Procurement Practices and Delivery of Cocoa by Agroecom District Office at Juaboso, Ghana

Government has expressed its desire to support COCOBOD and believes the target of 900,000metric ones for the 2015/2016 crop year could be attained, based on the trend of cocoa production over the past ten years and good agronomic practices being adopted by COCOBOD. The optimism from the state comes on the back of a disappointing cocoa production season with Ghana set to miss its production target 950,000metric ones for the 2014/2015 crop season. However, there has been a decrease in tonnage for 2015/2016 main crop season which resulted in importation of Cocoa bean from Ivory Coat. Thus the aim this study is to assess procurement practices of Agroecoms in Juaboso district and delivery of Cocoa beans by Agroecom District office at Juaboso, Ghana.  The study was a descriptive study and the population was the staff of Agroecom Ghana Ltd from Juaboso districts. The sampling technique used was a non–probability sampling and specifically purposive sampling was used. The sample size for the study was 16 for their importance to the analysis of the topic. Data was collected using both primary and secondary approach. Questionnaire and interview guide were the main research instruments. The data was analyzed using SPSS with conclusion and recommendations drawn from its analysis. The study recommend that district managers should ensure that only high quality beans are purchases and delivered at the right time to ensure that funding is sustained in the district Keywords: procurement practices;  Agroecom ; Juaboso; Ghan

Strategic Outsourcing and Service Delivery in Guinness Ghana Limited and Everpure Company limited

The primary objective of the study is to examine the impact of strategic sourcing on service delivery within Guinness Ghana Limited and Everpure Company Limited in Kumasi. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to sample 20 respondent’s for the study. Data was collected from the respondents using well structured questionnaire. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics and results were presented using tables, graphs and pie charts. The results of the study revealed that the companies consider multinational and domestic sourcing because some of the items they need can be obtain in the manufacturing country and the others outside the country. The major problems identified include; fluctuation in currency exchange, government policies laws and communication barriers. The recommendations that will be given are going to be suggested solutions to the above problems and to assist the organizations attain high effectiveness in their sourcing activities. Key word: outsourcing, strategies, Guinness Ghana Limited, Everpure Water  compan

The Implementation challenges of Public Procurement Act (ACT 663) faced by the Ejisu Government Hospital, Ghana

Keeping with government’s commitment to financial discipline, accountability, transparency and ethical conduct, effective management of public procurement to obtain value for state spending is paramount. This forms part of the reasons for the introduction of the Public Procurement Act 663 in Ghana to regulate public spending. However, this measure has been plagued with some difficulties in corruption, bureaucracy and general delays in the procurement processes. The study basically aimed at assessing the challenges associated with the implementation of the Act 663 in Ejisu Government Hospital. In all, fifteen (15) respondents were sampled for the study. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. The primary data was collected using self administered questionnaire, supplemented by interview guide and focus group discussion. The study adopted descriptive to analyse the data collected with the help of SPSS version 16. The study revealed that, the implementation of the Act 663 caused delay in the procurement activities of the hospital. The study also revealed that, key challenges faced by the Hospital with regards to the implementation of the ACT 663 is inadequate qualified procurement officials to handle procurement activities in the hospital. However, the ACT brought some level of transparency in the procurement processes had been enhanced. It was therefore recommended that, the prevailing thresholds set for public entities should be reviewed to higher level to avoid delays in the procurement processes. Key words: Procurement Act, Ejisu government Hospital, Implementation challenge

Perceptions of Students Towards Tertiary Weekend School In Ghana

Weekend School has become a more flexible and recognized delivery format for widening access to higher institutions in Ghana. The purpose of this study is to investigate the perceptions of undergraduate students, about the weekend school system being offered by the Garden City University College in Kumasi. A survey questionnaire was designed to mainly obtain information on students’ opinions on content of academic programmes; academic facilities; tuition quality; and manpower skills. The ordinal regression model was used to model students’ responses. Results of the study indicate that weekend school is mostly patronized by students aged between 26-35 (56.9%) and by the actively employed (75.7%), largely because it provides a flexible way to combine work and study and life-long learning. The analysis using the ordinal regression model identified age, sex, marital status, current domicile region and students’ department as statistically significant demographic profiles that informed students’ views about GCUC’s weekend school. Keywords: higher education, weekend school, perception, ordinal regression model

MODELLING STUDENT’S SATISFACTION WITH LIBRARY SERVICES IN A TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS: EVIDENCE FROM KUMASI POLYTECHNIC

An effective and efficient academic library system can significantly contribute to student and other user’s development in a wider perspective. This paper seeks to determine the satisfaction level of students with respect to the available reading materials and the services provided by the school library officials. Using a survey data obtained from students using the Kumasi Polytechnic library, the overall service satisfaction model was specified using ordinal logistic regression. Among the sampled students, 57%, 30.8%, 6.7% and 4.3% of them believes that the overall service quality is good, moderate, excellent and poor respectively. Also from the estimated model, the overall service quality decreases when students are less satisfied with the individual service components. In general, the estimated model suggest that among all the variables, availability of current and relevant materials; adequate user instructions; reliable internet facilities as well as friendly and helpful library staff are the first four (4) library service segments that highly influenced the students ratings for overall service quality. Keywords: Ghana, Kumasi Polytechnic, Library Services, Student Satisfaction, Ordinal logit model

PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS TOWARDS HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA EDUCATION IN GHANA: A CASE STUDY OF KUMASI POLYTECHNIC

This paper investigates into perceptions towards HND education in Ghana. A structured questionnaire was designed as the main tool in soliciting student’s views across all faculties and the various departments respectively using simple random sampling technique. The ordinal logit model was applied to select significant factors that influenced student’s perceptions about the HND education. It was evident from the results that 52.5% s. disagree that their current programme of study offered them by Kumasi Polytechnic is their preferred programme whilst 41.1% also s. disagree the HND qualification is suitable to fill the middle level manpower gab of the Ghana economy. The survey further reveals that 37.9% agree that Kumasi Polytechnic provides the necessary logistics in enhancing vocational, technical & theoretical studies. However only about one in four students (26.2%) are satisfied with the general supervision of industrial attachment of the Polytechnic education AT Kumasi Polytechnic. Keywords: Ghana, Polytechnic, Ordinal, Perception, Satisfaction, Tertiary Educatio

INTERVENTION ANALYSIS OF MATERNAL HEALTHCARE ENROLLMENT AT MAMPONG GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL, GHANA

Providing quality maternal and neonatal healthcare remains a major challenge to many developing countries. It is as part of this backdrop that Ghana and other sister countries endorsed the Millennium Development Goal 5, to help improve maternal healthcare. In a high commitment, the Government of Ghana initiated an exemption from delivery fees in April 2005 and a free maternal care in July 2008 to help address the high maternal mortality issue and to also replace the cash and carry healthcare system. Using intervention analysis of Box and Tiao, this paper quantify the effects of the interventions on maternal enrollment at the Mampong Government Hospital from January 2001 to December 2011. Results from the estimated intervention model showed an insignificant change of approximately 9 pregnant women from the first policy. The free maternal care policy rather showed a significant additional enrollment of 90 women at the hospital. Keywords: intervention analysis, maternal healthcare, exemption from delivery fees, free maternal car

NTCP gene polymorphisms and hepatitis B virus infection status in a Ghanaian population

© 2020 The Author(s). Background: SLC10A1 gene codes NTCP, a receptor through which the hepatitis B virus (HBV) gets access into hepatocytes- A stage of the viral cycle necessary for replication. Polymorphism variants of SLC10A1 play roles in HBV infection, viral clearance, treatment outcome, and complications, in diverse ethnic groups and countries. However, no such study has been conducted in the Ghanaian population, a country with HBV endemicity. Therefore, an exploratory study was conducted to investigate the presence of three (3) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SLC10A1 gene (rs2296651, rs61745930, and rs4646287) and assessed the risk of HBV infection among the Ghanaian population. Method: Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to determine the presence of the SNPs among 292 participants comprising 146 HBV infected persons as case-subjects and 146 HBV non-infected persons as control-subjects. Results: The minor allele frequency (T) of rs2296651 was present in a significantly high proportion of cases compared with the control group (11.6% vs. 3.1%, p \u3c 0.0001). The homozygote recessive variant of rs61745930 was present in 2.7% of the control group and 5.5% of the case group. Moreover, the minor allele frequencies of rs4646287 were 9.3 and 8.2% among the control and the case group, respectively (p = 0.767). Under the dominant (CC) genetic model of inheritance, rs2296651 was found to be protective of HBV infection [OR = 0.18 (0.07-0.44)], whereas under the co-dominant and additive model, rs2296651 was a potential risk factor for HBV infection [OR = 5.2 (95%CI: 2.1-12.8); 3.5 (95%CI: 1.6-7.6], respectively. Variants of rs61745930 and rs4646287 were not associated with HBV infection (p \u3e 0.05). Polymorphisms in SLC10A1, however, did not show any significant association with HBV infectivity (p \u3e 0.05). Conclusion: The study highlights some polymorphism proof that variants rs2296651, rs61745930, and rs4646287 exist in HBV-infected individuals in Ghana. Although variant rs2296651 was found to be associated with HBV infection, this association warrants more studies. Polymorphisms in SLC10A1 were not associated with HBV infectivity among the Ghanaian population. Further investigation is warranted to assess the offensive role of the relationship between rs2296651 and HBV infectivity

Outbreak of rabies among humans, dogs and livestock, Awutu-Senya East Municipality, Ghana, 2019

Introduction: Rabies is a neglected zoonotic disease caused by the Rabies virus (RABV). Ninety-percent of human rabies are dog-mediated. Globally there are 59,000 human rabies annually. On June 16 2019, a 4-year-old girl from the Awutu-Senya East Municipal of Ghana, died following symptoms of aggression, hyper-salivation and hydrophobia. She had a dog scratch five weeks prior. We confirmed the outbreak, determined its magnitude, identified associated factors and implemented control measures. Methods: We interviewed community members to understand potential exposures to RABV. We reviewed the animal bite records, clinical notes of human rabies cases and initial line-list. We conducted community-based rabies surveillance for animal bites and confirmed RABV by Polymerase Chain Reaction of brain tissue of dead human and animals. We updated the line-list with demographic, exposure, and outcome variables of bite victims. Quantitative data was analyzed descriptively, and findings presented as frequencies and proportions. Results: Overall, 155 dog bites were identified, among which six human rabies deaths were recorded (Attack rate=3.9%). Males were 51.6% (80/155) of bite victims, whiles children 5-14 years constituted 27% (40/147). About 86.5% (134/155) of bites were by unvaccinated dogs, and stray dogs bit 80.6% (125/155) of individuals. Category III bites were 35% (50/141). RABV was isolated from 16.7% (1/6) of human deaths and 30% (3/10) of rabid dog. We suspected rabies infection in a goat. Dogs roamed unattended within communities. Conclusion: This rabies outbreak was dog-mediated. Poor pet ownership and limited vaccination of dogs were associated factors. Mass dog vaccination, prompt post-exposure prophylaxis and risk communication were critical interventions implemented

Association between transcription factor 7-like-2 polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Ghanaian population

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been strongly associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TCF7L2 gene. This study investigated the association between rs12255372, rs7903146 in the TCF7L2 gene and T2DM in a Ghanaian population. A case-control study design was used for this study. A total of 106 T2DM patients and 110 control participants were selected. Basic data collected included body mass index, blood pressure and socio-demographics. Fasting blood samples were collected and processed for: serum lipid analysis, plasma glucose estimation and plasma HbA1c estimation. Parts of the whole blood samples were used for DNA extraction using a modified salting-out method. Common and allele-specific primers were designed for genotyping using the Modified Tetra-Primer Amplification assay. Associations were evaluated using logistic regression models. The rs7903146 risk variant was significantly associated with 2.16 vs. 4.06 increased odds for T2DM in patients \u3c60 years vs. ≥60 years. Both rs7903146 and rs12255372 were significantly associated with increased odds of T2DM in women, overweight/obese, T2DM negative family history (T2DM-NFH) and low-HDL-C. In a multivariate model, rs7903146 but not rs12255372 was significantly associated with 2.18, 5.01 and 2.25 increased odds of T2DM, under the codominant, recessive and additive model, respectively (p \u3c 0.05). The association between rs7903146 and rs12255372 with T2DM is more highly associated in a subgroup—women and those with T2DM-NFH, yet who have cardiometabolic risk