Upper West Region Of Ghana Research Articles

Risk factors associated with meningitis outbreak in the Upper West Region of Ghana: A matched case-control study.

The Northern part of Ghana lies within the African meningitis belt and has historically been experiencing seasonal meningitis outbreaks. Despite the continuous meningitis outbreak in the region, the risk factors contributing to the occurrence of these outbreaks have not been clearly identified. This study, therefore, sought to describe the clinical characteristics and possible risk factors associated with meningitis outbreaks in the Upper West Region (UWR). A 1:2 matched case-control study was conducted in May-December 2021 to retrospectively investigate possible risk factors for meningitis outbreak in the UWR of Ghana between January and December 2020. Cases were persons with laboratory confirmed meningitis, and controls were persons of similar age and sex without meningitis living in the same house or neighborhood with a confirmed case. Both primary and secondary data including clinical, socio-demographic and laboratory information were collected and entered on standard questionnaires. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and conditional logistic regression. Meningitis cases were mostly due to Streptococcus pneumoniae (67/98; 68.37%), followed by Neisseria meningitides serogroup X (27/98; 27.55%). Fever occurred in 94.03% (63/67) of Streptococcus pneumoniae cases and 100% in both Neisseria meningitidis serogroup X (27/27) and Neisseria meningitidis serogroup W groups (3/3). CSF white cell count was significantly associated with the causative agents of meningitis. Conditional logistic regression analysis showed that, passive exposure to tobacco [AOR = 3.65, 95%CI = 1.03-12.96], bedrooms with 3 or more people [AOR = 4.70, 95%CI = 1.48-14.89] and persons with sore throat infection [AOR = 8.97, 95%CI = 2.73-29.43] were independent risk factors for meningitis infection. Headache, fever and neck pain continue to be the most common symptoms reported by meningitis patients. Education and other preventive interventions targeting exposure to tobacco smoke and crowded rooms would be helpful in reducing meningitis outbreaks in the Upper West Region of Ghana.

Predicting irrigation water quality indices in a typical mining dominated area in the Upper West region of Ghana using multiple machine learning techniques

The quality of groundwater resources in artisanal mining districts in Ghana is under threat due to pollution; rendering the resource unsafe for drinking and irrigation purposes. This makes the assessment of the quality of groundwater resources a relevant aspect of groundwater studies as it informs decision making and monitoring. This study adopts 3 Machine Learning (ML) models, Support Vector Regression (SVR), Gradient Boost Regression (GBR), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), to evaluate a variety of irrigation water quality metrics such as Sodium Percentage (Na%), Soluble Sodium Percentage (SSP), Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), Residual Sodium Carbonate (RSC), Permeability Index (PI), Pollution Index of Groundwater (PIG), Kelly’s Ratio (KR), and Magnesium Hazard (MH). 105 samples were collected from a mining area in Northern Ghana and analysed through traditional methods. The Irrigation Water Quality Indices (IWQIs) demonstrate that all water samples are suitable for use as irrigable water with the exception of MH, Na%, PI, and PIG which revealed that 69.52%, 8.57%, 29.52%, and 3.81% are inappropriate for irrigation. SVR, GBR and ANN were used to establish important factors that may influence IWQIs in the area. The measured data was used as independent variables, and the derived IWQIs, the dependent variables. The results revealed that ANN, GBR, and SVR are all viable options for the prediction of IWQIs, but GBR exhibited variable performance in some indices making it lack consistency and thus falls a bit short compared to ANN and SVR. SVR models overall performed best with SVR-RSC having the highest accuracy.

The Nexus Between Quality Assurance Practices and Customer Service Satisfaction of Hotels in the Upper West Region of Ghana

The Nexus Between Quality Assurance Practices and Customer Service Satisfaction of Hotels in the Upper West Region of Ghana

Household water insecurity experience in the Upper West Region of Ghana: Insights for effective water resource management

The global community is not on track to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) by 2030. Many low- and middle-income countries like Ghana still struggle with water insecurity. In semi-arid regions like Ghana’s Upper West, climate change has worsened water insecurity, leading to health and livelihood consequences. In UWR, limited studies have explored water insecurity in rural areas. This study fills a knowledge gap by investigating the determinants of water insecurity in Ghana’s Upper West Region (UWR) from a political ecology of health (PEH) perspective. It comprehensively explores the interplay of social, economic, political, environmental, and health-related factors contributing to water insecurity in the UWR. The results from binary logistic regression show that households in the wealthier category (OR = 0.475, p<0.05) and those that spent less than thirty minutes on a roundtrip to fetch water (OR = 0.474, p<0.01) were less likely to experience water insecurity. On the other hand, households that did not use rainwater harvesting methods (OR = 2.117, p<0.01), had to travel over a kilometer to access water (OR = 3.249, p<0.01), had inadequate water storage systems (OR = 2.290, p<0.001), did not treat their water (OR = 2.601, p<0.001), were exposed to water-induced infections (OR = 3.473, p<0.001), did not receive any water, hygiene, and sanitation education (OR = 2.575, p<0.01), and faced water scarcity during the dry season (OR = 2.340, p<0.001) were at a higher risk of experiencing water insecurity. To mitigate the risks of water insecurity and adverse health impacts, policymakers and practitioners must work together to educate households on effective water conservation, storage, and treatment techniques. It is recommended that households harvest rainwater as a coping strategy, construct appropriate storage systems, and treat their water. Communal self-help water investments should be encouraged and supported. Given the significant aquifers and semi-arid landscape of the UWR, investing in groundwater development should be a top priority.

Spatial clustering of domestic violence attitudes toward women in Ghana.

Violence against women is a global public health issue associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The United Nations defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life". There is paucity of data on the spatial distribution and predictors of violence against women in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this study was to investigate the geographical distribution of attitudes toward wife beating in Ghana, a sub-Saharan African country, utilizing data from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). Participants from over eleven thousand households were surveyed on topics of demographics and justification of wife beating in at least one of five different scenarios. The identification of geographic clusters of men and women who endorsed wife beating was performed using Ripley K functions. The comparison of the spatial distributions of women and men justifying wife beating were performed using spatial relative risk surfaces. The spatial analysis indicated the presence of clusters in women and men's approval for wife beating compared to those who do not approve of wife beating, with a statistical significance level set at p < 0.01. Major spatial clusters of approval of wife beating were in the Northern region, for both men and women, and in the Upper West region of Ghana for the men participants. This is the first study to explore the geographical distribution of attitudes toward wife beating in Ghana, and revealed evidence of several regional heterogeneous clusters where wife beating was more commonly justified by both men and women. Targeted intervention for reducing the justification of wife beating in Ghana should be focused in these regions.

First report of native Beauveria bassiana and Trichoderma ghanense as bio-control agents against Spodoptera frugiperda in Ghana

Signs of mycosis on mummified Spodoptera frugiperda cadavers were found in maize fields in the Ejura-Sekyedumase and Wa Municipalities in the Ashanti Region and Upper West Region of Ghana, respectively, during the 2019 to 2022 growing seasons. Two major signs were observed on two sets of cadavers that were collected. These were dense white powdery colony encapsulating cadavers, and green powdery growth engulfing cadavers. The causal fungi were confirmed as Beauveria bassiana from white cadaver mummies and Trichoderma ghanense from green cadaver mummies based on morphological and molecular characteristics. The two fungi were assessed for their lethal effect against 3rd instar larvae of S. frugiperda by artificial inoculation. The inoculation was performed with conidia suspension of 1 × 108 conidia/ml for each fungi. B. bassiana caused 55% larval mortality, which was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the 32.5% caused by T. ghanense. No larval mortality was recorded for the control. Artificially inoculated 3rd instar S. frugriperda larvae exhibited signs similar to those observed on infected larvae collected from the field. The respective pathogens were re-isolated and the morphology matched B. bassiana and T. ghanense, respectively. The findings indicate the potential of the two fungi as bio-control agents for management of S. frugiperda on maize. The obtained result could find application in the formulation of bio-pesticides for S. frugiperda management.

Does government food demonstration interventioninfluence household dietary diversity in the Upper West Region of Ghana?

Dietary diversity is crucial in ensuring food and nutrition security. In low-middle-income countries, people frequently prioritize the quantity of food they consume over its quality due to a lack of availability and financial limitations. As a result, achieving dietary diversity is often overlooked in favor of ensuring adequate caloric intake. Through a social cognitive theory perspective, our study examines the relationship between food demonstrations and household dietary diversity in Ghana's Upper West Region utilizing cross-sectional survey data from 517 smallholder farmer households. The results from ordered logistic regression presented in odds ratio (OR) show that participating in food demonstrations (OR: 2.585, p<0.01), engaging in home gardening (OR: 1.932, p<0.001), having access to credit (OR: 1.609, p<0.01), self-rated good nutritional status (OR: 1.747, p<0.01), and Waala ethnicity (OR: 3.686, p<0.001) were all positively associated with high household dietary diversity. Conversely, living in the Wa West district was associated with lower dietary diversity (OR: 0.326, p<0.001). Our research findings suggest that policymakers may want to consider implementing community-based educational programs, such as home and school visits for food demonstrations and sensitizations, promoting mother-to-mother support groups for dietary diversity education, nutrition counseling services, and using role-play and local media. In addition, strengthening local agricultural policies through food banks, indigenous seed development, and mobile food markets and enhancing public-private partnerships like the Ghana Schools Feeding Programme and National Food Buffer Stock company could improve the supply chain and distribution networks for diverse food items. Implementing these interventions in the Upper West Region of Ghana could improve health, well-being, food security, and nutritional outcomes.

Relations between Totems and Humans, the Dagara of Jirapa in the Upper West Region of Ghana, and Indigenous Belief Systems and Lessons for Modern Environmental Conservation

This essay investigates how the Dagara totemic relationship with totems may be used to protect biodiversity. The Jirapa municipality, one of the municipalities in Ghana's Upper West Region, is the subject of this essay. The study looked into how the totemic connection could be used to advance biodiversity protection and conservation in the Jirapa municipality and elsewhere. It made use of a phenomenological research. No matter where they are located, people who share a totem or, for that matter, a common ancestor, have similar belief systems and take part in similar cultural rituals, according to the study. One of the most important findings of the study was that people would go to great lengths to protect and never destroy their totems, whether they were plants or animals. Because they considered it to be one of them, the people whose totem it was protected the object. This resulted in the preservation of several plant and animal species. Totems represent family, clan ties, and what people view as appropriate or wrong behavior, according to one conclusion. The participants' conversation led them to the conclusion that totems are spiritual beings that defend their human relationships. In conclusion, there are numerous ways that this link might be used to protect biodiversity. The report makes the suggestion that modern conservation organizations, agencies, and partners use indigenous cultural practices in their conservation programs. In order to increase natural resource conservation, communities where these kinds of traditional or cultural practices are still practiced should be encouraged to maintain and spread these traditions abroad. Keywords: Jirapa, Dagara, totems, symbiotic relationships, and conservation of nature

Assessing the Relationship between Technological Factors and the Implementation of Human Resource Information System: A survey in the Municipal, Metropolitan, and District Assemblies in the Upper West Region of Ghana

Over the years, public sector organization such as Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana have been challenged by a significant number of factors that affect the implementation of Human Resource Management Information Systems (HRISs). The study focuses on assessing the technological factors affecting the implementation of the HRIS in the MMDAs in the Upper West Region of Ghana. The philosophical foundation of the study was positivism. A cross-sectional survey was employed in the study as part of a quantitative research design. The target population comprised of 187 Line managers. The study used a non-probability sampling technique known as purposive sampling. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect primary data. The study also embraced descriptive and inferential statistics. Bivariate regression analysis and correlation coefficient were used to establish causal relationships between variables. Stepwise regression was also used to determine the most influential variables in implementing of HRIS. It was concluded that IT Infrastructure and Compatibility had a moderate level of acceptance as factors that affect the implementation of the HRIS. In contrast, Quality Information, System Quality, and Complexity had a low level of acceptance. The study also concluded that Complexity, Quality Information, Compatibility and System Quality had correlated with the acceptance of the HRIS, whereas IT infrastructure did not correlate with the acceptance of the HRIS. Lastly, it was concluded that IT Infrastructure, Complexity, Quality Information, Compatibility, and System Quality did correlate with the Effectiveness of the HRIS. The study recommends that, HRIS Software adopted and implemented at the LGS and its Agencies must be user-friendly. The LGS and its Agencies do not have a guide that support new technology implementation such as the HRIS. Hence the need to adopt the guide offered in this study.

Evaluating the Low Performance of Local Ghanaian Construction Firms in the Upper West Region of Ghana

Evaluating the Low Performance of Local Ghanaian Construction Firms in the Upper West Region of Ghana

THE INFLUENCE OF EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HUMAN RESOURCE INFORMATION SYSTEM IN GHANA. AN EMPIRICAL STUDY IN THE UPPER WEST REGION MMDA’S

The study examines the relationship between the external factors (government policy, external support and competitive pressure) and the implementation of the HRIS (acceptance and effectiveness). The study assessed the level of acceptability of each variable in the study. The study was a quantitative study which centers on question-based survey. The study used purposive sampling technique and a sample of 187 line managers of the eleven (11) MMDAs in the Upper West Region of Ghana were selected. The unit of analysis was at the individual level where opinions of the line managers were sought to assess the relationship between the individual characteristics and the implementation the HRIS. The unit of measurement was likert scale. SPSS was used to carry out the analysis of this study. Bivariate correlation was used to establish one-on-one relationship between variables operationalized in this study. The findings revealed that Competitive Pressure and External Support had a moderate level of acceptance whereas Government Policies have a low level of acceptance as factors that affect the implementation of the HRIS. The study revealed that, government policies, external support, competitive pressure had correlation with the acceptance of the HRIS. Lastly, it concluded that government colicies, competitive pressure had correlation with the effectiveness of the HRIS whereas external support had no correlation with the effectiveness of the HRIS. The study recommended Ghana's government to create sound regulations that will facilitate the HRIS adoption and implementation.&#x0D; Keywords: Human Resource Information System, Environmental Factors, Implementation, Government Policy, External Support, Competitive Advantage, Acceptance, Effectiveness.

EXPLORING LINE MANAGERS’ PERSPECTIVE ON THE EFFECTS OF ORGANISATIONAL FACTORS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HRIS: A SURVEY IN THE MMDAS IN THE UPPER WEST REGION OF GHANA

This study explored the line managers’ perspective on the organizational factors affecting the implementation of the Human Resource Information System (HRIS) in the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDA’S) in the Upper West Region (UWR) of Ghana. In order to accomplish the purpose of the study, five organizational factors were explored from literature namely: Top Management Support, Financial Resources, Training, Relative Advantage and Change Management. Data was collected through a questionnaire. 187-line managers were purposively selected from the eleven MMDA’s in the UWR of Ghana. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Software (SPSS). The study concluded that, Top Management Support, Financial Resources, Training, had a moderate level of acceptance as factors that affect the implementation of the HRIS whereas Relative Advantage and Change Management had a low level of acceptance. The study also concluded that Top Management Support, Relative Advantage had correlation with Effectiveness whereas Financial Resources, Training, Change Management had no correlation with the Effectiveness. The study recommended that top management must support and provide enough financial resources in the implementation of the HRIS.&#x0D; Keywords: Human Resource Information System, Organisational Factors, Implementation.

Determinants of loan sizes in microfinance institutions: evidence from the Upper West Region of Ghana

Determinants of loan sizes in microfinance institutions: evidence from the Upper West Region of Ghana

Using participatory videos in understanding farmers experiences with climate smart agricultural practices: reflections from Ghana

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has gained traction as one of the effective strategies in tackling the climate crisis. Many CSA practices have been promoted by development agencies to smallholder farmers based on the assumption that farmers would adopt these innovations for their potential benefits. However, the adoption of CSA practices in Ghana and much of Africa remains low and decision making and on-farm innovation processes are poorly understood. This study seeks to provide empirical and participatory insight into how smallholder farmers innovate. Based on a novel application of a participatory video methodology, in farming communities in the Upper West Region of Ghana, that have been exposed to multiple CSA intervention programmes, the paper analyses farmers’ own self-curated accounts of experiences with CSA innovation. The findings show that farmer’s motivation to adopt CSA innovations is driven by their concerns for food security, economic gains, and the environmental impact of climate change on their farming activities and livelihood. The study reveals a mismatch between the CSA technologies and practices advanced by the development agencies and what farmers perceive as relevant and important in addressing their farming challenges. In particular, the findings show that in a pool of more than 12 CSA technologies and practices that had been promoted through three donor-driven intervention programmes in the communities, farmers selected less labour intensive, less costly, and CSA technologies and practices that fitted to their current farming practices and the local context. Agricultural extension agents served as an important information source on the CSA innovation and their practical implementation and farmers’ social groups played a crucial role in facilitating learning about the CSA technologies and practices. There is the need to integrate farmers voices using innovative methodologies such as participatory videos to better understand farmers’ experiences in the innovation process which will help inform the design of effective interventions and promote adoption of innovations aimed at enhancing the productivity of smallholder farmers and reducing environmental impacts in African food systems. By focusing on the innovations that farmers perceive as beneficial and adaptable to their local contexts, development organizations can use their resources more efficiently and promote adoption of contextually appropriate CSA innovations.

Exploring the Interplay of Socio-Demographic Factors, Medication Preferences, and Adherence Behaviors in Candidiasis Treatment Outcomes in Ghanaian Females

Introduction: Candidiasis, a fungal infection caused primarily by Candida species, affects millions of people worldwide, particularly women. Despite the availability of antifungal treatments, treatment failures remain a significant challenge. This study aimed to identify factors contributing to treatment failures in candidiasis among females in the Wa Municipality, Upper West Region of Ghana, to inform targeted interventions and improve patient outcome Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 93 females with a history of candidiasis using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and correlations were used to analyse the data. Results: The majority of participants (92%) were aged between 11-30 years. More than half correctly identified candidiasis as a yeast infection, while others attributed it to poor hygiene and filthy environments. Oral medication was the most preferred treatment. Significant correlations were found between education, age, drug acquisition source, and treatment-related variables. Incomplete dosage intake was common, with reasons including perceived healing and saving medication for future use. Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to improve candidiasis prevention, diagnosis, and management in the region. Recommendations include strengthening public education, enhancing access to quality-assured antifungal medications, promoting adherence support, and establishing antifungal resistance surveillance.

The Impact of Internal Audit System on Good Corporate Governance, a Study of Tertiary and Second Cycle

Internal audit has been in increasing demand in both the public and private sectors because it has impacted a lot by instituting several rules and control measures to guide their operations, especially in tertiary and second-cycle institutions. The main purpose of the research was to assess the impact of the internal audit system on good corporate governance through a study of tertiary and second-cycle institutions in Wa, Upper West Region of Ghana. The main objective of the study is to assess the impact of the internal audit system on corporate governance. Nonrandom (purposive) and random sampling techniques were employed in the study. The population was internal auditors and management at four tertiary institutions and one municipal education office, making a total population of 5. The sample size was made up of 10 respondents, consisting of 5 internal auditors and 5 management staff. The study revealed that internal audit activities help promote good corporate governance by focusing on compliance with laws and regulations and also evaluating fraud and errors. Also, the study found that the internal auditors play a key role in their institutions, and most of these institutions have inadequate audit staff. It is recommended that the internal audit units be provided with enough staff in order to be able to do their work effectively and on time. Internal auditors need to be adequately resourced, especially in the use of appropriate technology, rather than focusing too much on traditional systems.

From Practice to Performance: the Experience of Hotels in Adopting Strategic Human Resource Management Practices in the Upper West Region of Ghana

The study examined hotels' experiences with strategic human resource management practices and performance. The study adopted the best-fit approach and contingency approach. The study sampled 50 managers and manageresses using convenient sampling approaches, and 7 key informants were interviewed to probe further information received from hotel managers via questionnaires. The study used a combination of methodologies. The study shows that human resource management strategies have a favourable effect on hotel performance in terms of productivity, recruiting and training, retention, customer happiness, job descriptions, feedback, and performance evaluation. There are no variables in the management practices, indicating that they are insignificant and have no effect on performance. To ensure quality performance, hotels should improve their execution of strategic human resource management.

STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES; INSIGHTS FROM HOTELS IN THE UPPER WEST REGION, GHANA

The study “Strategic Human Resource Management Practices; Insights from Hotels in the Upper West Region of Ghana” examines strategic human resource management practices and their contribution to hotel growth and development in the Upper West Region. The Resource Based View was the theory used in the study. In addition, two broad types of data, secondary and primary data, were used in the study. Questionnaire Administration and Key Informant Interviews were the methods used to collect the data from respondents. Findings revealed that SHRM practices such as selection and recruitment, training and development, appraisal, teamwork, and promotion are practices hotels in the Upper West Region utilise to enhance their organisational performance. Therefore, it is recommended that the management of hotels should prioritise human resource development, focusing on recruitment of qualified personnel, training and benchmarking of standard practice.&#x0D; Keywords: Human Resource, Management, Training, Hotels, development, Organizational, Performance.

Regionally unique ant assemblages associated with community‐based conservation in northwestern Ghana

AbstractCommunity‐based conservation can play an important role in preserving biodiversity, but it is unclear whether such benefits extend to invertebrate communities; in particular, baseline data for insect communities is lacking to assess efficacy of conservation efforts. Here we evaluate ant assemblages across three habitats, protected within the Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary (WCHS) in the Upper West Region of Ghana. We compare relative ant species diversity and uniqueness between the sanctuary's Guinea savannah, riparian forest, and floodplain habitats. Ants were collected with other invertebrates using malaise traps, pitfall traps, and yellow pan traps between 2001 and 2011 multiple times per year. From these data, we compiled a list of ant species found, castes collected, and functional groups, and evaluated the differences in ant diversity among the habitats using accumulation curves, assemblage structure comparison, and Morisita‐Horn indices. We also compared the overall WCHS assemblage to other ant assemblages in Western Africa to gain a clearer understanding of relative diversity and uniqueness. We collected 83 species from seven subfamilies and 44 genera; 14 of the species were previously unrecorded in Ghana, including one ant species new to science. Ant species diversity differed among habitats in assemblage composition but not significantly in species richness. We found that the WCHS ant assemblage was relatively unique, sharing only about 35% of species found in similar Côte d'Ivoire habitats, and 25% of other Ghanaian assemblages. Some species present in the WCHS were not found in any of the other compared assemblages. We conclude that community‐based conservation initiatives like the WCHS may play an important role in conserving the biodiversity of ants.

Alcohol misuse as a social determinant of food insecurity among smallholder farmers

The availability and affordability of alcohol in smallholder communities have surged the misuse of alcohol. Misusing alcohol has dire health and nutrition consequences in smallholder communities. Alcohol misuse can divert household resources from essential household needs such as food and also hinder local food production. In the context of multiple stressors on smallholder farmers' livelihoods, it is crucial to assess the relationship between alcohol consumption and smallholder farmers' experience of hunger. Therefore, we used data from a cross-sectional survey involving 1100 smallholder farmers in the Upper West region of Ghana to examine the association between alcohol consumption and household food insecurity. Results showed that daily (OR = 3.81; p ≤ 0.001) and weekly/frequent (OR = 2.32; p ≤ 0.001) consumption of alcohol was significantly associated with higher odds of household food insecurity compared to no consumption. The relationship between alcohol and food insecurity was bidirectional. The experience of food insecurity was also significantly associated with higher odds of occasional or frequent alcohol consumption. While alcohol misuse can transition smallholder households into food insecurity, the household heads of food insecure households may resort to alcohol to cope with underlying stressors such as climate change and food insecurity. This calls for policy interventions to mitigate alcohol misuse through regulations, surveillance, economic disincentives and improving the social mechanisms of resilience to climate change and food insecurity in smallholder communities. However, policy approaches must be cautious not to disrupt the livelihoods of vulnerable smallholder farmers.