Search results

Moonlighting is on the ascendancy among the urban populace of Ghana, especially, during the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) period. This paper aims to investigate the motives and determinants of moonlighting in Urban Ghana.

This study used data from a semi-structured questionnaire administered during the COVID-19 period in Ghana. Data on the motivation for moonlighting was analysed using descriptive statistics whilst the logit regression model was used to analyse the determinants for moonlighting.

The findings show that men moonlight more than women in Ghana. Despite this, there are no substantive differences in the motives and determining factors influencing men and women moonlighting in Ghana. The findings indicate that moonlighting is used by both sexes to deal with the financial difficulties faced because of lower earnings from their primary occupation due to the COVID-pandemic. Aside from financial difficulty which was viewed as the most important reason for moonlighting by both sexes, men view being secure in their primary job as the 2nd most important motivational factor contrary to women who view lowering the risk of primary job loss as the 2nd most important motivational factor. The impacts of the COVID-19, the log of primary income and marriage are push factors to moonlight whilst having household members who are working and higher levels of education are pulled factors to moonlight in Ghana in the COVID-19 period.

With the current harsh economic conditions that COVID-19 has placed on families in urban areas and the urgent need for multiple jobs as a risk coping mechanism, little empirical work has been done on the role moonlighting plays as a catalyst or otherwise. This paper fills this gap by examining how gender difference affects moonlighting in Ghana in this COVID-19 period.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the level of income inequality among fisher households in the four segments of the Volta Basin in Ghana and the determinants of small-scale fisher household welfare.

The paper investigates income inequality and the determinants of household consumption expenditure of fishers in the Volta Basin of Ghana using the Lorenz curve, Gini coefficient decomposition and the multiple linear regression technique.

The findings confirm the empirical evidence that households in the general downstream communities and their compatriots in the upstream communities were statistically different in terms of household characteristics and physical and social capital. Income inequality was highest among households in upstream communities but least amongst downstream communities. Livelihoods of the fishery households largely and strictly favored male households. Also, educational status was associated with higher levels of income which enormously help reduce food insecurity.

The reliance on dummy variables might lead to omissions of revealed understated differences between households.

The study recommends that effort should be made to help increase fish production in the upstream communities. Furthermore, alternative sources of income should be introduced to households in the upstream so they do not become more disadvantaged by the construction of the dam.

The uniqueness of the paper is that it tries to estimate the impact of the construction of the dam on the Volta Basin by taking into consideration the effect of the construction of the dam on the upstream and downstream separately.

The onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to loss of lives and jobs and other adverse effects on persons, families and businesses. With its frightening tendencies, it was a sigh of relief with the discovery of vaccines to mitigate its disastrous effects. However, participation in the vaccination exercise in Ghana has been slow and unencoraging. This paper sought to identify the factors that influence the perception and willingness of individuals to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

For this study, structured questionnaires were administered to 1,350 respondents selected at random by way of purposive sampling from specific regions that were also randomly selected. Out of this sample, a total of 1,296 were found to be in useable form. The probit model estimation with marginal effects was used to determine both perception and willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

The authors observed that increases in age and manufacturing sector workers were positively associated with vaccine perception, while both males and females residing in the Bono and Central regions had negative perceptions toward the vaccine. Among male workers, education and living in Accra had a negative relationship with vaccine perception, while for female workers, education had a positive influence on vaccine perception. Additionally, workers in the transport sector and those residing in urban areas were more inclined to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Ghana, regardless of gender. Again, the authors observed that larger household size, people with no formal education and females with primary education were more willing. Also, increase in age for males reduced willingness, while residents in the greater Accra region were less willing to take the vaccine.

To the best of the authors' belief and knowledge, the observations and recommendations made are consistent with theory and empirical studies and contribute immensely to the discussions about the most effective ways of combating the COVID-19 pandemic. It also offers a nuanced perspective on how policy-makers can enact policies that ensure efficient and effective ways of dealing with future epidemics.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the perceptions of farmers on the major sources of risk and to examine the effectiveness of the risk management responses of rural smallholder farm households in the semi-arid region of Northern Ghana from the socioeconomic perspective.

Both descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis were used on a Likert scale question to rank and identify the important risk perceptions and management strategies of the farmers. The linear regression model was used to highlight the significant factors that affect the farmers’ risk perception and management responses.

The effects of the variations in crop yield, fertiliser prices and crop price on household income were perceived as the three most relevant sources of risk. Stabilising household income by growing different crops, storing feed/seed reserves and spreading sales were the most effective risk management strategies. Factor analysis identified market risk, production risk and human risk as major risk factors whereas diversification, financial strategy, and off-farm employment were perceived as the most effective risk management strategies. Farm and farmer characteristics were found to be significantly associated with risk perceptions and risk management strategies. Risk perceptions significantly increase the risk management strategy adopted by the smallholder rural farmers.

The findings of the paper call for the integration of farmers’ risk perceptions and management strategies in the development of agricultural policies for the semi-arid regions of Ghana.

This paper deviates from the traditional technology adoption studies by modelling rural household perceptions and management strategies using, using descriptive, factor analyses, and linear regression.

The increasing rate at which individuals, especially, females in Ghana are seeking higher education calls for an estimation of the returns to schooling and education in Ghana.

The study employs the Mincer equation to a representative cross-sectional micro-data from Ghana using OLS and instrumental variable (IV) methodologies. The paper uses spouse's education as instruments in the IV estimation.

Return to schooling was found to be higher for females than males, likewise, membership of an old student associations and location of the household. Returns to education increases as the level of education rises whilst the rate of returns initially increases but fall as labour market experience rises. The study also found that the rates of return to education were higher for Christian, followed by Muslim and believers of other lesser-known religion in Ghana.

Return to schooling was found to be higher for females than males. Likewise, individuals who are members of an old student association and are in urban areas were found to have a higher return to schooling than individuals who are not members of an old student association and are in rural areas. Returns to education increases as the level of education rises whilst the rate of returns initially increases but fall as labour market experience rises. The study also found that the rates of return to education were higher for Christian, followed by Muslim and believers of other lesser-known religion in Ghana.

Wage determination process is different for males and females, across religion and residency. The higher returns to schooling for females imply education is a good investment for women and girls and should be a development priority.

The higher returns to schooling for females imply an investment in girl's education should be a development priority.

The paper extends the existing literature by focussing on the role of religion, old student's association (alma mater) and gender on the differential earning returns to schooling.