Tension has reportedly gripped Gbane, a mining community in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region, following a confrontation between some angry youth and armed security guards attached to Nanlamtaaba Enterprise.

Nanlamtaaba Enterprise is a small-scale mining company operated by Zongdaan Boyak Kolog, popularly known as Poloo.

According to a report shared on the Facebook page of media personality Kwadwo Baffour, the confrontation reportedly resulted in gunshots, sparking fear and panic among residents in the community.

The circumstances leading to the clash remain unclear, as details surrounding what triggered the confrontation have yet to be established.

Residents are said to have been left alarmed by the incident, with concerns growing about a potential escalation of tensions between the youth and the personnel protecting the mining operation.

Further details, including whether there were injuries, arrests or property damage, are yet to emerge.

More information is expected as authorities and other sources provide clarity on the incident.

https://web.facebook.com/share/r/1HBvq24Amz/

The SHOOVA Initiative, a newly established Ghanaian not-for-profit organisation, has been officially launched in Accra with a commitment to addressing the impact of irresponsible mining while creating sustainable opportunities for the country’s youth.

The organisation was launched on Friday, August 28, 2026, at the Cedi Conference Centre of the University of Ghana, Legon, during a ceremony that brought together stakeholders from government agencies, non-governmental organisations, traditional authorities, educational institutions, development partners and the private sector.

The ceremony was chaired by Baafuo Adu-Yeboah, Adwareasehene of the Dormaa Traditional Council, who presided over the event and joined other distinguished guests in emphasising the urgent need to restore Ghana’s degraded lands and provide meaningful opportunities for young people.

SHOOVA Initiative was founded by William Odame Agyekum, President and Founder of the organisation, in response to the growing effects of irresponsible mining, youth unemployment and other developmental challenges affecting communities across Ghana.

Speaking at the launch, Executive Secretary Rev. Opon-Yeboah said the organisation was established to respond to the twin challenges of irresponsible mining and youth unemployment, while also addressing broader development concerns confronting communities across the country.

He explained that SHOOVA’s work would focus not only on restoring degraded lands but also on equipping young people with the skills and opportunities needed to contribute positively to their communities and the country’s development.

According to the SHOOVA Initiative, its mission is to ignite a restoration movement in Ghana by empowering the next generation of technical leaders with world-class skills, ethical grounding and environmental stewardship.

The organisation believes that equipping young people with technical expertise, responsible citizenship and environmental consciousness can help Ghana address the damage caused by irresponsible mining while creating a new generation of skilled professionals capable of driving sustainable development.

SHOOVA’s vision is to see communities scarred by irresponsible mining transformed into centres of environmental renewal, technical excellence, sustainable enterprise, and dignified opportunities for residents.

The Board and Management of the organisation said its approach would go beyond enforcement and conventional land reclamation efforts.

Instead, SHOOVA intends to place deliberate investment in people, skills development, responsible citizenship, sustainable enterprise and community transformation at the centre of its interventions.

The organisation said it recognises that environmental degradation has consequences that extend beyond damaged land and water bodies, affecting the livelihoods, economic prospects and social wellbeing of communities.

It therefore maintains that lasting environmental restoration cannot be achieved without also restoring the people and communities whose lives and livelihoods have been affected by environmental degradation.

Through its planned interventions, SHOOVA seeks to link environmental restoration with youth empowerment, technical training and sustainable economic opportunities, particularly for young people who could become key actors in rebuilding degraded communities.

The launch marks the beginning of what the organisation describes as a restoration movement aimed at creating a more sustainable future while ensuring that young Ghanaians have the skills and opportunities to participate meaningfully in the country’s development.

SHOOVA Initiative operates under the motto: “Restoring Lives and Lands.”

The Allied Health Professions Council (AHPC) under the Ministry of Health has cautioned prospective and continuing tertiary students to verify the accreditation status of their institutions and programmes before enrolling or continuing their studies.

In a public notice dated August 29, 2026, the Council warned that not all programmes offered by tertiary training institutions qualify graduates to practise in clinical settings.

The AHPC urged students to confirm the accreditation status of both their chosen institution and programme directly with the Council or through its official website before making any financial or academic commitment.

17 accredited Allied Health programmes

According to the Council, the Allied Health programmes specified under Part I of Act 857 and accredited by the AHPC are:

Dietetics and Nutrition

Medical Laboratory Science

Medical Physics

Optometry

Dental Health Professions

Physiotherapy

Prosthetics and Orthotics

Medical Imaging

Speech and Language Therapy and Audiology

Environmental Health

Health Information and Records Management

Occupational Therapy

Health Promotion

Disease Control

Community Mental Health

Occupational Health and Safety

Biomedical Engineering

The Council stressed that any programme outside the 17 listed programmes, regardless of how closely related its name may appear, will not qualify a graduate for licensing to work in a clinical environment in Ghana.

The AHPC further advised prospective and continuing students to contact the Council to confirm the accreditation status of their training institutions and programmes before enrolling or maintaining any financial or academic commitment.

It warned that students who enrol in unaccredited institutions and/or unapproved programmes do so at the risk of being rendered ineligible for professional licensing and clinical practice.

The notice was signed by Prof. Shirazu Issahaku, Registrar of the Allied Health Professions Council.

Lawyers for Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin have rejected claims surrounding the service of a defamation writ on GoldBod Chief Executive Officer Sammy Gyamfi, insisting that the legal process was properly initiated and that attempts were made to serve the defendant.

In a press statement dated August 29, 2026, the legal team, Osahene Alexander Ofosu-Ampong & Associates, said it had been duly instructed to represent Afenyo-Markin in the matter.

The lawyers described claims circulating about the service of the writ as “false” and misleading, and provided a timeline of events to clarify the circumstances surrounding the case.

According to the lawyers, the writ was filed at the High Court on August 24, 2026.

They said that on August 26, a law firm representing Sammy Gyamfi wrote to the Registrar of the High Court, indicating that an application had been filed seeking leave to serve the writ outside the jurisdiction.

The lawyers further stated that on August 27, Gyamfi’s legal representatives returned the writ to the court registry, explaining that their client had changed his mind about accepting service.

The Afenyo-Markin legal team disputed the account surrounding the returned writ.

According to the statement, following the development, a court bailiff attempted to personally serve Sammy Gyamfi at his office.

The lawyers alleged that Gyamfi declined to accept the court documents, prompting the bailiff to formally record the refusal in accordance with the applicable court procedure.

They maintained that the refusal to physically accept the writ did not, in itself, invalidate the service process.

The legal team also referred to Order 7, Rule 12(2) of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2004 (C.I. 47) in support of its service position.

They argued that the rules provide mechanisms for serving a writ on a defendant, including leaving a copy with the defendant or, in circumstances prescribed by the rules, with an adult person residing with the defendant.

The lawyers said the relevant correspondence and the bailiff’s official report provide documentary evidence of the steps taken to effect service.

They therefore rejected suggestions that the writ had not been properly pursued or that the plaintiff’s legal team had failed to take the necessary procedural steps.

Afenyo-Markin’s lawyers also accused unnamed individuals of circulating what they described as a misleading narrative about the circumstances surrounding the attempted service.

They urged the public to rely on the official court records and the bailiff’s report rather than competing accounts being circulated outside the courtroom.

The legal team reiterated that Afenyo-Markin remains committed to pursuing the matter through the judicial process and allowing the courts to determine the issues before them.

The dispute over service has added another layer to the high-profile legal battle involving Afenyo-Markin and Sammy Gyamfi, with the circumstances surrounding the delivery and acceptance of the writ now becoming a subject of public discussion.

For now, Afenyo-Markin’s lawyers maintain that the writ was properly filed, that reasonable steps were taken to serve Sammy Gyamfi, and that the bailiff’s official report provides a record of what occurred during the attempted personal service.

The Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) has moved to clarify reports suggesting that licensed gold buyers are experiencing delays in accessing funds, stressing that the situation should not be interpreted as a financing challenge within the Board.

According to GoldBod, its trade-financing framework is specifically structured to provide direct financing to licensed Aggregators who purchase and aggregate gold for onward delivery to the Board.

GoldBod explained that, as of the date of its statement, two licensed Aggregators were operating under the financing framework.

The Board stressed that Tier 1 and Tier 2 gold buyers are not automatically entitled to financing from GoldBod. Where such downstream buyers require working capital to support their operations, they may seek funding from the relevant licensed Aggregator.

GoldBod described such funding as a commercial credit arrangement between the Aggregator and the downstream buyer, rather than a direct financing obligation of GoldBod.

GoldBod also highlighted enhanced financing and risk-management procedures that took effect on August 1, 2026.

The measures include strengthened Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements, due diligence, credit assessments, formal financing agreements, repayment obligations and appropriate security requirements.

The Board said the introduction of these measures should not be construed as a withdrawal of financing support.

Rather, it explained that the controls are intended to ensure that public funds are protected and that financing is provided only to participants who meet the required eligibility and creditworthiness standards.

GoldBod said the measures are part of efforts to improve accountability, financial discipline and risk management within Ghana’s formal gold-trading system.

The Board further assured stakeholders that gold purchases remain ongoing, with GoldBod continuing to purchase an aggregate gold produced by the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector through its licensed buyers.

It also stated that it remains financially robust, dismissing any suggestion that it is unable to finance its statutory gold-purchasing mandate.

GoldBod therefore urged stakeholders to distinguish between its direct financing arrangements with licensed Aggregators and the commercial financing relationships that exist between Aggregators and downstream buyers.

The Board maintained that its financing framework is designed to balance support for the formal gold-trading sector with the need to protect public resources.

GoldBod said financial discipline, transparency, accountability and prudent risk management remain central to its operations as it works to strengthen the integrity of Ghana’s formal gold-trading regime.

The clarification comes amid reports and concerns over funding delays affecting some licensed participants in the gold-buying sector. GoldBod’s position is that such delays or financing arrangements involving downstream buyers do not represent an inability by the Board to fund its statutory gold-purchasing activities.