Newly independent nations and large engineering projects: the case of the Volta River Project

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explicate how newly independent nations combined local and international resources to plan and build large engineering projects aimed at enhancing economic development. It discusses the key factors and issues related to the planning and building of the Akosombo dam and related townships from 1962 to 1967. Design/methodology/approach: Archival information from the Volta River Authority (VRA) together with other archival government data and interview transcripts before, during and after the completion (from the 1950s to the 1960s) of the Volta River Project (VRP) Findings: The paper presents insights from the Volta River Project in newly independent Ghana and demonstrates how multiple international firms combine with host country stakeholders to usher in one of the most important engineering projects in post-colonial Africa. It also highlights how poor bargaining power and weak integration of projects to future development objectives, with negligence by succeeding political actors could inhibit the full achievement of intended long-term project outcomes. Research Limitations/implications: Most of the conclusions are drawn from a single project within one country and would need to be supported by additional multi-country research. The study also presents an opportunity to explore how lessons learnt could influence policymaking in new large and complex infrastructure projects. Originality/value: The paper reviews antecedents, processes and outcomes of a major post-independence infrastructure project in a sub-Saharan African country

An integrated perspective on foreign ethical divestment

Much of the existing literature on foreign ethical divestment has been developed in isolation and scattered across multiple disciplines. This paper reviews the existing literature on foreign ethical divestment to extract emerging themes and outline new directions for future research. Our review uncovered that foreign ethical divestment decisions can be attributed to macro, firm and individual level factors. We therefore develop an integrated model to link the dynamics of ethical foreign divestment. The study identified a number of unanswered questions and implications for future research

Africa’s single aviation market: The progress so far

To promote the development of air transport at the continental level, several policies were introduced, leading to the Yamoussoukro Decision (YD) in late 1999, which had the liberalisation of the intra-African aviation spaces as its main objective. Even though notable progress has been achieved towards more market-oriented aviation policies, at the pan-African level some markets are still restrictive and inconsistent with the YD, particularly with respect to the granting of 5th freedom rights. This paper aims to examine recent developments in the aviation sector in Africa, with a focus on the implementation of the YD. The obstacles to liberalisation are discussed and several measures for facilitating Africa’s move towards multilateral open skies are investigated. These include, among others, a greater collaboration and co-operation among African airlines, as well as between African airlines and foreign ones; redefinition of the role and responsibilities of different institutions which are instrumental in implementing the YD and some further issues such as ownership guidelines

Effects of ascorbic acid, salt, lemon juice, and honey on drying kinetics and sensory characteristic of dried mango

The effects of ascorbic acid, salt solution, lemon juice, and honey pretreatment on the drying kinetics and sensory characteristics were studied. Pretreatments used affected the effective moisture diffusivity and rehydration properties of the dried mangoes. The effective moisture diffusivity values were 2.22 × 10-10 m2/s for ascorbic acid, 1.80 × 10-10 m2/s for salt solution, 2.01 × 10-10 m2/s for lemon juice, 1.93 × 10-10 m2/s for honey pretreated mangoes, and 2.31 × 10-10 m2/s for the control slices. Pretreatments enhanced the drying rate potential of mangoes. Among the thin-layer drying models fitted to the experimental data, the Middil model gave the best fit. The ascorbic acid pretreated samples were the best while the salt solution ones were the poorest with respect to reconstitution capacity. Consumer studies for overall preference for taste, colour, texture, flavour and chewiness of the dried products revealed that there was a higher preference for honey pretreated dried samples followed by the ascorbic acid, control, lemon juice, and salt solution pretreated samples. The results demonstrate that these pretreatments can be applied to enhance the moisture transport during drying and the quality of the dried products

CONSUMER PREFERENCES AND PURCHASE INTENTIONS FOR RATTAN FURNITURE

Although research on consumer preference and purchase intentions has received significant attention, little research has been performed with respect to furniture products, particularly in the area of empirical hypothesis testing. This study used regression models to test hypotheses relating to positional goods consumption and environmental and sustainable consumption theories to investigate consumers’ preference for rattan cane furniture and their intentions to purchase the product. A questionnaire was administered to 750 staff and students from universities, polytechnics, and research institutions in Ghana. The results showed that social status, modernity, and environmental safety supported the preference and purchase intentions for rattan cane furniture, whereas mixed results emerged from sustainable consumption. The most important driver of preference for rattan cane furniture was modernity, followed byenvironmental safety, social status, and sustainable consumption. In the case of purchase intentions, social status emerged as the most important factor, followed by modernity, and then environmental consumption. Building a positive social, environmental, and sustainable image of rattan cane furniture will enhance the product’s value, and this will culminate in increasing consumers’ preference for the product and their intentions to purchase the product. The study concluded that through market segmentation, manufacturers, and marketers of rattan cane furniture can target consumers who are proenvironmentalists and those who want to use the product to enhance their social image, thereby attracting a price premium

Factors associated with the utilisation of skilled delivery services in Papua New Guinea: evidence from the 2016–2018 Demographic and Health Survey

BackgroundWe sought to determine the prevalence and factors associated with the use of skilled assistance during delivery in Papua New Guinea.MethodsWe analysed nationally representative data from 5210 women in Papua New Guinea using the 2016-2018 Demographic and Health survey. Both bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed. Statistical significance was set at pResultsThe prevalence of skilled assistance during delivery was 57.6%. The richest women (adjusted OR [AOR]=3.503, 95% CI 2.477 to 4.954), working women (AOR=1.221, 95% CI 1.037 to 1.439), women with primary (AOR=1.342, 95% CI 1.099 to 1.639), secondary or higher education (AOR=2.030, 95% CI 1.529 to 2.695), women whose partners had a secondary or higher level of education (AOR=1.712, 95% CI 1.343 to 2.181], women who indicated distance was not a big problem in terms of healthcare (AOR=1.424, 95% CI 1.181 to 1.718), women who had ≥4 antenatal care (ANC) visits (AOR=10.63, 95% CI 8.608 to 13.140), women from the Islands region (AOR=1.305, 95% CI 1.045 to 1.628), those who read newspapers or magazines (AOR=1.310, 95% CI 1.027 to 1.669) and women who watched television (AOR=1.477, 95% CI 1.054 to 2.069) less than once a week had higher odds of utilising skilled attendants during delivery. On the contrary, women in the Momase region (AOR=0.543, 95% CI 0.438 to 0.672), women in rural areas (AOR=0.409, 95% CI 0.306 to 0.546), as well as women with a parity of 3 (AOR=0.666, 95% CI 0.505 to 0.878) or ≥4 (AOR=0.645, 95% CI 0.490 to 0.850) had lower odds of utilising skilled attendance during delivery.ConclusionThere is relatively low use of skilled delivery services in Papua New Guinea. Wealth, employment status, educational level, parity and number of ANC visits, as well as access to healthcare and place of residence, influence the utilisation of skilled delivery services

Yield, biochemical properties and cooking quality traits of sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) as affected by Nitrogen and Potassium Fertilizer rates

This study evaluated the effects of mineral fertilizer rates on biochemical properties, cooking quality traits and root yield of sweetpotatoes. The experimental design was 4 x 4 factorial in randomized complete block with three replications. The treatment factors were four varieties of sweetpotato (Ligri, Bohye, Dadanyuie and Apomuden) and four fertilizer amendments (T1: 30-30-30 kg /ha NPK, T2: 30-30-60 kg NPK+50 kg Muriate of Potash, T3: 30-30-90 kg/ha NPK+ 100 kg Muriate of Potash and T4: Control (No fertilizer). Results showed that the fertilizer rates did not influence root yield but variety had significant difference (P<0.05). Apomuden recorded the highest average root yield of 14.5 t/ha which was significantly higher than Ligri 5.1 t/ha. Ligri recorded the highest dry matter and sugar contents of 34.63% and 67.98% respectively while Apomuden recorded the lowest dry matter content and starch content of 23.75% and 50.00% respectively. However, it recorded appreciable amount of beta-carotene and sugar contents of 32.38 mg/100g and 28.04% respectively. There were significant variety × location interactions effect (P < 0.05) on average root yield and biomass yield. The significant varietal response observed in this study implies that choice of variety is an important factor to consider in sweetpotato production

Assessment of the quality and quantity of naturally induced antibody responses to EBA175RIII-V in Ghanaian children living in two communities with varying malaria transmission patterns

Abstract Background Recent global reports on malaria suggest significant decrease in disease severity and an increase in control interventions in many malaria endemic countries, including Ghana. However, a major driving force sustaining malaria transmission in recent times is the asymptomatic carriage of malaria parasites, which can enhance immune responses against parasite antigens. This study determined the prevalence and relative avidities of naturally induced antibodies to EBA175RIII–VLl in asymptomatic children living in two communities with varying malaria transmission patterns. Methods An asexual stage Plasmodium falciparum antigen, EBA175RIII–VLl was expressed in Lactococcus lactis, purified and used in indirect ELISA to measure total and cytophilic IgG concentrations and avidities in children aged between 6 and 12 years. The children were selected from Obom and Abura, communities with perennial and seasonal malaria transmission, respectively. Venous blood samples were collected in July and October 2015 and again in January 2016. The multiplicity of infection and the genetic diversity of EBA175RIII circulating in both sites were also assessed using polymerase chain reaction. Results Asymptomatic parasite carriage in the children from Obom decreased from July (peak season), through October and January, however parasite carriage in children from Abura was bimodal, with the lowest prevalence estimated in October. Antibody concentrations over the course of the study remained stable within each study site however, children living in Obom had significantly higher EBA175RIII–VLl antibody concentrations than children living in Abura (P < 0.05, Mann–Whitney test). Over the course of the study, the relative antibody avidities of EBA175RIII–VLl IgG antibodies were similar within and between the sites. Conclusion Naturally acquired IgG concentrations but not relative antibody avidities to EBA175RIII–V were significantly higher in Obom where malaria transmission is perennial than in Abura, where malaria transmission is seasonal

Change in the usual environment and health condition - is there a connection?

Department of patients car

Оценка эффективности системы безопасности с использованием метода расчёта риска для типового радиологического объекта

В статье показано, как можно измерить эффективность безопасности, учитывая затраты, связанные с обеспечением безопасности радиологического центра, и предложены меры повышения безопасности путем использования анализа рисков. Продолжается развитие ядерных технологий и областей применения ядерных и радиоактивных материалов. Это развитие связано с потенциальным риском злонамеренного использования радиоактивных материалов, поэтому важно обеспечить физическую защиту ядерных объектов, чтобы противостоять этим угрозам и использовать атомную энергию в мирных целях. Эффективность систем безопасности, установленных на объекте, можно оценить путем анализа рисков, связанных с объектом