Amansie West District Research Articles

Effect of shade management practice on cocoa seedling mortality: micro evidence from the Amansie-West district of Ghana

Effect of shade management practice on cocoa seedling mortality: micro evidence from the Amansie-West district of Ghana

Iodide- and electrochemical assisted removal of mercury by Cirsium arvense from gold tailings in the Amansie West District, Ghana

Mercury (Hg) pollution in Ghana through mining has become a serious environmental challenge. This study investigates the potential of Cirsium arvense to photostabilize Hg using electrokinetic current with or without an iodide solution in gold mine tailings heavily contaminated through mining activities in southern Ghana. An initial Hg concentration of 9.60 mg/kg using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS) was determined. The biological absorption coefficient, bioconcentration factor, and translocation factor of Hg have been presented. Cirsium arvense therefore had a higher bioconcentration factor (BCF) of 2.6–5.15 mg/kg, and a transfer factor (TF) of 0.24–0.36 indicating a higher efficiency for phytostabilization. Both the rate and time of extractions of Hg from the tailings by Cirsium arvense are efficiently improved in the combined electric current and iodide treatment. Plant and electric current combined treatment and plant and iodide combined treatment had only 60 and 50% phytostabilization rates, respectively. The combined plant, iodide, and electric current treatment has proven to be superior with about >90% Hg removal rate. Therefore, the combined plant, iodide, and electric current treatment resulted in a higher Hg removal efficiency by Cirsium arvense in a shorter period due to higher solubilization rate and electromigration effects on Hg species.

Health and environmental risk assessment of mercury in outdoor and indoor dust in artisanal and small-scale gold mining area in Amansie-west district in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Mercury (Hg) pollution around artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) areas has been of much concern. Many studies have reported elevated Hg concentrations in environmental media, but studies on dust relating to inhalation exposure of Hg around ASGM area are limited. In this study, we investigated Hg in indoor and outdoor dust to reveal environmental and human health risk around ASGM in Amansie West district, Ghana. Indoor and outdoor dust samples were collected from Manso Abore and Manso Nkwanta in Ashanti Region. Concentration of Hg in the samples were analyzed using a direct Hg analyzer. The mean and median value of Hg concentration in the indoor dust (n = 31) were 2.2 ± 3.6mg/kg and 0.72mg/kg respectively while that of the outdoor dust (n = 60) were 0.19 ± 0.48mg/kg and 0.042mg/kg, respectively. The mean and median Hg concentration in indoor dust were about 11 and 17 times higher respectively than that in the outdoor dust. The Hg concentration in the indoor dust was statistically significantly higher than that of the non-miner in Manso Abore (p < 0.05) but was not significant in Manso Nkwanta, probably due to higher mining activity. The geo-accumulation index of the outdoor dust ranged from unpolluted to extremely polluted while that of the indoor dust ranged from moderately polluted to extremely polluted. Health risk assessments suggested that there was no potential non-carcinogenic health effect for Hg exposure relating to the dust to residents living in rooms of miners and non-miners.

Water quality, physicochemical, heavy metal content, and health risk assessment of borehole-water from selected mining communities in Ghana

Unregulated mining drives considerable long-term soil and water pollution with increased health risks to humans and other organisms. The main objective of this study is to assess the water quality, physicochemical parameters, heavy metal content, and health risks of borehole water from selected mining communities in Ghana. Quality parameters of 56 borehole water samples collected from 19 mining communities in the Amansie West District, Ghana were carried out. The study is one of the few studies to be carried out in the district because of its breadth of communities, depth of analysis, and scale of health risk assessments performed. Physicochemical parameters including pH, conductivity, turbidity, total dissolved solids, and color were evaluated using standard and appropriate methods. Additionally, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury were evaluated using an atomic absorption spectrometer. Observed mean physicochemical parameters varied from 5.1 to 6.5 pH, 59.3 to 325 μS/cm conductivity, 1.4 to 86.4 NTU turbidity, 32.5–214 mg/L total dissolved solids, and 2.5–250 Hz color. Also, the mean concentration of the heavy metals varied from 1.6 ± 2.24 to 169.14 ± 2.18 μg/L arsenic, 0.6 ± 2.24 to 6.0 ± 0.71 μg/L cadmium, 1.25 ± 2.00 to 15.60 ± 1.11 μg/L lead and 0.025 ± 2.00 to 3.33 ± 0.17 μg/L mercury. There was no statistically significant link between arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury at 0.05 concentrations predicting source diversities. Though some samples met WHO quality standards, others were unsafe with increased health risks due to color, turbidity, acidity, and high arsenic issues. In conclusion, this study observed an increased health risk in some selected sampled communities due to exposure to mining-influenced contaminations from heavy metals and particulate matter. This implies that without urgent mining waste disposal regulations, scarcity of quality water and increased risk to health issues could be imminent.

Anthropogenic Sources and Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Mine Soils: A Case Study of Bontesso in Amansie West District of Ghana

Contamination of the environmental receptors with heavy metals due to mining is a major topical environmental issue in Ghana. This research investigates the possible ecological and human health risks of heavy metal impacts due to mining in the Amansie West District in Ghana. A total of 18 soil samples were taken from the Bontesso illegal mining site in the district and analyzed for the levels of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). From principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and correlation coefficient analysis, the metals are derived from multiple sources, with substantial levels of correlations. Using geo-accumulation index (Igeo), contamination factor (CF), degree of contamination (Cd), pollution load index (PLI), ecological risk index (Er), and noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, respectively, the impacts of As (12.2 mg/kg) and Cd (1.3 mg/kg) are above the WHO stipulated limit. Findings for pollution indices indicate moderate contamination, while HQ &lt; 1 for inhalation and dermal exposure route, except for ingestion which is HQ &gt; 1. Based on the USEPA standard, the carcinogenic risk of the pollutants for humans is higher than the range of 1 × 10−6 to 1 × 10−4. Furthermore, the ingestion route represents the highest contributor to cancer risk with arsenic posing the greatest risk. The results so far suggest that chemical components gradually accumulate and thus emphasize the importance of implementing the necessary mitigation methods to minimize the impacts of illegal mining activities in the study area.

Spatial Analysis of Mycobacterium Ulcerans-Hosting Water Bug Critical Zones in the Amansie West District of Ghana

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognized Buruli ulcer (BU), a skin disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU), as the third most prevalent mycobacterial disease in 1998, following tuberculosis and leprosy. In Ghana, there have been over 2000 reported cases in the past decade, with outbreaks in 90 administrative districts, including Amansie West. The mode of transmission remains unclear, but research suggests water bugs may be involved. This study aimed to assess this transmission method by identifying potential water bug habitats using geospatial techniques. Water bugs are found to inhabit freshwater ponds, marshes, slow-moving pools, streams, and mats of vegetation. This study used the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) to locate water bodies and marshy areas, the Atmospherically Resistant Vegetation Index (ARVI) to identify vegetation zones, and Land Surface Temperature (LST) to determine suitable areas for water bugs based on temperature. A spatial multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) pinpointed critical areas for Mycobacterium ulcerans-hosting water bugs, which were mainly located in illegal mining areas due to stagnant wastewater. Notably, 36 communities, including prominent ones like Manso Nkwanta and Pakyi Number 1 and 2, were situated within these critical zones. This study generated a geospatial distribution map highlighting the potential areas for Mycobacterium ulcerans-hosting water bugs in the Amansie West district, crucial for Buruli ulcer transmission. The study recommended improved environmental sanitation in the affected areas to combat this water bug-related health issue.

Does the use of cocoa farmlands for artisanal small-scale gold mining really increase household food insecurity? Evidence from Ghana

In recent years, the use of cocoa farmlands for artisanal small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in mineral rich countries in sub-Saharan Africa has been on ascendency. Previous studies have examined the environmental, health and livelihood implications of the land use decision. Notably, studies on the indirect effects of the food security implications of the nexus between ASGM and agriculture abounds but limited attention has been given to the direct effect of using farmlands for ASGM on household food security. Using a primary cross-sectional data on 400 cocoa farmers in the Amansie West District of Ghana and an endogenous switching regression model, this study analyzes the impact of using cocoa farmlands for ASGM on household-specific food security indicators. The study finds that farmers who use their farmlands for ASGM; 1) increase their household food insecurity, 2) increase their household dietary diversity, but in the short-run due to income effect, 3) increase their inability to use effective coping mechanisms to fight household food insecurity. Policy efforts geared toward the use of farmlands for ASGM to address food insecurity among smallholder farmers in mineral-rich countries in sub-Saharan Africa should focus on: 1) reducing liquidity constraints of smallholder cocoa farmers, 2) promoting stakeholder-driven productivity enhancing interventions, and 3) creating attractive policy environments for the youth to enter into farming.

Heavy Metal Contamination in Topsoil in Mining-Plagued Communities in the Amansie West District, Ghana

ABSTRACT This study was conducted in five randomly selected small-scale mining communities in the Amansie West District of Ashanti Region, Ghana to assess the impacts of small-scale mining activities on heavy metal presence in three different land use types (mined site, farmland and forest area). Using a random sampling design, a total of 60 soil samples were collected from 0–20 cm depth and analyzed for soil heavy metals: arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and copper (Cu) using Two-way ANOVA. Heavy metal concentrations for As (5.571 mg/kg), Cd (0.002 mg/kg), Cu (1.158 mg/kg), Pb (0.076 mg/kg) in the communities did not exceed the FAO/WHO permissible limits with the exception of Hg concentrations for the respective communities (0.68 mg/kg, 1.07 mg/kg, 1.26 mg/kg, 1.28 mg/kg, 17.03 mg/kg) whose levels were 2.3 to 56.8 times higher than FAO/WHO permissible limits (0.3 mg/kg). The distribution of heavy metals in the soil was not uniform across the different land use types in the mining landscape. Differences in heavy metal concentrations were significant (p < .05) at the community, land use and their interaction (community*land use) levels with the exception of As concentration at the land use level (p > .05). The study concludes that soils of the major land use types in the study area (mined sites, farmlands and forest area) are all contaminated by Hg accumulation. Therefore, effective rehabilitation of mined sites in mining-plagued-communities should include measures for removing mercury from the soil.

Perception of the environmental, socio-economic and health impacts of artisanal gold mining in the Amansie West District, Ghana

Artisanal or small-scale mining (ASM) is one of the most important economic activities in Ghana as in other developing countries. While this activity poses serious risks to the people involved and the environment as a whole, a continuation of its practice in Ghana suggests a lack of adequate appreciation of its impacts on the people in the affected areas. This study investigated the perception of 300 participants who were selected from 10 mining communities on the environmental, socio-economic and health impacts of artisanal mining as well as their coping strategies in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region of Ghana to inform policy decisions toward sustainable mining. The sample size of 300 was determined using the Cochrane sample size formula. Results showed that a majority of the respondents were males (69%). Also, most of the participants (59%) were between the ages of 15 and 30. About 64% had not received secondary education (64%), and 52% were involved in mining activities. Respondents (96%) had considerable knowledge of ASM, 87% found ASM to be destructive to the environment while 72% asserted that it poses human health. Pollution of water bodies, land degradation, and destruction of farmlands was considered the most common environmental effects associated with ASM, whereas increased incidences of malaria, skin diseases as well as physical injuries and fatal accidents were the commonest health-related effects observed in the area. Nonetheless, participants maintained that ASM is a means of acquiring assets, creating employment and getting rich quickly, and thus wanted it to continue. Coping mechanisms include drinking alternative water, use of mosquito nets/coil and covering mined pits. In general, the findings of this study revealed a substantial understanding of the community members of the benefits and adverse effects of ASM in the Amansie West District, which can be harnessed for policy formulation to ensure sustainable mining in the district.

Assessing the Impact of Illegal Small-Scale Mining (Galamsey) on Cocoa Farming and Farmer Livelihood: A Case Study in the Amansie West District of Ghana

Cocoa and gold are significant contributors to the gross dormestic product of Ghana which makes both commodities key parts of the Ghanaian economy. Unfortunately, in Ghana, most cocoa-growing communities are the hub of illegal small-scale mining commonly known as galamsey. It is alleged that cocoa farmerssell their farmlands for galamsey; however, given that cocoa farming is the primary source of income for many households in rural Ghana. This research aimed at investigating the motivations for galamsey and how the practice impacts cocoa farming and the environment as well as farmer livelihood. The study was undertakenin Amansie West District in the Ashanti Region of Ghana where both cocoa farming and illegal mining operations coexist. The data for the study was collected using structured questionnaires. Cocoa farmers were purposively selected as respondents in two cocoa-growing communities. Data were obtained from 90 purposively sampled respondents through snowballing. Data collected were analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Scientist software. The results revealed that cocoa farmers face challenges due to galamsey such as; labour shortages, water pollution, competition for land amongst others. Also, cocoa farms, especially those downslope, get flooded whenever it rains as a result of uncovered galamsey pits near farms and cause black pod disease, early dropping of immature pods and stunted growth which ultimately reduce the output of cocoa farms. Farmers revealed that this affected their source of income adversely since the majority of them mainly depend on cocoa farming for their livelihood. They also reported a loss of green space and land degradation as some environmental hazards posed by galamsey. Information gathered from tenant farmers revealed that it is mostly landowners who give out their lands for galamsey. The major reasons that encourage galamsey were identified as higher short-term income, financial problems (40%) due to unemployment, and poor cocoa yield (26%).

From government to governance in addressing local 'wicked' problems in Ghana: a panacea or a route to nowhere

The main purpose of this study is to explore whether the policy change of moving from government to governance in addressing environmental issues is a solution to the problem or not based on the perspectives of environmental policy actors at Amansie West District in Ghana. The study method was qualitative with 16 interviewees who were purposively selected. The results of the study indicated that the policy actors perceived the policy shift to be a solution because it has several benefits which include guaranteeing collaborative efforts among actors, providing credibility, promoting the sharing of innovative ideas, and ensuring financial sustainability. However, there are challenges such as different actors with different motives, different ways of understanding problems and situations, and differences in resources endowments among the actors. All these contribute to mistrust, poor coordination and poor communication. Nonetheless, it was concluded that it was worth having the policy shift.

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This study explored the different competitive strategies used by the Licensed Buying Companies (LBC), the determinants of their choices and how it affected their performance. It also determined whether these strategies used influenced a farmer&rsquo;s decision to sell the cocoa beans to the LBCs as well as the constraints faced by farmers and the LBCS in doing business. Primary data was used for this study. Descriptive statistics and econometric models were used to analyze the objectives. From this study, prompt payment and use of accurate weighing scale were identified as the most effective competitive strategies with high cost of financing and lack of farm inputs and tools being the major challenges faced by the LBCs and farmers respectively. Good social relation of the purchase clerk, age of the farmer and the distance between the LBC and cocoa farmer had positive significant effects on cocoa farmers&rsquo; decision in choosing a particular LBC. It is recommended that the government supports the LBCs with early financing to aid them in providing cocoa farmers with the needed inputs, tools and equipment to improve upon their outputs. Key words: Licensed Buying Companies (LBC), Amansie West District, choice of LBC, cocoa purchases, competitive strategies, Ghana, return on investment.

The Effect of Illegal Mining Activities on Vegetation: A Case Study of Bontefufuo Area in the Amansie West District of Ghana

The Effect of Illegal Mining Activities on Vegetation: A Case Study of Bontefufuo Area in the Amansie West District of Ghana

English

English

‘I have a lot of faith in her’: Value of community health workers in addressing family planning in rural Ghana

ABSTRACT In rural settings with shortages in trained health care workers, community health workers (CHWs) play an important role in the delivery of health care services. The Ghana Health Service initiated a national CHW programme in 2016 to expand health services to rural populations. This study explored the perceived role and value of CHWs in addressing family planning issues in the Amansie West district of Ghana. The study included in-depth interviews (IDIs) with 28 women in the community, ages 18–49, and 30 CHWs. Using inductive thematic analysis, IDIs were coded to explore opinions on the CHWs’ role and perceived value in the delivery of family planning. Participants explained that CHWs provided family planning as part of a healthcare package through household visits and referrals to government services. The value of CHWs in delivering family planning was seen in confidentiality, accessibility, and comfort. Participants recommended an enlarged CHW workforce with a range of commodities and programmatic support. The findings suggest CHWs play an important role in promoting family planning, by serving as a bridge between the community and clinics. In rural communities where resources are scarce, CHWs are an invaluable part of the broader healthcare system.

Modelling the Transmission Dynamics of Tuberculosis in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Mathematical models can aid in elucidating the spread of infectious disease dynamics within a given population over time. In an attempt to model tuberculosis (TB) dynamics among high-burden districts in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, the SEIR epidemic model with demography was employed within both deterministic and stochastic settings for comparison purposes. The deterministic model showed success in modelling TB infection in the region to the transmission dynamics of the stochastic SEIR model over time. It predicted tuberculosis dying out in ten of twelve high-burden districts in the Ashanti Region, but an outbreak in Obuasi municipal and Amansie West district. The effect of introducing treatment at the incubation stage of TB transmission was also investigated, and it was discovered that treatment introduced at the exposed stage decreased the spread of TB. Branching process approximation was used to derive explicit forms of relevant epidemiological quantities of the deterministic SEIR model for stability analysis of equilibrium points. Numerical simulations were performed to validate the overall infection rate, basic reproductive number, herd immunity threshold, and Malthusian parameter based on bootstrapping, jackknife, and Latin Hypercube sampling schemes. It was recommended that the Ghana Health Service should find a good mechanism to detect TB in the early stages of infection in the region. Public health attention must also be given to districts with a potentially higher risk of experiencing endemic TB even though the estimates of the overall epidemic thresholds from our SEIR model suggested that the Ashanti Region as a whole had herd immunity against TB infection.

Side effect concerns and their impact on women\u2019s uptake of modern family planning methods in rural Ghana: a mixed methods study

BackgroundDespite availability of modern contraceptive methods and documented unmet need for family planning in Ghana, many women still report forgoing modern contraceptive use due to anticipated side effects. The goal of this study was to examine the use of modern family planning, in particular hormonal methods, in one district in rural Ghana, and to understand the role that side effects play in women’s decisions to start or continue use.MethodsThis exploratory mixed-methods study included 281 surveys and 33 in-depth interviews of women 18–49 years old in the Amansie West District of Ghana between May and July 2018. The survey assessed contraceptive use and potential predictors of use. In-depth interviews examined the context around uptake and continuation of contraceptive use, with a particular focus on the role of perceived and experienced side effects.ResultsThe prevalence of unmet need for modern family planning among sexually active women who wanted to avoid pregnancy (n = 135) was 68.9%. No factors were found to be significantly different in comparing those with a met need and unmet for modern family planning. Qualitative interviews revealed significant concerns about side effects stemming from previous method experiences and/or rumors regarding short-term impacts and perceived long-term consequences of family planning use. Side effects mentioned include menstrual changes (heavier bleeding, amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea), infertility and childbirth complications.ConclusionAs programs have improved women’s ability to access modern family planning, it is paramount to address patient-level barriers to uptake, in particular information about side effects and misconceptions about long-term use. Unintended pregnancies can be reduced through comprehensive counseling about contraceptive options including accurate information about side effects, and the development of new contraceptive technologies that meet women’s needs in low-income countries.

English

English

PNS91 ACCESS AND UTILIZATION OF MATERNAL HEALTHCARE IN A RURAL DISTRICT IN THE FOREST BELT OF GHANA

The objective of this study was to investigate the access and utilization of maternal healthcare in Amansie-West district in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study, involving 720 pregnant women systematically sampled from antenatal clinics in five sub-districts was conducted from February to May 2015 in the Amansie-West district. Data on participants’ socio-economic characteristics, knowledge level and access and utilization of maternal health care services were collected with a structured questionnaire. Odds ratios were estimated to describe the association between explanatory variables and maternal healthcare using generalized estimating equations (GEE). 68.5, 83.6 and 33.6% of the women had >3 antenatal care visits, utilized skilled delivery and postnatal care services respectively. The mothers’ knowledge level of pregnancy emergencies and newborn danger signs was low. Socio-economic characteristics and healthcare access influenced the utilization of maternal healthcare. Compared to the lowest wealth quintile, being in the highest wealth quintile was associated with higher odds of receiving postnatal care (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]; 95%CI: 2.84; 1.63, 4.94). Use of health facility as a main source of healthcare was also associated with higher odds of antenatal care and skilled delivery. This study demonstrates suboptimal access and utilization of maternal healthcare in rural districts of Ghana, which are influenced by socio-economic characteristics of pregnant mothers. This suggests the need for tailored intervention to improve maternal healthcare utilization for mothers in this and other similar settings. Keywords: Maternal healthcare, Antenatal care, Postnatal care, Skilled delivery, Limited-resource setting, Rural Ghana, Amansie west district

Assessment of Total Mercury in Hair, Urine and Fingernails of Small-Scale Gold Miners in the Amansie West District, Ghana.

Background.Mercury (Hg) is a heavy metal that can cause several adverse health effects based on its form (organic, inorganic or elemental), duration and pathway of exposure. Measurement of mercury present in human biological media is often used to assess human exposure to mercury at mining sites.Objectives.The aim of the present study was to measure the concentrations of total mercury in urine, hair, and fingernails of miners and inhabitants of Amansie West District, Ghana.Methods.Concentrations of total mercury were measured in sixty–eight miners and twelve non–miners in the study area using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry with an automatic mercury analyzer (HG 5000).Results.Total mercury in nails and hair of smelter miners was 3.32 ± 0.36 and 6.59 ± 0.01 μg/g, respectively. Total mercury concentrations in hair samples obtained from smelter miners were above the 1 μg/g guideline set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Moreover, the total mercury concentration in urine samples was 6.97 ± 0.06 μg/L, far below the >25 μg/L level considered to be a high level of mercury contamination. The total mercury accrued by the individuals was not dependent on age, but was positively associated with duration of stay.Conclusions.Based on the total mercury (THg) levels analyzed in the biological media, artisanal gold mining activities in Amansie West District are on the increase with a potential risk of developing chronic effects. However, the majority of the population, particularly those engaged in artisanal small–scale gold mining, are unmindful of the hazards posed by the use of mercury in mining operations. The results showed that THg in urine, hair, and fingernails more efficiently distinguished mercury exposure in people close to mining and Hg pollution sources than in people living far from the mining sites. Further education on cleaner artisanal gold mining processes could help to minimize the impact of mercury use and exposure on human health and the environment.Participant Consent.ObtainedEthics Approval.This study was approved by the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in Manso Nkwanta.Competing Interests.The authors declare no competing financial interests.