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Item Comparison Of Stochastic Frontier Approaches For Estimating National Efficiency: An Application To Sub-Saharan African Countries(Journal Of Economic Development, 2018) Danquah, M.; Ouattara, B.In this paper, we attempt to estimate pure national (technical) efficiency for 19 SSA countries over the 1960-2010 period. In doing this, we compare conventional stochastic frontier models for panel data with several recently developed models that seek to control for unobserved heterogeneity in the inefficiency component. We find that the ‘true’ random effects model that treats unobserved heterogeneity in our national dataset generates more reasonable efficiency estimates. Moreover, the results confirm that most SSA countries operate far from the efficient frontier.Item Cyber Crime And The Youth In Ghana: A Study Of The Sakawa Conundrum In Accra And Agona Swedru Communities(University of Ghana, 2018-10) Smith, BIn the past few years, cyber crimes and youth involvement in cyber crimes have engaged the attention of law enforcement agencies, the media and tbe general public due to the high prevalence of the crimes. Previous research in Africa has focused mainly on the Nigerian '419' scams and why youths generally indulge in criminal activities. The focus of this research was to examine, from a sociological angle, and from the perspective of selected theories, the motivations and reasons which encourage and influence the high predisposition for youth in cyber crimes or "Sakawa" as it is known in Ghana. The specific 0bjectives were to explore the socio economic demographic backgrounds of youths involved in Sakawa, identify the different cyber fraud types that youths in Ghana engage in, examine the reasons and motivations of those engaged in cyber fraud, explore the practices and gains associated with cyber crimes and finally examine the responses and challenges of law enforcement agencies to curb cyber fraud. The methodology employed was qualitative, using snowball sampling method to select 10 cyber crime perpetrators, aged between 18 and 24 years, for an in-depth interview. Two key informants from the Ghana Police Service and Serious Fraud Office were also interviewed. The study areas were Accra, the capital of Ghana, and Agona Swedru, the district capital of Agona in Ghana. The data collected from the field was analysed and the research findings showed that respondents were from economically deprived backgrounds, youth perpetrators engaged in different types of cyber crimes, most respondents gave motivations ranging from a poor legal framework, profitability of the crime, family support and encouragement, low deterrence factor to few job opportunities. The research fmdings were consistent with the Differential Association and Strain theories and indicated that youth felt a disconnect between their economic goals and legitimate means of achieving them; and further that criminal behaviour is learned, and learned from association with close peers, also perpetrators used some neutralization techniques to assuage guilt. The ability to switch identities and the anonymity presented by the internet encouraged cyber delinquent activities. On the basis of these findings, the following major recommendations were made: there must be enactment of specific legal framework against cyber-crimes, to raise public awareness about the common modus operandi of perpetrators, formulation of proactive economic policies that could engender employment opportunities for the youth and the harmonization of laws against cyber crime at the domestic and regional levels. The research also makes recommendations for future areas of research.Item Health Expenditure And Health Outcomes In Sub-Saharan Africa: The Role Of Governance And Institutional Quality(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Ponku, I.The effect of both private and public health expenditures on health outcomes has received much attention in the literature. However, how governance and institutional quality mediate between these health expenditures and health outcomes have attracted limited attention as far as Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is concerned, thus, necessitating this study. This study used the system generalized method of moment estimation technique. It covered 22 Sub-Saharan Africa countries with data spanning from 2000 to 2015. Health outcomes used in the study are infant mortality, under-five mortality and life expectancy at birth. The results from the study show that governance and institutional quality significantly enhance the effect of both private and public health expenditures in achieving better health outcomes. Precisely, holding health expenditures constant, quality institutions will aid in public health expenditure reducing infant mortality by 2.8 per 1,000 live births and improve life expectancy by 0.03 years. Likewise, quality institutions will mediate private health expenditure to reduce infant mortality by 1.6 per 1,000 live births and increase life expectancy by 0.04 years. Although effective governance is significant in mediating public health expenditure to ensure reduced under-five mortality, the mediating role of effective governance on private health expenditure is not significant in achieving better health outcomes. Other variables that are statistically significant in promoting good health are nourishment and access to good sanitation facilities. It is therefore important for countries within SSA to empower their institutions with the needed tools and legislation to enable them perform their functions to their full capacity and as well provide the mechanism for assessing the performance of the institutions to ensure that health outcomes are enhanced.Item Estimating The Trade Effects Of The Ecowas Free Trade Area (Fta) On Bilateral Trade Flows – A Panel Data Analysis(University of Ghana, 2019-07) AdjeiThe Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) after its establishment in 1975, was tasked with a major responsibility of enhancing intra-ECOWAS trade. This led to the establishment of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) in 1990 – a mechanism designed to ensure that trade is fully liberalized in West Africa. Intra-ECOWAS trade according to the International Monetary Fund Direction of Trade Statistics (IMF DOTS) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) remains less than 15 percent. This has led many researchers to investigate the effects of the ECOWAS Free Trade Area (FTA) on bilateral trade flows among member states. Using a panel data from 1995 to 2015, this thesis employs test statistics and regression analysis to measure the variables which enhances bilateral trade in ECOWAS. Results from the estimations suggests that larger GDPs, huge population sizes, sharing a common currency and language all exerts a positive impact on bilateral trade flows. On the contrary, we found that sharing colonial links does not necessarily increase trade among countries. It actually opposes bilateral trade significantly. Based on the results, this study recommends that governments should provide massive infrastructure development to facilitate trade among member countries of the FTA. Domestic industries as well must be given essential support to enhance their production capacities to make value addition to extractive goods feasible. Also, there is a pressing need to facilitate the quick establishment of a common currency for ECOWAS. In addition, processes at the borders of member countries must be harmonized and made easy to facilitate the movement of goods across borders.Item Curbing Open Defecation In The Keea Municipality In The Central Region(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Semebiah, C.Unimproved sanitation such as open defecation practices has been a major sanitation problem in Ghana. The practice has been alarming due to the threat it poses to human health. Therefore, it has become an area of concern in the KEEA municipality since a lot of households do not have household toilet facilities. Addressing the unimproved sanitation practices to ensure a resilient community require comprehensive understanding of all underlying determinants of open defecation practices and factors that trigger the adoption of household toilet facilities. The study employed a mixed-method approach to explore means of curbing open defecation practices in the KEEA municipality. Specifically, the study investigated how the spatial distribution of public toilets influence the facility‘s usage, the socio-demographic predictors of open defecation, and the triggers for adopting a household toilet facility. A total of 373 respondents were used for the study; 320 household heads for the questionnaire survey, 42 focused group discussants, and 11 in-depth interviewees. The findings revealed that the most commonplace of attending nature‘s call is the public toilet. Spatial distribution of these public toilets do not influence the facility‘s usage irrespective of the unkempt status. The results also showed that females are more likely to open defecate as compared to males; those between 50-60 years are also likely to open defecate. Education and income status are also significant determinants of open defecation practices. Religion and ethnicity are, however, insignificant in predicting open defecation practices in the study area. Adoption of household toilet facility is also likely to be triggered by prestige, health and economic drivers. However, these drivers (excluding the economic driver), are influenced by marital status, education level and income status. Both short term and long term recommendations were suggested to curb open defecation practices. The study further calls for enactment of policy documents to safeguard tenets to invest in constructing their household toilet facility while sanitation. University of GhanaItem Water Thirst in Teshie and the Desalination Intervention(University of Ghana, 2019-12) Nyade, L.T.Item Ghana’s Trade Relations with the United States of America: A Case Study of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)(University of Ghana, 2016) Orlapu, A.AGOA offers Sub-Saharan African countries some special privileges and opportunities to export their products into the United States of America without restrictions. It seeks to promote sound socio-economic and political development within the affected region through intercontinental trade liberalization. This work is, therefore, an attempt made to investigate the extent to which AGOA has contributed to transform the economic, social, and political structures of Ghana since 2000. This research progressed through five major Chapters. In Chapter one, the researcher gave the introduction of the study, statement of the research problem as well as the research model used for this study. While Chapter two reviewed existing academic literature on the impact of AGOA in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Chapter three, on the other hand, sought to explain the research methodology used for this study. Chapter four analyzed the research data gathered from the field. In Chapter five, the researcher gave a summary of the study and his recommendations based on the research findings. Interviews were conducted at various time periods and in different institutions to solicit the views and opinions of both Ghanaian and U.S. experts on the challenges and impact of AGOA in Ghana. The research exercise showed that, aside economic and social gains, the nation’s political relations with the United States and with neighboring countries have been improved greatly under AGOA initiatives despite the challenges. In other words, AGOA has worked to multiply job opportunities and enhanced the nation’s effectiveness in responding to the needs of Ghanaians. In addition, AGOA provides Ghana the opportunity to interact with both U.S. and African political leaders on vital issues relating to trade and good governance through its annual Forums.Item Impact of Flooding and Bank Erosion on Livelihoods at the Lower Pra Basin(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Asiedu, E.River flooding and bank erosion pose serious environmental and socio-economic threats, thus impacting the livelihoods of people in diverse ways. Understanding the vulnerability of people to these hazards will help come up with proactive adaptation and mitigation measures. This study looked at the impact of flooding and bank erosion on livelihoods at the lower Pra basin. Using a mixed-method strategy, 200 questionnaires were administered with Topographical maps, and Satellite imageries being used. Also, key informants were interviewed to collect data and information. The study revealed that the river bankline of the Lower Pra basin has changed from 16.17516km² to 66.8808km² from 1974 to 2018 due to the river eroding the banks and anthropogenic activities. The study also revealed that the Residents continue to be highly vulnerable to these hazards due to the type of structures they live in, their livelihood activities and the inability of government agencies such as the NADMO and District planners in dealing with the hazards. The livelihoods of people living in the lower basin continue to be threatened because of the individual vulnerabilities to flooding and bank erosion. Residents were highly impacted in the physical and socio-economic aspects of their livelihoods such as the destruction of farmlands and household properties, economic activities and health related issues. To overcome the impacts of flooding and bank erosion, the study recommends that residents who live along the Pra river should be relocated. Also, there should be riverbank defense, desilting of the river channel, planning of education and sensitization programs to reduce their impact to both flooding and bank erosion at the Lower Pra basin. The study gives the trustworthiness of the sustainable livelihood framework that if the communities and institutions in the country wholly function properly with the available capital to support the household, it will reduce the people's vulnerability and the impacts to these hazards thereby improving and maintaining good livelihood outcomes.Item Informal Sector Work in Ghana: Determinants and Poverty Implications(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Asamoah, B.B.This study adopts a legal definition of informal sector work and studies the determinants of informality, paying particular attention to the gender dynamics with respect to informality and poverty. The study throws more light on the definition and measures of informality, then proceeds to determine the socio-economic factors that influence an individual’s decision to work in the informal sector. Particular attention is given to the relationship between informal sector work and poverty – unidimensional and multidimensional poverty. Then the study analyses certain characteristics of informal sector work that contributes to poverty, arguing that these characteristics have different implications on unidimensional poverty and multidimensional poverty. Employing the simultaneous equation probit model in analyzing the first objective, the study finds that there is a significant impact of poverty on the probability of participation in the informal sector. There is also a form of association between working in the informal sector and the likelihood of being poor. Other factors such as age, education, household size, and location also have significant effects on participation in the informal sector. The ordinary least squares method is applied to determine the characteristics of the informal sector that is likely to affect the unidimensional and multidimensional poverty of households. The findings corresponding to this objective suggests that an increase in the average hours of informal sector work reduces multidimensional poverty of households. Also, gender has a specific role to play when it comes to reducing poverty, especially in the informal sector. Based on this, it is recommended that policies be directed towards educating males in the sector and improving the working conditions for the females in the sector.Item Curbing Open Defecation in the Keea Municipality in the Central Region(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Semabiah, C.Unimproved sanitation such as open defecation practices has been a major sanitation problem in Ghana. The practice has been alarming due to the threat it poses to human health. Therefore, it has become an area of concern in the KEEA municipality since a lot of households do not have household toilet facilities. Addressing the unimproved sanitation practices to ensure a resilient community require comprehensive understanding of all underlying determinants of open defecation practices and factors that trigger the adoption of household toilet facilities. The study employed a mixed-method approach to explore means of curbing open defecation practices in the KEEA municipality. Specifically, the study investigated how the spatial distribution of public toilets influence the facility‘s usage, the socio-demographic predictors of open defecation, and the triggers for adopting a household toilet facility. A total of 373 respondents were used for the study; 320 household heads for the questionnaire survey, 42 focused group discussants, and 11 in-depth interviewees. The findings revealed that the most commonplace of attending nature‘s call is the public toilet. Spatial distribution of these public toilets do not influence the facility‘s usage irrespective of the unkempt status. The results also showed that females are more likely to open defecate as compared to males; those between 50-60 years are also likely to open defecate. Education and income status are also significant determinants of open defecation practices. Religion and ethnicity are, however, insignificant in predicting open defecation practices in the study area. Adoption of household toilet facility is also likely to be triggered by prestige, health and economic drivers. However, these drivers (excluding the economic driver), are influenced by marital status, education level and income status. Both short term and long term recommendations were suggested to curb open defecation practices. The study further calls for enactment of policy documents to safeguard tenets to invest in constructing their household toilet facility while sanitation.