Ga East Research Articles

Classroom Assessment Practices of Junior High School Social Studies Teachers in Ghana: The Case of Ga East Municipality

Classroom Assessment Practices of Junior High School Social Studies Teachers in Ghana: The Case of Ga East Municipality

If They Cannot Pay for Everything: Overcoming Barriers to Accessing and Utilising Formal Rehabilitation for People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) in Ga East Municipality, Ghana

If They Cannot Pay for Everything: Overcoming Barriers to Accessing and Utilising Formal Rehabilitation for People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) in Ga East Municipality, Ghana

Enhancing the Creative Arts Skill of Generalist Teachers in the Ga East Municipality, Ghana

The objective-based curriculum previously in use was replaced by a standards-based curriculum for the 2019–2020 school year, bringing a fresh approach to the fundamental study of visual arts. However, the current curriculum places greater emphasis on art history and cultural practices, presenting challenges for generalist teachers in the Ga East Municipality who lack significant training or experience in creative arts. This study aimed to explore the impact of different levels of educational leadership on enhancing the teaching skills of generalist teachers in creative arts education. Employing a convergent parallel mixed methods approach, both qualitative and quantitative data were analysed. The study collected a total of 210 questionnaire responses and conducted interviews with 3 participants. The respondents included 185 generalist teachers, 25 headteachers, and 3 municipal education officers, selected through purposive sampling. The study held importance for the practical ability of generalist teachers to navigate complex artistic concepts through adaptability and flexibility in their teaching methods. The findings demonstrated that implementing innovative intervention strategies, such as collaborative projects, professional development training, integration of online resources, and pre-service education into the curriculum, while equipping generalist teachers with enhanced skills, can effectively inspire and engage students. Additionally, it highlighted the necessity for generalist teachers to exhibit passion, enthusiasm, instructional prowess, and imaginative skills to foster creativity, critical thinking, and self-expression in students through creative arts, ultimately influencing the quality of future art education.

Inclusive Education Topics Teachers Learned at Teacher Professional Development Programmes: How Did They Benefit?

This study employed a single case study design involving twenty-two basic schoolteachers from the Ga East Education Directorate in Greater Accra, Ghana. Through interviews, we examined the inclusive education (IE) topics covered in professional development (PD) programmes and the resultant benefits for teachers. The findings demonstrate that IE PD programmes focused on sensitising teachers to IE policies and practices, identifying students with Special Education Needs (SEN), and fostering collaboration among teachers, headteachers, and special education (SPED) coordinators. Notably, participants derive substantial benefits from these programmes, acquiring knowledge on SEN identification, developing a willingness to embrace students with SEN, enhancing teacher agency, and fostering collaborative partnerships among teachers, headteachers, and SPED coordinators to better support students with SEN. The study’s findings underscore the imperative for comprehensive support from diverse education stakeholders in organising ongoing, practical, and hands-on IE PD programmes for Ghanaian basic schoolteachers.

Comparative analysis of clinical characteristics of COVID-19 among vaccinated and unvaccinated patients in a major treatment facility in Ghana.

To compare clinical characteristics of COVID-19 among vaccinated and unvaccinated patients in a major treatment facility in Ghana. A retrospective study drawing on data from COVID-19 patients' records visiting the facility from March 2021 to December 2021. Ghana Infectious Disease Centre, Ga East Municipality, Greater Accra Region, Ghana. In-patients and outpatients who reported to the facility from 1st March 2021 to December 2021 were included in the study, and patients with missing data on vaccination were excluded. underlying conditions, symptoms, case management information, hospital service rendered (OPD, HDU or ICU), length of hospital stay, treatment outcome. The study included 775 patient records comprising 615 OPD and 160 hospitalised cases. Less than one-third (26.25%; 42) of the patients hospitalised were vaccinated compared to almost 40.0% (39.02%; 240) of the patients seen at the OPD. Vaccinated individuals were nearly three times (aOR = 2.72, 95%CI:1.74-4.25) more likely to be managed on an outpatient basis as compared to the unvaccinated. The death rate among the vaccinated group and the unvaccinated were (0.71%; 2) and (3.45%; 17), respectively, with a significant reduction in the risk of dying among the vaccinated compared to the unvaccinated (aOR = 0.13, 95%CI: 0.028 0.554). Less than half of the in-patient and OPD patients were vaccinated. Mild infections, fewer days of hospitalisation, outpatient treatment and higher chances of survival were associated with being vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. Prudent measures should be implemented to encourage the general public to take up SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. None declared.

The Study of Flood Effects on The Environment and Livelihoods in Ghana

Purpose: This study investigates the repercussions of flooding on the environment and the livelihoods within the Haatso community and its immediate surroundings, situated in the Ga East Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, Ghana.
 Design/ Methodology/ Approach: We employed purposive sampling to conduct household-based interviews with 61 individuals across five residential areas. We used semi-structured questionnaires to collect their perspectives on the 2022 flooding situation within the Haatso communities. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze disaggregated data such as demographic characteristics and other relevant themes directly bearing on flooding and flood vulnerability.
 Findings: The Haatso community and its immediate environs would continue to experience floods recurring annually due mainly to drain-related and unplanned infrastructure issues. Hence, the detrimental consequences of floods on infrastructure and businesses, resulting in hardships in the community are expected to persist.
 Research Limitation/Implication: The approach utilized in this study can be adapted for similar endeavours aimed at mitigating the effects of flooding on both the environment and livelihoods within various communities and their immediate environs.
 Practical Implication: The causes, rate of occurrence, and adaptive and coping mechanisms of floods ought to be known to provide additional knowledge on combatting floods.
 Social Implication: Providing early warning alerts increases survival schemes and hence decreases the direct and indirect losses caused by annual floods on communities.
 Originality/Value: This research submits a more pragmatic, holistic, and realistic survival strategy for the Haatso community and its immediate environs as compared to generalized studies, which did not consider directly local settings.

Motivators and impediments to mushroom commercialisation in Ghana: Implication for policymakers, development partners and extension agents

Waste (organic waste) management is a major challenge for urban and peri-urban areas all over the world. This is because landfilling raises greenhouse gas emissions, whereas indiscriminate refuse dumping wastes valuable nutrients and energy that are still present in the refuse. Fungi, such as mushrooms, have the unique ability to decompose and transform obstinate organic substances into protein. The government, private sector, and foreign development partners in Ghana's Greater Accra region have invested in mushroom (oyster) production to boost commercialization for economic development. However, commercialization remains low, and significant income gains from mushroom commercialization have yet to be realised. Psychosocial factors are imperative for agricultural commercialization because they create a thriving environment and incentive for agricultural commercialization in general, and mushroom commercialization in specific. To determine the motivations and impediments to mushroom commercialization, we used a questionnaire to survey 153 oyster mushroom producers censused from the Ga East and the Adentan municipalities in the Greater Accra region. The data was analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), means and standard deviations. Our results showed three [3] motivators: social awareness, economic value, and market incentives, and three [3] impediments: institutional and personal weakness, market uncertainty, and value chain challenges. The major motivators to mushroom commercialization are social awareness (M = 3.94) and economic value (M = 3.93) whereas the major impediments comprised market uncertainty (M = 3.59) and institutional and personal weaknesses (M = 3.29). We recommend that policy effort to create enabling institutional environment and social awareness of mushroom coupled with development partners' and extension agents' effort to train farmers on mushroom production management are key to enhancing commercial mushroom production in Ghana.NB: M=Mean

Titanium and iron isotopic records of granitoid crust production in diverse Archean cratons

Archean granitoid provides critical clues on how Earth's felsic crust was established and its geodynamics evolved. In this study, we present Fe-Ti isotope and trace-element data for granitoids (mostly TTGs) from the ∼3.8-3.6 Ga Itsaq Gneiss Complex and ∼3.3 Ga East Pilbara Terrane, Pilbara Craton. TTGs from those localities and several other cratons follow the same Ti isotopic fractionation trend as modern calc-alkaline rocks. This similarity hides important petrogenetic differences as partial melting could have played a much more important role in establishing the felsic character of TTGs compared to modern granites of calc-alkaline affinity. Our thermodynamics-based modeling of isotopic fractionation shows that partial melting of hydrated metabasite can explain the Fe and Ti isotopic compositions of many TTGs but reworking of tonalite crust is needed to explain the most extreme compositions. The same Ti isotopic fractionation trends have been found now in several cratons (West Greenland, Slave, Pilbara, and Kaapvaal cratons) in granitoids formed in different geothermal gradients, meaning that it was likely a global signature of the Archean crust. Sediment provenance studies that use those TTG compositions and point to a primarily felsic crust in the Archean are therefore valid.

Challenges faced by frontline nurses caring for Covid-19 patients at the GA East Hospital

: Nurses experience varied forms of work-related stress with Covid 19 being one of the major causes of stress among frontline nurses. This study aims to explore the challenges faced by frontline nurses when caring for covid-19 patients at the Ga East Hospital which is one of the main Covid referral centers in the country. A qualitative exploratory research design was employed to explore the lived experiences of nurses at the frontline using a semi-structured interview guide with probes to conduct in-depth face-face interviews. Data was tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim and analyzed using content analysis. The sample size was 38. Two (2) themes and nine (9) sub-themes were generated from the analysis of this study. Participants in this study brought to bear their responsibilities as frontline nurses and the difficulties faced whilst discharging their duties. It is also interesting to know that the frontline nurses did not experience any shortage of logistics however, some challenges identified included Difficulty using personal protective clothing, fear of getting infected, and challenges with transportation Frontline nurses had varied roles when caring for Covid 19 patients, however, several challenges are experienced whilst ensuring this, hence measures should be put in place to overcome these challenges to facilitate the smooth discharging of duties as frontline nurses.

Clinical presentation and persistent symptoms in patients at a post-COVID-19 clinic in Ghana.

on March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization recognized COVID-19 as a pandemic. By March 31st, 2021, the Ghana Health Service had recorded a cumulative 90,782 positive cases and 748 deaths in the country. Despite the significant resources and efforts being put into containing and treating individuals with COVID-19, there is a lack of information within sub-Saharan Africa on clinical presentations and factors associated with experiencing persistent symptoms of COVID-19. in this retrospective study, we collected data obtained from patients with COVID-19 who were discharged from the post-COVID-19 clinic at the Ga East Municipal Hospital, Ghana, between April 1st, 2020, and March 31st, 2021, to assess clinical presentations and identify predictors of COVID-19 symptoms that persist beyond 14 days from the onset of the symptom. of the 253 patients who experienced symptoms of COVID-19, 81 (32.0%) experienced symptoms that persisted beyond 14 days. Cough (64.0%), headache (38.7%), and chest pain (28.1%) were the most common symptoms. After adjusting for covariates, the odds of patients presenting with COVID-19 symptoms that persist beyond 14 days are 98% higher among patients who experienced chest pain compared to those who did not and 2% increased for each additional year of their age. patient´s age and experiencing chest pain were significant predictors of symptoms that persist beyond 14 days. The findings of our study highlight the need to continue to monitor and care for individuals with identified predictors of experiencing persistent symptoms of COVID-19.

Urban sprawl and microclimate in the Ga East municipality of Ghana

Climatic elements such as temperature and rainfall provide great and unquantifiable benefits to human health. However, rapid urban sprawl has the tendency to undermine these health consequences. The relationship between urban sprawl and microclimate in the Ga East Municipality has been assessed to present the extent of sprawl that inhibit temperature and rainfall in recent times. Methodologically, satellite imagery and meteorological data (minimum and maximum temperature and rainfall) from 1990 to 2020 were used. The results indicate that rapid urban sprawl in recent times has significantly undermined the local climate through land use and land cover changes. There was strong statistical relationships between temperature and built-up areas (p < 0.05), grass/shrub cover (p < 0.04) and all vegetation cover (p < 0.03). There was also strong statistical relationship between rainfall and built-up areas (p < 0.03), grass/shrub cover (p < 0.04) and all vegetation (p < 0.02). Thus, expansion in built up areas and reduced grass/shrub cover led to increases in temperature, rainfall and surface water run off while reduction in all vegetation led to increase in both temperature and rainfall. These changes in climate brought about by urban sprawl will affect crop production, increase cataclysmic floods as well as growth of some harmful insects. There is the need for the amalgamation of urban growth and climate change into spatial planning through an all-embracing approach.

Assessment of Seasonal Radon Concentration in Dwellings and Soils in Selected Areas in Ga East, Greater Accra Region of Ghana.

Seasonal radon levels have been studied in dwellings and soils in selected areas in Ga East, Greater Accra Region of Ghana using LR-115-type II (SSNTDs). This study was conducted to determine the seasonal correlation between soil and dwelling radon concentrations. Detectors were exposed from January to March and April to June, for dry and wet seasons, respectively. Overall, indoor radon was 133.4 ± 6.7 Bqm−3 and 72.1 ± 3.6 Bqm −3 for wet and dry seasons. The estimated annual effective dose to the lung received by the occupants at Paraku Estate, Dome, and Kwabenya was 6.9 ± 0.4, 7.2 ± 0.5, and 9.8 ± 0.8 mSvy−1 for the wet season and 3.8 ± 0.2, 4.3 ± 0.2, and 4.6 ± 0.3 mSvy−1 for the dry season. On average, the soil radon concentration was found to be 0.96 ± 0.07 kBqm−3 and 2.24 ± 0.01 kBqm−3 for wet and dry seasons. To determine the correlation between soil and dwelling radon, a positive Pearson correlation coefficient value R = (0.74) and R = (0.66) was obtained representing the dry and wet seasons. To test the statistical significance between soil and dwelling radon, P < 0.05 was obtained, indicating a statically significant relationship between the two.

Intrapreneurship from the Lens of the Trio: Psychological Empowerment, Employee Commitment and Organization Citizenship Behaviour

Intrapreneurial behaviour are said to be a channel through which innovative skills are shown in the corporate work. In view of this, the authors assessed the effect of three selected work attitudes on intrapreneurial behaviour. These were psychological empowerment, employee commitment and organizational citizenship behaviour. The study conveniently sampled 230 participants who are administrators of organizations in selected municipalities: Ayawaso West-Wuoguon, La-Nkwantanang and Ga East Municipalities. The data was analyzed using structural equation modelling. It was observed that psychological empowerment and organisational citizenship behaviour were positively related to intrapreneurial behaviour whereas employee’s commitment was seen to have a negative significant influence on intrapreneurial behaviour. Implications of the findings for theory and practice are discussed.

Assessing Willingness to Pay for Solid Waste Management in Ga East Municipal, Ghana

Waste management has been a topic under discussion across the country which needs more attention. This study assesses the willingness to pay for solid waste management in Ga East Municipal, Ghana. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were used, and convenient sampling was used to select 100 respondents with 26 males and 74 females. A probit model was used to analyze factors affecting willingness to pay for solid waste management, Kendall's coefficient of concordance was used to analyze the challenges households face in accessing waste management, and Likert scale was used to analyze the improvement of waste management. The study revealed that age, education, household size, distance, and income are statistically significant and influenced willingness to pay for improved waste management. It was observed that 58% of the respondents representing the majority pay Ghc(1-4) in disposing refuse whilst 81% representing majority are willing to pay Ghc(4-6) for improved service. The study further revealed that inadequate dustbins and collection sites, distance, delay in collection of waste, and lack of waste management programs in the municipal were the significant challenges households face in accessing waste management. Provision of dustbins, allocation of collection points in communities, provision of toilet facilities, education on poor sanitation, and its menace are some measures that can help curb sanitation problems in the District. Therefore, the study recommend that Government and other stakeholders must sensitize members in the district on poor sanitation and its menace especially waste burning causing air pollution and also service providers should provide dustbins at vantage points in communities and pick them early when full, this will help to avoid environmental pollution leading to people’s willingness to pay for improved service.

Evidence of magmatism and rifting in the southern superior craton from the Temagami geophysical anomaly

The Temagami Geophysical Anomaly (TGA) is situated in the Paleoproterozoic Huronian Supergroup near the southern margin of Archean Superior craton, along strike from the Temagami Greenstone Belt, 50 km northeast of world-class metal endowment in the Sudbury Igneous Complex. It has been attributed to coincidental geophysical responses from Neoarchean iron formation and a Paleoproterozoic mafic–ultramafic intrusion. The TGA is investigated using integrated magnetotelluric, magnetic, gravity and seismic reflection datasets to further define the geometry of its sources; to define structures in overlying Huronian Supergroup rocks; and to examine the geometrical relationship of Archean basement structure, the Proterozoic mafic–ultramafic intrusion, and Proterozoic rift structures.Geophysical results reveal a strong conductor, interpreted to be iron formation, extending downwards from the Archean basement surface and enveloping the upper northern margin of a large magnetic, dense body at 5 km depth. The geometry of the features indicates mafic–ultramafic intrusion adjacent to greenstone rocks. Alignment of the long-axis of the intrusion with the greenstone belt suggests control on the intrusion process by the Neoarchean structures. The 60x10x10 km TGA intrusion lies within the mantle-plume, rift-related Huron-Nipissing magmatic belt and interpreted to be a member of the 2.491–2.475 Ga East Bull Lake intrusive suite. Based on this genetic relationship, the intrusion probably contributes significantly to Ni-Cu-PGE endowment of the Sudbury region. The spatial correlation of the intrusion with an overlying 20 km wide, 4.5 km deep, fault-bounded rift basin is attributed to crustal subsidence triggered by the intrusion. Seismic reflection and magnetotelluric results show younger Huronian Supergroup rocks record the transition to sedimentation on a laterally-extensive passive margin. An electrically-anisotropic, moderately-conductive layer in the Gowganda Formation is related to alteration during intrusion of the 2.200 Nipissing Diabase.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, Perception and Practices on Rabies Disease in the GA East Municipality, Ghana

Background: Rabies is one of the neglected tropical zoonotic diseases caused by a virus. It belongs to the Rhabdoviridae [1]. It is a disease that is commonly found in animals but can easily effect human [2]. Where there are animal reservoirs, rabies is commonly spread. The general objective of this study to evaluate differences in knowledge, attitude and perception about rabies, among the residence in Ga East.&#x0D; Methods: A cross-sectional study was used in this study using purposive sampling technique. Data was collected by interviewing study participants using OKD Collection and also STATA version14.2 was used for data analysis&#x0D; Results: A total of 475 respondents were involved in the study with 354 (74.53%) males and 121(25.47%) as females. Of this, majority of the participants (93.47%) own a dog against 6.53% who did not own a dog. Dog is own in the community basically for security purposes (77.25%). Few own dog for leisure. The study document less than 50% of the respondents [186 (39.16%)] resort to local drug stores drug store for first aid following a dog bit. Seeking veterinary attention (12.84%) and properly clearing of wound (8.84%) was not a common practice. Participants were of the opinion that tetanus vaccination should be done first (29.05%). Most of the participants have heard about rabies (96.42%) and showed various degree of knowledge on source of rabies, common animals associated with rabies, symptoms of rabies. Among some other practices, any identified rabid dog is killed as indicated by majority of the participants (52.63%). Most participants (71.58%) knew that rabies vaccination serves as preventive measures against rabies and further perceived all dogs must be vaccinated (38.32%). Of the total respondents, most (63.74%) never sent their dog for routine medical check-up nor vaccinated their dogs (70.95%).&#x0D; Conclusion: The study revered that dog owners do not provide adequate care for their dogs. In addition to low coverage of dog vaccination and human anti rabies vaccination in the community which poses a greater threat to the lives community, the potential for increased spread of the diseases is high due to inadequate level of knowledge, poor perceptions, and attitudes towards rabies.

Window design selection and energy consumption implications for residential buildings in Ghana: A behavior-change analysis of Ga East and Awutu Senya East Municipalities

The challenge of reducing carbon emissions for the purpose of climate change mitigation requires both supply-side and demand-side energy efficiency measures. On the demand side, buildings worldwide account for about 30-40% of the total energy demand, thereby forming the largest sectoral consumer of electricity. Hence, the building sector offers a great opportunity for energy conservation and efficiency drives if certain behavioural patterns were to change. An important element of the building, which often influences energy consumption, is the design of the window. This paper investigates the economic, energy efficiency and sociological dimensions of the shift from traditional window designs to alternative ones in Ghana. Through quantitative and qualitative analyses of the data gathered for the 2014 Energy Surveys in the Ga East and Awutu Senya East Municipalities in Ghana, most homeowners use new window designs predominantly for aesthetic reasons. While more wooden and louvre blades windows users depend heavily on natural ventilation systems, glazed windows users depend mostly on fans and air conditioners. Consequently, glazed windows users spend more money on electricity compared to users of other window types. These findings manifest the energy inefficiency of most recent architectural designs in Ghana and, therefore call for appropriate policy interventions.

Time Series Prediction of Electricity Demand Using Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference Systems

This paper is concerned with the reliable prediction of electricity demands using the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). The need for electricity demand prediction is fundamental and vital for power resource planning and monitoring. A dataset of electricity demands covering the period of 2003 to 2018 was collected from the Electricity Distribution Company of Ghana, covering three urban areas namely Mallam, Achimota, and Ga East, all in Ghana. The dataset was divided into two parts: one part covering a period of 0 to 500 hours was used for training of the ANFIS algorithm while the second part was used for validation. Three scenarios were considered for the simulation exercise that was done with the MATLAB software. Scenario one considered four inputs sampled data, scenario two considered an additional input making it 5, and scenario 3 was similar to scenario 1 with the exception of the number of membership functions that increased from 2 to 3. The performance of the ANFIS algorithm was assessed by comparing its predictions with other three forecast models namely Support Vector Regression (SVR), Least Square Support Vector Machine (LS-SVM), and Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA). Findings revealed that the ANFIS algorithm can perform the prediction accurately, the ANFIS algorithm converges faster with an increase in the data used for training, and increasing the membership function resulted in overfitting of data which adversely affected the RMSE values. Comparison of the ANFIS results to other previously used methods of predicting electricity demands including SVR, LS-SVM, and ARIMA revealed that there is merit to the potentials of the ANFIS algorithm for improved predictive accuracy while relying on a quality data for training and reliable setting of tuning parameters.

How Do They Cope: Traumatic Impact of Broken Homes on the Academics of the Children Living in Ga East Municipality, Ghana

The purpose of this study was to explore the living conditions of school children from broken homes in the Ga East Municipality and to assess its impact on their academic performance. This study was intended to examine the coping strategies of the children in handling their traumas of divorce. The descriptive survey design was adopted in this study. The purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to select 60 children from schools and in various communities in the municipality to take part in the study. Questionnaires were used to collect primary data from these respondents. The study found that the living conditions of majority of the respondents were not good after the divorce of their parents. It also came to light that the academic performance of most of the respondents was either very good or good before the divorce but after the divorce, most of the respondents had poor or very poor academic performance. It was observed that most of the respondents coped with the challenges of the divorce by spending more time with friends at school or with their relatives. From the present study, it could be concluded that when children are not given a conducive environment at home to have enough time to study due to parental divorce, it can impact negatively on their academic performance.

The Impact of Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (Leap) on Its Beneficiaries in the Ga East Municipality in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana

The purpose of this study was to find the impact of Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty (LEAP) on its beneficiaries in the Ga East Municipality in the Greater Accra Region. The explorative and descriptive research designs were used in this study. Data was collected through questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The multi-stage and snow ball sampling methods were used to select 90 respondents for the study. This study found that the program had captured more than 1,000 individuals from 207 households onto the LEAP program. Some of these beneficiaries had relatives who were indirectly benefiting from the amounts that they received every two months. It was also found that there were 300 additional relatives of the 90 respondents who were indirectly benefiting from the LEAP as they were either being taken care of or their fees were paid by the beneficiaries. The LEAP money was used by the beneficiaries for trading activities, paying the school fees of their children and the orphans who lived with them, and others used the money solely for feeding. It was concluded that the implementation of the LEAP in the Ga East Municipality had helped in improving the conditions of the beneficiaries even though few shortcomings like delays in payment of the LEAP money were encountered by the. The study recommends among others that officials of LEAP at the Municipal level should ensure that the beneficiaries get the information of their payment dates in time and subsequently get their LEAP money at the right time without any delay.