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This paper examines the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic on the existing health inequalities disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. It explores the impact of COVID-19 pandemic response measures to "curb the spread" on informal sector workers in Ghana. In Ghana, like many other developing countries, the informal sector was impacted by a higher risk of exposure to the COVID-19 infection and the slew of pandemic response measures, for example, lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, as well as guidelines around social distancing implemented by their governments. Given the high level of precarity that undergirds work in the informal sector and the intersectional forces that contribute to and maintain their marginality—class, race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and geographic location—this paper creates a space for dialogue about the unintended consequences of pandemic response measures on the livelihood security of informal sector workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the prevalence of immigrant entrepreneurship in Ghana's informal economy through institutional theory. Specifically, the study sought to understand how the elements of the institutional theory (norms, culture, and regulations, which form formal and informal institutions) support or discourage immigrant entrepreneurship in the Sub-Saharan African context, with insights from Ghana. It is qualitative research that adopts an in-depth face-to-face interview with 30 respondents. Analyzing the data from the interviews, the key findings are immigrants' inability to find paid jobs, failure to gather sufficient funds to operate in the formal sector, and the willingness to use innate ability. The Ghanaian culture of hospitality and the government's inability to implement trade regulations have been an enabler to the prevalence of immigrant entrepreneurship in Ghana. The legal frameworks that prohibit immigrants from participating in retailing, especially in the informal economy of Ghana, are well known by immigrant entrepreneurs, albeit it has yet to adhere. Therefore, there is a call for policy measures to address the weak institutional framework, which encourages disregard for the country's laws. Immigrant entrepreneurs who wish to remain in doing business in Ghana must obey the rules or suffer the punishment thereof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informed by the capability approach and critical discourse analysis, this article examines how the development of green skills among master craftspersons and apprentices in the informal sector of Ghana could be promoted for cleaner production and sustainable futures. The findings show that inequality and poverty; cyclical policy trap; sectoral green initiatives and the green coordination gap; and limited human resource capacity including uncoordinated informal learning approaches serve to constrain the development of green skills among master craftspersons and apprentices in the informal sector of Ghana. To address these challenges, the current study proposes the development of a framework that (1) harmonises the different sectoral initiatives and strategies on green skills to avoid the cyclical policy trap; (2) expands the current green Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) agenda to include green skills development for individuals in the informal TVET sector; (3) closes the coordination gap in government green initiatives by creating an agency responsible for national green agenda; and (4) creates clear qualification models and strategies for the development of green skills in the informal sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses Low-Income Country (LICs) firms' use of open innovation (OI) in overcoming various innovation constraints. We disaggregate local and foreign sources of innovation using a new measure of international openness. A survey of 501 manufacturing firms in Ghana reveals that OI is employed to address cost, knowledge, management, and market barriers. Knowledge and cost constraints lead to a broader and deeper search whereas cost barriers lead to a greater domestic search. Firms that faced market barriers significantly search more internationally while those facing infrastructure barriers tend to search less broadly and deeply for external knowledge. The substantial informal sector in Ghana hampers OI. Results also indicate an inverted-U-shaped relationship between the breadth of openness and innovation performance. This paper contributes to the literature by providing the first large firm-level survey-based evidence of OI in a LICs context, and by introducing a new measure of international innovation openness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Enrolment of informal sector workers in Ghana's National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is critical to achieving increased risk-pooling and attainment of Universal Health Coverage. However, the NHIS has struggled over the years to improve enrolment of this subpopulation. This study analysed effect of social capital on enrolment of informal sector workers in the NHIS. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 528 members of hairdressers and beauticians, farmers, and commercial road transport drivers' groups. Descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, and multinomial logit regression model were used to analyse the data. Results: Social capital including membership in occupational group, trust, and collective action were significantly associated with enrolment in the NHIS, overall. Other factors such as household size, education, ethnicity, and usual source of health care were, however, correlated with both enrolment and dropout. Notwithstanding these factors, the chance of enrolling in the NHIS and staying active was 44.6% higher for the hairdressers and beauticians; the probability of dropping out of the scheme was 62.9% higher for the farmers; and the chance of never enrolling in the scheme was 22.3% higher for the commercial road transport drivers. Conclusions: Social capital particularly collective action and predominantly female occupational groups are key determinants of informal sector workers' participation in the NHIS. Policy interventions to improve enrolment of this subpopulation should consider group enrolment, targeting female dominated informal sector occupational groups. Further studies should consider inclusion of mediating and moderating variables to provide a clearer picture of the relationship between occupational group social capital and enrolment in health insurance schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Forestry Review is the property of Commonwealth Forestry Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study examined how credit cooperative loans affect women entrepreneurship. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 women entrepreneurs from three Cooperative Lending groups in the Ashaiman Municipality of Ghana. We found that credit cooperative lending groups support and promote women entrepreneurship by providing their members with access to long-term interest-free credit support to start or expand their businesses. We also found that by providing their members with training and capacity-building opportunities to improve their skills for sustainable businesses and their income to pay back their loans, credit cooperative lending groups significantly contribute to women entrepreneurship. The contribution of this study is that it sheds light on how credit cooperative loans help to alleviate the difficulties that women entrepreneurs of the informal sector in Developing Countries face to have access to financial resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When seeking to increase their tax revenues, policy makers face a likely tradeoff between decreasing personal income tax rates (making formalizing more attractive and potentially contributing to revenue) and alternatively raising tax rates (potentially slowing down the formalization of the economy if people prefer informal employment). Evidence on formal versus informal earnings and job characteristics in different sectors is limited in African countries, and in particular very little is known about the impact of tax changes on the extent of informality. This paper therefore estimates the personal income tax responsiveness of the extensive margin of formality, i.e. the propensity to be a formal as opposed to an informal worker, for Ghana, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, using repeated cross-sections of household data and applying grouping estimator techniques. Perhaps because of labour demand constraints and other frictions, the paper finds non-significant relations between the formal employment share and the formal-informal earnings differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste picking within the informal sector is essential to solid waste management policy and practice. A healthy number of academic articles have emerged from the practice of waste picking, particularly Ghana, of recent. Nevertheless, a common limitation across many of these articles is the absence of in-depth investigations into the experiences and backgrounds of waste pickers. This study examines the practical aspects of waste picking, uncovering motivational factors that drive individuals to engage in waste picking business and the multifaceted challenges that they encounter. Sixty-one waste pickers were interviewed at the Kumasi Oti Landfill site, and the findings were supplemented with documentary sources and observational data. Through content analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and the relative importance index, our study highlights that despite its necessity for survival, many waste pickers express dissatisfaction and find the waste picking business unpleasant. Additionally, the primary motivational factors for engaging in the waste picking business include lack of jobs, compounded with a lack of general and skilled education as well as social and cultural capital, and the flexibility of the work and family business. Furthermore, our findings underscore the significance of certain challenges, notably low income, health problems and social stigmatisation attached to the work. In light of these findings, it is recommended that government provides socio-economic and social support for waste pickers and facilitate the establishment of cooperatives for waste pickers in the recycling sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, we seek to understand the role of relationship marketing in achieving customer loyalty in Ghana's informal economy. The study further investigated the role of customer perceived value as a pass-through mechanism for the relationship between relationship marketing and customer loyalty. We collected primary data from 229 customers of informal economy operators in Accra. The data was then analyzed using structural equation modeling utilizing the STATA 15 Package. Our findings indicate that commitment is the only fundamental relationship marketing factor investigated that has a direct influence on customer loyalty in the informal business context. Trust and conflict handling on the other hand benefit significantly from the presence of customer perceived value whereas communication seems to have negligible effects. Consequently, scholars and marketing practitioners seeking to deploy the relationship marketing concept in the informal economy need to be aware of these contextual interplays and how they shape further discussions of the relationship marketing theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do cities foster political trust among informal workers? This question is particularly salient in Africa's growing cities where local governments must reconcile policy priorities across highly heterogeneous constituencies, including a burgeoning middle-class and a large informal economy. We argue that expectations about reciprocity and procedural justice shape the probability that informal traders trust their local government. In doing so, we analyse a survey of approximately 1000 informal traders in Ghana's three main cities – Accra, Kumasi and Tamale. We find that traders who paid requisite fees to local assemblies and could attribute a benefit from those payments were more likely to trust their local government while those who had experienced harassment by city authorities were less likely to do so. The paper highlights that drivers of trust among diverse urban constituencies deserve greater empirical and comparative attention, especially as countries deepen decentralisation initiatives and cities commit to development goals around inclusivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Motivation: In recent years, governments in low‐income countries have increasingly introduced taxes on mobile money transfers. These are often explicitly promoted as a way of taxing informal economic activity, but critics have noted their potential negative impact on lower‐income groups and specifically those in the informal sector. Yet there is virtually no evidence base on the effects of mobile money taxes on informal workers. Purpose: This article assesses how informal workers in Accra, Ghana, use mobile money and how they perceive Ghana's Electronic Transfer Levy (E‐levy), introduced in May 2022. This provides a particularly interesting case study to explore the equity implications of the tax, as the policy was explicitly justified as a way of taxing the informal economy but also includes measures to limit the tax burden on lower‐income groups. Methods and approach: The article uses data from a survey of 2,700 self‐employed informal workers in the Accra Metropolitan Assembly to capture citizen perceptions of the policy and to examine the likely impact of the E‐levy on informal workers with reference to equity. Findings: Overall, our results suggest that the E‐levy is highly regressive. Further, we show that most informal workers disapprove of the E‐levy, reflecting not just concerns about its equity impacts, but also disappointment with the government's performance. Policy implications: Our findings suggest that taxes on digital financial services should be reconsidered from an equity perspective. While some policy measures, including those undertaken in Ghana, can protect low‐income earners, they are often insufficient to counteract overall regressive impacts. Where they are implemented, social spending from the revenue from these taxes should target low‐income populations in the informal economy, while governments should focus on building trust among informal workers with regard to revenue raising and spending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent Chinese involvement in small-scale gold mining in Ghana has received wide publicity and scholarly attention. While the literature has focused on environmental sustainability, political accountability, and institutional reforms, it is yet to examine local adoption of Chinese technology and its impact on Ghana's rural economy. We argue that it is in the interstices between the formal economy and entrepreneurship within the informal economy that opportunities for Chinese interventions emerge. Using evidence from Manso Akropong in the Ashanti region and Bole in the Savannah region, this article shows that, while Chinese technology's impact is transformative, the outcomes are divergent in different regions. In Manso Akropong, the intensification of mining backed by Ghanaian–Chinese collaborations has led to the environmental destruction, creating competition between gold mining and cocoa farming that had underpinned Ghana's rural prosperity. In Bole, where less aggressive Chinese technology such as Changfa and rubber mats are incorporated without direct Chinese participation, a more sustainable pattern of growth has emerged. This comparative study suggests that besides the large-scale projects and state-led training programmes, grassroots actors like informal artisanal miners are at the forefront of technology transfer in the China–Africa encounter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that in many sociological theorizing on gender, work, and employment, relatively little is known about how men who engage in female dominated informal works make sense of their gendered identities. Drawing from qualitative research in a rapidly urbanizing Ghanaian city, we examine the meanings and implications of men's involvement in gender atypical informal works. An unpacking of the constructions of gendered identity reveals the situative strategies that men may deploy to maintain, embolden, and/or adjust their masculinities congruent with dominant cultural scripts. In the end, we argue that men who engage in traditionally feminine work are accused of failing to herald the mainstreaming of the fulfillment of hegemonic masculinity which is a necessary cultural milestone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transport workers have largely been placed outside the radar of critical urban studies, although they are at the core of urban mobility. By adopting a co-production perspective and asking 'who owns the motor tricycle taxis in Wa, Ghana', this paper explores owner-operator relationships in the tricycle taxi industry. We posit that rather than being actuated by workers in the informal economy, the industry is co-produced by practices of state-sanctioned institutions, street-level bureaucrats and actors linked to power and wealth. The varied actor constellations and resultant contractual arrangements greatly shape how motor tricycle taxis operate; their mobility offers and regulatory challenges in Ghana. Therefore, we propose an urban research agenda that mainstreams urban transport workers into critical urban studies and call for an open discourse to interrogate the problematisation of motor tricycle taxis in urban transport policy and planning in sub-Saharan African cities. This article was published open access under a CC BY licence: https://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socio-demographic characteristics of miners have been identified to play an important role in determining the distribution of costs and benefits in the mining sector. This study aims at providing an overview of the nature of the artisanal small-scale mining (ASM) sector in Ghana by focusing on the socio-economic characteristics of miners and their implications on the mining sector. Three mining communities representing the southern, middle, and northern belts of Ghana were selected. The mixed methods approach was used for the study. Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect all necessary information. The study revealed that; ASM remains informal with the sector being dominated by the youth. Males dominate the sector and responsibilities in the industry are determined by one's sex. There are regional differences in male–female participation and educational levels due to rural–urban differences with the existence of foreigners in artisanal mining in the country. The study recommends the incorporation of socio-demographic characteristics of miners into policy initiatives of the sector. A further study on how to make licensure procedures more attractive to ASM to help reduce the informality in the sector is also recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the tax compliance intentions of self-employed individuals in the informal sector and evaluates the effect of antecedent-based intervention strategies, trust and perceived tax complexity on tax compliance intention. Using the extended version of the Theory of Planned Behaviour as the theoretical base, the study additionally investigates whether attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and moral obligation may be good predictors of tax compliance intention. Data were gathered from 725 self-employed individuals in Ghana using a structured questionnaire, and analysed using the structural equation modelling technique. We find from our empirical analysis that although our respondents exhibit greater intention to comply with tax payment duties, most respondents consider non-compliance to be justifiable if the tax rates are too burdensome. Our results further suggest that trust in the tax system, perceived tax complexity, antecedent-based intervention strategies, attitude, subjective norms, and moral obligation are relevant predictors of tax compliance intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of informal sector activities (ISA) in reducing poverty among women in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) cannot be over emphasised. However, in LMICs including Ghana, little mixed-methods evidence exists about the prospects of ISA in improving the wellbeing of women across different spatial dimensions. Drawing on the feminist theory with mixed-methods evidence, this study explores the role of ISA in improving the welfare of women who are engaged in informal activities in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana. This knowledge-base is critical in contributing partly to the realisation of the UN poverty-related sustainable development goals. This study involved 356 spatially diverse women recruited from six communities in the Kumasi Metropolis using diverse sampling techniques. We found that the socio-economic welfare of the participants has significantly improved after entering into ISA. These improvements manifested in areas such as income, contribution to household expenditure, decision making at home, community participation, nutrition of family, access to education of wards, acquisition of assets and quality housing. The nature of the urban space had a weak influence on the manifestation of improvements. Findings of this study have, thus, demonstrated the potential of ISA in improving the socio-economic wellbeing of women in the informal sector in Ghana. Policy recommendations that aimed at strengthening ISA among women in Ghana have been offered for the attention of policy actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ghana introduced a mobile phone-based contribution payment system in its national health insurance scheme (NHIS) in December 2018 to improve the process of enrolment. We evaluated the effect of this digital health intervention on retention of coverage in the Scheme, one year after its implementation. Methods: We used NHIS enrolment data for the period, 1 December 2018–31 December 2019. Descriptive statistics and propensity-score matching method were performed to examine a sample of 57,993 members' data. Results: Proportion of members who renewed their membership in the NHIS via the mobile phone-based contribution payment system increased from 0% to 8.5% whilst those who did so through the office-based system only grew from 4.7% to 6.4% over the study period. The chance of renewing membership was higher by 17.4 percentage points for users of the mobile phone-based contribution payment system, compared to those who used the office-based contribution payment system. The effect was greater for the informal sector workers, males and the unmarried. Conclusions: The mobile phone-based health insurance renewal system is improving coverage in the NHIS particularly for members who hitherto were less likely to renew their membership. Policy makers need to devise an innovative way for new members and all member categories to enrol using this payment system to accelerate progress towards attainment of universal health coverage. Further study needs to be conducted using mixed-method design with inclusion of more variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The informal economy has become a vibrant and growing phenomenon across the world. Within the context of sustainable development, connecting local economic development (LED) to the informal economy is imperative. However, the informal economy remains largely neglected within the conventional LED literature. Using key informant interviews and focus group discussions, this paper found that recognizing, embracing and supporting informal economy contributes to a more inclusive form of LED. The study concluded that local government authorities need to be more innovative in recognising the informal economy as part of local governments' strategies for addressing unemployment, and supporting livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organising has been suggested as one way to achieve decent working conditions among informal workers. This study examines how informal workers in Ghana are using organising as a catalyst for improving their working conditions. The study adopted an exploratory qualitative research design, using interviews, focus group discussions, documentary review and observation. Qualitative interpretative analysis methods were used to analyse the data. The study found that welfare-based organisations served as a catalyst for trade union organising among quarry workers. Despite the challenges confronting them in organising, informal quarry workers were able to improve their working conditions through a collective agreement with management. Specific indicators of work improvement included appointment letters for job security, hours of work and overtime, wages and salary (compensation), and training and development of workers to enhance their skills and competencies. The study concluded that organising informal workers served as a catalyst for ensuring decent working conditions among quarry workers in Ghana. This leads to the recommendation that formal trade unions organising in the quarrying districts should be resourced to be able to organise informal quarry workers in the stone quarry sub-sector of Ghana to achieve decent work conditions for informal workers in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prompt diagnosis and treatment of malaria prevents a mild case from developing into severe disease and death. Unfortunately, parasitological testing of febrile children is greater in the public and formal private sector than in the informal private sector where many patients with malaria-like symptoms first seek treatment. This study was aimed at improving implementation of the T3 policy among OTCMS using some interventions that could be scaled-up easily at the national level. Methods: Interventions were evaluated using a two-arm, cluster randomized trial across 8 rural communities (4 clusters per arm), in two adjacent districts of Ghana. A total of 7 OTCMS in the intervention arm and 5 OTCMS in the control arm in the selected communities participated in the study. Five interventions were implemented in the intervention arm only. These were acquisition of subsidized malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits, training of OTCMS, supportive visits to OTCMS, community sensitization on malaria, and introduction of malaria surveillance tool. The primary outcome was the proportion of children under 10 years with fever or suspected to have malaria visiting OTCMS and getting tested (using RDT) before treatment. Secondary outcomes included OTCMS adherence to national malaria treatment guidelines and the recommended RDT retail price. Outcomes were measured using mystery client (an adult who pretends to be a real patient) surveys supplemented by a household survey. Proportions were compared using chi-square test or Fisher exact test. Results: Following deployment of interventions, mystery client survey showed that OTCMS' adherence to malaria protocol in the intervention arm increased significantly (p < 0.05) compared to the control arm. Household surveys in the intervention arm showed that caregivers self-treating their children or visiting drug vendors significantly decreased in favour of visits to OTCMS shops for treatment (p < 0.001). End-line malaria testing rate was higher compared with the baseline rate, though not statistically significant (30.8% vs 10.5%; p = 0.1238). OTCMS in the intervention arm also adhered to the subsidized RDT retail price of GHc2.40. Conclusion: Interventions targeting OTCMS in rural communities have the potential of improving adherence to the T3 malaria policy and subsequently improving management of uncomplicated malaria in Ghana. Trial registration: ISRCTN registry ISRCTN77836926. Registered on 4 November 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of how much of the potential tax revenue is actually obtained remains very critical in Ghana's efforts to improve domestic revenue mobilization. This paper computes and examines tax gap and compliance burden among micro and small businesses which constitute more than 90% of Ghana's informal economy. Using data on 485 businesses in Ghana, the study finds that while some businesses underpay their taxes, surprisingly others actually pay more than expected. The average tax gap is computed to be about GHC 109.2 (US$19.2). Small businesses are associated with a higher tax gap of 24.9% compared to their micro counterparts. Moreover, we find that as compliance burden increases, the tax gap also increases, albeit significant variation in the effect of compliance burden on tax gap across regions and different tax handles. JEL Classification: H25, H26, H27, H32 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Informal workers are a heterogeneous group distinguished by diverse activities and interests, but they have in common that they operate largely outside state regulations. In this article, we analyse the ways in which informal workers in Ghana are organising (themselves) in response to proposed relocations of their workspace. Borrowing from Tsing, we distinguish three layers of friction that can lead to (structural) change, collective action, and an increase in informal workers' political leverage. Our two case studies in Accra and Kumasi show how striving for inclusive development is a process shaped by diverse agendas and potentially conflicting interests. These relational and political aspects are crucial for understanding the frictions involved, as well as how these may lead to change. Where the tendency is to gloss over these frictions, we argue that they need to be the starting point for effective policies and initiatives for inclusive development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the substantial contribution of Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) to economic growth and livelihood diversification, the activities of this highly informal sector pose diverse challenges. Environmental pollution and social problems can hinder development. The study examined the problem of illegal mining and the factors that influence children to participate in ASM; through a survey of 186 participants and stakeholder interviews. The results showed that at least one child from each household was involved in ASM because of poverty. The findings highlight the need to formalize the ASM sector to reduce the negative impact, support operators, and promote best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of internationalisation have largely overlooked developing countries with high levels of legitimate informal entrepreneurship. Consequently, this article analyses the internationalisation of Informal African Firms (IAFs) from a network perspective. We undertook in-depth case studies of 14 informal smaller firms in two major enterprise clusters in Ghana. Our findings show that half transacted business in five to seven foreign markets, and more than half sold abroad within three years of inception. The study illustrates the different network ties that influence passive and active internationalisation strategies with evidence that these IAFs developed buyer networks through customer referrals and foreign customer walk-ins to the firm. Overall, we provide a comprehensive understanding of the triggers that initiate international business activities by IAFs so contribute to current theorising noting implications for management practices and policymaking on this important but hitherto, under-explored issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few years, the phenomenon of immigrant entrepreneurship has attracted overwhelming research curiosity in West Africa. However, scholarships about the entrepreneurial entry motivations of West African itinerant immigrant retailers and their sources of start-up capital are still nascent issues. Employing a cross-sectional concurrent embedded mixed methods design, this paper surveys the driving factors and sources of funding for 779 immigrant entrepreneurs and interviews nine immigrant key informants in the Accra Metropolis of Ghana. The results indicate that most of the immigrants entered into their itinerant retail businesses mainly because of their inability to secure alternative livelihood for survival in the labor market. The study further found that about a third of the immigrants financed their itinerant retail businesses using earnings from the sale of credited wares from their fellow entrepreneurs from the same ethnic group. These findings underscore the utility of ethnic networking as a resource in establishing immigrants' businesses. Being mostly necessity-driven entrepreneurs, policy measures should be aimed at enrobing them into the tax bracket rather than rid them of the informal retail sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) being recognized in Ghana for decades as a legitimate livelihood source for rural folks, over 85% of ASM operations are carried out informally and outside state regulation due to limited understanding of the sector's complex local dynamics in policy and literature. This therefore presents various environmental challenges. This paper explores local perspectives on why miners continue to operate 'illegally' inspite of existing formalization efforts by the state. The study uses a qualitative exploratory design that includes case studies and semi-structured interviews in selected mining communities and core mining regulatory institutions in Ghana to collect primary and secondary data. The findings reveal a lack of understanding of the multifaceted nature of the sector's activities in policy on two interrelated fronts. First, there is little interconnection between formal policy efforts and pre-existing resource norms particularly regarding customary land systems. Second, findings further reveal a generic ASM formalization framework that fails to bring diverse forms of ASM operations under appropriate forms of control, undermining the capacity of some of the sector's operators to comply with formal regulations. It is recommended that policy makers use a more bottom-up approach to ASM formalization in order to gain adequate and accurate understanding of these local level dynamics in policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Informal artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) continues to grow globally, raising both challenges and opportunities in terms of economic, social, and environmental impacts. The ASM literature explores the formalization and transfer of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices from larger firms as the pathway to minimize negative impacts and maximize benefits. But we know very little about environmental and social responsibilities of informal mining operations (and informal economy actors in general, who are often portrayed as devoid of these responsibilities). This paper aims to theorize and empirically explore principles and practices of social and environmental responsibility in informal mining. We combine elements of relational stakeholder theory with Ghana's Akan philosophy to develop our theoretical framework. Through a qualitative research process involving thematic analysis – of field notes from field observations and 81 interviews with ASM miners, community leaders/residents and executive members of Small-Scale Mining Association–Prestea Branch in Ghana – and pattern-matching technique, we find that: a) informal ASM is culturally and relationally motivated to be socially and environmentally responsible, b) there is a model of informal social and environmental responsibility (ISER) that is characterized by commonality, solidarity, tradition, and human-nature interdependencies, and c) social and environmental responsibilities are interpreted in a distinctive, non-Western way and comply with two main informal norms: gifting for social responsibilities and taboos for environmental responsibility. We conclude by suggesting that governments should collaborate with traditional authorities to promote ISER practices as cultural norms. • We conceptualize informal social and environmental responsibility (ISER) of miners. • The principles and practices of ISER are underpinned by Akan philosophy. • Research findings support ISER and help identify four key dimensions of ISER. • Informal miners implement practices related to social and environmental issues. • Informal miners comply with two main norms: gifting and taboos for ISER (not CSR!). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Forestry Review is the property of Commonwealth Forestry Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• Describes a methodology to assess data in the informal e-waste sector in Ghana. • A method for rapid data assessment is provided. • Annual e-waste mass flows at Agbogbloshie Scrapyard range between 13,090 and 17,094 t/a. • Roughly 39% of the Ghanaian e-waste generation is treated at Agbogbloshie Scrapyard. The Old-Fadama-Scrapyard, better known as Agbogbloshie, is located in Accra, Ghana. Over the last 20 years, the area has developed into a large scrapyard, where the informal sector processes mainly electronic waste (e-waste) and scrap metals. However, unsafe treatment methods, such as the open burning of cables and foams, and the spilling of hazardous liquids onto the ground, cause environmental pollution and create health risks by releasing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals. There is a recognized lack in literature of data on e-waste mass and material flows due to the lack of applicable methods to measure e-waste quantities in an informally managed treatment system. However, to establish sustainable e-waste management, e-waste mass and material flow data are crucial prerequisites. Therefore, the material flow analysis (MFA) methodology is proposed as a means for data collection within a limited time frame in the informal e-waste recycling context. In this case study, mass and material flows of e-waste processed at Agbogbloshie were estimated using two different approaches: Firstly, the kind, measures, constitution of load and number of loaded entering and exiting vehicles was observed and documented, and second, to validate the data collected, the mass and material flow of e-waste treatment processes on site were observed and documented. The resulting annual mass flows range between 13,090 t/a and 17,094 t/a of e-waste. Based on the data for Ghana from the Global E-waste Monitor, an average of 15,092 t/a (approximately 39% of the Ghanaian e-waste generation) is treated in Agbogbloshie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternity leave policies are designed to protect gender equality and the health of mothers in the workforce and their children. However, maternity leave schemes are often linked to jobs in the formal sector economy. In low- and middle-income countries a large share of women work in the informal sector, and are not eligible to such benefit. This is worrisome from a social justice and a policy perspective and suggests the need for intervening. Costing the implementation of potential interventions is needed for facilitating informed decisions by policy makers. Methods: We developed and applied a costing methodology to assess the cost of a maternity leave cash transfer to be operated in the informal sector of the economy in Brazil and Ghana, two countries with very different employment structures and socioeconomic contexts. We conducted sensitivity analysis by modeling different numbers of weeks covered. Results: In Brazil, the cost of the maternity cash transfer would be between 0.004% and 0.02% of the GDP, while in Ghana it would range between 0.076% and 0.28% of the GDP. The relative cost of rolling out a maternity intervention in Brazil is between 2.2 to 3.2 times the cost in Ghana depending on the benchmark used to assess the welfare measure. The differences in costs between countries was related to differences in labor market structure as well as demographic characteristics. Conclusions: Findings show how a standard methodology that relies on routinely available information is feasible and could assist policymakers in estimating the costs of supporting a maternity cash transfer for women employed in the informal sector, such intervention is expected to contribute to social justice, gender equity, and health trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practice of psychology in Ghana is growing and this growth has further been facilitated by the strengthening of the Ghana Psychological Association and the passing of the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, 2013 (Act 857). The practice of industrial and organizational (I-O) psychology has also benefited from the general growth in the practice of psychology in Ghana. In this paper, I provide an update on the training and practice of I-O psychology since the last major publication about the field in Ghana (see Oppong, 2013a). Some of the major developments since the last publication include the achievement of autochthonization through the production of home-grown doctoral-level I-O psychologists and the fact that I-O psychology research seems to be moving away from a focus on professionals (salaried workers) in the formal economy in high-income jobs to non-salaried workers in the informal economy. Prospects for the future are discussed in line with the recent developments in the business environment in Ghana and Africa, especially the establishment of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. The lessons learned from the training and practice of I-O psychology in Ghana may have implications for the growth and practice of the discipline in other non-Western societies and worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We address the potential for the "informal sector" to have a positive role in development, in contrast to portrayals of the sector as marginal, transient, exploitative, and predicated on institutional failings. Our study presents a social practice analysis of the informal printing hub in Accra, Ghana, which operates in this sector characterised by various degrees of non‐compliance with business registration, tax and employment legislation. We profile the operations and strategic practices of its small informal businesses and show how informal sector actors, regulatory institutions and formal business customers navigate the ambiguous terrain that informality brings by co‐constructing informality as a pervasive, near‐legitimate phenomenon. From the case, we argue that the informal economy can achieve not only resilient operational and competitive performance but also a set of positive socio‐economic outcomes. We explore policy responses capable of nurturing its immersive networks by emphasising pragmatic accommodation and flexible dispensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition towards a circular economy, which has emerged as a promising approach to achieving sustainable development and which involves the reuse of e-waste, may cause significant social impacts on vulnerable groups if it is not addressed in a proper manner. The European Union has established a clear circular economy plan with particular attention on e-waste treatment. However, a considerable amount of e-waste still ends up outside Europe, mainly in African Countries. Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) has been recognized as a valid methodology to assess the social impacts caused by products or services to stakeholders involved along the life cycle perspective. Most S-LCA studies are conducted in the formal sector; however, informal sectors constitute a crucial element of the economy in emerging and developing countries. In particular, formal waste management practices are complemented by the informal sector in Indonesia, African and Latin American countries. The informal sector represents an important support element. Few studies have been conducted on the social impacts of the e-waste sector and even fewer have been implemented following the guidelines of Social Life Cycle Assessment for Products and Organizations. However, we are still far from a complete overview of the social impacts in the e-waste sector, in particular for developing countries. Knowing that most e-waste through illegal exportation ends up in African countries, a social hotspot analysis has been conducted on the electronic sector in African countries, focusing on Nigeria and Ghana, which are the most affected. The study also identifies a set of indicators needed to assess the social performance of e-waste in Nigeria and Ghana., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: [Marzia Traverso reports financial support and administrative support were provided by RWTH Aachen University.]., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Little is known on the association between cross-shift changes in pulmonary function and personal inhalation exposure to particulate matter (PM) among informal electronic-waste (e-waste) recovery workers who have substantial occupational exposure to airborne pollutants from burning e-waste., Methods: Using a cross-shift design, pre- and post-shift pulmonary function assessments and accompanying personal inhalation exposure to PM (sizes <1, <2.5 μm, and the coarse fraction, 2.5-10 μm in aerodynamic diameter) were measured among e-waste workers ( n = 142) at the Agbogbloshie e-waste site and a comparison population ( n = 65) in Accra, Ghana during 2017 and 2018. Linear mixed models estimated associations between percent changes in pulmonary function and personal PM., Results: Declines in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) per hour were not significantly associated with increases in PM (all sizes) among either study population, despite breathing zone concentrations of PM (all sizes) that exceeded health-based guidelines in both populations. E-waste workers who worked "yesterday" did, however, have larger cross-shift declines in FVC [-2.4% (95%CI: -4.04%, -0.81%)] in comparison to those who did not work "yesterday," suggesting a possible role of cumulative exposure., Discussion: Overall, short-term respiratory-related health effects related to PM exposure among e-waste workers were not seen in this sample. Selection bias due to the "healthy worker" effect, short shift duration, and inability to capture a true "pre-shift" pulmonary function test among workers who live at the worksite may explain results and suggest the need to adapt cross-shift studies for informal settings., Competing Interests: The authors declare that this study received funding from the Dow Chemical Company Foundation through the Dow Sustainability Fellows Program at the University of Michigan. The funder was not involved in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, the writing of this article or the decision to submit it for publication., (Copyright © 2024 Laskaris, O'Neill, Batterman, Mukherjee, Fobil and Robins.)

Informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling plays a significant role in e-waste management in developing countries, such as Ghana, where over 90% is handled by the informal sector. However, the informal treatment of e-waste poses a risk to human health and the environment due to the release of toxic pollutants. There is a lack of data on e-waste management and informal processing, and the material flows of output fractions and the fate of hazardous fractions are largely unknown. This hinders the development of appropriate management strategies. Herein, Material Flow Analysis (MFA) was used to investigate five important informal e-waste recycling processes, and risk analysis was used to evaluate environmental, economic, and health safety. On average of all assessed processes, 40.3% of the emerging fractions are landfilled or burned whereof the processing of ICT appliances (desktop PC, laptops and phones) (P1) contributes with 19.4%, CRT appliances (P2) with 11.7%, compressors from cooling appliances (P3) with 0.1%, microwaves (P4) with 1.3% and printers (P5) with 7.7 % to the landfilled or burned fractions. The risk assessment showed that there are considerable risks in environmental, economic and health safety for all processes. When considering the overall risk assessment across all categories, the priority for action to have the most substantial impact is as follows: P2>P5>P3>P1>P4. The key findings of this research focus on the assessment of the so far not known informal e-waste process workflows, the identification of emerging fractions, the remain of potentially hazardous fractions and the identification of the primary economic drivers in informal e-waste dismantling. Recommended action areas involve the incorporation of the informal sector, guided by the insights derived from the MFA and risk assessment. The results of this study are of importance for addressing the challenges faced by the informal sector and for making well-informed decisions when strategizing e-waste management infrastructure. [Display omitted] • Material flow analysis of important informal e-waste recycling processes in Ghana. • Mapping of the remain of valuable and hazardous fractions. • Process evaluation and risk analysis for environmental, economic and health safety. • Technical and socio-economic potentials for improvement suggestions derived. • Identification of urgent fields of actions for political decision makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ghanaian government began implementing the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in 2005, anchored on the universal health coverage principle. However, informal sector workers contribute to the low enrolment into the scheme. This paper examines the factors that influence enrolment status in Ghana's NHIS among individuals in the informal sector. The study employed the fixed-effects logit model, using the Ghana Socioeconomic Panel Survey datasets. The findings revealed that gender, age, education, marital status, household size, physical activity, income, savings and subjective social welfare determine enrolment decisions of persons in the informal sector. Drivers of NHIS enrolment for male and female household heads were secondary education and household size. Heterogeneously, age, Junior High School education, married, physical activity, subjective social welfare and savings influenced only male-headed households' enrolment status. The study shows differences in enrolment status among rural and urban residents, as age, education, marital status, household size, and physical activity influenced rural residents, while for urban inhabitants', savings determined their NHIS enrolment decisions. However, gender, obesity, income and subjective social welfare predicted enrolment decisions for rural and urban residents. Finally, two variables, gender (male) and physical activity predicted the NHIS enrolment decision among the poor, whereas subjective social welfare and savings influenced the wealthiest enrolment decisions. For Ghana to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of universal health coverage, the study recommends enhanced public education on NHIS benefits among informal workers to promote enrolment., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)