ethical, responsive, and citizen-oriented service that will provide, and continue to provide into the future high quality and timely services to Ghanaians. This paper examines the policy with the view of understanding whether it will transform a sector that has suffered considerable neglect since independence from the perspective of organisational learning. Will the new policy lead to fundamental shift in HRM in the public sector? Has it unearthed the fundamental issues underpinning the effective management of human resources in the sector? And has it proposed capable solutions to these issues?
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    The State and Mango Export Crop Production in Ghana
    (Ghana Social Science Journal, 2016) Yidu, P.K.D.; Dzorgbo, D-B.S.
    This paper investigates how state policies aided access to factors of production, compliance with international food safety standards and improved income status of mango farmers. The study was conducted in the Yilo Krobo and Kintampo North Districts— two major mango growing areas in Ghana. A total of 43 respondents provided primary data for the study. They included 32 farmers and 11 key informants from processors, key state institutions and development partners. Among the major findings are: land title registration certification policy guaranteed land security, expansion in farm size and increased productivity. Leasehold land tenure was the preferred practice and it significantly replaces sharecropping associated with land acquisition. The state and development partners injected significant agriculture credit into mango production. Cash and logistic support got directly to farmers. Access to agricultural credit engendered capital-intensive production, aided farm expansion and facilitated procurement of agro-inputs. Division of labour is by specialization and experience rather than gender, sex and age. Technical and skill development capacity training has improved farmers’ agronomic practices, and ensures compliance with food safety standards, greater competitiveness and increased export volumes. Farmers are experiencing increasing income and regular profit and are able to educate their children, build decent houses and provide food for their families
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    Sustaining Good Governance, Political Accountability and Development in Ghanaian Politics: The Role of Political Songs
    (Ghana Social Science Journal, 2016) Bewiadzi, S.
    Songs have played important roles in the political history of Ghana. From the colonial to post-colonial times, songs have featured prominently in the body politic of the country. In contemporary times, political songs have taken center stage in expressing issues about governance, democracy and development. Using the qualitative model, the paper interrogates the contributions of political songs in sustaining good governance and development in Ghanaian politics. In the conduct of this research, the following research questions were posed. What are political songs? How do they contribute to the sustenance of good governance and development in Ghanaian politics? What messages do these songs send out to the public? What roles do political songs play during elections? The first section focuses on the history of political songs in colonial and post-colonial Ghana. The second section discusses three selected political songs to ascertain the messages they send out to the public. The third section deals with the roles of political songs in sustaining good governance and development in Ghana. In this section, the paper employs textual analysis and interviews to analyze six-selected political songs that depict the theme of good governance. The paper concludes that political songs educate the public about governance issues, help politicians to send messages to the electorates during electioneering campaigns and preach the message of peace and unity to Ghanaians. Political songs are relevant in sustaining good governance in contemporary Ghanaian politics
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    To what extent does Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme Protect Members from Out-of-Pocket Payments in Hospitals?
    (Ghana Social Science Journal, 2016) Abuosi, A.A.; Nketiah-Amponsah, E.; Abor, J.Y.; Domfeh, K.A.
    The implementation of Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme has resulted in a tremendous increase in access to healthcare. However, informal out-of-pocket payments are made in hospitals contrary to the tenets of the scheme. Previous studies have not examined the magnitude of these payments. A cross-sectional survey of out-patients in 17 hospitals in the Central, Brong Ahafo and Upper East Regions was conducted in 2013. Employing SPSS version 20, data was analysed using frequencies, chi-square and logistic regression. The dependent variable was out-of-pocket payment. Insurance status was the key independent variable, controlling for socio-demographic factors. The results indicate that about 10% of patients pay informal out-of-pocket fees in hospitals. The mean amount paid was GH¢13. The insured were about three times more likely than the uninsured to visit the hospital five times or more within one year. Regression analysis showed that the odd of insured patients paying informal out-of-pocket fees in hospitals is lower by 68%, holding other variables constant. Insurance status is a significant, but not sufficient factor in reducing out-of-pocket payments in hospitals. While efforts are being made to sustain the national health insurance scheme, measures must be taken to eliminate out-of-pocket payments in order to provide financial protection to the insured
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    Representations of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in Ghanaian and Cameroonian Newspapers: An Exploratory Study
    (Ghana Social Science Journal, 2015-12) De-Graft Aikins, A.; Atanga, L.L.
    Ghana and Cameroon face a growing burden of chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). In both countries lay communities draw on multiple social sources for NCD knowledge, including the mass media. Information content, accuracy and usefulness differ across sources. This study examined the sources and contents of NCD articles in the Ghanaian Mirror and the Cameroonian tribune over two theoretically significant periods: June 1999 – June 2000 and June 2009 - June 2010. Analysis showed that: (1) in both countries the volume of newspaper reporting on NCDs increased across the two time periods; (2) Cameroon had a weaker culture of chronic disease reporting; (3) in Ghana, six major NCDs were represented, however a quarter of articles were plagiarised from foreign websites; (4) the politics of health funding and policies influenced media health reporting. These findings are discussed and the implications for the future role of newspapers in NCD education are outlined.