Africa: History and Culture

3-7

Authors: Ebiega Abel Enokela

This study investigated the psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on residents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria. The study adopted a quantitative cross-sectional survey method. I used purposive and snowball sampling techniques to select 103 (males = 64.08%, females = 35.92%) online respondents from Abuja’s FCT. These sampling techniques were considered suitable for this study because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, I adapted and modified Conway et al.’s (2020) scales for social-psychological measurements of COVID-19. The study confirmed the prevalence of psychological impacts of COVID-19 on residents of Abuja. However, further statistical investigation using the T-test proved that the difference in the effect along the gender line was not statistically significant. Recommendations were offered to guidance counsellors and significant others to enhance counselling interventions to contain the myriads of psychological challenges the COIVID-19 outbreak has brought upon Abuja residents and beyond. It is also recommended that the government prioritise its citizens’ psychological wellness.

3-3

Authors: Jacob Owusu Sarfo

Africa: History and Culture (AHAC), had been issued since 2016 as an electronic scientific journal by theAcademic Publishing House Researcher s.r.o., Slovak Republic. Over the years, we have carved a consistent brand as a standard multidisciplinary scientific journal.

12-22

Authors: Kazeem Oyedele Lamidi

This paper explored the origin and trajectory of the National Youth Service Programme in Africa with a view to understanding its visions as well as intended benefits. It attempted to conceptualise the National Youth Service using the four most commonly found programme models of National Youth Service in a bid to clarifying the dimensional intents of the scheme across countries in Africa. This paper also depicted the trajectory by discussing the growing attention to National Youth Service in Sub-Saharan Africa; re-envisioned and emerging programmes in the continent; National Youth Service programme goals and the focus on youth employability in Africa; as well as, understanding the scale of National Youth Service in Africa vis-à-vis its institutional arrangement and access to funding. Secondary data were fittingly utilized for this paper. It, however, provided a synopsis of the current trends of the National Youth Service Programme in Africa. It also concluded that National Youth Service Programme in respective African countries must continue to exhibit the vision, the integrity and the commitment which have taken the scheme from its humble beginnings to the echelon of being an important national institution in the development of state-building across nations in Africa.

33-36

Authors: John Lawer Narh

Wood as a raw material is essential for economic growth. As the global population increases, it is predicted that the percentage of wood required for human use will triple by 2050. In Ghana, many of our traditional wood species are overexploited and threatened to extinction. Nonetheless, the utilization of other lesser-used and lesser-known wood species needs to be looked at urgently to increase the wood resource base for furniture production. This paper reviewed the historical trends of commercial wood production in Ghana and the possibility of increasing the use of lesser-used species like Azadirachta indica (Neem). Notably, neem has been proven as a good substitute for the dwindling species like Odum, Mahogany, Asanfena, Emeri, and Kyenkyen due to its unique properties. Neem is a fast-growing tree and can shed some or all of its leaves and still flourish. Aside from its use for furniture production, Neem is known for its medicinal and agricultural benefits.

3-4

Authors: Jacob Owusu Sarfo

Our team at Academic Publishing House Researcher s.r.o. began a new electronic journal, Africa: History and Culture to tell the story of Africans and Africa in 2016. Two years after, the journal has published papers focusing on the role of Africa’s history and culture in fields like agriculture, arts, development, social sciences, health sciences, education, law, humanities, applied sciences, pure science, engineering, technology and other related disciplines.

12-17

Authors: Jacob Owusu Sarfo

Ghana, which is part of sub-Saharan Africa is also noted for preterm and low-birthweight births. Following the inception of Kangaroo Mother Care in Colombia, this method has gained the approval of the World Health Organization as a standard approach for the care of preterm and low-birthweight infants. Though Ghana adopted this method in 2007, the standard Colombian approach was comprehensively introduced in Ghana after the 2015 training of 3 health professionals from the Eastern Regional Hospital. Consequently, the Eastern Regional Hospital has championed this care and trained several health workers and students. The centre has participated in several clinical and scientific meetings to share their findings.

25-27

Authors: Priscilla Ofosu-Appiah

Globally, Evidence-Based Practice is most preferable for care of patients and training of nurses. Nonetheless, organisational culture in most developing African countries may serve as an impediment to its success. This paper seeks to explore some organisational cultural factors that can impact on the use of evidence in Africa among nurses. As Africa seeks to raise the quality of nursing practice and education, much has to be invested into the organisational culture frame of the healthcare environment.

4-9

Authors: Jacob Owusu Sarfo

Rabbit breeding and rabbit meat in Ghana have both political and animal husbandry values. Beginning from the famous “Operation Feed Yourself” (OFY) by the regime of Colonel Ignatius Kutu Acheampong’s National Redemption Council (NRC), rabbits gain popularity into national history, food production and nutrition of Ghanaians. The OFY housed the National Rabbit Project (NRP) which was created and managed by NewloveMamattah. This paper seeks to examine the historical NRP, rabbit production, benefits and potentials existing and future governments in Ghana and other African countries can unearth to advance food production. Although OYF, Mamattah and the NRP made historic triumphs, the role of rabbits in national development has not received much attention till date. The loss of interest in raising and consuming rabbit meat may be attributed partly to the political fall of the NRC and the poor political commitment of future governments towards sustainable meat production in Ghana.

17-23

Authors: Marie Correa, Brandon K. Dumas, Chanika Jones, Victor Mbarika

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is the main U.S. agency for development aid programs; just like other poverty-reduction programs in developing countries, it faces policy implementation issues. In 2004 President Bush created the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) as an alternate agency to provide aid based on a set criteria and indicators for high-performing governments. The MCC changes the way the US provides aid for development. Policy implementation is a major issue in developing nations. This paper explores the implementation of the Millennium Challenge Corporation and attempts to link it to the “backward mapping” implementation framework of Elmore.

29-32

Authors: Josephine Cudjoe

Self-esteem is a sociocultural concept that looks at the evaluation of one’s self or the value one places on his or her life, whether positive or negative. High self and low self-esteem have different characteristic features. This paper looks at current issues regarding self-esteem and existing interventions that have emerged so far. Future studies will need to advance interventions with a focus on African cultural factors. They should also look at the role of gender, physical appearance, parenting and other demographic factors on self-esteem.

24-32

Authors: Michael Asiedu, Daniel Marboye Quaye, Emmanuel Kwame Yeboah

In recognition of the relevance of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises [SMEs] and innovation in economic development, efforts are being made to find strategies to overcome the barriers to innovation among SMEs. However, it is not clear from extant literature, as to whether all SMEs, irrespective of their demographic features, face the same barriers to innovation. It is on this premise that this study seeks to investigate the differences in constrains to innovation faced by SMEs as a result of their varied demographic characteristics. The study adopted a quantitative approach and sampled one hundred SME firms in Ghana as respondents for the study. The demographic characteristics considered in the analysis include education of owner-managers; control of activities (family control or non-family control); sector of SME; firm size (number of employees) and years of operation. The barriers to innovation also comprise of human, management, technical, supply, demand, government and culture related barriers. The results reveal that, SMEs with different demographic characteristics face different barriers to innovation. However, in most cases, irrespective of the educational background of SME owners, they face the same barriers with respect to management, lack of technical expertise, supply related barriers, and government related barriers. This study recommends that, developing African economies should quickly learn to reform SMEs on the basis of their demographic characteristics to enhance their innovative capacities.

38-44

Authors: Isaac Acheampong Sarfo, Samuel Okae Adjei

An individual’s decision to seek help from a particular health system is influenced by many factors, which are both intrinsic and extrinsic. The aim of this study was to examine socioeconomic factors as predictors of help-seeking, using the people of the New Juaben Municipality as a case study. Using a cross-sectional survey, data was collected using standardised questionnaire: Socioeconomic Factors and Health Seeking Behaviour (SFHSB) Questionnaire from a cross section of the population of the municipality on the determinants of intentions of seeking help. Data was analyzed usingindependent t-test. Results indicated that for this population, the intention of seeking hinged on proximate determinants like affordability, accessibility and acceptability of the provision of healthcare. Results further revealed that availability of finances did not necessarily determine where to seek help. A belief in a particular health system played a significant role and that the use of churches and other spiritual centres was very prominent as was the use of orthodox health system. Testimonies of previous users also played a major role in the future patronage of health services.