Compliance with International Financial Reporting Standard 7 (IFRS 7): A Study of Listed Banks in Ghana

The aim of this study is to identify the extent to which listed banks in Ghana comply with International Financial Reporting Standards, with particular reference to financial instruments IFRS 7. The level of mandatory compliance with IFRS 7 was measured using a mandatory disclosure index (MDI) from a self-constructed compliance checklist. The sample consisted of six listed banks and covers the period 2008 and 2009.The overall results show a high degree of compliance with IFRS 7, though not absolute.  The study recommends that though the enforcement mechanism seems to be working well in the short-run resulting in high compliance, effort should be made to sustain it in the long run. Keywords: IFRS, Compliance, Listed Banks, mandatory disclosure inde

Nitrogen Fixation and Yield Potential of Some Early-Maturing Cowpea (Vigna Unguiculata (L) Walp) Lines

Field experiment was conducted at Mampong Campus of the University of Education to determine the yield and nitrogen fixation potential of some cowpea lines. Nine lines plus Asontem variety were studied in a Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications. The results showed that all the lines nodulated freely with the natural rhizobia in the soil. There was significant differences (P<0.05) in the nodulation abilities of the lines. Number of nodules negatively correlated with nodule dry weight (r= -0.38) whiles the amount of nitrogen fixed positively correlated with total seed yield (r= 0.94). Line IT97K-506-1 produced the highest number of nodules per plant but did not fix the highest amount of nitrogen. Lines IT97K-566-18 and IT97K-570-18 which contained the highest amount of nitrogen (4.43 and 4.70kgN/ha) respectively in their residue also produced the highest seed yield (3.58 and 3.61t/ha) respectively. The results showed that lines IT97K-570-18 and IT97K-566-18 have high yielding potentials and N-fixing abilities and should be tested on farmers’ fields. Key words: Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp), Nitrogen Fixition, Anova, Soil Fertility.

Radiation dose assessment for occupationally exposed workers in Malawi

Background The objective of this study was to assess individual doses received by radiographers, and the scattered radiation dose rate reaching the control panel in X-ray departments of three hospitals in Malawi, in-order to compare them against the internationally recommended limits.Methods Themoluminescent Dosimeters were issued to fifteen (15) radiographers to record their dose for a month. Dose rate measurements were recorded using survey meters.Results Average monthly dose for workers was 0.247mSv. Average ambient dose rate values were 0.39μSv/hr for Mtengo wa Nthenga Hospital, 5.03μSv/hr for Bwaila Hospital and 4μSv/hr for Kamuzu Central Hospital.Conclusions Dose levels are below the limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP)

Permeacija losartana kroz humani respiratorni epitel: In vitro ispitivanja na Calu-3 stanicama

The potential for nasal delivery of losartan, a drug with poor oral bioavailability, was investigated using Calu-3 cells. Epithelial permeation of the drug with or without dimethyl-β-cyclodextrin (DM--CD) and glycocholate was investigated. Possible transport mechanism of the compound and epithelial mucosal tolerance were screened. Reversibility of epithelial membrane perturbation was also investigated by measuring transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) recovery over a 24-h period following drug formulation exposure. The permeability coefficient of losartan was 1.3 ± 0.5 × 10-6 cm s-1. This flux was not significantly different from that of formulations containing DM--CD (0.5 and 1.0 %) or glycocholate (0.5 %). However, the formulation with 1.0 % glycocholate significantly increased losartan permeation 7-fold. Losartan flux across the cells was concentration-dependent. Serosal to mucosal permeation was significantly higher than mucosal to serosal permeation. Concentration-dependency, as well as polarity in transport indicated that the flux of the compound across Calu-3 cells was not limited to passive diffusion. Cells exposed to DM--CD (0.5 and 1.0 %) and glycocholate (0.5 %) caused no significant change in TEER and mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity (MDH). The results of the study showed that losartan may be a suitable drug candidate for nasal delivery.U radu je ispitivana mogućnost nazalne primjene losartana, lijeka sa slabom bioraspoloživošću nakon peroralne uporabe, koristeći Calu-3 stanice. Ispitivana je permeacija lijeka kroz epitel u prisutnosti dimetil-β-ciklodekstrina (DM--CD) i glikokolata te bez njihove prisutnosti. Predložen je mogući mehanizam transporta kroz epitel i određena je tolerancija epitelne mukoze. Reverzibilnost promjena u epitelu praćena je mjerenjem povrata transepitelnog električnog otpora (TEER) kroz razdoblje od 24 h nakon izlaganju pripravku lijeka. Koeficijent permeabilnosti losartana bio je 1.3 ± 0.46 × 106 cm s1. Taj se dotok značajno ne razlikuje od pripravaka koji sadrže DM--CD (0,5 i 1,0 %), odnosno glikokolat (0,5 %) (faktor povećanja 1,0). Međutim, iz pripravka s 1,0 % glikokolata povećala se permeacija losartana 7 puta. Protok losartana kroz stanice ovisio je o koncentraciji. Permeacija iz seruma u mukozu bila je značajno veća nego u obrnutom smjeru. Ovisnost o koncentraciji te polarnost u transportu ukazuju na to da protok losartana kroz Calu-3 stanice nije ograničen samo na pasivnu difuziju. Stanice izložene dimetil-β-ciklodekstrinu (0,5 i 1,0 %) i glikokolatu (0,5 %) nisu uzrokovale značajne promjene TEER-a i aktivnosti mitohondrijske dehidrogenaze (MDH). Rezultati pokazuju da je losartan pogodan za nazalnu isporuku

Carbon Footprint of the Large Scale Gold Mining Industry of Ghana

Mining has been an important economic activity accounting for a substantial part of foreign exchange and government revenue. The gold mining sector has undergone considerable expansion due to liberalization with more foreign mining companies investing in the sector in particular large-scale open pit gold mining. Resultant expansion in mining has led to heightened environmental concerns and significant challenges due to key activities used in the mining operations hence contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Investigations were conducted to assess the sources and key activities in large scale gold open pit mining operations in Ghana giving rise to greenhouse gas generation. The study adopted the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guideline for estimating greenhouse gas inventory. The operational boundary as against the organizational boundary was considered for the study. The operational boundary was drawn around the physical mining site. Within this boundary, the emissions were quantified and reported under direct emission due to company activities (Scope 1) and indirect emissions from secondary use or activity (Scope 2). The study found that activities due to land use, blasting, fuel use to power mobile equipment and stationary combustion sources, electricity use and waste management were the contributing greenhouse gas emission sources in a large scale gold mining operation with electricity use and fuel used in transportation accounting for 92.46% of the total emissions. Average contribution of the large scale gold mining industry in Ghana to the total national greenhouse gas emission inventory for the country was established to be 11.08%

The Importance of the Informal Sector of Ghana to Savings and Loans Companies

The informal sector plays a critical and controversial role. It provides jobs and reduces unemployment and underemployment, but in many cases the jobs are low-paid and the job security is poor. It bolsters entrepreneurial activity, but at the detriment of state regulations compliance, particularly regarding tax and labor regulations. In the mist of this controversy, a growing number of savings and loans companies have made the sector their primary target. It was therefore necessary to conduct a research to investigate the importance of the informal sector to savings and loans companies. The objectives of the research were to examine the risks of the informal sector to savings and loans companies, to examine the benefits of the informal sector to savings and loans companies and to assess relationship between the informal sector and savings and loans companies. The research adopted both probability and non-probability sampling methods. A quota of 15 respondents was given to each of the four companies namely Procredit, Ezi, Opportunity and Garden City Savings and Loans companies. Then the purposive and simple random techniques were used to select the 15 respondents of each company. The purposive technique was used to select accountants and marketers of the companies. This was due to the category involvement, knowledge and experience. The simple random technique ensured that each respondent stood an equal chance of being selected. The sample size for the study was 60. The research found out that the informal sector is highly important to savings and loans companies in Ghana as the benefits of doing business with them far out-weighs the associated costs. Key words: Informal sector, Savings and loan

The Importance of Supplier Segmentation to the Manufacturing Sector of Ghana

This study investigated the importance of Supplier Segmentation to the manufacturing sector of Ghana; using selected manufacturing companies the in Eastern and Volta regions of Ghana as case study. Managing relationships between a supplier and buyer can be a complex one. Each party seeks to maximize its time, resources, and cash investment; these may be competing priorities that can strain the relationship. While certain companies adopt a more collaborative approach in dealing with suppliers, others too adopt a take it or leave it approach. In the midst of this controversy, it became necessary to conduct a research to assess the importance of supplier segmentation which has been hailed as a key component of Supplier Relationship Management. The case studies for this study were the management of Volta Star Company Ltd, Akosombo Textiles and the Intravenous infusions Limited. Based on the simple random, purposive, and quota sampling techniques 60 managers from these companies were sampled. The study revealed that Supplier Segmentation is highly important to the Ghanaian manufacturing sector. Key words: Supplier Relationship Management, Supplier Segmentatio

Mobility, education and livelihood trajectories for young people in rural Ghana: a gender perspective

This paper examines the gendered implications of Africa's transport gap (the lack of cheap, regular and reliable transport) for young people in rural Ghana, with particular reference to the linkages between restricted mobility, household work demands, access to education and livelihood potential. Our aim is to show how mobility constraints, especially as these interact with household labour demands, restrict young people's access to education and livelihood opportunities. Firstly, the paper considers the implications of the direct constraints on young people's mobility potential as they travel to school. Then it examines young people's (mostly unpaid) labour contributions, which are commonly crucial to family household production and reproduction, including those associated with the transport gap. This has especially important implications for girls, on whom the principal onus lies to help adult women carry the heavy burden of water, firewood, and agricultural products required for household use. Such work can impact significantly on their educational attendance and performance in school and thus has potential knock-on impacts for livelihoods. Distance from school, when coupled with a heavy workload at home will affect attendance, punctuality and performance at school: it may ultimately represent the tipping point resulting in a decision to withdraw from formal education. Moreover, the heavy burden of work and restricted mobility contributes to young people's negative attitudes to agriculture and rural life and encourages urban migration. Drawing on research from rural case study sites in two regions of Ghana, we discuss ethnographic material from recent interviews with children and young people, their parents, teachers and other key informants, supported by information from an associated survey with children ca. 9–18 years

Grain quality characteristics of imported rice in Ghana: Implications for breeding for consumer-preferred varieties

ABSTRACTRice is the fastest growing food source in Ghana. The country, however, imports about 70 per cent of its rice requirement due to low volumes of production and poor grain quality of domestic rice compared to imported ones.  In the study, 10 popular imported rice brands on the Ghanaian market were characterised for grain quality traits including grain dimensions, apparent amylose content, gelatinisation temperature, paste viscosity properties, and aroma using physiochemical properties and DNA markers. The rice brands came from Asia and the USA. The rice type from Asia was found to be Jasmine-styled aromatic long grained with low amylose content and gelatinisation temperature, whereas those of USA were conventional long grain with intermediate amylose content and gelatinisation temperature.  These findings were confirmed through DNA marker analyses, with the rice types from Asia and the USA revealing the presence of the TAC and GCC of the waxy gene SNP haplotypes, respectively. The implication for rice breeding in Ghana is discussed.Original scientific paper. Received 29 Oct. 14; revised 03 Aug 15

How organisational performance is affected by strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR)

This paper aims to report as a study that contributes to the understanding of the roles of strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR) in overall organisational performance. The approach to the paper was by the review of acclaimed researches with linkages between corporate social responsibility, more specifically strategic corporate social responsibility and organisational performance. Strategic CSR undertaken by various organisations were analysed to find how significant they affect to performance metrics. The researchers had difficulties unearthing previous tangential and empirical research as there had not been a wealth of research in the area of CSR relationships especially with regards to strategic CSR practices and performance and at the same time, previous research on CSR mostly focuses on its nature and impact on society and how customer loyalty can be gained with CSR. The study thus revealed that, although some organizations to some extent confuse CSR with philanthropic reasoning, they are aware of how rewarding it is for both societal stakeholders and the firm and intensively work towards integrating CSR with other business undertakings. This research contributes to one’s understanding of the impact that strategic CSR has on organisational performance when instituted in the business. Additionally, the study analyses how business performance may be affected either positively or negatively depending on the level of integration that strategic CSR has been implemented by organisations. The outcome of the study ultimately, will help top level management to amend shortcomings by implementing strategic CSR techniques as well as build formidable business performance.peer-reviewe