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Sam, E. F. & Sam, L. G (2016). Why can’t you read?: Exploring the predictors of reading difficulties.. International Journal of Educational Leadership, 7,
Abstract
The study explored how students’ attitudes toward reading, access to reading resources at home, class teacher’s attitude towards students’ reading ability, access to and use of video games and TV contribute to students’ reading difficulties. Data was obtained from 42 randomly selected students deemed as experiencing reading difficulties through questionnaire administration. Using the standard multiple regression technique, it was observed that the students’ attitudes toward reading made a statistically significant contribution to explaining their reading difficulties while all other predictor variables recorded less of a unique contribution to the equation relative to previous findings. Given this finding, it is imperative that parents and school teachers identify and target the factors that influence their attitudes to reading. Efforts should be made to help students appreciate the value of reading.
The study explored how students’ attitudes toward reading, access to reading resources at home, class teacher’s attitude towards students’ reading ability, access to and use of video games and TV contribute to students’ reading difficulties. Data was obtained from 42 randomly selected students deemed as experiencing reading difficulties through questionnaire administration. Using the standard multiple regression technique, it was observed that the students’ attitudes toward reading made a statistically significant contribution to explaining their reading difficulties while all other predictor variables recorded less of a unique contribution to the equation relative to previous findings. Given this finding, it is imperative that parents and school teachers identify and target the factors that influence their attitudes to reading. Efforts should be made to help students appreciate the value of reading.
Sam, E. F.
33rd International Geographical Congress. Beijing, China 21-25 August 2016
Paper presented:
Enhancing passenger safety and security in Ghana: Appraising public transport operators’ recent interventions
Abstract
Calls for constant evaluation of safety and security strategies of public transport (PT) operators abound in urban transport literature. This cross-sectional study examined passenger safety and security interventions of PT operators in Ghana. Both the accident-incident theory and routine activities theory served as the theoretical framework within which the study was rooted. Data were drawn from in-depth interviews with six (6) major inter-urban PT operators as well as questionnaires administered to 273 inter-urban PT passengers. Field data were analysed using narratives and both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The study reviewed a number of recent safety and security interventions adopted by the surveyed operators. For the operators, these have resulted in a reduction in road accidents and highway robbery incidence involving their buses and passengers. On the part of passengers, interventions geared towards addressing reckless driving and also police escort on buses were commendable. However, knowledge of the interventions did not impact on passengers’ perceived safety and security on PT in any way. The study emphasised the need for periodic review of the regulatory framework establishing public transport undertaking by the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to reflect changing safety and security circumstances.
Calls for constant evaluation of safety and security strategies of public transport (PT) operators abound in urban transport literature. This cross-sectional study examined passenger safety and security interventions of PT operators in Ghana. Both the accident-incident theory and routine activities theory served as the theoretical framework within which the study was rooted. Data were drawn from in-depth interviews with six (6) major inter-urban PT operators as well as questionnaires administered to 273 inter-urban PT passengers. Field data were analysed using narratives and both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The study reviewed a number of recent safety and security interventions adopted by the surveyed operators. For the operators, these have resulted in a reduction in road accidents and highway robbery incidence involving their buses and passengers. On the part of passengers, interventions geared towards addressing reckless driving and also police escort on buses were commendable. However, knowledge of the interventions did not impact on passengers’ perceived safety and security on PT in any way. The study emphasised the need for periodic review of the regulatory framework establishing public transport undertaking by the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to reflect changing safety and security circumstances.
Sam, E. F. (2015). Don't learn safety by accident: A survey of child safety restraint usage among drivers in Dansoman, Accra. Journal of Transport & Health, 2,
Abstract
Objective: The study surveyed child safety restraints use among drivers transporting children to school in Dansoman, Accra. Method: Employing a naturalistic observational method, the following were observed:sex of the driver, vehicle model, child characteristics,child location in the vehicle, whether child was restrained and how they were restrained, whether the driver was belted and the presence of other vehicle occupants. In total 126 vehicles were observed. Results: The study revealed low child restraints use among the observed drivers; children in new vehicles were more likely to be restrained; children seated in the back seat were more likely to be unrestrained; and child occupants were more likely to be unrestrained where there were other vehicle occupants. Conclusion: The study maintained that a collaborated effort by road safety stakeholders in terms of education/awareness creation and subsequent strict enforcement of child restraints use laws were required.
Objective: The study surveyed child safety restraints use among drivers transporting children to school in Dansoman, Accra. Method: Employing a naturalistic observational method, the following were observed:sex of the driver, vehicle model, child characteristics,child location in the vehicle, whether child was restrained and how they were restrained, whether the driver was belted and the presence of other vehicle occupants. In total 126 vehicles were observed. Results: The study revealed low child restraints use among the observed drivers; children in new vehicles were more likely to be restrained; children seated in the back seat were more likely to be unrestrained; and child occupants were more likely to be unrestrained where there were other vehicle occupants. Conclusion: The study maintained that a collaborated effort by road safety stakeholders in terms of education/awareness creation and subsequent strict enforcement of child restraints use laws were required.
Danso-Wiredu E. Y
4th Social Science Conference: Bringing the Gown to town; Developing Society through human security and social justice, University of Education. Winneba. North Campus, University of Education, Winneba 15-16 March, 2016
Paper presented:
Fishing in Ghana, the story of reciprocity, gender and market, Penkye in focus
Abstract
Abstract Fishing is an important economic activity for people along the coastal areas in Ghana as well as those living close to other water bodies in the country. The livelihoods of the people revolve around the fishing business. The economic, social and cultural activities of the people are institutionalized and embedded within the business. Penkye is a known area in Winneba, the history of the community is tied to that of the entire Winneba township, as the first place the Effutu people settled in the town. It is located along the coast and almost all the residents of the community are employed in the fishing industry directly or indirectly. What is intriguing about this community is the story it tells about its fishing business and daily survival of the residents. And how the two are entangled in the story of reciprocity and gender roles. The article delves into the institutional embeddedness of fishing and community life as a whole. It examines how gender ideologies differentially inform men and women’s roles in the fishing economy. Drawing on interviews conducted with community members, I construct economic life histories for men and women within the fishing community. And then analyze how they formulate livelihood strategies differently as a result. It concludes that such realities defy the ideologies of the impersonal market economy that Polanyi described in his book, the great transformation. It also questions the idea of neoliberal economy where market prices are alleged to be determined solely by demand and supply interactions between the seller and the buyer.
Abstract Fishing is an important economic activity for people along the coastal areas in Ghana as well as those living close to other water bodies in the country. The livelihoods of the people revolve around the fishing business. The economic, social and cultural activities of the people are institutionalized and embedded within the business. Penkye is a known area in Winneba, the history of the community is tied to that of the entire Winneba township, as the first place the Effutu people settled in the town. It is located along the coast and almost all the residents of the community are employed in the fishing industry directly or indirectly. What is intriguing about this community is the story it tells about its fishing business and daily survival of the residents. And how the two are entangled in the story of reciprocity and gender roles. The article delves into the institutional embeddedness of fishing and community life as a whole. It examines how gender ideologies differentially inform men and women’s roles in the fishing economy. Drawing on interviews conducted with community members, I construct economic life histories for men and women within the fishing community. And then analyze how they formulate livelihood strategies differently as a result. It concludes that such realities defy the ideologies of the impersonal market economy that Polanyi described in his book, the great transformation. It also questions the idea of neoliberal economy where market prices are alleged to be determined solely by demand and supply interactions between the seller and the buyer.
Danso-Wiredu E. Y
Annual Ghana Geographical Association and Ghana Geographical Teacher’s Conference: Geography, place and Development.. University of Ghana, Legon-Accra 4th -8th August, 2015.
Paper presented:
Housing and Infrastructure and the Role of Civil Society when Market and State Fail: The Case of Old Fadama, Accra
Abstract
Housing and infrastructure provision is the responsibilities of the state. Unfortunately in many developing countries, the state is unable to provide these resources to its citizens. In Ghana, since 1980s when the country adopted the SAP policies, its housing policy has changed. The state is relaxed in its efforts to provide housing for its population. Its role is therefore to create enabling environment for the private sector to build for the masses. This obviously has failed to translate to low income group within the country which cannot afford the cost of houses provided by the private sector. The difficulty in having access to decent homes has forced many urban dwellers to rent ‘cheap’ homes in slum communities one of such communities is Old Fadama in Accra. The community has turned its water logged area into a habitable one. Usually an acceptable place to call a home is to reside in houses made up of sleeping, bathing and toilet rooms. Old Fadama residents only have one room to call a home. They instead depend on community bathrooms, toilets and food vendors for survival. To pay as low rent as possible, many of them live in what is termed ‘group rooms’, where rent is shared among room members. The papers argue that Old Fadama stands out as a community that has been neglected by the state in terms of housing and infrastructure provision, but it residents are not perturbed by it, rather they depend on range of community based organisations to plan and facilitate developments and set rules which govern the residents. The paper uses Karl Polanyi concept of economic integration, but argues, in the case of Old Fadama, market, redistribution and reciprocity are instituted by civil society actors with regards to housing and community infrastructure provision. The research is part of a PHD study conducted in four poor communities in Ghana since March 2012. The author spent six months in the community interviewing a wide range of leaders and residents. Fifty interviews were conducted using semi-structured interview guide for residents and an unstructured guide for leaders. All respondents were purposefully selected through community leaders and by the researcher’s informal links. The community has been divided into five zones A-E, so stratified purposeful sampling was employed to select respondents from each of the zones. Keywords: Urban housing; community infrastructure; Old Fadama; Civil society
Housing and infrastructure provision is the responsibilities of the state. Unfortunately in many developing countries, the state is unable to provide these resources to its citizens. In Ghana, since 1980s when the country adopted the SAP policies, its housing policy has changed. The state is relaxed in its efforts to provide housing for its population. Its role is therefore to create enabling environment for the private sector to build for the masses. This obviously has failed to translate to low income group within the country which cannot afford the cost of houses provided by the private sector. The difficulty in having access to decent homes has forced many urban dwellers to rent ‘cheap’ homes in slum communities one of such communities is Old Fadama in Accra. The community has turned its water logged area into a habitable one. Usually an acceptable place to call a home is to reside in houses made up of sleeping, bathing and toilet rooms. Old Fadama residents only have one room to call a home. They instead depend on community bathrooms, toilets and food vendors for survival. To pay as low rent as possible, many of them live in what is termed ‘group rooms’, where rent is shared among room members. The papers argue that Old Fadama stands out as a community that has been neglected by the state in terms of housing and infrastructure provision, but it residents are not perturbed by it, rather they depend on range of community based organisations to plan and facilitate developments and set rules which govern the residents. The paper uses Karl Polanyi concept of economic integration, but argues, in the case of Old Fadama, market, redistribution and reciprocity are instituted by civil society actors with regards to housing and community infrastructure provision. The research is part of a PHD study conducted in four poor communities in Ghana since March 2012. The author spent six months in the community interviewing a wide range of leaders and residents. Fifty interviews were conducted using semi-structured interview guide for residents and an unstructured guide for leaders. All respondents were purposefully selected through community leaders and by the researcher’s informal links. The community has been divided into five zones A-E, so stratified purposeful sampling was employed to select respondents from each of the zones. Keywords: Urban housing; community infrastructure; Old Fadama; Civil society
Adam, A.K.; Boakye K.O.; Ashie A.A.; Bawah A.S.; and Pobbi M. (2016). The Process of Staff Promotion in Relation to Salary or Wages Upgrade in the Public Sector Institutions: Local Government Service VS Ghana Education Service Policy Statements. International Journal of Business and Management, 11,
Abstract
Adam, A.K. (2015). • The Efficacies Of Secretarial Profession By Ghana Education Service And Higher Education Institutions. Journal of Education and Practice, 6,
Abstract
This project is carried out by employing an empirical method through questionnaire design and administration and tapped the perceptions and knowledge of the target elements of this study. The research frame was about Ghana Education Service office workers within the Accra Metropolis including higher education institutions. A qualitative data analysis is presented more in the literature review to support in conclusions for the purpose of this project work. More importantly, the backbone of the research was based on both primary and secondary sources of data, which helped and revealed a lot of contentions within the secretarial practice. A total of 200 questionnaires was developed and distributed among 200 staffs of G.E.S. based on random sampling technique. This means that it is not the total number of GES in the Metropolis that was considered, it was only the total figure of 200 questionnaires that was considered and administered on the participants randomly. The participants for that matter the respondents included the management, Supervisors, Secretaries/Stenographers, University Administrators and some Teachers/Lecturers. The questionnaires were directly administered which gave results; hence, all the 200 questionnaires were answered and returned for presentation and analysis. This was an opinion seeking from the elements of the population and drawn clear conclusions from their answers after careful presentation and analysis. Ghana Education Service is one of the Government of Ghana public institutions established by an act of parliament to oversee the Educational systems in Ghana.
This project is carried out by employing an empirical method through questionnaire design and administration and tapped the perceptions and knowledge of the target elements of this study. The research frame was about Ghana Education Service office workers within the Accra Metropolis including higher education institutions. A qualitative data analysis is presented more in the literature review to support in conclusions for the purpose of this project work. More importantly, the backbone of the research was based on both primary and secondary sources of data, which helped and revealed a lot of contentions within the secretarial practice. A total of 200 questionnaires was developed and distributed among 200 staffs of G.E.S. based on random sampling technique. This means that it is not the total number of GES in the Metropolis that was considered, it was only the total figure of 200 questionnaires that was considered and administered on the participants randomly. The participants for that matter the respondents included the management, Supervisors, Secretaries/Stenographers, University Administrators and some Teachers/Lecturers. The questionnaires were directly administered which gave results; hence, all the 200 questionnaires were answered and returned for presentation and analysis. This was an opinion seeking from the elements of the population and drawn clear conclusions from their answers after careful presentation and analysis. Ghana Education Service is one of the Government of Ghana public institutions established by an act of parliament to oversee the Educational systems in Ghana.
Adam, A.K., (2015). Modern Business Communication, Com. Skills & Management Information Systems: For Best Practice. USA: CreatSpace. http://https://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-MR-Abdul-Kahar-Adam/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3AMR%20Abdul-Kahar%20Adam. ISBN: 978-1515070184
Abstract
Adam, A.K., (2015). Business Studies in Practice. USA: CreateSpace. http://https://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-MR-Abdul-Kahar-Adam/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3AMR%20Abdul-Kahar%20Adam. ISBN: 9781514780206
Abstract
Brako, I & Amoko Gyampah, A. K.
4th Social Science International Conference. University of Education, Winneba. Ghana. 15-16th March 2016.
Paper presented:
Turbulence and Tranquillity: Maintaining Industrial Peace in Ghana’s Fourth Republic
Abstract
Successive governments have since Ghana’s independence made various attempts to maintain industrial harmony. The attainment of this single laudable goal has been illusive as labour agitations for improved conditions by public sector workers continually welcome every government that comes to power. With the passing of the Labour Act and the subsequent establishment of the labour Commission one would have thought that the remedy to the age-long debacle had been found and such agitations were going to be a thing of the past. But that has not been the case. The struggle continues as if no serious attempts have been made to find a lasting solution to the problem. This paper examines events in the industrial front in Ghana’s Fourth Republic using the lenses of the unitarist and pluralist theories of industrial relations.
Successive governments have since Ghana’s independence made various attempts to maintain industrial harmony. The attainment of this single laudable goal has been illusive as labour agitations for improved conditions by public sector workers continually welcome every government that comes to power. With the passing of the Labour Act and the subsequent establishment of the labour Commission one would have thought that the remedy to the age-long debacle had been found and such agitations were going to be a thing of the past. But that has not been the case. The struggle continues as if no serious attempts have been made to find a lasting solution to the problem. This paper examines events in the industrial front in Ghana’s Fourth Republic using the lenses of the unitarist and pluralist theories of industrial relations.
