School of Social Sciences
Permanent URI for this communityhttp://197.255.125.131:4000/handle/123456789/4709
Browse
Item Some Aspects of Aetiological Classification of Different Levels of, and Parental Attitudes to, Mental Retardation in Ghana(University of Ghana, 1980-11) Adoo, S.M.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of PsychologyThe aims of the studies presented in this paper were to investigate the causes of mental retardation in Ghana and the attitude of parents towards their mentally retarded children. There was the need for this type of investigation because what people think is the cause of mental retardation affects their attitude towards it. The sample comprised 120 rural and urban literate and illiterate parents and their mentally retarded children. A questionnaire was used for investigating the causes of mental retardation. In addition to this questionnaire, the case records of the mentally retarded children whose parents were used for the study were examined for more reliable information on the causes of mental retardation. It was found that the major causes of mental retardation in the children studied were epilepsy, brain injury, birth trauma and Down's syndrome. The following hypotheses were tested in the study on parental attitudes. 1- Literate parents will have a more positive attitude towards their mentally retarded children than illiterate parents. 2. Urban parents will have a more positive attitude towards their mentally retarded children than rural parents. 3. Mothers will have a more positive attitude towards their mentally retarded children than fathers. 4. Parents of children with mild retardation will have a more positive attitude than parents of children with moderate and severe retardation whilst parents of children with moderate retardation will have a more positive attitude than parents of children with severe retardation. A modified version of the Thurston Sentence Competition Form (TSCF) was used for the study on parental attitudes. The main conclusions from the results obtained from the statistical analyses were that education and urbanization have no effect on the attitude of parents towards their mentally retarded children. Fathers were found to have more positive attitude towards their mentally retarded children than mothers and the degree of retardation did not have any effect on the attitude of parents towards their mentally retarded children.Item The Police and Society: A Study of the Role of the Police in the Ghanaian Polity, (1957-79)(University of Ghana, 1981-12) Ansah-Koi, K.Item Electroconvulsive Therapy with Schizophrenics Cognitive Dysfunction and Psychomotor Effect: A Study in Ghana(University of Ghana, 1983-07) Krafona, K.The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of eletroconvulsive therapy (ECT) on cognitive function in schizophrenics. Eighty-nine subjects made up of 60 acute schizophrenics and 29 normal, subjects were used for the study. Thirty of the schizophrenics were on phenothiazine and were also referred for ECT; the other 30 were on phenothiazine alone. Electroconvulsive therapy was administered twice a week for three weeks. Subjects were tested on memory, problem-solving and psychomotor tests after each ECTIt was observed that ECT-phenothiazine patients performed poorer than phenothiazine alone patients as well as normal subjects on memory tests after Ear. It was also found that after ECT, the ECT-phenothiazine patients had poorer scores on psychomotor tests than the phenothiazine alone patients as well as the normal, subjects. Females in the ECT-phenothiazine group had poorer scores than males in the same group on problem solving tests.There was no evidence to support the hypothesis that after ECT, auditory tests will suffer more than visual recognition tests. The results generally indicated that ECT has adverse effects on memory, problem solving and psychomotor activities. The memory problems associated with ECT were found to be transient.Item Sex Status, Cognitive Style and Report of Psychiatric Symptoms(University of Ghana, 1989-06) Adu-Gyamfi, J.G.; University of Ghana,College of Humanities,School of Social Sciences,Department of PsychologyThe aim of this study was three-fold to study (a) Sex differences in the report of psychiatric symptoms. (b) Sex differences in locus of control and (c) The relationship between locus of control and report of psychiatric symptoms. The study also looked at the relationship that exists between Marital Status, Age and Education and locus of control and the report of psychiatric symptoms. Two self-administered questionnaire were given to 320Ghanaian working Adults aged between 21-56 years. Results indicated that generally females report more psychiatric symptoms than males, especially single women. A significant interaction was found between sex and locus of control on the report of psychiatric symptoms. It was also found that females tended to be more internally oriented than males. A significant relationship was found between marital status and report of psychiatric symptoms and also between Education and locus of control. On the whole findings suggest that single females are apt to express specifically psychological difficulties than any other group and that changing cultural factors have made females more internally oriented.Item Psychiatric Institutions in Ghana: Towards an Understanding of Erving Gofman's Typology(University of Ghana, 1989-11) Donkor, A.; Twumasi, P.A; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of SociologyThe main thrust of this thesis has been to examine Erving Goffman's typology of a Total Institution in the light of Ghanaian psychiatric institutions. In the typology Goffman classifies mental hospitals as Total Institutions. The typology came into being when he was examining psychiatric institutions in western cultures. A central problem that was posed in the Thesis was to see whether Goffman's typology has applicability in the Ghanaian cultural environment taking into consideration its western origin and the improvement in psychiatric medicine in recent years. Two hypotheses which were investigated and confirmed by this study are: 1. "That the psychiatric hospitals in Ghana are closed systems in which inmates do not have an easy contact with the wider society due to lack of resources". 2, "That the psychiatric hospitals in Ghana have partially renounced their custodial nature and have resorted to diagnosis treatment and rehabilitation of patients as a result of the emergence of new ideas in the field of medicine. The findings in this Thesis are that the mental hospitals are characteristically custodial establishments in spite of recent improvements in therapeutic techniques and therefore in principle confirm Erving Goffman's model. The study has suggested then that since the Ghanaian psychiatric hospitals like those elsewhere are only keeping the mental patients in custody there is the need to strengthen their rehabilitation programmes designed for the patients to enable them to function physically and socially in society.Item The Nazareth Healing Complex: A Study in Integrated Approach to Health Care(University of Ghana, 1989-12) Glover, E.K.; Twumasi, P . A .; University of Ghana, College of Humanities School of Social Sciences Department of SociologyThe main thrust of this study is to investigate a novel phenomenon in health care delivery at Vane, in the Volta Region of Ghana called the Nazareth Healing Complex (NHC). Designed to provide comprehensive health care at one location, the NHC combines faith, herbal and modern medical systems. The central aim of the NHC multispeciality group practice is to allow an interchange of ideas and consultation among all the health practitioners within the same facility. The assumed advantage is the greater continuity of care where referrals between different specialists are effected within the same facility, for the total health care of patients. This study seeks to discover the role of the NHC in meeting the psychological, social and physical health needs of the people. It attempts to explain the nature of the interrelationship between the constituent parts and to show the role-relationship between the NHC and the larger community of Vane. The Theoretical framework for the analysis was the Social Systems perspective which includes features of both rational and a fundamentalist model in the study of social change. The study adopted three methods for collecting data: participant observation, in-depth interviews and questionnaires. Analyses of the records show that the utilization of the NHC facilities is rather low. Findings suggest that the people largely by-pass the NHC facilities for other health care systems in the locality. Thus it was concluded that the NHC facilities are relatively unacceptable to the people. The people hardly see it as an added value. An attempt was made to offer some sociological explanations for this situation. Factors responsible for this situation include external and internal problems facing the NHC. With reference to the external factors, available evidence suggests that the NHC was unable to compete with the already established health institutions at Vane. These health institutions include self-care resources, modern medical systems, and traditional health care resources (including faith healing, general herbalists and diviner healers) in the locality. The internal factors include; administrative problems and poor co-ordination of constituent parts. This situation led to the eventual collapse of the intersectoral referral system which was the main premise on which the NHC was built. It has therefore been established that the low acceptability of the NHC facilities on the one hand is a function of poor integration into the socio-cultural milieu of Vane. On the other hand, the failure is a function of poor interplay between the constituents of the organization. Finally, the results of this study indicated that the diffusion of any innovation in any given community is a function of its relevance to the values, beliefs and expectations of the people. Coupled with this, the internal equilibrium of the innovating organization is also an essential determining factor in the realization of the goals and objectives of the organization. The success of the programme - among others - is positively related to these factors. The study suggests however, that there is need for further empirical research into sources of self-care services and factors which seem to make this a more convenient source of health care for the rural societies.Item Selective Indices of Health Seeking Behaviour among Ghanaians. A Study of Herbal and Orthodox Medical Regimens(University of Ghana, 1992-09) Arhinful, K.D.; Senah, K.A.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of SociologyThis study concerns the determinants of the differential use of health care regimens. The focus is on herbal and orthodox medical regimens. Its central theme is that socio-cultural determinants constitute important factors that influence the sick in the selection of a health care regimen in developing African countries. The study pursues this theme by examining the complaint patterns of the two medical regimens, ascertaining the motivations that account for the basis of preference, the criteria upon which a therapeutic choice is made and the underlying motivations upon which the outcome is evaluated. The importance of the task is to gain a better understanding of health seeking behaviour of the sick in times of illness. Significant findings reflecting motivational and socio-cultural factors are made that tend to offer an explanation to the differential use of alternate health care resources. Knowledge of nature of illness (in terms of type and severity) predisposes one to choose a therapy which he considers appropriate from experience. The choice is usually organized in a "hierarchy of resorts". Herbal regimens appear to be used as "last" resorts in the hierarchy. The most important finding is that choice appears to be a function of the nature of illness and the perceived coverage capacity of a facility in terms of availability, accessibility, acceptability, contact and effective coverage. Overall, clients perceive service capacity of herbal treatment to be wider and better than orthodox treatment. Such a finding, it is suggested, has significant implications for public health in terms of the promotion of herbal medicine. By way of theoretical implication the study lends support to previous findings on the importance of efficacy testing in the differential use of health care resource (Colson 1971).Item Demand for Housing in Ghana(University of Ghana, 1993-12) Dogbey, G.Y.This study seeks to illuminate in a modest way the housing market in Ghana through an analysis of the demand behavior. Housing demand has been approached from a macro-economic standpoint using a simple stock-adjustment model. The Ghanaian housing market, like those of most developing countries is imperfect. Households in income categories other than the highest income do accept housing which does not meet their expectations. supply of housing lags beyond their capacity. Rural housing problems are identified as qualitative. Mortgage finance in respect of housing has not been very effective and, in most cases, therefore private acquisition of a house has been on cumulative basis through personal savings. Empirically the demand for housing in Ghana has been found to be elastic with respect to income. Thus, income increases will generate housing expenditures increasing as a proportion of income. In the light of the above, the study suggests that efforts must be made to step up investment in housing in order to close the gap between the desired and actual stocks of housing. Constraints that impair supply expansion require identification. Many government policies such as land policy, rent control, housing standards and building codes and need overhaul if ever housing supply is to be responsive to demand.Item Bureaucracy and Politicization: the structural reorganization of the central Civil Service of Ghana, 1982-1991(University of Ghana, 1994-08) Lamptey, P.L.An attempt at reform was made by the P.N.D.C government from 1982 to 1991, to politicize the bureaucratic Ghana civil service which it recognized as a necessary instrument of action and hence achievement in development. The effort was to have the top echelon of the civil service to be politically committed to the government through the Chief Director approach to the ministerial reorganization. concomitant with this was the Workshop approach which, indeed, enhanced the bureaucratic character of the Ghana civil service. This study establishes what actually happened and what lessons there are for any such attempt in the future. The problems of implementation led to the abandonment of the philosophy behind the position of the Chief Director. The outcome of the effort was the single line adviser position of the Acting Chief Jirector. This was largely reminiscent of the abolished Principal Secretary's position. The Ghana civil service thus remained bureaucratic with the same laws, rules and regulations governing it since the attainment of independence. It seems to be a resilient bureaucracy with the capacity to smother any drastic changes in its traditions and set ways of organization and management. The study found that without the proper strategic approach and the necessary resources required for implementation of the reorganization, nothing worthwhile would be achieved.Item Management of Childhood Diarrhoea in Rural Ghana: The Case of Pute in The Dangme-East District(University of Ghana, 1994-10) Hushie, M.; Senah A. K.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of SociologyThe main thrust of this study is to investigate how childhood diarrhoea is managed at Pute - a rural community in Ghana. The study aims at eliciting local perceptions of childhood diarrhoea, including cause(s), consequences, and appropriate treatment, so as to unearth some of the social and cultural factors that may influence health-seeking behaviour in diarrhoeal episodes. To understand fully folk concepts of diarrhoea and its treatment, it was necessary to describe the social and institutional setting within which illness episodes are managed in order to lay the basis for interpreting findings from the study. To this end, the social structure of Pute was outlined. Pute is a small Dangme-speaking rural community, located some 118 kilometers from central Accra. It is predominantly a fishing community in which descent and kinship groupings form the basis of social, economic, religious and political organisations. Contact with Western society has set in motion a process of change which is gradually promoting a breakdown of traditional cosmology. In order to obtain in-depth information on folk nosologies of childhood diarrhoea and its treatment, three major methodological approaches were used. These are interviewing, focus group discussions and observation. The conceptual framework that was used for organising field data on ethnomedical models of diarrhoeal illness is a cultural construction that establishes a web of relationship among social factors, illness experience, help-seeking and outcome. The study has shown that folk classificatory systems for diarrhoea based mainly on physical notions of etiology determined to a very large extent therapeutic choices and hence help-seeking patterns. In particular, it has been shown that, the interpretations of specific diarrhoeal illness episodes, and specific health-seeking actions of mothers were not merely shaped by signs and symptoms, and that a wide range of factors enter into the establishment of illness identification and health-care decision-making. These include classification of a diarrhoeal ailment, perceived seriousness, availability of regimens and efficacy of treatment, all of which were found to be deeply rooted in ethnomedical models of diarrhoeal illness and its treatment. As a consequence, it has been found that, the widespread use of pharmaceuticals, especially antibiotics in the treatment of childhood diarrhoea should be considered a product of the local socio-cultural system in which illness episodes occur. To this end, it is being suggested that, programme planners for the control of diarrhoeal diseases need to take cognisance of popular health culture and home care behaviour in rural settings such as Pute, if the promotion of ORT (including ORS) as the most effective modern approach to the treatment of most childhood diarrhoeas is to become effective. This thesis is in five main parts with sub-divisions under each chapter. Chapter one, which sets out the introduction outlines the problem, objectives, the conceptual framework, the methodological approach to the study, the usefulness of the study as well as its broad limitations. Chapter two, is devoted to a review of literature related to diarrhoeal illness management in different cultural contexts of the world. Chapter three takes a look at the social organisation of the people under study and their general world-view. Chapter four presents the main findings and interpretation of analysed field data. Chapter five is a summary of main findings, policy implications of the study as well as suggested areas for further research.Item Deforestation in Ghana The Role of Incentives(University of Ghana, 1995-03) Afriyie, F. K.; Tutu, K. A.; Jackson, H. E.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of EconomicsThe fast rate at which the nation's forests are being depleted as a result of unsustainable land-use practices adopted by economic agents, has become a serious concern to policy-makers. Even though several afforestation and reforestation schemes are being undertaking by the government and private individuals, they seem inadequate compared to the rate of destruction. A combination of econometric analysis, a survey, and tabular representation and analyses have been used to analyse the motivation of such economic agents for causing deforestation. In spite of the paucity of data, the approach adopted in this study helps to confirm the claim that; inefficient agricultural practices, indiscriminate logging, woodfuel consumption, bushfires and mining, fuelled by the perverse incentive mechanisms within these sectors, are the major contributory factors to deforestation in Ghana. Such incentives among others include; lack of subsidies, higher input costs, rent-seeking activity and lack of manpower in the Forestry Sector. The study gives recommendations to encourage the processing of timber as well as the restoration of subsidies as means of checking deforestation. It also recommends that since poverty encourages high patronage of firewood and charcoal as against energy forms such as gas and electricity, the government should subsidise the fixed cost components of the latter. Even though deforestation is a multi-faceted issue with a hydra of causes, it is hoped that if the policy directives contained in this study, are critically considered, and adhered to by policy-makers, posterity stands the chance of enjoying a better environmentItem Spatial Patterns of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) In the Accra Metropolitan Area (AMA)(University of Ghana, 1996-02) Brew, L.; Nabila, S.J.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of Geography and Resource DevelopmentNearly two decades into the outbreak, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has spread throughout sub-Saharan Africa with complex spatio-temporal variability within countries Based on epidemiological evidence, several broadly distinctive HIV/AIDS prevalence patterns have been reported reflecting a variety of factors such as sophistication in surveillance systems, political attitudes, openness towards recognition, and release of AIDS information. This thesis examines the geography of clinical AIDS in the Accra Metropolitan Accra (AMA) using epidemiological evidence. Available data on contacts and sexually transmitted disease histories of infected people are used to reconstruct AIDS dispersal from geographical perspectives to ascertain the spread patterns in Accra. It is observed that the epidemic has become more diffused and has spread from among the initial 'high risk groups’ to the general population Reported evidence points to a possible increase in intensity in the coming years since the co-factors (e g STD, unsafe sex) and the forces (e g poverty and increasing mobility) that impel the spread of the epidemic persist In the absence of a medical cure, a major public health problem and a generalised spread pattern are predicted if there are no social interventions.Item Community Health Workers In The Primary Health Care (PHC) Programme In Rural Ghana. A Study at Nkoranza(University of Ghana, 1996-08) Opoku-Tuffour, S.; Botei-Doku, E.; Assimeng, M.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of SociologyCommunity Health Workers In The Primary Health Care (PHC) Programme In Rural Ghana. A Study at Nkoranza The search for a more equitable health care delivery system to cover the majority of the people, more especially the vulnerable groups (women and children) has led many developing countries including Ghana to adopt the Primary Health Care (PHC) programme. Primary Health Care as envisaged, is to make health care available, accessible and affordable to the underprivileged an also to enable the people and the system is to serve to participate in its planning and implementation. Community Health Workers (CHWs) have been identified as the corner-stone of such a programme. Ghana has thus found it appropriate to use such community-trained health care providers. Using a sample of 32 CHWS, some leaders of the communities of the 32 CHWs and some health personnel in the h Nkoranza area in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana, an attempt has been made to examine factors affecting the performance of CHWs in the implementation of the CHW programme in rural Ghana (chapter 1). The thesis as demonstrated in Chapter Two, has shown that the programme took off with the participation of the communities concerned, the government of Ghana (through the Ministry of Health) and the various non-governmental organisations UNICEF, WHO, World Vision International and Catholic Secretariat. The research has however revealed that the institutionalization of the programme has not recorded much success (as shown in chapters 4, 5 and 6). The state of affairs in the organization of community clinics is attributed to among other things, the lack of community education on the programme and improper planning and development of the necessary support systems. These factors which are interrelated and interconnected have damped the enthusiasm of the community members and most of the trained CHWs, The end result is that, about 80% of the CHWs have abandoned the programme. While some measures such as the organization of fund raising activities and the training of community leaders in management skills could be adopted locally to deal with the problems of remuneration, supervision and drug supplies, more comprehensive measures will be needed at the national level to reshape the programme to meet the needs of the rural majority (Chapter 7).Item Moral Reasoning, Cost of Helping, and Human Relationships to Altruistic Orientation(University of Ghana, 1997-03) Wiafe-Akenteng, C.B.This study examined how one's level of moral reasoning, the cost of helping, and human relationships influence one's altruistic orientation. Two hundred and fourteen subjects (123 males and 91 females) aged between 16 and 22 years with an average age of 18 years from three mixed Sixth Form secondary schools in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana participated in the study. materials were the short form of Rest James (1979) Defining Issue Test (DIT) and the Self report Altruism Scale (SRAS). Results indicated significant main effects between each of the three independent variables and altruistic orientation. In addition, there were significant differences in the amount of help offered at each level of moral reasoning. at each level of cost as well as the amount of help offered to the three different victims. Furthermore, there were interaction effects of any two combinations of the three independent variables on altruistic orientation. However, there was no interaction among all the three independent variables combined. These findings suggest that all three variables influence altruistic orientation in one way or the other. It is therefore recommended that measures should be taken to improve children's level of moral reasoning: and that in situations where cost of helping is high, request for assistance must be presented in piecemeal where possible, and that education should be mounted to impress upon individuals and groups to look beyond helping only kin and/or friends so as ensure equitable treatment for all.Item The ‘Cash And Carry’ System on the Ground the Case of Bolgatanga Hospital(University of Ghana, 1998-06) Aminu, SIn 1992, the Cash and Carry system of health care obtained green light for operations in all government hospitals. This study seeks to research into the operations of the system and how the policy is being implemented at the Bolgatanga Regional hospital. The study has been divided into five chapters. In Chapter One, attempt was made to identity cost recovery in the health sector as an issue confronting government in the last few years. This has become necessary partly due to poor economic performance and the dwindling share of the national cake. The main tools used for the collection of data were interview questionnaire and focus group discussion. In Chapter two, attempt was made to review health care financing in Ghana. This Chapter discussed the issue of fees in the health sector and policies initiated by government over the years to accommodate health care challenges. The socio-economic and political structure of the study area was discussed in Chapter Three. The data obtained from the field were presented and analyzed in Chapter Four. Opinion held by respondents indicate that affordability, efficiency and quality of services are important considerations in the utilization of health care facilities. In the final Chapter, the study presents a summary and recommendations which may be useful for policy making.Item Trade-Off between Price and Improvement in Quality of Service on Utilisation of Public Health Facilities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana(University of Ghana, 1998-09) Osei-Akoto, I.; Akoena, S.K.K.; Jackson, H.E.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of EconomicsThis thesis assessed quantitatively, the improvement of drug availability at two district hospitals, two urban and two rural health centers in the Ashanti Region of Ghana after the introduction of “Cash and Carry” policy in the country. The supply situation of these public institutions in both periods was compared to the coverage of the facilities by using panel data analysis. As an input to the debate on the design of the national health insurance scheme, the work also used contingent valuation methods to assess the willingness of patients to change their current out of pocket payment system for drugs. On average the percentages of desired drug quantities and drug types that were supplied increased remarkably. The findings on coverage trends were mixed. One of each of the two facilities in the rural, urban and district communities had its coverage reduced in the post period while the other ones in the same community types had theirs improved. The study re-emphasizes the importance of drugs in the delivery of health care in the public health institutions in Ghana. The relative negative responsiveness of coverage to price changes in the pre-period was greater than the post-period, implying that patients are more likely to pay higher fees in improved quality periods. There was also high acceptance of prepayment scheme for drugs in these communities. The improvement in quality of care like drug availability has a big role to play in the delivery of health care in Ghana. There is the need to minimise the effects of the noticeable bottlenecks in the improvement of quality of care like management inefficiencies, under staffing in remote areas and the unfunctional credit facilities set up for the needy in society. It is also recommended that there should be a simple and selective, but affordable health insurance package for drugs to at least serve as a start for the implementation of the national health insurance policy that has remained a dream for more than a decade.Item The Study of Psychological Treatment of Hypertension: Gender, Locus of Control, and Type a Personality(University of Ghana, 1999) Baah-Odoom, D.; Sefah-Dedeh A.; Dankuah S.A.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of PsychologyOne hundred patients (fifty males and fifty females) with essential hypertension participated in the study, but eighty-two, (forty-six in the treatment group and thirtysix in the delayed treatment groups), completed. All the patients were on medication. The treatment group received cognitive behaviour intervention and progressive muscle relaxation / biofeedback for 12 weeks. The gender, locus o f control and Type A and B behaviour patterns were also examined in relation to the psychological treatment. Treatment yielded a short-term success rate of 87 % defined as decrease in mean systolic blood pressure and 83% mean diastolic blood pressure to within the normal range, that is, study criteria. Other significant variables that were observed to influence therapy were marital status, level of education and duration of illness. Three months post treatment follow-up revealed that the blood pressure of patients were still within the normal range. This suggests that cognitive behaviour therapy and progressive muscle relaxation/biofeedback could be beneficial for short and long term adjunctive treatment o f essential hypertension.Item The impact of SSNIT pension scheme on retired workers in Accra(University of Ghana, 1999-08) Nagetey, M.The SSNIT Pension scheme was instituted (coverted from Provident Fund) in 1991 with the promulgation of PNDC Law 247 to pay benefits in the event of some specified contingencies namely: old age, death and invalidity. The study focused on the old age benefits paid to retired workers (contributors) which is deemed as a replacement of their lost income. Benefits paid range between fifty and eighty percent of ones best three years' salary. Though the system has been in operation for some time now, its impact has not been well felt due to the low levels of pension income paid to majority of its beneficiaries. The main cause of these low pension levels has been the general poverty level in the country to make matters worse, economy-wide factors such as high inflationary rates, high cost of living erode the real incomes of the pensioners. Hence, post-retirement life is extremely difficult for the vast majority. The objective of the study was therefore to find out other supplementary benefits that pensioners might require from the scheme to ease the effect of inflation on their real incomes. Perhaps it is expedient for Management of the scheme to review the scheme to respond to the demands of its retired workers by offering some supplementary benefits. In addition, there is the need for the institution of other complementary schemes to ensure adequate income to enable retired workers live a meaningful post-retirement lifeItem The Impact of the SSNIT Pension Scheme on Retired Workers In Accra(University of Ghana., 1999-08) Nagetey, M.The SSNIT Pension scheme was Instituted (coverted from Provident Fund ) In 1991 with the promulgation of PNDC Law 247 to pay benefits in the event of some specified contingencies namely: old age, death and Invalidity The study focused on the old age benefits paid to retired workers (contributors) which is deemed as a replacement of their lost Income Benefits paid range between fifty and eighty percent of ones best three years' salary Though the system has been in operation for sometime now, Its Impact has not been well felt due to the low levels of pension Income paid to majority of Its beneficiaries The main cause of these low pension levels has been the general poverty level In the country To make matters worse, economy-wide factors such as high Inflationary rates, high cost of living erode the real Incomes of the pensioners Hence, post-retirement life is extremely difficult for the vast majority. The objective of the study was therefore to find out other supplementary benefits that pensioners might require from the scheme to ease the effect of inflation on their real incomes Perhaps it is expedient for Management of the scheme to review the scheme to respond to the demands of its retired workers by offering some supplementary benefits. In addition, there is the need for the Institution of other complementary schemes to ensure adequate Income to enable retired workers live a meaningful post-retirement life.Item Conflicts and Harmonies in Land Use In The Kogyae Strict Nature Reserve(University of Ghana, 1999-10) Awuku-Bor, M.S.; Kufogbe, S.K.; Gyasi, E.A.; Agyepong, G.T.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of Geography and Resource DevelopmentThis study was carried out in the Kogyare Strict Nature Reserve, an area considered as ecologically fragile because of its strategic position between the northern savanna and the tropical rainforest in the South. The objective was to examine the conflict that has tended to affect the effective management of the reserve as a Strict Nature Reserve. This was looked at within the framework of socio-economic factors such as increasing population, claims of ownership and the general methods of land acquisition and the influence of these in explaining the incessant misuse of the reserve by inhabitants of the area. The impact of this misuse, expressed in the degradation of the vegetation was largely measured using the 1972/73 aerial photograph interpretation as a base year for the determination of change in land use and cover of the area using the 1991 Landsat T.M. image of the area. Wildlife was also made reference to. Three-hundred and sixty eight respondents were selected from seven communities, four of which had been affected by the eastward extension of the original Kujani Bush Forest Reserve in 1971. Opinion leaders, Odikros and Wildlife Department officials stationed in these communities were also interviewed for their opinions. The logistic regression model was employed to identify and explain the presence of the conflict on the basis of identified proximate variables. The incidence of conflict was accounted for mostly by claims of ownership over the area covered by 1971 eastward extension of the reserve and its resultant difficulty in getting land for farming. Connected with this is the loss of title to non-timber forest products (NTFP’S) such as wildlife even though these resources are extensively exploited illegally. Also, it was observed that ignorance of the laws governing the reserve was not a major factor in explaining the misuse of the reserve resources. Rather, this was dictated by the dire need for survival in the face of difficulties associated with life in most deprived rural areas. The study revealed an extensive destruction of the reminder of the forest reserve. It also recommends the encouragement of reafforestation programmes in the area, improvement in Community-Wildlife Department relations, increased budgetary allocation to the Wildlife Department and a co-ordination of activities of NGO’s working in the area with that of the Wildlife Department.