Customer Satisfaction Management through the Use of Efficient Listening Tools: The Case of Kasapa Telecom Limited Ho, Volta Region

The main objective of this study was to examine how Kasapa Telecom Limited, Ho, uses listening as a tool for managing customer satisfaction. Two hundred questionnaires were administered to customers of Kasapa in Ho, to ascertain how the Company used listening and other best practice strategies like; customer complaints, critical activity surveys, employee feedbacks, benchmarking and customer visits, as a tool, to collect information for managing customer relationship to improve of service quality. The research revealed that Kasapa Telecom Limited, used customer complaints and customer visits as the most effective listening tools for gathering information to improve service quality. Benchmarking and critical activity surveys were the least used listening tools by the Company for maintaining customer trust and loyalty. It was also revealed that Kasapa used best practice strategies like customer complaint forms and suggestion boxes for managing its customer relationship. The study found out that the greatest challenge facing Kasapa Telecom Limited was competition from rival players within the telecommunication industry. The study recommends the intensification of the use of benchmarking and critical activity surveys as tools for gaining competitive advantage within the industry. Key words: Customer satisfaction, listening tools, customer complaints management

Prevalence and associated risk factors of asymptomatic bacteriuria in ante-natal clients in a large teaching hospital in Ghana

Introduction: Asymptomatic bacteriuria, the presence of bacteria in urine without symptoms of acute urinary tract infection, predisposes pregnant women to the development of urinary tract infections and pyelonephritis, with an attendant pregnancy related complications.Objective: To measure the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria among ante-natal clients at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana and its’ associated risk factors.Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 274 antenatal clients was conducted over a period of 4 weeks. A face to face questionnaire was completed and midstream urine collected for culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.Results: The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria was 5.5%. It was associated with sexual activity during pregnancy (Fisher’s Exact 5.871, p-value 0.0135), but not with sexual frequency. There were no significant associations with educational status, parity, gestational age, marital status and the number of foetuses carried. The commonest organism isolated was Enterococcus spp (26.7%) although the enterobacteriaceae formed the majority of isolated organisms (46.7%). Nitrofurantoin was the antibiotic with the highest sensitivity to all the isolated organisms.Conclusions: The prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria among ante-natal clients at this large teaching hospital in Ghana is 5.5%, which is lower than what has been found in other African settings. Enterococcus spp was the commonest causative organism. However, due to the complications associated with asymptomatic bacteriuria, a policy to screen and treat- all pregnant women attending the hospital, is worth considering.Key words: Asymptomatic bacteriuria, ante-natal clients, antibiotic sensitivity, tertiary hospital, Ghan

Decentralisation and the Challenge of Revenue Mobilisation for Development: The Case of Adaklu Anyigbe District Assembly in the Volta Region of Ghana

This article assesses the sources of revenue available to the Adaklu Anyigbe District, examines the strategies for revenue mobilisation and evaluates the challenges facing the Adaklu-Anyigbe District in its revenue mobilisation efforts. The Assembly has staff strength of about 85 workers including the thirteen (13) Assembly members of the District. Thirty-five questionnaires were administered among 35 selected staff and Assembly members of the District. It was found out that between 2005 and 2008, the Assembly was unable to achieve its revenue targets. Revenue mobilisation fell short of the estimated targets for four consecutive years, this made planning and funding of development projects very difficult. The traditional sources of revenue proved unpredictable and difficult to mobilise, whilst the citizens were unwilling to pay their basic and special rates due to lack of education and inability to pay. It was also found out that the Assembly, as a newly created District, lacked the requisite man power and logistics for achieving its revenue generation targets. The research recommends capacity building for the District in terms of basic infrastructural support funding and radical staff development to enable the Assembly meet its development aspirations. Key words: Revenue mobilisation, decentralisation, capacity building, traditional sources of revenue.

Multivariate cluster analysis of some major and trace elements distribution in an unsaturated zone profile, Densu river basin, Ghana

This study comprises soils formed on Paleoproterozoic Birimian Basement rocks (poorly graded silty sand, gravely sand and silty clays) from the unsaturated zone of the Densu River Basin, taken from a five meter depth. Elemental analysis of the soils samples were carried out by Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) to ascertain the levels of major and trace elements (K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Zr, Sr, Y, Pb, V, Cr, Ga, Ni and Rb) and to determine by statistical analysis the soil components which control the vertical distribution and the geochemical processes associated with the migration of the elements. The results indicated that there was general leaching of the base cations (K and Ca) near the surface 25 to 75cm depth while Fe and Ti concentrations remained fairly constant. Iron was the most abundant element found in the soil with concentrations ranging from 23.84g/kg to 143.70g/kg. The physicochemical analysis on soils shows moderately acidic to alkaline (pHH2O range 5.6 to 8.3) and reducing properties, Eh (mV) ranged from -107.1 to +50.2. Enrichment factor calculations show the metals were depleted or of minimal enrichment (EF values between 0 to 12.14) due to human activities. Cluster analysis of the samples shows only one sample is needed from depths characterised by similar physical properties of texture and colour.Key words: Unsaturated zone, energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence, vertical distribution, enrichment factor, cluster analysis

Root causes and social consequences of birth injuries in Western Uganda

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138287/1/ijgo12257.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138287/2/ijgo12257_am.pd

Data Descriptor: Daily observations of stable isotope ratios of rainfall in the tropics

We present precipitation isotope data (δ2H and δ18O values) from 19 stations across the tropics collected from 2012 to 2017 under the Coordinated Research Project F31004 sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Rainfall samples were collected daily and analysed for stable isotopic ratios of oxygen and hydrogen by participating laboratories following a common analytical framework. We also calculated daily mean stratiform rainfall area fractions around each station over an area of 5° x 5° longitude/latitude based on TRMM/GPM satellite data. Isotope time series, along with information on rainfall amount and stratiform/convective proportions provide a valuable tool for rainfall characterisation and to improve the ability of isotope-enabled Global Circulation Models to predict variability and availability of inputs to fresh water resources across the tropics.Fil: Munksgaard, Niels C.. James Cook University; Australia. Charles Darwin University. School of Environmental Research; AustraliaFil: Kurita, Naoyuki. Nagoya University; JapónFil: Sánchez Murillo, Ricardo. Universidad Nacional; Costa RicaFil: Ahmed, Nasir. Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission; BangladeshFil: Araguas, Luis. International Atomic Energy Agency (iaea); AustriaFil: Balachew, Dagnachew L.. International Atomic Energy Agency (iaea); AustriaFil: Bird, Michael I.. James Cook University; AustraliaFil: Chakraborty, Supriyo. Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology; IndiaFil: Kien Chinh, Nguyen. Center for Nuclear Techniques; VietnamFil: Cobb, Kim M.. Georgia Institute of Technology; Estados UnidosFil: Ellis, Shelby A.. Georgia Institute of Technology; Estados UnidosFil: Esquivel Hernández, Germain. Universidad Nacional; Costa RicaFil: Ganyaglo, Samuel Y.. National Nuclear Research Institute; GhanaFil: Gao, Jing. Chinese Academy of Sciences; República de ChinaFil: Gastmans, Didier. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Kaseke, Kudzai F.. Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis; India. University of California Santa Barbara; Estados UnidosFil: Kebede, Seifu. Addis Ababa University; EtiopíaFil: Morales, Marcelo Raul. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Mueller, Moritz. Swinburne University of Technology; MalasiaFil: Poh, Seng Chee. Universiti Malaysia Terengganu; MalasiaFil: Santos, Vinícius dos. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Shaoneng, He. Nanyang Technological University; SingapurFil: Wang, Lixin. Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis; IndiaFil: Yacobaccio, Hugo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Zwart, Costijn. James Cook University; Australi

Tracing stable isotopes (δ²H and δ¹⁸O) from meteoric water to groundwater in the Densu River basin of Ghana.

This study represents the first attempt to study soil water δ18O profiles in Ghana using a mechanical auger. In this paper, the characteristics of δ18O and δ2H in rain water, surface water, soil water and groundwater have been used to understand the transformation mechanism of rain water to groundwater. Rain waters were sampled in Koforidua and Accra. Surface water and groundwater were sampled from the Densu River and selected boreholes in the basin, respectively. Soil waters were taken from three typical sites, namely, Potroase (POT), Teacher Mante (TM) and Ayikai Doblo (AD) in the northern, middle and southern zone from 0.00- to 6-m depth. The soil water was extracted using vacuum distillation method. The distribution of the stable isotopes of rain water is influenced by rainfall amount with minimal temperature effect. In general, the soil water is of meteoric origin undergoing fractionation-controlled evaporation. In the middle zone, the soil water shows some evidence of recharge from enriched source. The three profiles show similar trend of enriched values in the upper depths with gradual depletions of δ18O with depth. The POT profile showed relatively more depleted values suggesting a fast infiltration. In all the three profiles, soil waters below 3 m were found to contribute to groundwater recharge with piston flow as the dominant mechanism. The study also revealed that there is a significant contribution of enrich source to the groundwater system leading to the dilution of the infiltrating water by the large aquifer

The long-term effects of adolescent pregnancies in a community in Northern Ghana on subsequent pregnancies and births of the young mothers

Abstract Background In Ghana, adolescents represent 22% of the total population. The rates of adolescent pregnancies are high. Of all births registered in the country in 2014, 30% were by adolescents, and 14% of adolescents aged between 15 and 19 years had begun childbearing. Pregnancies and deliveries of adolescents are accompanied by more risks as compared to older women. The aim of the study was to explore the long-term effects of adolescent pregnancies on subsequent pregnancies and births and on the socioeconomic status of the women. Method A cross-sectional interviewer-performed survey of a purposive sample of 400 women in one community of Northern Ghana was conducted. Relationships between the age at first pregnancy and complications such as cesarean section, preterm or stillbirth and others were explored in 143 patients using the statistical program SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Result Results show that adolescent women (<19 years at their first pregnancy) have an 80% higher risk for a cesarean section for the first and subsequent births as compared to older women (≥ 19 years). Furthermore, younger mothers have a 45% higher risk of stillbirths and a 30% increased risk of losing their baby within the first 6 weeks after birth. There was no difference in the socioeconomic status between the two age groups. Conclusion Adolescent pregnancies are risk factors for the outcome of subsequent pregnancies of these mothers. This study, for the first time, shows that not only the first pregnancy and birth of very young women are negatively influenced by the early pregnancy but also subsequent pregnancies and births. While this study is of a purposive sample of women in one community, the clinical relevance of this study should not only be interesting for healthcare practitioners in Northern Ghana and other African regions but also for prevention campaigns in these regions