25 Aug
Research

Lack of inclusive WASH facilities denies PWDs education

Dr. Elijah Bisung, the Assistant Professor at the Queen’s University, Canada, says the lack of inclusive Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools deprive children with physical disabilities the right to basic education and training.He said the situation also denied those children the opportunity to develop their full potential, which the country could harness to achieve the needed development.Dr. Bisung said this at a stakeholders’ engagement in Wa to disseminate research findings on the availability and accessibility of WASH facilities in schools by children with physical disabilities in the Upper West Region.The two-fold survey engaged school children, including those with physical disabilities in the Nadowli-Kaleo District, to ascertain their challenges in accessing WASH facilities as well as stakeholders in the region to seek their recommendations in improving access to inclusive WASH facilities in schools.The project was dubbed: “Promoting Access to Inclusive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services for Students with Physical Disabilities in School Setting in Ghana.”It had funding support from the Queen’s University, Canada, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana.Dr. Bisung, who was the Lead Investigator in the research, stressed the need for inclusive WASH facilities at all levels of society to help advance the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on water and sanitation by 2030.“If we are interested in achieving universal access to water and sanitation by 2030, we must be very interested in the inequalities that exist when it comes to access.“These inequalities are based on gender, disability...

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23 Jul
Land Management

Harnessing AI to Revolutionize the Land Sector in Ghana

As technology continues to advance at an unprecedented pace, a question has emerged: How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) improve the complex landscape of the land sector in Ghana, particularly considering its unique land tenure system and associated challenges?AI, a field of computer science where machines simulate human intelligence, could hold the key to streamlining Ghana's convoluted land tenure system, resolving longstanding disputes, and bolstering environmental stewardship.Professor Ama Kudom-Agyemang, an expert in environmental science and AI at the University of Ghana, explains, "AI has the potential to simplify many of the complex processes that currently hamper Ghana's land sector. From faster land registration to better environmental oversight, the possibilities are extensive."Experts suggest that AI could help reduce corruption and increase land taxation revenues. More efficient land transactions could spur overall economic activity and greatly contribute to Ghana's economy.In terms of land registration and documentation, AI could revolutionize this process, fraught with difficulties due to the coexistence of customary and statutory land tenure systems. Machine learning algorithms can automate the review of land registration applications, quickly identifying inconsistencies and flagging dubious transactions.AI could also offer a ray of hope for dispute resolution. By deploying Natural Language Processing (NLP), we could automate the analysis of land dispute cases, providing valuable insights based on historical case data.Spatial analysis and land use planning stand to benefit significantly from AI. By deploying machine learning algorithms on satellite imagery, we could monitor land use patterns, track urban growth, and even identify illegal activities like unauthorized mining or...

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