Land Cover and Water Quality Patterns in an Urban River: A Case Study of River Medlock, Greater Manchester, UK

Urban river catchments face multiple water quality challenges that threaten the biodiversity of riverine habitats and the flow of ecosystem services. We examined two water quality challenges, runoff from increasingly impervious land covers and effluent from combined sewer overflows within a temperate zone river catchment in Greater Manchester, North-West UK. Sub-catchment areas of the River Medlock were delineated from digital elevation models using a Geographical Information System. By combining flow accumulation and high-resolution land cover data within each sub-catchment and water quality measurements at five sampling points along the river, we identified which land cover(s) are key drivers of water quality. Impervious land covers increased downstream and were associated with higher runoff and poorer water quality. Of the impervious covers, transportation networks have the highest runoff ratios and therefore the greatest potential to convey contaminants to the river. We suggest more integrated management of imperviousness to address water quality, flood risk and, urban wellbeing could be achieved with greater catchment partnership working

The Impact of the National Health Insurance Scheme on Maternal Health Care in Ghana.

Despite significant gains in reducing maternal and infant mortalities across the world, Low and Middle-Income Countries continue to struggle in ensuring proper health care for mothers and children. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 3 of enhancing quality health care for women and children, the World Health Organization (WHO) admonishes countries to guarantee universal health coverage for their citizenry. Universal health coverage among other things, helps in alleviating the financial burden of women in accessing better health care during pregnancy and after childbirth. It is in light of this that countries including Ghana introduced the free maternal health policy under National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to provide free maternal services for expectant and lactating mothers. Using interrupted time series analysis (itsa), this study examined any improvement at the national and regional levels, in delivery assistance by skilled birth attendants and postnatal care before and after the implementation of the free maternal health care within the NHIS. Findings from the study indicate that the NHIS had improved supervised deliveries by skilled birth attendants in all the 10 Ghanaian regions except for postnatal care. A greater number of NHIS-insured women utilized the services of skilled birth attendants during delivery after the commencement of the NHIS, unlike women with no insurance with the NHIS. On the contrary, the NHIS had no statistical association, nationally and in the 3 out of 10 regions, with postnatal care, despite an uptick post-NHIS, which suggests that a higher number of NHIS non-insured women received postnatal care compared to NHIS-insured women. With national and regional variations in maternal health care, the study brings to the fore, the need to increase enrollment in the NHIS and also identify and address other challenges affecting health care utilization such as long distances to health care centers, long waiting times at health facilities, unmotorable roads networks, which tend to undermine access to affordable health care for mothers and children

A model for predicting cost control practice in the Ghanaian construction industry

Abstract: One of the key roles of construction project managers is to execute construction projects within the targeted project cost. In Africa, most construction projects suffer huge cost overruns. Project cost control practice is required by every construction firm to keep the project cost in line with the budgeted cost. A comprehension of the different parts of cost control philosophies is fundamental to empower project cost managers to adequately set up robust cost controls and to improve future strategies for active construction project cost delivery. Although there are efforts by project cost managers to control cost, there is a lack of understanding of the factors that determine cost control practice in Ghana, as a developing nation. The factors enhancing cost control practice and a formal model are needed for consideration by project cost managers to guide their operations. This study develops a model for predicting cost control practice in the Ghanaian construction industry. Mixed-method methodology was utilised for this study. The qualitative survey used the Delphi survey approach to investigate the primary factors and measurement-related factors. The study identifies project cost control as eight-factor constructs: project cost estimation, project cost budgeting, project cost reporting, project cost monitoring, project cost analysis, decision-making, change management and project cost communication. These had strong inter-quartile deviations. ..D.Phil. (Engineering Management

A multi-channel noise dosimeter

Ph.D.Eugene T. Patronis, Jr

A Study into the Financial Sustainability of Offinso Mutual Health Insurance Scheme

It is widely recognized that a strong financial base is a prerequisite for an effective health care delivery system. Currently, Governments in sub-Saharan Africa are facing serious financial constraints in their attempts to provide basic health services to their people (Abekah-Nkrumah, et.al 2009). The purpose of this research was to determine: the adequacy of funding of Offinso Health insurance scheme; the relationship between revenue trends and claims management from 2006 to 2011; and measures put in place to ensure the financial sustainability of the scheme. In doing so the funding adequacy, revenue trend and claims payment from 2006 to 2011, and financial sustainability strategies of Offinso health insurance scheme was examined. The research was both descriptive and causal. The research strategy was survey and single case holistic. The research philosophy was both positivism and interpretivism. The research also used both deductive and inductive approach. Data was analysed using quantitative techniques like mean, frequency, correlation, standard deviation, and others. The unit of analysis was staff of Offinso Health Insurance Scheme. The total population size of 20 was used. In addition extract from the financial records of the scheme was also used. No specific sampling technique was used since data was collected from the entire population. It was found out that the scheme is not adequately funded; there is a highly positive relationship between revenue and claims payment and that claims payment consumes substantial portion of total revenue; the scheme has adequate defensive strategies; there is poor prudent fund management; and inadequate sourcing strategies. Generally the scheme may be facing financial sustainability problems in the long run as evidenced in the research findings. Keywords: Adequacy of funding, Financial sustainability, Mutual health insurance, Offinso

Mobile Number Portability: On the Switching Trends among Subscribers within the Telecommunication Industry in a Ghanaian City

The proliferation of mobile telecommunication service providers in the country has prompted concerns about service quality within the industry. Mobile Number Portability was introduced by the National Communications Authority (NCA) as part of a broader campaign aimed at ensuring uninhibited switch from one telecom service provider to another. With a combination of both qualitative and quantitative investigative techniques, an initial attempt is made by this paper to produce results achieved through a representative sample of 200 respondents of different network customers to determine the pattern of switch from one service provider to another. Findings suggest the instrumentality of income, service difficulties, and customer service as well as usage costs as being the overriding consideration of porting intentions among subscribers

Teachers’ perceptions about the effects of children’s experiences of learning on their later emotional and social development

It is generally believed that children’s success in grappling effectively with emotional and social challenges in later years largely depends on their childhood experiences. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study explored the perceptions that teachers in a primary school in Ghana held about this belief. Data was collected using a questionnaire and interviews. Sixty teachers voluntarily participated in the study. The study found, among other things, that the ability of a child to cope with emotional and social challenges in later years depends on teachers’ attitudes in terms of their commitment, sensitivity to the child’s needs, and ability to structure the teaching and learning environment. Based on the fi ndings, the study recommends that in making placement decisions in primary schools, educational departments should place emphasis on teachers’ commitment to children’s development.Proceedings of the 5th biennial International Conference on Distance Education and Teachers’ Training in Africa (DETA) held at the University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya, 30 July - 1 August 2013

Physics Tutors’ Self-Efficacy and Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Research Activities in the Colleges of Education in Ghana

Background: Self-efficacy in the use of ICT refers to a person’s belief in their ability to succeed in the use of ICT in the teaching, learning and assessment process as well as research purposes. Purpose: The incorporation of ICT into teaching, learning and as-sessment, and for research purposes is a powerful tool that pro-motes the teaching-learning environment in several ways. This study was aimed at investigating Physics Tutors’ self-efficacy (PTSE) level towards ICT integration into teaching, learning, as-sessment and research in the various Colleges of Education (CoE) in Ghana. Methods: A Four-point Likert Scale Questionnaire was used to ob-tain quantitative data from 16 physics tutors sampled from the 16 Science and Mathematics Colleges of Education in Ghana. The data obtained was analyzed based on a number of factors such as historical inclination towards the use of ICT among other things. Results: The findings from the study however reveled that most physics tutors accept and believe that the use of ICT in teaching physics significantly improves on teaching and learning. However, many of the Physics Tutors believe that there isn’t enough support in terms of logistics and training from the various stakeholders such as institutional heads, supervisors and even colleagues in the usage of ICT in teaching and learning physics Conclusions: It is concluded that the overall PTSE towards ICT integration in the CoE is above average (2.6 on a scale of 4)

The Use of Mobile Construction Applications in the Ghanaian Construction Industry

There exist several construction applications (Apps) used on mobile phones or tablets within the construction industry, yet there is a gap between technology design and technology use in the Ghanaian construction industry. The aim of this study is to find out the use of construction apps in the Ghanaian construction industry. The objectives were to find out the awareness of the use of construction apps and to evaluate the construction apps used in the Ghanaian construction industry. An extensive literature review was conducted to identify the construction applications available in the construction industry and were group under 5 main headings; namely, estimation, calculators, CAD, construction site and project management Apps. Field survey of Sixty-Two registered building and civil contractors in Ashanti Region was conducted. Questionnaires were distributed to top management team of the firms with a response rate of 89%. Data obtained were analysed with descriptive statistics techniques. The results show that majority were not aware of the use of construction apps by 58% of the respondents yet most use android phones or tablets that support Apps. However, the topmost applications normally used were site photos, microsoft, spirit level, material estimator calculator, AutoCAD WS, Construction Master Pro, Universal Estimator, AndCAD, Carpenter’s Calculator, and painting estimator. It is however important that tertiary educational institutions pursuing construction related programmes should from time to time educate the young construction engineers about the modern and importance of the usage of these construction apps to enhance efficiency in their operations. Keywords: construction Apps, contractors, construction industry, mobile phones, Ghana

Participation in Professional Programmes and Curriculum Implementation: Perspectives of Senior High School French Teachers in Ghana

Professional development is a sine-qua-non to increasing teachers’ skills and abilities in curriculum implementation. Yet, in recent times, policy makers, school heads and teachers have given it little attention. This study therefore focuses on investigating the impact of teachers’ participation in professional programmes on curriculum implementation at the SHS. The research adopted the concurrent mixed approach in documenting facts about teachers’ professional development and implementation. Evidence was gathered through surveys and interviews on seventy two (72) and eight (8) teachers respectively, drawn using multiple sampling procedures. It was found that teachers of French at the SHS participate in professional programmes such as the ones organised by CREF, GAFT and the GES. However, teachers had negative perceptions about the content of these programmes since they did not in enhance teacher knowledge, skills of teaching and students’ achievement. It was also found that a positive significant relationship [r(72) = .804, p < .05 given ? = .05 and p –value =.008] exists between participation in professional programmes and curriculum implementation. Based on these outcomes, the study recommends that for maximum impact, content of professional development programmes be aligned with the curriculum so teachers’ implementation challenges could be addressed for enhanced student learning. Keywords: SHS, curriculum implementation, French teachers, CREF, GE