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Land Ministry to clamp down on illegal clay miners at Shama
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Illegal clay miners in the Shama enclave of the Western Region have been given an ultimatum to cease their operations or face sanctions from the government, Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr George Mireku Duker, has warned.
He stressed: “The District Security Committee (DISEC) has been directed to clamp down on illegal clay mining and take steps to regularise their operations to ensure sanity and also save the environment in Shama areas.This cannot continue.”
Mr Duker gave the directives in an interview with journalists recently, after he had toured a degraded illegal clay mining site at Old Daboase Junction, in the Shama District of the Western Region.
The visit revealed large tracts of devastated lands dotted with deep ponds.
The Deputy Minister declared : “The ministry will collaborate with the Minstry of Trade and Industry and together we find ways of dealing with the ceramic companies because the clay miners are mining illegally and the companies are condoning and conniving with illegal miners. They are stopping today.”
Although, he declined to give details and timelines on the ultimatum, Mr Duker maintained that until there was order in the clay mining industry, the directive to Shama Assembly was still binding.
He said:“It’s unfortunate; if you want to mine, follow the protocols and mine according to the dictates of the law. I have given some specific assigments to DISEC which they will soon roll out but as for the details I can’t disclose them.”
The Deputy Minister added :“DISEC is to take control and make sure they regulate their activities. those who want to mine must secure licences before they do so.”
On the degraded clay mine site at Old Daboase junction, he disclosed that somebody got the site and was mining illegally.
One critical issue at the sites, he noted, was reclamation of land after mining and indicated government’s desire to ensure that it was done in accordance with the law.
Mr Duker told the journalists that companies which benefitted from the clay would collaborate with the clay mining association to reclaim all degraed sites at Shama.
“If you want to mine, you must acquire the necessary licences and follow all the protocols in accordance with the dictates of the law. We need all hands on the deck and ensure that mining becomes an enviable business in this country.” he stated.
Reacting to allegations that the Shama Assembly had taken money from the clay miners for reclamation, he said, “we’ll investigate it, because they are not licensed and so you can’t take something from them.”
Meanwhile, at a meeting with small scale miners, he revealed that government records showed that all mining operators at Shama had no licences, and, therefore, engaged in illegalities.
The Deputy Minister of mining told the meeting that the United States in 2015 bagged about $1.4billion and 1.9 billion in 2019 respectively from the clay industy, noting that same could not be said about Ghana’s industry.
He regretted that illegal Ghanaian clay miners were condoning with foreign tile makers and depriving Ghana of getting benefits from the natural gifts because of selfish interests.
From Clement Adzei Boye, Old Daboase Junction
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.
In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.
The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.
UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.
The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.
It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.
UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.
The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.
The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.
Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.
By: Jacob Aggrey
