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This paper critically examines the duties of receiver/managers in Nigeria and Ghana with a view to determining their adequacy or otherwise. The paper distinguishes between a receiver/manager appointed pursuant to ownership or management dispute and a receiver/manager appointed pursuant to the realization of security. With respect to the former the paper concludes that the persons appointed thereby are better described as managers and suggests a more detailed elaboration of their duties. To determine the duties of receiver/managers appointed to realize security the paper examines the meaning of the receiver/managers; the capacity to be appointed to that office and the duties of a receiver/manager appointed by the court as well as those appointed out of court by the security holders. The paper also considers the consequences of a breach of duty and concludes that the law on receivership is largely the same in Nigeria and Ghana even though there is more litigation in Nigeria. Furthermore the paper suggests the importance of appointing professionals as receiver/managers; the need for the clarity of rules to enable the receiver/managers effectively discharge their duties to enable an assessment of the adequacy of the duties. In this regard the paper recommends a comprehensive reform of insolvency law in Nigeria and Ghana. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the nature of interdependence between international stock markets is vital for portfolio diversification, risk management and market regulation. This paper examines the nature of interdependence among West African stock markets using correlation analysis, the Granger causality test and a multivariate BEKK‐GARCH (1,1) model. The results show evidence of a weak relationship among West African stock markets. The results also show absence of causal dependence between the Côte d'Ivoire BRVM (Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières), and the Ghana stock market, but evince feedback relationship between the Côte d'Ivoire BRVM and the Nigeria stock market as well as between the Ghana and Nigeria stock markets. The results further reveal no evidence of volatility spillover between the Côte d'Ivoire BRVM and the Ghana stock market, but show evidence of unidirectional volatility spillover from the Nigeria stock market to the Côte d'Ivoire BRVM as well as bidirectional volatility spillover between the Nigerian and Ghanaian stock markets. Overall, the findings reveal existence of weak interdependence among West African stock markets, and that West African financial markets are interdependent through the Nigerian market. These findings are relevant to stock market stabilisation and investment policy in West Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses collaborative learning in knowledge generation in biotechnology in two very late follower economies, namely, Nigeria and Ghana in order to compare the innovation and entrepreneurship experiences they present. We suggest that the quality of physical infrastructure, knowledge infrastructure (including appropriate human skills), in addition to institutions and incentives for innovation contribute in large part to observed processes of innovation success. Regardless of whether the initiating step is the incremental design or laboratory-based R&D stage, these factors are critical determinants of commercialisation. We use empirical data from the public sector institutions collected through field level surveys to substantiate these results. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to investigate the causal relationship between government revenue and government expenditure for 13 African countries within a multivariate framework using a modified version of the Granger causality test due to Toda and Yamamoto (1995) . The empirical evidence suggests that there was a bi-directional causality running between expenditure and revenue for Mauritius, Swaziland and Zimbabwe; no causality in any direction for Botswana, Burundi and Rwanda; unidirectional causality running from revenue to expenditure for Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Mali and Zambia; and a uni-directional causality running from expenditure to revenue for Burkina Faso only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death globally. Over 80% of CVD deaths take place in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). It is estimated that 1 million to 2 million people worldwide die each year due to lack of access to an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) or a pacemaker. Despite the medical, legal, cultural and ethical controversies surrounding the pacemaker reutilization, studies done so far on the reuse of postmortem pacemakers show it to be safe and effective with an infection rate of 1.97% and device malfunction rate of 0.68%. Pacemaker reutilization can be effectively and safely done and does not pose significant additional risk to the recipient. Heart patients with reused pacemakers have an improved quality of life compared to those without pacemakers. The thesis of this paper is that pacemaker reutilization is a life-saving initiative in LMICs of Nigeria and Ghana. It is cost effective; consistent with the principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice with a commitment to stewardship of resources and the Common Good. Used pacemakers with adequate battery life can be properly sterilized for use by patients in LMICs who cannot afford the cost of a new pacemaker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Prepared foods are increasing in popularity in West Africa alongside rapid urbanisation. Growing demand for fried products calls for targeted breeding efforts to meet consumer needs, but little is known regarding consumer preferences. This research identified the sensory attributes of fried sweetpotato preferred by different consumer groups using a combination of consumer acceptance testing and descriptive sensory analysis. Market and community surveys identified three consumer segments in Ghana and Nigeria with contrasting preferences for fried sweetpotato sensory attributes. One group preferred crispy, crunchy, mealy and sweet fried sweetpotato; another preferred characteristic yam flavour and dry texture; and the third preferred uniform orange colour appearance, ripe plantain flavour and palm nutty flavour. Such consumer segmentation can help emerging West African fried sweetpotato industries identify target markets and provides valuable information to breeders, growers and retailers to prioritise attributes in their breeding, growing or product sourcing decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reviewed the research on international joint ventures (IJVs) in Africa up to 2017. The authors performed a systematic search of peer‐reviewed good‐quality research using the 6W procedure and ensured the quality of the review by using the 5Cs quality criteria. The content analysis was focused on four research questions. A total of 22 relevant studies were found. Overall, only about one‐third of the lead authors were affiliated with African universities. A majority of the studies were quantitative, and 78% of the studies were done for three countries: Ghana, Morocco, and Nigeria. There was either just one or no study on trust and conflict, partner selection, and human resource management (HRM). At the contextual level, it seems the most important factor influencing IJV strategy and success is institutions. We therefore suggest a greater use of institutional theory. Finally, we present a summary of conceptual framework and four propositions to guide future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the first detection of human H3N2 influenza virus in Taiwanese pigs in 1970, infection of pigs with wholly human viruses has been known to occur in other parts of the world. These viruses, referred to as human-like H3N2 viruses, have been known to cause clinical and subclinical infections of swine populations. Due to the paucity and complete unavailability of information on transmission of influenza viruses from other species, especially humans, to swine in Nigeria and Ghana, respectively, this study was designed to investigate the presence and prevalence of a human strain of influenza A (H3N2) in swine populations at three locations in two cities within these two West African countries in January and February, 2014. Using stratified random technique, nasal swab specimens were collected from seventy-five (75) pigs at two locations in Ibadan, Nigeria and from fifty (50) pigs in Kumasi, Ghana. These specimens were tested directly by a sensitive Quantitative Solid Phase Antigen-detection Sandwich ELISA using anti-A/Brisbane/10/2007 haemagglutinin monoclonal antibody. Influenza virus A/Brisbane/10/2007 (H3N2) was detected among pigs at the three study locations, with an aggregate prevalence of 4.0% for the two locations in Ibadan, Nigeria and also 4.0% for Kumasi, Ghana. Transmission of influenza viruses from other species to swine portends serious sinister prospects for genetic reassortment and evolvement of novel viruses. We therefore recommend that further studies should be carried out to investigate the presence of other circulating human and avian influenza viruses in swine populations in West Africa and also determine the extent of genetic reassortment of strains circulating among these pigs. This would provide an early warning system for detection of novel influenza viruses, which could have pandemic potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suboptimal complementary feeding practices have a detrimental impact on a child's growth, health and development in the first two years of life. They lead to child malnutrition, which contributes to the high prevalence of stunting (38%) and underweight (28%) reported for children <5 years of age in Sub- Saharan Africa. This study analysed complementary feeding practices in four anglophone West African countries ( Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone) using the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys. The study covered 12 623 children aged 6-23 months from four anglophone West African countries ( Ghana: 822 children: Liberia: 1458 children, Nigeria: 8786 children and Sierra Leone: 1557 children). Four complementary feeding indicators were examined against a set of individual-, household- and community-level factors, using multiple regression analysis. Multivariate analyses found that lack of post-natal contacts with health workers, maternal illiteracy and geographical region were common determinants of delayed introduction of solid, semi-solid or soft foods across all four countries. Predictors for minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency and minimum acceptable diet included children aged 6-11 months, administrative/geographical region, poorer household income and limited access to media. The authors recommend that the four anglophone West African countries studied should prioritise efforts to improve complementary feeding practices in order to reduce child morbidity and mortality. Interventional studies on complementary feeding should target those from poor and illiterate households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to make an empirical and theoretical contribution towards the creation of a continent-wide dataset on African population extending into the pre- 1950 era. We investigate the reliability and the validity of the current population databases with the aim of working towards a consensus on the long-term series of African total population with a reliable 1950 benchmark. The cases of Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana are explored to show the uneven coverage of census taking in colonial and post-colonial Africa and to demonstrate the need for an upward adjustment of the conventional 1950 benchmark. In addition, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of Manning's approach of projecting population growth estimates backwards in time by adopting the available Indian census data as African 'default growth rates', and we propose an alternative approach by incorporating the demographic experiences of tropical land-abundant countries in South-East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recientemente, Ghana y Nigeria se han unido al grupo de países que incorporaron programas de cotizaciones definidas de plena capitalización en sus disposiciones nacionales de seguridad social. Los análisis de las reformas de las pensiones siguen centrándose en los países de ingresos medios de América Latina y de Europa central y oriental, así como en los Estados miembros de la Organización para la Cooperación y el Desarrollo Económicos, dejando a un lado las recientes reformas de las políticas de pensiones en los países de África subsahariana. Este artículo examina la adopción parcial o total de programas de pensiones de cotizaciones definidas en Nigeria y Ghana, respectivamente, y señala diversos factores contextuales y contingentes que plantean desafíos al uso de regímenes de cotizaciones definidas como medio para la resolución de los problemas de la suficiencia de las prestaciones en África subsahariana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The squad rosters of the participating teams at recent editions of the biennial African Cup of Nations reveals that the majority of Africa's elite football players ply their trade in Europe and that this is a trend that is increasing year by year. For example, at the 2000 tournament cohosted by Ghana and Nigeria, just over 50 percent of the players were signed to a European club. For the 2002 competition in Mali, this figure had increased to 66 percent and for the 2004 edition in Tunisia it stood at 67 percent. Although the exodus of Africa's football talent to Europe has accelerated significantly since the early 1990s, it is important to recognize that this process has long historical roots. This article examines the changing patterns in the transit of African footballers to Europe and demonstrates the ways in which these patterns have been underpinned by broader developments within the political economy of world football. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. Resistance to pyrethroid insecticides and DDT caused by the kdr gene in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae Giles s.s. (Diptera: Culicidae) has been reported in several West African countries. To test for pyrethroid resistance in two more countries, we sampled populations of the An. gambiae complex from south-western Ghana and from urban and rural localities in Ogun State, south-west Nigeria. Adult mosquitoes, reared from field-collected larvae, were exposed to the WHO-recommended discriminating dosage of exposure for 1 h to DDT 4%, deltamethrin 0.05% or permethrin 0.75% and mortality was recorded 24 h post-exposure. Susceptibility of An. gambiae s.l. to DDT was 94–100% in Ghana and 72–100% in Nigeria, indicating low levels of DDT resistance. Deltamethrin gave the highest mortality rates: 97–100% in Ghana, 95–100% in Nigeria. Ghanaian samples of An. gambiae s.l. were fully susceptible to permethrin, whereas some resistance to permethrin was detected at 4/5 Nigerian localities (percentage mortalities 75, 82, 88, 90 and 100%), with survivors including both An. arabiensis Patton and An. gambiae s.s. identified by PCR assay. Even so, the mean knockdown time was not significantly different from a susceptible reference strain, indicating absence or low frequency of kdr -type resistance. Such low levels of pyrethroid resistance are unlikely to impair the effectiveness of pyrethroid-impregnated bednets against malaria transmission. Among Nigerian samples of An. gambiae s.l. , the majority from two urban localities were identified as An. arabiensis , whereas the majority from rural localities were An. gambiae s.s. These findings are consistent with those of M. Coluzzi et al . (1979). Differences of ecological distribution between molecular forms of An. gambiae s.s. were also found, with rural samples almost exclusively of the S-form, whereas the M-form predominated in urban samples. It is suggested that ‘urban island’ populations of An. arabiensis and of An. gambiae s.s. M-form in the rainforest belt of West Africa might be appropriate targets for elimination of these malaria vectors by the sterile insect technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern musicians in Nigeria and Ghana have continued to regard sociocultural concerns as essential in their music. The concept of creolization offers an insight into both modes of opposition to entrenched powers. It is a concept that offers penetration into the manner in which the powerless have exerted power in the face of seemingly impossible odds. Furthermore, it forces one to rethink the meaning of the concepts traditional and culture change. Creolization theorists concentrate on the power of the creative imagination present in every culture. That power enables people to present their cultures to others in a fashion calculated to provide them with perceived advantages. In turn, it enables them to fashion elements from other cultures in a manner most consonant with their own social and aesthetic values. Among the Yoruba of Nigeria, the singer has a quasi-sacred, protected role. So long as he is operating as a singer, he is a voice of the people and can speak the truth bluntly. For the Nigerian audience, the message of a musical performance is a primary criterion for evaluation. In contrast, the Ghanaian tradition of popular performance sought to subvert the power structure through lulling it into a sense of security.

Ghana und Nigeria haben sich kürzlich einer Reihe von Ländern angeschlossen, deren nationale Systeme der sozialen Sicherheit sich auf rein kapitalgedeckte Rentensysteme mit festgesetzten Beiträgen stützen. Gegenwärtig konzentrieren sich jedoch die Analysen von Rentenreformen nach wie vor auf Länder mit mittleren Einkommen in Lateinamerika, Mittel- und Osteuropa sowie auf Mitgliedsstaaten der Organisation für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung, wobei neuere rentenpolitische Reformen in den afrikanischen Ländern südlich der Sahara kaum Beachtung finden. Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht den vollständigen bzw. teilweisen Übergang zu Rentensystemen mit festgesetzten Beiträgen in Nigeria und Ghana und verweist dabei auf eine Reihe von Rahmenbedingungen und Zwängen, die als Antwort auf die Probleme der Leistungsangemessenheit im südlich der Sahara gelegenen Afrika Systeme mit festgesetzten Beiträgen fragwürdig scheinen [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]