The Kusaug Diaspora Union (KUDU) has opposed the proposed Zongoiri Gold Mining Project near Binaba in the Upper East Region, urging the government to halt the plans immediately.
The project, spearheaded by Maripoma Mining Services, has sparked anger among the Kusaug people and local residents, who argue that it threatens their health, water sources, farmlands, and cultural heritage.
In a statement signed by Dr. Sharon Mumuni, KUDU Secretary, the group described the project as “unconstitutional, unlawful, and unacceptable,” claiming it violates both Ghana’s Constitution and international human rights laws.
KUDU highlighted that the 25-year mining lease granted to Maripoma has not received Parliamentary approval, as required under Article 268(1) of the Constitution. The group also claims landowners were not consulted, breaching mining laws.
Health and environmental concerns are central to the opposition. Zongoiri lies between the White and Red Volta rivers, critical water sources for local communities. KUDU warns that mining could contaminate these rivers with cyanide, mercury, and arsenic, citing similar cases in Talensi and Obuasi, where heavy metal exposure harmed public health.
“Studies in Ghana and abroad link mining exposure to miscarriages, congenital disabilities, cancers, kidney and liver diseases,” the statement said. “The people of Kusaug cannot be treated as experimental subjects in another mining-induced disaster.”
Beyond health risks, KUDU says mining would destroy farmlands and displace thousands of farmers in a region where agriculture is the economic and cultural backbone.
The group also expressed concern about the potential destruction of cultural and ecological heritage, including the sacred Kianga waterfall and cultural groves, which are integral to Kusaug’s identity. “Their destruction cannot be compensated with money,” the statement added.
To protect their community, KUDU is demanding an immediate suspension of all mining activities in Zongoiri, revocation of Maripoma’s mining lease, and an independent health and environmental study before any mining proceeds.
The union also calls for recognition of the farming, water, and cultural rights of the Kusaug people and urges adoption of alternative, community-led development projects in agriculture, tourism, and heritage preservation.
“Kusaug is not against development,” KUDU stressed. “But development must not come at the expense of our survival and dignity.”
The group has appealed to the President, Chief of Staff, and relevant state agencies to act swiftly to halt the project and safeguard the future of the Kusaug people.
Source: Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen