Historical trajectories of tourism development policies and planning in Ghana, 1957–2017

Historical research on tourism development policies and planning is generally limited, with scant attention on destinations in the Global South. This paper traces the historical trajectories of the development of tourism policy and planning in Ghana using the “Development First” and “Tourism First” framework. A qualitative approach allows for a detailed contextual analysis of key national economic development plans and national tourism development policies and plans. Four broad political eras are identified: (i) 1957–1966: post-independence era of Development First; (ii) 1966–1981: political instability era of Tourism First; (iii) 1981–2000: structural adjustment era of mixed Tourism First-Development First and; (iv) 2000–2017: democratic consolidation era of Development First. The analysis highlights how the distinct historical contexts of state involvement shape the present and future characteristics of tourism development. The findings suggest the need for more detailed exploration of the historical processes of tourism development in Global South destinations

The role of diet and gut microbiota in lipid metabolism: implications for health outcomes using a mouse model.

The prevalence of non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) has now reached epidemic proportions, but the role of gene-lifestyle interactions in its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. While evidence for an inverse association between odd-chain length fatty acids (OCFA) and cardiometabolic diseases, suggests a possible link between OCFAs and NAFLD, little is known about the impact of diet, gut microbiota and peroxisomal biogenesis on the metabolism of OCFAs. We hypothesized that suboptimal diet, altered gut microbiota and peroxisomal biogenesis could promote the development of NAFLD by impairing the metabolism of OCFAs. This thesis aimed to understand the effect of dietary fat/protein on the genetic and metabolic regulation of lipids and OCFAs in relation to NAFLD, using a high fat diet (HFD) model, well established in the literature for inducing obesity and insulin resistance in mice within 4 weeks, and a low protein diet (LPD) model, known to promote NAFLD. Under specific pathogen free or normal husbandry conditions, a HFD reduced serum OCFA in mice after 4 and 12 weeks of feeding, and down-regulated the activity of several key enzymes in fatty acid metabolism (desaturases, lyase, elongase). Liver histology also showed deposition of lipid droplets and higher expression of peroxin 14 protein in HFD fed mice (Chapter 3). The characterisation of gut microbiota revealed an alteration in propionate-producing bacteria, Lachnospiraceae and Clostridiales, in HFD fed mice (Chapter 4). Mice fed with carbohydrate rich-LPD for 7 weeks resulted in lower levels of serum OCFA, increased CD36 mRNA and peroxin 14 expressions. However, OCFA did not change in the reduced and quality carbohydrate-LPD after 8 weeks (Chapter 5). In conclusion, these findings provide evidence that HFD and carbohydrate rich-LPD reduced OCFA via changes in gut microbiota and peroxisomal biogenesis in the liver and increases our understanding of how suboptimal diets contributes to NAFLD

A metaphor analysis research agenda for tourism studies

Highlights • Proposes a research agenda on metaphor analysis for tourism studies. • Situates metaphor analysis within the linguistic turn in social sciences. • Identifies that tourism metaphors always have a selling function. • Metaphors used to sell tourism development to communities have yet to be examined. • Explores the use of ‘heart’ and ‘pillar’ metaphors by tourism policy makers in Ghana

Tourism and national economic development planning in Ghana, 1964–2014

Tourism continues to be a significant source of economic activity for many developing countries. The challenge for such countries has been how best to effectively plan for tourism development within overall national economic development planning and policies. This paper takes a historical approach in examining the conception of tourism development in Ghana within successive national economic development plans. Since independence in 1957, tourism has been identified as an opportunity for economic growth. In the early days of national development planning, tourism was seen mainly in terms of its foreign-exchange-earning potential. Within the current medium-term national economic development plan (Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda 2014–2017), tourism is now positioned as one of seven key economic pillars for transforming the economy. This paper argues that the shift in thought about tourism’s economic role within a country can be traced through the historical eyes of successive national economic development plans

Governing tourism-led local economic development planning: An interactive tourism governance perspective on the Elmina 2015 Strategy in Ghana

Tourism is expanding in many developing countries, in contexts where states struggle to effectively manage local economic development processes. This thesis aims to bridge a gap between the literature on the tourism-poverty nexus and scholarship pertaining to the politics and governance of local development planning, by examining how governing interactions shape the planning and use of tourism for local economic development and poverty reduction. A key contribution of this thesis is the development of an interactive tourism governance framework built on the three key concepts of stakeholder governance capacity, institutional thickness and political cycles. The research is framed as an embedded case study of the Elmina 2015 Strategy in Ghana. A mainly qualitative research approach was adopted involving interviews, observations and documentary analysis. The Elmina 2015 Strategy sought to leverage tourism as a catalyst for local economic development and poverty reduction through an integrated planning approach led by the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipal Assembly (KEEA). The thesis identified that the Elmina 2015 Strategy was insufficiently embedded within existing institutional structures. Through a process-tracing analysis, it was found that cycles of national elections and local government politics resulted in the loss of institutional memory and knowledge at the KEEA. This constrained the governing capacity of the KEEA in steering project implementation. This thesis shows that the state and the internal power dynamics between key players within it remain crucial in setting and implementing policy agendas. The thesis therefore seeks to make a contribution towards debates on the significance of the state in tourism governance and argues that the state ought to be brought back into any conceptualisation of tourism governance, especially as it relates to the governing of tourism-led local economic development. As local governments take a more active role in tourism development planning, the issue of their capacity needs to be addressed

Motivation and Information Affordances Towards User Engagement in a Gamified System

Gamification is a growing phenomenon, and educational institutions have begun incorporating it into their existing information systems (IS) curriculum. This study seeks to examine how motivational affordances and information quality contribute to student engagement within gamified IS education. Drawing on the frameworks of affordances, information quality, and engagement, this study develops a conceptual model to explain motivational affordances and information quality and its satisfaction effects on students’ engagement in IS education. Our preliminary results show a contrary view that despite the challenges or competition evoked by gamification, it is more satisfying for students to continue using the gamified system. This research-in-progress paper is theoretically important because there are currently no widely accepted theoretical models linking motivational affordances, information quality, and engagement to gamified outcomes, and test the effect on students’ learning behaviours

A Study of the Use of Primolut N Tablet as a Contraceptive in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana

This study investigated the use of Primolut N tablet which contains norethisterone 5mg popularly called N- tablet by users as a precoitalcontraceptive by women in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana. Clients who called at any of the twenty (20) selected Pharmacies in residential areas within the Kumasi metropolis demanding the drug, with or without valid prescriptions were interviewed using a guide. Of the two hundred and twenty (220) users interviewed, 94% demanded the drug for contraception and 6% for menstrual disorders. Sixty one percent of those demanding it for contraception were between the ages 20-25 years. Respondents preferred theuse of norethisterone tablets as a contraceptive to other methods because it worked for them and they also found it easy and convenient taking a tablet just before coitus than taking daily oral contraceptive pills. Norethisterone is being used as a pre-coital contraceptive, though the efficacy, safety and reliability of the drug for that purpose is unknown. Until these are known, women must be discouraged from using the drug (Afr J Reprod Health 2011; 15[1]: 65-67)

A Sudden Total Loss of Vision After Routine Cataract Surgery

We share our experience of a 50-year-old controlled hypertensive woman who had routine cataract surgery in her left eye. She was given retrobulbar Xylocaine with adrenalin and postoperative gentamycin. She subsequently became blind in the operated eye after developing macular infarction by the first day post operative and optic atrophy by 2 months postoperative. This could have been caused by vascular occlusion in an already compromised artherosclerosed vessels. It could also have been due to gentamyin toxicity. Gentamycin injection given subconjunctivally is known to rarely result in severe retinal toxicity. This case illustrates that even though cataract surgery is considerd a simple routine procedure, and is performed in high volumes, it is not without its blinding complications. We recommend that the use of adrenaline in xylocaine should be used with caution in hypertensive patients and also the routine use of subconjunctival gentamycin injection after cataract surgery should be reviewed and other modes of endophthalmitis prophylaxis be considered

A Study on the Use of Primolut-N Tablet as a Contraceptive in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana

Objective: This study investigated into the use of Primolut-N tablet which contains norethisterone (5 mg), popularly called 'N-tablet' by users, as a pre-coital contraceptive by women in the Kumasi metropolis of Ghana.Methods: Clients who called at any of the Twenty (20) selected Pharmacies in residential areas within the Kumasi metropolis demanding the drug, with or without valid prescriptions were interviewed using a structured proforma.Results: Of the two hundred and twenty (220) users interviewed 94% demanded the drug for contraception and 6% for menstrual disorders. Sixty one percent of those demanding it for contraception were between the ages 20-25 years. Respondents preferred the use of norethisteronetablets as a contraceptive to other methods because it worked for them and they also found it easy and convenient taking a tablet just before coitus than taking daily oral contraceptive pills.Conclusion: Norethisterone is being used as a pre-coital contraceptive,al though the efficacy, safety and reliability of the drug for that purpose is unknown. Until these are known, women must be discouraged from using the drug as such