Afram Plains Research Articles

The charcoal footprint of greater Accra on the Afram Plains: Urban energy consumption and forest degradation in Ghana

Rapid urbanisation in sub-Saharan Africa is leading to increased energy consumption and a growing reliance on charcoal as a fuel source, with significant environmental implications. This study examines the impact of charcoal consumption in Greater Accra, Ghana, on the Afram Plains ecosystem. Employing a mixed-methods approach, including geographical analysis, quantitative data collection, and sustainability assessment, we evaluate the charcoal footprint of Greater Accra. Our findings reveal that charcoal remains the dominant cooking fuel in Greater Accra despite increased access to electricity, resulting in an estimated loss of 354,479 trees annually in the Afram Plains. This demand creates an ecological deficit of 18,850 hectares/yr, significantly exceeding the ecosystem's regenerative capacity. We observe complex dynamics between urban energy needs and rural resource sustainability, highlighting socio-economic factors driving persistent charcoal use. The study proposes a conceptual framework integrating urban demand, rural supply, ecological impact, and natural regeneration. Our research contributes to urban sustainability literature, offering insights for policymakers to develop more sustainable energy strategies, including quota systems for harvesting, promoting alternative cooking fuels, community-based forest management, and improved charcoal production technologies. This case study provides valuable lessons for other rapidly urbanizing regions facing similar sustainability challenges in sub-Saharan Africa.

The multifaceted socio-ecological impacts of charcoal production on the Afram Plains, Ghana

This study investigates the environmental impacts of charcoal production in the Afram Plains region of Ghana, a forest-savannah transition ecosystem. Through a combination of remote sensing analysis, field surveys, and incorporation of local ecological knowledge, the research examines the extent of devegetation, depletion of tree species, and ecosystem degradation associated with charcoal production activities.The findings reveal the extensive scale of charcoal production, with over 2200 charcoal scars identified across the plain, and an alarming annual depletion of nearly 400,000 trees associated with a production of nearly 800,000 bags of charcoal. The indiscriminate felling of mature trees and low-efficiency traditional production methods have left vast areas in a degraded state.The study contributes to the literature by providing localized, species-level evidence of the impacts of charcoal production. It highlights the overexploitation of threatened species like Pterocarpus erinaceus (African Rosewood) and the concerning decline of economically valuable species like Nesogogordonia papaverifera and Erythrophleum africanum. Additionally, it identifies the resilience of Anogeissus leiocarpus, suggesting potential for sustainable use in charcoal production.The research underscores the urgency of addressing the challenges associated with charcoal production through multifaceted interventions, such as strengthening regulatory frameworks, promoting sustainable practices, facilitating reforestation efforts, engaging with local communities, and investing in research and data collection.By shedding light on the intricate relationship between anthropogenic activities and ecological dynamics, this study contributes substantively to ongoing discussions surrounding sustainable resource management and environmental conservation in vulnerable ecosystems.

Gender Differences in Academic Resilience and Well-Being among Senior High School Students in Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Senior high school (SHS) students are at risk of stress and other adverse exposures that may negatively affect their well-being and possibly cause attrition. The concepts of academic resilience and well-being share commonality as psychological attributes linked to positive functioning among students. Despite this connection, there seems to be limited research exploring these concepts across genders among SHS students in developing regions. This study examined the gender difference in academic resilience and well-being among SHS students in Ghana. Using a cross-sectional survey design, 190 SHS students in three schools from Kwahu North and South district (i.e., Afram Plains) of Ghana's Eastern Region completed the Academic Resilience Scale (ARS-30) and College Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire (CSSWQ). The sample consists of 102 males and 88 females, with a mean age of 17.83 years. The data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests and hierarchical regression. The study established that students have a moderate level of academic resilience and a higher level of well-being, with no statistically significant variation in students' academic resilience (t = 0.718; p = 0.474) or well-being (t = -1.596; p = 0.112) across gender. Further, the study discovered that resilience significantly predicted academic well-being (B = 0.425; SE = 0.050; t = 8.50; p < 0.001). This study highlights the importance of promoting gender-sensitive intervention strategies that enhance the academic resilience and well-being of SHS students and help boost their educational attainment.

Health shocks and rural farmers credit access shifts in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from the Kwahu Afram Plains South District, Ghana

In the extensive literature, farmers' credit access in SSA has been examined, albeit with limited evidence derived from health-related shocks (e.g. pandemics). While the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) "COVID-19″pandemic has exacerbated rural communities' economic downturn and financial challenges, there is still scant evidence on how this lethargy shaped farmers' credit access. Through 105 semi-structured household interviews and 10 key informant interviews in the Kwahu Afram Plains South District of Ghana, this research explores the variations and determinants of agricultural credit access in rural communities before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, using Analysis of Variance "ANOVA" and logistic regression. The findings revealed that while marital status, organizational membership and the size of household labour accounted for significant variations in agricultural credit access before the pandemic, variations during the pandemic were explained by income status, gender, and household labour. Furthermore, shifts in the determinants of agricultural credit access during the pandemic were reported as household labour size, marital status, and the interaction of motorbike ownership and organizational membership, which played crucial roles in predicting the likelihood of credit access before the pandemic. Conversely, during the pandemic, gender, savings, household labour size and livestock ownership significantly determined agricultural credit access in rural communities. Based on these empirical insights, the paper advocates that savings should be encouraged and social capital should be strengthened as pandemic resilience mechanisms. At the same time, policies and programs to improve agricultural credit access during health-related shocks should target vulnerable groups. This study contributes to the theoretical debate on rural farmers' credit access determinants, emphasizing the COVID-19 pandemic as a health shock.

Will There Be Enough Food and Meat for the People? Assessing the Effects of Farmer–Herder Conflicts on Food Security in Ghana

Violent conflict has harmed the livelihoods of individuals in conflict-prone communities around the world, particularly, those who rely on food crops and livestock production. Based on fieldwork in the Kwahu Afram Plains South District and the Atebubu-Amantin Municipality, the paper assesses the effects of farmer–herder conflicts on food security. The study’s findings show that the conflict has had a wide-ranging impact on food security, with both farmers and herders suffering incalculable consequences. Thus, just as crop farmers’ production is declining, so is nomadic herders’ cattle diminishing. The study proposes that relevant stakeholders work together to control the threat of farmer–herder conflict because the impact of the conflict extends beyond the communities directly affected.

Challenges associated with the availability, accessibility, and use of antivenoms for treating snakebite envenoming in Ghana: A MaxDiff experiment design

Successful snakebite envenoming (SBE) treatment requires safe, effective, and quality-assured antivenom products specifically tailored to combat endemic venomous snake species. This study aims to identify the challenges associated with the availability, accessibility, and use of antivenoms for treating SBE. The data for this study were obtained from a cross-sectional study involving healthcare workers from two districts (namely Afram Plains North and Afram Plains South) in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Through the MaxDiff design methodology, we quantify the challenges associated with the availability, accessibility, and use of antivenoms. Responses from a simple random sample of 203 healthcare workers were included in this study. Participants identified the high cost of antivenoms as the most challenging factor that limits the availability, accessibility, and use of antivenoms for treating SBE. Other important challenges were the lack of access to effective antivenoms in remote areas when needed and the increased use of unorthodox and harmful practices, followed by resort to unorthodox and harmful practices and the lack of effective antivenoms to address envenoming from local species in some instances. However, poor outcomes from using substandard antivenoms, stock-outs, inadequate number of manufacturers, and the resort to substandard, cheap, and harmful antivenoms were traded off. Also, poor utilization of antivenoms, suboptimal utilization of antivenoms (low quality, under-dose), use of ineffective, substandard antivenoms, and flooding of the market with products that have not been evaluated thoroughly were underscored. Our findings provide essential data to guide discussions on barriers to the availability, accessibility, and use of antivenoms for treating SBE to improve the supply of antivenoms, enhance the effectiveness of snakebite treatment, and improve patient care quality in Ghana. Multi-component strategies are needed to address the challenges identified, such as intensified advocacy, ongoing education and community engagement, healthcare worker training, and leveraging institutional and governance structures.

Management of diseases in a ruminant livestock production system: a participatory appraisal of the performance of veterinary services delivery, and utilization in Ghana

IntroductionSustainable livestock production remains crucial for attainment of food security globally and for safeguarding the livelihoods of many households in low- and –middle income countries. However, the high prevalence of infectious livestock diseases, coupled with inadequate provision and adoption of effective control measures, leads to reduced livestock productivity, increased animal mortalities, and emergence of antimicrobial resistant pathogens. This study sought to assess the management strategies employed by farmers for priority diseases affecting their animals and the utilization and performance of veterinary services.MethodsWe conducted the study in three districts, namely, Mion, Pru East, and Kwahu Afram Plains South Districts, which represent the main livestock production belts in Ghana. We used questionnaires in surveys, to collect pertinent data from 350 ruminant livestock farmers and 13 professional veterinary officers (VOs) in the study districts. Additionally, we conducted seven focus group discussions (FGDs) with 65 livestock farmers in the study districts. The survey data was analyzed, and we describe the distribution of the priority livestock diseases, the disease management strategies employed, and the performance of veterinary services in Ghana. We also analyzed the raw FGD transcript texts deductively based on the study objectives. To validate findings across the different datasets, we used triangulation.ResultsAlmost all the farmers (98%) reared small ruminants, with about 25% also rearing cattle. The main priority livestock diseases identified includes pestes-des-petits-ruminants and mange infection in sheep and goats, as well as contagious bovine pleuropneumonia and foot-and-mouth-disease in cattle. We found that majority (82%) of the farmers relied on treatment, while only 20% opted for vaccination services. Additionally, the veterinary system in Ghana did not adequately regulate the antimicrobial medications employed by farmers to manage diseases. Thus, in most of the cases, the medicines applied by farmers were not useful for the target diseases. Although our findings show the farmers perceived VOs to perform highly compared to informal providers on most of the attributes evaluated including medicine availability and quality, treatment effectiveness, advisory services, service affordability, and competence, only 33% utilized VOs services. The majority of the farmers (51%) used the services of informal providers, who were better in proximity and popularity with farmers.ConclusionsThe livestock sector in Ghana faces a substantial challenge due primarily to vaccine-preventable diseases. Even though VOs demonstrated superior performance on key veterinary service performance indicators, their services are underutilized by livestock farmers. Additionally, the absence of regulatory oversight by the veterinary system over antimicrobials utilized in animal production contributes to their misapplication by livestock farmers, posing a considerable risk to both public health and food security. It is thus imperative to introduce new initiatives that enhance the uptake of animal vaccines and better antimicrobial stewardship to ensure sustainable livestock production.

The Political Ecology of Farmer-Herder Conflict in Ghana: A Case Study of the Kwahu Afram Plains South District

Farmer-herder conflict is an age-old phenomenon, which is widely spread in the West African sub-region. Current studies on the Ghanaian farmer-herder conflict have emphasised the land-related conflicts between indigenous farmers and nomadic herders. It has focused especially on environmental scarcity and climate change approaches. However, this study adopts the political ecology framework to highlight land conflicts between migrant farmers and nomadic herders, two migrant groups that are considered "strangers" to the Kwahu Afram Plains District. The study contributes to the broader debates on farmer-herder conflict. It provides contrary evidence with regard to the popular notion in literature and theory about the prevalence of land insecurity among nomadic herders. The study argues that migrant farmers in the study area experience more land insecurity compared to the nomadic herders. This is because of their history of immigration, their relationship with the Kwahu landowners, which is driving the escalating cost of accessing land, and disputes between landowning groups.

Urinogenital schistosomiasis knowledge, attitude, practices, and its clinical correlates among communities along water bodies in the Kwahu Afram Plains North District, Ghana.

Adequate knowledge and proper practices coupled with knowledge of the burden of disease are necessary for the eradication of Schistosoma infection. This study assessed knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) as well as health outcomes related to Schistosoma haematobium infection at Kwahu Afram Plains North District (KAPND). A cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire was carried out among 140 participants from four local communities in KAPND in August 2021. From these participants, 10ml of urine was collected for determination of the presence of S. haematobium and urine routine examination. In addition, 4ml of blood was collected and used for haematological examination. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis using IBM SPSS were used to describe and represent the data collected. The study reports a gap in knowledge about schistosomiasis in the study area with the majority indicating that they have not heard of schistosomiasis (60.7%), do not know the mode of transmission (49.3%), and do not know how the disease could be spread (51.5%). The overall prevalence of urinary schistosomiasis was 52.9%. This was associated with age, occupation, perceived mode of Schistosoma transmission, knowledge of Schistosoma prevention, awareness that schistosomiasis can be treated, frequency of visits to water bodies, and water usage patterns. In multivariate analysis, factors that remained significantly associated with S. haematobium infection were age 21-40 (OR = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.06-0.76), 41-60 (OR = 0.01, 95% CI: 0.01-0.52) and ≥ 60 (OR = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.02-0.87), informal employment (OR = 0.01, 95% CI: 0.01-0.69) and awareness of transmission by drinking water from river body (OR = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.03-0.92). In Schistosoma infection, reduced haemoglobin, haematocrit, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, lymphocytes and eosinophils were observed. White blood cells, neutrophils, and monocytes were significantly elevated in infected states. Urine analysis revealed high pus cells and red blood cells counts among Schistosoma-positive participants. Schistosoma infection is endemic among inhabitants in KAPND, and is associated with a gap in knowledge, awareness, and practice possibly due to inadequate education in the area. Poor clinical outcomes associated with Schistosoma infection have been demonstrated in the area. A well-structured public education, nutritional intervention, and mass drug administration will be necessary to eradicate this menace.

Knowledge and Management of Buruli Ulcer Disease: A Case Study at Sekyere Afram Plains District of Ashanti Region, Ghana

Introduction: The goal of the study was to assess the knowledge and management of Buruli ulcer disease in the Sekyere Afram Plains District of Ashanti Region.&#x0D; Methods: The study used a quantitative study type and cross-sectional study design with a sample size of 251 comprising Buruli Ulcer (BU) patients, health workers and community members as study population. The study used a structured questionnaire for the primary data. The questionnaire was used because the respondents were literates and could read and respond to the items without difficulty. Data collected were edited and coded and statistically analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 software. Inferential and Descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were used to describe the study variables. Chi-square (p-values) was used and the data were analyzed in Tables with significance level set at 0.05.&#x0D; Results: The results revealed that the patient’s knowledge, about BU was 61.9% which was statistically significant (p-value= &lt;0.001). It also revealed association between knowledge on Buruli ulcer and demographic characteristics of respondents (p-value =&lt;0.001). Relatively colossal number of respondents (81.0%) revealed that they were not an active member of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).&#x0D; Conclusion: The study concludes that if health workers are trained on BU and more education is given to the community members on Buruli ulcer disease, their health seeking behaviour would be improved to reduce complications associated with Buruli ulcer disease in the District. The study recommends that Ghana Health Service (GHS) should organize training and refresher courses for health care workers to increase their knowledge on Buruli ulcer.

Assessment of human activities and its effects on forest management: a survey of charcoal producers in the Sekyere Central District of Ghana

A survey to assess the effects and sustainability of charcoal production on the local vegetation cover was conducted in the Sekyere Central District of Ashanti region from December 2017 to April 2018. The study involved the use of structured questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGDs), key informants, secondary data and field observation by reconnaissance survey. The socio-economic survey was to identify who in the district is undertaking charcoal production as an economic venture, how widespread the activity is, and the preferred tree species being harvested to produce charcoal. In the field survey, the vegetation types in the study area were identified in a reconnaissance survey as secondary forests with increasing grassland. The relative abundance of tree species which could be used for charcoal production was also identified and quantified. A 640-meter square plot was delimited and divided into 64 square plots within each of which five-meter quadrats were marked at random and presence or absence was recorded for the individual tree species. The results of the study indicated that charcoal production is widely carried out throughout the district especially in the Afram Plains portion. It is practiced by the Akan and the Sissala ethnic groups who have very little education. Female producers (8%) were less than their male counterparts. Majority (73%) of the producers was 31 and above years whiles those of 30 years and below was 27%. The study revealed that most tree species are becoming rare and are only common in the protected area (Kogyae strict natures reserve) in the district.

Local Perspectives on Spatial Accessibility to Market in the Afram Plains, Ghana

The capacity to reach surrounding areas from a location, commonly known as spatial accessibility, is crucial in the economic development of such a location. The Afram Plains in Ghana, despite been touted as the food basket of the country, has long struggled with poor spatial accessibility due to the lack of reliable transport infrastructure. This problem negatively impacts the movement of people and products, which ultimately hinders the economic development of the area. This research aimed at capturing the perspectives of Afram Plains' residents regarding their spatial access to nearby markets. A mixed-method approach comprising survey questionnaire, interviews, and geographic information system (GIS) was utilized. The results affirmed that movement within the area, particularly to market, is difficult. Again, due to limited transport facilities, many people resort to walking as their primary means of transportation. These findings are expected to provide some vital ideas for future road planning in the area.

Effects of High Teacher Turnover on Student Academic Performance: A Case of Sekyere Afram Plains District of Ashanti Region, Ghana

The study examined the effects of high teacher turnover on academic performance of students in the Sekyere Afram Plains district of Ghana as a case study. To understand the causal factors of turnover among teachers in Sekyere Afram Plains district, we employed the quantitative research design to gather descriptive data on teacher turnover from a purposive sample of 100 teachers, 10 school heads and Ghana Education Service officials in the district. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, and M-S Excel. The findings of the study depicted high teacher turnover due mainly to the “hard-to-reach” nature of Sekyere Afram Plains district, and general dissatisfaction with the environment and working conditions. This results in early requests for reposting and notable drops in Junior High School students’ academic performance in BECE. The study acknowledged the high turnover rate among teachers in Sekyere Afram Plains district and its negative effect on students’ academic performance. It recommended that strategic measures suitable and applicable to the Sekyere Afram Plains district should be implemented to retain teachers.

Determinants and Consequences of Teenage Pregnancy among Public Basic School Learners

The study examined the determinants and consequences of teenage pregnancy among public basic school learners at Sekyere Afram Plains, Ejura Sekyedumasi and Ahafo Ano North districts of Ashanti Region, Ghana. The design used was descriptive survey. The study population comprised of public basic school learners with pregnancy and their parents and teachers in the three districts. There were about 421 registered public basic school learners with pregnancy in the three districts. The sample was 127, made up of 103 learners, 49 teachers and 15 parents. Both respondents and participants were selected purposively. Questionnaires for learners and teachers and an interview guide for parents were the instruments used. Frequency count and percentage were used to analyse the quantitative data while the qualitative data were analysed manually using open and thematic coding systems. The study revealed that learners, teachers and parents have significant idea as to what causes teenage pregnancy and its related negative consequences. Within the districts, poverty, lack of parental care, disvaluing of Ghanaian cultural practices, ignorance about the use of contraceptives and peer influence were the major causes of teenage pregnancy among the learners. This menace could lead to dysfunctions such as health problems, termination of educational career and child neglect. However, the menace can be narrowed by respecting our Ghanaian cultural values which ensures that members of the community abstain from premarital sex. Also, the menace can be reduced through effective education in order to spread the knowledge about sexual and reproductive health. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education through the director of Ghana Education Service should ensure that there is proper sex education based on Ghanaian cultural values and norms in our basic schools. However, these rich cultural values and norms should not infringe on the basic human rights of the girl-child.

Assessment of social acceptance of caged fish culture for improvement and sustainability: A study on Volta Lake, Ghana

Acceptance of cage fish farming within Volta Lake in Ghana, was assessed in the lake’s riparian sub-communities by estimating opinion case of community members generally and specifically on issues including Interference of fish culture with fishing; Cage culture interference with local boat transportation activities; Integration level of cage fish culture into other lake activities; Awareness of lake’s community of the lake as a multipurpose resource; Primary occupation of community members; Co-existence level of fish farm operators and communities and cumulative acceptance of fish culture compared to other lake uses and users currently and in the future when the lake is zoned. Methods used were Formal survey and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) in two conceptualized zones (Afram Plains and Asuogyaman) of the lake and data was analyzed by SPSS. A study was undertaken to enhance integration and acceptance of cage fish culture into activities on the Volta Lake and by extension on potential other water bodies where cage fish culture might be practiced. Results indicated that several mutually beneficial situations existed between cage fish farming operators and lake communities. However, there were also conflict flashpoints between cage fish farming practices and livelihood activities of communities at some places as well as fish culture-related outcomes, such as effluents of the culture on lake water quality for communities. The benefits of cage fish farming to communities observed in the results confirm some previous reports. Suggestions of communities to the resolution of conflict flashpoints of operations with operators of cage fish farming provide avenues for enhanced integration thus acceptance and sustainability of cage culture in riparian communities of the lake and other water bodies that could be found suitable for cage fish culture.

Groundwater recharge estimation and potential recharge mapping in the Afram Plains of Ghana using SWAT and remote sensing techniques

The Afram Plains watershed is one of the major watersheds located at the lower part of the Volta Basin in Ghana with high groundwater usage. Dependency on groundwater is a fast-growing concern in the plains due to the unreliable supply of surface water. This has put the groundwater resources under intense pressure and has necessitated the need for sustainable management of the groundwater resources. This study aimed to estimate the recharge, spatial distribution, and potential recharge zones of groundwater at different scales in the Afram Plains area using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model and Geography Information System (GIS) approach. The SWAT model was set up (1983–2016), calibrated (1983–1990) and validated (1991–1997) using digital elevation model, soil, land use, climate datasets, and discharge data. The GIS approach was used to produce thematic maps for eight contributing factors; rainfall, elevation, land cover land use, lineaments, drainage, geology, soil and slope for mapping the recharge zones. The results showed that about 1.65% (19.3 mm) of the SWAT simulated mean annual rainfall (1176.9 mm) is converted into groundwater recharge in the watershed. The potential recharge zones categorized as very poor, poor, moderate and high zones have area coverages of 0.58% (20.8 km2), 22.4% (798 km2), 60.9% (2169 km2), and 16.2% (576 km2), respectively. The potential recharge zones after validation over boreholes and wells data indicated that the Afram Plains area is dominated by the moderate potential zone.

Assessing the Locomotor and Object Control Skill Levels of Basic Pupils in Ghana: The Role of Physical Education

The study employed a quasi- experimental design of a single group pre-test post-test. The purpose of the study was to assess the locomotor and object control skill development levels of 6-8-year-old basic school pupils in Kwahu Afram Plains South district of Ghana The target population for the study comprised all 6-8 years old primary school pupils in Tease in Kwahu Afram Plains in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Convenient and stratified sampling techniques were used to select 57 pupils made up of thirty-seven (37) boys and twenty (20) girls. The instrument used for this study was Test of Gross Motor development (TGMD-2). Descriptive frequencies were used to analyse the data. The study revealed that pupils demonstrated high level of perfection with reference to their locomotor skills in the various physical activities with most responses on their skill execution mostly ranked between often and always. The study also indicated that pupils were able to perform locomotor skill activities well. The study also concluded that pupils were not really equipped with motor skill and were not able to execute motor skill activities correctly during physical activities with responses on motor skill mostly ranked between rarely and often. It is recommended that lower and upper primary school teachers in Kwahu Afram Plains South district should be equipped with the prerequisite skills to enable them to teach motor skills development effectively. It is also recommended that more qualified physical education personnel should be sent to the basic level in Kwahu Afram Plains South district to teach physical education since motor development and skill acquisition develop the habit of the active lifestyle of individuals.

English

This study examined the barriers to open defecation (OD) free in Kwahu Afram Plains South District, Ghana. A combination of diverse tools was used to collect the data (in-depth interviews, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and observation), different means was adopted in selecting the participants. Much of the time in the early stages of the field work was spent having interactions with various groups within the community. Notable groups include the community care coalition, savings groups, mother to mother support groups and community child protection committee (CPCC), the fishmongers as they waited for fish at the beach, and the fishermen who had either returned from fishing or did not go for fishing and were relaxing under their shed. A questionnaire was administered to 169 households randomly selected from 6 communities in the Tease Area Council and 5 communities in the Samanhyia Area Council. The findings revealed that, 69% indicated their responsiveness to continue OD if subsidy is not introduced. 64% alluded that, every household should own a sanitary toilet facility however in terms of measures to ensure sanity at the toilet facility. 110 respondents representing 65% were not able to articulate a measure to the usage of sanitary toilet facility. 74% were not able to articulate a measure to ensure cleanliness at the toilet facility. The findings of the research conclude that, the inability of households to construct toilet facility highly influenced the state of open defecation in communities and this is translated into the limited toilet facilities in communities. &nbsp; Key words: Finance mechanisms, open defecation free, Ghana, families, households.

Proximate Analysis and Strength Properties of Carbonized Woods from the Most-Used Tropical Timbers from the Afram Plains, Ghana’s Charcoal Production Hub

ABSTRACT Charcoal is a brittle, black carbon residue produced from the carbonization of cellulosic materials for energy. Its properties vary per the timber carbonized. It is often used regardless the intended purpose and the timber carbonized. However, for objective utilization, the proximate and strength properties of carbonized woods from six widely-used timbers in the Afram Plains, Ghana, were investigated. Moisture content for the carbonized woods met the recommended Standards. Hence, would be hardly alterable under normal atmospheric conditions. Their bulk densities ranged from 497.39 ± 3.13 kgm−3 (Azadirachta indica) to 680.50 ± 8.58 kgm−3 (V. paradoxa). E. ivorense charcoal produced the least volatile matter (VM) (18.66 ± 0.73%), ash (1.94 ± 0.04%), much great Calorific value (28208.45 ± 743.72 kJkg−1), the greatest Fixed Carbon Content (73.13 ± 0.69%), Impact Resistance Index (325 ± 23.07), and compressive strength (29.39 ± 1.82 Nmm−2). It would generate much heat and fracture less and could be suitable for use in the Metallurgical Industry. The great VM from all the carbonized woods (18.66 ± 0.73% to 51.91 ± 0.49%) also makes them best suited for outdoor use (e.g., barbecue-making). As they possess varied properties, their intended uses should be guided by their properties for improved performance.

Integration of GIS and F-Hydra Model for Aquifer Vulnerability Monitoring in the Afram Plains, Ghana

Aquifer vulnerability is a critical issue across the entire globe due to the depletion of groundwater and escalation of pollution levels, which poses a detrimental effect on the natural environment. To ascertain this contamination risk, an extensive study has been conducted to assess the aquifer vulnerability by using the F-hydra model. This paper presents the vulnerability technique for the theory and application of flow accumulation, land-use and hydraulic conductivity. The model was applied to a shallow aquifer in eastern Ghana’s Volta River Basin, with the results being compared to the standardised DRASTIC model. The model follows the aquifer vulnerability assessment concept of the source pathway receptor where flow accumulation represents the ponding areas with downward percolation of contaminant to the water table, land-use represents the human activities at the land surface, and hydraulic conductivity represents the driving force leading to the movement of contaminant. The results reveal that the moderate vulnerability region covers 51.55% (2598.12 km2) of the entire area. The high and low vulnerability regions cover a significant percentage of the area 1.13% (56.52 km2) and 47.32% (2384.93 km2), respectively. The final vulnerability index was largely influenced by the removal of the hydraulic conductivity and land-use parameters. The model was validated with nitrate concentration in drilled wells in the study area. The maps produced in this study could be utilised as a guide to vulnerability by policymakers, groundwater manager and planners aimed at preserving the integrity of this vulnerable resource.