Exportation of Timber in Ghana: The Menace of Illegal Logging Operations

This paper presents an empirical analysis of the linkage between external timber trade in Ghana and the increased incidence of illegal chainsaw operations which do not only threaten the country’s forests and other natural resources but also the erosion of the basis for sustainable agriculture which is the main-stay of the country’s economy. It uses ethnographic data from case studies of a recent research in selected forest reserves fringe communities in High Forest Zone of the country to explain the frustrations of local people with government policies that favour export to the neglect of local demand for timber and wood products. Although government pronouncements suggest that it is gaining an upper hand in the battle against illegal logging operations, evidence on the ground suggests that the greater part of the lumber on the local markets is supplied through illegal means predominated by itinerant chainsaw operators and their urban financiers . The paper concludes that the country’s forest and tree resources face massive degradation and overexploitation if the government does not take a bold decision on illegal logging, especially the activities of chainsaw operators. An option, though unpalatable and politically sensitive, may be the mainstreaming of chainsaw operations through the re-introduction of limited permits to registered local groups of timber traders and their chainsaw operators to supply the domestic market. This should be under a system which enjoins such groups to be collectively responsible for the activities of their members. And, the government should also strengthen the Forestry Services Division (FSD) to design and operationalize an enhanced monitoring and surveillance system of logging activities.Economic recovery program (ERP), Timber exportation, Illegal chainsaw operation, Timber traders, High forest zone, Forestry services division (FSD)

Changes in Beliefs and Perceptions about the Natural Environment in the Forest-Savanna Transitional Zone of Ghana: The Influence of Religion

The potential of traditional natural resources management for biodiversity conservation and the improvement of sustainable rural livelihoods is no longer in doubt. In sub-Saharan Africa, extensive habitat destruction, degradation, and severe depletion of wildlife, which have seriously reduced biodiversity and undermined the livelihoods of many people in rural communities, have been attributed mainly to the erosion of traditional strategies for natural resources management. In Ghana, recent studies point to an increasing disregard for traditional rules and regulations, beliefs and practices that are associated with natural resources management. Traditional natural resources management in many typically indigenous communities in Ghana derives from changes in the perceptions and attitudes of local people towards tumi, the traditional belief in super natural power suffused in nature by Onyame, the Supreme Creator Deity. However, this is closely entwined with ecological, demographic and economic factors. Whilst these factors have driven the need to over-exploit natural resources, a situation which threatens the sustainability of community forests including sacred groves, religion has been used to justify such actions. This paper explores changes in tumi and the sustainability of sacred groves in the forest-savanna transitional zone in Ghana. It would confirm that changes in traditional animist beliefs, such as tumi, which informs the worldview of local people and underlies traditional natural resources management, is mainly due to the advances made by Christianity and Islam.Tumi, Sacred Groves, Forest-Savanna Transition, Sustainability, Traditional, Christianity, Islam

Gender Constraints and Rice Varietal Characteristics Preferences in Lowland Rice Ecosystem in Ghana

This study examined the constraints and differences in varietal preferences for male and female rice farmers in lowland rice ecosystem in Ashanti Region of Ghana. Successful development interventions such as dissemination of improved rice varieties are, by their nature, transformative but paying attention to gender constraints and varietal preferences will always make them more effective.  Yet, these issues are not adequately documented and analyzed in adoption studies. A total sample size of seventy (70) rice farmers was randomly selected for an in-depth individual interview, using structured questionnaires. Analytical tools used were mainly descriptive and statistical methods. The results indicate that gender constraints are influenced by gender roles. The male constraints are lack of credit to expand cultivation, land preparation, bird scaring, land availability and weeding, whilst their female counterparts are credited to expand cultivation, bird scaring, weeding, labour availability and land preparation. Furthermore, the varietal preferences of males are marketability, good taste, good cooking quality, medium plant height and good aroma, whilst good taste, early maturity, high yield, high tillering ability and marketability loom very large in females’ choice of rice varieties characteristics.  The paper concludes that Ghana needs to review her rice breeding policies to confront the challenge of low adoption of improved rice varieties, and in doing this gender constraints and preferences for varietal characteristics should be factored into breeding. Keywords: Gender constraints and preferences, varietal characteristics, lowland rice ecosystem, improved rice varietie

Impact of Aboriginal Belief Systems on Natural Resources Management: Mount Cameroon National Park (MCNP)

Limited research exist on the effect of beliefs systems on management of the natural resources especially in Africa. Past decades has experienced efforts made by NGOs, IGOs, Aboriginal people and government to facilitate an effective mechanism to collaboratively manage the forest resources. Nonetheless, a biodiversity hotspot is still being threatened and the collaborative management is ‘pretentious’ in MCNP. This research argues that, unless the complexities and dynamics of the belief and indigenous knowledge are understood and the incorporated into management of natural resources management, collaborative and sustainable management is impractical on MCNP. Sample selection was done using EpiInfo 6.04d (CDC, 2001). We use survey of 238 household randomly selected from 14 of the 41 villages in MCNP (487 questionnaires), focused group discussions, key informant interviews and participant observations were used to collect data. Secondary data was obtained from the Ministry of forestry and Wildlife and also from park management. We find significant evidence (67%) that native beliefs which affect resource management exist in all the four clusters in MCNP. The rural area of Bomboko cluster are more prominent in practicing beliefs 78.3% followed by the Buea cluster with 62.5%. Only 18.5% confirmed that management observed beliefs. A majority of the people (89.5%) perceived that degradation of natural resources is as a result of disregard of native beliefs. Traditional forest conservation was practiced in areas that have traditional beliefs associated with forest resources P<0.001. Spearman’s Rho showed significant relationship between perceived traditional importance of forest and perceived importance of collaborative forest management. Focused group discussions disclosed dissatisfaction in management especially from the hunters and also exposed a momentous decline in the use of the bakweri language which has caused the erosion of culture and indigenous knowledge. We recommend empowerment of local people and integration of cultural beliefs and indigenous knowledge as well as active involvement of the aboriginal people in management and decision making of natural resources in MCNP. Keywords: Cultural beliefs, collaborative management, national parks, indigenous knowledge, natural resources management

The Role of Bakweri Traditional Beliefs in the Management of Mount Cameroon National Park

The sustainability of Parks are threatened because traditional beliefs are not enshrined in the management processes. Despite efforts made by many researchers to demonstrate the significance of these traditional beliefs in Africa, the traditional beliefs are side-lined in resources management. This research investigated the situation in Mount Cameroon National Park (MCNP), where natural resources management has been challenging despite numerous management strategies. MCNP is the home or ‘chariot of gods’ of the gods of Bakweri clan ‘Ihvarza Mote’ the practice of traditional beliefs has declined and so have the natural resources. We surveyed 228 households and randomly selected 14 from the 41 villages in MCNP. Four hundred and eighty seven (487) questionnaires were administered (minimum of 30 per village). Focused Group Discussions (FGD), key informant interviews and participant observations were used as study instruments. Secondary data was obtained from the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife and also from Park management. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics, multiple response analysis (MRA) to compute aggregate score within conceptual components. We found significant evidence P<0.05 that there are traditional beliefs in the gods of Mount Cameroon ‘Ihvarza Mote’ which affect natural resource management in all the four clusters in MCNP. Majority of the respondents (89.5%) perceived that degradation of natural resources was due to disregard of traditional beliefs. Chi square indicated significant association (P<0.001) that traditional forest conservation was practiced in areas that have traditional beliefs associated with forest resources. Spearman’s Rho elucidates significant (P<0.05) relationship between perceived traditional importance of forest and perceived importance of collaborative forest management. Focused group discussions disclosed dissatisfaction in management strategies especially from hunters. There has been a momentous decline in the use of the Bakweri culture which has caused erosion of culture and indigenous knowledge. We conclude that the non-enshrinement of the traditional beliefs has caused degradation of natural resources, unsustainable livelihood; non-compliance of regulations and poor participation in collaborative natural resource. We recommend enshrinement of traditional beliefs, empowerment and involvement of local people in decision making processes in MCNP. There is a need for an in-depth study of traditional beliefs and culture to inform policy makers and management in resources conservation worldwide. Keywords: ‘Ihvarza Mote’, Traditional Beliefs, Collaborative Management, Natural Resources Management, Mount Cameroon National Park

Microbiological, histological, immunological, and toxin response to antibiotic treatment in the mouse model of Mycobacterium ulcerans disease.

Mycobacterium ulcerans infection causes a neglected tropical disease known as Buruli ulcer that is now found in poor rural areas of West Africa in numbers that sometimes exceed those reported for another significant mycobacterial disease, leprosy, caused by M. leprae. Unique among mycobacterial diseases, M. ulcerans produces a plasmid-encoded toxin called mycolactone (ML), which is the principal virulence factor and destroys fat cells in subcutaneous tissue. Disease is typically first manifested by the appearance of a nodule that eventually ulcerates and the lesions may continue to spread over limbs or occasionally the trunk. The current standard treatment is 8 weeks of daily rifampin and injections of streptomycin (RS). The treatment kills bacilli and wounds gradually heal. Whether RS treatment actually stops mycolactone production before killing bacilli has been suggested by histopathological analyses of patient lesions. Using a mouse footpad model of M. ulcerans infection where the time of infection and development of lesions can be followed in a controlled manner before and after antibiotic treatment, we have evaluated the progress of infection by assessing bacterial numbers, mycolactone production, the immune response, and lesion histopathology at regular intervals after infection and after antibiotic therapy. We found that RS treatment rapidly reduced gross lesions, bacterial numbers, and ML production as assessed by cytotoxicity assays and mass spectrometric analysis. Histopathological analysis revealed that RS treatment maintained the association of the bacilli with (or within) host cells where they were destroyed whereas lack of treatment resulted in extracellular infection, destruction of host cells, and ultimately lesion ulceration. We propose that RS treatment promotes healing in the host by blocking mycolactone production, which favors the survival of host cells, and by killing M. ulcerans bacilli

Mycobacterium ulcerans DNA Not Detected in Faecal Samples from Buruli Ulcer Patients: Results of a Pilot Study

It has recently been shown that in a Buruli ulcer (BU) endemic region of southeastern Australia, significant numbers of possums (native tree-dwelling marsupials) have clinical BU disease. Furthermore, based on quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis, animals with BU lesions (and some without) shed M. ulcerans DNA in their faeces, indicative of bacterial loads of up to 108 organisms/gram. These findings led us to propose that humans might also harbour M. ulcerans in their gastrointestinal tract and shed the bacterium in their faeces. We conducted a pilot study and collected faecal swabs from 26 patients with confirmed BU and 31 healthy household controls. Faecal samples were also collected from 10 healthy controls from non-endemic regions in Ghana. All 67 specimens were negative when tested by IS2404 PCR. The detection sensitivity of this method was ≥104 bacteria per gram (wet-weight) of human faecal material. We conclude that the human gastrointestinal tract is unlikely to be a significant reservoir of M. ulcerans

Association between functional antibody against Group B Streptococcus and maternal and infant colonization in a Gambian cohort.

BACKGROUND: Vertical transmission of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a prerequisite for early-onset disease and a consequence of maternal GBS colonization. Disease protection is associated with maternally-derived anti-GBS antibody. Using a novel antibody-mediated C3b/iC3b deposition flow cytometry assay which correlates with opsonic killing we developed a model to assess the impact of maternally-derived functional anti-GBS antibody on infant GBS colonization from birth to day 60-89 of life. METHODS: Rectovaginal swabs and cord blood (birth) and infant nasopharyngeal/rectal swabs (birth, day 6 and day 60-89) were obtained from 750 mother/infant pairs. Antibody-mediated C3b/iC3b deposition with cord and infant sera was measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS: We established that as maternally-derived anti-GBS functional antibody increases, infant colonization decreases at birth and up to three months of life, the critical time window for the development of GBS disease. Further, we observed a serotype (ST)-dependent threshold above which no infant was colonized at birth. Functional antibody above the upper 95th confidence interval for the geometric mean concentration was associated with absence of infant GBS colonization at birth for STII (p<0.001), STIII (p=0.01) and STV (p<0.001). Increased functional antibody was also associated with clearance of GBS between birth and day 60-89. CONCLUSIONS: Higher concentrations of maternally-derived antibody-mediated complement deposition are associated with a decreased risk of GBS colonization in infants up to day 60-89 of life. Our findings are of relevance to establish thresholds for protection following vaccination of pregnant women with future GBS vaccines