Exploring the Factors Perceived to be Inhibiting the Realisation of the Objectives of the Ghana Alternative Market (GAX)

The Ghana Alternative Market (GAX) was established in 2013 to provide equity financing avenue for the development of SMEs and startups in Ghana. However, after six years of its establishment, the market is still unable to attract adequate listing of SMEs and startups. This study explored the factors perceived to be inhibiting the realisation of the objectives of the GAX, and its target of listing fifty firms by the end of 2020. Frequency distribution, bivariate correlations and multiple regression techniques were explored in this study. The correlation analysis shows that “extent of objective realisation” is significantly associated with “achievement of target by the end of 2020”, “perceived importance” of GAX, and “inadequate information” on GAX, but is not correlated significantly with the other variables at 5% level of significance. The regression analysis revealed that fear of failure of small and medium businesses and startups and the low-income situation of prospective investors make negative influences on the degree to which the objective of GAX could be met. Thus, the degree to which the objective of GAX is met decreases as investors’ fear of failure and low-income situations increase. Taken into consideration the fact that only five (5) companies have been listed on the GAX since its inception, and the fact that only a few months remain till the end of 2020, it seems very difficult for the authorities of GAX to attain its target of listing 50 firms by the end of 2020. It is recommended that more time and efforts are needed for the realisation of its objectives. The officials of Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) and GAX must intensify education on the sector to boost the confidence of owners of SMEs and startups in the operations of the sector. Again, the government of Ghana must improve economic conditions in Ghana to increase the real incomes of workers in Ghana so as to help more people buy securities of listed SMEs and startups. The costs and requirements for listing on the GAX must be scaled down further. The government of Ghana must find the possibility of synchronising the activities of National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP), Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) and GAX to reduce duplication of efforts and to ensure efficient allocation of financial resources to SMEs and startups in Ghana

Developing Sports for Economic Growth and Development in Developing Countries

Many developing countries still struggle to industrialise to speed up the pace of economic growth and development. Given this, they continue to search for antidotes to the challenges of their underdevelopment. Sports development is touted by many as one of the antidotes to the underdevelopment challenges of developing countries. However, the major challenges developing countries face in recent times are how they can develop sports and how they can adequately harness its benefits for economic growth and development. This paper sought to holistically explore the challenges of sports development in developing nations, the long-term complementary strategies or cardinal pillars of sports development in developing nations, and the benefits of sports development and their effects on economic growth and development of developing nations. This paper employed a narrative overview research approach to arriving at its conclusions. It concludes that sports development hinges on the holistic development of ten long-run complementary strategies or cardinal pillars. In addition, sports development offers eight significant benefits that can help achieve economic growth and development in developing nations. One of the study's main recommendations is that sufficient and sustained levels of all kinds of investment in sports, coupled with strong institutions, good governance, and practical and interrelated policies, are critical for sports development and economic growth and development in developing countries

Determinants Of Capital Market Development In Ghana

This study sought to investigate the macroeconomic factors that influence capital market development in Ghana. The study was based on multiple linear regression analysis based on quarterly secondary data spanning from 1991 to 2011. Exploratory data analysis was used to verify and resolve basic assumptions of multivariate analysis. Research tools such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) through Path Analysis (i.e. Layered Regression technique) and tests of interactions among variables were used to test for the linear relationships between key variables in the estimated equations. The main empirical contribution of this study is that capital market development in Ghana is positively influenced by gross capital formation (GFI) and GDP growth, but negatively influenced by Treasury bill rates (T-BILLS). Inflation and foreign direct investments (FDI) did not prove significant in the estimated equation. These imply that policy-makers in Ghana should promote the growth of real income or output, and physical infrastructural development to enhance capital market development in Ghana. Interest rates and the government of Ghana’s Treasury bill rates must be fixed at reasonable levels to encourage investments in capital market securities. The application of this study is that the results and the estimated model are useful for predicting long run growth paths of capital markets in developing countries when country specific problems are well addressed

The State as an Engine of Inclusive Sustainable Economic Growth and Development

This paper is a qualitative analysis of the critical role of government in promoting inclusive sustainable economic growth and development. This critical role of government transcends beyond an economy’s experience of normal economic life or economic crisis, the type of economic system that is being practiced by a nation, and the level of development of a nation. The reason is that government serves as a stimulator, driver, sparker, lubricator, and the co-ordinator of the other economic units to create a conducive environment needed for private sector growth and the overall development of an economy. Though, the state also has its deficiencies in resource allocation and the management of the economy, a poorly functioning government portends economic doom. The exclusive roles of governments in promoting inclusive sustainable economic growth and development are: smoothening markets activities, promoting better macroeconomic performances, driving, sparking, stimulating, and lubricating the private sector for growth, mitigating social vices, undertaking financial sector cleanup, stabilisation, restructuring, providing stimulus packages to address economic meltdowns or recessions, and combating pandemics. This study concludes that the state serves as an engine of inclusive sustainable economic growth and development. This study recommends that governments must be held accountable by their citizenry and the international community for their actions and inactions and should be prevented from shirking their responsibilities to their societies. They need to be more efficient and proactive in ensuring public sector efficiency so as to spearhead economic growth and development. Again, the roles of the state and the private sector in promoting inclusive sustainable economic growth and development must not be mutually exclusive. Every economy must strive for a healthy balance between private sector and state planning that will lead to inclusive sustainable economic growth and development. Governments must promote effective governance and combat corruption both in the private and public sectors of every economy

Influencers of Inflation in Ghana

The effects of inflation on the economic life of the citizenry of a country and the theoretical causes have led to numerous researches in the area. Annual inflation rates in Ghana since 1990 show a fluctuating trend depicting how unsuccessful various governments and policy-makers have battled with changes in the general price level. The theoretical and empirical literature on inflation seem to suggest that the causes of inflation are multifaceted, and time specific, as well as dependent on the level of development of a country. This paper attempts to explore some of major triggers of inflation Ghana for decision-making and implementation as well as adding to existing researches in the area. It uses multiple linear regression analysis based on structural equation modelling through path analysis. It concludes that interest rate, proxied by Treasury bill rates, is the only major variable that has a positive and significant effect on inflation in Ghana with regard to the time period studied. Factors such as GDP growth, market capitalisation, gross fixed investment, and foreign direct investments proved insignificant in influencing inflation in Ghana. This study lends support to the fact that inflation reacts positively to changes in interest rates, therefore, governments and policy-makers must consider it critical when pursuing propoor growth policies

Effects of Mobile Money on Beige Bank, Ghana

The motivation for this study was that, existing literature have reported on the growth of mobile money (MM) and its clientele base. However, studies on the effects of mobile money service on customers and performance of an individual bank; challenges, threats, and opportunities mobile money service presents to an individual bank are very rare to find so adding to the existing studies on the sector will help provide more insight into the operations of the sector and direct policy decisions of policy-makers, bank officials, and telecom operators. This study sought to find out how mobile money services have affected customers and performance of Beige Bank in Ghana. The research is a descriptive survey design that presents results in mean scores, frequency distribution tables, pie charts, bar graph, and Chi-square test of relationship. The study found that mobile money service had a positive effect on customers’ remittances. Also, mobile money positively influenced customers’ saving habits. Furthermore, majority of the respondents had bank accounts, mobile money accounts, and still engaged in MM transactions. Again, instead of being a threat, mobile money presents opportunities like, cross selling of products, increase in customer base through the registration of mobile money agents, and increased bank commissionIt is recommended that Beige Bank, Ghana and other banks in Ghana should focus on getting mobile agents to save and buy E-cash from them, and develop mobile phone apps which provide access to mobile money service where customers can easily transfer money between their bank accounts and their mobile money wallets

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Intravenous Aviptadil and Remdesivir for Treatment of COVID-19-Associated Hypoxaemic Respiratory Failure in the USA (Tesico): A Randomised, Placebo-Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: There is a clinical need for therapeutics for COVID-19 patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure whose 60-day mortality remains at 30-50%. Aviptadil, a lung-protective neuropeptide, and remdesivir, a nucleotide prodrug of an adenosine analog, were compared with placebo among patients with COVID-19 acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure. METHODS: TESICO was a randomised trial of aviptadil and remdesivir versus placebo at 28 sites in the USA. Hospitalised adult patients were eligible for the study if they had acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure due to confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and were within 4 days of the onset of respiratory failure. Participants could be randomly assigned to both study treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial design or to just one of the agents. Participants were randomly assigned with a web-based application. For each site, randomisation was stratified by disease severity (high-flow nasal oxygen or non-invasive ventilation vs invasive mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation [ECMO]), and four strata were defined by remdesivir and aviptadil eligibility, as follows: (1) eligible for randomisation to aviptadil and remdesivir in the 2 × 2 factorial design; participants were equally randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) to intravenous aviptadil plus remdesivir, aviptadil plus remdesivir matched placebo, aviptadil matched placebo plus remdesvir, or aviptadil placebo plus remdesivir placebo; (2) eligible for randomisation to aviptadil only because remdesivir was started before randomisation; (3) eligible for randomisation to aviptadil only because remdesivir was contraindicated; and (4) eligible for randomisation to remdesivir only because aviptadil was contraindicated. For participants in strata 2-4, randomisation was 1:1 to the active agent or matched placebo. Aviptadil was administered as a daily 12-h infusion for 3 days, targeting 600 pmol/kg on infusion day 1, 1200 pmol/kg on day 2, and 1800 pmol/kg on day 3. Remdesivir was administered as a 200 mg loading dose, followed by 100 mg daily maintenance doses for up to a 10-day total course. For participants assigned to placebo for either agent, matched saline placebo was administered in identical volumes. For both treatment comparisons, the primary outcome, assessed at day 90, was a six-category ordinal outcome: (1) at home (defined as the type of residence before hospitalisation) and off oxygen (recovered) for at least 77 days, (2) at home and off oxygen for 49-76 days, (3) at home and off oxygen for 1-48 days, (4) not hospitalised but either on supplemental oxygen or not at home, (5) hospitalised or in hospice care, or (6) dead. Mortality up to day 90 was a key secondary outcome. The independent data and safety monitoring board recommended stopping the aviptadil trial on May 25, 2022, for futility. On June 9, 2022, the sponsor stopped the trial of remdesivir due to slow enrolment. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04843761. FINDINGS: Between April 21, 2021, and May 24, 2022, we enrolled 473 participants in the study. For the aviptadil comparison, 471 participants were randomly assigned to aviptadil or matched placebo. The modified intention-to-treat population comprised 461 participants who received at least a partial infusion of aviptadil (231 participants) or aviptadil matched placebo (230 participants). For the remdesivir comparison, 87 participants were randomly assigned to remdesivir or matched placebo and all received some infusion of remdesivir (44 participants) or remdesivir matched placebo (43 participants). 85 participants were included in the modified intention-to-treat analyses for both agents (ie, those enrolled in the 2 x 2 factorial). For the aviptadil versus placebo comparison, the median age was 57 years (IQR 46-66), 178 (39%) of 461 participants were female, and 246 (53%) were Black, Hispanic, Asian or other (vs 215 [47%] White participants). 431 (94%) of 461 participants were in an intensive care unit at baseline, with 271 (59%) receiving high-flow nasal oxygen or non-invasive ventiliation, 185 (40%) receiving invasive mechanical ventilation, and five (1%) receiving ECMO. The odds ratio (OR) for being in a better category of the primary efficacy endpoint for aviptadil versus placebo at day 90, from a model stratified by baseline disease severity, was 1·11 (95% CI 0·80-1·55; p=0·54). Up to day 90, 86 participants in the aviptadil group and 83 in the placebo group died. The cumulative percentage who died up to day 90 was 38% in the aviptadil group and 36% in the placebo group (hazard ratio 1·04, 95% CI 0·77-1·41; p=0·78). The primary safety outcome of death, serious adverse events, organ failure, serious infection, or grade 3 or 4 adverse events up to day 5 occurred in 146 (63%) of 231 patients in the aviptadil group compared with 129 (56%) of 230 participants in the placebo group (OR 1·40, 95% CI 0·94-2·08; p=0·10). INTERPRETATION: Among patients with COVID-19-associated acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure, aviptadil did not significantly improve clinical outcomes up to day 90 when compared with placebo. The smaller than planned sample size for the remdesivir trial did not permit definitive conclusions regarding safety or efficacy. FUNDING: National Institutes of Health

Digital Platforms in Climate Information Service Delivery for Farming in Ghana

AbstractPhone-based applications, Internet connectivity, and big data are enabling climate change adaptations. From ICT for development and agriculture perspectives, great interest exists in how digital platforms support climate information provision for smallholder farmers in Africa. The vast majority of these platforms both private and public are for delivering climate information services and for data collection. The sheer number of digital platforms in the climate information sector has created a complex information landscape for potential information users, with platforms differing in information type, technology, geographic coverage, and financing structures and infrastructure. This chapter mapped the existing climate information services and examined their impact on policy and practices in smallholder farming development in Africa, with a focus on Ghana. Specifically, the chapter provides highlights of digital platforms available to smallholder farmers and agricultural extension agents, analyzes the public and/or private governance arrangements that underpin the implementation of digital climate information delivery, and assesses the potential of these platforms in scaling up the use of climate information. The chapter contributes to understanding the dynamics of climate information delivery with digital tools in Africa, and suggests a future research agenda

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication