Comparison of some traits of economic importance in tilapias (Orechromis niloticus and Sarotherodon galilaeus) with particular reference to their culture in Ghana

This study was conducted to determine which of the two major tilapia species in freshwater capture fisheries in Ghana, Oreochromis niloticus or Sarotherodon galilaeus, is more suitable for breed improvement and pond culture. It compares traits of economic importance, including seed output, specific growth rate, survival and sex ratios following androgen sex reversal. The results of the study showed that the aquaculture potential of S. galilaeus compares favorably with that of O. niloticus. However, S. galilaeus may be preferred because the males and females have an equal growth rate, which allows for manual sorting to raise both sexes in monosex culture, an inexpensive appropriate technology that an ordinary smallscale fish farmer can apply

Remittances and the Dutch disease in Sub-Saharan Africa. A Dynamic Panel Approach

This paper investigates the effect of remittance inflows on the real exchange rate in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) using annual data from 1980 to 2008 for 34 SSA countries, generalised method of moments by Arellano and Bover (1995) andfeasible generalised least squares by Parks (1967) and Kmenta (1971, 1986). We find that when cross-sectional dependence and individual effects are controlled for, remittances to SSA as a whole appreciate the underlying real exchange rate ofrecipient countries. However the Dutch-disease effect is not experienced via the loss of export competitiveness, because the exchange rate appreciation is mitigated by monetary policy positioning and overdependence on imports due to low levels of domestic production in these countries. We also find reverse causality between remittances and the real exchange rate.Dutch disease, remittances, real exchange rate, Sub-Saharan Africa

Artificial Neural Network Model for Low Strength RC Beam Shear Capacity

This research was to investigate how the shear strength prediction of low strength reinforced concrete beams will improve under an ANN model. An existing database of 310 reinforced concrete beams without web reinforcement was divided into three sets of training, validation and testing. A total of 224 different architectural networks were tried, considering networks with one hidden layer as well as two hidden layers. Error measures of strength ratios were used to select the best ANN model which was then compared with 3 conventional design code equations in predicting the shear strength of 26 low strength RC beams. Even though the ANN was the most accurate, it was less conservative compared with the design code equations. A model reduction factor based on the characteristic strength concept is derived in this research and used to modify the ANN output. The modified ANN model is conservative in terms of safety and economy but not overly conservative as the conventional design equations. The procedure has been automated such that when new experimental sets are added to the database, the model can be updated and a new model could be developed

Biopolymer Drill-in Fluid Performance for Different Rheological Models using Statistical Characterisation

Appropriate selection of rheological models is important for hydraulic calculations of pressure loss prediction and hole cleaning efficiency of drilling fluids. Power law, Bingham-Plastic and Herschel-Bulkley models are the conventional fluid models used in the oilfield. However, there are other models that have been proposed in literature which are under/or not utilized in the petroleum industry. The primary objective of this paper is to recommend a rheological model that best-fits the rheological behaviour of xanthan gum-based biopolymer drill-in fluids for hydraulic evaluations. Ten rheological models were evaluated in this study. These rheological models have been posed deterministically and due to the unrealistic nature have been replaced by statistical models, by adding an error (disturbance) term and making suitable assumptions about them. Rheological model parameters were estimated by least-square regression method. Models like Sisko and modified Sisko which are not conventional models in oil industry gave a good fit. Modified Sisko model which is a four parameter rheological model was selected as the best-fit model since it produced the least residual mean square of 0.61 Ibf2/100ft4. There is 95% certainty that the true best-fit curve lies within the confidence band of this function of interest. Keywords: Biopolymer; Least-Square Regression; Residual Mean Squares; Rheologra

Digital library readiness in Africa: A strategic human resource perspective

The success of any digital library endeavour significantly depends on the human capital of the implementing organisation. Many African institutions and academic libraries in developing countries are focusing and channeling significant resources into planning and setting up digital libraries. However, the main hurdle for many of these efforts is the human resource capacity of staff expected to implement these projects as several studies show a considerable skills gap in many digital library projects leading to sustainability challenges. The aim of this paper is to propose the application of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) in evaluating digital library resources and services in Ghana to determine the readiness of academic libraries in implementing sustainable digital library services. As a result, the study examines the strategic plan of a multi-campus public university in Ghana with a view to aligning it to the same university’s library digital strategy using the BSC. The study proposes to academic libraries involved in digital initiatives to be mindful of the digital, financial and societal contexts in which they operate. The study is expected to contribute to efforts at finding strategic measures to drive the vision of the digital library African institutions

A Comparative Analysis of Rock Fragmentation using Blast Prediction Results

This work presents prediction and optimisation of controllable parameters of drilling and blasting currently used at the Fobinso Pit of Perseus Mining Ghana Limited (PMGL). The mine faces challenges with blast particle sizes produced after primary blasting. The presence of boulders requires secondary fragmentation to further reduce the broken materials to the acceptable sizes, thereby increasing the cost of production. The mechanical properties of the rocks were determined using Protodyakonov Rock Strength Index. The drill and blast parameters were estimated using the Konya and Walter (1990), Principle of Proportionality, and Instituto Geologo Minero de España (IGME) model developed in 1987. The Modified Kuz-Ram model was used to predict and analyse the results of blasting based on the parameters such as spacing, burden, drillhole diameter, charge density, charge per hole, charge length, and powder factor. A comparative analysis of the predicted size distributions of the various models using diameters of 65 mm and 110 mm revealed no significant differences between the size fractions. The Principle of Proportionality produced the best technical and economic indices for blasting. Keywords: Fragmentation, Drilling Parameters, Primary Blasting, Models, Secondary Blastin

Coping with life in a squatter settlement: The case of migrant women in Kumasi, Ghana

With inner city migrant enclaves in Kumasi bursting at their seams and unable to accommodate the unending streams of in-migrants, a  large-scale squatter settlement emerged on a disused Race Course to provide alternative shelter and quickly developed income generating opportunities. Its recent development, and the predominance of single-unattached women who were in the past seen as passive movers, provides a special research opportunity. Based on a sample of 100 female  respondents, the research found that this overcrowded, unprotected,  insecure and unsanitary environment was particularly challenging for the women as they coped with issues associated with their unique needs for shelter, safety and security. Contrary to popular perception, the settlement accommodated not only long-distance migrants but also Asantes who traditionally consider Kumasi as their home territory and were therefore expected to have been accommodated by a network of family members in indigenous Asante suburbs. Efforts to reduce their vulnerabilities will involve addressing their special needs through the delivery of affordable rentalunits and commercial space.Keywords: migrant women, coping mechanisms, squatter settlement

Racially aggravated offences: when does section 145 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 apply?

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Effective Use of Library Resources: A Case Study of Business Students of Koforidua Polytechnic, Ghana

The study presents evaluation of students’ utilization of koforidua Polytechnic library information resources.  3,120 copies of the research questionnaire were administered to registered Business Studies student of the institution. A total of 3000 were retrieved representing 96.1% return rate. Findings indicated that 82.0% of the respondents are aware of the availability of library resources; 58.6% make effective use of the resources, while 61.4% had difficulty retrieving materials from shelves. The study also revealed that 63.3% of the respondents visit the library to read lecture notes while 57.3% do not use the library resources because they depend on lectures notes. There is need for information literacy course to be included in the curriculum of the institution that would expose students to the library information resources as well as help to students to cultivate the habit of library use for long life learning. Keywords: key words, Academic Libraries, Library Use, Business Information, Information Literacy, Library Resource