Unit 6 Social Structure Of Ghana PDF

Dr. Atta Kwenin  SESSION 1: SOCIAL VICES IN GHANA  The word “vices” has it root in a Latin word “Vitium” meaning defect or failing.  A vice can be said to mean an immoral or wicked personal characteristic. It is rare to find a school or an institution void of social vices.  The word...

Dr. Atta Kwenin  SESSION 1: SOCIAL VICES IN GHANA  The word “vices” has it root in a Latin word “Vitium” meaning defect or failing.  A vice can be said to mean an immoral or wicked personal characteristic. It is rare to find a school or an institution void of social vices.  The word vice can also be defined as a bad habit or on-going pattern of behaviour that represents moral weakness or depravity.  Some vices are actions often considered to be evil or wicked, while others are more self-indulgent in nature.  Vices are common among young males and females, examples include prostitution, indecent dressing, robbery, cultism, pocket picking, drug addiction, examination malpractice, hooliganism thuggery, gambling, Smoking, premarital sexual activities and rape.  SESSION 1: SOCIAL VICES IN GHANA  Social vices can be defined as an unacceptable attitude that is against the norms and culture of any society. Social vices are common among young males and females. Examples are possession of pornographic materials, examination misconduct, stealing, etc.  Social vices may also be considered practices, behaviours or habits generally considered immoral, sinful or degrading in the society.  It also includes any immoral activity which is likely to become a profitable venture or activity like prostitution, gambling, pornography, drugs, etc.  SESSION 1: SOCIAL VICES IN GHANA  Forms of Social Vices in Ghana  Examination Malpractice  Indecent dressing/prostitution  Cultism  cell phone c  Causes of Social Vices  Peer pressure  Unemployment  Modelling and the mass media  negligence by the parents or a broken home  SESSION 1: SOCIAL VICES IN GHANA  Effects of social vices  The mental, physical and moral aspects of an individual are negatively affected  Dangerous acts like cultism  High rate of social vices can tarnish the image of a family  Illicit drugs, smoking, alcoholism deteriorate the health of the users.  SESSION 1: SOCIAL VICES IN GHANA  Measures to Curb Social Vices in Ghana  parents have greater role to play in this regard by effectively' discharging their responsibilities. Most importantly they need to bring' up their children in the way of God.  the government should formulate people-oriented policies that will help in eradicating extreme poverty in the country.  Moreover, governments should put in place programme of action on skills acquisition and wealth creation so as to enable young unemployed graduates to be self-reliant and job creators.  We need to have a paradigm shift in the educational system. Courses such as entrepreneurship, basketry, beadmaking and among others should be brought into the educational system  SESSION 1: SOCIAL VICES IN GHANA  Measures to Curb Social Vices in Ghana  An equally important solution to this problem is that relevant stakeholders should help to sensitize the youths about the inherent danger of getting involved in social vices.  Establishment of guidance and counselling centres  Parents need to know their children's friends, status, and their academic performances  The government should organize forums that will enlighten the students about the dangers associated with social vices  Organizations should commence emphasizing on holiness and righteousness, mostly among children instead of much trouncing on prosperity Dr. Atta Kwenin  SESSION 2: ENVIRONMENT  Literally, the environment means the surroundings and everything that affects an organism during its lifetime.  Thus, the environment includes everything (biotic as well as abiotic) that surrounds an organism.  In other words, it is the sum total of water, air and land, interrelationships among themselves and also with the human beings and other living organisms.  Environment is the sum total of all surrounding of a living organism, including natural forces and other living things.  It includes all the physical and biological surroundings and their interactions.  SESSION 2: ENVIRONMENT  Types of Environment  The natural environment  The natural environment is also known as the biological or ecological environment.  It is the environment that possesses all living organisms, plants, animals, human beings and microorganisms.  These living organisms are the biota of the ecological environment.  The Social Environment  The social environment is also known as the socio-economic environment.  The social environment occurs when there is an interaction between individuals or species with other individuals or other species  SESSION 2: ENVIRONMENT  Types of Environment  The Built Environment  This is a well-planned area in the natural environment built by man to provide congenial conditions.  The built environment is also seen as the area on the earth’s surface that has been modified by human activities.  The Spiritual Environment  This is the environment that the spiritual component of human being interacts at the sub-conscious level.  It is the extra-terrestrial environment where the human spirit interacts with the super natural spirits  SESSION 2: ENVIRONMENT  Importance of the Physical Environment  Sources of Resources Necessary for Life  It serves as Waste Repository  It serves as Habitat for living things  Source of Natural Beauty Dr. Atta Kwenin SESSION 4: PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT  Meaning of Physical Environment  The physical environment includes land, air, water, plants and animals, buildings and other infrastructure, and all of the natural resources that provide our basic needs and opportunities for social and economic development.  Components of the Physical Environment  Lithosphere (Land): It is the solid rocky crust covering the entire planet. It is inorganic and composed of minerals.  It consists of continents, mountains and ocean floor, which makes up 29% of the earth’s surface. SESSION 4: PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT  Components of the Physical Environment  Hydrosphere (Water): It is composed of all the water on and around the earth. It includes all the oceans, lakes, rivers, ponds and streams on the earth. It covers 71% of the earth’s surface of which 97% is in the oceans.  Only 3% is fresh water which includes the solid ice sheets as well as liquid form in the rivers and ponds.  Atmosphere (Air): The cover of the air, that envelopes the earth is known as the atmosphere.  Atmosphere is a thin layer which contains gases like oxygen, carbon dioxide etc. and which protects the solid earth and human beings from the harmful radiations of the sun. SESSION 4: PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT  Components of the Physical Environment  There are five concentric layers within the atmosphere, which can be differentiated on the basis of temperature and each layer has its own characteristics.  These include the troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere, the thermosphere and the exosphere (Kalavathy, 2004).  It consists of 78% of Nitrogen, 21% of Oxygen, 0.03%carbon dioxide and other gases.  The atmosphere helps to maintain the temperature near the surface by absorbing the dangerous ultraviolet rays coming from solar radiation. Dr. Atta Kwenin SESSION 5: ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS  Environmental problems arise whenever there is a change in the quality or quantity of any environmental factor which directly or indirectly affects the health and wellbeing of man in an adverse manner.  Environmental problems can be studied from two different viewpoints.  One is simply to look for adverse effects without regard to their origin in order to detect trends that call for further investigation;  the other is to try to understand the cause-and-effect relationships, which make better prediction and proper management possible.  Environmental problems can be further be examined from the pollution of the air, water bodies and destruction to the land  Examples of Environmental problems include: air pollution, water pollution and land degradation SESSION 5: ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS  Air Pollution  air pollution may be defined as the presence of one or more contaminants such as dust, fumes, gas, mist, odor, smoke or vapor in the atmosphere which may prove to be injurious to plant, animals and human life.  These harmful particles or gases are known as pollutants  Causes of Air Pollution  Industrial waste and emissions  Vehicle emissions  Household and farming Chemicals  Deforestation SESSION 5: ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS  Effects of Air Pollution  Respiratory infections  Global warming  Depletion of ozone layer  Formation of acid rain  Air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide speed up the growth of algae on the water surface  Solutions to Air Pollution  Laws and regulation  Use of Renewable or Green Energy Sources  Cleaning Smokestacks and Exhaust Pipes  Raising Awareness through campaigns and advocacy Dr. Atta Kwenin SESSION 6: WATER POLLUTION  Water Pollution  Water pollution occurs when harmful substances—often chemicals or microorganisms contaminate a stream, river, lake, ocean, aquifer, or other body of water, degrading water quality and rendering it toxic to humans or the environment.  Water pollution results when contaminants are introduced into the natural environment.  The water pollutants of concern in urban storm water runoff include: gross pollutants, solids, nutrients, Oxygen-demanding materials, Toxicants (Heavy metals and Hydrocarbons) SESSION 6: WATER POLLUTION  Causes of Water Pollution  Urbanization  Sewage and other Oxygen Demanding Wastes  Industrial Wastes  Agro-chemical Wastes  Oil spillage  Effects of Water Pollution  Water pollution affects human life as it can cause water borne disease  Effluents from industries contain various organic and inorganic waste products  Oil spillage prevents oxygenation of water  Phytotoxicity effects on plants SESSION 6: WATER POLLUTION  Solutions to Water Pollution  Making people aware of the problem  Industries should install Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) to control the pollution at source.  All towns and cities must have Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) that clean up the sewage effluents.  Improper use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides in farming should be stopped and organic methods of farming should be adopted. SESSION 6: WATER POLLUTION  Land Degradation  Land degradation is defined as the temporary or permanent decline in the productive capacity of the land, and the diminution of the productive potential, including its major land uses (e.g., rain fed arable, irrigation, forests), its farming systems (e.g., smallholder subsistence), and its value as an economic resource.  Land degradation is any change in the condition of the land which reduces its productive potential.  This includes the loss of topsoil, the loss of vegetation and increasing soil salinity. SESSION 6: WATER POLLUTION  Causes of Land Degradation  Deforestation  Excessive Use of Fertilizers and Pesticides  Overgrazing  Industrial and Mining activities  Water-logging: Excessive irrigation and improper drainage facility  Desertification  Soil erosion SESSION 6: WATER POLLUTION  Effects of land Degradation  Loss of arable land  Increased flooding  Drought and aridity are problems highly influenced and amplified by soil degradation  Solutions to Land Degradation  Reducing deforestation  Land reclamation  Conservation tillage: Examples include leaving the previous year’s crop residue on the surface to shield the soil from erosion and avoiding poor tillage methods such as deep ploughing.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!!