Ghana Journal of Geography

The Role of Non-Governmental Sector in Community Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Technologies and Services in North- Western Ghana

2023-07-25T19:57:06+00:00

Despite the Sustainable Development Goals which have been adopted since September 2015, research
findings on sectoral achievements of the gaols are inadequate. This study ascertained the approaches,
effectiveness, implications and challenges of the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational
Development as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), in promoting access to water, sanitation and
hygiene (WASH) through its water for resilience project in rural communities of the Lawra Municipality
and Nandom District of the north-western corridor of Ghana. A before-and-after study design with mixed
methods research approach was used, and theoretically dictated by the Malongza’s model. Sample sizes
of 400 for ex-ante evaluation and 260 at the ex-post evaluation stages were used. It was found that the
intervention improved WASH technologies and services, provided schools with vegetables, equipped
women with livelihood opportunities and reduced diarrheal diseases, but challenged by implementation
deadlines. Joint public and private sector interventions to make WASH services sustainable in rural
communities were recommended.

Towards an Integrated Approach to Solid Waste Management in Ghanaian Cities

2023-07-25T15:46:20+00:00

Solid Waste Management (SWM) in cities has become a theme of utmost importance in urban geography
compared to studies in rural areas which have smaller population sizes and limited consumption options
that are relatively more manageable. Existing studies reveal that integration of formal and informal SWM
actors is the needed mechanism to overcome SWM challenges. Integration is also at the heart of the 2012
Ghana National Urban Policy, yet urban spaces are zoned under public-private partnership (PPP)
arrangement with private formal SWM actors. How to integrate the burgeoning numbers of private
informal SWM service providers still remains unaddressed owing to a host of disparate institutional,
political, and socio-economic factors. Using field-based data collected in three open-air markets in Accra,
this paper examines the integration pathways used to include informal SWM actors in the context of PPP
and thence argues for the need to rethink current SWM approaches in a participatory manner since most
Ghanaian cities are facing limited financial and infrastructural resources, growing inequalities and
increasing informality regarding urban metabolism flow.

Barriers Affecting Retention of Girls in Schools in the Amasaman Circuit in the Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

2023-07-25T23:19:26+00:00

This research sought to explore the barriers to the retention of girls in school at the basic level in the Amasaman Circuit in the Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. It focused on the background characteristics of girls who drop-out from schools and the causes of school drop-out among girls in the Amasaman Circuit. The study adopted both quantitative and qualitative approaches (mixed method). The specific method adopted by the study was concurrent nested. The purposive sampling and snow balling methods were used to select 30 drop-out girls, 60 regular pupils, 12 parents of drop-outs, 12 parents of regular pupils, 12 teachers from selected schools, 4 assembly members and one officer from the girl-child of the Ga West Municipality for the study. The main instruments used to collect data were interviews and academic records. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse data. It was realized that the major barriers affecting retention of girls in school include teenage pregnancy and financial problems. The study recommends that stakeholders should establish mechanisms to prevent teenage pregnancies in basic schools since it is the main cause of school dropouts among girls.

Studying Bankline Migration of the Lower Pra Basin using Remote Sensing and GIS

2023-07-25T21:54:27+00:00

The study investigated bank erosion and accretion of the lower section of the Pra River of Ghana using a topographical map of 1974 and satellite imagery of 2007, 2015, and 2018 which was augmented by field observation and key informant interviews. Bankline changes due to erosion and accretion and the total volumetric change in river channel were measured using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System approaches. The study showed that erosion was more pronounced in both the right and left bank as compared to accretion. The study revealed that bank width area of the lower basin of Pra River increased by 50.7 m² from 16.2 m² in 1974 to 66.9 m² in 2018 eroding large portions of land along the right and left banks of the river. In general, the number of erosional spots in selected cross sections exceeded that of deposition. Erosion took place in 13 spots out of 20 spots constituting 65% with a rate ranging between 0.2 and 3.4 m/year. This research showed the value of channel morphological analysis as it brought to the fore, a quantitative perspective to bank erosion and accretion processes of fluvial systems.

Responses of Selected Soil Properties to Mixed Tree Plantation and Cassava Land Use in Southern Nigeria

2023-07-25T16:00:41+00:00

Responses of some selected soil properties to mixed tree plantation and cassava land use in southern
Nigeria were evaluated in this study. The objectives were to examine variations in the selected soil
properties among the different agricultural land use types; ascertain relationships between the soil
properties; and evaluate cause-effect relationships between the soil properties. A total of 54 soil samples
at 0-15 and 15-30 cm depths were collected from mixed tree plantation, cassava land use and secondary
forest using transect sampling method. Soil samples were analysed for selected physical, chemical and
biological properties following standard laboratory methods. The results revealed significant variations
(p ≤ 0.05) in the values of sand, silt, bulk density (BD), total porosity (TP), pH, total heterotrophic bacteria
counts (THB) and total heterotrophic fungi counts (THF) in soils of the three land use types. The values
of BD and TP did not exceed the respective critical limits of 1.75 g cm-3 and 40% for productive soils.
However, pH, available phosphorous (Avail. P), soil organic carbon (SOC), soil organic matter (SOM),
THB and THF responded negatively to mixed tree and cassava cultivation in the 0-15 cm soil depth as
their values were lower than that of the control site. Significant positive (e.g., silt versus
SOM/SOC/TN/Avail. P, and TP versus pH) and negative (e.g., clay versus SOC/SOM/Avail. P)
relationships as well as significant cause and effect relationships (such as Avail. P versus
silt/clay/TP/SOC/SOM/TN) were observed between some of the soil properties across the three land use
types and soil depths. The study concluded that the examined soil quality indicators responded differently
to the evaluated land use types.

Effect of Solid Waste Disposal on Chemical Quality of Groundwater in Ife North Local Government Area, Osun State, Nigeria: A GIS-Based Assessment

2023-07-25T16:14:32+00:00

Indiscriminate waste disposal is a major environmental challenge in developing countries, especially as the
wastes often end up downstream. The present study investigated the vulnerability of selected groundwater
sources in semi-rural communities in Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria, to
contamination by adjacent waste dumpsites. The specific objective was to assess the chemical quality of the
groundwater in the area. Data used were results of the laboratory investigation of selected water samples
from sampled groundwater sources and information about the uses of the groundwater by the residents. The
parameters pH, conductivity, and TDS were assessed in situ and chemical parameters such as Lead, Iron,
Copper and Sulphate were assessed in the laboratory. Results showed that the groundwater sources close to
the dumpsites were more contaminated than the sources farther from the dumpsites. At distances less than
50m to the dumpsites, the concentration of the chemical metals did not meet the WHO standard, however, it
decreased with distance from the dumpsite. For instance, although sulphate concentration was below the
recommended maximum, sulphate concentration decreased with distance from the dumpsite. The study
concluded that groundwater sources around dumpsites were contaminated and unfit for potable use in the
area.

Distribution and Access to Public Pipe-Borne Water in Urban Areas of West Africa: A Case of Ilorin-West Local Government Area, Nigeria

2023-07-25T22:07:47+00:00

Against the backdrop of the high rate of water scarcity in urban areas of developing countries and the achievement of SDG 6, this study evaluates the distribution and access to public pipe-borne water in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Nigeria. Coordinates of public water points in the area were obtained with the handheld Global Positioning System's device and mapped in the ArcGIS10.1 environment. To appraise residents’ satisfaction with the public water supply, one hundred and forty-six questionnaires were systematically administered to residents of the area. The obtained data were subjected to spatial and descriptive analysis. Nearest neighbour analysis was used to evaluate the distribution of water points in the area. There are 146 public pipe-borne water points in Ilorin West Local Government Area, distributed randomly (with NNR=1.2) without cognizance of the distribution of housing units. Consequently, residents are, among others, exposed to a reduction in productivity and loss of business opportunities. The study, among others, suggested the formulation and implementation of a house-to-point policy in the study area.

Small-holder Farmers’ Perceptions of the Impacts of Climate Change on Maize Crop in Dodoma, Tanzania

2023-07-25T22:21:37+00:00

Farmers have different perceptions of the impacts of climate change. This study examined smallholder farmers’ perceptions of the impacts of climate change on maize crops in Dodoma, Tanzania. A total of 216 household heads were involved in this study. The study used a cross-sectional design, where structured interview, Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. It was found that 69% of respondents perceived that climate change strongly has changed significantly over the last three decades. About 50.5% and 51.9% of the respondents highly agreed that climate change has contributed to the increase of weeds and pests or/and insects attack on the maize crops, respectively. The findings further revealed that age, farmland ownership, income, and education level of the small-holder farmers had a significant association with the perception of the impacts of climate change among smallholder farmers of maize at P<0.050. The study concludes that small-holder farmers’ perceptions of the impacts of climate change on maize crop are determined by their socio-economic and demographic factors. Thus, it is recommended that smallholder farmers should be provided with the sufficient knowledge of the impacts of climate change on maize crop so that they can have a proper understanding of the impacts of climate change and variability of maize crop. The farmers could use that knowledge to improve productivity.

Spatiotemporal Variability of Rainfall as an Evidence of Changing Climate over the Nigerian Niger Delta

2023-09-13T15:27:54+00:00

This study assesses the spatial and temporal variability of rainfall over the Niger Delta area (Benin, Calabar, Port Harcourt and Uyo) in Nigeria between 1990 and 2020. The daily rainfall data used for this study were obtained through secondary source from NASA’s POWER (Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources). Coefficient of variation, standardized anomaly index (SAI), precipitation concentration index (PCI) and seasonality index (SI) were used to evaluate rainfall variability and seasonality. The results of temporal analysis of annual rainfall indicated that Benin had the highest annual rainfall amount in 2000 and lowest in 1999 while Calabar and Port Harcourt had their highest rainfall amount in 2007 with the lowest occurring in 1991 and 2014 respectively. Uyo had the highest in 2000 and lowest in 2014. SAI also witnessed the presence of interannual variability of rainfall with negative and positive anomalies in 59.46% and 40.54% of the analyzed years, respectively. PCI and SI results implied that the Niger Delta area had strong irregular rainfall distribution. The results confirm the meteorological sensitivity to locations and provide support for the implementation of station and regional meteorological hazards prevention and to support the mitigation of hazards and improve the management practices of environment system in Niger Delta area.