Comparing sustainability disclosures on corporate websites: A case study of Newmont Mining Corporation’s plant sites in Ghana

The purpose of this paper is to analyse sustainability reporting information reported by two plant sites of a multinational mining firm operating in Ghana. It draws on institutional theory and firm characteristics to compare and contrast the sustainability reporting contents on the websites of two plants of a multinational mining company in the same country. The study uses case study approach with qualitative content analysis to benchmark the sustainability information found on the websites of the two plants of Newmont Mining Corporation, Newmont Ghana Gold Ltd at Ahafo and Newmont Golden Ridge Ltd at Akyem based on the Global Reporting Initiative and the United Nations Division for Sustainability Development models. It was discovered that even though both plants reported on all aspects of sustainability - economic, environmental and social, the plant sites vary in the contents and details of reports even though the websites had the same headings. These variations are arguably due to the institutional pressures and variations in the characteristics of the two plants. This paper contributes to an understanding of how on site-specific institutional pressures from stakeholders such as community and regulatory bodies and the size and age of subsidiaries may impact on sustainability reporting

Source of medicines and medicine information by self-reported persons living with hy-pertension and diabetes in rural and urban Ghana

Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the source of medicines and medicine information of persons living with hypertension and diabetes in rural and urban Ghana and assessing if they are influenced by predisposing and enabling factors as defined by Andersen’s behavioural model. Methods: A population based cross sectional study was conducted in four (4) rural and four (4) urban districts in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. A multistage and proportional sampling method was used in enrolling participants aged 18 years and above. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data from respondents. Data collected was exported to STATA for analysis. Descriptive analysis was performed. Chi-square tests/Fisher’s exact test and multinomial logistic regression models were used to establish association between variables. Results: A total of 336 self -reported persons with hypertension and diabetes were enrolled in the study with 199(59.23%) living in urban communities. The majority of participants with hypertension and diabetes living in the rural communities 77 (56.20%) were females contrasting with the male majority in urban communities 106 (53. 27%). In the rural communities, 49 (35.77%) of participants sourced medicines from the health centre while 45 (32.85%) and 35(25.55%) sourced medicines from the hospital and over the counter medicine shop (OTCMS) respectively. In the urban communities, 153 (76.88%) sourced medicines from the hospital while 33 (16.58%) sourced medicines from the pharmacy. The predisposing factor age (OR: 1.1, 95%CI 1.040-1.210) under OTCMS, age (OR 1.0, 95%CI: 1.002-1.066) under hospital and enabling factor socioeconomic status (OR: 0.3, 95%CI 0.085-0.855) under Hospital influenced participant’s source of medicine in the urban communities. The results also revealed that majority of participants in both rural 99 (72.26%), and urban 164 (82.41%) communities sourced medicine information mainly from public healthcare facilities, pre-disposing factors; age (OR 1.1 95%CI 1.032-1.270) under family member, age (OR 1.1, 95%CI 1.022-1.167) under friend health professional, age (OR 1.1, 95%CI 1.050-1.147) under nearest health institution, marital status (OR: 0.004, 95%CI 0.003-0.441) under friend health Professional were found to influence participants’ source of medicine information in the urban communities while in the rural communities the predisposing factor marital status (OR 10.6, 95%CI 1.044 -106.835), education (OR: 26.1, 95%CI 1.271-537.279) under friend health professional, age (OR 1.1, 95%CI 1.002-1.187), educational level (OR 30.6, 95%CI 1.718-546.668) under nearest health institution and enabling factor socio-economic status (OR 6.6, 95%CI 1.016 -43.510) under nearest health institution influenced one’s source of medicine information. Conclusions: Majority of inhabitants with hypertension and diabetes in both rural and urban communities, sourced medicines and medicine information from public health institutions though a larger proportion was recorded in the urban communities. More participants in the rural communities than in the urban communities sourced medicines and medicine information from community pharmacies. Participants’ source of medicine and medicine information was influenced by both predisposing and enabling factors

Yield stability of some groundnut accessions in northern Ghana

Yield stability of 12 groundnut accessions mainly developed by ICRISAT and two check varieties were tested in multilocational trials covering four locations in northern Ghana during the 1994, 1996, and 1997 cropping seasons. The trial for each year was arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications and analyzed following a factorial design of 14 genotypes W 3 years W 4 locations. Significant differences were obtained (a#0.05) for the main effects of genotypes, years, and locations as well as the first and second order interactions; 33 per cent of the variability in kernel yield was accounted for by genotype W year W location interaction whilst 26 per cent by genotype W location interaction. Proportions of the total variance due to yield differences between genotypes and genotype W year interaction were negligible. Yield stability as indicated by the regression coefficient, among-location variance, and the value of mean yield suggested that JL 24, an early-maturing variety, was the most adapted to marginal environments whereas the check variety, F-mix, maintained its superiority in adapting to favourable environments. : Ghana Jnl agric Sci. Vol.32(2) 1999: 137-14

Evaluating groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) seed yield determinants in northern Ghana: A breeding perspective

The direct and indirect effects of groundnut physiological responses on seed yield were investigated with genotypes of a wide range of maturity periods in advanced replicated yield trials. The trials were conducted at four locations in the savanna zone of Ghana in the 1996 and 1997 cropping seasons. The objective of the trials was to enhance selection efficiency by concentrating on trials which increase seed yield. In 1996, 27 genotypes of groundnut of different maturity groups were grown. However, in 1997, 22 out of the 27 genotypes used in the previous year were used. The partitioning coefficient, crop growth rate, reproductive duration, shelling percentage biological and seed yields were determined. The path coefficient analysis for both years indicates strong, direct effects of photo-assimilate partitioning to pods and crop growth rate on seed yield. The direct effect of reproductive duration was positive but relatively weak while the biological yield had negative direct effect on seed yield. The efficiency of photo-assimilate partitioning to pods and crop growth rate in determining seed yield were assessed through a regression analysis for each year. This analysis showed highly significant portions of the total variation of the two traits. The results suggest that long reproductive duration, slow crop growth rates, high biomass production, and low dry matter partitioning to pods do not match the ideotype of groundnut species adapted to most of the ecologies of northern Ghana. Evaluation des déterminants du rendement de graine d'arachide (Arachis hypogea L.) au nord du Ghana: Une perspective de reproduction. Résumé Les effets directs et indirects des réactions physiologiques d' arachide sur le rendement de graine étaient étudiés, en se servant de génotypes d' un grand choix des périodes de maturité dans les essais de rendement réplicatifs supérieurs. Les essais se sont déroulés à quatre emplacements dans la zone savane du Ghana pendant les saisons de culture de 1996 et 1997. Le but des essais était d' améliorer l'éfficacité de sélection par la concentration sur les traits qui augmentent le rendement de graine. En 1996, 27 génotypes d'arachide de différents groupes de maturité étaient cultivés. Cependant, en 1997, 22 de 27 génotypes utilisés l'année passée étaient employés. La coefficient de partition, la proportion de croissance de culture, la durée de reproduction, le pourcentage d' égrenage, le rendement biologique et le rendement de graine étaient déterminés. L' analyse de coefficient de pathologie pour les deux années indique des grands effets directs de photo-assimilation de partition aux cosses et la proportion de croissance de culture sur le rendement de graine. L'effet direct de la durée de reproduction était positive mais relativement faible alors que le rendement biologique avait un effet direct négatif sur le rendement de graine. L' efficacité de photo-assimilation de partition aux cosses et la proportion de croissance de culture pour la détermination de rendement de graine étaient évaluées à travers une analyse de regression pour chaque année. Cette analyse montrait des portions hautement considérable de la variation totale des deux traits. Les resultats suggérent que la durée de reproduction longue, les proportions lentes de croissance de culture, la production élevée de biomasse et la faible partition de matiére séche aux cosses n'égalent pas les idéotypes des espèces d' arachide adaptées à la plupart d' écologies du nord du Ghana. Ghana Jnl agric. Sci. Vol.33(1) 2000: 23-2

Selection criteria for early maturing cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) genetypes in northern Ghana

No Abstract. Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science No. 1, 2005: 79-8