Members of the Zanlerigu community in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region have intensified their opposition to the exploration of gold mineral resources in the community by an international mining company, Cardinal Namdini.
The mining company secured a licence from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to explore the availability of the scarce mineral resource, gold, which is suspecting to be in abundance in the community for possible mining.
The Community lead by the youth, stopped the company from its exploration activities. The youth accused the company of not informing them about their activities and the drilling of holes near their homes and excessive noise which is disturbing them.
Sensing a possible clash between the community and the mining company, the Upper East Regional Security Concil called for a meeting to resolve the impasse between them at the conference hall of the Regional Coordinating council on 8th June, 2023.That meeting was not successfully attended by the Nabdam community. They cited the day short notice for the meeting and also demanded that the meeting be held in the community for the attendance of the community members.
At the Nabdam District Assembly on 21st June,2023, a second meeting was held where Hon. Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, admonished the community to allow the company to carry on with their exploration.
Stephen Yakubu talked about the need for peace and how sitting down and talking peace could be achieved so that the Company could do its work and the community also benefit from it. He stated that the Regional Coordinating Council was there for the people and not threats to community interests.
The community members led by a representative of the Zanlerigu chief, reiterated their opposition to the activities of the company. Mr. Mbawona Naamsakiya, reiterated the following as to why the Community does not want exploration or mining in their community.
Zanlerigu is a community made of Zanlerigu, Gani and Daliga.It is a small community with no access to any forest area.The entire place is for settlement with homes and people make their livelihoods from the small farms around.It borders Zuarungu, Talensi, other parts of Nabdam and Zuarungu Moshie.It is a crowded area with nowhere for people to move to should in case mining happens.
The Assembly man, Hon Maxwell Divom added that part of the place that Cardinal wants to explore and possibly undertake mining is earmarked for a Senior High School that was started but has stopped with the possibility of starting in the future. The representatives begged and pleaded with the Regional Security Council to stop Cardinal from exploring for gold in Zanlerigu. “That it is the only win win situation for the community.
After a long back and forth exchanges, the Security Council was of the view that Cardinal should be allowed to undertake exploration because Cardinal is losing money if exploration is not undertaken. That exploration is contribution to information gathering and data on minerals in the area and may not necessarily lead to mining. And that it is in the best interest of Ghana.
RESEC assured the community That should exploration lead to eventual mining; the Community has a right to give consent. And that it is at this stage that the Community can refuse to give consent. And moreover terms for resettlement could be agreed which will be a win win for both the community and Cardinal.
Meanwhile information gathered from the meeting indicates that Some members of the Security Council expressed the view that if the community members do not accept Cardinal to undertake exploration, the security forces could also come hard on the community and prevent them from undertaking galamsey.
By:Mywordfmonline.com.