School of Social Sciences
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Item Raising Children In Urban Slums Of Ghana: Exploring The Experiences Of Young Mothers In Selected Slums Of Accra(University of Ghana, 2021-12) Brempong, P.N.A.Slums serve as home to a billion people, and this figure is expected to rise exponentially as most third-world countries continue to urbanise. In Ghana, about 4.8 million people live in slums and lack basic amenities. Given the unavailability of basic amenities in slum areas, raising children by young mothers in such environments becomes even more challenging as they are mostly considered not to have mastered that task of parenting. This study sought to: (a) explore the childcare practices of young mothers in raising their children in the slums of Ghana’s capital, Accra; (b) find out the challenges young mothers encounter in raising their children in the slums of Ghana’s capital, Accra; and (c) ascertain the coping mechanisms young mothers utilize in raising their children in the slums of Ghana’s capital, Accra. Using a sample size of twenty (20), the participants were purposively selected from two study sites: Old Fadama and African Eleven. A qualitative research design was used for this study, with in-depth interviews being the main data collection method. The data was categorised with the help of NVivo 12 Pro software, while Smith and Osborn’s Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyse the data. The findings of the study revealed that most of the participants resort to the pharmacy rather than the hospital when their children fall ill because there are no clinics or hospitals within the slums. Furthermore, young mothers exercised control over their children through corporal punishments such as beatings, deprivation of privileges, and confining them indoors whenever they displayed unruly behaviour. Additionally, young mothers in their bid to raise their children encountered some feeding challenges due to financial constraints. Notwithstanding the challenges young mothers encountered, they were able to cope through the support of their peers, friends, and co-workers within the slum. Young mothers adopted some strategies such as endurance, tolerance and denial, savings and credit facilities, and group feeding strategies such as food rationing. With this, young mothers had to skip meals, fast, and reduce the quantity of food eaten in order to provide for their children. The study concludes that the lack of basic amenities within the two slums further worsens the plight of young mothers, as such, putting them in despair. To exploit or scale up the hope of young mothers in slums, the efforts of the government, stakeholders, and local and civil society groups (including community-based and faith-based organizations) should aim at improving the socio-economic conditions (especially education, health, and infrastructure) of both slums on a sustainable basis. In the long run, social workers should help link young mothers and families to resources, interventions, or organizations that could help them improve their well-being.Item La Migration, C’est Une Tradition, C’est Une Mode De Vie”: The Nigerien Migrants On The Streets Of Accra.(University Of Ghana, 2021-12) Osei, I.B.The presence of Tuareg migrants on the streets of Accra confirms the idea that south-south migration is prominent on the African continent. It also presents a case of international migration for begging as a form of economic mobility outside formal labour markets yet within the framework of the ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement. Drawing on 21 in-depth interviews and informal conversations with participants from the Accra mall area and Sabon Zongo in Accra, this study examines the distinctive form of migration for begging amongst the Tuareg migrants on the streets of Accra as part of intra-regional migration flows in West Africa. Data were analysed within the framework of the Push-Pull Plus model and the culture of migration with themes generated accordingly. My findings show that following the 1970s and the 1980s drought in Niger and other parts of the Sahel region, and the various Tuareg rebellions that have happened between that time and now in Niger and Mali, racially white Tuareg migrants, in particular, have been drawn to Ghana. Over the years, these Tuareg migrants have developed a culture of migration for begging in Ghana. This is because Ghana is a politically stable country with democratic provisions that allow the Tuareg migrants some rights and freedoms. The political and economic freedoms afforded the Tuareg migrants in Ghana match their economic interests. This international migration for begging amongst the Tuaregs in Accra is engendered by the fact that begging is a common phenomenon in Ghana’s Zongo communities, which are usually the first places of residence for the Tuareg migrants in Accra. These, coupled with the fact that there is a somewhat lax approach to the implementation of laws on begging in Ghana as compared to other countries in the sub-region where the Tuareg migrants report negative experiences with the law enforcement agencies, make begging a favourable means to income generation amongst the Tuareg migrants. Furthermore, the Tuareg migrants on the streets of Accra, albeit foreigners in another country, are not totally cut off the Ghanaian society. Although they prefer residential segregation, there are nonetheless aspects of their living arrangements that have traces of Ghanaian societies.Item Work-Life Balance Among Mothers In The Banking Sector In Accra(University Of Ghana, 2022-08) Birago, N.Mothers working in the corporate world tend to perform multiple roles because of work and family demands on their energy, time and resources. In Ghana, the banking sector is one of the sectors of the Ghanaian economy where the presence of women in terms of employment opportunities is visible. Many female employees start their career development as single ladies, become wives and subsequently mothers. However, little is documented about women's experiences straddling the path as mothers in banking, particularly in Accra, Ghana. This study, therefore, set out to explore the lived experiences of mothers in banking concerning the challenges they face balancing work and family roles, the strategies they adopt to cope and to document strategies and initiatives that exist in banks in support of mothers in banking in an attempt to straddle work and family roles. The study employed a qualitative research design with a phenomenological approach as the means of enquiry. Data were collected from participants through in-depth interviews. The study found mothers in banking combining work and family roles extremely stressful, particularly leaving home very early in the morning, spending long hours at work and observing unpredicted late closing hours. In addition, the study found mothers in banking profusely expressing, having no quality time with their children and family. In addition, the unreliability of the social support system, particularly the house helps are mothers in banking worse nightmare. Mothers in banking adopt coping strategies, including utilising family members as a support system, developing a skill for planning their lives and work, self-encouragement and learning to concentrate on each role at a time. Hours break for nursing mothers is a common initiative adopted by banks in support of mothers in banking. The study recommends that government develops a policy on childcare at the workplace. The study further recommends that banks introduce crèches or day care centres to support working mothers in banking.Item Politics Of Kayayie-Gatekeeper Phenomenon: Case Studies From Accra’s Tema Station(University Of Ghana, 2021-12) Sumani, D.In urban cities in Ghana, the prevalence of gatekeepers in the space of female migrants has become an emerging phenomenon. Female migrants who migrate to Ghana’s cities, especially Accra, in a bid to make a living only realise they are in a territory where such expectations are not easily met. As a result, they are constantly forced to improvise by adopting strategies and opting for certain spatial relationships necessary for their survival and stability in unfamiliar territories. This work focuses on identifying these livelihood strategies among specific female migrants known as kayayei. One of such strategies the kayayei have adopted to reduce their vulnerability and improve stability in these unfamiliar terrains has been by getting into relationships with male gatekeepers refined to emulate their household structures and socially constructed roles from their places of origin. This dissertation focuses on identifying these gatekeepers, their interests, and the exact role they play in the kayayei-gatekeeper phenomenon. This dissertation also adopts two theories (Social Dominance and Intersectionality) to understand the power relations, social domination, gender-based power inequalities, exploitation, and the multiple identities the kayayei hold and how it impacts their relationship with the gatekeepers. Using a qualitative case study methodology, the study applied convenient, purposive and snowball sampling to generate novel insights about an understudied phenomenon. The data demonstrate that age, ethnicity, and religious affiliation reflect the gatekeeper reality. Findings reveal that gatekeepers perform various unpaid services for the kayayei, including conflict resolution, burial rites, serving as liaison officers for NGO initiatives, funds mobilisation, assisting the kayayei to achieve financial inclusion and accelerating the shift to digital payments. Further, findings show that while these services offered by these gatekeepers are a good step in the right direction, they are not merely altruistic leaders but rather leaders with diverse political, economic, financial, status, sexual and kinship interests. Overall, this dissertation is a study of power and power relations. It offers a pioneering report on the gatekeepers phenomenon in the kaya industry and provides policymakers with the focus and direction to ending underage kayayei using gatekeepers as focal points.Item Spatial Analysis Of The Distribution And Drivers Of Retail Outlets Location In Residential Areas Of Accra(University Of Ghana, 2021-07) Hogba, E.In the last two decades, the retail sector has seen an unprecedented and widespread proliferation of retail outlets, particularly in the majority of developing cities. In Accra, Ghana's capital city, houses and residential neighbourhoods are increasingly becoming a haven for the location of retail outlets. Given the fast expansion of residential retail outlets, a comprehensive geographical understanding of the locational patterns, as well as the causes of these patterns are required for formulating spatial planning policies, decision-making and rational distribution of commercial facilities. The study, therefore, examined the spatial pattern and drivers of retail outlet locations in three residential areas of varied income levels in Accra. The study employed a complementary mixed-method approach, involving the mapping of locations of retail outlets using Geographic Information Systems, questionnaire administration, in-depth interviews with buyers and institutional stakeholders as well as field observations to collect data. The mapping established that the geographical pattern of retail outlets is aligned with the distribution pattern of urban development in the study areas and these include the distribution of population, road networks, and supplementary businesses. Though the distribution of retail outlets is suggested to be spontaneous, the study showed that the factors driving the location of retail outlets were taken by retailers based on their observations and experiences, including proximity to customers, existing clusters of retailers, and minimization of competition. The study also revealed that the distribution and operations of retail outlets pose great environmental threats to the residential environment and the quality of life of residents. The study recommended, among others, that policymakers develop an explicit and comprehensive policy to regulate and manage residential retailing.Item Person-Environment Fit On Organizational Citizenship Behaviour And Employee Engagement Among Administrative Staff Of Public Universities In Accra, Ghana.(University Of Ghana, 2022-01) Aryee, E.M.E.Effective recruitment in organizations is the bedrock of sustained competitive advantage within an organizations industry. Ensuring a proper and most suitable fit impacts behavioural and organizational outcomes. Employee efficiency and effectiveness is paramount in every sector but more especially the educational sector which primarily shapes the future of younger generations. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of person-environment fit on work-related outcomes among administrative staff of public universities in Accra. A sample of 300 administrative staff (females = 58.4%, ages 18-40= 86.0%) was selected from public universities in the Greater Accra Region to partake in the study using the purposive and snowball sampling method. Participants completed a questionnaire comprising various demographic questions, and measures of person-environment fit, organizational citizenship behaviour and employee engagement. Multiple regression, an independent t test and One way analysis of variance were used in data analysis. The study discovered a positive significant relationship between employees fit and work-related outcomes as well as an interaction between two dimensions of engagement (intellectual and affective) and organizational citizenship behavior. The findings of the study also reveal that various factors such as tenure and age positively impacted the employee’s performance of organizational citizenship behavior and engagement levels.Item Fake News And Covid-19 Information Verification Practices Amongst Social Media Users And Non-Users In Accra(University Of Ghana, 2022-03) Degboe, D.M.It has been widely observed by the World Health Organization that the Covid-19 pandemic simultaneously exists with an “infodemic”, a term adopted to mean the abundance of misinformation about the Covid-19 pandemic. This study sought to investigate how Ghanaian social media users and non-users in Accra verified the views they held about the Covid-19 virus and pandemic. To guide the fulfilment of this objective, the study used Mead’s theory of self-indication and Parson’s social action theory to explain why people held misinformed views about the Covid-19 pandemic, why they chose to verify certain pieces of information whilst acting on others without verification, and how they verified information. The study was qualitative in nature and data was obtained through in-depth interviews with twenty participants in Accra, ten of whom were social media users and ten of whom were non-social media users. The study found that in addition to holding medically-endorsed views on Covid-19, most participants held views that have been dismissed as inaccurate at best or harmful at worst. Some of these views were that the Covid-19 virus is a deliberate human creation, that the sun provided protection for Ghanaians against Covid-19, and that local remedies such as neem tree and saline were effective in protecting one from contracting the virus and for treatment. The main reason for the prevalence of misinformation amongst participants was that most participants usually shared any received information with others without verifying because they trusted the source of information. Participants only verified information on Covid-19 if the information was opposed to their existing views, had substantial consequences if false or true, or due to a recognition that misinformation is rampant. For participants who used social media, checking the internet for concordant information was the main means of verification. For participants who did not use social media, verification mainly occurred by waiting for the information to be corroborated by traditional media sources.Item Retirement Experiences of Female Retirees in Accra. A Case Study of Fifteen Women.(University of Ghana, 2001-05) Otoo-Addo, F.Item Youth Volunteerism in Accra: Motivations, Benefits, and Constraints(University of Ghana, 2019-07) Klu, E.Volunteerism has been touted globally as one of the tools for involving the youth in development processes especially in the wake of dwindling public expenditure on public services and public sector employment. Despite the global support and advocacy, volunteerism has received less attention among scholars and policymakers in Ghana. This study seeks to contribute in this regard by exploring; factors that motivate young people to volunteer, benefits they seek to derive volunteering as well as constraints that influence or prohibit participation in volunteer work. The study adopted a mixed-method approach using surveys and interviews. 351 young people were recruited constituting; 228 volunteers and 103 non-volunteers through surveys and 20 participants; 13 volunteers, 4 non-volunteers and 3 key informants. The findings show that young people saw volunteer work as an opportunity to ‘while away time’ while waiting for a permanent job. Other motivation factors included altruism, the desire to create change, contribution to development, acquisition of new skills, building career portfolios. For benefits, volunteers recounted factors such as personal development, social capital acquisition, and psychological gains including overcoming fear and low esteem as well as ease of boredom. Constraints are said to either inhibit volunteering or influence the volunteering experience and satisfaction. Three forms of constraints emerged from the study. These include Interpersonal, Intrapersonal and Structural. Interpersonal and structural constraints were reported by both volunteers and non-volunteers while intrapersonal constraints were peculiar to only non-volunteers. It is concluded that young people in Ghana volunteer for a myriad of reasons tied to their interest and expectation. Volunteers attribute benefits to their volunteering endeavors when their expectations are met. The cost of volunteering and inadequate information on volunteer work are major constraints to be summonted in efforts to encourage volunteering culture in Ghana.Item 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.