Southern Part Of Ghana Research Articles

Seismic activities in Ghana: A systematic review

Seismic activities pose significant challenges to societies globally. Therefore, it is crucial to understand their occurrence, patterns, and impacts. By studying seismic activities, including earthquakes, researchers can investigate their occurrence, distribution, and characteristics which can provide effective management and risk reduction strategies. The southern part of Ghana is prone to earthquakes and this study aims to shed more light into the nature of seismic events in the area and country at large. A systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA technique across three electronic databases (SCOPUS, Dimensions and Google Scholar) to identify relevant studies published between 2000 and 2023. Extraction of data and quality assessment were performed in order to ensure reliability and validity of included studies. Results identified only 17 papers from published records to meet the inclusion criteria. Despite the grave threat earthquakes pose to vital infrastructure and human life in Ghana, research in this area remains remarkably deficient. Our findings underscore the urgent need for further study given the catastrophic potential of seismic disasters in the region. Moreover, upon scrutinizing the methodologies deployed in extant literature concerning seismic activity in Ghana, a recurring constraint that emerged was the scarce availability of data. In essence, this study offers an indispensable panorama of earthquake research in Ghana, bridging the existing knowledge chasm on seismic phenomena in the region. The insights gleaned from this review promise to fortify our comprehension of Ghana's seismic activities, thereby bolstering the country's capabilities for more effective preparedness and response strategies.

10-year level, trends and socio-demographic disparities of obesity among Ghanaian adults-A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

The double burden of malnutrition has assumed severer forms in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) arising from sharper increases in prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in these countries compared to higher income countries. Considering that LMICs already have fragile health systems, the rising obesity levels may just be a ticking time bomb requiring expeditious implementation of priority actions by all global and national actors to prevent an explosion of cardiovascular disease related deaths. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to provide a current estimate of obesity and overweight prevalence among Ghanaian adults and assess socio-demographic disparities following the PRISMA guidelines. We searched Pubmed with Medline, Embase, Science direct and African Journals Online (AJOL) for studies on overweight and obesity published between 2013 and January 2023. Applying a quality effects model, pooled mean Body Mass Index (BMI) and prevalence of overweight and obesity were obtained from 42 studies conducted across all three geographical locations of Ghana with a combined sample size of 29137. From the analysis, the mean BMI of adults in Ghana was 24.7 kgm-2 while overweight and obesity prevalence was estimated as 23.1% and 13.3% respectively. Temporal analysis showed sharper increases in overweight and obesity prevalence from 2017/2018. Mean BMI (Females: 25.3kgm-2 vrs Males: 23.1 kgm-2), overweight (Females: 25.9% vrs Males: 16.5%) and obesity (Females: 17.4% vrs Males: 5.5%) prevalence were higher among females than males. Gender differences in mean BMI and obesity prevalence were both significant at p<0.001. Urban dwellers had higher mean BMI than their rural counterparts (24.9kgm-2 vrs 24.4kgm-2). Overweight (27.6% vrs 18.2%) and obesity (17.3% vrs 11.0%) prevalence were also higher in urban areas than in rural areas. Body weight indicators for the various geographical areas of Ghana were; southern sector: 25.4kgm-2, 28.9% and 15.4%, middle sector: 24.8kgm-2, 26.4% and 16.2% and northern sector: 24.2kgm-2, 15.4% and 8.5% for mean BMI, overweight and obesity prevalence respectively. The southern part of Ghana was similar to the middle part in terms of mean BMI, overweight and obesity but higher than the northern part. We conclude that overweight and obesity prevalence in Ghana has risen to high levels in recent years with women and urban dwellers disproportionately more affected. There is a possible implication for increased cardiovascular diseases and a generally poor quality of life for the people. Evidence-based public health interventions are needed to reverse the current situation.

Effects of Harvest Time on Quality of Stored Maize (Zea mays L.) in the Southern Part of Ghana

In Ghana, most smallholder maize farmers delay harvesting of their crops in an attempt to achieve optimum moisture content levels necessary for safe storage. Late harvesting may cause a hike in insect attacks and fungal contaminations, leading to alterations in nutrient composition of grains. This study examined the effects of harvest time and storage form on quality of maize. Maize was grown and harvested from 36 plots, with each plot measuring 3m x 3m. Planting of maize was done during the major and minor seasons (April – August, 2020 and September – December, 2020) respectively. Moisture content of maize before storage was determined as 12.50 % to 12.85 % (major season) and 11.90 % to 12.48% (minor season). Harvesting was done at three stages (E = Early harvest, M = Mid harvest and L = Late harvest) and maize was stored for 90 days in three different ways (D = Dehusked, H = Husked and S = Shelled). Data was subjected to Analysis of variance (ANOVA) using Sisvar version 5.6. Mid harvest dehusked maize had the highest final starch content (69.28 %) while Early harvest husked maize had the highest protein content (7.22 %). Ash content of maize from the various treatments ranged from 3.50% to 5.39 % (initial) and 3.03 % to 4.13 % (final), the difference was significant (p&lt;0.05). Late harvest husked maize (LHH) recorded 35 % more initial ash as compared to EHS. Aflatoxin level was highest on Late harvest dehusked maize (60.70 ppb). Nutrient and aflatoxin levels of maize were significantly affected by harvest time. Encouraging farmers to adopt a better approach to harvesting, drying and storage of maize can reduce crop losses and ensure food security.

Evidence of Rift Valley Fever Virus Circulation in Livestock and Herders in Southern Ghana.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a re-emerging zoonotic disease of domestic ruminants and humans. While neighbouring countries have reported outbreaks of RVF, Ghana has not yet identified any cases. The aim of this study was to determine whether RVF virus (RVFV) was circulating in livestock and herders in the southern part of Ghana, to estimate its seroprevalence, and to identify associated risk factors. The study surveyed 165 livestock farms randomly selected from two districts in southern Ghana. Serum samples of 253 goats, 246 sheep, 220 cattle, and 157 herdsmen were tested to detect IgG and IgM antibodies against RVFV. The overall seroprevalence of anti-RVF antibodies in livestock was 13.1% and 30.9% of farms had RVFV seropositive animals. The species-specific prevalence was 24.1% in cattle, 8.5% in sheep, and 7.9% in goats. A RVFV IgG seroprevalence of 17.8% was found among the ruminant herders, with 8.3% of all herders being IgM positive. RVFV was shown, for the first time, to have been circulating in southern Ghana, with evidence of a recent outbreak in Kwahu East; however, it was clinically undetected despite significant recent human exposure. A One Health approach is recommended to better understand RVF epidemiology and socio-economic impact in Ghana.

Betulin and Crinum asiaticum L. bulbs extract attenuate pulmonary fibrosis by down regulating pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory cytokines in bleomycin-induced fibrosis mice model

BackgroundPulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a lung disease characterized by scaring of lung tissue that impairs lung functions. The estimated survival time of patients with pulmonary fibrosis is 3–5 years. Bleomycin (BLM) is used clinically in the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma and testicular germ-cell tumors. Bleomycin’s mechanism of action is the inhibition of DNA and protein synthesis. This happens when leukocytes induce the release of cytokines and chemokines which increase the pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-13, IL-1β and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β). Crinum asiaticum L. bulbs (CAE) are widely found in parts of Africa, Asia and Indian Ocean Island. It is also prevalent in southern part of Ghana and traditionally used by the indigenes to treat upper respiratory tract infections, and for wound healing. Betulin (BET) is found in the bulbs of Crinum asiaticum L. but widely isolated from the external bark of birches and sycamore trees. Betulin as a lupine type triterpenes has been researched for their pharmacological and biological activities including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial activities and anti-liver fibrosis effects.Aim of the study: The aim was to study the anti-pulmonary fibrosis effect of Crinum asiaticum L. bulbs extract and betulin in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Materials and methodThere was a single oropharyngeal administration of bleomycin (80 mg/kg) in mice followed by the treatment of CAE and BET after 48 h of exposure to BLM. ResultsThere was increased survival rate in CAE and BET treatment groups compared to the BLM induced group. There was a marked decreased in the levels of hydroxyproline, collagen I and III in the CAE and BET treatment groups compared to BLM-treated group. The treatment groups of CAE and BET significantly down regulated the levels of pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory cytokines concentrations such as TGF-β1, MMP9, IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-alpha compared to an increased in the BLM treated groups. The histological findings of the lungs suggested the curative effects of CAE and BET following BLM induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice, the study showed improved lung functions with wide focal area of viable alveolar spaces and few collagen fibers deposition on lungs of treatment groups. ConclusionCAE and BET attenuated pulmonary fibrosis by down regulating pro-fibrotic and pro-inflammatory cytokines as well as improving lung function. This could be a lead in drug discovery where compounds with anti-fibrotic effects could be developed for the treatment of lung injury.

Socio-Cultural Significance of Bonwire Kente and Daboya Benchibi

Benchibi and Kente are traditional woven fabrics ingeniously crafted with two different design concepts. Benchibi is produced by the people of Daboya in the Northern part of Ghana whilst Kente is a product mainly of the middle and southern part of Ghana with Bonwire as its traditional centre in the middle part of the country. The study aimed at analysing the socio-cultural significance of the two traditions. The study fulcrums on the qualitative research and employed observation and interview. The study analysed the socio-cultural characteristics of the two fabrics traditions, using descriptive method of analysing data. The purposive sampling technique was employed to select eight people, two (2) weavers and two (2) opinion leaders from each of the study area. The research revealed that both woven traditions are embedded with socio-cultural significance that embodies various characteristics such as values, morals, history and philosophies of the areas noted for the production and use of the fabrics. The study revealed that Benchibi and Kente have different beautiful crafted style in terms of weave, designs and materials used, which play very significant roles in the socio-cultural behaviour of the two traditions. The study concluded that both weaving cultures play very distinguished social and cultural roles in the lives of the people of the respective areas. It is therefore recommended that the physical features, aesthetic and artistic components of these weaving traditions need rigorous documentation to help in recording the social and cultural life of the people through fabric weaving.

Structure, Conduct and Performance of Onion Market in Southern Ghana

&lt;p&gt;The local onion market in Ghana is dominated by ‘on the spot’ market relationships with little or no coordination of chains to improve quality and performance. This study examines the market structure, conduct and their influence on the performance of the onion market in the southern part of Ghana, using data from 180 actors, comprising 80 farmers, 40 wholesalers and 60 retailers. Descriptive statistics, Gini coefficient, Lorenz curve, Herfindahl-Hirschman index and Garett ranking were the methods of analysis used. The results showed that traders were operating in an oligopolistic market with Gini coefficients of 0.62 and 0.56 for wholesalers and retailers, respectively. The findings also revealed that farmers (69%) were more open to contracts than wholesalers (20%) and retailers (11%). Moreover, onion production proved to be costly for farmers as they had a negative return of 1.55% on their investment while wholesalers and retailers made positive returns of 29.85% and 31.1%, respectively. Finally, high production cost, high marketing cost and unavailability of storage structures were ranked as the most pressing constraints to farmers, wholesalers and retailers, respectively. It is recommended that the government, donor support agencies for agriculture and local NGOs come to the aid of farmers by providing them with fixed assets at a subsidized price. This will relieve the farmers from heavy losses which threaten the future food security of the country.&lt;/p&gt;

Performance evaluation of a 20 MW grid-coupled solar park located in the southern oceanic environment of Ghana

In line with government efforts to increase renewable energy in the energy generation mix to 10 percent by the year 2030 and to promote cleaner production in the power sector, ambitious efforts are being made to promote the implementation of utility-scale solar PV plants with ample policy backing. However, performance information is not readily available since implemented large-scale projects are few. This study examines the performance characteristics of a 20 MW grid-tied solar PV plant located about 2 km away from the Gulf of Guinea at the Southern part of Ghana. The study uses a combination of PVsyst simulation and analysis of monitored data spanning the year 2018. The site meteorological data was obtained through NASA satellite and Meteonorm 7.1 station. Monitored data analysis showed that the power plant delivered a total annual energy of 26,480 MWh to the utility grid, whilst simulations gave total annual energy of 29,154 MWh. The final PV array yield values of 3.68 kWh/kWp/d and 4.06 kWh/kWp/d were obtained from the monitored and predicted analysis. Monitored data analysis gave plant performance ratio and capacity factor values of 72.8% and 15.1% whilst simulations produced 80.2% performance ratio and 16.6% capacity factor. The actual and simulated annual average system losses recorded were 0.056 h/d and 0.065 h/d, and the monitored and predicted overall system efficiencies obtained were 11.39% and 12.32%. Carbon emissions savings analysis revealed that the power plant saved 12,181 metric tons in the year 2018. The study gives an insight into valuable performance statistics, seasonal and year-round response relative to the coastal southern part of Ghana. The monitored data and operating experience of the PV system can be applied for the deployment of future large-scale projects in the southern part of Ghana, including other oceanic tropical climate regions in the world.

POS-824 PATTERN OF RENAL DISEASES IN THE PAEDIATRIC RENAL CLINIC, KORLE BU TEACHING HOSPITAL

The pattern of kidney diseases among paediatric patients may differ globally due to environmental and inherited factors. The Paediatric Renal Clinic, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, is a major referral clinic for children with renal diseases in the southern part of Ghana. There is no published data on the pattern of diseases seen in this clinic. Our objective was to determine the pattern of renal diseases seen at the Paediatric Renal Clinic of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. In this retrospective study, we reviewed the data of all patients registered at the Paediatric Renal Clinic of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital from April 2017 to April 2019. The data was analyzed using SPSS© version 24. 226 patients were registered during the period. Mean age was 6.6 years ± 3.8 years [range 2 weeks to 19 years], with a male predominance (62.8% male, 32.7% female). M:F ratio was 1.7:1. The pattern was NS -148(65.5%); CAKUT -29(12.8%); AGN-25(11.1%); AKI-12(5.3%); CKD -7(3.1%) and others- 5(2.2%). The male predominance is higher among patients with AGN (M: F = 2.5:1) and NS (M: F = 1.8:1). Concerning steroid response among patients with NS, 123 (83.1%) were steroid sensitive, 13(8.6%) were steroid dependent, 11(7.9%) were steroid resistant while 1(0.7%) was frequently relapsing. NS response to steroids was not associated with gender (p= 0.237). Multicystic dysplastic kidney disease was the commonest CAKUT accounting for 31% of all CAKUT. The high steroid sensitivity in our study population could be explained by the close monitoring and follow-up of patients that happen in our clinic. It probably reflects the decreasing burden of some of the viral aetiologies of NS, especially as our immunization coverage increases. It could also be due to undetermined genetic factors. The commonest diagnoses in our paediatric renal clinic during the study period were NS, CAKUT and AGN. As NS is a chronic relapsing and remitting disease requiring multidisciplinary management, there is the need to include a comprehensive service in the renal clinic. Our study population showed high steroid sensitivity among patients with NS. Therefore, it is recommended that whenever a patient does not show steroid sensitivity, he/she should be closely monitored to exclude non-adherence to therapy

Morphometric characterization and differentiation of West African Dwarf goat populations in Ghana.

A study was carried out to characterize and differentiate four West African Dwarf goat populations on the basis of morphometric traits and also predict their body weights using linear body measurements. A total of 384 goats were sampled from four agro-ecological zones from the middle belt and southern part of Ghana. The morphometric traits examined for phenotypic differentiation using univariate and multivariate analysis were body weight, body length, withers height, chest girth, chest depth, shoulder point width, rump length, rump width, head length, head width, shin circumference, horn length, ear length, tail length, and hair length. Results obtained showed that agro-ecological zone and age significantly (p < 0.05) influenced the performance of most traits. The phenotypic correlations among the traits were low to high (0.06-0.67) indicating linear relationships among these traits which may be caused by both genetic and environmental factors. The regression analysis also revealed that a single trait which may be used to predict the body weight of male West African Dwarf goats of ages 1-4years is chest/heart girth and that of female counterparts is withers height. All the populations were significantly (p < 0.0001) distant (differentiated) from each other, but the largest (4.62) estimated Mahalanobis distance (D2) was between West African Dwarf goat populations in the transitional zone P1 and the rainforest P3 while the least (1.61) was observed between transitional zone P1 and semi-deciduous forest zone P2. The highest similarity between individuals within population was found in the rainforest P3 (79.76%) and the lowest in the transitional zone P1 (47.13%). The three canonical components (Can1, Can2, and Can3) explained the total (100%) between-population variation in morphometric traits. However, in partitioning of the variance, the first two canonical components (Can1 and Can2) accounted for cumulative proportion of 84.35% of between-population variance. In order of importance, tail length, head length, ear length, shin circumference, head width, and shoulder point width were the most discriminating variables responsible for the variations among the four goat populations. In conclusion, morphometric variations exist among West African Dwarf goat populations of Ghana. Yet, further studies on molecular genetic diversity of the populations are recommended to support a sustainable breed improvement strategy. Also, equations have been developed that can be used to reliably predict the body weight of WAD goats and future research should also focus on developing single variable weight estimator measuring tapes based only on either the chest girth, withers height, or body length prediction equations for farmers to use in the absence of weighing scale.

Application of GIS and Remote Sensing in Determining Trends in Wind Energy Potential and Its Uses for Designing Development Strategies in Ghana

This paper is purported to determine the wind energy potential of Ghana for 2010 and 2018 using GIS and RS technologies and how the result could be used to develop a country strategy that benefits the ordinary Ghanaian. In doing this, two different wind potential maps of Ghana were generated for 2010 and 2018 using data from Ghana meteorological Unit and Windfinder respectively. Moreover, the Inverse Distance Weighted interpolation of winds peed was used to generate the maps at different hub heights for 2010 and 2018. The results indicate that, the 2010 wind map showed wind speed is highest (8m/s) in the southernmost part of Ghana (i.e. Coastal part of Greater Accra and Volta Regions) at 10m high while the wind map of 2018 showed that wind speed is highest (9m/s) in the Upper East Region of Ghana at 10m high. As wind energy is untapped in Ghana, we advised that Government should further explore the results for the Upper East Region in ascertaining that it was not influenced by Trade winds and apply to different sectors of the economy through appropriate institutional regulations. The wind energy in Northern Ghana should be dedicated to mechanized agriculture, augmenting electricity tariffs for the poor in those areas and extending electricity to rural communities that do not have access to the national grid under the rural electrification project. Meanwhile, the wind energy generated from the southern part of Ghana should be dedicated mostly to commercial and industrial activities. Keywords: Wind Energy Potential, mechanized agriculture, industrial application, GIS, RS

Application of GIS and Remote Sensing in Determining Trends in Wind Energy Potential and Its Uses for Designing Development Strategies in Ghana

This paper is purported to determine the wind energy potential of Ghana for 2010 and 2018 using GIS and RS technologies and how the result could be used to develop a country strategy that benefits the ordinary Ghanaian. In doing this, two different wind potential maps of Ghana were generated for 2010 and 2018 using data from Ghana meteorological Unit and Windfinder respectively. Moreover, the Inverse Distance Weighted interpolation of winds peed was used to generate the maps at different hub heights for 2010 and 2018. The results indicate that, the 2010 wind map showed wind speed is highest (8m/s) in the southernmost part of Ghana (i.e. Coastal part of Greater Accra and Volta Regions) at 10m high while the wind map of 2018 showed that wind speed is highest (9m/s) in the Upper East Region of Ghana at 10m high. As wind energy is untapped in Ghana, we advised that Government should further explore the results for the Upper East Region in ascertaining that it was not influenced by Trade winds and apply to different sectors of the economy through appropriate institutional regulations. The wind energy in Northern Ghana should be dedicated to mechanized agriculture, augmenting electricity tariffs for the poor in those areas and extending electricity to rural communities that do not have access to the national grid under the rural electrification project. Meanwhile, the wind energy generated from the southern part of Ghana should be dedicated mostly to commercial and industrial activities. Keywords: Wind Energy Potential, mechanized agriculture, industrial application, GIS, RS

Spatial patterns and trends of extreme rainfall over the southern coastal belt of West Africa

The southern coastal belt of West Africa (SCWA) with its high population density and many major cities, combined to the low elevation and poor urban planning, is very vulnerable to floods resulting from extreme rainfall events. The aim of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of extreme rainfall in the SCWA during the 1981–2015 period, in terms of frequency, intensity, seasonality, and trends. Therefore, daily rainfall of 31 stations located in the southern part of Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin and rainfall estimation products combining in situ observations and satellites rainfall estimation data have been used. For each station and pixel, the local 95th percentile (P95) computed on all rain days of at least 1 mm was used to define extreme rainfall events. Rainfall on the coastal belt is heavier than further inland, with P95 values reaching 82 and 52 mm/day for coastal and continental stations, respectively. Extreme rainfall along the coast occurs predominantly between May and July. Interannual variations of different indicators of extreme rainfall show a broad agreement between rain gauge data and rainfall estimates from CHIRPS (Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station) data. In the southern part of Cote d’Ivoire and Togo/Benin, increase of number of extreme rainfall event (NP95) and stability number of days with rainfall less than P95 (NL95) are recorded, which induces an increase of total rainfall. But, in the southern part of Ghana, there is a stable total rainfall due to an increase in NP95 compensated by a decrease in NL95.

Feasibility study and economic analysis of stand-alone hybrid energy system for southern Ghana

Ghana is endowed with lot of potentials in the renewable energy sector which are yet to be fully exploited. This research evaluated the techno-economic potentials of PV-Wind-DG-Battery and Wind-DG- Battery hybrid power plants in the southern part of Ghana in a town call Mankwadze to ascertain the bankability of the two systems for large-scale commercial electricity generation. The levelized cost of energy (LCOE) and net present cost (NPC) metrics were used in the economic analysis of the modelled power plants. The LCOE and NPC of the two systems were estimated at 0.382 $/kWh and $8,649,054 for the PV-Wind-DG-Battery system, respectively, whiles the Wind-DG-Battery system also recorded 0.396 $/kWh and $8,966,700 for the LCOE and NPC, respectively. The base case (generator) recorded an LCOE of 0.412 $/kWh and an OC of $345,998 with an initial cost of $454,256. The obtained results are all relatively higher than the current cost of energy for household consumers in Ghana, but a sensitivity analysis showed that the LCOEs can be reduced when certain parameters such as cost of fuel, discount and inflation rates are varied. This suggests that such projects can be done when the necessary investment climate is created by those in authority.

Space-time analysis and mapping of prevalence rate of tuberculosis in Ghana

BackgroundGlobal fight against tuberculosis (TB) has received increasing attention over the years. However, the disease remains one of the top-most global health problems, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and Ghana. AimsThis paper examined geographical (regional) and seasonal distribution of TB cases providing relative risk of TB exposure in Ghana and step by step procedure to perform the analysis. Methods and materialWe modelled reported TB cases between 2015 and 2018 using wavelet analysis and applied maximum covariance analysis (MCA) to determine regional and seasonal patterns and the risk of TB exposure in Ghana. This study is based on the old administrative regions of Ghana. ResultsMore TB cases were recorded in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions and less cases in the rest of the regions. There is significant increase in the number of TB cases from 2015 to 2018. High number of TB cases is observed in the dry season relative to the rainy season. There is high variability in TB prevalence with high prevalence moving towards the Southern part of Ghana. ConclusionThe study highlights that TB cases is clustered in space and time and that even at small spatial scale, differences in prevalence can be substantial. The prevelance of TB exposure is higher in the dry season relative to the rainy season. Hence, enough resources should be timely provided during the dry season as well as intensifying preventive strategies to control the spread of the disease.

“Look me, hwε ha, ofainε kwεmɔ biε aha mi fioo!!”: Codeswitching at inter-ethnic traditional marriage ceremonies in southern Ghana

AbstractThis paper investigates the use of codeswitching at traditional inter-ethnic marriage ceremonies in the southern part of Ghana. The study site is Accra, the multilingual capital of Ghana which is located in the south of the country, and was selected due to the high frequency of inter-ethnic marriage ceremonies which take place there. The data analysed were audio-visual recordings of interactions at such ceremonies, collected, by (Nuworsu, Anastasia 2015: Language use in inter-ethnic marriage ceremonies in Greater Accra. MPhil. thesis, Department of Linguistics, University of Ghana, Legon.). They were complemented with observations made at the event grounds, as well as follow up interviews with key actors during and after the events. The theoretical framework employed is based on a combination of Giles’ Communication Accommodation Theory, Hymes’s Ethnography of Communication and Myers-Scotton‘s Markedness Model. It is found that bilinguals who speak on behalf of families participating in the ceremonies often use codeswitching in innovative ways to convey various social messages. Significant uses were: (i) speakers use codeswitching to converge toward the speech of their in-laws in a bid to decrease the social and linguistic distance between the two families and (ii) they use it as a divergence strategy to, for instance, increase the social and linguistic distance between them when they wish to accentuate an ideological, or any other, difference between them. Overall, the study contributes towards insights about inter-group language practices in multilingual African settings, especially in urban areas.

Comparative Analysis of Fluoride Concentrations in Groundwaters in Northern and Southern Ghana: Implications for the Contaminant Sources

Bongo and Sekyere South districts, both in the northern and southern parts of Ghana, respectively, have high populations living in rural areas and most of them use groundwater for drinking purposes. The groundwater in these areas is prone to contamination from natural and/or artificial sources. Therefore this study aims; (1) to present a comparative analysis of the fluoride concentration in groundwater samples from Bongo and Sekyere South districts and the associated groundwater–rock interaction that may be the cause for the varied fluoride concentrations, (2) to determine the leaching potential of fluoride from the host rocks as the possible mechanism for groundwater contamination. Sixty (60) groundwater samples from active pumping wells and twelve (12) rock samples from outcrops were collected from various communities in the two districts for fluoride concentration and mineralogical analysis. Based on the variations in fluoride concentration, fluoride spatial distribution maps were prepared using empirical Bayesian kriging interpolation method and analysed by means of hierarchical cluster analysis. The fluoride concentration in Bongo district varies between 1.71 and 4.0 mg/L, whereas that in Sekyere South district changes from 0.3 to 0.8 mg/L. From the mineralogical studies, biotite has the highest percentage in the Bongo district and has positive correlation with fluoride concentration in the analysed water samples than in the Sekyere South district. The elevated fluoride concentration in the Bongo district relative to the Sekyere South district is due to the dissolution of biotite in the groundwater and the sufficient groundwater–rock interaction since the water samples are mainly sourced from deeper boreholes. This high fluoride concentration has resulted in a plethora of reported cases of dental fluorosis and other health-related issues in Bongo.

Characterisation and identification of local kaolin clay from Ghana: A potential material for electroporcelain insulator fabrication

The aim of this work was to evaluate two kaolin clays from the southern part of Ghana, Assin-Fosu and Kumasi clays, as source clays for the fabrication of electroporcelain insulators. X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, chemical analyses and scanning electron microscopy observations showed the fired clay minerals have broadly similar characteristics, but with significant differences in their chemical composition. The alumina contents were determined to be 35±2wt% and 22±2wt% respectively for the two kaolins and the silica contents 49±3wt% and 58±3wt% respectively. It is concluded that Assin-Fosu kaolin is a reliable local source material for electroporcelain fabrication, while Kumasi kaolin is more suitable for making wall and floor tiles.

Moderating role of teachers’ demographic variables on attitudes and technology Usage in predicting successful inclusive education in Ghana

The purpose of this study was to explore the moderating role of teachers’ demographic characteristics on the attitude and technology usage in predicting successful inclusive education. Using a cross-sectional survey, 124 participants were randomly selected from 15 inclusive schools in the southern part of Ghana. The research instrument was an adapted questionnaire used in previous researches. A conceptual model was constructed and the Partial Least Square (PLS) Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) statistical approach in data analysis was utilized to test the model for the path coefficient results. The results indicated that teachers’ gender, age, experience and qualification did not significantly moderate the teachers’ attitude and technology usage in the prediction of successful inclusive education. It was recommended that teachers require a change of attitude through re-orientation, awareness creation, and active information dissemination through workshops, forums, seminars, television and radio programmes. The Government acting through the MOE, the GES and NGOs should make the provision of equipment to the schools a top priority. Equipment such as computers and their accessories should be supplied to the schools.

English

This research work presents a study on the application of magnetic susceptibility measurements and geochemical analysis for mapping or assessing heavy metal pollution in the agricultural soil in road proximity. The research work was also done to check any runoff of heavy metals pollution to the Owabi dam which serves as the main water sources to catchment areas and the whole of Kumasi Metropolis. This research work was conducted along the asphalt road closed to Amamfrom Community in the southern part of Ghana. The study revealed that magnetic susceptibility measurements can be used as a proxy and fastest method of determining heavy metal pollution in agricultural soils. The results showed three most important trends: 1) the samples collected near the road have higher values of magnetic susceptibility and mean heavy metals content than those collected far from the road exhaust; 2) some of the sample areas undisturbed by erosion and weathering have significant magnetic susceptibility and heavy metals contents; 3) some of the sample areas washed away by erosion are believed to be deposited in Owabi Dam due to their low ground reliefs. Therefore, future research should concentrate on Owabi Dam which may be polluted by the runoff from these heavy metals. &nbsp; Key words: Magnetic susceptibility, heavy metal, pollution, road proximity.