Managing Quality Assurance in Higher Education: The Case of the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Ghana

The paper discusses quality assurance in the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Ghana. The University is a public funded institution established by an act of parliament; Act 830, 2011. As a newly established public funded University, quality assurance plays a central role in satisfying the requirements of stakeholders on the supply and demand sides of higher education, most importantly the regulatory environment-National Accreditation Board and the National Council for Tertiary Education. The paper discusses how the University manages quality assurance in its operations to bring about continuous improvement in teaching and learning. The paper discusses quality assurance as managed in the University- the successes, challenges and the way forward. The paper discusses some challenges that need critical intervention in the management of quality assurance in the University. These include the scenario where some staff have little understanding of quality assurance issues. Some staff also perceive quality assurance as a tool for victimising staff who fall short of quality standards. The issues discussed are very insightful partly because they come from experiences gathered in the design and implementation of quality assurance structures in a newly established university setting. The experiences shared in this paper would be very helpful to other newly established universities in the management of quality assurance. The paper recommends that the Management of the University needs to sensitise staff on quality assurance as a mandatory accreditation requirement and a tool for continuously enhancing quality standards. Keywords: Quality Assurance, Higher education, accreditation, teaching and learning, Ghana

Decentralization and Solid Waste Management in Urbanizing Ghana: Moving beyond the Status Quo

Waste management is competing with more pressing economic and social issues such as social protection programs, education, and health. The government of Ghana has therefore decentralized the waste management system in the country. With this development, local government authorities and private sector actors are now playing key roles in waste management in the country. This study sought to examine decentralized solid waste management in the Berekum and Dormaa Municipalities in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. Specifically, it analyzed the involvement of the private sector in solid waste management, and the quality of waste management services in the two selected municipalities. Through a survey of 312 households, the study analyzed the performance improvement, regulatory policy, and sustainable service delivery of solid waste management in the municipalities. The study found that there were no mechanisms for full cost recovery to include majority of the residents, who patronize communal collection service. The study therefore recommends the adherence to normative standards and agreed rules, adoption, and use of appropriate cost recovery strategies for low-income groups as well as the restructuring of institutional arrangements to ensure user involvement and enforcement of legislation to improve municipal solid waste management in Ghana

Unequal Impact: Climate Change and the Rights of Women and Minority Groups in Africa

The 2021 report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change observed that “vulnerability of ecosystems and people to climate change differs substantially among and within regions […], driven by patterns of intersecting socio-economic development, unsustainable ocean and land use, inequity, marginalization, historical and ongoing patterns of inequity such as colonialism, and governance.” The uneven distribution of climate change impacts is influenced by historical and spatial injustice stemming from systemic discrimination, inequality and marginalization, imperialism, slavery, and colonialism. Sudden and slow onset climate impacts such as rising temperatures and sea levels, increased flooding and drought, ocean acidification, as well as the increasing frequency of extreme climatic events and “natural disasters” exacerbate the vulnerabilities of marginalized communities and groups such as Indigenous Peoples, ethnic and sexual minorities, migrants and refugees. Not only do indigenous peoples face increased risks of poverty, food insecurity, displacement and forced migration, but they also face the possible loss of cultural heritage and erosion of their right to self-determination. In 2021, the Human Rights Council recognized the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a fundamental human right. The Council further recognized that the impacts of climate change, environmental degradation and the continued exploitation of natural resources constitute a significant threat to the effective enjoyment of this right and other human rights. Using doctrinal methods and the human rights-based approach, this paper therefore explores opportunities within the human rights and international development system to effectively address the specific demands for climate justice from vulnerable communities and marginalized groups, focusing on poor and rural women, Indigenous Peoples, informal urban communities (slum dwellers), forest-dependent communities, and sexual minorities. The findings seeks to highlight alternative development approaches that can potentially transform the existing system in the service of more just futures

Refugee rights protection in South Africa

South Africa became party to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1969 OAU Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in 1995. These instruments are the core international human rights laws that promote and protect the rights of refugees. To make these instruments enforceable at the national level, in 1998 South Africa adopted the Refugees Act 130 of 1998, which was later amended by the Refugees Amendment Act (33 of 2008).http://www.withoutprejudice.co.za/am2016Centre for Human Right

Light through the storm : safeguarding the human right to water in challenging landscapes in Africa

The poor regulation of water resources, particularly in Africa, has affected the availability of and accessibility to quality water. The international community has, through a soft and controversial approach, recognised the human right to water, which is generally argued to entitle everyone to sufficient, quality, accessible and affordable water for personal and commercial uses. Through a comparative approach, this article discusses the evolving concept of and states’ practice relating to the human right to water in Africa. Using the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe as case studies, it examined the national regulatory frameworks for safeguarding access to quality water for both domestic and commercial use. The article further explores the challenges surrounding the legal protection and realisation of the right to water in the context of mineral resources extraction in the selected African countries. The article discovered obsolete laws and policies and weak institutional design and capacity as the major challenges in protecting the right to water in the selected countries. It therefore contends that while national regulation remains important in promoting and safeguarding the right to water, policymakers should be primarily mindful of its limitations in the face of institutional bottlenecks, implementation gaps and socioeconomic realities. Accordingly, capacity-building initiatives should aim to educate stakeholders in equitable water resources management and, generally, recognise the close link between the right to water, wellbeing and other human rights.La mauvaise réglementation sur les ressources en eau, en particulier en Afrique, a affecté la disponibilité et l’accessibilité à une eau de qualité. La communauté internationale a, à travers une approche molle controversée, reconnu le droit humain à l’eau, qui est généralement considéré comme garantissant à tous une eau suffisante, de qualité, accessible et abordable pour des usages personnels et commerciaux. A travers une approche comparative, cet article discute le concept en évolution et la pratique des états concernant le droit humain à l’eau en Afrique. Utilisant la République Démocratique du Congo (RD Congo), le Ghana, le Nigéria, l’Afrique du Sud, la Tanzanie, la Zambie et le Zimbabwe comme cas d’études, elle a examiné les cadres réglementaires nationaux pour garantir l›accès à une eau de qualité. L›article explore en outre les défis entourant la protection juridique et la réalisation du droit à l›eau dans le contexte de l›extraction des ressources minérales dans les pays africains sélectionnés. L›article a découvert des lois et des politiques obsolètes et une structure et une capacité institutionnelle faible comme étant les principaux défis pour la protection du droit à l’eau dans les pays sélectionnés. Il soutient donc que, si la réglementation nationale demeure importante pour promouvoir et sauvegarder le droit à l’eau, les décideurs politiques devraient avant tout tenir compte de ses limites face aux goulets d’étranglement institutionnels, aux lacunes de mise en oeuvre et aux réalités socioéconomiques. En conséquence, les initiatives de renforcement des capacités devraient viser à éduquer les parties prenantes à une gestion équitable des ressources en eau et, en général, reconnaître le lien étroit entre le droit à l’eau, le bien-être et les autres droits humains.https://journals.co.za/content/journal/jlc_jclaam2019Centre for Human Right

Protection of environmental assets in urban Africa: regional and sub-regional human rights and practical environmental protection mechanisms

The rapid urbanisation in Africa is resulting in the vigorous degradation of the continent’s environmental resources, especially in urban areas. There is also a growing fear that African governments may become locked into a ‘grow dirty now, clean up later’ development path that may be irreparable, expensive and wasteful. This may also result in a reduction of the welfare of all city dwellers, especially vulnerable groups. This trajectory has negative impacts on environmental rights and particularly the human rights of vulnerable individuals and communities to health, food, water and housing. Adopting a doctrinal method and a human rights-based approach, this article explores the intersection between human rights and environmental protection in the context of rapid urbanisation on the African continent. The main aim of the article is to examine whether, and to what extent, a regional human rights approach to environmental protection safeguards environmental assets in the context of urbanisation at the national level in Africa. The article discusses the nexus between human rights and environment protection in the African context and addresses key issue of human rights and environmental conservation in the context of urbanisation.https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rjhu202019-06-14hj2018Centre for Human Right

TOWARD PROMOTING PROTECTION: REFUGEE PROTECTION AND LOCAL INTEGRATION IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

The ongoing refugee crises across the globe, especially in the case of large influxes and movements in Europe and Africa, remain an unsolved problem. This is particularly evident in Africa. It has been observed that in 2015 the African continent alone had more than 6 million refugees. Therefore this article examines the increasing obstacles in protecting refugees in Sub-Saharan Africa. The key question is how can the protection of refugees be guaranteed, especially during a mass influx in Sub-Saharan Africa? The paper discusses local integration with analytical reference to the Sub-Saharan African context. It argues that the 1969 Organisation of African Unity Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa endorses the minimum normative standards of protection provided in the 1951 Refugee Convention. It further observes that facilitating the development of refugees and their host communities through effective local integration remains a durable solution. It concludes that local integration is possibly the only option for most refugees in Sub-Saharan Africa as possibilities for voluntary repatriation and third country resettlement become eroded in situations of protracted conflicts

Ghana @ 60: Governance and human rights in twenty-first century Africa

Ghana was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence and played a critical role in the political transformation and regional integration in Africa. Over the years, Ghana has transformed from one-party state through military rule to multiparty democracy. Since independence, despite internal challenges, Ghana continues to play a critical transformational role on the African continent. This influence has been reinvigorated since the emergence of the concept of African Renaissance and adoption of the ‘African solutions for African problems’ mantra in the early 2000s. On 6 March 2017, Ghana celebrated its 60th anniversary of independence from colonial rule. Current circumstances in Ghana and Africa reinforce the argument that democracy and the rule of law are maintained by vigilance and involvement of the people. In this regard, this edited volume audited some of the issues relating to the state of human rights standards and compliance, democratic consolidation and development in Ghana as well as to bring forward how Ghana has contributed to the political, economic, cultural and ideological development in Africa. Through a human rights-based approach to governance and socio-economic development, the book examines the experiences of Ghana, selected experiences of other African countries and the African Union in advancing good governance and human rights over the years, on the journey to attain shared prosperity for all. The book takes stock of major developments in the areas of political and civil rights as well as economic, social and cultural rights in Africa, the changing nature of democratisation, regional integration and pan-Africanism, and the ways in which the African Union policies may impact differently on governance and human rights on the continent

An Unintended Legacy: The External Policy Responses of the USA and European Union to Conflict Minerals in Africa

Competition over environmental and natural resources characteristically lies at the heart of armed conflicts in Africa. It is also common knowledge that some companies dealing in products such as laptops, smart phones, and jewellery import minerals from conflict-affected areas, thereby indirectly fuelling conflicts in these areas or undermining human rights. For a continent endowed with natural resources including minerals, Africa has suffered the brunt of this predicament. This state of affairs has lent impetus to the adoption of several regulations geared towards curbing irresponsible business practices by companies relying on such minerals, the goal being, amongst others, to guarantee the protection of human rights. In May 2017, the European Union adopted regulations intended to stop the importation of conflict minerals in Europe, debatably making giant strides in the direction of the protection of human rights. These regulations are to come into force in 2021. However, can these regulations advance the much-desired goal of the protection of human rights in Africa on issues pertaining to conflict minerals? By analyzing the 2017 EU regulations in light of previous regulations of a similar nature, the paper concludes that the said regulations constitute a weak normative framework and could in fact have unintended consequences on the fundamental rights of civilians in natural resource-rich conflict areas of Africa

Extended producer responsibility in developing economies: assessment of promoting factors through retail electronic firms for sustainable e-waste management

The adoption of the extended producers’ responsibility (EPR) principle as a mitigation strategy for e-waste management has gained impetus over the past few years. However, e-waste management in developing economies through retail electronic firms’ or producer responsibility organization is still inceptive. This study identified and analysed promoting factors of EPR principle adoption through retail electronic firms in the Ghanaian electronic industry. Through extant literature and stakeholders’ perspectives, 15 factors were identified as strategic and operational promoting factors, which were evaluated by experts. Subsequently, the grey Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory technique was used to analyse the data obtained. The outcome of the study suggests that operational factors have more influence than strategic factors to determine the adoption of the EPR principle. In addition, most of the important operational factors tend to be enabled by both push and pull measures by supply chain stakeholders. In the short term, adopting an advanced deposit recycling refund scheme tends to be the most effective elementary operational factor, which can push retailers to adopt the EPR principle. The significant pull elementary factors that need short-term attention include the opening up and creation of new market opportunities for e-companies as well as resilient and effective resources management. The study findings suggest that Ghana’s present policy framework is limited for the adoption of the EPR principle by retail electronic firms. The study contributes to identifying promoting factors for adoption of the EPR principle from the perspectives of both the external and internal stakeholders in the electronic industry with emphasis on push and pull strategy