Browsing by Author "Amanor, Kofi"

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    Assessing the Cost Efficiency of Microfinance Institutions in Ghana: An Application of Stochastic Frontier Approach
    (2012.) Amanor, Kofi
    The aim of this study was therefore to assess the economic efficiency of microfinance institutions using the case of Ghana from 2007 to 2010. The use of the Stochastic Frontier Approach was employed as the main research technique to estimate efficiency. In all, 73 MFIs were sampled across the industry upon whose financial data, a Cobb-Douglas cost frontier and cost efficiency ratios were first estimated. The units were rated on levels of good financial performers, and worst financial performers. The study obtained an overall mean for economic efficiency to be 58.40% with most units having efficiency ratios falling between 51-60%. Although, efficiency scores were low, the displayed results showed an incremental increase in annual efficiency scores; indicating an improvement in technology in the financial sector. Also, it was found that the age of the microfinance institution is a significant determining factor of efficiency in Ghana due to the presence of a positive learning curve. The main conclusion extracted from the analysis was that MFIs in Ghana are operating below their optimal scale capacity as none of the sampled units was either economically or technically efficient. However, there was an evidence of a good scope of outreach. It is recommended that MFIs must invest resources and adequate time into the training of staff and clients before new programmes, credit schemes and policies are implemented.
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    Decomposition and drivers of energy intensity in Ghana
    (Energy Strategy Reviews, 2023) Oteng-Abayie, Eric Fosu; Dramani, John Bosco; Adusah-Poku, Frank; Amanor, Kofi; Quartey, Jonathan Dagadu; 0000-0002-4598-2066; 0000-0001-8886-7853; 0000-0001-5513-4530; 0000-0002-6937-847X; 0000-0002-7333-2300
    Ghana’s energy intensity trends point to a high energy use necessary to generate a unit of output. The country has also witnessed massive investment in energy infrastructure geared towards meeting its lower middle-income status and achieving universal access to energy. The logical question is: what is the contribution of the cur rent economic and technical infrastructure level to the country’s energy intensity? The current study addresses this question by employing the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index I (LMDI) to decompose energy intensity in Ghana from 2000 to 2020 to examine its trends and sources. The impact of economic-technical factors on aggregate energy intensity in Ghana is then investigated with the aid of the ARDL estimation technique to unearth potential asymmetric and symmetric effects. The decomposition analysis indicates an oscillating pattern in energy in tensity in Ghana promoted by structural effect and labour productivity respectively. The results suggest that renewable energy, rural electrification, and digitisation have a direct and secondary long-run asymmetric effect on aggregate energy intensity with labour productivity and household consumption working as the transmission channels. The study recommends the need for government to pursue clean and eco-friendly practices in its economic development agenda for a meaningful reduction in energy intensity.
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    Effects of trade liberalization on the global decoupling and decomposition of CO2 emissions from economic growth
    (Heliyon, 2024) Baajike, Franklin Bedakiyiba; Oteng-Abayie, Eric Fosu; Dramani, John Bosco; Amanor, Kofi; 0000-0002-1603-5027; 0000-0002-4598-2066; 0000-0002-3640-2664; 0000-0002-6937-847X
    Evidence of climate change is widespread and severe across all parts of the world. This poses a threat to humanity, and the entire environment. Appropriate policies are therefore required to help reduce greenhouse gas emission levels, limit the rate of global warming and its impact on climate change while pursuing national growth targets. This study employs the Tapio decoupling method to analyse the decoupling relationship (DR) between economic growth and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from 1998 to 2018. We also apply the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition method on an extended Kaya identity to analyse CO2 emissions drivers in 145 countries. Last, the study examined the relative impacts of trade intensity and trade efficiency on the DR between economic growth and CO2 emissions. The results revealed that regions with relatively many developing and emerging countries (i.e., SSA, EAP, LAC, MENA, and SA) generally performed Weak Decoupling (WD), Expansive Negative Decoupling (END) and Expansive Coupling (EC), and the decoupling process was largely unstable. The ECA and NA regions on the other hand, which are typically composed of developed economies performed stable WD and Strong Decoupling (SD) statuses throughout the study period. The evidence further revealed that while trade intensity, activity, population, output per carbon emission and Carbon Intensity (CI) effects promote CO2 emissions, trade efficiency and energy intensity (EI) hinder emissions. We recommend that developing countries should enforce laws and cooperate with the developed economies to gain access to green technology to promote environmental sustainability.