Ghana Center for Democratic Development

Abstract Abstract in Dagara Noba yaga teɛroŋ a kyaare a “tendaa bondirii diibu” yɛlɛ maŋ yele la ka a tendaa zaa bondirii yeltare do la saa kyɛ yire tɔnɔ, kyɛ, a meŋ leɛ kyaale la ka a yeltare ama ba are soŋ. A yɛli ŋa e la yelwonaa a Amɛreka ane Yurop Naasaal Paaloŋ poɔ kyɛ pãã na waa yelwonaa yaga ka ba naŋ wa fere a Afereka tenne ane ba koɔrebɔ ka ba sage de a teɛroŋ ŋa. Ne a lɛ zaa, a kyaale la ka saakommine bondirii yeltare sobie maŋ tõɔ̃ are la kpeɛŋaa. A lɛ zuiŋ, a yelzu ŋa yelnyɔgraa la ka o peɛre bɔŋ a yɛlɛ na naŋ maŋ vɛŋ ka a bondirii yeltare e soŋ kyɛ meŋ peɛre bɔŋ lɛnee a Gaana deme na maŋ de bamenne sobie a teɛ ne a yɛlɛ ama. A saakommine baabo ŋa sobie yeltare kyaare la lɛ te naŋ na leɛ noba teɛroŋ yi bon-bonyenaa koɔbo ka ba nyɔge yelsaama naŋ sonnɔ tenne ne ba yelwonni. A yelzu ŋa peɛre la tenne mine ayi koɔbo yɛlɛ a Gaana poɔ: Forikrom naŋ peɛle Tekyima naŋ be a Kɔmpareŋ ane Pavuu-Kalsagri naŋ peɛle Wa naŋ be a sazu paaloŋ poɔ. A yelpeɛre wuli la a yɛlɛ na naŋ vɛŋ ka a saakommine yeltare maŋ are kpeɛŋaa aseŋ a bonkoɔre ne a koɔbo sobie tɛɛtɛɛ, te meŋɛ kuoluŋ maalo ane bombie teroo, sobie naŋ teɛrɛ saakommine yɛŋ yel-erre ane bondirii bimmu ne a pommu. A yelpeɛre meŋ wuli la yelmeŋɛ kaŋ naŋ kyaare a bondirii yeltare kaŋa naŋ maŋ are kpeɛŋaa kyɛ ka ba ba yɛla o yɛlɛ: a bondirii yeltare sobie naŋ taa kpẽɛo maŋ dɛle la a saakommine yɛŋ bɔmmo faŋa. A yelpeɛre nyɛ la yɛŋ kaŋ a yi a ‘Legon tradition in African philosophy’ poɔ ane yɛŋ deme mine aseŋ Kwame Gyekye zie. Saakommine sobie yɛlɛ ane a Legon yɛŋ deme yeltuuri ba dɛle a saakommine bɔmmo ŋa yaga bee a zagre a bare togtogi. A zaa ayi teɛroŋ la ka a seŋ ka a nɔbinne ane saakommine yel-erre sereŋ be be yaga kyɛ meŋ dire teɛroŋ naŋ yire yeŋeŋ. A yelnimizeɛ la ka a saakommine baabo yɛlɛ ane a Afereka saakommine teɛroŋ na tõɔ̃ meele la taa a yel-erre ne yelsonne eebo poɔ. Abstract in English While the dominant ‘feeding the world’-narrative often refers the argument that the global food system is extremely productive and efficient, it also has become clear that the global food system is extremely fragile. This is already problematic in the context of North America and Europe, but it is even more problematic when it is imposed on African countries and farmers. Moreover, Indigenous food systems have shown resilience over time. Therefore the aim of this chapter is to identify features that make Indigenous food systems resilient, and to explore how these are supported through endogenous development approaches in Ghana. Endogenous development approaches focus on community-driven change that resists a narrow focus on increased output of monocultures while embracing change and innovations that support communities and their struggles. This study presents empirical findings of case studies in two communities in different agroecological zones in Ghana: Forikrom in the Transition zone near Techiman and Pavuu-Kalsagri in the Savanna zone near Wa. The findings reveal features that reflect the resilience of Indigenous food systems such as diversity in the food system in terms of crops and practices, self-sufficiency of fertiliser and seed supply, social structures that promote Indigenous knowledge systems, and food preservation and sharing. The study also highlights a crucial dimension for resilient food systems that is not often included, namely: resilient food systems lean on resilience of Indigenous knowledge. The findings have been complemented with insights by what can be called the Legon tradition in African philosophy, including philosophers like Kwame Gyekye. Endogenous development approaches as well as Legon intellectual traditions neither romanticize Indigenous knowledge nor reject it entirely. Instead, both plea for a critical reflection on values and practices that should be maintained within a cultural heritage, while also remaining open to ideas from outside. Moreover, endogenous development approaches and African philosophy can mutually enrich each other through reflectively-grounded practice and practically-grounded reflection.

Background Neonatal hypothermia is a prominent issue in low-resource settings. Preterm and low birth weight (LBW) infants are at increased risk for developing hypothermia. If left untreated, hypothermia can lead to hypoxia, sepsis, hypoglycemia, apnea, and poor weight gain in neonates, contributing to neonatal morbidity and mortality. Identifying risk factors for neonatal hypothermia is important, especially in low-resource settings, where the burden of neonatal mortality is highest. The study sought to describe the distribution of neonatal hypothermia and examine risk factors associated with neonatal hypothermia among LBW infants admitted to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana. Methods Infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, who were less than 28 days old, weighing less than <2,500 grams, and clinically stable, were enrolled. Infants of mothers under 18 years old and those expected to be discharged within 24 hours were excluded from the study. A standardized questionnaire was administered to collect information on the mother, infant, pregnancy, and birth characteristics. Axillary temperature readings were taken every 4 hours over a 24-hour monitoring period and during hypothermic events detected by the continuous temperature monitoring bracelet. Univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses with generalized estimating equations were used to examine risk factors associated with temperature. Results Of the 254 infants included in the analysis, 42.1% were male, 49.6% were very LBW (<1,500 grams), and 94.1% were preterm (<37 weeks). Of the 1,948 temperature readings, 44.5% were hypothermic (<36.5oC). Hypothermia occurred in 85.8% of infants during the 24-hour monitoring period. Multivariate linear regression demonstrated that being very LBW, having no skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth, not being wrapped or treated in an incubator at the time of temperature, and mixed feeding (compared to exclusive breastfeeding) were associated with lower neonatal temperatures. Conclusions Neonatal hypothermia was common among infants admitted to the NICU. The findings highlight the importance of thermal practices such as wrapping, exclusive breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact. Increased education to promote thermal care is needed.

Abstract Recent socio-economic trends have made Artificial intelligence (AI) a vital institutional force driving development among countries with optimal opportunities and costs. Among researchers in this domain, the benefit of AI is highly espoused, having been underexplored in Africa. However, the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen the education sector, given that many schools have migrated their teaching and learning online. While face-to-face teaching was the norm, the transition to online teaching has brought about the need to rethink the use of Information Technology to strengthen teaching and learning. To proffer solutions for the implementation of AI in Africa, there is the need to understand the challenges. Therefore, in this chapter, we explore the possible challenges that hinder the implementation of AI in Africa. Further, we propose solutions for the implementation of AI in the education sector, especially in this era of the COVID-19 pandemic. The solutions stem from rethinking the role of AI in the education sector. Finally, a conceptual framework that synthesises the problems and the proposed solution is developed. We envision that the proffered solutions can mitigate the deepening misconceptions and challenges bedevilling AI implementation in Africa.

Background: This article shares lessons from four case studies, documenting experiences of evidence use in different public policies in South Africa, Kenya, Ghana and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).Objectives: Most literature on evidence use in Africa focuses either on one form of evidence, that is, evaluations, systematic reviews or on the systems governments develop to support evidence use. However, the use of evidence in policy is complex and requires systems, processes, tools and information to flow between different stakeholders. In this article, we demonstrate how relationships between knowledge generators and users were built and maintained in the case studies, and how these relationships were critical for evidence use.Method: The case studies were amongst eight case studies carried out for the book entitled ‘Using Evidence in Policy and Practice: Lessons from Africa’. Ethnographic case studies drawn from both secondary and primary research, including interviews with key informants and extensive document reviews, were carried out. The research and writing process involved policymakers enabling the research to access participants’ rich observations.Results: The case studies demonstrate that initiatives to build relationships between different state agencies, between state and non-state actors and between non-state actors are critical to enable organisations to use evidence. This can be enabled by the creation of spaces for dialogue that are sensitively facilitated and ongoing for actors to be aware of evidence, understand the evidence and be motivated to use the evidence.Conclusion: Mutually beneficial and trustful relationships between individuals and institutions in different sectors are conduits through which information flows between sectors, new insights are generated and evidence used.

Abstract This article examines the effect of institutional quality on social cost of intermediation in high and low developed financial markets across 29 African countries between 2006 and 2013. Employing bootstrap‐quantile and two‐step system generalized methods of moments models with bank level data of about 330 banks, the results provide interesting and new insights. The results show that improvement in institutional quality in high or low developed financial markets translates into reduced social cost of intermediation to the society. However, it is evident from the results that improvement in institutional quality is more robust, persistent and weightier in reducing the social cost of intermediation in low developed financial markets which are often characterized with weak regulatory regimes and enforcement. Hence, improvement in institutional quality shores up regulatory supervision, monitoring and enforcement which translates into heavier dampening of social cost of financial intermediation in less developed financial markets. Moreover, bank size, credit shocks, return on equity and liquidity are key drives of social cost of intermediation both in low and high developed financial markets. These findings have policy implications and recommendations for policymakers and regulators of financial institutions. Policymakers and regulators, especially those in less developed financial markets, must endeavour to create, implement and advance mechanisms and enabling environment that enhances the quality of institutions since improved institutional quality reduces social cost of intermediation to the benefit of society.

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the paradoxes of buy local campaigns. These are popular strategies for marketing products in domestic markets aimed at supporting the local economy. Their scope can be national, regional, community or sectoral (such as agriculture, tourism, clothing or textiles).Design/methodology/approachThis paper examines the paradoxes associated with these campaigns, using two cases and a mixed methods study of buy local campaigns in the Ghanaian and South African textiles and clothing industries.FindingsThe study found that both economic and cultural streams of the two campaigns have different outcomes and that the dominance of one aspect does not directly influence the other.Practical implicationsThe use of buy local campaigns by countries as an intervention for reclaiming domestic market spaces can produce contradictory outcomes concurrently in the same campaign.Originality/valueThe author concludes with a brief discussion, which spells out the anatomy of buy local campaigns and the usefulness of the different aspects of these campaigns.

Purpose. To evaluate early and mid-term risk factors and dislocation rates in the posterior surgical approach in three separate community private practices using a short curved neck-sparing total hip stem design.Material and Methods.The three senior authors performed 338 short curved neck-sparing stem designs since April 2010 to June 2014. Various cementless acetabular components were used for all three surgical centers based on preoperative and intraoperative risk factors. All cases were reviewed retrospectively for incidence of dislocation after surgery.Version and inclination of the acetabular component and version of the femoral component were assed intra-operatively prior to final implantation. Various risk factors were reviewed including surgical approach, cup position, combined cup and stem positioning, and femoral head size.There have been significant papers in the past ten years that have recommended large head diameters to reduce the chances of head/neck mechanical impingement. Since the neck-sparing designs have a potentially increased risk of mechanical impingement head diameters were restricted to 32 mm or larger. In the smaller patient profile if a 32 mm head size could not be reached a dual-mobility style implant was chosen or stem choice was changed to a conventional style design.Results.Historically the posterior approach has had higher reports of dislocations as compared to direct anterior, anterolateral or straight lateral approach in conventional cemented and cementless implant designs. Older neck-sparing designs of conventional stem length by Freeman, Townley and Whiteside have not reported any increased dislocation problems but these stems have been associated with modified acetabular component designs, including the short curved neck sparing design of Pipino back in the 1980s.Incidence of dislocation in our series utilizing a short curved neck-sparing stem with more traditional hemispherical cementless acetabular components was 3 or 0.88%.Conclusion.Neck sparing stem designs do save significantly more bone and require less soft tissue dissection as compared to conventional cementless stem designs. Mechanical risk factors are increased with the use of short curved neck-sparing stem designs. Careful pre-operative and intra-operative evaluation does reduce the risk factors resulting in low and in some cases lower than previous published rates with conventional style stems.Short curved neck sparing stems do provide safe and reliable reproduction of the joint mechanics in routine primary total hip arthroplasty in both short and mid term results.Key Words: hip, arthroplasty, posterior approach, dislocation, neck sparing, and risk factors

Urban water provision system in Ghana covers 70 percent of the resident population but it is estimated that only 40 per cent of residents connected to the supply system have regular supplies. The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) which is responsible for production, distribution of potable water, billing and revenue collection from consumers is beset with many challenges. It faces several management challenges manifested in poor service delivery in terms of quantity and quality, poor cost recovery, weak capacity for operation and maintenance and poor financial management. This state of affairs has compelled the Government of Ghana to initiate reforms of the water sector including reengineering of the systems and possible Private Sector Participation in urban water provision. Presently, government has started physical expansion works in the water sector of many cities in Ghana. But not much has been done on the management system and its effect on water provision. The contention is that without effective management the expansion and reengineering works will not have sustainable effect on urban water provision. Given this scenario, Cape Coast, capital of Central region was chosen as case study on the management dimension of urban water provision. The institutional management assessment revealed that the GWCL as a quasi-state institution has limited autonomy for effective operation. This has culminated in poor performance and negative public image. The staff of the company admitted its poor service delivery and financial management. They are of the opinion that public-private partnership investment would improve the situation. However, consumers are unwilling to accept private investors’ participation in water provision due to the general perception that partnership will increase water tariffs.