AFRICAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH

Solid Waste Management Practices in the Food Service Industry: Focus in Ghana's Culinary Landscape

2025-03-11T09:13:22-05:00

Purpose: This study investigates waste management practices in restaurants in the Sunyani Municipality in Ghana. The objectives of the study are to classify the types of solid waste generated by restaurants and assess the readiness of restaurants to adopt waste reduction, reuse, and recycling practices.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional approach with a sample of 331 restaurants. Simple random sampling was used to select the sample size. Structured questionnaires and observations were used. Descriptive statistics were employed in the review of the data to address the research questions formulated to direct the study. Specifically, percentages, frequencies, means, and standard deviations were used to analyse the questionnaire items.

Findings: The findings reveal diverse waste types: liquid, solid, and gaseous generated by restaurants. The study's findings reveal that waste management in the food service industry within the Sunyani Municipality is highly influenced by restaurant size and operational capacity. Larger restaurants tend to adopt more sustainable practices, such as portion control and waste minimisation, due to the financial and operational incentives available to them. However, many restaurants have yet to adopt paperless technologies for waste reduction. The readiness of smaller restaurants to engage in waste reduction and recycling efforts is still constrained by limited resources and logistical challenges.

Research Limitation: The study’s reliance on self-reported data from restaurant managers and staff through questionnaires.

Practical Implication: The study's findings offer actionable strategies for improving waste management within the restaurant industry.

Social Implication: The study emphasises how efficient waste management in the restaurant business may have a positive impact on public health.

Originality/Value: This study addresses knowledge gaps in current waste management by exploring the factors that both promote and hinder sustainability in Ghana's food service industry, specifically focusing on waste management practices in Sunyani restaurants. It offers new insights into the readiness to reduce, reuse and recycle solid waste, an area that has not been extensively researched.

The Effect of E-Procurement Risk Mitigation Strategies on Prevention of Corruption in Public Procurement in Tanzania

2025-04-04T11:14:11-05:00

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effect of e-procurement risk mitigation strategies on preventing corruption in public procurement following the widespread use of bad corrupt practices in the public procurement process.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The study employed a case study design, and the study population involved 140 staff working at the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and officials working at the Prevention and Combating Corruption Bureau (PCCB). The study employed the Yamane formula to get a sample size of 104 respondents, whereby questionnaires, an interview guide and a documentary checklist were used as data collection instruments, and during administering the tools, all respondents were responsive, which made a response rate of 100%. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (regression model) to determine the effect of e-procurement on preventing corruption in public procurement.

Results: The results indicate that three variables out of five, namely visibility, risk control and political control, had a p-value < 0.05, which means that these variables significantly contribute to preventing corruption in public procurement under e-procurement.

Research Limitation: This study was limited to two organisations, which may not achieve the principle of study generalisation on corruption in Tanzania.

Practical Implication: When public procurement practitioners and suppliers use the e-procurement system effectively, it will prevent physical interactions between the parties, thus ending corruption.

Social Implication: The awareness campaign and empowerment of institutions and regulatory frameworks will help end loopholes that still tempt corruption in public procurement.

Originality: This paper contributes knowledge by providing first-hand information on electronic strategies for preventing corruption in public procurement.

A Climate-Responsive Green Building Framework for Ghana: Integrating Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies

2025-04-01T11:42:16-05:00

Purpose: This research aims to develop a comprehensive framework for implementing climate-responsive green building practices in Ghana that effectively integrates mitigation and adaptation strategies. The objectives are: to develop a multi-level implementation framework that bridges policy intentions with practical applications, providing clear pathways for adopting green building practices across different building types and scales in Ghana; and to validate the proposed framework through stakeholder engagement and expert evaluation.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The research design was based on qualitative and non-probability techniques used to gather information for the study, and the sample size was 17. The interviews were conducted face-to-face or online. This study also used a narrative style to analyse the data.

Findings: The study found that despite the country's efforts, there was limited or no coordination between the various players in the Built environment and other sectors of the economy, resulting in the non-existence of a long-term national strategy for climate change adaptation and mitigation. The paper thus focuses on the need for Ghana to incorporate the Green Building concept as one of its climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.

Research Limitation: This study is limited to how policy interventions toward climate change mitigation and adaptation can significantly help to improve energy and material use efficiency, conservation drive, and end-use wastage.

Practical Implication: Thus, developing a national strategy for green building construction has the potential benefit of helping to mitigate climate change challenges.

Social Implication: Educating policymakers on the potential benefits of adopting the Green Building Concept and developing an effective cross-cutting communication strategy to educate the citizenry on the benefits derived from the Green Building Concept as a low-hanging fruit towards GHG mitigation.

Originality/Value: This study innovatively explores how traditional Ghanaian building techniques and materials can be incorporated into modern green building practices.

Determining The Contributing Factors and Their Impact on Technical Losses of a Secondary Distribution Network

2025-04-13T02:19:53-05:00

Purpose: The need to investigate how much each factor contributes to the total distribution of technical losses is evident. This work seeks to find the extent of each possible factor's contribution.

Design/Methodology/ Approach: The research is designed as an experimental-quantitative. 40 randomly selected LV networks in urban, rural and metropolitan areas were modelled on the OpenDSS platform, and steady-state load flow studies were carried out. 14 no. predictors were then extracted as input to a regression analysis to formulate a regression equation that could be used to develop a loss reduction strategy for each network.

Findings: It has been identified that seven predictors are responsible for high technical losses. Based on the statistical significance of the predictors, they could be categorised into three categories: Average Phase Current and Average Load Power Factor, which fall within the first category. Average line Resistance (Ohms/km) and % Voltage Imbalance fall within the second category. The third category's predictions are the Equivalent Load Distance (km), Average Bus Voltage (V) and Line Average Percentage loading.

Research Limitation: This work has limitations, such as the customer load profile not being available and losses related to transformers not being considered. Some equipment's electric characteristics were unavailable, so similar ones were used. However, these limitations do not distort the results of this research.

Practical Implication: Therefore, a more appropriate strategy for loss reduction could be formulated by determining the characteristics of individual networks.

Social Implication: Reducing these losses lessens the overall demand for power generation, leading to lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduced environmental impact. This supports broader sustainable development goals and helps meet national and global climate targets.

Originality/Value: Every network has peculiar characteristics; therefore, a generalised loss reduction strategy will not yield the needed results for all circuits. A regression expression has been made to serve as a guide in determining the primary causes of high technical losses of any LV network.

Integrated Assessment of Nuclear-Renewable Hybrid Energy Systems: A Pathway to Sustainable and Resilient Industrial Electrification in Ghana

2025-03-31T19:07:34-05:00

Purpose: Achieving sustainable and cost-effective industrial electrification in Africa necessitates an integrated energy approach that optimally combines Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and renewables, mainly solar and wind energy, as two clean energy sources.

Design/Methodology/Approach: Using HOMER Pro software, system performance was simulated to assess energy generation, economic viability, and environmental benefits. The analysis examined annual energy output, levelised cost of energy (LCOE), and carbon emission reductions to determine system sustainability.

Findings: Due to the integrated energy system, a net energy surplus of 206,079,408 kWh is achieved, enabling grid exports and the potential production of green hydrogen if effectively harnessed. Economic assessments indicate an LCOE of $0.185/kWh, 34% lower than Ghana’s industrial 2024 grid tariff. Additionally, CO₂ emissions are reduced by 15,824,965 kg annually, supporting Ghana’s National Energy Transition Agenda.

Research Limitation: Further research is needed to optimise hybrid energy systems, particularly in waste management, policy frameworks, and national grid stability.

Practical Implication: SMRs and renewables can enhance energy reliability and affordability, ensure sustainable industrial development, and drastically lower energy sector emissions.

Social Implications: Integrating nuclear and renewable energy as a hybrid system can reduce energy poverty, drive industrial growth, support sustainable development, and lower environmental impact.

Originality/Value: This study underscores the potential of nuclear-renewable hybrid energy systems to enhance energy security, reduce emissions, and stabilise industrial electricity supply.

Female Graduates Harnessing Blue Economy Opportunities in Tanzania: The Case of Tanzania Institute of Accountancy Programmes

2025-04-05T17:25:49-05:00

Purpose: The study explored the perceived relevance of the Tanzania Institute of Accountancy programmes, examined the influence of these programmes on female graduates’ harnessing of blue economy opportunities, and determined the constraints against female graduates’ harnessing of blue economy opportunities.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The study adopted a sequential exploratory mixed methods design. Data were collected through questionnaires from 345 female graduates sampled randomly from 2,267 female graduates of the Tanzania Institute of Accountancy in 2023/2024. The descriptive and inferential techniques were used for data analysis and presentation.

Findings: The study found that the bachelor's degree programmes offered by the Tanzania Institute of Accountancy are relevant to enhance female graduates’ harnessing of blue economy opportunities. Marketing and Public Relations, Procurement and Logistics Management, Business Administration and Bachelor of Accountancy have a positive association and significant influence on female graduates harnessing blue economy opportunities, unlike the Bachelor of Human Resource, which has insignificant influence.

Research Limitation: The study disclosed the cause-effect relationship between business studies programs and harnessing blue economy opportunities in Tanzania, but did not investigate the sustainability of the blue economy resources or the productivity of these opportunities discussed and explained to the blue economy.

Practical implication: The study calls for establishing a policy review to encourage practitioners to engage in the opportunities available in the blue economy to sustain economic growth.

Social Implication: Female graduates' involvement in sustainable coastal livelihoods, marine conservation, and ocean-based tourism can strengthen community resilience to environmental and economic challenges.

Originality/value: The study described how having skills from business studies programmes does not guarantee a graduate's ability to utilise blue economy resources due to personal, policy, socio-cultural, and economic barriers.

Soil Microbiomes from defunct battery manufacturing dump site as influenced by heavy metals

2025-04-03T01:05:23-05:00

Purpose: Polluted soils have a negative impact on agricultural crop yield and food safety; hence, they are a global concern. A wet battery waste disposal area has been encroached due to farmers' attempts to increase productivity in the research area. The farmers' desire to expand productivity inspired this study, which assessed the impact of battery waste deposits at different spatial scales on the evenness and richness of beneficial microorganisms.

Design/Methodology/Approach: Twenty (20) points were randomly sampled from the non-contaminated site, the main battery dumpsite (MDS), and 20 and 40 m away from the MDS. The study adopted a factorial arrangement on a completely randomised design that was replicated three times. Analysis of variance was used to analyse the data, and microbiological analyses were conducted within the experiment. Where means were significant, Duncan’s multiple range test separated them.

Findings: Glomus had the highest count of 144.3-fold in 20 MA, while Acaulospora and Funneliformis were significantly and predominantly abundant in 40 MA by 282.0 and 55-fold, respectively.MDS had significantly the lowest or least numerical values in most AMF species across all the spatial distances

Research Limitation: The work focused on an abandoned dumpsite by a defunct battery manufacturing company.

Practical Implication: For marginally contaminated areas, the findings can guide the selection of appropriate crops and associated beneficial microbes that minimise heavy metal uptake, enabling safer productive use of remediated lands.

Social Implication: This research can help identify whether harmful metals are becoming more bioavailable over time or being naturally immobilised, directly impacting health risk assessments for vulnerable populations.

Originality / Value: This research significantly advances our understanding of how complex microbial communities respond to and potentially mitigate the extreme environmental conditions created by battery waste.

Job Satisfaction and Academic Qualifications as Predictors of Quality Service Delivery Among Academic Staff with Special Needs: Case Study Federal College of Education, (Special) Oyo, Nigeria

2025-04-13T03:09:31-05:00

Purpose: This study examined job satisfaction and academic qualification as predictors of quality service delivery among academic staff with special needs in the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, Oyo State, Nigeria.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The study used a descriptive survey research design. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 20 academic staff with special needs in F.C.E. (Sp.) Oyo as respondents. A job satisfaction survey and Quality Service Delivery Scale (QUASEDS) were used for data collection, while demographic data was used to obtain data on academic qualification. Twenty sets of questionnaire were distributed and retrieved from respondents. Data Analysis used descriptive statistics and multiple regression to test the stated hypothesis.

Research Limitation: This study strictly examined job satisfaction and academic qualifications as predictors of quality service delivery. This was discussed among academic staff with special needs in the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo, Nigeria.

Findings: Job satisfaction and academic qualification significantly predict quality service delivery (F _(2,37) =3.321; R=.528, R²=.279, Adj. R²=.240; P<.05). About 28% of the variation in quality service delivery was accounted for by the independent variables. Unlike academic qualifications, job satisfaction predicts quality service delivery of academic staff with special needs with a significance score of 0.001.

Practical Implication: Job satisfaction correlates significantly more with quality service delivery among academic staffers with special needs than with educational qualifications.

Social Implication: For an employee to attain and sustain quality service delivery that guarantees quality student learning, employers should prioritise job satisfaction for academic staff with special needs.

Originality and Value: The future of academic staffers with special needs is anchored on the fulfilment they derive from their jobs.

Phytochemical Profile, In Vitro Antimicrobial and Anthelmintic Properties of Dichrostachys Cinerea Root Extracts

2025-03-31T20:42:45-05:00

Purpose: This study sought to assess the active constituents, anthelmintic properties, and antibacterial capabilities of Dichrostachys cinerea.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The research utilises agar well diffusion and microbroth dilution techniques to evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of D. cinerea's ethanolic root extract. Chemical and GC-MS analyses were employed to identify the phytochemical components. Additionally, an in vitro anthelmintic assessment was performed using Posthuma pheretema.

Findings: Ethanolic extracts of D. cinerea root bark (EDC) were screened against Pheretima posthuma worms, eight (8) bacterial strains, and one (1) fungal strain in vitro. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the extract and GC-MS analysis were also conducted. In this study, the in vitro data demonstrated that EDC exerted both bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects, inhibiting the growth of all tested bacteria and Candida albicans. Combining EDC with Ciprofloxacin inhibited all microbial isolates, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Research Limitation: This study focused on only one plant part, and all experiments were in vitro, which does not represent the complex in vivo environment. Even though GC-MS identified some compounds, the specific bioactive compounds conferring the bioactivities have not been isolated.

Practical implication: The results of this investigation indicate that the ethanolic root extract of D. cinerea demonstrates potential for development into therapeutic interventions for bacterial, fungal, and helminthic infections.

Social Implication: Data from this research could be utilised to mitigate antimicrobial resistance, thereby improving health outcomes.

Originality/ Value: This study demonstrates, for the first time, the anthelmintic efficacy of the root extract. Furthermore, this research establishes a scientific foundation for subsequent investigations into D. cinerea as a potential source of therapeutic drug candidates.

Challenges of Accessing Bank Loans by SMEs in Tanzania

2025-04-08T18:41:58-05:00

Purpose: This study assesses the challenges faced by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Tanzania in accessing bank loans.

Design/Methodology/Approach: The research was conducted in Ilala Municipality, where a structured questionnaire was administered to 80 respondents. The study employed a multistage sampling followed by stratified sampling to categorise respondents based on the banks from which they sought loans: NMB Bank, CRDB Bank, and NBC Bank. Simple random sampling was utilised to sample subjects for the study. Multiple regression models were used to examine the effect of the dependent variables on the response.

Findings: Regression analysis revealed that the characteristics of SME owners (marital status, age, education) and bank requirements for loans (interest rates and collateral) significantly affect SMEs' ability to access loans. These findings imply that the characteristics of SME owners and bank requirements play a crucial role in limiting or enabling access to financial resources for SMEs.

Research Limitation: Because of financial constraints and time limitations, the data is limited to a particular area, especially the Ilala district and not the Dar es Salaam region. Hence, the data presented does not represent the issues across the entire Dar es Salaam region.

Practical Implication: Based on these findings, the study recommends that banks consider revising their loan requirements.

Social Implication: SME owners must enhance their financial literacy, including keeping a good record of business returns, to improve their chances of securing funding.

Originality/value: The regression approach offers a more robust statistical foundation for understanding SME financing constraints than the descriptive or qualitative methods that dominate existing literature in this field.