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1
Ansah, S. O., M. A. Ahiataku, C. K. Yorke, F. Otu-Larbi, Bashiru Yahaya, P. N. L. Lamptey, and M. Tanu. "Meteorological Analysis of Floods in Ghana." Advances in Meteorology 2020 (March 24, 2020): 1–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/4230627.
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The first episodes of floods caused by heavy rainfall during the major rainy season in 2018 occurred in Accra (5.6°N and 0.17°W), a coastal town, and Kumasi (6.72°N and 1.6°W) in the forest region on the 18th and 28th of June, respectively. We applied the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to investigate and examine the meteorological dynamics, which resulted in the extreme rainfall and floods that caused 14 deaths, 34076 people being displaced with damaged properties, and economic loss estimated at $168,289 for the two cities according to the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO). The slow-moving thunderstorms lasted for about 8 hours due to the weak African Easterly Wave (AEW) and Tropical Easterly Jet (TEJ). Results from the analysis showed that surface pressures were low with significant amount of moisture influx aiding the thunderstorms intensification, which produced 90.1 mm and 114.6 mm of rainfall over Accra and Kumasi, respectively. We compared the rainfall amount from this event to the historical rainfall data to investigate possible changes in rainfall intensities over time. A time series of annual daily maximum rainfall (ADMR) showed an increasing trend with a slope of 0.45 over Accra and a decreasing trend and a slope of –0.07 over Kumasi. The 95th percentile frequencies of extreme rainfall with thresholds of 45.10 mm and 42.16 mm were analyzed for Accra and Kumasi, respectively, based on the normal distribution of rainfall. Accra showed fewer days with more heavy rainfall, while Kumasi showed more days with less heavy rainfalls.
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Dartey, Ralph Osei, Bobie Ansah Samuel, Chigbo A. Mgbemene, and Ekechukwu Onyemaechi Valentine. "Estimation of Clearness Index and its Application in Determining Sky Conditions using Three Cities in Ghana as a Case Study." Indian Journal of Environment Engineering 1, no. 3 (May 30, 2022): 5–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.54105/ijee.c1822.051322.
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In this work, hourly global radiation and extraterrestrial data for three locations in Ghana, namely Accra, Kumasi, and Navrongo, were used to estimate the daily clearness, monthly mean clearness index, and monthly-averaged hourly clearness index of the study areas. It was observed that the monthly average clearness index of Accra ranged from 0.4505 to 0.6975 and that of Kumasi and Navrongo varied from 0.4553 to 0.6908 and 0.4529 to 0.6949, respectively. There was no overcast sky in the year 2018 for all the three study areas in Ghana, and approximately two-thirds of the year’s day length experienced clear-sky conditions. Partly cloudy conditions were predominant in the wet season of the year.
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Sikanku, Etse G. "Intermedia Influences Among Ghanaian Online and Print News Media." Journal of Black Studies 42, no. 8 (July 29, 2011): 1320–35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0021934711417435.
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Four major publications in Ghana ( Daily Graphic, Daily Guide, Ghana News Agency [GNA], and Ghanaweb) were used to investigate intermedia agenda-setting relationships in Africa’s emerging era of liberalization. The results are based on a content analysis of daily news reports ( N = 322) and a traditional cross-lagged analysis, which found limited reciprocal relationships between the websites of two print newspapers ( Daily Graphic and Daily Guide). Whereas one non-newspaper website (GNA) influenced both print news media, the other solely online publication, Ghanaweb, displayed weak intermedia effects. Strong correlations between the issue salience of both non-newspaper websites were observed. These findings indicate that intermedia agenda-setting effects in Ghana are mixed. The main contribution of this article is to extend the intermedia agenda-setting theory to Africa in the ferment of new media technologies and democratic reform.
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Harris, Leila M. "Everyday Experiences of Water Insecurity: Insights from Underserved Areas of Accra, Ghana." Daedalus 150, no. 4 (2021): 64–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1162/daed_a_01873.
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Abstract At least half of Accra's residents do not enjoy safe, secure, and affordable access to water on a regular basis. Focused on underserved communities in and around urban Accra, this essay highlights the meanings and importance of water insecurity for residents' daily lives. In particular, this essay extends beyond the well-established ways that the lack of safe and affordable access conditions poor public health outcomes, to a broader understanding of well-being informed by residents' own experiences of irregular and insecure access to water. This essay thus seeks to broaden understandings of water insecurity beyond the basic and minimum access required for daily needs, and to consider broader social-contextual dynamics, such as reported experiences of stress or conflict, that residents face daily in negotiating water insecurities.1
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Asante, Matilda, Benjamin Frimpong, Freda Intiful, Portia Nkumsah-Riverson, Somah A. Nkansah, Boadiwaa Ofori-Amanfo, Yaunuick Y. Dogbe, and George A. Asare. "Food consumption pattern and dietary diversity of a vegetarian population in Ghana." Ghana Medical Journal 55, no. 1 (March 31, 2021): 26–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/gmj.v55i1.5.
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Objective: This study examined the food consumption pattern and dietary diversity of a vegetarian population in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.Methods: A cross-sectional study was employed to examine the nutritional status of four (4) vegetarian groups in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. One hundred and twenty-two (122) vegetarians were recruited using the total enumeration technique. Food consumption pattern and dietary diversity were assessed using a validated qualitative food frequency questionnaire and a 24-hour dietary recall, respectively. Dietary diversity was calculated using the FAO guidelines.Results: Sixty eight percent (68%) of the vegetarians reported daily intakes of vegetable protein. Majority of the vegetarians (80.6%) reported daily intakes of cereals and grains while 54% reported daily intakes of tubers. Eighty two percent (82%) and 72% of the vegetarians consumed vegetables and fruits on daily basis respectively. A few ofthe vegetarians (29%) reported daily intakes of fruit juices. Soft drinks, deep fried foods and fast foods were occasionally consumed. About 40.3% of the vegetarians obtained a dietary diversity score of four (4). Majority of them (68.9%) had low dietary diversity.Conclusion: The vegetarians had low dietary diversity which may lead to inadequate nutrient intakes. Thus, there is the need for nutrition-related professionals to give appropriate information on a vegetarian diet and educate vegetarians to include a variety of foods in their diet.
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Dzandza, Patience Emefa. "ICT services to students in the greater Accra region of Ghana." Information and Learning Science 118, no. 7/8 (July 10, 2017): 393–405. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/ils-06-2017-0052.
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Purpose This paper aims to describe an information and communication technology (ICT) training programme in the central library in Ghana, to discuss the benefits of the programme and the challenges faced by those delivering it and to relate this work to the broader development goals of the UN and the Africa Union (AU), offering some recommendations on how the programme can be made more effective. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a qualitative approach to help determine the modality of the programme to two junior high schools (JHSs) in the area that benefit weekly from the training programmes offered at the ICT corner. Interviews were conducted with two staff of the ICT corner to help gather information on the services that the ICT corner offers and the challenges with the programme; ICT teachers and a library coordinator of the two JHSs were also interviewed to find out about their opinion on the programme and the impact they think the programme can make to help achieve the agenda of equipping the youth with ICT skills. Focus group discussions were held with two classes from the JHSs for them to indicate the ICT skills they have acquired from the training and what they can use the skills to achieve. The researcher also witnessed two training sessions and observed daily activities of the ICT corner and the method of instruction. Findings The study brought to fore the contribution GhLA is making to help Ghana achieve Agenda 2063 and 2030 by helping students acquire basic ICT skills that are motivating them to use computers in their daily activities. Originality/value The study highlighted the importance of libraries in the twenty-first century and recommendations were made, among others, that, the facility should be replicated in all public libraries to be used by schools that do not have their own ICT lab in Ghana and the library should employ more staff to help with the training.
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Oteng-Ababio, Martin, Augustine Tanle, Samuel Twumasi Amoah, Louis Kusi, Enoch Akwasi Kosoe, and Ernest Bagson. "‘Informal Exceptionalism?’ Labour Migrants’ Creative Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Livelihoods in Accra, Ghana." Journal of Asian and African Studies 54, no. 1 (July 23, 2018): 88–103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0021909618789965.
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Intra- and inter-regional migration is widely described. Prior studies have attribute varied reasons for this development including the quest for greener pastures and unequal development in northern Ghana. What has escaped critical scrutiny is some migrants’ ability to escape extreme rural poverty, albeit in harsh urban environment. Such a missing gap can potentiate high policy failures, hence the need for academic attention. Using a mixed method, we focus on two informal daily livelihoods as exemplars – exceptionalism – in Accra. We see their embedded organisational vitality and dynamic networks as illuminating for good livelihood practices, proper city governance and fostering economic empowerment. We call on city authorities to take cognisance of such complexities and heterogeneity of production–labour relations, failure of which can spell doom for policies ostensibly initiated to curb migration, as they are likely to be underpinned by factual inaccuracies and may result in ill-fated interventions.
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Asante, Lewis Abedi, Alexander Sasu, Jonathan Zinzi Ayitey, and Naana Amakie Boakye-Agyeman. "The Achimota Transport Terminal in Accra: A Model Urban Regeneration Project in Ghana?" Journal of Sustainable Development 8, no. 9 (November 29, 2015): 240. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/jsd.v8n9p240.
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<p>Over the years, government has spent millions of taxpayer’s monies to undertake urban regeneration projects (URPs) with the aim of combating the challenges of urban decay in Ghana. Several studies have argued that a number of these URPs have been left to deteriorate because there was no proper plan to maintain them. Amidst these challenges, the Achimota Transport Terminal (ATT) has been tagged as a ‘model URP in Ghana’. This paper finds out the reasons for the tag put on ATT. We adopted purposive, convenience and stratified sampling techniques to select the respondents for this study. We found two reasons for the tag on ATT – one being that the managers of ATT strictly adhere to routine and preventive maintenance practices. However, corrective maintenance was deferred. The other reason is that the terminal meets the physical (adequate parking space, availability of waiting sheds), social (creation of employment, reduction in theft cases and available cars to all destinations in Accra and beyond) and environmental (improved sanitation) dimensions of urban regeneration. Nevertheless, same cannot be said about the economic dimension (low daily sales, high maintenance cost). About 90 percent of the drivers complained vehemently of low daily sales at the terminal. We believe that delaying corrective maintenance when needed may not only mean additional cost when repairs are finally done but has the likelihood of plunging the terminal into a poor state within a short period. Additionally, since the terminal in question is serving as a model for future terminals, planning and designing of such future terminals should aim at meeting all the dimensions of urban regeneration to enhance its usage and sustainability.</p>
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Thompson, Rachel Akusika, and Jemima Asabea Anderson. "Perception of politeness: some perspectives from Ghana." Journal of Politeness Research 15, no. 1 (February 4, 2019): 101–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/pr-2014-0008.
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Abstract This study gives an account of what Ghanaians perceive as politeness in their daily interactions by gathering data from interviews granted by residents of Accra, Kumasi and Ho. The residents selected as respondents are people whose ages are above fifty years and who have lived in any of the communities for at least twenty years. The study shows that among Ghanaians, politeness is the use of any communicative behaviour that expresses respect or deference. Some of such communicative behaviours identified are greetings, the use of titles and honorifics, the use of “please” and “thank you”, the use of “a soft voice” and being silent as and when necessary. Although the communicative behaviours that manifest politeness usually involve speech, politeness can be also be achieved by employing paralinguistic and extralinguistic features like soft voice and silence. This confirms Culpeper’s (2005) assertion that the communicative resources for politeness or impoliteness extend well beyond grammar and lexicon.
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Harris, Leila M. "Assessing states: Water service delivery and evolving state–society relations in Accra, Ghana and Cape Town, South Africa." Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space 38, no. 2 (July 8, 2019): 290–311. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2399654419859365.
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This paper analyzes water services in relation to trust in government, with insights for broader state–society relations. The work is based on a multi-year and multi-sited case study of underserved areas of Cape Town, South Africa and Accra, Ghana. The analysis reveals that water quality and satisfaction are statistically linked to trust in government in South Africa, but not in Ghana. As well, while indicators of water access and quality appear to be very good in South Africa, there is nonetheless deep contestation and ongoing dis-enfranchisement. For Ghana, water access and quality are important for people’s daily lives, but are less strongly connected to senses of governmental responsibility—although for both countries there is a strong sense that government should be “doing more.” Features of history and context are emphasized in the Discussion and Conclusion sections to understand key differences between the sites and other results.
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Eshun, Fatima, Richard Kwasi Wotorchie, Alfred Aninkorah Buahing, Ann Afua Harrison-Afful, Wonder Kofi Atiatorme, Gloria Amedzake, Yaw Adofo-Yeboah, and Vicentia Mante. "A Survey of the Role of Environmental Education in Biodiversity Conservation in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana." Conservation 2, no. 2 (May 18, 2022): 297–304. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/conservation2020021.
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Biodiversity in all its forms has come under threat. The rate of biodiversity loss has attracted global attention, and most governments are trying to put measures into place to reduce the rate of loss. One way to ensure that people are conscious of biodiversity conservation is through education. However, studies on creating awareness for biodiversity conservation have received less attention in the literature. To address this knowledge gap, this study used questionnaires to investigate the role of education in biodiversity conservation in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. The study found that environmental education, particularly an awareness of biodiversity conservation, is critical for conserving biodiversity. However, people’s knowledge of biodiversity conservation is too weak or inadequate to motivate them to incorporate biodiversity conservation practices into their daily activities. Furthermore, understanding the importance of biodiversity conservation comes with an increase in age. Increasing education on biodiversity conservation at an early age can help people become more aware of biodiversity conservation as they age, and they can incorporate it into their daily activities to reduce biodiversity loss. The study calls for a revision of the environmental education syllabus at various levels, particularly the basic and SHS levels, including more practical topics to help people change their attitudes and perceptions and incorporate biodiversity into their daily activities.
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Paller, Jeffrey W. "Building permanence: fire outbreaks and emergent tenure security in urban Ghana." Africa 89, no. 03 (July 16, 2019): 437–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0001972019000469.
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AbstractFire outbreaks are common sources of anxiety and insecurity in informal settlements, but they can also provide new opportunities for claim making and governance of urban space. This article examines how a series of four fires in Accra, Ghana – three of which took place in its largest squatter settlement – offered new opportunities to experiment with governance, or a new way for residents and leaders to imagine and construct the future. Empirically, I document how, in the process of reconstruction, residents redrew property lines and reshaped social relations. They did this through the emergent political action I call building permanence, or a physical claim to the urban space one inhabits, as well as a new existential state of being and living in environs that will last and remain unharmed. The article offers a possible way towards achieving more secure tenure beyond formalization and infrastructure upgrades, and focuses attention on how institutions change in the context of daily life after a moment of crisis.
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Tatah, Lambed, Matthew Pearce, Rahul Goel, Soren Brage, James Woodcock, and Fidelia A. A. Dake. "Physical Activity Behaviour and Comparison of GPAQ and Travel Diary Transport-Related Physical Activity in Accra, Ghana." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 12 (June 15, 2022): 7346. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127346.
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There is a lack of data on physical activity (PA), active travel, and the comparison of measurement instruments in low-resource settings. The objective of this paper is to describe PA behaviour and the agreement of walking estimates from the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and the travel diary in a low-resource setting. We used a cross-sectional survey design to capture data from the residents of Accra (Ghana) between May 2020 and March 2021. Of the 863 participants aged 15+ years, 65% were females, and 86% reported PA. The median weekly PA was 18 (interquartile range: 5–75) metabolic equivalent of task hours, with 50% of females and 37% of males achieving low PA levels. In the GPAQ, 80% of participants reported weekly walking; the mean number of days walked was 3.8 (standard deviation (SD): 2.5); hence, 54% of participants reported walking on any day, and the mean daily walking duration was 51 (SD: 82) minutes. In the diary, 56% of participants reported walking for over 24 h, with a mean walking duration of 31 (SD: 65) minutes. The correlation of walking duration between instruments was weak (rho: 0.31; 95% Confidence Interval: 0.25–0.37); the mean bias was 20 min, with GPAQ estimates being 0.1 to 9 times higher than diary estimates. We concluded that low PA is prevalent in Accra, and while the travel diary and GPAQ estimate similar walking prevalence, their walking duration agreement is poor. We recommend accompanying PA questionnaires with objective measures for calibration.
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Hurd, J., M. Hennink, K. Robb, C. Null, D. Peprah, N. Wellington, H. Yakubu, and C. L. Moe. "Behavioral influences on risk of exposure to fecal contamination in low-resource neighborhoods in Accra, Ghana." Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development 7, no. 2 (February 14, 2017): 300–311. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/washdev.2017.128.
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Rapid urbanization in low-resource countries has led to a growing sanitation crisis, with widespread fecal contamination and risk of adverse health outcomes. Understanding how to change sanitation behaviors and reduce exposure to fecal contamination is central to Sustainable Development Goal 6. This study examines behavioral influences on fecal contamination in six low-resource neighborhoods of Accra, Ghana. Qualitative data comprised 12 key informant interviews with community leaders and 16 focus group discussions with residents. Results identify behaviors that increase the presence of feces in urban neighborhoods and risk of exposure to fecal contamination. Significant barriers to access and use of public and private latrines led to a range of defecation and excreta management practices. These methods of fecal disposal, together with poor sanitation services (i.e. refuse collection, public drainage, public latrines), environmental conditions (i.e. wind, rain), and employment activities (i.e. fishing, hawking), exacerbate the spread of feces and risk of exposure to fecal contamination. The transfer of fecal contamination between public and private domains creates repeated risk of exposure to fecal contamination for residents during daily activities. This pervasiveness of fecal contamination in the environment, suggests the need for multi-sectoral approaches to reduce fecal contamination that go beyond provision of public or private latrines.
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Colecraft, Esi K., Grace S. Marquis, Alfred A. Bartolucci, LeaVonne Pulley, W. Bruce Owusu, and H. Michael Maetz. "A longitudinal assessment of the diet and growth of malnourished children participating in nutrition rehabilitation centres in Accra, Ghana." Public Health Nutrition 7, no. 4 (June 2004): 487–94. http://dx.doi.org/10.1079/phn2003553.
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AbstractObjective:To examine the adoption of feeding recommendations among caregivers of children recuperating from malnutrition and assess the determinants of growth of children attending a nutrition rehabilitation centre (NRC) in Accra, Ghana.Design:Longitudinal study in which attendance and maternal programme participation were recorded daily and children's anthropometry and dietary intake were measured at four time points (admission, interim, exit, post-exit) at the NRC and participants' homes.Setting:NRCs at four polyclinics and participants' homes in Accra, Ghana.Subjects:One hundred and eight caregivers and their 116 children referred to an NRC between November 1999 and July 2000.Results:Most caregivers attended the NRC sporadically (effective length of stay was 1.4 ± 0.1 months). Use of NRC-promoted foods in the home after discharge was low due to inaccessibility of the food items, lack of preparation knowledge or money, child preferences and the common practice of purchasing ready-to-eat foods. Although there were significant increases in children's weight-for-age (P = 0.048) and weight-for-height (P = 0.002) Z-scores between enrolment and discharge, most children discontinued programme participation before adequate recuperation.Conclusions:The NRC education did not address the use of street foods for child feeding and was unsuccessful in changing in-home feeding behaviour. The prominence of street foods in children's diets warrants re-evaluation of the NRC's educational approaches to enhance their responsiveness to caregivers' needs and effectiveness for the continued recuperation of malnourished children at home. NRC feeding strategies need improvement to ensure adequate provision of energy and nutrients to support catch-up growth in children.
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Abane, A. M. "The metro mass transportation scheme in Ghana: Issues, challenges and the way forward." Oguaa Journal of Social Sciences 4, no. 4 (November 1, 2009): 35–58. http://dx.doi.org/10.47963/joss.v4i4.579.
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For many authorities in Ghana's metropolitan areas, public transport provision is increasingly becoming problematic as daily trips of city dwellers tend to cover numerous suburbs or even satellite settlements, thereby increasing travel costs in terms of time, money and comfort. Rather than reducing travel times, enhancing economic activities and productivity of commuters as well as ensuring the safety and comfort of city dwellers, the public transport systems in developing cities such as Accra, Kumasi and Tamale in Ghana have become uncomfortable, risky and generally inconvenient. This paper focuses on the activities of the Metro Mass Transit Limited in Ghana since its inception in 2003. The paper first reviews the various processes that led to the introduction of yet another version of the defunct Omnibus Services Authority (OSA) Transport Company. This is followed by an outline of major challenges likely to confront the Company's operations. Employing selected features of a management model by Cummings and Worley (1997), the paper then proposes possible strategies to address the challenges. For purposes of clarity some references are made to the defunct OSA Transport Company as well as other private operators such as the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Kingdom Transport and the State Transport Company (STC). The paper ends with suggestions for the training and education of operators of the MMTL designed to enhance their capacities to effectively manage the buses.
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Obese, FY, DA Acheampong, and KA Darfour-Oduro. "Growth and reproductive traits of friesian X sanga crossbred cattle in the Accra plains of Ghana." African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 13, no. 57 (April 25, 2013): 7357–71. http://dx.doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.57.11440.
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The typical cattle production system in Ghana is predominantly pasture-based. Cattle are grazed all year round on natural pastures with minimal feed supplementation. The animals kept in this production system often experience inadequate nutrition and fluctuating nutrient supply affecting their productivity. There is presently limited information on the growth and reproductive performance of the Friesian x Sanga crossbred cattle (Plate 1) and factors influencing these performance traits. The growth and reproductive performance records of 150 Friesian x Sanga crossbred cattle, kept at the Animal Research Institute station in the Accra Plains of Ghana from April 1993 to October 2009 were evaluated to determine the effect of parity of cow, season of calving and sex of calf on birth weight, weaning weight, growth rate, age at first calving and calving interval. The birth weight and weaning weights of the calves averaged 21.8 ± 0.5 kg and 94.2 ± 3.8 kg, respectively, and were not (P > 0.05) affected by sex of calf, parity of cow or season of calving. Parity of cow affected (P < 0.05) weight of calf at 12 months. Calf weight at 12 and 18 months averaged 128.0 ± 3.4 kg and 159.9 ± 4.5 kg, respectively. Pre-weaning and post-weaning average daily gains were 0.33 ± 0.02 kg/day and 0.23 ± 0.03 kg/day, respectively, and were not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by sex of calf, parity of cow or season of calving. The mean age at first calving was 41.2 ± 1.2 months. Calving interval was prolonged averaging 441.6 ± 10.3 days and was significantly (P < 0.05) affected by parity of cow. Calving interval decreased with increasing parity of cow. The age at first calving and calving interval were not (P > 0.05) affected by either sex of calf or season of calving. The growth and reproductive performance of the Friesian x Sanga crossbred cattle was less than optimum. Improving their nutrition could impact, positively, on their productivity through fast growth, increased milk yield and early resumption of ovarian cycles after calving. Thus, results from this study should guide the development of appropriate strategies for increased meat and milk production in Friesian x Sanga crossbred cattle.
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Asiedu, Nana, Irene Kretchy, and Emmanuel Asampong. "Psycho-behavioral factors associated with neurocognitive performance among people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in Accra, Ghana." African Health Sciences 20, no. 2 (July 22, 2020): 587–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v20i2.6.
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Background: It is estimated that almost half of all people living with HIV have some form of neurocognitive impairment, but few studies have looked at the risk of neurocognitive impairment and its associated factors in Ghana, due in part to limited resources for such testing.
Objective: To examine neurocognitive performance in a group of Ghanaians living with HIV and possible factors that contribute to their performance.
Methods: One hundred and four patients were assessed using a selection of brief non-invasive neuropsychological assess- ments as well as the International HIV Dementia Scale. Psycho-behavioural factors (alcohol use, depression, and medication adherence) as well as demographic characteristics and functional daily activities were assessed to determine their association with neurocognitive performance, using linear regression and receiver operating characteristic analyses.
Results: About 48% of the participants met the criteria for risk of neurocognitive impairment. Age, education, and symp- toms of depression were found to be significantly associated with the risk of impairment.
Conclusion: Some people living with HIV showed risk of neurocognitive impairment, which was significantly associated with education, age and depressive symptoms. It is therefore important to consider routine neurocognitive screening in HIV management to recognize any risks for early interventions.
Keywords: ART adherence; depression; neurologic disease.
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Carlson, Krystin, Niladri Basu, Julius N. Fobil, and Richard L. Neitzel. "Metal Exposures, Noise Exposures, and Audiometry from E-Waste Workers in Agbogbloshie, Ghana." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 18 (September 13, 2021): 9639. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189639.
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Metals, such as lead, may be ototoxic, but this property is not well understood, especially in conjunction with noise. This cross-sectional study investigated hearing, noise, and metal biomarkers in informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling workers in Accra, Ghana. Workers (N = 58) participated in audiometric testing, a survey, blood collection, and personal noise dosimetry. Sixty percent of participants displayed audiometric notches indicative of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Most workers (86%) reported high noise while working. Daily average noise levels were in the range 74.4–90.0 dBA. Linear regression models indicated participants who lived at Agbogbloshie Market for longer periods were significantly associated with worse hearing thresholds at 4 and 6 kHz. The models did not identify blood levels of lead, mercury, or cadmium as significant predictors of worse hearing thresholds or larger noise notches, but increased levels of selenium were significantly associated with better hearing at 6 kHz. Models of thresholds at 4 and 6 kHz were improved by including an interaction term between the maximum noise exposure and the level of zinc in whole blood, suggesting that zinc may protect hearing at lower noise levels, but not at higher levels. Further study of the relationships between elements, noise, and NIHL is needed.
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Agbo, Irene A., and Daniel Abaye. "Levels of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Plastic Resin Pellets from Six Beaches on the Accra-Tema Coastline, Ghana." Journal of Health and Pollution 6, no. 11 (September 1, 2016): 9–17. http://dx.doi.org/10.5696/2156-9614-6-11.9.
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Background. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are organic compounds, known to be carcinogenic and banned by the Stockholm Convention. PCBs are hydrophobic substances able to accumulate in organic materials, including plastic pellets. Plastic resin pellets are industrial raw materials that are remolded finished products for industrial and domestic use, commonly used for packaging. Plastic resin pellets were chosen as the medium for monitoring hydrophobic contaminants because they are able to adsorb PCB contaminants. Pellets can be unintentionally washed into the ocean where hydrophobic contaminants such as PCBs are also deposited. Objectives. We aimed to identify PCB congeners and quantify PCB pollution levels in the marine environment using resin plastic pellets collected from six beaches along the Accra-Tema coastline in Ghana. Methods. Plastic resin pellets (5 g) were extracted with 200 mL of n-hexane for 16 hours by Soxhlet extraction. Concentrations of PCBs from the extracts were determined using gas chromatography with an electron capture detector. Results. The individual PCB congeners detected were PCB 28, 52, 101, 105, 138, 153, 156 and 180. PCB 28 was detected at all six beaches, with a total concentration of 43.5 ng/g pellet (mean/beach 7.25 +/− 2.47 ng/g pellet; CV = 34%), while PCB 138 was only detected on one beach (Castle Beach) at a total concentration of 0.8 ng/g pellet. The concentration of PCBs ranged from 7.4 ng/g (Sunset Beach) to 47.5 ng/g (Castle Beach) (mean 16.4±15.4 ng/g per beach; CV=94%). Discussion. PCB concentrations at Castle Beach have been studied previously, showing an increase from 39 ng/g to 47.5 ng/g, whereas levels decreased significantly from 28 ng/g to 14.2 ng/g in Sakumono Beach over the span of three years. Conclusions. The concentrations of four detected PCB congeners (28, 52, 101 and 156) were significantly higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) allowable daily intake of 6 ng/g food per day for PCBs. A more efficient industrial and domestic waste disposal system is advocated for Ghana.
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Yeboah, Agnes, Joana Ainuson-Quampah, Portia Nkumsah-Riverson, and Kwaku Asah-Opoku. "Maternal Dietary Iron and Folate Intake in the Third Trimester and Birth Outcomes: A Prospective Cohort Study at a Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana." American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 106, no. 4 (April 6, 2022): 1072–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.21-0627.
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ABSTRACT. Dietary iron and folate are nutrients of great importance during pregnancy because of the role they play to ensure optimal birth outcomes. Dietary intake has been found to decline during the third trimester. This study sought to assess the dietary iron and folate intake in the third trimester and pregnancy outcomes of women in their third trimester attending antenatal clinics at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Eighty-one participants at a gestational age of 32 weeks were recruited and monitored until delivery—from May 4, 2020 to July 1 2020—using a consecutive sampling method at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Dietary intake information was obtained based on a 52-item quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Daily supplement doses of participants were recorded. Serum concentrations of iron (ferritin) and folate were determined using ELISA microwells. The mean dietary intake of iron and folate was 13.5 ± 8.30 mg and 331.0 ± 114.0 μg, respectively. The mean intake of iron and folic acid supplements was 42.7 ± 48.8 mg and 5.5 ± 11.1 mg, respectively. Most of the participants had serum ferritin and folate levels in the normal range (82.7% and 87.7%, respectively). Almost all the participants had positive birth outcomes, and total dietary iron was a significant predictor of birth outcome (P = 0.041). The majority of pregnant women did not meet the daily recommendation for iron and folate, but adherence to daily supplement intake was good and could have accounted for the positive birth outcomes.
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Silverman, Andrea I., Mark O. Akrong, Pay Drechsel, and Kara L. Nelson. "On-farm treatment of wastewater used for vegetable irrigation: bacteria and virus removal in small ponds in Accra, Ghana." Journal of Water Reuse and Desalination 4, no. 4 (May 7, 2014): 276–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wrd.2014.010.
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Many urban farmers in Accra collect irrigation water from streams and open drains, which they store in small, on-farm ponds before use. Given that this water can be highly contaminated with wastewater, another potential role of the ponds is to disinfect irrigation water prior to use. To better understand the factors influencing bacteria and virus removal in these small ponds, we investigated the removal of culturable fecal indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli and enterococci) and coliphage (F+ and somatic coliphage) in a single batch of water stored for 3 days. Sunlight exposure was found to be important for removal. Bacteria and coliphage removal rates were faster in shallow sun-exposed water than in deeper water, due to sunlight attenuation with depth. Bacteria removal rates varied depending on solar irradiation, and correlations between total daily UVB fluence and bacteria removal rates were observed. Coliphage removal was observed in sun-exposed water but not in dark controls that allowed for sedimentation, further highlighting the importance of sunlight-mediated processes. These small ponds appear to have similar disinfection processes to larger-scale waste stabilization ponds, but can have more efficient inactivation due to their shallow depth and operation as batch reactors. Design and management recommendations for on-farm ponds are discussed.
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Opoku, S. "Assessing the Quality of Life of Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Treatment at the National Radiotherapy Center, Accra, Ghana." Journal of Global Oncology 4, Supplement 2 (October 1, 2018): 116s. http://dx.doi.org/10.1200/jgo.18.57200.
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Background: Quality of life is an important clinical outcome in assessing health care. It is a concept that includes many subjective elements: physical, emotional and social function, attitudes to illness, patient's daily lives-including family interactions. Quality of life is increasingly used as an outcome measure in oncology research studies appearing in a variety of forms in several literatures. Aim: The study was aimed at assessing the quality of life of breast cancer patient undergoing treatment at the Radiotherapy Center, Accra, Ghana. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study involved 30 patients over a 3-month period. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-B) Specific Scale for Breast Cancer Survey Instrument was used to collect the data which was analyzed with SPSS. Results: The peak age range of the patients was between (56-65) years. Out of these, 60% (n=18/30) received triple treatment modalities, namely, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Surgery and chemotherapy alone accounted for 16.7% (n=5/30). Further 10% (3/30) had surgery with adjuvant radiotherapy. Three patients 10% had only surgery and one patient (3.3%) received both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The scores for the quality of life domains were general emotional well-being (18.8+8.4), general physical well-being (16.5+6.1), general social well-being (14.3+7.0) and general functional well-being (10.9+5.7). The quality of life of three patients (10%) was found to be poor, while 70% (n=21/30) had stable quality of life and 20% (n=6/30) with good quality of life. Conclusion: Considering the quality of life domains or subscale scores and the overall quality of life scores, it is concluded that no significant difference exists ( P > 0.05) in the quality of life status of the patients irrespective the treatment modality received.
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Opoku, Sussana, Cecilia Eliason, and Albert Akpalu. "Why Me?: A Qualitative Study on the Experiences of Young Stroke Survivors in the Accra Metropolis of Ghana, West Africa." Journal of Patient Experience 7, no. 6 (October 27, 2020): 1788–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2374373520967505.
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Young stroke survivors are affected gravely when diagnosed with stroke between the ages of 18 to 45 years. The psychological and social effects of young stroke require stringent coping factors geared toward recovery and regeneration of self. A qualitative exploratory design was used to explore coping experiences and purposive sampling technique was employed to recruit 10 participants. Data were collected using tape recorded interviews which lasted between 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes and guided by a semistructured interview guide which was informed by the research objectives and literature review. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze the transcribed data and 6 themes namely: psychological disruption, disruption to social identity, spiritual practices and beliefs, self-determination, support, and herbal medicine were derived. These themes gave insight into how these young stroke victims experienced and coped with physical signs and symptoms which negatively impacted their activities of daily living and resulted in social isolation, fear, anxiety, depression, guilt, and suicidal ideations. Provision of continuity of care for young adults living with stroke is highly recommended.
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Ahmed, Issahaku, Dennis Ofori-Amanfo, Esi Awuah, and Florence Cobbold. "A Comprehensive Study on the Physicochemical Characteristics of Faecal Sludge in Greater Accra Region and Analysis of Its Potential Use as Feedstock for Green Energy." Journal of Renewable Energy 2019 (July 1, 2019): 1–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/8696058.
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Design of treatment plants for faecal sludge management systems relies on a comprehensive accurate knowledge of FS (faecal sludge) characteristics, but this information is lacking. Developing countries like Ghana, where large proportion of the urban population (Accra) rely on onsite sanitation systems, face a lot of FSM (faecal sludge management) design challenges as a result of lack of a comprehensive study data on physicochemical characteristics of raw faecal sludge after primary dewatering. Achieving a fully operational FSM chain would imply a well understanding of the characteristics of the FS and its dynamics after primary dewatering. A study was carried out to determine the characteristics of faecal sludge brought to the Lavender Hill treatment plant, Accra Metropolis, and environs to ensure the treatability and uses of the products after treatment. The treatment plant receives an average of 150 trucks (1350m3) a day with 58% coming from private homes and 42% from public toilets. Composite samples were made from both public and private toilets facilities. Samples were taken from a reservoir holding faecal sludge from both public and private facilities, examined on daily basis and characterized. The values obtained showed high concentrations of BOD and COD values. The COD: BOD ratios showed that the faecal sludge is not stabilized yet and can be further degraded. The calorific value for the dry sludge was found to be 15.16-15.82 MJ/kg and 16.39–18.31 MJ/kg for the wet sludge. The calorific value of the sludge is adequate enough to be used as potential feedstock for green energy generation. The high concentrations of COD and organic matter of the faecal sludge make it suitable enough for biogas generation. A good correlation (r=0.909,R2=82.6%) between the calorific value and the TVS was found to be CV=0.122TVS+7.44. Heavy metal concentrations were low and satisfied the EPA Ghana guidelines for sludge. Thus products from the treatment can be used for agricultural purposes.
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Agyei, Wallace, Kwaku Darkwah, William Obeng-Denteh, and Emmanuel Andam. "Modeling Newspaper Distribution as Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Window: Case Study of Daily Graphic Newspaper, Ashanti Region, Ghana." Archives of Current Research International 2, no. 1 (January 10, 2015): 12–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.9734/acri/2015/13943.
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Asomaning, Sarpong Smart, Akom Mary Safowah, Kusi-Owusu Emelia, Ofosua-Adjei Irene, Abrokwah A. Moreen, Gyimah D. Michael, Botwe Benjamin, and Biritwum Bertrin Amponsah. "Employability Requirements in the Labour Market: Analysis of Advertised Job Vacancies in Ghana." International Business Research 14, no. 5 (April 13, 2021): 27. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ibr.v14n5p27.
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Background: Employability is often broadly defined as an individual’s ability to gain employment, to maintain employment or to replace an employment relationship by another. This study seeks to provide information on employability demands in the Ghanaian labour market.
Method: The study is based on an in-depth analysis of job advertisements in the most widely read national daily, the Daily Graphic Newspaper. Analysis of the study was done using IBM-SPSS version 25.
Results: More than half of all advertised jobs (54.3%) were for Professionals and Management Officials. About 22.8% of all advertised jobs were open to persons with no academic qualifications. Of the remaining 77.2% that required educational qualifications, almost half (47.3%) were open to university first degree holders. Job seekers who lack job-specific skills, computer literacy and communicative skills are not likely to succeed in the Ghanaian labour market. Also from the results, one may secure a job from age 25 and is most likely to secure a suitable job by age 35 with a minimum of 3 years of working experience. However, the likelihood of securing a job reduces as one approaches age 45.
Conclusion: The study concludes that training and preparation for the job market should begin early enough for all prospective job seekers. Also, persons undertaking higher learning should take advantage of any small period of time in internship programs, voluntary works and industrial attachments to acquire the necessary work experiences needed to be competitive in the search for jobs in the Ghanaian labour market.
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Quarcoo, Millicent Akosua Bosompemaa, Hamidu Alhassan, and Aikins Addae. "Verb-Noun Collocations In Newspaper Editorials In Ghana: A Corpus-Based Analysis." Contemporary Journal of African Studies 9, no. 2 (November 30, 2022): 85–119. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/contjas.v9i2.4.
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This paper is a corpus-based study which aims at profiling the most frequent verb-noun collocations and their communicative functions in newspaper editorials in Ghana. In all, a total of 92,927 running words were culled from 220 newspaper editorials from The Ghanaian Times and The Daily Graphic, which were published in the 2016 and 2017 news years, for compilation of a specialised corpus for the study. From the collocation tab of the AntConc corpus software, sixty-seven Verb-Noun Collocations were found to constitute the most frequently occurring collocations in the newspaper editorials under study. The corpus revealed that both predictive and open Verb-Noun Collocations which alternate at the left and right sides on the collocation window span are mostly used by newspaper editorial writers in Ghana. Again, it was observed that phrasal patterns of a noun collocate differed according to its position on either the left or right side of a verb node. The semantic prosodies of the profiled verb-noun collocations revealed five major discourses which constituted the most discussed issues in the newspaper editorials published in 2016 and 2017 news years.These issues were governance, politics and elections, peace and security, law and order, and corruption.
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Amartey, Akua O., Kwame O. Buabeng, Senam Tengey, and Shital M. Maru. "The availability, use and disposal of malaria and HIV rapid diagnostic test kits in health facilities in the greater Accra region of Ghana." International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health 7, no. 12 (November 25, 2020): 4869. http://dx.doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20205155.
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Background: The Malaria and HIV rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are some of the commonest tests that are used in Ghana to support malaria and HIV management/care respectively. When these devices are used, they are categorized as potentially infectious. This paper aims to highlight the availability and management of used malaria and HIV RDTs in various healthcare facilities and by health service providers in the greater Accra region of Ghana.Methods: Data was obtained from 400 health facilities including hospitals, clinics, health centres, and pharmacies and over the counter medicine seller’s shops using purposive sampling technique with the aid of structured questionnaires and observation of practices.Results: Seventy percent of the facilities (n=280) used only malaria RDTs, 29% (n=116) used both malaria and HIV RDTs and 1% (n=4) reported using HIV RDTs only. 81.7% (n=326) which formed the majority used less than 10 RDTs daily. There was poor waste segregation, storage, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste. Facilities that had some sort of on-site treatment of waste used single chambered incinerators.Conclusions: Each of the categories of health facilities had a common practice of poor hazardous waste management. We therefore recommend that there should be enhancement of education and training of practitioners in the health facilities and the general public on the optimal use of the RDTs and disposal or the management of healthcare waste in general. The environmental protection agency and ministry of health should collaborate and enforce all the regulations on healthcare waste management in the various facilities.
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Sojková, Iva. "Framing illegal artisanal and small-scale gold mining in the Ghanaian media during the #StopGalamsey campaign." Journal of Modern African Studies 60, no. 3 (September 2022): 371–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022278x22000222.
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AbstractArtisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) plays a significant socio-economic role in the alleviation of poverty. In Ghana, the increase in and persistence of illegal ASM (galamsey) can be explained by unemployment, cumbersome and costly registration, lack of land, corruption and Chinese engagement. Traditionally, Ghanaian governments have neglected to address ASM activities by means of policy, while publicly emphasizing its negative impacts. In 2017, the media campaign #StopGalamsey became a culmination of this process. This study represents a qualitative content analysis of #StopGalamsey media discourses. It aims to understand how galamsey was framed in the media during the first two years of the campaign. Based on an analysis of 176 articles from the Daily Graphic newspaper, four dominant frames were identified – environmental menace, criminal activity, complex menace and corruption and collusion. Galamsey was portrayed in an overwhelmingly negative way, miners were dehumanised and criminalised, conflicting perspectives marginalised, and non-traditional perception emphasised via Chinese engagement.
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Parish, A., and A. Gelli. "Trade-offs in costs, diet quality and regional diversity: an analysis of the nutritional value of school meals in Ghana." African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 15, no. 71 (October 2, 2015): 10217–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.71.13760.
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There is a paucity of studies in the literature regarding the nutrient content and costs of school meals provided across West Africa. Where studies exist, comparative analysis is constrained by inconsistencies in measurements of portion sizes, meal composition and costs. This study reviews the available literature on the nutritional value of school meals in West Africa and reinterprets the meal contributions to the recommended daily intake for the 9-10 year old age group. The nutritional content of school meals from the Ghana School Feeding Programme is then analyzed through a linear modelling analysis of menus obtained from 34 districts in the country. Meal composition and associated nutritional content were constrained by the Government per child budget allocation of GHS 0.40 (USD $0.26) per meal. Prices were compiled from two of Ghana’s major markets including Tamale in the north and Accra in the south. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze regional and seasonal variations with respect to energy, protein, fat, vitamin A and iron content. Adequacy was set at 30 % of daily requirements for the relevant age group. The combined mean nutritional values of meals, using the mean yearly price of ingredients in each market, were as follows: energy – 654 kcal, protein -13g, fat – 24g, iron – 4mg and vitamin A – 19mcg. The corresponding mean weight of the raw ingredients used to prepare a meal was 208g. The findings suggest that the majority of meals provided adequate amounts of protein and additionally in the North, most meals also had sufficient calories. However, meals were found to contain insufficient amounts of vitamin A and iron. Seasonal variations in the nutritional value of meals were not identified. This analysis shows that the current per child per day budget allocation is likely sufficient to meet some, but not all, of the nutritional adequacy targets for the programme. In the short term, there are opportunities to optimize the nutritional content of school meals in Ghana, including the use of fortification, although in the medium term, fostering healthy eating habits and consuming diets composed of nutrient rich varieties will see more enduring results. Strengthening both the meal planning and the monitoring of the school meal service provision could enhance programme implementation.
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Apprey, Charles, Marian Peprah, Reginald Adjetey Annan, Marina A. Tandoh, and Odeafo Asamoah-Boakye. "Borassus aethiopum-Fortified Bread Reduces Metabolic Risk Factors among Cardiovascular Disease Outpatients at 37 Military Hospital, Accra: A Pilot Study." International Journal of Food Science 2020 (July 20, 2020): 1–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/2379061.
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Background. Dyslipidemia and hypertension are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Objective. The study sought to evaluate the effects of Borassus aethiopum-fortified bread on metabolic risk factors among CVD outpatients. Method. From August 2016 to April 2017, a pilot study using a single-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial was conducted by administering Borassus-fortified bread (150 g) and indistinguishable placebo (150 g white flour bread) daily to 122 CVD outpatients at 37 Military Hospital, Accra, Ghana, for 90 days. Body composition, blood pressure, and biochemical parameters were evaluated before and after the intervention. Results. Following the intervention, the mean waist circumference (before: 98.3±14.6 cm, after: 95.9±15.8 cm, P=0.030), BMI (before: 31.4±6.9 kg/m2, after: 28.0±5.8 kg/m2, P=0.027), and visceral fat (before: 10.4±3.2, after: 9.9±3.0, P=0.013), as well as systolic (from 161.2±25.5 to 137.6±22.9and diastolic (from 99.2±13.6 to 85.1±10.8) blood pressure, were significantly reduced among the experimental group. Likewise, serum total cholesterol (TC), LDL, and HDL were significantly reduced within the experimental group before (TC: 5.9±1.1, LDL: 3.4±1.1, and HDL: 2.2±0.5) and after the intervention (TC: 4.9±1.1, LDL: 2.8±0.9, and HDL: 1.5±0.4) (TC: P=0.001, LDL: P=0.016, and HDL: P < 0.001, in mmol/L). These reductions were not observed in the controls. Conclusion. The Borassus-fortified bread significantly reduced blood pressure and improved lipid profile and other metabolic risk factors among the CVD outpatients studied. Therefore, its potential in the management of CVDs and other metabolic-related diseases should be looked at.
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Antwi, Boniface Yeboah, Joyce Koranteng, Samuel Odei, and Evelyn Anabila. "Determinants of an Effective Solid Wastes Collection at the Workplace: the Experience of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Industrial Research, Accra, Ghana." International Journal of Emerging Scientific Research 1 (December 31, 2020): 20–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.37121/ijesr.vol1.135.
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The inefficient collection of solid wastes is a global phenomenon that has received attention in recent years for the ever-increasing annual waste generation records. However, indicators to the effective application of the amassing routs are missing. Hence, the generally accepted source-sorting model was explored to identify the determinants that will enhance source separation of wastes at the workplace. This paper presents a foremost report on the indicators to an effective operation of solid wastes source segregation. A quantitatively examined data was collected in sixty-six working days during a monitoring and evaluation process of twenty sets of twin-dustbins that were located at the study area. The generated solid wastes were commonly sorted (65%) in comparison with the mixed collection. Most of the wastes were separated on the third month (80%) of education compared to the first (54%) and second months (61%). Wednesday displayed the working day with the utmost sorted wastes (73%) compared to the other days. All dustbins recorded impressive sorting at the different locations in the Institute. A little over one thousand Ghana cedis savings was made in the first year. Tested null hypothesis showed that, duration and timing of continuous education were significant determinants of the efficient source segregation, relative to the dustbin locations. Therefore, the daily education of waste generators on how to separate wastes at source and the economic benefits will enhance source separation irrespective of the location.
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Antwi, Boniface Yeboah, Joyce Koranteng, Samuel Odei, and Evelyn Anabila. "Determinants of an Effective Solid Wastes Collection at the Workplace: the Experience of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Industrial Research, Accra, Ghana." International Journal of Emerging Scientific Research 1 (December 31, 2020): 20–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.37121/ijesr.vol1.135.
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The inefficient collection of solid wastes is a global phenomenon that has received attention in recent years for the ever-increasing annual waste generation records. However, indicators to the effective application of the amassing routs are missing. Hence, the generally accepted source-sorting model was explored to identify the determinants that will enhance source separation of wastes at the workplace. This paper presents a foremost report on the indicators to an effective operation of solid wastes source segregation. A quantitatively examined data was collected in sixty-six working days during a monitoring and evaluation process of twenty sets of twin-dustbins that were located at the study area. The generated solid wastes were commonly sorted (65%) in comparison with the mixed collection. Most of the wastes were separated on the third month (80%) of education compared to the first (54%) and second months (61%). Wednesday displayed the working day with the utmost sorted wastes (73%) compared to the other days. All dustbins recorded impressive sorting at the different locations in the Institute. A little over one thousand Ghana cedis savings was made in the first year. Tested null hypothesis showed that, duration and timing of continuous education were significant determinants of the efficient source segregation, relative to the dustbin locations. Therefore, the daily education of waste generators on how to separate wastes at source and the economic benefits will enhance source separation irrespective of the location.
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Asalu, GA, WK Axame, A. Manu, A. Laar, and R. Aryeetey. "Nutrition and health-related information disclosure on pre-packaged food products from local retail shops in Accra." African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 22, no. 2 (April 4, 2022): 19441–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.107.21780.
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The prevalence of obesity and diet related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are rapidly increasing in Africa. Consumption of pre-packaged foods is one of the main drivers of these NCDs. Pre-packaged foods tend to contain high levels of energy, fat, sugar, and salt, which are known risk factors for NCDs. Food labels can guide consumers to make informed healthy food choices. Therefore, it is important to analyze how health-related information is communicated on food labels. In Ghana, there is paucity of evidence on what health-related information is available to consumers of pre-packaged foods. This study describes health-related information on labelled pre-packaged foods sold in local retail shops in Accra. A cross-sectional survey and quantitative content analysis of food label information were employed in this study. Pre-packaged food labels photograph data were sourced from shops and content analyzed to describe their health-related information. Nutrition and health-related information were classified using the International Network for Food and Obesity/Non-Communicable Diseases Research, Monitoring and Action Support (INFORMAS) system. Three hundred and fifty-one (N=351) pre-packaged foods and non-alcoholic beverages were sampled, out of which 2.3% products were unlabelled. Out of 343 labelled products, 92% disclosed ingredient list information and 68.8% had nutrition declaration. Between the two nutrition labelling formats: Back-of-Pack (BOP) and Front of Pack (FOP), BOP was the dominant (87.3%) format. Various types of FOPs were identified however, Guidelines Daily Allowance (GDA) was the most common format. The study found that 18% of labelled pre-packaged foods carried nutrition claim and about 7% had a health claim. Most of the claims were written and the others were a combination of words, numbers, and pictures/symbols. This study has shown a high disclosure of health-related label information on pre-packaged food but information presentations on labels were not consistent. The insight gained from this study shows that the presentation of health-related label information does not meet the current recommendations of Codex and the benchmarks set out by INFORMAS in promoting a healthy food environment. Key words: Pre-packaged Foods, Food/Nutrition labels, health-related information, retail shops, Accra
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Anderson, Alex, Megan McCrory, Matilda Steiner-Asiedu, Richard Ansong, Clara Lewis, Tonmoy Ghosh, Janine Higgins, and Edward Sazonov. "Household Food-Related Assessment Using an Innovative Passive Dietary Assessment Device in Ghana." Current Developments in Nutrition 4, Supplement_2 (May 29, 2020): 1157. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzaa056_004.
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Abstract Objectives Traditional dietary assessment methods in low-middle income countries (LMICs) have considerable limitations. the objective of this study was to test the feasibility of using the Automatic Ingestion Monitor (AIM), an eyeglasses-mounted wearable chewing sensor and micro-camera, to monitor food acquisition, preparation and consumption of households in a LMIC setting. Methods Data from households in Mampong-Akuapem (n = 5), a semi-rural community, and Kweiman (n = 7), a peri-urban community, in the Eastern and Greater Accra Regions of Ghana, respectively, were evaluated. The AIM was used to monitor household activities for one day. Within each household, the primary caregiver (mother) wore the AIM during waking hours on the chosen day as she went about her daily activities, except any activities where she wanted to preserve privacy. Mothers also responded to a socio-demographic questionnaire and evaluated their perceived burden of wearing the AIM. Images captured by the AIM were processed and annotated in custom-designed software. Time spent in major household related activities around food are described. Results Households had 1.9 ± 0.3 adults and 2.8 ± 1.6 children (mean ± SD). Primary caregivers were 30.5 ± 5.2 years of age, all were married (1 separated), and had a median of 9 years of formal education. Two mothers were breastfeeding at data collection, but only 1 household had an infant <1 year. Total AIM wear time was 8 h, 19 min ± 2 h, 11 min, representing 58% of waking hours. All members of each household consumed the same prepared meals, and all meals were captured by the AIM. Among mothers, time spent cooking varied widely (2 h, 19 min ± 1 h, 42 min), ranging from 0.5 to 6 h. Time spent eating and drinking was 41 ± 15 min. Most of the mothers (n = 10) spent time feeding children (17 ± 23 min, including breastfeeding), with 6 mothers feeding younger children (11 ± 10 min), 5 feeding older children (7 ± 4 min), and 2 breastfeeding (53 ± 25 min). The AIM was generally accepted by the primary caregivers and household members although they would prefer a smaller size version. Conclusions In this pilot study, the AIM successfully captured household food related activities and practices that are associated with dietary intake and nutritional health in LMIC. Funding Sources The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Acquaye, Alex. "The Role of Top Management in Developing Security and Safety Culture in the Organization (A Case of Enterprise Group)." TEXILA INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH 8, no. 2 (April 30, 2021): 67–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.21522/tijar.2014.08.02.art008.
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The study investigated the role top management play in developing security and safety culture in the organization. Specifically, a case study exploration was used to evaluate one primary area of interest: 1. the role top management plays in developing organization’s security and safety culture. The strategy used for this work was exploratory, with both qualitative and quantitative approaches since the data collected would be converted into numerical value for better interpretation. The target population was the staff of Enterprise Group in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, and the sample was composed of 30 management and staff members, using convenience sampling. Primary and secondary sources of data were used in this study. A survey questionnaire was used to acquire information from the target management and staff of Enterprise Group Ltd. The data gathered was analyzed quantitatively by using descriptive statistical tables and percentages where the Chi-Square test was considered. Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 25 software was also used in the analysis. The study concluded that top management plays a role in developing security and safety culture in organizations through Security and Safety Supervision Committee, by building enabling security and safety working environment in organizations, ensuring there are policies and procedures guidelines in place in organizations. When there is Daily Reporting and available systems to address non-compliance issues in the organization to develop security and safety culture among employees. it is recommended that the Government and regulatory bodies of organizations should emphasize the establishment of security and safety policies in organizations.
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Karikari, Kwame. "The "Anti-white press" campaign: the opposition of the African press to the establishment of the Daily Graphic by the British Mirror Newspaper Company in Ghana, 1950." Gazette (Leiden, Netherlands) 49, no. 3 (June 1992): 215–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/001654929204900304.
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Azupogo, F., I. Agbemafle, R. Owusu, R. Wijesinha-Bettoni, P. Addy, and R. Aryeetey. "Diet modelling in the development of a healthy diet for the Ghanaian population." African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 23, no. 116 (January 23, 2023): 22088–116. http://dx.doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.116.22930.
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Diet modelling is one of the important steps in developing food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs). However, this component remains uncommon in the FBDGs of many low-and middle-income countries. A diet modelling package (DietSolve) provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was used to formulate a healthy diet based on estimating the daily proportions of food groups that best meet the dietary goals established for the FBDGs for Ghana. Input data for the modelling included a list of commonly eaten foods across the agreed food groups, nutrient and energy content of the foods, current energy and nutrient consumption, and energy and nutrient constraints linked to the dietary goals, as determined by the FBDG multi-Sectoral Technical Task Team (MTTT). The modelling was based on assumptions and constraints including a total daily dietary energy target of 2000 kcal/day; the percentage contribution (energy targets) of the macronutrients as follows: carbohydrates (55-70%), protein (10-20 %), and fat (20-30%) to the total energy target; and calcium (1100 mg/day), iron (20 mg/day), and zinc (11 mg/day) constraints. The situation analysis and evidence review carried out as a prior step guided the diet modelling constraints. Energy contributions were also set for a serving of each food group. The final recommendations were based on food groups with each food group consisting of a variety of commonly consumed foods. The total weight of the optimized diet was estimated at 1514 g/day, including 144g/day of animal-source foods, 41.5g/day of discretionary choices, 226g/day of fruit, 227g/day of vegetables, 6g/day of healthy fats and oil, 198g/day of legumes, nuts, and seeds, and 672g/day of staples. This food group composition will provide an estimated 2639 kcal/day, a deviation of about 32% above the energy target set, made up of ~59% from carbohydrates, ~15% from protein and ~25% from fat, and meeting/exceeding the micronutrient targets set. The Optimised diet is healthier compared to the present dietary patterns of the population; its lower ASF component is known to impact less on the environment. Key words: Food-based dietary guidelines, linear programming, diet modelling, healthy diet, infood-graphic, Ghana
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Rampalli, Krystal, Christine Blake, Edward Frongillo, Kenneth Erickson, and Amos Laar. "Perspectives of Urban Ghanaian Adolescents on Healthy Eating Habits." Current Developments in Nutrition 5, Supplement_2 (June 2021): 564. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/cdn/nzab043_016.
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Abstract Objectives Adolescents are vulnerable to diet-related health risks as they experience major life changes alongside food environment changes. In Ghana, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are rising, and there is a need to understand what, how and why adolescents eat the way they do. This study explored perspectives of adolescents about healthy and unhealthy eating and relationships to portion sizes. Methods The Measurement, Evaluation, Accountability, and Leadership Support for NCDs (MEALS4NCDs) Project is measuring the nature and extent of unhealthy food marketing to support public sector actions to create healthier food environments for Ghanaian children. In July-August 2020, 48 interviews with students (14–17 years old) in six districts across the Greater Accra Region were conducted in schools. Interviews were done in English, audio recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were coded with NVivo12 using a thematic analysis. Results All students demonstrated basic nutrition knowledge and conceptualized healthy eating as “not eating too much”, “a balanced diet,” “not eating late,” and “not eating cold foods.” Connections between NCDs and consumption of foods high in fat, sugar, and salt were rarely made. All students consumed items contrary to what was described as a healthy diet. Students expressed food safety as indicative of healthy food, emphasizing food prepared in a “hygienic environment by a hygienic person,” “a hot temperature,” and “covered.” Participants did not understand portion sizes beyond “too much of anything is bad” and most stated contexts where they would consume smaller or larger portion sizes, such as around strangers (less) or unsure of next meal (more). Participants admitted that peer pressure and food advertising claims informed their food choices and showed minimal knowledge of marketing tactics. Students voiced their limited agency in food choice decisions, citing financial and cultural constraints. Conclusions Students had some nutrition knowledge but limited agency to apply it in daily food choices. Interventions should include educating students and parents on diet-related NCDs and deceptive marketing tactics that promote unhealthy foods. Funding Sources International Development Research Centre's Food, Environment & Health Programme, IDRC-Canada. Office of the Vice President for Research, University of South Carolina.
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Adzei, Solace Emefa. "Conflict Management in Selected Graphic Design Houses in Accra, Ghana." International Journal of Innovative Research and Development 11, no. 2 (February 28, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.24940/ijird/2022/v11/i2/feb22038.
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Priscilla Adomako Gyasi, Jesse Nii Okai Amu-Darko, Eliasu Issaka, and Edwina Naa Amerley Amarteifio. "AIR POLLUTION AND HEALTH: PARTICULATE MATTER PM2.5 MEASUREMENTS IN CANTONMENTS, GHANA." EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR), October 13, 2022, 131–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.36713/epra11460.
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Particulate matter (PM) air pollution research has improved our understanding of major pollution sources and the quantification of their impact. Although several PM studies have been conducted in Accra, Ghana, in recent decades, few have offered an integrated knowledge of PM sources in the various sub-cities. The purpose of this study was to consolidate data and investigate additional aspects of PM investigations of Cantonments, a residential neighborhood in Ghanas capital. There is evidence of poor air quality in Accra, particularly during the dry season (Harmattan season). From December through February, a severely dry, dusty easterly or north-easterly wind sweeps over the West African coast, causing Harmattan. The PM2.5 concentrations for Cantonments for two years and the average monthly air quality indices were analysed and discussed. The results reveal the need to regularly check the daily air quality indices and curb their impacts since it has a notable health effect on the general public. KEYWORDS: PM2.5; Air pollution; Public health; Accra; Ghana
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Clark, Sierra N., Abosede S. Alli, Ricky Nathvani, Allison Hughes, Majid Ezzati, Michael Brauer, Mireille B. Toledano, et al. "Space-time characterization of community noise and sound sources in Accra, Ghana." Scientific Reports 11, no. 1 (May 27, 2021). http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90454-6.
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AbstractUrban noise pollution is an emerging public health concern in growing cities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), but the sound environment in SSA cities is understudied. We leveraged a large-scale measurement campaign to characterize the spatial and temporal patterns of measured sound levels and sound sources in Accra, Ghana. We measured sound levels and recorded audio clips at 146 representative locations, involving 7-days (136 locations) and 1-year measurements between 2019 and 2020. We calculated metrics of noise levels and intermittency and analyzed audio recordings using a pre-trained neural network to identify sources. Commercial, business, and industrial areas and areas near major roads had the highest median daily sound levels (LAeq24hr: 69 dBA and 72 dBA) and the lowest percentage of intermittent sound; the vice-versa was found for peri urban areas. Road-transport sounds dominated the overall sound environment but mixtures of other sound sources, including animals, human speech, and outdoor music, dominated in various locations and at different times. Environmental noise levels in Accra exceeded both international and national health-based guidelines. Detailed information on the acoustical environmental quality (including sound levels and types) in Accra may guide environmental policy formulation and evaluation to improve the health of urban residents.
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Iddrisu, Seidu. "And Ghana was scared: Media Representations of the Risk of an Ebola Outbreak in Ghana." Online Journal of Public Health Informatics 10, no. 2 (September 21, 2018). http://dx.doi.org/10.5210/ojphi.v10i2.9229.
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Abstract Introduction The 2014 Ebola virus outbreak in parts of West Africa marked the 25th occurrence of the disease since its discovery in 1976. While earlier outbreaks in Central and Eastern Africa had limited geographical extension and little media coverage, news media interest in the 2014 epidemic was remarkably high. In countries like Ghana, where the risk of imported infection was estimated to be among the highest, news coverage for the epidemic proliferated. This study aimed to describe and analyze the central themes which characterized media representations of the risk of Ebola outbreak in Ghana.Method A quantitative content analysis (CA) was employed to study news media reportage of the risk of Ebola outbreak in Ghana. Two daily newspapers, the Daily Graphic and Today were sampled. An online search for Ebola news stories in the selected newspapers was conducted, and all hits with Ebola downloaded and screened. A total of 332 articles were retrieved and 156 articles met the inclusion criteria. Three independent coders carried out the coding using identical story analysis form.Results In the course of the 2014 Ebola epidemic in parts of West Africa, the Daily Graphic and Today newspapers in Ghana published 332 stories about the epidemic. Of this number, the study analyzed 156 news articles which met the inclusion criteria. The analysis found that, media coverage for the risk of Ebola outbreak in Ghana reflected nine salient themes: concerns about the Ghana’s preparedness, support for Ghana’s preparation, public education on Ebola virus, assurances on Ghana’s readiness, suspected cases of Ebola, effects of Ebola, critique of Ebola risk handling, Misinformation and other.Conclusion Analysis of news media coverage for the threat of Ebola outbreak in Ghana revealed nine important themes. These themes, contributed to an understanding of the broad impact of the recent Ebola outbreak on various sectors of the population. Key words: media coverage, Ebola threat in Ghana, epidemic preparedness, West Africa Ebola outbreak
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Kortei, Nii Korley, Theophilus Annan, Adjoa Agyemang Boakye, Edward Ken Essuman, Clement Okraku Tettey, and Vincent Kyei-Baffour. "Aflatoxin M1 exposure in a fermented millet-based milk beverage ‘brukina’ and its cancer risk characterization in Greater Accra, Ghana." Scientific Reports 12, no. 1 (July 22, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15157-y.
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AbstractBrukina is a millet based fermented milk product which is consumed as a beverage in Ghana. It is however prone to aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) contamination, which is a serious health challenge for low and middle-income countries in subtropical regions. This study aimed at evaluating AFM1 levels and cancer risks associated with brukina (n = 150) sampled from different locations of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. AFM1 were measured with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) connected to a Fluorescence Detector (FLD).Cancer risk assessments were also conducted using models prescribed by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Additives (JECFA). Out of the 150 samples analyzed for AFM1, 80/150 (53%) tested positive between the range 0.00 ± 0.001–3.14 ± 0.77 µg/kg. Cancer risk assessments of AFM1 produced outcomes which ranged between 0.64 and 1.88 ng/kg bw/day, 0.31–9.40, 0.0323, and 1.94 × 10–3–0.06 for cases/100,000 person/yr for Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Hazard Index (H.I), Average Potency, and Cancer Risks respectively for all age categories investigated. It was concluded that the consumption of brukina posed adverse health effects on the majority of the age categories in the different locations of Greater Accra Region since the calculated H.Is were greater than one (> 1). Therefore, contamination of brukina with AFM1 should be considered a high priority in public health and Ghana’s cancer risk management actions.
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Omari, R., and G. Anyebuno. "Risk Assessment of Aflatoxins in Maize-Groundnuts Complemen-tary Foods Consumed by Ghanaian Infants." Journal of Food Quality and Hazards Control, September 7, 2020. http://dx.doi.org/10.18502/jfqhc.7.3.4144.
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Background: Complementary foods are given to infants when breast milk alone becomes insufficient in meeting their nutritional needs. The major objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of Aflatoxins (AFs) in Weanimix complementary foods purchased from shops in Accra (Ghana), and to estimate risk of liver cancer development in infants.
Methods: In total, 32 samples of Weanimix were purchased from shops in Accra, an urban centre and analyzed for AFs by Reverse-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC). Previously published data on levels of AFs in Weanimix prepared in rural households were also collected. The data was analyzed to estimate infants’ daily exposure to AFs as well as the risk of liver cancer development.
Results: AFs levels of 18.8% of samples were above the maximum permitted limit of 10 µg/kg. The minimum and maximum levels of total AFs detected in all samples were 2.51 and 98.87 µg/kg, respectively with a mean value of 16.43 µg/kg. Exposure assessment showed that the minimum and maximum daily AFs exposures were 0.044 and 2.805 µg/kg bw/d, respectively for Weanimix from rural households; these rates for Weanimix purchased from urban shops were 0.014 and 0.55 µg/kg bw/d, respectively. The chances of liver cancer development would increase to 0.6 per year if infants were fed on Weanimix prepared in rural households with minimum AF level of 7.9 µg/kg.
Conclusion: The infants fed on Weanimix prepared in rural households would be at a higher risk of AF exposure and liver cancer development than infants fed on Weanimix purchased from urban shops of Ghana.
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Acquaye, Victoria Akuorkor, Alfred Dickson Dai-Kosi, Kingsley Kwadwo Asare Pereko, and Christian Ackom. "Perceived experiences of patients with breast cancer: a qualitative study of the influence of spirituality and health beliefs among preoperative breast cancer patients in Ghana." Discover Psychology 2, no. 1 (May 30, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s44202-022-00041-7.
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Abstract Background Cancer is a major threat to public health globally and in Ghana. Breast cancer is a serious health problem among women which affects the daily functioning of the individual and their psychological health. Aim The study examined the influence of spirituality and health beliefs on anxiety and depression among preoperative breast cancer patients in Ghana. Methodology This is a qualitative study involving 54 preoperative breast cancer patients selected from 3 referral hospitals in Accra namely: 37 Military hospital, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, and the Sweden Ghana Medical Centre all in Ghana. The study collected data via one-on-one in-depth interviews (IDI) and Focus group discussion (FGD). Result Qualitative thematic analysis techniques were employed to analyse data and the results revealed spirituality and health beliefs influenced patients’ perception and health-seeking, while spirituality in particular helped patients cope with the disease. The results also showed that participants’ levels of anxiety increased due mainly to surgery which is the most common mode of breast cancer treatment. Discussion This study generates knowledge about the relations between spirituality, health beliefs and psychological wellbeing among breast cancer patients in Ghana. The study implies that spirituality and health beliefs of the cancer experience have implications for psychological wellbeing.
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Angnunavuri, Prosper Naah, Francis Attiogbe, and Bismark Mensah. "Microbial contamination and quantitative microbial risk assessment of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) film sachet drinking water in Ghana." Journal of Water and Health, October 19, 2022. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wh.2022.163.
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Abstract The present research estimated the impact of storage on the microbial quality of high-density polyethylene drinking water. Samples were taken from two popular companies in Greater Accra using a two-sided exact test in SAS JMP to estimate the sample size. The samples were stored across three temperature profiles at 8 °C, 30 °C (average room temperature), and 40 °C (average outdoor temperature) for 28 days. The samples were examined using standard microbiological methods for heterotrophic plate counts (HPCs), faecal coliforms, and Escherichia coli. The data were described and regressed with Microsoft Excel, Argo 4.3.1, and SAS JMP software. The results demonstrated increasing deterioration of the water samples for all microbial indices at all temperatures with increasing storage duration. The highest HPC, faecal coliforms, and E. coli were 1,312; 622; and 252 cfu/100 mL, respectively, all at 40 °C. The daily risk of infection due to E. coli O157:H7 was 5.22 × 10−5 infections per child per day for children under 5 years, and 1.6 × 10−4 attacks per adult per day, compared to the upper limit of 1.0 × 10−6. These results are higher than recommended exposures, and interventions along the sachet drinking water value chain are needed to protect public health.
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Pinto, Rose Boahemaa, Tom Barendse, Tim van Emmerik, Martine van der Ploeg, Frank Ohene Annor, Kwame Duah, Job Udo, and Remko Uijlenhoet. "Exploring plastic transport dynamics in the Odaw river, Ghana." Frontiers in Environmental Science 11 (February 13, 2023). http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2023.1125541.
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Plastic pollution in rivers threatens ecosystems, increases flood risk due to its accumulations at hydraulic structures and its final emissions into the ocean threaten aquatic life, especially and probably most in coastal urbanized areas. Previous work suggests that plastic pollution in these urban rivers is influenced by hydrometeorological and anthropogenic factors. However, the transport dynamics of the plastics in such rivers are non-linear and complex and remain largely unresolved. Here, we show that tidal dynamics can be the main driver of plastic transport closest to the river mouth. Outside the tidal zone, rainfall and river discharge were identified to be more important drivers. We monitored plastic transport in the Odaw river, Ghana during the dry season. The Odaw drains the densely populated city of Accra and discharges into the Gulf of Guinea. Data were collected between March and May 2021 (dry season), using visual counting at four bridges along the river, of which two were located within the tidal zone. We explored the correlations between river plastic transport, and rainfall, tidal dynamics, and river discharge. Finally, we estimated the total plastic mass transport by using item-to-mass conversion data from previously published literature. We observed a peak in plastic transport at the upstream bridge within the tidal zone after an increase in rainfall (7.3 times larger). We found a gradient of the hydrometeorological factors driving plastic transport. Closer to the river mouth, tidal dynamics were more strongly correlated with plastic transport than upstream. The daily mass transport was estimated to be between 1.4–3.8 × 102 kg/d, which is lower than previous model estimates. These results add to the evidence of inconsistent correlations between plastic transport and hydrometeorological variables. Long-term monitoring data is required to further investigate this. The results also support the hypothesis that tidal dynamics are a crucial factor in controlling the emissions of plastics from rivers into the ocean. The findings provide a baseline for the Odaw river during the dry season and allow for comparison with the wet season. The approach adopted here also serves as a blueprint for similar urban river systems, regionally and globally.
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Nathvani, Ricky, Sierra N. Clark, Emily Muller, Abosede S. Alli, James E. Bennett, James Nimo, Josephine Bedford Moses, et al. "Characterisation of urban environment and activity across space and time using street images and deep learning in Accra." Scientific Reports 12, no. 1 (November 28, 2022). http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24474-1.
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AbstractThe urban environment influences human health, safety and wellbeing. Cities in Africa are growing faster than other regions but have limited data to guide urban planning and policies. Our aim was to use smart sensing and analytics to characterise the spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of features of the urban environment relevant for health, liveability, safety and sustainability. We collected a novel dataset of 2.1 million time-lapsed day and night images at 145 representative locations throughout the Metropolis of Accra, Ghana. We manually labelled a subset of 1,250 images for 20 contextually relevant objects and used transfer learning with data augmentation to retrain a convolutional neural network to detect them in the remaining images. We identified 23.5 million instances of these objects including 9.66 million instances of persons (41% of all objects), followed by cars (4.19 million, 18%), umbrellas (3.00 million, 13%), and informally operated minibuses known as tro tros (2.94 million, 13%). People, large vehicles and market-related objects were most common in the commercial core and densely populated informal neighbourhoods, while refuse and animals were most observed in the peripheries. The daily variability of objects was smallest in densely populated settlements and largest in the commercial centre. Our novel data and methodology shows that smart sensing and analytics can inform planning and policy decisions for making cities more liveable, equitable, sustainable and healthy.