Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme in the Context of the Health MDGs – An Empirical Evaluation Using Propensity Score Matching

In 2003 the Government of Ghana established a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to improve health care access for Ghanaians and eventually replace the cashand- carry system. This study evaluates the NHIS to determine whether it is fulfi lling its purpose in the context of the Millennium Development Goals #4 and #5 which deal with the health of women and children. We use Propensity Score Matching techniques to balance the relevant background characteristics in our survey data and compare health outcomes of recent mothers who are enrolled in the NHIS with those who are not. Our fi ndings suggest that NHIS women are more likely to receive prenatal care, deliver at a hospital, have their deliveries attended by trained health professionals, and experience less birth complications. We conclude that NHIS is an eff ective tool for increasing health care access, and improving health outcomes.Health insurance, prenatal care, Millennium Development Goals, Propensity Score Matching

Motion of a sphere through an aging system

We have investigated the drag on a sphere falling through a clay suspension that has a yield stress and exhibits rheological aging. The drag force increases with both speed and the rest time between preparation of the system and the start of the experiment, but there exists a nonzero minimum speed below which steady motion is not possible. We find that only a very thin layer of material around the sphere is fluidized when it moves, while the rest of suspension is deformed elastically. This is in marked contrast to what is found for yield-stress fluids that do not age.Comment: latex, 4 figure

Chiefs, changing trust relations and land use planning in Ghana

In Ghana, both statutes and customs designate chiefs as trustees of customary lands. Based on evidence from four case study areas, the study establishes that, some chiefs are redefining their roles as trustees and are increasingly becoming the principal beneficiaries of revenue that accrue from granting of community lands. This drives chiefs to alter land use plans or engage unqualified people to prepare defective ‘land use plans’, that become the basis for guiding the growth of human settlements. These practices contribute to the poor state of planning delivery. Based on the findings, the study recommends that strengthening the capacity of state planning institutions and empowering communities to demand accountability from chiefs are crucial in the quest to improve land use planning delivery in Ghana.Keywords: Accountability, customary land tenure, chiefs, trusteeship, land use plannin

UPRAVLJANJE NEZAPOSLENOŠĆU VISOKOOBRAZOVANIH OSOBA U GOSPODARSTVIMA U NASTAJANJU: KRITIČKA ANALIZA TEZA O NESRAZMJERU VJEŠTINA I NJIHOVOJ PREVELIKOJ PONUDI

Graduate unemployment and its management are challenges that leaders of the economy, managers and policy analysts grapple with on a daily basis. As a result, economic leaders and managers of economies have sought theoretical explanations to guide their management strategies of graduate unemployment. There are two competing theses to explain the problem: skills mismatch and skills oversupply. However, due to the seeming simplicity of basic tenets and policy implications of the skills mismatch thesis, many governments and laypersons have blamed graduate unemployment on it. This paper argues that policy solutions based entirely on skills mismatch may trigger another form of unemployment, oversupply of skilled graduates. Furthermore, oversupply of graduates is more likely to be the signifi cant cause of graduate unemployment than skills mismatch. An effective policy, therefore, is one that takes into account interventions to stimulate demand for labor while at the same time manages the supply of skilled labor. Such an approach will provide more sustainable solutions to graduate unemployment. In addition, the potential contributions of psychologists in the efforts towards the management of graduate unemployment are also outlined.Nezaposlenost visokoobrazovanih osoba i njezino upravljanje izazovi su s kojima se ekonomski vođe, menadžeri i analitičari politika svakodnevno suočavaju. Stoga se traže teoretska objašnjenja koja bi služila kao smjernice za strategije upravljanja nezaposlenošću visokoobrazovanih osoba. Postoje dvije suprotstavljene teze kojima se objašnjava problem: nesrazmjer vještina i njezina prevelika ponuda. Međutim, zbog prividne jednostavnosti osnovnih načela i implikacija teze o nesrazmjeru vještina, mnoge vlade i laici upravo nju postavljaju kao razlog za nezaposlenost visokoobrazovanih osoba. Ovaj rad predlaže da rješenja za politike koja se isključivo temelje na tezi o nesrazmjeru vještina mogu dovesti do drugog oblika nezaposlenosti, a to je prevelika ponuda kvalificiranih visokoobrazovanih osoba. Nadalje, prevelika ponuda visokoobrazovanih osoba vjerojatniji je razlog nezaposlenosti visokoobrazovanih osoba od nesrazmjera vještina. Djelotvorna politika je stoga ona koja uzima u obzir intervencije kojima se stimulira potražnja za radnom snagom, dok se istovremeno upravlja ponudom kvalifi cirane radne snage. Takav pristup pruža održiva rješenja za nezaposlenost visokoobrazovanih osoba. Uz navedeno, daje se obris doprinosa psihologa u odnosu na upravljanje nezaposlenošću visokoobrazovanih osoba

Effect of polybag size and foliar application of urea on cocoa seedling growth

The effects of different polybag sizes and foliar application of urea on the growth of cocoa seedlings in the nursery were studied at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana substation at Afosu in the Eastern Region of Ghana between June 2004 and May 2005. Hybrid cocoa seeds were sown in polybags measuring 17.5 cm × 25 cm, 12.5 cm × 25 cm, 12.5 cm × 20 cm, and 12.5 cm × 15 cm filled with top soil. From the four-leaf stage, half of the seedlings in the different polybags received fortnightly foliar application of 2 per cent urea solution, while the other half did not receive foliar application of urea. Each treatment consisted of 50 cocoa seedlings. There were significant differences (P< 0.01) in girth and height between the cocoa seedlings in the different sizes of polybags at 3, 4 and 5 months after sowing. Leaf number and tap root length were also significantly influenced by polybag size at 4 and 5 months after sowing. Generally, seedlings raised in 17.5 cm × 25 cm polybags produced bigger and taller seedlings, more leaves, longer tap root length, and had significantly higher (P< 0.01) total dry matter per seedling than those raised in 12.5 cm × 15 cm polybags. Foliar application of 2 per cent urea improved the growth of cocoa seedlings in all the different polybag sizes. The results suggest that smaller polybag sizes (12.5 cm × 25 cm, 12.5 cm × 20 cm, and 12.5 cm × 15 cm) could be used to nurse cocoa seedlings and transplanted early at 3 months after sowing instead of the recommended practice of nursing in 17.5 cm × 25 cm polybags and transplanting at 5 to 6 months after sowing. More cocoa seedlings raised in smaller polybags could, therefore, be transported per trip for field planting at reduced cost to the farmer.Les effets de différentes dimensions de sac en plastique et d\'application foliaire d\'urée sur la croissance de semis de Cacao dans les pépinières étaient étudiés à Afosu, une sous-station de l\'Institut de Recherche en Cacao du Ghana dans la région de l\'Est du Ghana entre juin 2004 et mai 2005. Les fèves de cacao hybride étaient semées dans les sacs en plastique qui mesuraient 17.5 cm × 25 cm, 12.5 cm × 25 cm, 12.5 cm × 20 cm, et 12.5 cm × 15 cm remplis de couche arable. De la phase de 4-feuille, une demie de semis dans les différents sacs en plastique recevaient tous les quinze jours l\'application foliaire de 2% de solution d\'urée alors que l\'autre demie ne recevaient pas d\'application foliaire d\'urée. Chaque traitement consistait en cinquant de semis de cacao. Il y avaient des différences considérables (P £ 0.01) en circonférence et en taille entre les semis de cacao dans les différentes dimensions de sacs en plastique à 3, 4 et 5 mois après la semaille. Nombre de feuille et la longueur de racine pivotante étaient aussi considérablement influencés par la dimension du sac en plastique à 4 et 5 mois après la semaille. En général les semis élevés dans les sacs en plastique de 17.5 cm × 25 cm produisaient des semis plus gros et plus grands, plus de feuilles, de longueur de racine pivotante plus longue et avaient une totalité de matière sèche par semis considérablement plus élevées (P £ 0.01) que ceux élevés dans les sacs en plastique de 12.5 cm × 15 cm. L\'application foliaire de 2% d\'urée améliorait la croissance de semis de cac ao dans toutes les différentes dimensions de sacs en plastique. Les résultats suggèrent que les sacs en plastique de dimensions plus petites (12.5 cm × 25 cm, 12.5 cm × 20 cm, et 12.5 cm × 15 cm) pourraient être utilisés pour soigner les semis de cacao et repiqués précoces à 3 mois après la semaille plutôt que la pratique actuelle recommandée de soigner dans les sacs en plastique de 17.5 cm × 25 cm et repiquer à 5-6 mois après la semaille. Plus de semis de cacao élevés dans les plus petites sacs en plastique pourraient donc être transporter par trajet pour le repiquage sur le terrain à coût réduit à l\'agriculteur. Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science Vol. 40 (2) 2008: pp. 207-21

Colour and Architecture: An Empirical Study of a New Paradigm of Painting of Residential Buildings and Ownership in Kumasi

Colours have been classically used to inspire taste in architecture from antiquity. Colours provide ‘joie de vivre’ (joy of life). However, a cursory observation reveals a noticeable trend in Ghana where residential buildings are receiving paints and colour notations of multinational companies. This paper presents empirical research on colour through multiple methodological approaches and tactics. The research findings presented in this paper used Kumasi, the Capital of the Ashanti Region of Ghana as main case study area. The data analysis of findings revealed that about seventy-five percent of the houses painted in multinational companies’ colours along major arterial roads in Kumasi were approached for advertisement purposes. In addition, the owners of the sampled houses chose to paint with a particular colour for a mark of distinction and monetary reasons. This paper concludes that the companies’ objectives were adhoc and were not guided by any planned scheme as required to enhance the sensibility and aesthetic appeals through the use of colour for buildings and their genus loci in an urban environment. The paper recommends revisions to the current Ghana National Building Regulations of 1996 – The Legislative Instruments 1630 to recognize the importance of colour aesthetics in city environments. Keywords: Company colour and paint, Architecture, Incentivization, Building regulations, Kumasi-Ashant

Chemical Composition and Nutritive Value of an Invasive Exotic Species Broussonetia Papyrifera in Ghana

The study was done to determine the chemical composition and nutritive value of Broussonetia papyrifera with the aim of determining its potential for forage in Ghana. Due to its prolific regeneration pattern it has invaded large canopy gaps and degraded farm lands with a lot of ecological consequences.  Foliage samples of Broussonetia papyrifera were collected from wild stands in the Tano South District of the Brong Ahafo Region, Ghana, together with samples of Ficus exasperata and Leucaena leucocephala for comparison. The nutrient content (proximate composition, cell wall content and macro-mineral composition), anti-nutritive factor (condensed tannin) and digestibility of the test species were analysed. Results of the study showed that for a cheaper source of plant crude protein (27.17% DM), ether extract (6.45% DM), carbohydrate (25.37% DM), ash (11.54% DM), calcium (2.54% DM), phosphorus (0.23% DM), potassium (0.73% DM), magnesium (0.86% DM) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (50.88% DM), B. papyrifera appears good potential forage in ruminant nutrition. However, the level of condensed tannin (CT) in B. papyrifera (6.96% - 7.09% DM) may interfere with animal performance since they exceed 5.0% DM concentration which may reduce the digestibility of forage as a result of the nitrogen-condensed tannin (N-CT) complex formation that reduces their solubility and degradation by rumen bacteria. The results suggest that B. papyrifera could be a good candidate for forage, especially during the dry season for resource-poor farmers with stalled-fed animals in the B. papyrifera invaded areas in Ghana. Keywords: Invasive species, chemical composition, nutritive value, forage, Broussonetia papyrifera, Ghana

A Quantitative Assessment of Relationship between Urban Green Parks and Self-Esteem of Urban Children and Adolescents (Teenage Group) in Ghana

The importance of urban green parks in sustainable urban design development has gained currency in recent times, not only because urban parks do enhance the visual image of the city, or ameliorate its harsh climatic conditions, or purify its air, but they help develop high self-esteem of children and adolescents.  The study examines the correlation between the presence of green parks and self-esteem development among urban adolescents in Kumasi, the second largest city and Accra, the largest and the capital city of Ghana as case studies. The Children and adolescents used as respondents had their ages ranging from 13 to 19 years (teenage group). Using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale as a measure, the study revealed that the lack of green parks at Tafo (Kumasi) has significantly impacted the self-esteem of Tafo adolescents; {t (59) =13.178, P=0.000 (two-tailed)}. And, Respondents who socialize in green parks at Cantonments (Accra had high self-esteem levels, whereas respondents who have no access to green parks at Tafo (Kumasi) had low self-esteem. Keywords: Green parks, Socialization, Self-esteem, Urban, Tennage Group, Kumasi and Accra

Shopping malls as catalyst for sub-urban development in Ghana

The concentration of population in major cities is usually the consequence of the concentration of employment opportunities, goods and services in such cities. These goods and services act as pull factors to the regional population, especially from the suburban or rural areas, to densely populated cities. The resulting migration creates congestion of all kinds in the cities. Suburban communities are, thus, rendered unattractive for living. This situation is prevalent in Ghana where 75% of migrants into major cities are from suburban areas and the rate of urbanization is 4.1%. Decentralizing amenities to suburban areas would initiate re-distribution of population and thus development. This study investigated the possibility of using the Shopping Mall concept as catalyst to both help develop the suburbia and decongest cities in Ghana. The West Hills Mall at Dunkonah, a suburb near Accra was selected for the study. A mixed research method including  questionnaires, interviews, and observations was used for data collection. Out of a total of 1,642 house owners 328 were sampled and interviewed with questionnaire that delved into their origins, whether they are migrants, and the reasons behind their movement. The study concluded that shopping malls could act as catalysts for development.Keywords: Shopping Malls, Catalyst, Decongestion, Suburbanization, Amenitie