Government Of Ghana Research Articles

External stakeholders in the collaborative governance of natural resources in Ghana: Experiences from the Wa West District

External stakeholders are very instrumental in the collaborative governance of natural resources. The study sought to examine the role of external stakeholders in the collaborative governance of natural resources in the Wa West District of Ghana. The study resorted to the mixed methods approach in data collection and analysis. The sample size of the study was determined as 95 using the Yamane (1967) formula. The study employed questionnaire administration, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions as data collection methods. Quantitative data was analyzed using a component of SPSS version 20 known as descriptive statistics and presented using tables and chats whereas qualitative data from key informants and focus groups were analyzed using content analysis and presented using quotations. The study disclosed that natural resources such as woodlots, water resources, sacred groves, a hippopotamus (hippo) sanctuary and rocks are governed by external stakeholders using strategies such as training/capacity building, laws, by-laws, policies, and participatory mechanisms (such as CREMA). The study concludes that strategies used by the external stakeholders in the governance of natural resources are effective. The study recommends that policies on natural resources governance in Ghana should encourage capacity building of local stakeholders by external stakeholders on their rights and benefit sharing in natural resources governance.

Anthropogenic induced land use land cover dynamics of the Black Volta River Corridor in north-western Ghana, 2011-2021

This study employed remote sensing-based satellite imagery analysis to investigate the anthropogenic induced land use land cover (LULC) dynamics of the Black Volta River Corridor (BVR) in north-western Ghana. The mixed methods research approach was adopted. Satellite data were supplemented with questionnaires administered to 170 households and key informant interviews. Findings show that agriculture, charcoal burning, illegal mining, sand winning and logging are the predominant land use (livelihood) activities in the corridor. The confusion matrix of the classified images produced an overall accuracy of 88.8% with kappa coefficient of 0.9. From 2011-2021 closed savannah, bare land/agriculture areas and water resources decreased by 6.5%, 3% and 0.1% respectively. On the other hand, open savannah increased by 9.7% for the same time frame. This suggests that closed savannah areas continue to suffer degradation from the anthropogenic activities taking place in the corridor. The impact of anthropogenic activities cuts across all the sections (300m buffer zone) of the corridor. Anthropogenic activities within the corridor show a spatially clustered distributed pattern. Consequently, the article argues that the destructive human activities taking place within the corridor can easily be monitored and halted by the responsible stakeholders. The article therefore tasks the Government of Ghana to design and enforce laws on a permissible ecological-friendly buffer zone for riparian communities within the corridor and similar areas in the country. The article again recommends that some degraded sections of the BVR corridor should be reclaimed for posterity.

HIV destigmatization: perspectives of people living with HIV in the Kumasi Metropolis in Ghana.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related stigma has been identified as one of the principal factors that undermines HIV prevention efforts and the quality of life of people living with HIV (PLWH) in many developing countries including Ghana. While studies have been conducted on HIV-related stigma reduction, very few have sought the views of PLWH on how this might be done. The purpose of the study was to (i) identify factors that cause HIV-related stigma in Ghana from the perspective of PLWH, (ii) identify challenges that HIV-related stigma poses to the treatment and care of PLWH, and (iii) to obtain recommendations from PLWH on what they think various groups (community members, health care providers, and adolescents) including themselves should do to help reduce HIV-related stigma in Ghana. A mixed methods cross-sectional study design was used to collect data from 404 PLWH at the Suntreso Government Hospital in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana across six domains using Qualtrics from November 1-30, 2022. Quantitative data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 and the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) version 9.4. Qualitative data was analyzed using a thematic approach. Most of the study participants (70.5%) said HIV-related stigma in Ghana is due to ignorance. Of this population, 90.6% indicated that they had experienced stigma because they have HIV, causing them to feel depressed (2.5%), ashamed (2.2%), and hurt (3.0%). Study participants (92.8%) indicated that the challenges associated with HIV-related stigma has affected their treatment and care-seeking behaviors. Recommendations provided by study participants for HIV destigmatization include the need for PLWH not to disclose their status (cited 94 times), community members to educate themselves about HIV (96.5%), health care providers to identify their stigmatizing behaviors (95.3%), health care providers to avoid discriminating against PLWH (96.0%), and the need for adolescents to be educated on HIV and how it is transmitted (97.0%). It is important for the government and HIV prevention agencies in Ghana to target and address co-occurring HIV-related stigma sources at various levels of intersection simultaneously This will help to shift harmful attitudes and behaviors that compromise the health and wellbeing of PLWH effectively.

The Role of Private Security Organizations in crime prevention and homeland security management in Ghana

The study was to explore the play by Private Security Organizations in crime prevention and homeland security management in Ghana. The study used a descriptive design of the qualitative of which respondents from the various management of Private Security Organizations in Accra were targeted. Purposive sampling technique was employed to select 7 participants to form part of the study. Interview guide was used at the data collection instrument. Data from interviews were analysed thematically based on the research objectives. The study found that key security services provided by the PSOs included the four functions mandated by the laws of Ghana. Also, their operations basically covers; watching and guarding services, patrolling services, and escort services. PSOs follow some form laid down procedures and principles in recruiting and selecting employees. PSOs have some collaboration with the Ghana Police Service with regards to its mandate enshrined by the constitution of Ghana to prevent crime and protect lives and properties. However, the key challenges of the PSOs are financial constraints, inadequate logistics and resources, high cost of operations, poor perception of the general public on their roles in fighting against crime as well as protecting lives and properties. Therefore, the study recommended that various PSOs should come together to form some associations that can fight for their right and welfare of their members. Also, the government of Ghana through the Ministry of Interior and the Ghana Police Service should sponsor some of their activities such as training and workshops. Moreover, the government can support them in terms of vehicles or patrol cars and fueling allowances

The ‘Second U-Turn’: Domestic Politics and Foreign Economic Policy Choice in Ghana

Abstract After months of grandstanding amidst an economic crisis that has seen prices of basic goods skyrocketed, growing unsustainable public debt levels and the value of the local currency plummeting, the Government of Ghana made a U-turn on its earlier decision of not seeking an IMF bailout and announced on 1st July 2022, the intention to seek an IMF bailout. This paper tries to understand the initial government resistance to an IMF bailout. Using the qualitative research approach and analyzing speeches of political actors, the study makes the case that domestic politics was the main reason for the governments initial resistance to engaging the IMF. An IMF programme would be politically self-defeating for the government and provide a political tool for the opposition in the 2024 election since a similar deal in 2015 was portrayed as evidence of government failure. On the evidence of the current IMF bailout decision, the paper concludes that governments have political interest in making foreign economic policy choices in Ghana. Choices that may not enhance electoral chances are likely to be avoided in favour of those that enhance it. To derive the best outcome from foreign economic policy choices requires building national consensus, which would help to avoid adverse outcomes that may be occasioned by policy choices that enhance a political actor’s electoral chances at the expense of the long-term interest of the state.

Assessing Macroeconomic Determinants of Banks’ Efficiency in the West African Monetary Zone

Purpose: This study assesses how six selected macroeconomic variables, namely, size of the banking system, liquid liability of the system, interest rate, inflation, gross domestic product and exchange rate affect banking system efficiency in the West African Monetary Zone countries group. Spanning a twenty-nine-year period (1992 – 2020).
 Methodology: the study used fixed and random effect models of panel least squares to analyze the relationship between these macroeconomic variables and bank efficiency of the countries as a group. Further, the study analyzed the country-by-country net effect of the selected macroeconomic variables on bank efficiency.
 Findings: We find that when examined as a group, only the positive effect of exchange rate on bank efficiency is significant. We also find reveal that the macroeconomic variables have negative effect on bank efficiency in Gambia, Ghana and Sierra Leone while they positively affected bank efficiency in Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria. Finally, we find that interest rate and inflation have causal relationship with bank efficiency in the countries as a group.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy (Recommendations: We advocate that bankers in the WAMZ critically appraise their size, liquidity and interest rates vis-à-vis their efficiency goal. We also recommend that the governments of Gambia, Ghana and Sierra Leone formulate bank friendly policies especially with respect to interest rates and inflation variables that have causal relationship with bank

Preparedness of Senior Public Service Pharmacists for Clinical Leadership Roles: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background The Seven-star Pharmacist concept as promulgated by the World Health Organization identifies the pharmacist as a leader, among many other roles. Clinical leadership skills are essential in all healthcare organizations, regardless of position or area of practice, yet many pharmacists remain unaware of how leadership can be integrated into their daily clinical practice. While there is limited literature on pharmacist and clinical leadership preparedness in the sub-Saharan African region, particularly in Ghana, concerns about the hospital working environment and learning opportunities suggest that pharmacists feel unprepared for the responsibilities of clinical leadership. Furthermore, most leadership preparedness literature focuses on physicians, nurses, and public health professionals, with pharmacists being underrepresented. This study aims to address these gaps and provide insights into methods to enhance pharmacist leadership readiness in Ghana. Methodology The current study was an anonymous, online based, quantitative, cross-sectional survey conducted between April and June 2022. Participants were public service pharmacists drawn from the Government and Hospital Pharmacist Association (GHOSPA) of Ghana, who worked in government-funded health facilities within the Greater Accra region of Ghana, one of the sixteen administrative regions of the country. The questionnaire consisted of a set of questions that employed a combination of Likert scales, multiple-choice, open-ended, and closed-ended questions. The questionnaire comprised the following sections: biodata of participants and ratings of their level of preparedness for clinical leadership roles using a 5 point Likert scale. Results Nearly half of respondents (46%, n=67) reported their level of preparedness for a clinical leadership role was poor (32%) or very poor (14%). Self-reported level of knowledge and understanding of their clinical leadership roles at the time of their appointment was fair for 35% (n=51) of the respondents, whereas 23% (n=34) reported poor or very poor knowledge of the participants in the study, 65% reported receiving some form of training on clinical leadership either at the time of appointment or during their assignment, with only 35% reporting their training to be effective. Conclusion The study underscores the importance of addressing the knowledge gaps and training needs of pharmacists to enhance their preparedness for clinical leadership roles. Furthermore, organizational policies, career development opportunities, and support systems need to be established to promote effective clinical leadership roles among pharmacists. Keywords: Clinical leadership, pharmacist, preparedness, Ghana

Lessons learned from community engagement and participation in fostering coexistence and minimizing human-wildlife conflict in Ghana

Human-wildlife-conflicts (HWCs) threaten wildlife conservation and livelihoods, particularly around biodiversity hotspots, such as Ghana's Bia Biosphere Reserve (BBR). Because wildlife raids farms or preys on livestock, such conflicts cause economic losses to farmers, psychological distress to communities, and social tensions between stakeholders, leading to retaliation—killing or injuring wildlife. Nonetheless, traditional approaches to HWC management, such as physical barriers, buffer zones, scare tactics, and non-lethal wildlife deterrents, are ineffective in addressing the problem. The study investigates HWCs in five communities through case studies involving focus groups, interviews, and on-site observations to understand the effects of wildlife-related incidents on these villages, how stakeholders accept and tolerate wildlife issues, and assess the effectiveness of the community engagement and participation (CEP) approach as a potential solution. The findings show that although CEP has the potential to mitigate HWCs and promote coexistence, the lack of involvement of communities substantially hinders the success of conservation efforts and addressing HWCs, which have substantial ecological, economic, social, and psychological impacts on communities near the BBR. Also, farmers' level of acceptance is substantially affected by the perceived economic benefits derived from the reserve. A crucial lesson learned is that involving communities in wildlife management can be more challenging and demands stakeholder cooperation and trust-building. The study recommends that the Ghana government consider (a) fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility among communities by actively and meaningfully involving them in designing and implementing wildlife management and (b) implementing policies that prioritize creating alternative livelihood opportunities for communities living in the BBR area.

Tax policy and economic growth: Evidence from Ghana

The government of Ghana implemented an Economic Recovery Program (ERP) in 1983, aimed at the restoration of fiscal discipline towards increasing revenue and promoting economic growth. In spite of the fiscal reforms’ growth in tax, revenue continues to lag behind that of government expenditure and compares poorly with revenue performance in other parts of the world. Economic growth in the country also settled around 5 per cent level for two decades after the introduction of the fiscal reforms. This paper examined the effect of tax policy measures on economic growth and explored the tax revenue threshold that optimizes economic growth using time series data for the period 1970 - 2020. The data sets involve GDP per capita, stock of human capital, physical capital, growth rate of working population, and six (6) tax indicators namely: import duty, excise tax, company tax, personal income tax, income and property tax, and value added tax. The results of the unit root test reveal that all the variables are stationary at levels and first difference. The bounds test signals the existence of long run relationship among the variables at 1 per cent level of significance. Employing the Autoregressive Distributed- Lag technique, the findings suggested that economic growth benefits from increases in import taxes and company taxes more than the other types of taxes both in the short and long run. However, increases in the share of value added taxes and personal income taxes were found to have deleterious effect on economic growth in Ghana. A threshold level of 14.48 per cent of tax revenue - GDP ratio was found to be optimal level of taxes that impact economic growth. The study recommends that broadening, nurturing and sustaining tax base should be the utmost target of policy to ensure significant increase in the total government revenue to promote economic growth.

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

Trust in government and electronic levy payment decisions in Ghana

Governments in many developing countries have consistently experienced budgetary shortfalls due to several problems, including tax evasion and avoidance. An important social capital identified in the literature that drives an individual's behaviour towards responding positively to taxation is trust. Leveraging on the theory of trust, we disaggregate trust in government into trust in the Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary and investigate the extent to which trust in any of the three arms of government drives behavioural changes towards the decision to pay for the electronic levy in Ghana. Using a survey approach and a regression analysis, we show evidence that trust in any of the three arms of government is a key driver of individuals' decisions to pay for the electronic transaction levy. In order of importance, trust in the Executive explains more of an individual's payment behaviour, followed by the Judiciary, then the Legislature. This study highlights the role of trust in the three arms of government, especially the Executive in committing to the government's tax-related policies.

COVID-19 pandemic, welfare programs, and access to ‘free water’ in Ghana: how did the urban poor fare?

Abstract Frequent hand washing has been recommended by public health officials as one of the key preventive measures to reduce the transmission of COVID-19. Yet globally, 844 million people live without access to a safe drinking water source. This study explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, its associated public health response measures and government social support on water access in informal settlements in Ghana using qualitative studies. Thirty (30) participants were interviewed in Accra and Tamale. Data were transcribed and inductively analyzed using NVivo. Overall, participants indicate that COVID-19 exacerbated their water insecurity issues in many ways including (1) limiting water source visits for fear of contracting the virus; (2) through public health restrictions that affected their ability to access water outside their households; and (3) increased cost of vended water. Most participants also highlighted that they did not benefit from the ‘6 months of free water initiative’ by the government of Ghana. As countries formulate plans to rebuild their economies, the inequalities underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic should offer renewed attention to the significance of safe water access for all, particularly concerning public and population health.

Contribution of Ghana-UK Collaboration to The Combat of Drug Trafficking in Ghana

The study was to explore the contribution of Ghana-UK collaboration to the combat of drug trafficking in Ghana. The study used a qualitative and exploratory design of which respondents from the national security, airport immigration and narcotics were selected purposively. Interview guide was used as a data collection instrument. Furthermore, the interviews recorded were transcribed verbatim, coded and edited, the data were analyzed using thematic analysis and presented in themes based on the research objectives. The study found that cocaine, heroin, India hemp or marijuana, “codeine”, and benelin syrup mixed with codeine are the main drugs that are trafficked in and out of the country. Drug peddlers normally trafficked drugs by concealing it in luggage, swallowing, incision in the anus, putting them in some foodstuffs, cargo and others. Poverty, wish to amass wealth or fame, as well as high unemployment rate, were the factors that triggered drug trafficking. Also, the prospects show that none of the two countries could have been able to better address the problem of drug trafficking without this collaboration between them. Financial constraints, equipment, short of staff and skilled workers, an attitude of workers, administrative issues, condition of services, among others, serve as the main challenges confronted in the quest to combat drug trafficking in Ghana. Therefore, the study recommended that the Government of Ghana continue with the agreement or collaboration with the UK since it has advice in combating of drug trafficking. Also, in partnership with the national security, the government of Ghana should improve upon the condition of service and find a better way to motivate the workers for them to give out their best to help combat drug trafficking

Volta photovoltaics: Ruptures in resource access as gendered injustices for solar energy in Ghana

Increasing renewable energy capacity to achieve climate goals will necessitate the rapid development of utility-scale solar plants throughout Ghana. Situated in the impoverished Upper West region, the Kaleo Lawra solar plant serves as a grim admonition. Drawing from mixed methods fieldwork and the literatures of feminist political ecology and critical energy geography, we examine the following research question: How has the development of the Kaleo Lawra solar plant influenced gendered livelihoods and resource access? The solar plant was developed to mitigate the climate crisis and combat energy poverty but actually exacerbates social vulnerabilities through energy and resource dispossessions. Although the government of Ghana has committed to mainstream gender considerations within all national climate and energy policies and development processes, solar enclosures in the agrarian Upper West have effectively produced a gendered surplus population without resources and livelihoods. Yet respondents had an overall “neutral to favorable” perception about the solar park. Maintaining optimism in the face of deprivation is a demonstration of courage and resilience, a renewable resource more valuable than farmed photons on fenced fields.

Predictors of Economics Students’ Behavioural Intention to Use Tablets: A Two-Staged Structural Equation Modelling–Artificial Neural Network Approach

The government of Ghana, as part of its digitisation agenda, intends to provide all senior high school students in Ghana with tablets that are loaded with textbooks and other educational materials for their studies. This initiative is flaunted as one of the game-changing development that is yet to happen in the country. This study employed a modified unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model to examine Economics students’ behavioural intention to use tablets for learning. The study was quantitative research with a focus on a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. A total of 354 senior high school Economics students were selected for the study. A five-point Likert scale instrument was adapted as the data collection instrument for the study. A two-staged partial least square structural equation modelling–artificial neural network approach was used to analyse the data. The results revealed that effort expectancy, facilitating condition, social influence, and hedonic motivation had a significant positive influence on Economics students’ behavioural intention to use tablets for learning. However, habit and performance expectancy had no significant influence on Economics students’ behavioural intentions. Therefore, it was recommended that the implementation of the student-tablet policy should be hinged on social influence, effort expectancy, facilitating condition, and hedonic motivation (the student’s motivation) to use tablets due to internal satisfaction.

The perception of the locals on the impact of climate variability on non-timber forest products in Ghana

All biological products obtained from forests other than timber are considered non-timber forest products (NTFPs). NTFPs production levels in Ghana are affected by climate change. Over the past years, NTFPs have adversely affected by prolonged droughts and short rainfall in Ghana. In rural areas, where NTFP enhance livelihoods for rural dwellers, this adversely affects their food security. This study aimed to determine how rural dwellers in Ghana perceive the impact of annual variability in rainfall and temperature on their non-timber forest products. To better understand how residents perceive climate change's effect on NTFPs, 732 residents were interviewed. Household information and perceptions regarding changes to the availability of NTFP (snails, mushrooms, honey, etc.) were recorded using structured and semi-structured questionnaires. As a result of the sharp rise in temperature and the decline in rainfall, combined with a prolonged drought, there has been a decline in the production levels of NTFPS in the forest areas of the country. The respondents reported a decline in the production levels of honey, snails, and mushrooms, as well as income generated. It is imperative that the Ghana government, through the Ghana forestry commission, educate rural dwellers about the importance of NTFP sustainable use and implement afforestation programs to help regenerate degraded forest areas that threaten some of the organisms required for the production of NTFPs. Embarking on afforestation programs will help improve the climatic conditions supporting the production of NTFPs.

Access to essential therapy for sickle cell disease in Africa: Experience from a national program in Ghana

Novartis, a global medicines company, and the Sickle Cell Foundation of Ghana (SCFG), an advocacy organization, have endeavored to support the implementation of global best practices in the care of people living with sickle cell disease (SCD) in Africa, and to address unmet needs relating to this condition on the continent. Beginning in 2019, a multifaceted SCD program was implemented in Ghana through a public-private partnership involving the government of Ghana, the SCFG, Novartis, and other partners. A key component of the program involved expanding the reach of hydroxyurea (HU), the only approved disease-modifying generic treatment for SCD, in ways that would promote sustainable access. The program helped to raise the profile of SCD in Ghana and, in 2022, the government adopted HU into its National Health Insurance Scheme. Features of the effort in Ghana are now being expanded to other countries in Africa through cocreated programs with in-country partners. This article reviews the program's history, progress, challenges, and lessons learned.

Navigating access to golden lands: Gender roles and constraints of women in artisanal and small‐scale mining operations in north‐western Ghana

AbstractThe daily lives of female artisanal and small‐scale miners revolve around an array of complex and labour‐driven activities. The complexities and labour demands vary depending on the type of artisanal and small‐scale mining involved, the underground pit (ghetto) or surface mining. Few studies have explored how gender roles manifest in the two major mining types to inform policy on the creation of a gendered mining environment for women. This paper fills the lacuna in the literature by investigating gender roles and the consequential effects on female artisanal miners' daily lives and practices along the underground pit and surface mining. The liberal feminist theoretical lens is employed as a framework. Data were sourced through field observations and in‐depth interviews with 13 lead miners (men) and 67 female miners in the Upper West Region of Ghana. Findings show that sociocultural marginalisation of women is predominant in underground pit/ghetto mining. Women are content to work in surface mining operations and can form gangs to operate independently; nevertheless, sociocultural framings have limited women's space and access to mineralised concessions. The study argues that steps towards promoting gender equality in artisanal and small‐scale mining should explore a gendered mineralised concessions distribution; thus, the distribution of mining concessions under the community mining project by the government of Ghana should be gender‐sensitive.

Modeling the Macroeconomic and Demographic Determinants of Life Insurance Demand in Ghana Using the Elastic Net Algorithm

The government of Ghana and the National Insurance Commission have shown concern over the low insurance patronage in Ghana. In order to take the necessary steps to increase insurance patronage, there is the need to, among other things, find the macroeconomic determinants of insurance demand in Ghana. The purpose of this study is to model the macroeconomic and demographic determinants of life insurance demand in Ghana. Data covering the period 1994 through 2020 are used for the study. Even though many studies have been done on determinants of insurance demand elsewhere (not in Ghana), almost all these studies use ordinary least square regression, stepwise regression, or similar regression methods. However, these methods are not robust enough to handle problems of multicollinearity, over-fitting, and inability to do out-of-sample prediction. This current study uses a regularization method known as elastic net regression algorithm which is more robust for handling the aforementioned problems, and more. The results of the study show that the dominating predictors (those with non-zero coefficients) of life insurance demand include old aged dependency ratio, life expectancy, urbanization, and financial development. The first three have positive relation with life insurance demand, while the last one has negative relation with life insurance demand. Insurance regulators and insurance companies are advised to design more innovative and attractive insurance policies for the aged and the old aged dependents as they have the highest tendency to affect insurance demand in Ghana.

Assessing aflatoxin safety awareness among grain and cereal sellers in greater Accra region of Ghana: A machine learning approach

Studies have established high prevalence of aflatoxin contamination in grains and cereals produced in Ghana. Mitigation strategies have focused mainly on capacity building for farmers, agricultural extension officers, bulk distributors and processors to the detriment of the market women who act as the final link between consumers and producers. This study used supervised machine learning algorithms by means of Classification and Regression Trees (CART) to investigate aflatoxin knowledge and awareness of market women in Greater Accra Region of Ghana. A cross-sectional survey and probability sampling methods were employed for data collection. Ninety-two (92%) of participants had never heard about aflatoxins and yet, 62% reported that they usually observe mould growth in their cereals/grains. Unsurprisingly, 97% of participants indicated that they had no knowledge of the aflatoxin bill passed by the government of Ghana parliament. Despite participants not being aware of aflatoxin menace, the percent correctness of their aflatoxin safety measure score was 40%. A regression tree algorithm showed that, participant's ethnic group was the most significant parameter to consider regarding their aflatoxin safety knowledge. Their educational background and age were 95.5% and 72.5% as significant as their ethnic group. A classification tree algorithm showed that, educational level was the most significant parameter to consider when it comes to sorting of grains/cereals. Their ethnic group and marital status were 92.4% and 89.3% as important as educational level. It is therefore imperative for the Ghana government to extend sensitization and awareness programs to these market women, targeting the uneducated and specific age and ethnic groups.