THE Kusaug Diaspora Union (KUDU) has petitioned government to suspend all activities of Maripoma Mining Services and withdraw the lease granted it to mine in Zongoiri in the Upper East Region.
The group strongly opposed the proposed gold mining project in Zongoiri urging government to immediately suspend all activities relating to the concession.
In a petition signed by the KUDU Secretary, Dr Sharon Mumuni, the group, which represents the collective voice of the indigenous Kusaug people, described the project as unlawful, unconstitutional, and a direct threat to the survival, health and livelihood of the people of Kusaug.
According to the Union, the 25- year lease allegedly granted to the company had not received parliamentary approval as required under Article 268(1) of the 1992 Constitution.
It explained that while mineral rights may be issued, surface rights over the land could not be acquired without the free, prior and informed consent of the landowners, adding that no such consent had been given by the affected communities.
The petition further stated that the mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) had not been conducted in line with the Environmental Assessment Regulations, L.I. 1652.
It said the limited consultations by the company fell short of the law's requirements, while no resettlement or compensation plan existed despite proposals to site mining pits in densely populated farming communities.
According to the group, the planned open-pit mining threatened the safety of the White and Red Volta rivers, which provide water to downstream communities.
On health impacts, the petition cited findings from other mining regions around the world, including the Democratic Republic of Congo and the United States, which linked mining activities to miscarriages, congenital anomalies and respiratory diseases. Similar studies in Ghana, KUDU said, confirmed links between mining exposure and miscarriages, kidney disease, liver damage and neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
The displacement of thousands of farmers, it argued, would not only destroy livelihoods but also violate the right to food under international human rights conventions, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
The Union also raised concern over the cultural and ecological heritage of Zongoiri, particularly the sacred waterfall at Kianga and cultural groves, which form part of Kusaug's identity.
It said the destruction of those heritage sites, which were protected under UNESCO conventions, could not be compensated in monetary terms.
Quoting Articles 13 and 34(2) of the Constitution, KUDU said the state had a duty to safeguard the right to life, health and a safe environment.
"Kusaug is not against national development, however, development must not come at the expense of the survival and dignity of its people," the petition stated.
BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA
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