The measurement of the container port throughput and efficiency of China and 5 West African ports was the objective of this study. The DEA model, which is a non-parametric methodology, was applied to a number of inputs of port production and a single output. The results show that although China’s ports are the largest in terms of throughput and size, they are relatively inefficient due to over-capacity. In West Africa, it was revealed that the Tema port in Ghana was the most efficient although it displayed some operational inefficiencies with the Cotonou port in Benin been the least efficient. The results will therefore, add value to future port planning and management and performance ratings.

The bus rapid transit (BRT) system is an efficient public transport mode implemented recently in many cities, but still unknown in many developing countries. Even though, the strategies developed in industrialized countries to enhance the viability of transportation systems cannot be unilaterally transferred to developing countries, the aim of this paper is to introduce the BRT concept in Cotonou by developing a new model. Based on ant colony optimization (ACO), a heuristic algorithm is developed to design and optimize the BRT routes (i.e. maximize direct-through travelers on unit length of BRT route), since the problem is NP-hard. With a numerical test from the case study, the effectiveness of the model and the algorithm is examined. Applying the model to the case of Cotonou, in Benin, we wish to stimulate the debate on the implementation of Bus Rapid Transit in developing cities because transportation policies and huge financial investments for inadequate road infrastructures and public bus system seem insufficient to solve the issue of urban mobility and its sustainability.

Partly spurred by the notion that celebrities wield potentials leverageable for political gains, the phenomenon of celebrity endorsement has become emblematic of political campaigns. While the use of celebrities in politics is on the ascendancy, its impact on electoral fortunes in bourgeoning democracies like Ghana where the concept is nascent, has received little research focus. Considering the anticipated gains, an empirical investigation in this regard will be imperative to the politics of transitioning polities. Against this backdrop, our study investigates the salience of celebrity endorsement to voters' voting intention. Employing a questionnaire‐drawn data via the survey method, with a sample of 745, results of data analysis anchored on the structural equation modeling technique revealed a significant positive relationship between endorser credibility and political brand credibility. Similarly, study results confirmed the significant positive relationship between political brand credibility and voting intention. Finally, the significant positive relationship between endorser credibility and voting intention was affirmed. Overall, the study outcomes verify the usefulness and appropriateness of the proposed model. Based on the results, implications for political strategy and suggestions for further research are subsequently delineated.

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