The Assembly Member for the Sheaga electoral area in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region, Augustine Mmi-oni Guure, has vehemently disputed the characterization of local miners as illegal operators, instead attributing the area’s protracted mining conflicts to a failure of leadership and unfulfilled political promises.
Speaking on A1 Radio, Guure, who also serves as the Talensi Constituency Secretary for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), argued that the individuals mining are predominantly local landowners engaged in small-scale mining for survival.
He stated that successive governments have failed to provide tangible solutions or proper stakeholder engagement, leaving citizens to “scramble for their personal survival.” The Assembly Member shifted blame from the miners to a persistent “mafia cabal” of local leaders and officials whom he accused of mismanaging the situation for personal gain, a problem he claims has persisted despite the change in government.
He expressed deep disappointment that NDC faithful who are miners have not benefited from the party’s return to power, with some even losing their livelihoods without legal cause. Guure highlighted the severe human cost, recalling past military interventions that resulted in fatalities, including a schoolboy, with no compensation for the victims.
He framed the issue as a critical matter of security and welfare, noting that depriving people of their traditional livelihood leads to increased crime and armed robbery in the area. While expressing faith in the NDC party nationally, Guure insisted the mining problem is a local issue requiring a bipartisan solution within the constituency and district.
He called for urgent, sincere leadership to address the perennial crisis, warning that the community’s desperation could have dire consequences for all, including politicians who fail to act.
A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Moses Apiah|Bolgatanga
That’s is greast pharaoh ever in our talensi land
He will keep on mingling youth to the civilized world we are now