School of Social Sciences
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Item Strategies of extending Social Security Coverage to workers in the Informal Sector(University of Ghana, 2005-06) Ayisi, A.E.The research work was meant to find strategies of extending social security coverage to workers in the informal sector to enable them have protection against economic and social distress. The informal sector alone forms 80.6% of the total number of 9.039,318 economically active populations. Data used for the research work was from both primary and secondary sources. A vital tool that was wed in gathering information from the primary source was the questionnaire. In all, thirty questions were asked and grouped under the following headings. • General information on the respondent • Savings levels and preferences • Understanding of the SSNIT Pension Scheme The purposeive sampling procedures and structured questionnaires were used to collect data from a total of 156 respondents. The research revealed that workers in the informal sector do not join the scheme because of lack of knowledge. Most of the workers in the sector have failed to contribute due to unsustainable incomes. It was also revealed that benefits offered under the SSNIT Scheme were inadequate and did not meet workers expectations. Based on the findings, it is recommended that SSNIT enact a double -decker social insurance system that will provide for withdrawable contributions to help workers in this sector expand their business as their immediate need. As a result of the lack of knowledge, the media could also help to market the scheme. Benefits to contributors should be adjusted by SSNIT to bridge the gap between the high and low income earners.Item The Impact of Central Bank Independence on Inflation in Ghana(University of Ghana, 2009-07) Caiquo, A.K.Increasing central bank independence is a recommended strategy for government to establish a credible commitment to price stability, which may be at the expense of other objectives that may be more appealing to the political authorities. Most of the literature reports a negative relation between legal independence and inflation in developed countries with the evidence on central bank independence and growth being tenuous. The turnover rate of the central bank governors (which is the rate at which governors are changed) tends to be positively associated with inflation in less developing countries, implying that low turnover rates is associated with low inflation, the reverse is true. This paper seeks to explore the impact of the degree of independence of the Bank of Ghana on inflation from the actual measure of central bank independence context since 1970 to 2007, making use of a general inflation model. The results reveal a negative impact on inflation in Ghana. Which suggests that the turnover rate of governors has a negative effect on inflation. Since the governor of the Bank of Ghana is appointed by the government, there is the likelihood to succumb to pressures from government in the hope to avoid the termination of appointment. The governmental influence makes the pursuance of effective monetary policies less likely on the part of the governor. The policy implications and recommendations from the study emphasize the need to put in place checks to ensure an effective and efficient transparent mechanism between the Bank of Ghana and the general public. Secondly, the goals of the Bank of Ghana should be clearly defined as well as the monetary instrument to be employed to achieve the goals. Finally, the enactment of the fiscal responsibility law will ensure fiscal discipline on the part of government.Item Influence of Psychological Contract Breach on Organizational Commitment: A Study of Teachers in the Ga East Municipality of Accra, Ghana(University Of Ghana, 2020-07) Amoah, V.S.This study sought to examine the influence of psychological contract breach (PCB) on employees’ affective, continuance and normative commitment. It also examined leader-member exchange (LMX) as a moderator of the relationship between PCB and the dimensions of organizational commitment. Job embeddedness (JE) and organization-based self-esteem (OBSE) were also examined as mediators of this relationship. Two hundred and ninety-eight (298) teachers were conveniently sampled from both private and public schools within the Ga-East Municipality of Accra for this quantitative cross-sectional survey. Data were analyzed using hierarchical regression test and independent t-test. Results indicated PCB was negatively related to a) affective commitment and c) normative commitment. LMX did not moderate the relationship between PCB and the dimensions of organizational commitment. JE mediated the relationship between PCB and the dimensions of commitment. Public school teachers reported high levels of PCB as compared to their counterparts in the private schools. Findings of this study indicate PCB reduces teachers’ commitment. Stakeholders in the education sector ought to institute measures to reduce or eliminate it. Frequent boot camps can be organized to reiterate obligations owed to employees so as to clear any misconceptions.Item Emotional Labour, Burnout and Psychological Capital: A Study Among Teachers of Special Needs Children In Greater Accra and Eastern Regions of Ghana.(University of Ghana, 2017-07) Agboyibor, D.C.Emotional labour and its influence on work-related outcomes among workers in organizations have gained prominence in the last three decades. Teachers of special needs children are one group of professionals who experience emotional labour in their daily work but are largely missing in current research. This thesis therefore sought to fill this gap by examining the impact of emotional labour on burnout among special needs teachers and how psychological capital moderates that association. The study was a purely quantitative method, specifically using cross-sectional survey. Data was collected from from which 149 questionnaires were used for the analysis. Out of these, 88 were male respondents and 61 female respondents. The age range was 18 to 60 years with a mean age of 36.5 years. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were used to select participants for the study. Emotional labour was measured using the Emotional Labour Scale (ELS),burnout with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-GS) and psychological capital with the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ).Data was analysed using Hierarchical Multiple Regression and factorial ANOVA. Findings from the study showed that surface acting and intensity increased burnout among the teachers. Resilience sub-scale of psychological capital attenuated the effect of intensity on burnout. Male teachers and those who were single and never married reported the highest burnout. The implications of the findings are discussed within the context of improving the mental well-being and productivity of teachers in special needs schools.Item Elections and Inflation: Evidence from Ghana(University of Ghana, 2017-07) Darpaah, Y.S.The misuse of fiscal and monetary policies to incentivize electorates to re-elect an incumbent is one that has been extensively researched. This has come to be referred to as the political business cycle. This cycle refers to the opportunistic manipulation of key policy variables by the incumbent to stimulate the economy prior to a presidential election. The effects of these expansionary activities of the incumbent are suspected to impact various macroeconomic variables. This study sought to investigate the impact of elections on Ghana‘s inflation by verifying the existence of a political business cycle. Data gathering was restricted to the fourth republic (1990 to 2016); the period of consistent and uninterrupted democratic rule in Ghana. The ARDL model was used to empirically investigate the existence of a political business cycle in Ghana. Two scenarios were estimated using the ARDL model: the first involving a pooled election dummy for the election years under consideration and the second, disaggregated election dummies for the individual years that elections were held. Conflicting results were obtained. For the pooled election dummy, elections were found to be statistically significant in affecting inflation. On the other hand, for the disaggregated election dummies, the individual election years were found not to be statistically significant in affecting inflation. As such, the study finds that the effect of elections on Ghana‘s inflation is inconclusive. The study‘s findings, thus, indicate that inflationary surges in Ghana may not be conclusively attributable to the effect of the political business cycle. Notwithstanding, it is recommended that fiscal discipline and increased accountability be enforced to control government spending and fiscal deficits in election years.Item Son-Preference and Its Implication on Females in Nigeria: The Yoruba Perspective(University Of Ghana, 2016-07) Aduradola, O.R.The immense value placed on male children around the world, especially among patriarchal cultures in developing countries like Nigeria, has resulted in unfavorable disposition towards the continuous birth and welfare of females. In this study, the consequences of son preference and its implication on the status of girls and mothers were explored. The following objectives were addressed: (1) examine societal factors that influence son preference among Yoruba people; (2) explore the challenges of not having a male child among married Yoruba women; and (3) explore the implication of son preference on the status of daughters in the family. A qualitative research design was employed and purposive sampling technique was used to select twenty-four participants consisting ofeight men and sixteen women. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted to collect data from respondents. The findings of the study showed that the perception of son preference is held by both men and women, and this perception is influenced by the need to retain family name and legacy of men. The most common factors found to influence son preference were: retention of family name, the need to institute legacy and traditional marriage practices. The study also found that health problems, infidelity and marital insecurity were challenges faced by women that had no sons. In addition, the study found a new perspective of parents towards the preference of sons. Findings from the study suggest that there are no negative implications of son preference on daughters. Based on these findings, the study recommended that the public should be sensitized through programs that address gender stereotypes. Also, more empowerment initiatives should target young girls and women because they are vulnerable to the imposition of many traditional norms. It was also recommended that social workers should advocate for the implementation of the gender equality bill by the government in Nigeria in order to stop harmful cultural practices against femalesItem Spatial Patterns of Mycobacterium Ulcerans Infection (Buruli Ulcer) In the Akwapim South District(University of Ghana, 2001-08) Ohene, K.E.; Nabila, J.S.; Agyei-Mensah, S.; University of Ghana, College of Humanities, School of Social Sciences, Department of Geography and Resource DevelopmentThis study is about the spatial patterns of the Mycobacterium ulcerans infections (Buruli ulcer) in the Akwapim South district. The Triangle of Human Ecology model was used to account for the observed spatial patterns of the disease. The spatial distribution of the disease was mapped through the residential addresses of the patients as shown in the district medical records. The endemic communities were stratified into three segments namely the high, low and nonendemic areas or zones. The settlements for the study were then randomly selected from each stratum. This was proceeded by the selection of the target population according to the research objectives. Primary data were collected from three sources namely the household heads, Buruli ulcer patients and the health personnel (including the District Director of Health Services). Besides this, direct personal observation of the natural environment as well as interviews with certain individuals yielded primary information this study. The study looked out for the magnitude of the problem, the underlying factors of the spatial patterns and the socio-economic impact on the populace. Children were found to be more vulnerable to infection than adults. Thus prevalence decreased with age with an overall slight female predominance in incidence. It was further discovered that the quality of the natural environment to a very large extent influenced the spatial variations of the disease. It was more prevalent along watercourses and low-lying areas but non-existent on high grounds with better drainage. This confirms the research proposition and findings elsewhere that the disease is more prevalent along water bodies. Low patronage of health care facilities influenced by the socio-economic status of the respondents and the skewed distribution of such facilities was observed to have contributed to the incidence of the disease in the communities. For it is believed that accessing a health facility for advice earlier could have lessened the scourge. Restricted access to health facilities thus varies from place to place and this reflects in the spatial patterns of the disease. The disease, it was discovered had adversely affected the socio-economic lives of the patients themselves and their families due to prolonged treatment. This supports the fact by some scholars that prolonged treatment or hospitalization can bring untold hardships to both patients and their families. Efforts by the health authorities in the district to check the spread of the disease were thwarted resource constraints. The study concludes that the disease is a socio-economic problem, thus recommendations have been made, which if implemented will reduce incidence in the future.