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- ItemAmbient air quality and the health of communities around Chirano Gold Mines Limited(2011) Ntim, MichaelIn communities where mining operations take place there are lot of environmental problems that comes with their processes. One of the greatly affected parts is ambient air quality. This studies aims at investigating the pollution status of the ambient air and the state of health of the communities living within its catchments. With the vitalograph, lung function tests namely; Forced Vital Capacity, Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 sec., Peak Expiratory Flow and Forced Expiratory Flow were performed on inhabitants of Paboase and Akoti communities in the concession of the Chirano Gold Mines Limited. The PM10 and Total Suspended Particles (TSP) in the ambient air were also monitored for a period of 8 months at 7 sampling stations. Results show that the mean PM10 level (64.04 μgm-3) was below the EPA- Ghana standard (70 μgm-3) but above the WHO standard (50 μgm-3). Also the levels of PM10 were below these standards except at all sampling stations except at the Rom Pad (166.72 μgm-3) possibly due to the crushing of rocks and its feeding into the processing plant causing greater liberation of particulate matter into the atmosphere. Mean TSP level (138.93 μgm-3) was also below both the EPA- Ghana standard (230 μgm-3) and WHO standard (200 μgm-3). For similar reasons, higher levels (367.62 μgm-3) than the standards were recorded at the Rom Pad. There was a statistical difference (p<0.00) between the predicted and the measured ling functions suggesting that the ambient air is not polluted and hence, there are health effects associated with the prevailing ambient air quality.
- ItemAssessing the Water Supply Potential of Boreholes on Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Campus(2013-12-17) Boakye, Opoku RichardThere have been major expansions on the Kumasi water supply system all in the bid to meet the demand of its ever-growing population. However, many places in the metropolis still continue to experience interrupted water supply and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) even though it is a priority area, continues to experience water shortages. In a bid to cover these shortages, colleges, departments, hostels etc. have drilled boreholes to make up for the shortages. As a result, many boreholes are dotted over the university campus serving the needs of individual departments and hostels. This project seeks to assess the groundwater potential of KNUST to see if all the boreholes could be integrated into a system of water supply for the university community. Mapping of all boreholes (with coordinates and some characteristics such as yield and depth) on campus has been done. The daily water demand for the university has been estimated to be 3000 .The potential of all the boreholes drilled on campus has been assessed to be 2220 when pumping for 18 hours a day. The water quality of the water from the boreholes has been analysed and the results show that, there are no major health concerns from the existing boreholes in terms of iron, lead, manganese, arsenic and fluoride. However, total coliform was found to be present and the pH values show the water was slightly acidic and would pose some health risks to consumers. Therefore the water from the boreholes requires a limited amount of treatment in respect of disinfection and pH correction. Since the boreholes on the university campus have the potential of meeting about 74 % of the university’s total demand, it is recommended that a conscious effort be made to bring all the borehole water to a point where quality improvement can be done before its distribution to the whole university community.
- ItemAssessment Of Risk Priority Number Of 2.5 Mw Polycrystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Power Plant At Navrongo, Ghana In Sub-Sahara Africa.(KNUST, 2019-04) ALHASSAN SULLAIMANUnderstanding failures of photovoltaic (PV) modules is one key factor in enhancing the reliability and service lifetime of PV modules; and hence reducing the cost of PV systems and financial implications on investment. This study seeks to identify the field failures associated with installed PV modules in the Ghanaian climatic condition, which minimize the performance of modules, and pose reliability issues to the solar plants as well as financial implications to manufacturers and investors in the PV sector. Physical examination of the modules using visual inspection checklist and their corresponding electrical performance parameters (I-V characteristics) measurement using multimeter and I-V tracer were performed on two models of the five (5) year old 2.5 MW PV power plant at Navrongo. A MatLab program was used to evaluate the failures and degradation modes of 144 Polycrystalline silicon (Poly-Si) framed modules under the hot dry climate of Navrongo. The program is a statistical reliability tool that uses Risk Priority Number (RPN) to determine the dominant failures by means of ranking and prioritizing the failure modes. The visual inspection revealed front glass slightly soiled, junction box lid fell off, cell interconnect discoloration and backsheet crack between cells as the peculiar failure issues either affecting the performance of the modules and/ or posing safety concern to personnel and properties on site. Mean degradation rates of 1.11%/year and 1.23%/year were respectively computed for Model A (Jinko solar) and Model B (Suntech technologies) types of modules for the power plant studied. These degradation rates values are beyond the standard warranty limit of 1.0%/year reported in literature. In addition, short circuit current (Isc) and fill factor (FF) were determined as the dominant I-V parameters affecting the power degradation rates of the Model A and Model B modules respectively. The study also determined the total Global RPN value of 606 for the Model A type of modules for this plant, whereas that for Model B is 583. These RPN values fall within the reported values ranging from 500 to 755 in literature. With this information, investors can have an insight on the worth of a PV Plant and viability of their investment before making a decision. From this study, it can be concluded that, the five years old PV plant in operation is not performing very well and needs urgent attention to avoid loss based on the degradation rates of the fielded modules.
- ItemAvailability of natural gravel for road construction in Ghana(2008-08-23) Addison, George KodwoMost road pavements in Ghana have for many years been built of natural gravel as the subbase and base layers. Natural gravel are the most economical material for road construction when available within economic haulage distances. However, there has been a gradual shift to the use of a blend of natural gravel and other materials (stabilization) or crushed stone as the layer materials for subbase and base. In addition, various studies have been done to improve the engineering properties of natural gravel underscoring the difficulty of finding suitable material for construction in Ghana. However the extent of the problem is unknown. This study evaluated some material properties (CBR, grading and Atterberg limits) of natural gravel samples from 454 borrow pits distributed throughout the country for their suitability or otherwise for road construction as a subbase, base and Otta seal. Each material property was compared with G30, G40, G60 and G80 MoT specifications. The ones meeting the criteria were denoted as passed or failed if otherwise. The results showed that it is difficult getting natural gravel meeting the specification for G80 base material. However, there is significant improvement when a relaxed specification of G60 is used. This indicated grading plays a very important part in deciding whether a natural gravel material meets specification or not. Generally Western Region had the greatest difficulty of meeting grading requirement. The overall proportion of samples meeting the requirements of subbase and base are 26% and 2% respectively. It is almost impossible to find a natural gravel pit meeting the requirements of Otta seal without processing. Most natural gravel in the country will need two cycles of screening for them to meet the gradation requirement for Otta seal.
- ItemCharacteristics of soil physical properties for pond design for aquaculture among rice farmers at Kwabre District(2015-03-17) Yeboah, Asare BarfourAgriculture, the backbone of the Ghanaian economy employs around 51% of Ghana's work force. Currently most younger farmers are quitting and moving to urban centers for other forms of employments because they claim it is not lucrative..............
- ItemClimate Change and Its Impacts on Flooding In Accra-Greater Accra Metropolitan Assembly(2013-12-16) Sanquah, Isaac OdoiClimate change resulting in high precipitation is of utmost importance as it yields floods of varied amounts. Such floods result in loss of lives and properties worth billions of Ghana Cedis (BGH₵). Accra, the capital city of Ghana, has experienced various levels of floods with the July 1995 incidence recorded as the highest floods over the basin. This research work seeks to investigate the impacts of floods over Accra basin as the future experiences changes in the climate system. Aptitude to predict future precipitations depends on established climate scenarios. Landuse characteristics and atmospheric parameters define the changes in the hydrologic cycle hence the resultant precipitations. This affects the variations in the precipitation pattern as the years proceed. Known precipitation values are used to develop flood vulnerability maps and their impacts due to changes in the precipitations assessed under each of the scenarios in an ARCGIS model for this work. Six main scenarios are developed based on the landuse characteristics of the basin. These are HISTORICAL_1995, SDAN_2020, SDOK_2040, SDIK_2060, SDIOL_2080 and SDIOK_2100 yielding precipitation values of 249.30mm, 234.09mm, 149.58mm, 24.93mm, 124.65mm and 398.88mm respectively. These precipitation values are integrated into the HYDROCAD software to generate runoff depths or flood levels, flood volumes and hydrographs for each of the sub basins within GAMA. Vulnerability assessment depends on known precipitation data; hence the historical_1995 precipitation used to develop the flood vulnerability map of Accra as the reference point for impact assessment. Climate change impacts on floods are then assessed based on the obtained precipitation values under each of the generated scenarios. Therefore, the developed climate scenarios helped to forecast precipitation values over the GAMA basin and assess their future impacts on floods. This will serve as an urban planning tool for the Government of Ghana (GoG) and other flood disaster management agencies.
- ItemConvergence Analysis of Massive MIMO Antenna Arrays Using a Geometry-Based Stochastic Channel Model(KNUST, 2019-10) Patrick DanourIn order to reap the full benefits of massive MIMO, the Base Station (BS) antennas must be significantly large to converge to favorable propagation condition or attain convergence (the state where the effect of noise and fast fading vanishes). However, increasing BS antennas results in closely spaced antenna elements which inadvertently leads to the detrimental effects of Spatial Correlation (SC) and that can affect the convergence of Massive MIMO System. So far, research works on Convergence have been investigated using Correlation-based Stochastic (CBSCM) channel models, which does not reflect accurate massive MIMO channel. This channel model does not take into consideration channel parameters such as the Pathloss, power delay profile as well as the characteristics of the antenna array needed for the practical massive MIMO system implementation. Therefore analysis of massive MIMO convergence regarding the Geometry-Based Stochastic Channel model (GBSCM), which reflects real practical massive MIMO channel and the effects of SC is needed. In this thesis, the convergence of massive MIMO based on GBSCM is studied. The effect of 3D SC of uniform rectangular and cylindrical array (URA and CA) based on the Maximum Power of Arrival (MPA) is incorporated. In the analysis, the Diagonal Dominance and Mean Absolute Deviation convergence metrics, were considered to study the effects of the SC on the asymptotic behavior of the channel matrix. The results support existing development that, increase in azimuth and elevation spreads of the angular distributions of arrival and antenna element spacing reduces the SC and thereby increases convergence rate of massive MIMO. Results also show poor performance for the Laplacian and Von Misses distributions in GBSCM, even for higher AS and ES, and angular spreads. Further it was realized that, in GBSCM, the convergence of massive MIMO was sensitive to antenna array topology regarding Gaussian and Student’s t-distributions. This contradicts previously established results that convergence is insensitive to antenna topology in CBSCM.
- ItemCorrelation between Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (n-Value) and Allowable Bearing Pressure of Shallow Foundation Using Model Footing(2008-08-18) Dzitse-Awuku, DavidAn allowable bearing pressure is one of the most important basic parameters to be determined before the design and construction of foundations for civil engineering structures. The conventional methods of estimating this parameter is becoming relatively expensive and time consuming for small scale projects such as residential buildings. The DCP is a versatile equipment that may be applied to obtain the bearing capacity. However, currently, there are no reliable correlations between the DCP test results and the bearing capacity. This project was undertaken to develop a reliable correlation between the Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) n-value (blows/100mm) and the allowable bearing pressure qati (kN/m2) for shallow foundations using a model footing. In this work, compacted soil sample of different dry densities in a mould was loaded with a model footing until the sample yielded. On the same sample, DCP testing was performed at two locations to determine the average D- value (mm/blow). Triaxial samples were also taken for triaxial test. Results from the triaxial test were used to calculate ultimate bearing capacity using Terzaghi bearing equation. The measured DCP D-value (mm/blow) was processed into n-value (blows/100mm) which is the standard form of recording the DCP test results in the field. The results were analysed and a correlation qau=48n + 57, with a coefficient of correlation, R2=0.98 was obtained for the model footing. This correlation was similar to the correlation between the n-value and the allowable bearing pressure computed using the Terzaghi approach, except that the Model underestimated the allowable bearing pressure by a constant value of 165 kN/m2 for all values of n.
- ItemCrash predictions model for two-lane rural highways in the Ashanti Region of Ghana(2015-03-23) Ackaah, WilliamCrash Predictions Models(CPMSs) have been used elsewhere as a useful tool by road Engineers and Planners. There is however no study on the predictions of road traffic crashes on rural highways in Ghana..............
- ItemThe effect of redials and retrials on the GSM Network(2012-12-16) Gyamfuaa, Mintah JenniferThe scarcity of spectral resources limits the number of channels that can be used on a telecommunication network. Consequently, a user requesting a service particularly a call may be blocked because all channels may be occupied. Initial planning and design of GSM network may not necessarily be accurate because all parameters including the traffic which determines the blocking of the network are based on estimations. Such networks may not meet the industry standard especially when it comes to blocking which is a measure of the Grade of Service (GoS) of the network. A user or the system may experience blocking at one time or the other. Both users and the network may attempt to get a connection. These reattempts constitute redials on the part of the user and retrials on the part of the network and they introduce a phenomenon which cannot be neglected in the analysis of a network. All of these retrials and redials are registered as separate calls. As a result, during the busy periods when blocking is observed in a cell, counters register a much larger volume than the effective call attempts. This research seeks to study of the effect of these reattempts on the GSM network. We seek to find how the blocking probability, redial probability, number of redials and the number of retrials affect the GoS of the network. Four analytical models namely Generalized Redial/Retrial Model (GRRM), Uniform Redial Model (URM), were applied to measured load to extract the excess load which comprise of redials and retrials. When the extraction is complete, the actual load that is supposed to be on the network would be obtained after which an efficient and a better network can be designed. The findings in this study revealed that network traffic is inflated with redials and retrials generated by networks subscribers and the network respectively. All the models when applied produced actual loads that were less than the measured loads. GRRM and SHM proved to be better models to use on highly congested networks while URM and IRM proved to be useful for all congestion conditions. It was also observed that an increase in the blocking probability and the redial probability introduced more load onto the network as the redials and retrials increase. The study has also shown that the network blocking probability may not always meet the industry standard and the number of channels that are used for network operations may often be inadequate.
- ItemEngineering geological evaluation of Mfensi and Afari clay deposits for liner applications in municipal solid waste containment systems(2015-11-04) Endene, Che EmmanuelMfensi and Afari clay deposits in the Ashanti region of Ghana, have been the subject of considerable research works mainly for pottery, brick and tile, pozzolana, refractory productions, etc, but very little is known about their application as liner materials. This study therefore sought to evaluate the suitability of the two clay deposits as liner materials in municipal waste containment systems. Samples were collected from the sites and subjected to physical, chemical, physico-chemical, mineralogical, geotechnical as well as thermal analyses. Results of the study reveal that; physically, both clays were soft and had high water contents. Afari clay was yellowish in colour while Mfensi clay was greenish-grey in colour. The chemical compositions of the clays were analogous although their concentrations varied. The oxides of silicon, aluminum and iron together constitute about 90% and 80% in Mfensi and Afari clay respectively. The mineralogical compositions of both clays were similar and made up of quartz, kaolinite and magnetite. The cation exchange capacities of the clays were 32.33 meq/100g for Afari clay and 7.79 meq/100g for Mfensi clay. The clays were fine grained, with fines contents of approximately 64% and 88% for Afari and Mfensi clays respectively. Texturally, both clays classify as clay loam. The Atterberg limit tests gave the liquid limits and plasticity indices of both clays to be 64.78% and 40.52% for Afari clay and 42.85% and 22.43% for Mfensi clay respectively. The unconfined compressive strength of the Afari clay was 244.53KPa and that of Mfensi clay was 331.73KPa. The hydraulic conductivities of the clays were found to be of the order ×〖 10〗^(-7) cm/s. The average thermal conductivities of the clays were 0.025W/moC for Afari clay and 0.215W/moC for Mfensi clay. The use of leachate led to an increase in the plasticity indices and liquid limits of both clays with a reduction in the plastic limits. Reductions in the permeability’s of both clays were also observed when permeated with leachate. From the modeling, Afari clay had a higher flow rate and a lower breakthrough time relative to Mfensi clay. It is concluded that, Mfensi clay has a better anti-leakage behavior, higher breakthrough time and lower flow rate relative to Afari clay. Based on parametric analyses from the simulation with varying leachate head, leachate density and liner thickness, it was found that, the breakthrough times of both clays did not change when varying the leachate head while the flow rate changed with varying leachate head. Also, the breakthrough times and flow rates of the clays changed with varying liner thickness. Finally, the variation in leachate density resulted to a change in the breakthrough times for both clays and had no effect on the flow rates. From the overall study, the clays generally passed the requirement for use as liner materials in municipal solid waste landfills and hence they could be used for liner applications
- ItemEnvironmental and Health impact of Agrochemicals usage in Tomato (Vegetable) Production in the Offinso-North District(2013-09) Boateng, Kofi KonaduThe study was undertaken to investigate the possible impacts that agrochemicals through their usage can have on the environment, farmers and consumers. Data were gathered through questionnaires administered to 210 farmers in three communities (Akomadan, Nkenkaasu, Afrancho) where vegetable cultivation especially tomato is predominant and the use of different classes of agrochemicals is high. Ten agricultural extension agents and ten agrochemical dealers were also interviewed. Farmers in the area use banned agrochemicals such as Heptachlor, DDT, Dieldrin and Lindane. Symptoms suggestive of agrochemical exposure such as dizziness, drowsiness, headaches and skin irritations were recorded among farmers who use agrochemicals in the three communities. The data gathered shows some levels of agrochemicals that the farmers and environment are exposed to. There is a strong indication from the data gathered of a probable bioaccumulation of agrochemicals in the environment and on tomato as laboratory analysis of tomato fruits revealed eleven (11) organophosphates and fourteen (14) organochlorines and synthetic pyrethroids residues in the samples collected from the three study communities. The residues detected included DDT and its derivative DDD which is highly toxic and environmentally persistent. Most of the detected residues on the tomato samples from the area were below the FAO/WHO codex alimentarius set Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) except Heptachlor which exceeded its MRL. Most detected residues did not pose long term health risk to consumers when estimated. However, chlorfenvinphos, heptachlor (banned) and dieldrin posed long term health risks to consumers when the health risk associated with them was estimated. Agrochemical dealers in the study area who are the major suppliers of agrochemicals to the local farmers sell agrochemicals in repackaged containers exposing themselves, farmers and also compromising the chemical potency of the agrochemicals.
- ItemEstimation of vehicular emissions and fuel consumption on road links using HDM-IV in Ghana - A case study on the George Walker Bush Motorway (14.1km) Accra(November, 2016) Bonsu, Ernest OseiFuel consumption and vehicular emissions from traffic are major constraints in sustainable environmental development. Vehicular emissions and fuel consumption have increased in recent years due to rapid growth in world traffic resulting in an increase in associated problems such as cancers, respiratory diseases, global warming etc. Thus, strategies for the reduction of road traffic-generated fuel use and emissions have become issues worth examining. This study looks at the estimation of vehicular emissions and fuel consumption on the 14.1km section of the George Walker Bush Motorway in Accra, Ghana. The Highway Development and Management Tool was used for the estimation of fuel use and vehicle emissions using data from secondary sources. Key data collected were traffic volume and composition, vehicle characteristics, pavement characteristics and climate data of the study area. Three options were analyzed using the HDM-4 software; the base case or do nothing consisted of the road as two-lane asphalt surfaced road with routine maintenance only for the life span of the road. The two project case options were also explored; two lane road with routine maintenance and an overlay in the second year. Also, reconstruction of the road into a 3-lane dual carriageway. This option also will routinely maintain and overplayed in the 10 year intervals. Each project case was analyzed and compared with the do minimum case. The study showed that, total emissions (CO2, CO and NOx) in 2012 on the study road saw a reduction of about 5,056 tonnes for the 3-lane dual carriageway as against the ‘do nothing’ alternative. Comparing with the overlay alternative, the 3-lane dual carriageway also recorded a reduction of emissions (CO2, CO and NOx) of about 3,093 tonnes. On the average, increment in exposure to road users and environment of total CO, CO2, and NOx is expected to be 945.25tonnes per annum for the 3-lane option. Fuel consumptions also recorded reduction of 25.7 litres per 1000veh/km for the 3-lane dual carriageway as against the ‘do nothing alternative’ for small cars and also a reduction of 281.52 litres for heavy trucks. Comparing the 3-lane alternative with the overlay option, again fuel consumption also saw a reduction of 266.021litres per 1000veh/km for heavy trucks and 23.22 litres for small cars. The study also showed a strong correlation between average roughness and yearly emission levels in all alternatives. The study revealed that emissions of CO and NOx by each vehicle class compared with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s standards for Tier 0 and Tier1 vehicle groups were beyond the acceptable limits for human health and environmental sustainability. It was revealed that fuel iv consumption is directly linked to average roughness with a strong coefficient of correlation of 0.9987. Finally, the study also showed that timely overlay interventions gave good results on the 3-lane dual carriageway.
- ItemEvaluation Of The Thermal Performance Of Walls Using Time Lag And Decrement Factor(KNUST, 2019-04) Kojo Adom QuagraineABSTRACT This study dealt with the evaluation of the thermal performance of walls in the climatic area of Kumasi using the parameters time lag and decrement factor. A numerical model was developed using the finite volume method with implicit formulation for four different wall configurations used in building constructions in Kumasi. The wall configurations had the same thickness and consisted of the mass concrete block wall, hollow concrete wall, mud brick wall and sandrete block wall. The simulation was carried in the month of March and August which respectively have the highest and lowest global solar radiation and dry bulb air temperature using mathcad software tool. The results showed that the heat gain by the walls through irradiation and ambient temperature in the area had some impact on the time lag and the decrement factor of the wall. The time lag values for the hollow concrete wall, mud wall and sandcrete had high values in March when the level of global solar radiation and outside dry bub temperature was high and reduced by an hour in August when the levels were low. The highest time lag was achieved by the mud brick wall which had five hours in the month of March. This was followed by the mass concrete wall which had time lag value of four hours for both months. The lowest decrement factor value was also given by the mud brick wall in the month of March whiles the lowest decrement factor in the month of August was given by the sandcrete block wall which also followed the mud brick wall closely in March. The numerical model was verified with analytical solution. The study is important in determining heat storage capabilities and temperature fluctuation reduction in wall configurations used in the West African tropical savannah climatic area.
- ItemExamining Solar PY Mini-Grid System As A Complement To Grid Extension For Rural Electrification With Reference To Yama Community, Northern Ghana.(2015-09-25) Abaase, StephenThis research was undertaken to design, determine the cost and economic viability of solar PV Mini-grid System as an alternative to grid extension using Yama community as a case study. In this study energy demand survey was conducted in 300 households (3000 inhabitants) in YAMA. Average daily Energy demand considering 200 households (2000 inhabitants) and 50 households (500 inhabitants) was also determined. These sizes of PV mini grid systems obtained, 120kWp PV system for 300 households, 72.5kWp PV system for 200 households and 26kWp PV system for 50 households. The System wiring and system configuration procedures for the designed PV systems are outlined to show that it is theoretically possible to design a PV mini-grid system for unelectrified communities in Ghana. The 120kWp mini-grid photovoltaic system for Yama is estimated to cost US$869,793 while the cost of extending the national grid of 34.5kV MV line over a distance of 18 km is estimated to cost US$1, 091,145. The 26kWp PV mini-grid system for 50 households is estimated to cost US$305,400. It also established that for the PV system to economically viable a feed-in-Tariff of between US35 Cents/kWh to US50 Cents/kWh giving a simple payback period of between 10 and 15 years was required. These results show that solar PV mini-grid connected system is economically viable for rural electrification for isolated, small and remote communities where the national grid has to be extended distances beyond 20km. Furthermore, PV mini-grid systems can be integrated into the national grid, when those communities are connected to the national grid in future. Solar PV mini-grid system can serve as a stop gap measure towards attainment of the universal access to electricity for communities with population above 500 inhabitants as in Ghana’s electrification policy.
- ItemThe existence of the Chirano Gold Mine Limited and its effect on the livelihood of the Chirano Concession Area(2012-06-29) Darko, EricGhana is endowed with rich mineral resources e. g. gold, diamond, manganese and bauxite. Mining of minerals has triggered agitation by communities, who expect improved livelihoods from the mining companies. This study aimed at assessing the effect of the existence of the Chirano Gold mine Limited (CGML) on communities in its concessional area (Etwebo, Akoti and Paboase). Quantitative and qualitative primary data on general household characteristics e. g. employment, food security, health care, and sustainable utilization of natural resources were collected via questionnaire, interviews and personal observations. One hundred and fifty (150) respondents were drawn from traditional rulers, district assembly, land owners, farmers, youth groups, opinion leaders and women. The Statistical Package for Social Scientists was used to analyze the data for percentages, ranges and central tendencies. Results indicated that majority (98.2%) of respondents have obtained both direct and indirect employments (through stimulus for infrastructural development) from CGML. Thirty two (32%) of the respondents expressed worry about lose and degradation of farms, farm lands and farm roads while 93% cited the problem of air pollution. Sixty-four (64%) respondents have not been educated beyond the Junior High School. This placed restrictions on the extent of employment for members of the communities who on the contrary have not fully appreciated this limitation. There appears also to be a wide communication gap between CGML and the communities. This has masked the company’s image weakening its mutual co-existence with the communities. Adoption of more open communication and operational policies and stakeholder inclusion in local interventionary measures could help improve the relationship between company and the communities for co-existence.
- ItemExploring critical success factors for stakeholders’ management in engineering installation projects in Ghana.(November, 2019) Awatsu, Francis;Engineering project includes all components of manufacturing or processing plant design, whether fresh, modification or expansion works which involves planning, scheduling, implementation and controlling processes in each of the project phases. Proper management of these will lead to the project being completed. But because of incorrect stakeholder management, significant projects are not accomplished within timeline. Many critical factors were identified by the researcher to have direct or indirect impact on the project success as a result of improper management of stakeholders and these factors must be examined. This paper therefore aimed to identify critical success factors and their level of impact for managing stakeholders in engineering project installations. The researcher used a methodological quantitative method based on deductive reasoning to sample views of engineers in project management fields. Thirty four (34) critical success factors were recognized through the literature review process. Hundred and thirty (130) questionnaires were sent to project managers/managers, Directors, supervisors and technicians in the industry with these thirty four (34) critical success factors part of the questions sent; one hundred and seventeen (117) responses were fully retrieved from the respondent and analyzed. The top three ranked stakeholder management factors were "Identification of stakeholders, managing stakeholders with social responsibility, and development of suitable policies for stakeholder management. Base on the opinion of respondents analyzed, the Relative Importance Index values obtained, falls between 0.5449 and 0.9275 which implies that all the factors identified were very important to project success but have distinct impact level. From the findings, the researcher recommends that Project managers should carry out a stakeholder profiling in order for an efficient stakeholder management strategies to be drafted to ensure proper coordination of projects.
- ItemGeomechanical Characteristics of Natural and Stabilised Black Cotton Soils from the Accra Plains of Ghana(2012) Gidigasu, Solomon Senyo RobertBlack cotton soils or tropical black earths or black clays are potentially expansive soils which classify as vertisols in pedological parlance and have been found to occur in all major climatic zones of the world. These soils are considered ―problematic‖ and sometimes as ―potential natural hazard‖ because they are susceptible to seasonal volumetric changes, exhibit severe cracking when dry, swell and yield low bearing strengths when wet, etc. These problems cause extensive damage to light structures founded on them and estimated cost of damage due to expansive soils in general runs into billions of dollars annually. Considering the widespread prevalence of these soils and the problems they pose to structures founded on them, there is the need to conduct studies into the geological and geomechanical characteristics of the black cotton soils to enable effective utilization. Although some works have been done globally on these soils, these rather useful information are scattered in various publications. The need to collect these scattered information, synthesize them and present a hands-on-information regarding the nature, distribution, physical and engineering properties of the black cotton soils for the benefit of the construction industry has long been felt. Secondly, it has also become necessary to conduct studies with the view to enhancing knowledge on the geology and geomechanics of these soils. This study has attempted to address the above mentioned problems through a review of literature on the mode of formation, nature, as well as distribution of these soils around the world and secondly, presents studies on typical black cotton soils from the Accra plains of Ghana. Soil samples were collected from Tsopoli and Doryumu, both in the Accra plains of Ghana and subjected to physical, chemical and mineralogical as well as geomechanical studies. Results of the study reveal that the black cotton soils are formed over the Garnet-Amphibolites Gneisses of the Dahomeyan Supergroup. The chemical compositions of the soils indicate iii that the most abundant oxides are silica, alumina and iron oxide. The mineralogy of the two soils from X-Ray Diffraction analyses are similar and are composed of Quartz and montmorillonite. The geomechanical studies also suggest that the natural black cotton soils are unsuitable for subgrade construction and hence require improvement through stabilization. Attempts at stabilising the soils with quarry dust, pozzolana and pozzolana-cement which are readily available local materials, reveal that although the three stabilizing agents improved some geomechanical parameters of the soils the pozzolana-cement appears to be the most effective for stabilising the black cotton soils.
- ItemGIS-Based flood prediction of the Black Volta in a climate change scenario. case study:the Dikpe catchment in the Lawra District of the Upper West Region(2013-08-15) Danquah, Twumasi YawUnderstanding the basic relationships between rainfall and runoff is vital for effective management of flood water. The Lawra District of the Upper West region (the driest region in Ghana) has experienced periodic and devastating flash flood resulting from high intensity short duration rainfall, a characteristics of semi-arid and arid regions...
- ItemIdentification of the Critical Points For Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Contamination along the Cocoa Processing and Storage Chain in Ghana(2013-07-13) Kwaku Owusu, SebastianCocoa, a natural resource has shouldered the socio-economic life of Ghana through generation of employment and foreign exchange since its introduction into the country in 1815 by the Dutch Missionaries. Nonetheless, the industry faces some challenges; Exported cocoa has come under strict scrutiny due to elevation of the levels of a carcinogenic, mutagenic and an endocrine-disrupting compound termed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). Although the general post-harvest handling of cocoa has received some level of attention, how critical the contributions of the specific primary processing and storage stages along the chain are and the level of knowledge of farmers on the causes and effect of PAH contamination are not known. These situations shield areas that need intense focus and are assessed by this study to help in designing policies and strategies for quality improvement. The concentrations of PAH in cocoa sampled from Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Western-North, Western-South and Volta regions (cocoa-regions) of Ghana were analyzed using the Gas-Chromatography Mass Spectrometer. Also interview via questionnaires were used to ascertain knowledge of farmers and other handlers including purchasing officials with regards to PAH level. Results indicate that cocoa beans processing involves pods gathering and opening, bean fermentation and drying. It was followed by bagging and storage before shipment. PAH concentration was higher in the shell than the nib (although < EU‟s threshold limit of 2ppb) and occurred during drying (0.925 ppb), depot storage (1.486 ppb) and shipment (1.842 ppb). Inappropriate practices e. g drying near fire and vehicle roadside which promote contact of beans with smoke, petroleum products e. g. oil, diesel and petrol could account for this situation. Lack of knowledge by cocoa farmers due mainly to low level of education was also established as a critical factor that requires greater attention.
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