http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/3281 2026-06-03T20:01:11Z 2026-06-03T20:01:11Z ABDUL-RAZAK, I. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/4645 2026-05-21T11:14:30Z 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: CIVIC CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND POLITICAL COMMUNICATION IN GHANA: IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT Authors: ABDUL-RAZAK, I. Abstract: Ghana's three decades of competitive democracy present a paradox where high political participation coexists with persistent developmental failures. More than half the population remains in or near poverty despite peaceful electoral transitions. This study investigated the relationship between political communication practices and citizens' civic cultural competence in Ghana. Using Tamale Metropolitan Area as the primary data collection site, the research examined why democratic participation fails to generate accountability in human development outcomes. These outcomes include infrastructure provision, service delivery, poverty reduction, and equitable resource distribution. The research employed an integrated conceptual framework combining Political Communication Culture Theory, civic cultural competence dimensions (knowledge, awareness, understanding, and resistance), and Sen's human development approach. Qualitative methods included 4 focus group discussions (6-8 participants each), 16 in-depth interviews with citizens (45-60 minutes), and 10 key informant interviews with media personnel and political actors (60-90 minutes). The findings reveal a sophistication-constraint paradox. Political elites employ sophisticated communication tactics—emotional appeals, symbolic gestures, recycled promises, and strategic ambiguity—to mobilize votes without delivering tangible development. Hierarchical digital networks and partisan media amplify these tactics. Citizens demonstrate remarkably high civic cultural competence across knowledge, awareness, and understanding dimensions. They accurately identify manipulation patterns and comprehend underlying political motives. However, structural barriers prevent citizens from translating sophisticated individual message-decoding capacity into collective resistance and counter-messaging. These barriers include fragmented organizing infrastructure, partisan divisions, meeting access constraints, patronage targeting potential organizers, and captured media. The study makes three interconnected contributions. Theoretically, it develops the civic cultural competence framework and introduces the K-A-U-R (Knowledge-Awareness-Understanding Resistance) analytical model for assessing democratic citizenship. Empirically, it provides first systematic evidence of the sophistication-constraint paradox in Ghanaian democracy, demonstrating that institutional barriers—not citizen ignorance—cause the democracy-development disconnect. Practically, it recommends structural reforms including campaign finance regulation, cross-partisan coalition-building, independent media support, and alternative communication platforms that enable sustained citizen counter-messaging to impose accountability costs on political elites. Description: MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY DEGREE IN SOCIAL CHANGE COMMUNICATION

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z Jebuni, T. S. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/4405 2025-03-10T12:19:10Z 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: MASQUERADING AS COMMUNICATION FOR DEVELOPMENT: A STUDY OF SIGMÀÀ AMONGST THE TAMPÚLMA, VAGLA, AND CHAKALE IN GHANA Authors: Jebuni, T. S. Abstract: The Indigenous people of Tampúlma, Vagla, and Chakale have for their wellbeing many forms of communication media, one most sensitive forms of communication is their Sigmáá Masquerading. This study investigated the indigenous modes of communication in Sigmáá Masquerading relevant for youth education and transmission of knowledge. The study was purely qualitative and adopted the interpretivism paradigm as the research philosophy. Ethnography and phenomenological research designs were appropriate using the purposive and homogenous sampling techniques. The data was analysed using the tools of grounded theory, thematic analysis, time-trend analysis, and discourse analysis. Interview guide, focus group discussion guide and observation checklist were the instruments used for data collection. Data were analysed using thematic and cross-site analysis. The study found that kinesics, Spiritism, initiations, and symbolism were the nonverbal communication whiles proverbs, appellations, incantations, and riddles were the verbal communication media respectively common among the Tampúlma, Vagla, and Chakale in their Sigmáá Masquerading traditions. The study also discovered that there have been some changes in the Sigmáá Masquerading modes of communication over time. These changes have had psychological, sociological, and philosophical influence on the social, moral, ethics and general worldview of the youth. The study proposed that the myths surrounding Sigmáá Masquerading be demystified for public consumption and for ecotourism; that the song text, drum text, movement genres of Sigmáá masquerades be decoded for youth education and transmission of knowledge. Description: DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z Ankobiah, R. N. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/4269 2024-12-10T14:38:56Z 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: EFFECTS OF ACCESS OF FEMALE FARMERS TO AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICES ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN THE TALENSI DISTRICT OF THE UPPPER EAST REGION OF GHANA Authors: Ankobiah, R. N. Abstract: In Sub-Saharan Africa, agricultural activities have been the backbone of all economic activities. Agriculture has remained a major source of food and also the major determinant of the basic livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa. The sector contributes immensely to employment, GDP and export earnings in the continent. Women, who are the majority of the rural dwellers in Africa play a significant role in the agricultural sector which in most cases their contributions are downplayed. They contribute about 60%-80% of their time to every level of the agricultural line. The objective of the study was to examine the effect of access of smallholder female farmers to agriculture extension services on productivity in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region of Ghana. Talensi district was purposively selected because of its geographic location, in the Guinea Savanna Ecological Zone located in a semi-dry climatic region and its contribution to the food basket of the nation with the highest percentage of smallholder farmers. Simple random sampling was used to select respondents from the households. The sample size was determined to be 100 using the Yamane formula. The research reveals that about 68.7% of the female farmers’ in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region of Ghana were aware of the existence of the Agricultural extension officers in their districts. One of the factors influencing the access of female farmers to agricultural extension services is limited capacities of extension officers in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region. Traditional beliefs and cultural set ups were also identified as factors that hinder female farmers’ access to agricultural extension officers in the district. It was revealed that women farmers in the district have limited participation in the management committees which also influences the level of access of the female farmers to the agricultural extension services. The study therefore, recommended periodic stakeholders engagement with the women farmers’ in the district to educate them on the economic potentials in farming activities and how they can make economic gains out of it to support their households better. The study also recommended that women farmers in the district should also be given some level of entrepreneurship training to help them change their mind-set of doing farming just for the consumption of their households. Description: MASTER OF SCIENCE INNOVATION COMMUNICATION

2020-01-01T00:00:00Z Nuhu, M. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/4093 2023-11-16T15:05:38Z 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: CHILD LABOUR AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS: A CASE STUDY OF MOSHIE-ZONGO IN THE MANHYIA SUB-METROPOLIS OF ASHANTI REGION OF GHANA Authors: Nuhu, M. Abstract: The welfare of the child is of paramount importance in the world today. In Ghana, labour is exploitative if it deprives a child of his/her health, education or development. The magnitude of child labour in Moshie-Zongo relative to other suburbs in the Kumasi Metropolis is high, but as to how child labour affects the academic performance of school children in Moshie-Zongo is not well known. The objective of the research is to establish the relationship and the extent of the relationship between child labour and academic performance. The method for data collection is the interview through questionnaires and checklist. Frequency tables and descriptive statistics are the data analysis methods employed with the aid of SPSS and Excel. Pupil labourers in the study community engage in child labour activities to support their families’ in order to provide for their education and other basic needs. Most of the pupil labourers are engaged in similar line of economic activities as their parents/guardians. Pupil labourers academic average scores fell below average and female pupil labourers are more disadvantaged. Parents should be sensitized about the value of education to their children by the social welfare department. The government should design employment empowerment programmes for parents. Teachers need to educate both parents and children on the effects of child labour through the school management committee. Description: MASTER OF SCIENCE IN INNOVATION COMMUNICATION

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z