http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/1 FACULTY /STAFF PUBLICATIONS 2026-07-06T21:46:32Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/30694 Title: A STUDY OF LUKE 4:18-19: IMPLICATIONS FOR GHANAIAN PASTORS IN CHRISTIAN MISSION AND MINISTRY Authors: KANG-EWALA, DIBORO Abstract: BSTRACT The study of Luke 4:18-19 presents a rich foundation for understanding the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ, particularly regarding his proclamation of liberation, healing, and restoration to the marginalized and oppressed. 1 In the context of contemporary mission and pastoral ministry, Ghanaian pastors encounter diverse challenges ranging from socio-economic issues to spiritual warfare, all within a rapidly changing cultural landscape. However, amidst these challenges lie invaluable lessons and principles embedded within Luke 4:18-19, offering timeless wisdom for effective mission and ministry. The study employed both historical and exegetical approaches to explore the implications of the text and its application to the context of Ghanaian pastors. It also discusses the nature of Jesus’ mission and ministry, mission and ministry in the early Church and ministry to the poor among the church Fathers in order to draw informed conclusions for the text’s implications. This study argues that delving into the contextual significance of Luke 4:18-19, by elucidating its implications for Ghanaian pastors, is key to providing valuable insight on biblical exegesis, interpretation, Christian mission and ministry among young, gifted, but desperate pastors in Ghana. Description: Article 0025-11-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/30693 Title: BENCHMARKING AND PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT IN LOCAL ADMINISTRATION: A CASE STUDY OF OLD TAFO MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY Authors: Ampong, Isaac Abstract: ABSTRACT Public sector organisations face increasing pressure to demonstrate accountability and performance effectiveness while serving the collective public good rather than pursuing profit. Unlike private entities, public institutions must balance social goals, fiscal responsibility, and the expectations of multiple stakeholder groups under resource constraints (Kearney, 2018). Despite this, limited empirical evidence exists on how benchmarking practices particularly their diversity and intensity contribute to performance improvement in local government administration in Ghana. This study examines the relationship between benchmarking diversity, benchmarking intensity, and local administration performance within a municipal assembly context. Using a stratified sampling technique, 273 employees were selected from a population of 930, representing core processes, immediate support, and support functions. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), following the two-stage approach proposed by Anderson and Gerbing (1988), was used to test the hypothesised relationships. Findings reveal a significant positive association between benchmarking diversity, benchmarking intensity, and local administration performance. The study contributes to public sector performance literature by providing empirical evidence on how varied benchmarking practices enhance operational effectiveness within Ghanaian local governance. While the results are context-specific, they highlight the need for broader multi-district and multi-regional studies to deepen understanding of benchmarking’s role in improving administrative performance across the public sector. 2025-11-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/30692 Title: A Study of Pre-Christian and Christian Africa and Environmental Sustainability: A Reflection for the Church in Africa Authors: ADU.GYAMFI, YAW Abstract: ABSTRACT Pre-Christian African communities were environmentally friendly. The communities developed taboos, myths, sayings and ethics, and enforced them to conserve, protect and nourish the environment for later generations. On the contrary, in spite of the Bible’s teachings about the need to conserve the environment, Christian African communities pollute the environment to a high rate of deterioration. The purpose of the study is to draw the attention of the Church in Africa to the level of filth resulting from failure to play her role in environmental sustainability and to provoke her into action. The study employed qualitative method to gather and analyse non-numerical data such as text for proper understanding of people’s own social reality, which included their beliefs, attitudes and motivation, and those of others. The phenomenological approach focussed on studying human experiences, particularly how individuals perceive and communicate their lived experiences. The discussions showed that pre-Christian Africa served as an effective agent of environmental sustainability than Christian Africa. It is recommended that African Christians change their hearts, take hermeneutics and theology seriously, promote environmental awareness, change their negative attitudes towards African environmental taboos and be careful of the wholesale borrowing of Western philosophy and science at the expense of traditional African beliefs and practices. The study concluded that the church in Africa has a duty to learn from pre Christian African communities to help sustain the environment. The study has contributed towards scholars’ efforts to finding causes and possible solutions to environmental degradation in African communities and encourage African scholars to pay attention to traditional African methods of environmental issues. Keywords: pre-Christian, Christian, Africa, environment, sustainability 2025-08-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/30686 Title: Toward Fiscal Decentralization: Assessing the Performance of Internally Generated Revenue Collection for Local Development in Ghana Authors: Nicholas, Charles; Osei, Charles Dwumfour; Kwao-Sarbah, David Abstract: The success of decentralization efforts in developing countries, such as Ghana, is closely tied to the capacity for robust infrastructure delivery at the local level, where local governments are mandated to drive development but often operate on shoestring budgets. This study critically examines the performance of Internally Generated Funds (IGF) collection in the Ahafo Ano-South West District in Ghana, with a specific focus on revenue trends from 2016 to 2022. Using time series data, the study applies the Corrected Revenue Collection Index (CRCI) to assess how well various revenue streams performed. The findings reveal a striking pattern where property rates emerged as the most consistent and high-performing source of IGF, while revenues from land royalties and administrative fees lagged significantly. Rental income from lands and buildings, and licenses, showed moderate but promising results. These disparities highlight the untapped potential within local revenue systems and point to key areas for reform and strategic investment. By offering new empirical insights, this study contributes meaningfully to the broader discourse on local government financing and sustainable development. It underscores the urgent need for improved revenue mobilization strategies and greater fiscal accountability to empower district assemblies in Ghana and similar contexts to deliver on their developmental mandates. Strengthening IGF collection is not just a financial necessity but a pathway to stronger and more self reliant local governance. 2025-05-01T00:00:00Z